RDWC Gurus, need advice on return line flow rate.

(PICS @ bottom cause I know it's complicated reading)

So right now I've got 6 bucket sites (2 rows of 3) with a 7th for a res. There's a pump in it that comes out on 1/2" tubing to a Wye (Y) & goes down the rows, teeing into the first two and ending in an elbow to create waterfalls to fill the buckets. EACH bucket has its OWN dedicated 3/4" return line to the res which has 6 holes.

My question is that I want to do 9 buckets. 3 rows of 3 & I'd like to have only 3 return line holes. The supply will be the same, just on a cross instead of a wye, still 1/2".
Now I've already upped the return line grommets and fittings to 1" rather than 3/4" but I'd like to basically do all the return lines like this:
Res, straight coupling,tube,straight coupling (1st bucket in row),straight coupling, (back of first bucket),tube,straight coupling,(2nd bucket),straight coupling(back of 2nd bucket), tube, straight coupling.(to the front of last bucket)
I'd repeat this on all 3 rows of 3.

I'm worried that the first 2 buckets in each row, having 2 holes and the last only 1, that the flow may be less and will not fill linearly. I could ALSO do tees and an elbow on the outer rows (like the supply) and straight couplings through the middle row, kind of a "mix/hybrid" of the two which would keep everything the most close together and "tight" if you will.

Now i know FOR SURE if I just go to the 2 outer rows on tees and an elbow (exactly like the 1/2" supply lines I explained earlier) & the same either on the left or the right side of the middle row, I'd have the same design on every bucket and they'll all fill linearly no problem. But the method I'd like will be much more athstetic and nicer looking.
Have any of you had experience with things like this ever before? I need some help!!!!!

What I have now:
What I could do with no issues:
and the 2 designs I'm proposing :

So how does the water come back to the res? Or is it just some type of gavity feed where as the plants drink water the main res just keeps them all topped off?
Most the rdwc i have seen have a in and a out line so water cylces through all buckets and back to the main res constantly.
You need to pick @ttystikk brain on this one

sixstring2112 said:

So how does the water come back to the res? Or is it just some type of gavity feed where as the plants drink water the main res just keeps them all topped off?
Most the rdwc i have seen have a in and a out line so water cylces through all buckets and back to the main res constantly.
You need to pick @ttystikk brain on this one

Click to expand...

That's the beauty of MY design you don't see often. Gravity does all the work. The return lines are all at the bottom of the buckets and return on individual lines to each of 6 holes on the bottom of the reservoir bucket. In the res, there is a pump that comes out with a tube line, through the wall of the top of the bucket and splits. Then the lines are used like a manifold and teed into the top of the bucket wall (same as the res) fiirst two buckets are Tee'd and elbowed(90*) on the last. All connections are just barbed fittings stuck through donut grommets. The pump from the res uses the water to supply these "waterfalls" and as the buckets are filled and the res is drained, the weight of the extra water in the 6 buckets pushes the extra weight down the return line back to the res.
This sketch is supply line and would be on 9 buckets but it's just the outer rows and a Wye instead of a cross like that to split the lines. This doesn't show any return lines. Those are all the first ones on first post.

But it's super easy to build and you just need 1 decent submersible pump that are cheap. InLines are a bit more coin.
All the buckets have air stones and air lines going to an air pump with a 6 valve manifold too, obviously. But the waterfalls in each help a TON with dissolved oxygen. I think @ttystikk has some experience with this.

You didn't say if the bottom of your res and the bottom of the plant buckets are at the same height or if the plant sites are elevated up on something raising them above the rez?
If your waterfall flow rate is low enough you will have no problems and all the buckets will maintain close enough to the same level. If your planning to crank up the flow on the waterfalls you will probably be backing up the 1" tubing and the level in the buckets will rise above the level in the rez (as it goes down)
You want big ass free flowing tubing if you want to really move water and not have issues.
That's why I stepped it up to 2" on my latest system - 250gph pump blasting through (4) 1/4" holes on each system an no air pumps anywhere

Ya, but I've already spent a ton of money on 25' of 1" tubing and the grommets. So 1" is what I'm doing. I can't get a definite answer as to what the outcome will be. I really want to do the last picture I posted on the ppst with 4 pics design. Outer rows teed and elbowed and the middle row through couplings. But I fear I'll have problems so I'll probably just do tees and elbows on all of them so they're all the same like the 2nd pic in that post.
My waterfalls are just enough to cause a steady flow from the 1/2 fittings. It's not like a faucet or spraying across the bucket or anything haha

That system is so beastly bro. Fuckin brute bins?! I bet your water changes are a biiiitch

And all of the lines are all the same level. No height variances at all.

Since you are relying on the air pumps for oxygen just back down your submersible pump flow to a level that whatever configuration you like can handle flow wise.
This shit ain't rocket science. Hook it up the way that is visually appealing to you and fill that bitch with water and crank the pump up. Adjust flow as needed
Make a splashy water mess and have some fun

Only other thing I would recommend is don't waste tour time with air stones.
Have you checked out how a "Root Spa" works?
Very dependable and much easier on your air pump than stones

OneHitDone said:

Since you are relying on the air pumps for oxygen just back down your submersible pump flow to a level that whatever configuration you like can handle flow wise.
This shit ain't rocket science. Hook it up the way that is visually appealing to you and fill that bitch with water and crank the pump up. Adjust flow as needed
Make a splashy water mess and have some fun

Click to expand...

Haha. Well what Config would you go with?

1.
2.
Or 3.

If you have the straight barbs do the first one. It is much cleaner and 1" should flow fine for nutrient circulation.

Here is a test system that had all 1/2" hose and the "Root Spa" air delivery setup. Worked very well

OneHitDone said:

If you have the straight barbs do the first one. It is much cleaner and 1" should flow fine for nutrient circulation.

Here is a test system that had all 1/2" hose and the "Root Spa" air delivery setup. Worked very well
View attachment 3685475

Click to expand...

I don't understand the return lines? And I only see the waterfall supply line coming uff to just the front buckets?

Airwalker16 said:

I don't understand the return lines? And I only see the waterfall supply line coming uff to just the front buckets?

Click to expand...

"waterfall" lines were the same on all six buckets.
Each bucket had a dedicated 1/2" return to the res

With 1" you should be fine returning each row of 3

OneHitDone said:

"waterfall" lines were the same on all six buckets.
Each bucket had a dedicated 1/2" return to the res

With 1" you should be fine returning each row of 3

Click to expand...

Aaahh it's on a TEE. I guess I did have to online order the 1/2" WYEs. Not easily found. It makes sense now. So 1/2" supply AND 1/2" RETURN. DAMN. Haha.
So out of the 3 I posted what do you personally think would be best?

They all will work, take your pick

I personally roll 2 inch returns with uniseals .. very solid performance.

pinner420 said:

I personally roll 2 inch returns with uniseals .. very solid performance.

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Ya I like grommets more. I feel they're more reliable then uniseals.

@HydroRed @ttystikk do either of you have any insight on this? I wanna start building todaym

Well can you give any input @ttystikk ?

Airwalker16 said:

Well can you give any input @ttystikk ?

Click to expand...

I think you're on the right track. RTMF and see what happens!

Since you already have tube and fittings, I'd go config 1 or 2. Which ever suits the fittings you have. Config 3 might have flow issues..unequal depths in buckets.

Drains...from the 9 buckets to the control bucket...config 1 or 2.

Return...from the control to the 9...config 3