DIY Fallponics/Waterfall UCRDWC

[xbrico]

Afternoon all,

 

Looking to build a Fallponics/UCRDWC system. Finally located some 35L Black Really Useful Boxes (Nightmare trying to get them delivered to non-mainland part of the UK) and now just wondering where people picked up their plumbing parts (And exactly what would be best [pipe guage wise] for the system).

Currently using a 50L Wilma with the arses cut out of the pot holders to allow the roots in. The tent is a Budbox Pro 120 and I am using LED for lighting.

 

I'll be using 5x35L Really useful boxes (Just to get setup but should be good for the 1.2m tent for room, allow extras in like humidifier, etc.) - may upgrade to a larger header tank down the road. Have a Hailea 300A winging its way to me for next week (Although I dont think I'll have time to set this up for fresh grow - 4 seedlings already starting to show 2nd leaves so probs give the Wilma 1 last run).

Any advice on decent place for plumbing supplies (and again, best bits to use - I am no plumber so foolproof would be great here) would be greatly appreciated. If @badbillybob still about on here and willing to give advice, I'd really appreciate it. Saw some great info on threads and looking to see if anyone has made any improvements/advancements through trial and error.

Thanks in advance all!

[stu914]

You've already tagged the right man for the job...he'll be along sooner or later...good luck...

[Intense Nutrients Matt]

40mm solvent weld is the best value for money. i used it plenty of times in my rdwc creations 

for me plumbnation was the cheapest i found with postage as local merchants 40mm tank connectors were £££££ 

 

[xbrico]

3 hours ago, Intense Nutrients Matt said:

40mm solvent weld is the best value for money. i used it plenty of times in my rdwc creations 

for me plumbnation was the cheapest i found with postage as local merchants 40mm tank connectors were £££££ 

 

Fair enough and cheers for the advice. Not being funny though, like I say...know nothing about plumbing. There any specific types of bulkheads or anything I should get? Saw ones comment they bought ones of Amazon and there was like a 10mm gap between both nuts when tightened down and the likes. Know I am sounding needy/useless but when it comes to plumbing, I know I am! Not too proud to admit it! Also saw plenty complain about those rubber seal ones...I go away for weekends to the caravan...I need to know I am not coming back to a small explosion/large fire over 4 plants!!!

[Intense Nutrients Matt]

once its put together and watertight unless you kick it then it should stay watertight i usually run a silicone bead round the tank connector but with you using really useful boxes they are straight sided mine are slighly bowed as they stack so yours should fit without needed silicone

best thing i can suggest is get some access plugs with your order just for the end caps.

The thread on the cap part fits on the tank connectors allowing you to isolate and remove/repair any leaking fittings without having to drain the full system  saved me 100`s of litres of water and time spent pumping out to tweak a fitting etc 

Edited July 24, 2021 by Intense Nutrients Matt

[xbrico]

8 minutes ago, Intense Nutrients Matt said:

once its put together and watertight unless you kick it then it should stay watertight i usually run a silicone bead round the tank connector but with you using really useful boxes they are straight sided mine are slighly bowed as they stack so yours should fit without needed silicone

best thing i can suggest is get some access plugs with your order just for the end caps.

The thread on the cap part fits on the tank connectors allowing you to isolate and remove/repair any leaking fittings without having to drain the full system  saved me 100`s of litres of water and time spent pumping out to tweak a fitting etc 

Grand enough, good call...so would these be the right bulkheads (h**ps://www.plumbnation.co.uk/site/floplast-abs-solvent-weld-tank-connectors/)? after that its just standard 40mm SW Poly Pipe?

Guessing to increase the pressure in the system, you use smaller guage pipes fer the pump to draw from the header and as the waterfall fixtures?

Again, thanks for the assist here! greatly appreciated.

[Intense Nutrients Matt]

Yep thems what I used mate and the solvent weld 40mm pipe and fittings 

Then depending on pump inlet size reduce it down for example I think a haliea 6830 takes a 32mm pipe inlet and pushes 4000l per hour round a system. 

Take your time when drilling the pots  and take the extra time remove all the burrs off from the plastic after cutting  and I think you will be fine mate its more patience then skill. measure before and measure again before you cut 

 

[badbillybob]

sound advice that, 

check out my diy rdwc thread in the hydroponic systems section, it should have most of the answers.

its also in my sig if your reading this on a laptop.

 

[xbrico]

10 minutes ago, Intense Nutrients Matt said:

Yep thems what I used mate and the solvent weld 40mm pipe and fittings 

Then depending on pump inlet size reduce it down for example I think a haliea 6830 takes a 32mm pipe inlet and pushes 4000l per hour round a system. 

Take your time when drilling the pots  and take the extra time remove all the burrs off from the plastic after cutting  and I think you will be fine mate its more patience then skill. measure before and measure again before you cut 

 

 

4 minutes ago, badbillybob said:

sound advice that, 

check out my diy rdwc thread in the hydroponic systems section, it should have most of the answers.

its also in my sig if your reading this on a laptop.

 

Cheers for the advice and links guys. Much appreciated. I'm not handless....just never did any plumbing (Apart from car engines). Take my time is a real thing when it comes to drills...you want something broke, hand me a drill!!! Now just need to check the height of the irrigation port at the side of the tent...hopefully 40mm pipe will go through it or I may have to see if I can rig something with some new car rad hose! may need that squish to get through the gap!!!

Saw the PA hydroponics guy hook up the pipes a way but I think your's @badbillybobgo along the outside edges...anyway better for even pressure/flow? Tent is constrained for space enough and the area the tent in also not got much room about it so every cm I can pinch for space but every Pa I can pull for pressure and efficiency is key!

The pump and piping the only things I really need to source now (well, apart from net pots) so what LPH you be looking at in a 5x35 system (suppose real working volume of water will be closer to 125L). Would I be looking 32mm pipe for the waterfalls? Was thinking more 19mm flex pipe/hose or the likes?

Again, thanks for all the input guys.

[badbillybob]

iuse the 21.5/22mm, whatever it is, cant remember)  overflow pipe for the spray bars in mine. fittings for bends and tees from the place that fixes screws lol. id go from the pump with that. get a slicone reducer from bay of ees, its used for car water pies and most sizes of reducer are available. also use stainless hose clips.

i use a hailea t8000 (8000 litre per) pump for my 5 pot side, and a hailea hx8850 (5000 litre per)for my 4 pot side of the room. 

i preffer the hx8850, as its got a cleanable filter, and the pressure at the outlets is the same. i did 8 x 2mm holes per spray bar, which is a decent size for surface DO. 

id use 40mm and if you are using spraybars id put the returns to the middle of the tub, at both sides. this equals the pressure and prevents roots going down/ blocking the returns

check out my diy rdwc thread in the hydroponic systems section, it should have most of the answers.

its also in my sig if your reading this on a laptop.

 

Edited July 24, 2021 by badbillybob

[xbrico]

Cheers for all the advice so far @Intense Nutrients Matt & @badbillybob. @badbillybob, I noticed you mentioned in your build guide that the PA Hydro guys Fallponics system wouldnt be balanced the way he did it...how would you suggest the setup for this build to ensure balance of the pipes to avoid blockages? I would be away regular enough at weekends and would rather pre-empt any issues before they begin!

 

Also, noticed you mentioned using rad hose...I was thinking this for part myself as the Budbox pro has an irrigation port on the left side...Havent had a chance to measure it but was thinking rad hose may be the best option to get through the gap (Its about 2" tall but will check).

Sorry for all the questions guys but would rather get this right 1st time...not being mainland makes parts more difficult to source and don't have the luxury of trial and error (plus bank acct. says no to too many purchases).

 

Thanks again in advance.

[badbillybob]

USE SOLID SOLVENT WELD PIPE FOR RETURNS, IF ITS TOO LOW, SIMPLY JACK IT ALL UP ON INSULATION BOARDS TILL THE PIPE IS THE HEIGHT OF THE TENT PORT 

Fkin capsloc.

the returns should be on either side of the boxes, in the centre - opposite sides. this creates an even flow, with no blockages. so you have it like the one in the pic below. you cant really see it in the pic, but the low level return pipes along the front of the boxes should be the same along the back of the boxes. these both go back  to the res.

[xbrico]

Hello,

 

Will be running the setup in a Square formation rather than lateral as your setup here as tent is 1.2x1.2. Irrigation port is ground level and has metal frame pipe fixed around it to protect the pipework. Trying to insert an image but its not working so link is h**ps://hydroponic.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/BudBox-PRO-White-1.5m-x-1.5m-x-2m.jpg. Can see the fixed irrigation port and bar on the side of the tent.

 

So layout style will be 2x2 (For space and to allow other items like humidifiers, etc.). Feed and return will be going though the irrigation port (header tank just outside the tent).

 

Are you suggesting best layout for return balance would be [in reverse order from flow and concentrating on 1 set of 2...] header to a T-piece...pipe to another T piece for a run of pipes to one side of the boxes and then another pipe to a 90degree bend and then a set of pipes to the other side of the boxes? Means each box has 2 bulkheads (on exactly opposite sides).

 

I have an idea on how to draw it out but dont know how to put it in this post...or at least an idea to keep all pipes relatively equally sized. Any chance I could PM you @badbillybob and find a way I could give you a jpeg of the idea (Could advise if its too complex, wrong, etc.)?

Thanks again in advance and sorry for being such an epic PITA! 

[badbillybob]

if im honest, id bin the 4 pots and use 2 84 litre ones in the tent and a smaller 42 lone outside.

this wil make the pipework much much easier.

run the returns pipes through the bottom of the tent.

you can use the rubber hose for feed pipes instead of the solid 22mm stuff ive used here, but the solid stuff is better tbh

check this pic, it was a 1.2 tent

this is the easiest way to do it. 4 pots will fit, just but leave no room for fan etc, and its a tight fit.

this one shown has a single return pipe. if i was to do it again id make it with a double return pipe.

hope this helps, ill draw something up if youre struggling.

[xbrico]

2 hours ago, badbillybob said:

if im honest, id bin the 4 pots and use 2 84 litre ones in the tent and a smaller 42 lone outside.

this wil make the pipework much much easier.

run the returns pipes through the bottom of the tent.

you can use the rubber hose for feed pipes instead of the solid 22mm stuff ive used here, but the solid stuff is better tbh

check this pic, it was a 1.2 tent

this is the easiest way to do it. 4 pots will fit, just but leave no room for fan etc, and its a tight fit.

this one shown has a single return pipe. if i was to do it again id make it with a double return pipe.

hope this helps, ill draw something up if youre struggling.

Any expertise you could give...drawings, labouranything would be greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, 84L's are out of the question...cant get them - was lucky I got the 35's! Had to drive a couple of hours to pick them up, half way across the country to the only chain store that had ANY of them in stock!!! If I  can visualise the setup, I can make it. Your pics are great and all but the linear style of your setup throwing me (doesn't help I am heavily dyslexic and as much as you give great info, its a balls for me to follow!!!). I do have a drawing (bad mspaint) that I think would keep it all even but only new to the forums, basically just to glean some knowledge of you and a few of the other experts on here - I don't know how to get it to you/upload/whatever!!!

 

Cheers again buddy for your patience with me here! its been greatly appreciated!