# (new to hydroponics)Is this enough?



## BurntBuddah (Oct 26, 2009)

Is a 20-60 gallon air aquarium pump enough for 18 gallon bin that ill be using in my DWC system for 4 plants?It pumps 2800 cc's per minute?It's also dual outlet so im going to hook up (2 14" air stones) to this little bad boy will that be enough?I did the math


1.5 liters would be 1500cc's,and mine pumps 2800cc's per minute

So i average about 2.7 liter's per minute times 60 Minutes,=162 liters an hour

Divided by 3.785411 liters per gallon (US)=42.795 gallons an hour of oyxgen flow for my DWC

Now im pretty sure i did the math equation right..Is this enough for a DWC system setup for all stage's vegatative,and flowering?


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## trophy_1 (Oct 26, 2009)

Hi Burnt,

I'm running the same setup and my plants are doing good, I think it'll work.  Good Luck!!!

One other thing to consider is even though you have an 18 gallon bin, you will never use 18 gallons of water, probably more like 12.


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## IRISH (Oct 27, 2009)

i would use 2 of those pumps with a tee on each to make it one line off each pump, and then add a 12 inch air stone to each...

you can see it in the thread in my dwc/diy in my sig...


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## The Hemp Goddess (Oct 27, 2009)

:yeahthat: 

I use a pump about that size for 5 gal buckets.  I'm with Irish, I would go for 2 pumps that size for an 18 gal res.


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## BurntBuddah (Oct 27, 2009)

Alright well last nite i decided im going to return this 2800cc pump and get a better one for like 25-30$(how much gph should i get or Lph? Also ive been told that the PH Can Fluctuate Pretty Rapidly if i Just plan on filling the 18 Gallon Reservoir.And they asked if i planned on having any recirculating system, what did they mean by "recirculating system",and how can i make one?


Also they said i limited to how large i grow my plant's..is it because a 18 gallon res is to small for 4 plant's?


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## smokeytimes (Oct 27, 2009)

I use a Sunleaves DuraPump Air 600Gal/hr for my 12 gallon DWC tub, to two 3" round stones. But I do have the air thottled back becuase it was cuasing to much turbulance with the root ball. I use no more than 8 gallons to fill my 12 gallon DWC.

the larger the res the less the PH will fluctuate. I would guess they are calling the recirculating system like a chiller/heater I have a Euro nano reef chiller/heater (12Gal model) that keeps my res at 68* give or take 1 to 2 degrees.


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## DonJones (Oct 28, 2009)

A recirculating system is probably talking about a water/solution pump that actually circulates the solution.   It is usually used for other forms of hydro besides DWC systems -- one where the solution is moved from the rez and sprayed/dripped/ misted or some how applied to the growing medium rather than just letting the roots dangle into the solution in the rez.

About the only DWC systems that I have heard of using recirculation systems are the one where a float valve is used to control the solution depth in the growing root chamber and then the the excess is pumped back into a remote rez.  They are very complex and not too popular.  The other water pump system that I have heard of and seen pictures of is where the solution is sprayed under pressure against the chamber walls and the pot so that the solution is aerated that way rather than by the air stone/bubbler method.  It also isn't real widely used.

Check out IRISH's 2 posts on 5 gallon DWC systems that are linked in his signature above and you will get a lot of detailed information on using DWC systems.

Just pump as much air as you can through the air stone(s) without getting the solution too turbulent that it pushes and pulls the roots around a lot and you should be okay.


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