nocturnalreef
Member
i just wanted to post this real quick for anyone looking to make a quick and easy flood and drain.. it takes about 10 minutes you basically drill 3 holes... everything can be bought at a hydro store and lowes/hardware.
basically hos it works is theres a five gallon bucket on the bottom for a resivoir and a five gallon on top full of your medium and your plant(s). a small pump pumps up your solution to fill the top bucket and after the pump stops the water flows back through your pump line. It works great water changes are easy since i make everything in 5 gallons all i do is pick up the top bucket and switch bottoms then i'm done...
you can also not purchase the risers and back overflow catches and just use pvc pipe and make a drain cover which i have done but this way is much nicer and easier.
parts list:
small pump.. i have used as low as 200gph...i have small fish tank powerheads up to small pond pumps but don't go strong cause you can't exceed your overflow!!
2- five gallon buckets (black or gray just not able to let light in) (hydro/hardware)
1- bulkhead 1" slip x barb (hydro)
1- bulkhead with a slip x barb 1/2" mip
8- 1.25" risers (hydro)
2 -drain covers (hydro)
1 piece clear 1/2" ID pipe
1- 1/2" female (hardware)
1- 1/2" 90 degree barb fitting (hardware)
1- rubber grommet to fit around the 90 degree barb
well take two five gallon buckets and one lid... on the lower bucket drill a 3/4" hole as close to the bottom as possible with a bit of room for fittings.
next take a 1/2" 90 degree MIP (lowes 2$)
a rubber grommetthat fits around the fittings base and is thick enought to provide cushion. screw that through the 1st hole drilled and tighten the female fitting inside the bucket so no water leaks out.. after that is done take a piece of clear flex tubing so that you can have a water gauge to see when water has been depleted.
Next on the other bucket drill two holes near eachother large enough to fit your bulk heads.. i used a 1 1/2" bit for the bulkheads i had.
secure the lid to the base of the bucket so that when you need to move the bucket for water changes you can set it on another easily.
next take 1.25" risers (5$ hydro store) and 2 drain covers ($.60 hydro store)
make it go almost all the way to the top this is going to act as an overflow so that your pump can continue running
On the other hole place the drain cover in the 1/2" nipple bulk head your pump will attach to this one. basically all your water will drain back down through this after the pump cycle shuts off... secure the water level line.. i take a bunch of rubber bands and strap them around the bucket to keep the line tight and straight.. if worst comes to worst you can tape it.. but eventually it will come off because of moisture.
i run 6- 15 min pump cycles in flower and veg on this and have great results. i keep mothers in these and i also do a 3 tree grow in them.
I forgot to take pics of the final with plants in it before my lights shut off so i will post that tomorrow....
K here's the pics.. the first is a 3 week flower A-train from th seeds.. my camera doesn't do close-ups well so a shot of the trichromes wasn't possible.. this plant went through a bunch of stress and actually came through really well... the yeild isn't going to be much but now that chemical lines were changed all is well again.
atrain side buds (3 week)
basically hos it works is theres a five gallon bucket on the bottom for a resivoir and a five gallon on top full of your medium and your plant(s). a small pump pumps up your solution to fill the top bucket and after the pump stops the water flows back through your pump line. It works great water changes are easy since i make everything in 5 gallons all i do is pick up the top bucket and switch bottoms then i'm done...
you can also not purchase the risers and back overflow catches and just use pvc pipe and make a drain cover which i have done but this way is much nicer and easier.
parts list:
small pump.. i have used as low as 200gph...i have small fish tank powerheads up to small pond pumps but don't go strong cause you can't exceed your overflow!!
2- five gallon buckets (black or gray just not able to let light in) (hydro/hardware)
1- bulkhead 1" slip x barb (hydro)
1- bulkhead with a slip x barb 1/2" mip
8- 1.25" risers (hydro)
2 -drain covers (hydro)
1 piece clear 1/2" ID pipe
1- 1/2" female (hardware)
1- 1/2" 90 degree barb fitting (hardware)
1- rubber grommet to fit around the 90 degree barb
well take two five gallon buckets and one lid... on the lower bucket drill a 3/4" hole as close to the bottom as possible with a bit of room for fittings.
next take a 1/2" 90 degree MIP (lowes 2$)
a rubber grommetthat fits around the fittings base and is thick enought to provide cushion. screw that through the 1st hole drilled and tighten the female fitting inside the bucket so no water leaks out.. after that is done take a piece of clear flex tubing so that you can have a water gauge to see when water has been depleted.
Next on the other bucket drill two holes near eachother large enough to fit your bulk heads.. i used a 1 1/2" bit for the bulkheads i had.
secure the lid to the base of the bucket so that when you need to move the bucket for water changes you can set it on another easily.
next take 1.25" risers (5$ hydro store) and 2 drain covers ($.60 hydro store)
make it go almost all the way to the top this is going to act as an overflow so that your pump can continue running
On the other hole place the drain cover in the 1/2" nipple bulk head your pump will attach to this one. basically all your water will drain back down through this after the pump cycle shuts off... secure the water level line.. i take a bunch of rubber bands and strap them around the bucket to keep the line tight and straight.. if worst comes to worst you can tape it.. but eventually it will come off because of moisture.
i run 6- 15 min pump cycles in flower and veg on this and have great results. i keep mothers in these and i also do a 3 tree grow in them.
I forgot to take pics of the final with plants in it before my lights shut off so i will post that tomorrow....
K here's the pics.. the first is a 3 week flower A-train from th seeds.. my camera doesn't do close-ups well so a shot of the trichromes wasn't possible.. this plant went through a bunch of stress and actually came through really well... the yeild isn't going to be much but now that chemical lines were changed all is well again.
atrain side buds (3 week)
