New Drill Pump

I got a new tool, a $6.94 Drill Pump from Lowes. I am tired of cleaning that water pump filter every week so I am going to try this to drain my reservoir tanks.
The hoses were $5.46 each and I could of made some for much less and used clamps, but this was faster and easier.
I'll let you know how well it works.

That's pretty cool. I didn't know it existed. Looks like it will work great. For me, I still use the drain plug I got with my SH unit. I have the reservoir elevated about 10" off the floor and just stick a big bucket under it. I save and use the old nutes for house & garden fertilizer. If
you have height restrictions, raising it may be an option.

was thing what i was going to use , now i know tks rose

HomeGrownHairy said:

That's pretty cool. I didn't know it existed. Looks like it will work great. For me, I still use the drain plug I got with my SH unit. I have the reservoir elevated about 10" off the floor and just stick a big bucket under it. I save and use the old nutes for house & garden fertilizer. If
you have height restrictions, raising it may be an option.

Click to expand...

I got the idea from Major Tom, he has a different one.

I am already worried, or maybe just a little concerned because my newest grow is so tall already. I for sure do not have room to raise my tanks any.

If you let the pump run dry for any length of time, it will fail. it needs fluid to lubricate it. I locked my drill on and left for a few minutes. When I came back it was running but the res was empty. The next time I tried to use it it wouldn't work and leaked all over the place.
Good Luck

Well, I used it, and it is not GREAT!.

The Drill Pump is not what I can highly reccomend.

problems? no?

Worked great on my first tank, slowed down on the 2nd, and time I got to the third, it only trickled. I had to blow in it and it was just agrevating.
I'm back to the aquarium syphone hose.

Roseman said:

Worked great on my first tank, slowed down on the 2nd, and time I got to the third, it only trickled. I had to blow in it and it was just agrevating.
I'm back to the aquarium syphone hose.

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roseman,

i could have told you that drill pump sucks ass! took about 20 minutes to empty a 5 gal bucket and burned out my damn drill.


and then i went and bought one of these



which only worked slightly better than the drill pump but it is loud as hell and you have to keep lubing it with mineral oil.



the best solution i've found (by far) is the aquarium vacuum. i'll have over 40 gallons of water drained in as little as 10 - 15 minutes.

brothafromanothaplanet said:

roseman,

i could have told you that drill pump sucks ass! took about 20 minutes to empty a 5 gal bucket and burned out my damn drill.


and then i went and bought one of these

which only worked slightly better than the drill pump but it is loud as hell and you have to keep lubing it with mineral oil.



the best solution i've found (by far) is the aquarium vacuum. i'll have over 40 gallons of water drained in as little as 10 - 15 minutes.

Click to expand...

+ REP, bro, great post.

I went back to my aquarium syphon for small amounts and I remove the pump filter and lower my bigger pump into the tank to drain it completely.


Sponge Bob Square Pants lives under the sea,
He grows with tiny bubbles,
just like you and me.

yeah drill pumps are no good. i have 2 400gph pumps and one 160gph pump. what ever one im not useing at the time is what i use. the 160 takes about 3 min to drain a 6 gal res and the 400gph take about 35 seconds.

I'm think of putting my system in the attic, and then connect a garden hose running from the drain on the rez to the bathtub and just let gravity do it for me.
lazy.

The other day, when I went to the aquarium store, I saw one of those aquarium vacuums, and opted not to buy it. Instead I cut a perfectly good length of garden hose, and half to hold it down attached to my pump to pump out just a bit of water.

I am planning to head out again tomorrow and pick up some 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 " hose and probabely one of those vacuum pumps. Also, when I was there last time I noticed what looked to be a little hand air pump attachment for 7 bucks or so. I guess the idea is, you attach it to the hose, hand pump the pump ball, and that causes the suction to empty your "aquarium" has anyone seen or used one of these things and have any reviews?

Maybe I will purchase it tomorrow, and give a review myself

SlickRickMcgee said:

I'm think of putting my system in the attic, and then connect a garden hose running from the drain on the rez to the bathtub and just let gravity do it for me.
lazy.

Click to expand...

Sounds like a great idea but I sure do see a lot of new growers start a grow in the attic and later have to move it because of TEMPERATURE problems.

wut about installing a bulk head fitting at bottom of bucket/tote, with a inline shut off valve outside the bulkhead and tote. then could be ran anything and drained manually with a flip of a switch.

Roseman said:

Sounds like a great idea but I sure do see a lot of new growers start a grow in the attic and later have to move it because of TEMPERATURE problems.

Click to expand...

yeah, I've thought about it, but I agree. Controlling the temps would be a problem.

SlickRickMcgee said:

I'm think of putting my system in the attic, and then connect a garden hose running from the drain on the rez to the bathtub and just let gravity do it for me.
lazy.

Click to expand...

but then wont you have to carry water into the attic? what if you have a leak? dont forget to light-tight the roof vents

attics are bad mojo, IMO.

Personnaly, I wouldn't build a grow room in your attic. From what I've researched when the 5-0 goes looking, the look for extreme heat signatures by windows or roofs,

I have my room in my upstairs closet, and I'm hoping that because of the size of my room, and the low heat put off by the lights it won't create enough of a signature to notice, however I have contemplated with the idea of eventually drilling a vent hole in the roof up to the attic and letting all my exhaust circulate up that way.

I'm not sure if that is even going to be needed though, so I'm just going to play it out.