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Fill her up
- Thread starter f-e
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I
Insomniac420
Bro what's this for?
I
Insomniac420
No shit sherlock lol is he filling a res or the bath
Then the second film, that tries to clean up the plot line
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu3tCLRSXME
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu3tCLRSXME
CrushnYuba
Well-known member
Out of curiosity, why don't you just use a mechanical float switch that just closes when full? Is it for some sort of rez doser?
I used to have the same setup for filling storage tanks. My well is low yielding so i only pump for 20 min of each hour until it's full. Its a 24v solenoid valve, a 24v power supply, a cycle timer, float. I have also used a garden hose timer and a mechanical float for the same task somewhere else.
I used to have the same setup for filling storage tanks. My well is low yielding so i only pump for 20 min of each hour until it's full. Its a 24v solenoid valve, a 24v power supply, a cycle timer, float. I have also used a garden hose timer and a mechanical float for the same task somewhere else.
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Most people will be using mains cold water, at considerable pressure, so one solution is to bring in copper or hdpe. Then drill their tank for a mechanical float, at a height that's then pretty much fixed. Then add a valve, so the tank isn't filling with fresh water, while they are taking their nutrient solution out. Which can work, certainly. Though certain plumbing skills are required, and a fresh fixed pipe route.
Looking at my version, the float can be dangled in any vessel without drilling, and the float and vessel moved about very easily. There is still a valve to stop it filling while you take your nutrient solution out, but the plumbing into the room is just 1/4" and slips under the carpet. It's open ended in the room, so never see's much pressure in it, or offers joints to leak. At the valve end, I might of put a fresh tap under the bath, but this 1/4" pipe could of easily visited the kitchen where a Y splitter could see it share a machine point already present. This makes the project plug&play. No spanners. No alterations to the household plumbing. Just a Y adapter in the kitchen/utility room, then a skinny pipe through the house.
Incidentally, the skinny pipe and it's push-fit 3/4" tap adapter are from the RO machine sellers. That is under the bath. While the other one pictured has the hose spigot option.
I'm going to add a second valve, right beside the first. It's very rare, but I don't want a valve getting crud under the seat and weeping. My tank has no overflow. It's not stood in the bath or shower.
Let me skim through the process.
First, the drip pump runs on a timer.
Second, after the fertigation has finished, The fill timer comes on. This fills the tank till the float says stop. Shortly after which the timer also says stop. In order to limit the water level, should the float stick due to contamination. That's been seen in dirty tanks (flood drain) that have dried out fully for a few weeks. So there is no point powering the fill system hours longer than needed. Plus it must be off during fertigation, or it's diluting your feed.
Third, is the feed dosing. Because the fertigation pump is on a timer, and the fill float fixed in height, you use the same amount of water every day. So just like making the exact same bucket up every day, you know just what it needs. Maybe 60ml of single part feed and 1.5ml of down with 8ml of PK. Who knows. But unless your water quality changes, it's the same every day.
I have other dosing options to post, but I'm not sure people are ready for it?
Looking at my version, the float can be dangled in any vessel without drilling, and the float and vessel moved about very easily. There is still a valve to stop it filling while you take your nutrient solution out, but the plumbing into the room is just 1/4" and slips under the carpet. It's open ended in the room, so never see's much pressure in it, or offers joints to leak. At the valve end, I might of put a fresh tap under the bath, but this 1/4" pipe could of easily visited the kitchen where a Y splitter could see it share a machine point already present. This makes the project plug&play. No spanners. No alterations to the household plumbing. Just a Y adapter in the kitchen/utility room, then a skinny pipe through the house.
Incidentally, the skinny pipe and it's push-fit 3/4" tap adapter are from the RO machine sellers. That is under the bath. While the other one pictured has the hose spigot option.
I'm going to add a second valve, right beside the first. It's very rare, but I don't want a valve getting crud under the seat and weeping. My tank has no overflow. It's not stood in the bath or shower.
Let me skim through the process.
First, the drip pump runs on a timer.
Second, after the fertigation has finished, The fill timer comes on. This fills the tank till the float says stop. Shortly after which the timer also says stop. In order to limit the water level, should the float stick due to contamination. That's been seen in dirty tanks (flood drain) that have dried out fully for a few weeks. So there is no point powering the fill system hours longer than needed. Plus it must be off during fertigation, or it's diluting your feed.
Third, is the feed dosing. Because the fertigation pump is on a timer, and the fill float fixed in height, you use the same amount of water every day. So just like making the exact same bucket up every day, you know just what it needs. Maybe 60ml of single part feed and 1.5ml of down with 8ml of PK. Who knows. But unless your water quality changes, it's the same every day.
I have other dosing options to post, but I'm not sure people are ready for it?
CrushnYuba
Well-known member
What are you gonna use to dose the rez? One of them fishtank dosing pumps?
Something like the Jebao units look good for some of us. At first glance, $100 and you're set. There are a couple of problems though. Firstly the tube will melt, but we can change that. Secondly the peristaltic pumps used are brushed DC motor types. Which are unsteady. You could water your acid down though, so you run the pump long enough to deliver at least 20ml.
Santoprene (tpv) is an available hose option https://www.salhydro.fi/files/PDF/SantopreneChemicalResistance.pdf
PharmedBPT is also being ripped off https://www.biopharm.saint-gobain.com/pharmed-bpt-tubing (there is a link to it's chemical resistance qualities)
While PVC is unsuitable for pinch roller type pumping, it's chemical resistance makes it suitable for delivering most fluids we are interested in, but watch their concentrations https://www.calpaclab.com/pvc-polyvinyl-chloride-chemical-compatibility-chart/
This pipe info wasn't a 5 minute search. Finding what works and we can get has actually taken weeks. The Santoprene may not work in some pump heads as it has a 1.6mm think wall and smaller pumps often like a 1mm walled pipe. The Pharmedbpt comes in both sizes. To expand on that a little more, the fish dosing pump is likely a 3x5 pipe, making it 3mm internal and 5mm external, thus a 1mm wall. It will squish down to 2mm think. Or maybe it's in US sizes, 1.6x4.8 would be a 1.6 wall, that squishes down to 3.2mm.
In signing off here, it's 7am. However I'm using brushless stepper motor powered peristaltic pumps. Each can deliver 0-160mm per minute with high accuracy. Each is a $50 hit. We can talk about them next.
Santoprene (tpv) is an available hose option https://www.salhydro.fi/files/PDF/SantopreneChemicalResistance.pdf
PharmedBPT is also being ripped off https://www.biopharm.saint-gobain.com/pharmed-bpt-tubing (there is a link to it's chemical resistance qualities)
While PVC is unsuitable for pinch roller type pumping, it's chemical resistance makes it suitable for delivering most fluids we are interested in, but watch their concentrations https://www.calpaclab.com/pvc-polyvinyl-chloride-chemical-compatibility-chart/
This pipe info wasn't a 5 minute search. Finding what works and we can get has actually taken weeks. The Santoprene may not work in some pump heads as it has a 1.6mm think wall and smaller pumps often like a 1mm walled pipe. The Pharmedbpt comes in both sizes. To expand on that a little more, the fish dosing pump is likely a 3x5 pipe, making it 3mm internal and 5mm external, thus a 1mm wall. It will squish down to 2mm think. Or maybe it's in US sizes, 1.6x4.8 would be a 1.6 wall, that squishes down to 3.2mm.
In signing off here, it's 7am. However I'm using brushless stepper motor powered peristaltic pumps. Each can deliver 0-160mm per minute with high accuracy. Each is a $50 hit. We can talk about them next.
CrushnYuba
Well-known member
Why don't you just use a water driven pump like a dosatron? There are Chinese ones on eBay for like 75$ with adjustable dilution ratings. Its a knock off of a mix-rite You could use it on the fill line into your res.
They are always 100% accurate.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fertilizer...232885?hash=item5910d12b35:g:oTUAAOSwhhlb877H
I have always thought about peristaltic aquarium pumps, but i never really thought of an easy way to adjust them when water usage changes. Water driven pumps are just always dead on so i never got to play around with an aquarium doser. But i have always thought about it.
They are always 100% accurate.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fertilizer...232885?hash=item5910d12b35:g:oTUAAOSwhhlb877H
I have always thought about peristaltic aquarium pumps, but i never really thought of an easy way to adjust them when water usage changes. Water driven pumps are just always dead on so i never got to play around with an aquarium doser. But i have always thought about it.
I have looked at the dosatron clones as cheap as $150 but buck at the idea they overflow your feed bottles with tap water every year or so. Even if I add back flow sensing, it's not a proper fix as I'm then not fertigating. I'll perhaps spent that $150 on a drip pump and tank automation, but with the dosatron you must spend that for each bottle. Your feed could be one part, and maybe you could put your acid directly in your feed bottle so you still have one fluid to deliver. There will still be things like calmag and PK to go in though. Which you can't mix in one big bottle. So the cost is $450 based on $150 per unit. Both systems will spring the occasional leak. Peristaltic tubes split at an age, so might put a dose in the catch tray. My pumps are going over my tank because of this. The dosatron fails and fills your bottles though. I really can't have that. I think it's great you don't need a tank, and for a big grow show with constant monitoring and an area like a shower tray specifically put by for this it's a breathe of fresh air. But you rely on a lot of components. A prv failure could open the pipework anywhere. I'm going to leave that stuff for commercial grows that need the 3/4" pipe connections.
It's hard to get away from the issue of money, when a small home grow is all you want. A wall of dosatrons is a bit much. The little fish tank doser is a lot more manageable. But where we started with the tank going up and down, is really very cheap. Leaving you to pour in the same amount of feed each day. Which is so damn easy.
Edit: Online fertigation also requires heaters during cold weather.
It's hard to get away from the issue of money, when a small home grow is all you want. A wall of dosatrons is a bit much. The little fish tank doser is a lot more manageable. But where we started with the tank going up and down, is really very cheap. Leaving you to pour in the same amount of feed each day. Which is so damn easy.
Edit: Online fertigation also requires heaters during cold weather.
I have done this 3 times, but only once with the microbore. In the past it's been washing machine valves and hosepipe. My first install didn't even use the fancy logic board, I just had a low powered relay, flick a larger relay. Though the reed switch is rated a lot higher than I would of drempt.
The vague presentation is because I'm just passing the idea to those that will find it obvious once they are presented with the idea. If someone wants specific help, all good. I'm really showing people like yourself though, who just look and think yeah.
The full benefit might not be that obvious. I once filled a butt in the corner every 3 days. With this advance, I reclaimed the corner by putting a 100L fold up tank outside the room. It was less stress to chuck a glass of feed and a measure of acid in each day, then get out the hose and measure out an unknown amount of feed and acid using my meters every 3 days. But you have heard all this. The real gain is fresh water. That cold water that has been thrashed by pumps and treated with anti fungal agents is a lot better than something that sat in a warm room for 3 days.
Edit: I have since found 12v valves with a 1/4" push fit each side, So I wouldn't need the washing machine hose. https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.0.0.3b85433dbQ83Qd
That won't have the filter gauze of my valve, but I will add it as a second valve, as a passing valve is my biggest flood risk.
I also found a valve with a 1/4" push fit one side, and a 3/4" female the other, to screw straight on the appliance tap. I can't find it again though.
Steppers
Great little video here of what I'm up to
https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...2700.7724857.normalList.30.731f34b7pAbW8U&s=p
The motor there is available from other sellers for $30 delivered. The stepper driver is a 6600 ($10). Then you need a square wave to control that, 0-15,000hz though 10khz will do it. Maybe this $5 itemhttps://www.alibaba.com/product-det...spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.0.0.70f412e8ae1AWh
And 12vdc to run it, and perhaps a couple of resistors or a variable to make a voltage divider, as the 12v motor controller is a bit much for the 5v drivers data input.
Oh yes.. It's ghetto, but great. (if it works)
Great little video here of what I'm up to
https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...2700.7724857.normalList.30.731f34b7pAbW8U&s=p
The motor there is available from other sellers for $30 delivered. The stepper driver is a 6600 ($10). Then you need a square wave to control that, 0-15,000hz though 10khz will do it. Maybe this $5 itemhttps://www.alibaba.com/product-det...spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.0.0.70f412e8ae1AWh
And 12vdc to run it, and perhaps a couple of resistors or a variable to make a voltage divider, as the 12v motor controller is a bit much for the 5v drivers data input.
Oh yes.. It's ghetto, but great. (if it works)
CrushnYuba
Well-known member
It's more like 150$. The mix rite clones are 75$ each. You only need 1 or 2 dosers. 1 for calcium and one for sulphates. Everything can be put into one of those 2.
I don't know what u mean by back flow and filling nutrient bottles with water. I have never seen that happen.
You can still have your tank. You just put on the fill line before the tank instead of your irrigation line. That way you aren't robbing your pump of pressure to run the doser pumps.
I don't know what u mean by back flow and filling nutrient bottles with water. I have never seen that happen.
You can still have your tank. You just put on the fill line before the tank instead of your irrigation line. That way you aren't robbing your pump of pressure to run the doser pumps.
Okay, so here is my 4 pumps for $70 delivered internationally.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jebao-Prog...=2639422288943bedb398473740f48edff917050b6cef
What you got?
My current problem is mixing the feed bottles. For $1
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jebao-Prog...=2639422288943bedb398473740f48edff917050b6cef
What you got?
My current problem is mixing the feed bottles. For $1
CrushnYuba
Well-known member
I been super interested in those type of pumps. I swear i have looked at that exact one for hours trying to think up a way to use it.
The reason i didn't use it, is i couldn't come up with a good way to calculate my water usage. I have seen that type off pump connected to a water meter as an alternative to water driven fertilizer pumps. But i couldn't come up with a good estimation on my own. Also, my water usage varies with weather because i mostly grow in greenhouses.
I'd love to give it a try though if u come up with a good formula
The reason i didn't use it, is i couldn't come up with a good way to calculate my water usage. I have seen that type off pump connected to a water meter as an alternative to water driven fertilizer pumps. But i couldn't come up with a good estimation on my own. Also, my water usage varies with weather because i mostly grow in greenhouses.
I'd love to give it a try though if u come up with a good formula
Why don't you use SONOFF with 12V peristaltic pump you have an app with the SONOFF and can put them on a timmer only in 1 minute increments tho.
I do have a GSM/SMS Text message system for auto doseing that i never got aorund to finishing you cna text it to turn the relay on for x amounts of seconds and minutes.
Here they are https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-2-5X-W...hash=item46a64310cb:m:mw_ZwUybXeDrNibIEq4GC8g
bare in mind you need to have WIFI Connection but these can be controlled from around the world,
bare in mind you need to have WIFI Connection but these can be controlled from around the world,
