Flooded tubes is the best!

Ha! There. I said it. But, for the sole purpose of a discussion. I'm starting on a new closet soon, and want to rebuild my hydro system with some improvements but more or less the same. I have no reason to go to a different method, but was wondering if this thread could lead to one or more.

Reasons why flooded tubes is the best, in no particular order:

- Always water in the tubes up to the dam at the end of the tubes. In case of a pump failure I have many hours to replace it or use a gravity-based backup.

- Pump is on 24/7
-- No pump going on and off, less chances of failure
-- Always circulation in the tubes where the roots are
-- Always aeration in the rez from the return waterfalls, less chances of probs arising from too low DO
-- No (expensive) timers

- Temperature, nutes and PH changes occur more gradually at the root level because it's mixed with the rez first, and then with the contents of the tubes (nice bonus, no shocking)

- Less transplant stress in case the plants are coming from a dwc cloner (no need to slowly lower the tubes like in some lp aero systems a la aeroflo).

- Although I currently do use sprayers (didn't plan to keep flooding), they are technically not necessary. In any case, no need for expensive sprayers and pumps so low maintenance overall.

- Easy and cheap to setup

- Requires little space (compared to for example a DWC with a bucket per plant or hp aero chamber) leaving plenty of space for air circulation also 'below' the plants, which for me and my full flat canopies is ideal.

Any downsides I overlooked? Ones that actually matter for the results? Or any major advantages to other systems I should consider?

The only thing that really limited my yield the past two cycles is the too small closet (600watt on a 3x4 instead of 4x4) so I don't consider better or worse yields - something that depends on many other factors - a reason to change to whatever.

Sativied said:

Ha! There. I said it. But, for the sole purpose of a discussion. I'm starting on a new closet soon, and want to rebuild my hydro system with some improvements but more or less the same.

Can u b more specific about the kind of "improvements" u desire. Someone may know a trick or 3.


- Always water in the tubes up to the dam at the end of the tubes. In case of a pump failure I have many hours to replace it or use a gravity-based backup.

Yea about 4 hours depending on the plant size. Sounds like you're describing DWC or recirculating DWC.


- Although I currently do use sprayers (didn't plan to keep flooding), they are technically not necessary.

True. Just keep nutes cool and moving.

In any case, no need for expensive sprayers and pumps so low maintenance overall.

"Expensive sprayers"----- micro jet sprayers are about 25 cents each.

- Requires little space (compared to for example a DWC with a bucket per plant or hp aero chamber) leaving plenty of space for air circulation also 'below' the plants, which for me and my full flat canopies is ideal.

I don't follow you there.

The only thing that really limited my yield the past two cycles is the too small closet (600watt on a 3x4 instead of 4x4) so I don't consider better or worse yields - something that depends on many other factors - a reason to change to whatever.

Simple------ provide your plants with an optimal environment.

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Rock on----its a journey.

A~~~

Thanks for the reply. Didn't expect a lot, good to see at least one.

Alaric said:

Sounds like you're describing DWC or recirculating DWC.

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It does, doesn't it. I've made the comparison to RDWC myself a few times. It's also like an NFT but instead of a film the flow is several inches deep. I use sprayers instead of just pumping the tubes full from one end, so there's some lp aero in it too. The best of everything.

As for 'expensive' sprayers, like I said I do have micro sprayers, the cheap ones, "but in any case" (as in even if one would use cheap sprayers), no need for expensive atomizing xx micron sprayers and hp pumps and connections are require. Not a major point I agree, but you probably too noticed the thread in which a grower thinks $400 is mind-boggling.

Alaric said:

I don't follow you there.

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I think anyone who's done more than a little canopy control like a scrog or LST for example will understand, but in short: in a grow closet/tent you have limited space, air intake at the bottom, where there are normally pots/buckets. If that doesn't do it, I can post some pics of previous runs where it's more obvious (edit: actually, that would be soil vs hydro, not hydro vs another hdyro). Basically the rez+tubes require less volume than like I said buckets, possible with a control bucket, or a full blown hp aero chamber. More volume left for air/co2 means better air circulation possible and easier to control the climate inside the closet/tent.

Alaric said:

Can u b more specific about the kind of "improvements" u desire. Someone may know a trick or 3.

Click to expand...

Not really no. That's kinda the intention of my questions, if there's not one obviously missing to you and others I consider that a good thing.