How to plumb reservoirs together.

[PeopleWish]

I can get 55 food grade drums for $25.00.

Botanicare 115g res with lids are like $300+ -_-....

Id rather plumb a couple 55 drums together.

Has anyone done this? If you have could you please share your method?

Thanks

 

[Danks2005]

It would be hard to get a good seal with bulkheads on the side due to the round shape of the drum.

Maybe you could raise them on blocks put maybe a 2"-3" bulkhead on the bottom of each one, and pipe them together underneath. Then pump a lot of water from one to the other on top. It should aerate the water, and it would continuously be balancing the water level between the 2 drums. I've never done this but it seems like it would work.

Why not just run two rez's. I know it would be convenient to have 1, but is it $250 convenient?

 

[Hydrolized]

It won't be hard at all to use bulkheads. I have at least 10 55g drums with 2" bulkheads installed, along with 3/4" bulkheads installed, none leak. I also have a bunch of 1" bulkheads installed in 35g drums, all of which also don't leak. The rubber gasket on them is at least 1/4" thick and very pliable, and a 55 gallon drum has a diameter of 22" so the bend for a 2" bulkhead is actually very minimal. You should be able to find decent quality 2" bulkheads for $15, $10 for 3/4" ones.

 

[BCMaster]

float valve

 

[PeopleWish]

Wouldnt airstones be enough to oxygenate the water?

And since the drums were plumbed together wouldnt the water level remain consistant for them both?

Thanks for the advice

 

[Hydrolized]

Yes it would be balanced at all times... I would just run an air stone in each one. I run the $10 Walmart dual outlet pumps, one outlet per 55g drum with a 4" air stone in each and it works good, the water churns.

 

[Danks2005]

I figured pumping water from one to the other would help maintain consistent parameters in both drums, aeration would just be a bonus. I've never aerated a rez, I don't think it is needed. The growing medium is aerated through application, though system type may play a role in this decision.

My thinking was that if I send water to the system from one drum, then return to the other drum and rely on gravity to balance the volume of water, then the water returning could come back with different ppm's and ph. This could throw off the balance of the 2 drums. Then you are relying on time to stabilize the solution between the two. Pumping would cause a more immediate stabilization. I don't know how long it would take to do it on its own, and I don't know if the difference in parameters would be enough to even matter, but I would try to avoid finding out that it would matter.

 

[HeathBanks]

If ya put a pump in each res and and circulate water that way, what happens when one of your pumps fail..? Better buy a lifejacket or your gonna drown. Linking drums together works good as a cheap way to store undosed water for future use in the feed tanks. But it doesnt work well as a feed rez. I can only imagine how long it would take to dose a setup like that, even with pumps!

 

[supermanlives]

they make kits for rainwater barrels to hook em together.

 

[Lammy]

I've been using polypropylene stock feed tanks from tractor supply. The ones I have are 100 gallon capacity and have a plug where you can connect 1.25 inch pvc pipes. They cost me about $80-85 bucks and are strong as hell. I use 1 as an RO rez and have it stacked on top of 2 others that I use as the nutrient res. I connect a valve and plumbing to the drain plug on the r o res and then let it gravity feed to fill the nutrient rez's. through inch in a half plumbing it can fill a 100 gallon res in just a few minutes, with a half inch hose and city pressure it takes hours!!

I believe they have a larger capacity stock feed tank that's even cheaper. Though not as heavy duty.

 

[FlowerFarmer]

Uniseals are a good alternative to bulk heads. Just drill a hole on the side of your barrel at the lowest point and press in the massive grommet (uniseal). A piece of regular pvc connects the two.