milkyJoe2440 Posted September 6, 2023 Share Posted September 6, 2023 (edited) Howdy!! Intro Hey guys, I have been meaning to sign up and share my RDWC build on here for a while but have never got round to it. Basically I have been following the RDWC grow space for a while now and wanted to build one for myself. I haven't grown for ages now and wanted to get involved in a nice community to share and learn from others doing the same. I chose this forum as Ive noticed there are a lot of RDWC experts around here who may have experienced some of the challenges that I'm having/going to have. Design I wanted to design the system around my space which is a 3m x 1.5m grow tent.. which spills over into my built in wardrobe for the control reservoir and pump. I decided to go with a venturi setup because i want a 1 pump does all approach and didn't want noisy air-pumps and extra pipework. I took inspiration from the Alien V-System RDWC....wanting to build something similar for a lot cheaper. Let me know your thoughts and pitfalls of the design: Photos 35L Tubs with 90mm uniseal return line: I decided on uniseals as I couldn't find bulkheads big enough. I have read that RDWC lines get blocked by roots so wanted to go as big as possible. Also, I raised all of the tubs onto plinths. this allowed me to install all the returns at the bottom to get maximum drain. The plinth also adds a air gap between the tub and the ground for better temperature control of the nutrient solution. Pump Choice and Test As i was basing my design roughly on the Alien V system, i took a look at what pump they used and it was basically a 370W swimming pool pump. The Alien V System uses 65L tubs , mine are pretty much half sized , so I did a few calcs based on the specifications of the Alien 8 pot v system and the volume of my system. I ended up getting a 250W pool pump for around £50... The pump was meant to be 250W out the wall...which is heaps.. but when i plugged it in, it ran at more like 400W out the wall.. this was starting feel v. expensive on running costs so I did a little research and decided to run the pump through a variac controller to reduce the voltage (torque not speed) of the pump as there is no head in the system. I ramped the voltage down until the pump started to stall and then nipped it up a touch from there and now my pump runs at around 200W at the same flow rate! ...Also it is very loud... so I had to build a sound insulated box around it (see next photo) System Plumbing So I wanted the system to be as pipe free as possible to allow for maximum mobility in my tent. I came up with the idea of running the pump outlet in a kind of ring main/manifold around the perimeter of the grow tent so it wont affect the precious tent real estate which i will need for plant maintenance ect. later down the road. The pump sucks the water out of the service reservoir and round the ring main up through venturi valves into the side of each of the tubs. this looked like the cleanest way to get the plumbing done with as few joints as possible. The return manifolds follow the two lines of 4 tubs and join together before returning to the service res (bottom left out of picture). I added a drain valve at the lowest point of the system to gravity drain it out, also added another drain valve (red) to empty the pump manifold lines as they have to go up and over the return line in the tent. Notice the pump soundproofing.... boy it works! It has a opening at the back for the motor fan so it doesn't overheat! This is how the plumbing leaves the tent. Notice how the pump manifold hugs the outside of the tent and doesn't really take up any space. I installed rubber connectors every two tubs and loads of barrel unions for the PVC pipe so i could construct and glue the whole system in my garage and disassemble it easily enough to carry in and reassemble in the tent. This would not have been possible to build in situ, which is why i had to take care and thought into how it could all come apart again after being glued. Notice in the bottom left tub the 'impeller like' 3d print which was designed to A: help create a votex in the tub from the return suction and B: act as a lid over the return line to prevent clogging. The lid hasn't been glued onto the impeller yet in this photo as it was printed in two parts. This is just outside the tent where the pump and service res live.. The black line is the auto top up/drain line which connects to a top-off tank and drain (located outside of the property). The top off tank was repurposed from a wheely bin. I hadn't yet installed the float valve in this photo which would create the auto top off for the RDWC system. The venturi valves came with pre-installed spring check (one way) valves to prevent back flow when the pump isnt running. I found that these were very stiff and i was concerned that the flow of the water divided by the 8 tubs would create enough negative pressure to open the spring valves enough to aerate the tubs...It turned out that I was right and the air flow was heavily reduced by the valves. The below photo shows the difference between the spring valve removed (two bottom tubs) and spring valve in (two top tubs). LOOK at the agitation on the bottom tanks.. it almost looks as if it would be a bit too much for the roots to handle??? As i removed the spring valves for the Venturis, I had to make sure that the airline was higher than the max fill level. So I installed little soldier pipes to stand tall with their sticks to maintain erection . Also, I insulated the tubs for nute solution temperature control. To start the babies off, I teed off of the pump manifold line with a valve to a DIY top feed dripper system which i made by capping the ends of the irrigation lines and put pin pricks through around the net pots. With the valve, I could adjust the flow from little streams to slow drips... As well as the drippers, I added another valve off to the water chiller which is off outside the tent. All of this is run off the one big-ass pump. These are my first babies of the system and this photo was taken a over a week ago now. I picked this chiller up second hand...fuck they're expensive.. I was looking into making my own as they are so dear.... hopefully will be able to sell it for what I got it for Let me know what you guys think. Edited September 6, 2023 by lildaveham Removed offsite link 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu914 Posted September 6, 2023 Share Posted September 6, 2023 @milkyJoe2440 Welcome bud, Boy that is one complicated system, hope it works for you... I've built a system which is designed to take out as many problems as possible people have with hydro growing. Details are in my profile if you fancy a read...search 'mish-mash' and 'Gavie'... (BTW the site's going through an upgrade so some functions are playing up) Good Luck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJ Plant Trainer Posted September 6, 2023 Share Posted September 6, 2023 Well done on putting in the time and effort to build the system, I hope you keep us updated on how much of a success it is. I had to watch a video to see how it works, there is a lot to it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milkyJoe2440 Posted September 7, 2023 Author Share Posted September 7, 2023 (edited) 14 hours ago, BJ Plant Trainer said: Well done on putting in the time and effort to build the system, I hope you keep us updated on how much of a success it is. I had to watch a video to see how it works, there is a lot to it. Cheers! Yeah, it was a lot of effort up front, but most of it was to minimise on going maintenance down the road. For example, to do a full system drain, all I have to do is shut the 'top-off reservoir' valve and open the drain valve...and wait 20mins. To refill the system, I do the opposite. Its so easy to maintain. The top-off reservoir is in my back garden and is raised above the level of the RDWC tubs. this allows for a gravity fill and gravity drain. Id have no problem leaving this system for a few weeks to go on holiday for example....only with the slight worry of a leak occurring and 200litres of water going over the wooden floors ... but the system has been running for 6 weeks now without a drop...(touch wood) Edited September 7, 2023 by milkyJoe2440 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brysee Posted September 7, 2023 Share Posted September 7, 2023 Looks very tidy i have not got a clue about that way of growing but looks like you deserve a good harvest for all that effort good luck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysticriver Posted September 7, 2023 Share Posted September 7, 2023 nice build brother mystic 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milkyJoe2440 Posted September 8, 2023 Author Share Posted September 8, 2023 (edited) On 06/09/2023 at 10:51 PM, BJ Plant Trainer said: I had to watch a video to see how it works, there is a lot to it. Just made a video for you of how it works . One week growth exactly : OneWeekTurbo On 06/09/2023 at 7:09 PM, stu914 said: @milkyJoe2440 Boy that is one complicated system, hope it works for you... Seems to be working Edited September 8, 2023 by milkyJoe2440 GIF pic not working <-- had to use 3rd party website 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJ Plant Trainer Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 @milkyJoe2440 that is some serious growth, the system is definitely working well. How long are you going to veg for? Have you got this set up on the ground floor? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milkyJoe2440 Posted September 8, 2023 Author Share Posted September 8, 2023 Just now, BJ Plant Trainer said: @milkyJoe2440 that is some serious growth, the system is definitely working well. How long are you going to veg for? Have you got this set up on the ground floor? Ive got to veg it for another week unfortunately as I'm away and wanted to get a cutting of my fav before i flip it. I think they're going to be too big !! It is on the ground floor, why do you ask? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJ Plant Trainer Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 @milkyJoe2440 your plants will be some size in another week, a system like that and you could grow a few absolute monsters. You have a huge amount of water in your system so I was just curious as to where it was set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punta Roja Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 (edited) @milkyJoe2440 Great skills mate, this is my DIY Venturi from 2021. Added a chiller and the the jet extensions. Best of luck mate PR Edited September 8, 2023 by Punta Roja 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweettooth Posted September 10, 2023 Share Posted September 10, 2023 Awesome build, I'm not RDWC but have been meticulously designing, ripping my ideas apart, measuring and planning a new RTW system, mainly for ease of maintenance/cleaning as well. That week vid is explosive growth, you'll defo gonna have to spread em and tie em down pre flip. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milkyJoe2440 Posted September 10, 2023 Author Share Posted September 10, 2023 (edited) On 09/09/2023 at 0:42 AM, Punta Roja said: @milkyJoe2440 Great skills mate, this is my DIY Venturi from 2021. Added a chiller and the the jet extensions. Best of luck mate PR Aww cool. nice to see someone else do DIY venturi. I thought i was the first haha! how did you get on? do you have more pics or a diary? I started off by adding my chiller to my grow room but the heat from the chiller was just getting sucked in by the venturis and fighting the chiller, so it was a like robbing peter to pay paul... so i re-plumbed it through a stud wall into my laundry room, so much more efficient. Edited September 10, 2023 by milkyJoe2440 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milkyJoe2440 Posted September 10, 2023 Author Share Posted September 10, 2023 Just now, milkyJoe2440 said: 2 hours ago, sweettooth said: Awesome build, I'm not RDWC but have been meticulously designing, ripping my ideas apart, measuring and planning a new RTW system, mainly for ease of maintenance/cleaning as well. That week vid is explosive growth, you'll defo gonna have to spread em and tie em down pre flip. Thats the trick I think. Designing a system up front that takes all the headaches out down the line. Haha yeah the growth is insane. This is my first grow for years (I used to do auto gorilla grows trying to time for UK summer when autos first came out)... the plants would end up a similar size to the ones that im at week 5 on now....I guess this is why im going the RDWC path... to try and turn everything to 11. I guess the scrog net will have to come out soon 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punta Roja Posted September 10, 2023 Share Posted September 10, 2023 (edited) @milkyJoe2440 Here's a link to my diary showing the build. ATB PR Edited September 10, 2023 by Punta Roja 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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