Which would produce more DO in a DWC?
- Thread starter JSB99
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- dwc hydroponics rdwc undercurrent
JSB99
Well-Known Member
Got some things done:
Secured the pump manifold and added the external drain pipe
I relocated the air pump. I knew these got warm, but I didn't know it would be that warm! So I mounted it up towards the ceiling, then directed the tent's exhaust to blow right on it. Now it's cool to the touch. Another huge benefit is that the air leaving the pump is cooler. Before, the tube was really warm, and I assumed that might have an effect on the air leaving the airstones. Plus, mounting it further away gives the air more time to cool down before it reaches its airstone. It's also a lot more quiet.
A little more organizing. Moved the closet's fan controller outside of the closet. It was inconvenient.
I had two small pumps in the closet for the tubs, and they were really warming up the closet. What I did was remove the pumps and run air lines from the air manifold in the tent to the tubs. Works awesome! However, I was planning on only using four of the eight outputs for the buckets. With all eight outputs being used, it's going to drop the pressure some. I may eventually go up in size a little.
I cut the air line just outside the tubs and added barbs to reconnect them. This makes it easy to move the tubs out of the closet. The top is just temporary veg until my UnderCurrent is set up. They have some decent roots going so I've got them in a tub with 1/8 GH nutes. Bottom are clones with tap water at different stages.
It's a little difficult seeing the 4 x 1/4" lines going from the tent to the closet.
Secured the pump manifold and added the external drain pipe
I relocated the air pump. I knew these got warm, but I didn't know it would be that warm! So I mounted it up towards the ceiling, then directed the tent's exhaust to blow right on it. Now it's cool to the touch. Another huge benefit is that the air leaving the pump is cooler. Before, the tube was really warm, and I assumed that might have an effect on the air leaving the airstones. Plus, mounting it further away gives the air more time to cool down before it reaches its airstone. It's also a lot more quiet.
A little more organizing. Moved the closet's fan controller outside of the closet. It was inconvenient.
I had two small pumps in the closet for the tubs, and they were really warming up the closet. What I did was remove the pumps and run air lines from the air manifold in the tent to the tubs. Works awesome! However, I was planning on only using four of the eight outputs for the buckets. With all eight outputs being used, it's going to drop the pressure some. I may eventually go up in size a little.
I cut the air line just outside the tubs and added barbs to reconnect them. This makes it easy to move the tubs out of the closet. The top is just temporary veg until my UnderCurrent is set up. They have some decent roots going so I've got them in a tub with 1/8 GH nutes. Bottom are clones with tap water at different stages.
It's a little difficult seeing the 4 x 1/4" lines going from the tent to the closet.
rkymtnman
Well-Known Member
opposite. compressed air is warmer. my airpump used to get almost too hot to touch. i actually tried putting it in a dorm fridge to keep it cooler. then i went with waterfalls instead of airstones
JSB99
Well-Known Member
I might not have said that correctly. Compressed air is warmer, but as it decompresses, it chills (think of a refrigerator compressor). This is just a theory though. You may be right.
I created a waterfall that jets multiple streams into the controller, but I didn't want to rely on that being the only producer of DO. It may be overkill, but as stated multiple times by many people, "You cannot go large enough on an air pump."
JSB99
Well-Known Member
BTW, moving air across the cooling fins is probably more effective at removing heat than putting it into a fridge. Objects create a layer of insulation between themselves and the environment they're in. By blowing air across the surface, you are constantly removing that layer and allowing the environment temps to effect the actual surface. That's how a convection oven works. All it is, is a fan that blows the air around, but the result is that it cooks in half the time.
Like I was saying previously, with the exhaust fan blowing directly on it, it stays cool enough that you'd think it was off.
rkymtnman
Well-Known Member
you'll like that waterfall. keeps the nutes mixed and creates way more DO than airstones.
keeping the airpump outside the tent is good. but yeah, the air coming out of that airpump wont' have enough time to cool before it gets to the stones. the tubing is not a good conductor. if they were in copper air lines, then it would cool down alot.
keeping the airpump outside the tent is good. but yeah, the air coming out of that airpump wont' have enough time to cool before it gets to the stones. the tubing is not a good conductor. if they were in copper air lines, then it would cool down alot.
rkymtnman
Well-Known Member
probably so. i was being cheap and tried to cool down my res by sucking in cold air from the fridge. then i sucked it up and bought a chiller. lol.
JSB99
Well-Known Member
So just having a waterfall is enough so that you don't need airstones? Wow!
rkymtnman
Well-Known Member
that's all i used in my rdwc. was it you that i put up a pic of the kitchen sink sprayer that i copied? that thing would crush it with DO with all those high pressure jets hitting the water surface.
JSB99
Well-Known Member
Yeah, a chiller is on my Christmas list. But one more month and it starts cooling off quit a bit, which may be enough.
I removed the carpet, leaving the plywood floor. I was thinking that if temps aren't staying cool enough, I could remove an area of insulation, under the floor, below the buckets. Just thinking aloud.
rkymtnman
Well-Known Member
if you are in CO, i'll sell you mine. lol.
one thing that would help is to get some panda film (black and white poly) and put covers over your tubs with the white side up. will reflect a lot of the heat from your grow light.
JSB99
Well-Known Member
Sure was
It was from what you had come up with that I made my own. The idea was to use many small holes under pressure to spray jets. It works REALLY well! Love the sound too
Makes me feel like I'm down by the river.
rkymtnman
Well-Known Member
yep! kinda makes you have to take a piss too! lol.Sure was
It was from what you had come up with that I made my own. The idea was to use many small holes under pressure to spray jets. It works REALLY well! Love the sound too
JSB99
Well-Known Member
Great idea! I'll do that!
I'm in OR, but I was stationed at Carson, and my daughter's stationed at Pederson. Is it still as much of a trip to you to be able to grow weed in your yard legally, as it is for me? You were a couple years ahead of us. Still weird, but so cool!
JSB99
Well-Known Member
LOL, I was going to say that too
JSB99
Well-Known Member
Correction:
Smoke some weed, THEN tap into the bathroom's wet wall (behind the bedroom door) to provide water to the room and the 30 gallon reservoir with a float valve.
rkymtnman
Well-Known Member
no shit? i was a DoD contractor out there for a few years. small world, huh?
it is nice to not have to buy weed anymore. don't know if you are a fan of South Park, but the episode where Randy goes into a dispensary for the first time still makes me chuckle. i was that way for about the first year i was a medical patient.
i only grow indoors because of the short growing season. and less chance of bugs etc.
JSB99
Well-Known Member
No doubt
I was stationed there from 90-92, but been back plenty of times.LMAO! Not sure if you noticed my profile pic or not
That's from this season's episodes. Love SP! 20 years! Talk about a show with legs! Plenty of material out there to keep them going LOL. "Medicinal Fried Chicken" is the one you're talking about.
I hear ya. I hate bringing my plant inside but right now it's a necessity. After this, I'll only grow outside during the Summer, and the rest indoors. We've got a short season as well, but the pharmers I know pull lbs off their outside plants each year. Lots cheaper for the electric bill, that's for sure.