DWC Feeding / Refilling Res

5

5cooby Doo

Member

• Nov 13, 2017

• #1

Do you empty your Res 100% when you have to refill it?

Like if your drain is on the side of your res (not on the bottom), you will have maybe 2-3" of water left. Should I buy a sub pump to completely drain out all of the water, or it's okay, it doesn't matter that much water at bottom?

Also, since inline water pump is only to be used while water is flowing through, do you turn off your pump, then drain the water?

 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training

• Nov 13, 2017

• #2

I do my best to empty it 100%. I always empty it 100% after harvest and before the next run. I use a small magnetic pump and long hose, works great.

Yes, turn off any pumps which will be running dry when the reservoir is pumped out.

 

5

5cooby Doo

Member

• Nov 13, 2017

• #3

Yes after harvest for sure. I've heard people use diluted-bleach and run it after harvest to help clean, then rinse it out after. Or iso alcohol also.

I was thinking more for like say every week or every two week you change all your water, or when you change from veg to flower you change it... then you should empty it all out also? I guess it is better if I do right.

(I'm going to hydro store so deciding if I should buy a sub pump, or maybe utility pump.)

 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training

• Nov 13, 2017

• #4

My flowering res is 45 gallons. I use a 160gph mag pump and it takes a while. heh. Change from veg to flower, empty as completely as possible. I only do a fresh water rinse, when changing from veg to flower. There should be a thin biofilm on everything and I just leave it alone. I scrub the res down after harvest.

FYI, with a balanced nutrient (something close to Lucas) and proper res management methods (again, Lucas has great information on this) using pH and ppm meters, there's no need to dump your res very often. I fill at the beginning of flower and only dump/refill 5 days before harvest. My veg/mum dwc reservoirs go 3-4 months before changing out, all with healthy plants.

Dump completely, rinse with clean water.

 

5

5cooby Doo

Member

• Nov 14, 2017

• #5

Thanks Douglas.

Can I ask you, I'm having problem sizing water pump for my system. I'm thinking about 90gal total system. If I get 1/4hp water chiller (rated for 80gal) the minimum rating for this water chiller is a 265gph water pump. Or if I get a 1/10hp water chiller, it's too small, rated only for 42gal of water.
Is 265gph... so that would be maybe 300 or 350gph pump (which one I can find)... Is this too much for a 100gal system? How many circulation per hour is to many? How many we want ideally?

 

5

5cooby Doo

Member

• Nov 14, 2017

• #6

Also I am looking at the "Active Aqua Water Chiller 1/4 Hp " And the "EcoPlus Company Water Chiller 1/4 HP". The Active Aqua is $100 Cheaper in price with free delivery. The EcoPlus I can find from local store and pick up.

 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training

• Nov 14, 2017

• #7

You're welcome.

I don't run a "water pump" in my DWC, I have no advice there. I run airpumps, with airstones. The airpumps hang in the cold air from the ac and chill the res. I actually have an aquarium heater in the res, to keep it at 67F.

 

5

5cooby Doo

Member

• Nov 14, 2017

• #8

I will be running air pump and air stone also. But I also do a RDWC so I need an inline pump, which will heat the water.

Air Pump by the A/C is a very good idea!

maybe someone else can help with the calculations. I found 2x exchange per hour some people are saying, but I don't know.

 

O

overbudjet

Active member

Veteran

• Nov 14, 2017

• #9

I run a system a little bigger than you 100 gal. per side , and I use a (ecoplus1056) + a big air pump in each side .

 

5

5cooby Doo

Member

• Nov 15, 2017

• #10

overbudjet is your total system size 100gal?

 

O

overbudjet

Active member

Veteran

• Nov 15, 2017

• #11

yep each system around 100 gal. 2 system in the same room