DIY 18 gal DWC totes -- FULL tutorial

[Dr. Green Fang]

Like what is your "tea solution"

Botanicare Pure Blend Tea
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Botanicare-732632-Blend-Booster-1-Quart/dp/B00ATOG5D8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427889323&sr=8-1&keywords=Botanicare+Pure+Blend+Tea[/ame]

 

[Kraven]

Dropping by, good info.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

yeah well, i don't have 42 bulkhead fittings, I just get the regular male female fittings and screw them together for cheap. i understand how the rubber grommet works, i just would rather not have to push on that plastic hole and better to screw 2 pieces together tightly. your method is good, i'm only suggesting another that might be of use another time

This is what I did also Zem. However, plumbing fittings have tapered threads and often you can not get the males and females to screw together tight enough to create a seal against the plastic. Electrical PVC fittings on the other hand are not tapered threads and this is what I use when making up totes like these. However, the last one I made, I put no drain hose on. I use a small submersible pump [ame]http://www.amazon.com/EcoPlus-185-Submersible-Pump-GPH/dp/B0018WVNXC/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1427897771&sr=1-1&keywords=water+pump[/ame] and use the 4" fill hole to drain also. My totes are only 10 gal and it only takes a couple of minutes to empty them. If you had larger totes like DGF and wanted a faster drain, you could go with a bigger pump for not much more money [ame]http://www.amazon.com/EcoPlus-728310-Submersible-Pump-396GPH/dp/B0018X2XT4/ref=sr_1_3?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1427897771&sr=1-3&keywords=water+pump[/ame]

Next--I used clear tubes so I could check water levels. You do need to put something opaque over the top of the tube to keep algae from growing, but I just used a larger piece of thin walled PVC and it worked okay. Or you could straighten it up some and just insert a small dowel into the 3/4 tubing and check the water level that way.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

DGF, thanks for the excellent tutorial. Things like this are really a big help to others. I just love a great tutorial with good pics!

 

[Grower13]

I like this place for pumps (water & air) and bulkheads............ good prices and the stuff last.

http://www.jehmco.com/html/bulkhead_fittings.html

 

[MR1]

Good job on the tutorial Fang.

 

[Dr. Green Fang]

Dropping by, good info.

Thanks for coming through Kraven :aok:

However, the last one I made, I put no drain hose on. I use a small submersible pump http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018WVNXC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 and use the 4" fill hole to drain also. My totes are only 10 gal and it only takes a couple of minutes to empty them. If you had larger totes like DGF and wanted a faster drain, you could go with a bigger pump for not much more money http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018X2XT4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


Next--I used clear tubes so I could check water levels. You do need to put something opaque over the top of the tube to keep algae from growing, but I just used a larger piece of thin walled PVC and it worked okay. Or you could straighten it up some and just insert a small dowel into the 3/4 tubing and check the water level that way.

Wait.. ok.. I have the exact same pumps. I have like 3 of those...but my experience is you have to "prime" those pumps to get them to work. What, are you dropping the entire pump into the tote through that little 4" hole?! If so, you're surely smackin' those roots around eh? hah If not, then what, you're using a hose? The water, in my experience, has to be at the level of the pumps intake (primed) to get the water to start flowing. Any air will stop suction, let alone sticking a hose down in and bringing water up. could you elaborate on this a bit more THG? I'd appreciate it

DGF, thanks for the excellent tutorial. Things like this are really a big help to others. I just love a great tutorial with good pics!

Yay, thank you for enjoying THG! :aok:

I like this place for pumps (water & air) and bulkheads............ good prices and the stuff last.

http://www.jehmco.com/html/bulkhead_fittings.html

Nice, thanks for swingin' through! :aok:

Good job on the tutorial Fang.

Thank you so much MR1! I really enjoyed making it, and thought heck, why not? I had probably 3 people in the last week ask me about the tubs, may as well explain it once and explain it well! hah

 

[zem]

This is what I did also Zem. However, plumbing fittings have tapered threads and often you can not get the males and females to screw together tight enough to create a seal against the plastic. Electrical PVC fittings on the other hand are not tapered threads and this is what I use when making up totes like these.

THG the only problem that I see in electrical pvc electrical fittings is that it is most probably made with Lead in it, and bad plasticizers BPA and such. it is not food safe, and not safe to grow with these, although one could argue that a small fitting is not leaching much into the res.
Anyway, I made all these drain holes with the same piece that works great, I will take pics for it because I think that it is worth it, it is like the most practical thing that I did, easily detachable, easy to connect it to another res and use as an overflow leveling... bbl

 

[zem]

Doc I hope that it is appropriate me adding some pics in here, just to share this idea that is related to your tutorial
in the pics you see how it is, a small 1/2" female to 3/4" male adapter. took a pic from below of how it is attached. i use that same adapter for a second overflow hole i just insert a 1/2" hose to the height that i want. And i have an easy fitting that I use if i want to suck the ferts from that res anywhere else, i just screw it in the 1/2 female and direct it wherever i want, it is very practical indeed

View attachment 20150401_180331[1].jpg

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View attachment 20150401_180654[1].jpg

 

[Dr. Green Fang]

It's absolutely appropriate :aok: No worries.

 

[schoolboy420]

Great read, Doc. My app allows me to save important threads, and this one is one of the few I've kept.

It will come in handy next round for me[emoji6]

 

[Dr. Green Fang]

Great read, Doc. My app allows me to save important threads, and this one is one of the few I've kept.

It will come in handy next round for me[emoji6]

Thanks for enjoying and saying some things in here Schoolboy. :aok:

 

[budz4me]

Epic post Sir!

I just got back home from the local wally world/lowes, with everything in hand.....now time to see if I can endure 14 hours of actually doing it.

Thanks for all your input! Oh out of curiousity, why black hoses? I have tons of clear tubing laying around the house, does it keep the light out of the water and prevent algae?

 

[Dr. Green Fang]

does it keep the light out of the water and prevent algae?

^^ :aok:

Roots don't like light. Better root development.

 

[Kraven]

Yea best to use the blue UV or the black tubing.

 

[Dr. Green Fang]

Yea best to use the blue UV or the black tubing.

^^ :aok: Again :rofl:

The blue is the best over all, so you can quickly peep a water level and stuff. Black is the best for light reduction entirely.

 

[budz4me]

10/4!

Ty guys!!

 

[Dr. Green Fang]

:cool2: