Upgrading Alien Pro Silver… RDWC

[VinnieV]

Hello everyone!

I’ve recently started my first venture away from flood and drain rockwool to RDWC…

I have set up 2 of the Alien Silver Pro 36 pot 20L systems. The problem I’m finding is draining using their pumps, it still leaves 2 inches of nutes behind so I’m installing some pipe at the bottom of each header pot to allow me to train as much as possible (connected to an inline pump).

The issue I’m having is when you drain the system air bubbles / pocket get stuck in the line that pulls water to the header pot - could I stick an air release valve at the highest point? I’m wondering if there would be any negatives… Alien recommend not upgrading the pump that circulates the nutes, I think perhaps it messes with the ‘dual flow’ through the connecting 50mm pipes between pots.

Wondering if anyone else has upgraded this system or encountered a similar issue? I can’t imagine the air release disrupting the rate of flow very much…

Peace! Will be sure to post picks when I make the changes

 

[VinnieV]

Ah well, I’m going for it I’ll update for future readers lol

 

[DickieTea]

Ah well, I’m going for it I’ll update for future readers lol

Have you tried this yet? Curious how it went as looking at purchasing this system.

 

[VinnieV]

Have you tried this yet? Curious how it went as looking at purchasing this system.

Yup - 10/10, higher yield (just pulled off but looks like my best yet). Battled root rot at start but chopped a few and fed root rot x weekly which kept it under control. Strain was a belter which gave an advantage but would highly recommend

 

[hilbert]

Let's get a pic of your 72 plant system.

 

[VinnieV]

Let's get a pic of your 72 plant system.

Gimme 10 days, I hang to dry in there same room, will be resetting in 10 days and will take a photo of it ready to go.

I’ve got the two header pots outside the room (2 of the 36 pot 20L systems) and I have bluelab ph co trollers in each of those, attached some 3/4 pipe to header’s float valve which is fed by my own 1000L water butt which I currently have fed by dosatrons. Planning on upgrading to growlink to control solenoids and environment / nutes just so I can monitor it all remotely as it’s a bit of a trek for me to get to

 

[VinnieV]

Have you tried this yet? Curious how it went as looking at purchasing this system.

Sorry just realize you mean with the pump upgrade - yeah I put in air release valves at a raised point in blue pipe attached to the pumps. The existing filters were at the opposite end of the header pots and as I run a sealed room removed those filters and placed them just before the header pump. I was experienced blocking of filters quite a lot which would slow the flow of the recirculation down (and I suspect contributed to my root rot). This seemed to help a lot.