ebb and flow set up?need help

[urbangardenCO]

i have a small scale(2-4x4 tables)and want to use ebb and flow set up with a 55 gallon drum type res.how do i set it up to drain the trays into the drum after flooding?someone please help i obviously dont know what the fuck im doin...i thought by plumbing a bulkhead fitting into the side of the drum but that fucker was expensive and i don't want to fuck it up where i have to rig it to use it.please help!!!

 

[High Country]

i have a small scale(2-4x4 tables)and want to use ebb and flow set up with a 55 gallon drum type res.how do i set it up to drain the trays into the drum after flooding?someone please help i obviously dont know what the fuck im doin...i thought by plumbing a bulkhead fitting into the side of the drum but that fucker was expensive and i don't want to fuck it up where i have to rig it to use it.please help!!!

Go to a hydro store and purchase ebb/flow flood and drain fittings. The inlet is 13mm and the outlet is 19mm I believe. They only cost a few bucks and will save a lot of grief.

 

[urbangardenCO]

i know that.the problem is that with the trays 16in above the floor and the drum sitting on the floor,in causes the nutes in the res to equalize into the flood tables all the time.unless the res is filled to the same level as the trays.like it needs a check valve or the res needs to be under the trays.

 

[GilligansIsle]

Aloha:

I think your issue is a result of the elevations of your pieces. Here on our little Island gravity seems to make water run down hill. I bet you have the same situation where you are. Lift your tables above the waterline in your res and the issue will go away. If you cant lift the tables you might sink the res. if neither of these will work, you might have to change from a drum res to a tank res with a shorter profile(maybe a smaller shorter one for each table).

I apologize for my smart ass post, but hopefully it might help.

 

[High Country]

I may have missed the point. My res sits beneath the tray. It is a standard 3x3 ebb/flow tray.

 

[!!!]

As stated above search for "botanicare ebb flow fittings" and get the set. It's $10—about the same cost (if not cheaper) as trying to find the right bulkheads yourself.

 

[dtfsux]

Obviously some people only read half or part of the post and post useless answers.

The tray is 16" above the ground right? and the 55 gallon drum is standing up normally? So the top edge is much higher than the res?

If you have the lid, lay the drum on the ground and place it under the table. You will still need to lift the table. That is the easiest option.

Second option, find a res to fit under the table like a rubbermaid bin from walmart or a higher grade stock tank from tractor supply. Or build your own from plywood and pond liner.

third. put a small bin under the table, get two float switches, DP relay, and another pump. When the table drains into the small catch bin, the pump will pump back to the rez. This is by far the most complicated solution

 

[urbangardenCO]

thank you for your help.finally some help i could use.im ditching the 55 gallon drum for a 100 gallon under table res.i have only 8 ft of cieling height so raising the trays isnt an option.im using 2-1000 air cooled lamps with a light mover but still heat stressing the plants if i raise the trays any...

 

[what the]

8' is plenty of headroom, are you growing trees?
You should be running some kind of cooling system. Not just air cooling your lights. with 2kW you need additional cooling. You should be able to get your hoods down to where an 8' ceiling is not a height restriction.

also DTFsux has the only useful info in this thread.

 

[JACKtheREFFER]

you will be much happier with the res under the table life will be a lot easier ... work with gravity not against it ..