Sour Bubble 3rd Run

[paperchaser825]

Just getting the room clean and making a list of stuff to do before we start.

First question: Anyone know how to do the calculation on how big my feed lines need to be in an RDWC?

My current pump is ~550gph mag drive sub pump. I am planning on running either 1/4" or 3/8" PVC for my feed lines. My return lines are 1" which connects to a 3/4" bulkhead. All return lines are now separate.

I am doing a bit of an experiment with this next setup. My control bucket will be a large recycling can (very sturdy about the size of a large kitchen trash can). Taking advantage of the tall nature of the control bucket, I plan to incorporate the "waterfall" technique of the BioBuckets into a small design. A small mag drive pump will be placed in the tall control bucket and piped to the top of the bucket and then pointed back down to the center of the bucket through a couple of 90's. The nozzle I will be using (still don't know the name of these things) will be the ones with the small nipple, to which you connect a 1/4" line, which takes air from the 1/4" line and forces it into the reservoir. I hope to introduce enough oxygen into the system this between this and the rapid recirculation that my ~550gph feed pump will be supplying.

I'll try to get pics up when I'm done with the installation. Have a whole list of stuff that needs fixin up on the cab before I do that though.

 

[extreegrowerrr]

1/2 inch feed line...1 inch drain. It's what I use. Depends on number of plants might have to adjust pump size.

 

[paperchaser825]

4 plants....was thinking 1/2" was too much due to...

http://flexpvc.com/WaterFlowBasedOnPipeSize.shtml

 

[paperchaser825]

This is my new control/res bucket where all my pumps will go. I'm really excited to try this idea out with the waterfall. I think it really might be an advantage for those, like myself, who grow in confined spaces with limited room and means to modify.

For those interested, the fittings are overpriced pvc bulkhead fittings from my big hardware store. You could achieve the same thing ordering some 1" rubber grommets, but alas, I am a procrastinator and a compulsive buyer. The fittings are 3/4" and my original return lines are 1" so I needed to buy some adapters.

As you can see, I will have more than enough head room to create my pump assisted artificial waterfall.

Will post more pics when I get more done.

 

[paperchaser825]

Found out my return lines are not 1", but 3/4". Have to go return fitting and get a stick of pvc tomorrow. Will try to post pics for evaluation.

 

[paperchaser825]

WHOO HOO! PICS!

WHOO HOO! PICS!

K....so installation is complete. We are ready for things like...leak testing, picking out nutrients and getting clones ready.

Unfortunately, my sour bub mom is looking downright terrible. I still have much work to do on my mother maintenance. Trying to nurse her back so I can take my clones.

I can't wait to get everything in order so I can pick out a pump which will perform the waterfall effect. Thinking a small mag drive will be my best bet.

Crossing fingers for.....

 

[paperchaser825]

K, everything is in. The lines are working and leak tested to a degree...will be keeping an eye on everything and maybe slathering silicon everywhere.

I have SO MUCH MORE RE-CIRCULATION NOW!!!!!

The last bit of the project will be figuring out a way to homogenize the waterfall stream as to avoid the mess it's currently making on the sides of the control/reservoir bucket. I'm thinking maybe a faucet aerator? Need some ideas here.

Can't wait to put plants in here. I think I might be cookin' with heat come this round.

Got some emergency measures out on ole' Momma Sour Bubble. I hope she starts dancin soon or I may have to resort to drastic measures. Whatever that means...

Thanks for your time.

 

[paperchaser825]

So here's the deal....bought $7 worth of pvc and rubber to make an abomination in order to homogenize my artificial waterfall....the kicker....IT WORKED!

bought a 1/2" to 1-1/4" bushing to make it all possible. I then purchased what was called a "Slip-on Rubber Aerator" and a little silicon later.... The basic principle here is the same as a bathroom faucet aerator.

The stream is now not messy and I think I may have mechanically introduced a good bit of oxygen into the system by installing this. Only time will tell if it's enough. Staying optimistic for once.

 

[paperchaser825]

So the deal with the Sour Bubble mom is still up in the air. I have her in hygrozyme and now I'm just waiting to see what she does.

I have taken a clone and I'm trying to make her root using the Snype method. Props to Snype for some serious knowledge dissemination recently.

 

[HOVAH2.0]

Be patient with Sour Bubble she notoriously slow to clone... I remember taking over 100 cuts with only 70 rooting, and I was using an Ez clone 120!

cloning has always been a Black Art to me, some strains are easy to root: Sensi Star , Kali mist, Sour Diesel, superlemonhaze. others take forever: GSC, SourBubble.. which is why Ive always invested in an EZcloner.

 

[paperchaser825]

Good to know. I will keep this in mind. Will let you know how many days it takes.

On another note, the silicon didn't hold my rubber aerator inside the 1-1/4" bushing. I proceeded to use pvc glue w/ primer and this is holding as of now.

I ran into a bit of a problem with the aerator, seems I had some plastic from drilling holes in bucklets still in the system. Well....good ole' rubber aerator seemed to have found them all, and then proceeded to clog the steel mesh filter in the aerator to a halt. Thought something was wrong with the pump, but I cleaned it and all is well now. I can already tell I will need to invest in some sort of filtering system for my setup.

Other than that all is good. The mother seems to be recovering. I put her in a 600 ppm mix with Hygrozyme and she seemed to like it....a little too much...The PH went wild on me and the ppms were rising, so I am currently mixing her up another batch with Hygrozyme just at an extremely lean ppm. Hoping she makes it as I have a killer regime picked out for her next round.

 

[paperchaser825]

Did more maintenance on the Sour Bubble mother tonight. Washed the roots in cold tap water. Man....just another reason to not use Floranova Bloom in RDWC. You can't dissolve the stuff totally. It's just impossible. When the rinse was dumped it had all types of visible particulate that no doubt was part of my problem. After all was done the roots looked noticeably cleaner. Adjusted pH and back in the system she went. I'm hoping to keep her, but I'm still rooting a clone at the moment. I think both will make it and I will end up culling the sickly mother after taking clones to go into the flower room. I will then use the new mother clone and veg her out to use as my new mother. We shall see if my plan is anything near what ends up happening.

 

[fatigues]

If FNB is not working for you, you could go with GH BLoom and Micro Lucas style instead -- or powder KISS style. Or something else entirely.

Which way are you leaning?

 

[paperchaser825]

I have switched over to 3 part recently. Keeping my mother on 1-1-1 and I haven't decided which regime I will apply to the flowering clones. Thinking going with Spurr's simple formula, not the hydrobuddy version, BUT I may get my water professionally tested and use Hydrobuddy. I feel like I can work the 3 part well this go round. The FNB is just falling out of suspension too easily.

 

[stasis]

The flora nova would
never work in anything but a soil or soil less medium.

 

[paperchaser825]

The flora nova would
never work in anything but a soil or soil less medium.

You have no idea how good that is to hear. I tried to eliminate all my variables before blaming the nutes, but now I'm quite certain I will have more success with the 3 part. Time will tell.

Still trying to work my mother plant out, but like I said, after washing her roots last night, I was amazed at how much particulate was in the rinse bucket. Just undissolved crap in there really.

Will update with any news asap.

 

[PuReKnOwLeDgE]

I used floranova successfully in RDWC for at least 3 years, I loved it, it was very easy.

 

[paperchaser825]

I used floranova successfully in RDWC for at least 3 years, I loved it, it was very easy.

So the secret is to just love my FNB harder? I kid....what type of RDWC system were you using? Any tricks to keeping the nutrients from falling out the solution?

 

[PuReKnOwLeDgE]

Yes love it harder haha. 24 5 gallon buckets, 3/4 drain 1/2" feed. I don't know what you mean about nutrients falling out of the water.

 

[paperchaser825]

Just seemed no matter how long I mixed my nutes, or what size pump I used to do so, the nutrients came out of suspension in the water.