6" PVC system

gohydro

gohydro

Well-Known Member
Just finished my 6" PVC NFT/Aero system. Due to my limited space it is only 40" long but all parts were sized so it can be added to with ease.

I bought the GH rez and the pump but built everything else. The rez is connected to a 1/15th HP chiller to maintain 67fah RO water.

All pipe has unions for quick disconnect.

Nozzles are fed from OUTSIDE of the 6" so they can be changed in 10 seconds.
 

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valmeida

Active Member
That system looks really clean and done right. where do you get all of the tubing and sprayers? what kind of sprayers are they? do they work good upside down?
how often do you water? I think I am going out this weekend and try to build that exact system. I like how you have the hoses conected to the 3/4" pvc, is that a special connector that goes on the pvc?

gohydro said:
Just finished my 6" PVC NFT/Aero system. Due to my limited space it is only 40" long but all parts were sized so it can be added to with ease.

I bought the GH rez and the pump but built everything else. The rez is connected to a 1/15th HP chiller to maintain 67fah RO water.

All pipe has unions for quick disconnect.

Nozzles are fed from OUTSIDE of the 6" so they can be changed in 10 seconds.
Click to expand...
 
O

Old Toker

Active Member
That system is very nice... I have a couple of questions... What are the end caps and where did you find them? and are the sprayers connected to the ends of the irrigation line and then is that a grommet wher the line goes into the tube? Also what type of end connector is that wher the irrigation line connects to the pvc up tubing/manifold?? Just courious?:confused:
 
gohydro

gohydro

Well-Known Member
I'll try to answer everyone's questions in one post.

That is schedule 40 PVC, not DWV (drain, waste and vent). Schedule 40 is unnecessary and quite a bit more expensive but it is easier to find fittings for and I own a plumbing business so it isn't an issue for me. Those 6x6x4 tees you see are almost 30 bucks each! Ouch!

The end caps are just rubber test caps with a hose clamp and are about 8 bucks a piece. Very easy to remove and clean the system.

That is a 40 gal rez.

The connectors where the 1/4" tube connect to the manifold are the way to go. The inside diameter of the 1/4" tube is perfect to screw a nozzle in to with no other fittings (screws directly in to the tube)but a 1/4" barbed connector for the manifold end is no good because the hole in the barb is too small. I can't remember the name of the "push-in" style fitting but it is similar to what they call "sharkbite". You just push the tube in and it locks.

The bushings for the spray heads are just rubber corks with a hole drilled through them big enough to accommodate the water lines.

EVERYTHING (fittings, hose, sprayers, etc) here was purchased from Lowes or Home Depot except the pump, reservoir and the chiller.

Sell it for $300? LOL.....it COST me close to 500 (excluding the chiller) to build and GH's Aeroflo are between 1500 and 2k.

The Rez was about 150 with the lid and access door. The spray pump was about 150. There is a second 550gph pump (about 35 bucks) inside the rez feeding the chiller. The chiller was about 350. Theres probably between 150 and 200 in PVC fittings, pipe, strainers, valves, unions, etc.

Thanks to all who commented!

GoHydro!
 
gohydro

gohydro

Well-Known Member
That is a "push-in" fitting sold at Lowes, Home Depot, or Plumbing supply houses. It is similar to what they call "sharkbite" which is used for copper.
 
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valmeida

Active Member
your system has me all hyped up. I am going to Lowes tomorrow. Can you post some photos of the push in fittings, so i know what do look for. I would also like to see a pic of the sprayers you are using.

gohydro said:
I'll try to answer everyone's questions in one post.

That is schedule 40 PVC, not DWV (drain, waste and vent). Schedule 40 is unnecessary and quite a bit more expensive but it is easier to find fittings for and I own a plumbing business so it isn't an issue for me. Those 6x6x4 tees you see are almost 30 bucks each! Ouch!

The end caps are just rubber test caps with a hose clamp and are about 8 bucks a piece. Very easy to remove and clean the system.

That is a 40 gal rez.

The connectors where the 1/4" tube connect to the manifold are the way to go. The inside diameter of the 1/4" tube is perfect to screw a nozzle in to with no other fittings (screws directly in to the tube)but a 1/4" barbed connector for the manifold end is no good because the hole in the barb is too small. I can't remember the name of the "push-in" style fitting but it is similar to what they call "sharkbite". You just push the tube in and it locks.

The bushings for the spray heads are just rubber corks with a hole drilled through them big enough to accommodate the water lines.

EVERYTHING (fittings, hose, sprayers, etc) here was purchased from Lowes or Home Depot except the pump, reservoir and the chiller.

Sell it for $300? LOL.....it COST me close to 500 (excluding the chiller) to build and GH's Aeroflo are between 1500 and 2k.

The Rez was about 150 with the lid and access door. The spray pump was about 150. There is a second 550gph pump (about 35 bucks) inside the rez feeding the chiller. The chiller was about 350. Theres probably between 150 and 200 in PVC fittings, pipe, strainers, valves, unions, etc.

Thanks to all who commented!

GoHydro!
Click to expand...
 
gohydro

gohydro

Well-Known Member
valmeida said:
your system has me all hyped up. I am going to Lowes tomorrow. Can you post some photos of the push in fittings, so i know what do look for. I would also like to see a pic of the sprayers you are using.
Click to expand...
Attached are the pictures you requested.

I pulled the 1/4" tube out of the rubber stopper so you can see that the nozzle just screws right in to the 1/4" tubing.
 

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valmeida

Active Member
Thanks for the pics. I went to Lowes today and found everything except the sprayers, the only ones there looked like mini sprinklers. I say some like yours but thew were 180 deg. Have yous started growing anything in your system? curious to see how it will work.

thanks
 
smokebluntz

smokebluntz

Well-Known Member
That system looks fuckin great. Im in my first grow but in soil. I am thinking about going to hydro because of the higher yields. Atleast thats what I heard. I was wondering how hard it is to keep the water the way it needs to be as far as Ph, nutes, and whatever else you add?
 
DubB83

DubB83

Well-Known Member
smokebluntz said:
That system looks fuckin great. Im in my first grow but in soil. I am thinking about going to hydro because of the higher yields. Atleast thats what I heard. I was wondering how hard it is to keep the water the way it needs to be as far as Ph, nutes, and whatever else you add?
Click to expand...
I have to adjust my 50gal res once a week, I check it daily and adjust as needed, but it is usually right where I want it to be.

If you have the proper tools and your system is designed correctly it will be based on the number of plants to the gallons of water in your system. More plants = more maintenance, also less water = more maintenance.
 
smokebluntz

smokebluntz

Well-Known Member
DubB83 said:
I have to adjust my 50gal res once a week, I check it daily and adjust as needed, but it is usually right where I want it to be.

If you have the proper tools and your system is designed correctly it will be based on the number of plants to the gallons of water in your system. More plants = more maintenance, also less water = more maintenance.
Click to expand...

Say I wanted to grow 8 plants. What kind of system would be best? How many gallons?
 
DubB83

DubB83

Well-Known Member
smokebluntz said:
Say I wanted to grow 8 plants. What kind of system would be best? How many gallons?
Click to expand...
Rule of thumb is one flowing gallon per plant. The system determines the reservoir. (Aeroponic) Go with a 10 gal reservoir if you want weekly maintenance, double the volume to go 2-3 weeks.
 
smokebluntz

smokebluntz

Well-Known Member
DubB83 said:
Rule of thumb is one flowing gallon per plant. The system determines the reservoir. (Aeroponic) Go with a 10 gal reservoir if you want weekly maintenance, double the volume to go 2-3 weeks.
Click to expand...

Sorry for all the stupid questions but how does it actually work? I see pics of it but I dont understand. Do the roots grow down into the water or does the sprayers spray the roots with the water?
 
G33kDro

G33kDro

Well-Known Member
It is an aeroponics/NFT feeding system. the Pipes are on a decline angle back to the resivoir so gravity brings the water back to the res. they are sprayed from the top by the yellow mist heads that you can get thru your local hydro shop.

Great design! I have a similar design in the testing stages using buckets... they all have their own root area!
+Rep
 
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