My journey to the MPB Universe!

[Lost]

Awesome brotha! All of my original "prototypes" were done during the Summer when I first started thinking about the system. Didn't have a whole lot of info to go on, just the basics. And waiting sucks! lol I wanna make the changes now :) But I won't have clones ready for a good 2-3 weeks.

I remember seeing some of dds' early mpb system with just a single 1" drain hole. I think he started using two in case one gets clogged. Something to consider, bro.

I'm going with a 70 gallon res. DDS recommends a minimum of 50 gallon res per 5 plants...at least that's what I remember reading. I'm trying to simplify the weekly res change so I want to have one big enough to fill all the tubs and still have enough left in the res for the system. Mixing nutes one time only. If it's not enough, I should be able to add a little bit of RO water without it affecting much.

It's a blast being in the middle of this new "movement" lol

I actually have 2, 1 1/4 drains. In my current recirc system, i ran into root clogging issues. Its what I was using n my recirc system. For the 1/2 inch, i am going to use ebb and flow fittings as well. I have a bunch already.

I going out today and buying the drainage and hopefully the cages, I really needed them on this run :(

 

[easypleasie]

Ah gotcha! Were your roots slowly building up in the drains and clogging them? Or was it a sudden blockage? Part of the reason I got the 1" ebb n flow fittings are the screens that slide on. I'm hoping this prevents any clogging issues. Also, when you drain the system through the 1/2" feed line, can't roots clog the line on exit? I was debating on putting a screen on the feed line, too.

Got a pic of my fittings and a size comparison between the 10" and 12" netpots. Lol they are HUGE in comparison. I'm sticking with the 10" netpots as they fit nicely on my buckets for veg. I plan on putting a few holes up higher in the netpot just in case the roots clog up the bottom somehow.

I went to home depot again to find the cage material but they didn't have it. All I saw was rusted cement wire support stuff. I've checked two home depots and one lowes and no luck yet. Only stuff I found has too small of holes (2"x4"). I'd have a hell of a time stuffing branches through them lol

 

[Boots Sugarleaf]

I went to home depot again to find the cage material but they didn't have it. All I saw was rusted cement wire support stuff. I've checked two home depots and one lowes and no luck yet. Only stuff I found has too small of holes (2"x4"). I'd have a hell of a time stuffing branches through them lol

go tell someone working in the garden section at lowes you need to see fence good for fencing in some pigs--they have it in the garden section at lowes and near the lumber at home depot, but they both have fencing. I get fence at both places all the time

 

[Lost]

Ah gotcha! Were your roots slowly building up in the drains and clogging them? Or was it a sudden blockage? Part of the reason I got the 1" ebb n flow fittings are the screens that slide on. I'm hoping this prevents any clogging issues. Also, when you drain the system through the 1/2" feed line, can't roots clog the line on exit? I was debating on putting a screen on the feed line, too.

Got a pic of my fittings and a size comparison between the 10" and 12" netpots. Lol they are HUGE in comparison. I'm sticking with the 10" netpots as they fit nicely on my buckets for veg. I plan on putting a few holes up higher in the netpot just in case the roots clog up the bottom somehow.

I went to home depot again to find the cage material but they didn't have it. All I saw was rusted cement wire support stuff. I've checked two home depots and one lowes and no luck yet. Only stuff I found has too small of holes (2"x4"). I'd have a hell of a time stuffing branches through them lol

I got both actually. Thats why I had to put the drain as far away from the roots as possible. My tubing is clear, and the roots did not care. The thing is that the flow rate thru the drains is so fast, that the roots once they find it will explode. I have had one grow roots 4-5 inches down a drain that was clear. Then I learned 2 drains and as far away from the plant as possible. In the following pic, you can see that I went 3/4 and 1 1/4 at first and they got clogged.. Then I had to add one to the end. In my next iteration, all fitting will be on the long ends, lol..

Edit: Keep in mind that my curent system is a RDWC that runs daisy chained, and thru 500 gph from the chiller. SO in the first tub the nutes are coming in at probablly 400 gph and this level is held thru each tub (otherwise you would have and empty pump res and an overflowing 1st tub. Also note my nute level is set by how many gallons I have in the system, not the drains setting the water level. A major drwaback of my system and why I am moving to the MPD's style..

 

[Boots Sugarleaf]

so are screens on the ins and outs a good idea? I planned to use screen material, but haven't decided for sure...

 

[Lost]

I say bad but what do I know.. Little root bits can come lose and then they are clogging the screen when they would have been shot out your drain and caught by the window screen that the waterfall pours thru..

 

[Lost]

btw, i have a sewer drain in the middle of my room, so the 30 gallons from the overflow was no big deal... Lucky me.... :)

 

[Boots Sugarleaf]

pretty much what I figured, I have had nightmares with them before

 

[easypleasie]

Yeah, i'm not totally convinced with the screens just yet. Seems like you want stuff to come out instead of staying in the mini-res and causing problems. Having an access panel like JK's system would be ideal. That will come with version 2.0 :) I'm really hoping that since the drains are up high at water level, that it will help prevent the clogs.

Lucky you to have a drain! I still have to figure out an easy way to dump my res. I've had my share of floods lol. Not a pretty site. I finally put a float valve on my RO container :) No more falling asleep and waking up to an inch of water in the room!

I've found all kinds of fencing, just not the ones with the big squares. I've probably walked miles in home depot just looking up each isle. We don't have the brightest people working at ours so i'm always hesitant to ask them anything. lol

 

[Boots Sugarleaf]

here is a link to the fence I usually use from Lowe's:

HERE

Get the product code and go straight to the desk and tell em what you need

 

[Boots Sugarleaf]

Having an access panel like JK's system would be ideal. That will come with version 2.0

where's this at? and for what?

 

[Lost]

Yeah, i'm not totally convinced with the screens just yet. Seems like you want stuff to come out instead of staying in the mini-res and causing problems. Having an access panel like JK's system would be ideal. That will come with version 2.0 :) I'm really hoping that since the drains are up high at water level, that it will help prevent the clogs.

Lucky you to have a drain! I still have to figure out an easy way to dump my res. I've had my share of floods lol. Not a pretty site. I finally put a float valve on my RO container :) No more falling asleep and waking up to an inch of water in the room!

I've found all kinds of fencing, just not the ones with the big squares. I've probably walked miles in home depot just looking up each isle. We don't have the brightest people working at ours so i'm always hesitant to ask them anything. lol

Im actually working on a plexi viewing port. I will cut out one of the diamonds in the lid of the tuffbox, aquarium glue the plexi, then put a rubber matt over it. I'll just need to move the matt to see the roots. :)

 

[easypleasie]

You don't know how much that link is gonna help me! I even searched their website and somehow missed that. Thanks bro! I was looking for the small sheets that dizzle found. Looks like I have to order a roll as it doesn't show it in stock at my store. Last time I ordered something from Lowes, took them a month to get it. There's gotta be somewhere local I can find it at.

Jalisco Kid (jk) has a unique system of his own. You can say he and dds are "rivals" lol. They both have great systems but we know a lot more about dds' system. The access port is so you can get to the root zone to check on things and make any necessary cleanings and such. Awesome idea!

Good idea with the viewing window, Lost. You guys have a big enough mini-res that you can cut a 4" hole in the top and put your hand in. They make these little 4" plastic covers that could slip over the hole. Too bad the diamonds weren't bigger.

 

[Lost]

EP - Hmm I like your idea better. I could drill a 4 inch hole in the lid.. Fit a maybe 3 inchs piece of 4 inch pipe in the lid and put a cap on the end...


edit - black aquarium silicone the PVC were the ridges are to keep light proof? hmmm...

 

[easypleasie]

Too simplify things, you can just get the 4" plastic lids they have in the irrigation sections. Fits on the end of a 4" pipe and much cheaper. Less than a dollar. Only thing is you need to have a tight seal so weather stripping might help. You just don't want co2 to get in there. A little panda film the size of your cover will work great to block light. I think reflective material works better at blocking radiant heat, though.

 

[mrdizzle]

I would prolly lose those ebb n flow screens, those are actually going to get clogged real fast, the roots are going to wrap around them.


the water overflowing out the mini res only covers 1/8th the one inch outlet, so root clogging would take a week at least, if at all. with those homedepot tubs, you can lift a corner of the lid that the drains are on, with a monster plant in it and pull any roots out of the drains. three weeks into flower i have checked the roots prolly 5times, and pulled minor roots out with my finger, or you can use the back end of a butter knife wiped with alcohol

i also drop the airstones on the opposite side of the drains, the roots chase that air, so the drain side doesnt have the mass of the roots

 

[easypleasie]

Thanks for the input, dizzle! It's good to have ya around :) You're the farthest along with the mpb style grow so the experienced is welcomed!

Have you had any problems with roots going down the feed line when you're draining? I need to figure out a simple way to get to the drains to clean them. Looks like i'll be pulling out the hole saw again :)

 

[Boots Sugarleaf]

You don't know how much that link is gonna help me!

O, I know, that's why I found it for you, glad to help.....I guess we're lucky round here, we loads of farm stores and irrigation supply places, gotta love livin in farmland!

 

[mrdizzle]

no roots go down the drain line, i mean they may, but they are soon blasted out when the pump is turned back on. im more worried aobut a little piece of hydrostone getting in the feed line when I drain, so i make sure and check the weight of the buckets when I drain to make sure they are empty.

 

[Boots Sugarleaf]

no roots go down the drain line, i mean they may, but they are soon blasted out when the pump is turned back on. im more worried aobut a little piece of hydrostone getting in the feed line when I drain, so i make sure and check the weight of the buckets when I drain to make sure they are empty.

hey diz, wouldn't it be worthwhile to add another 1" drain at the bottom of the tubs that is connected to the 4 inch pipe but with a ball shut off valve on it? then put a one way only flow on the 1/2" line in?