The "Madman goes Aero" building thread

[latewood]

I would like to request that you view, but, PLEASE DO NOT reply to this thread until I can finish Phaze1 tonight I would like to post all the build in real-time order before we start comments. Thanks, for all your cooperation ahead of time!

I have been threatening to build a system. Well, I started tonight. I am going to build the 1st Phaze of a 3-4 Phaze system; that will be powered by a 600 gph 1/2 hp clear water pump.. I am tired of lugging water and nute solution around twice a week and I need to become more automated, to make it easier to run my grow; just in case I have to leave for a couple of weeks.

Phaze1 will be an aero system consisting of 2-10 gallon totes w/drains and 2 pipe dreams aero sprinkler heads each. I will use 2-5 inch netpots each with hydroton or lava rock...I haven't decided yet. I am going to build this system with supplies that can be found at home depot or other large warehouse facilities.

I will post 5 pix at a time with brief details of each
Tonight the pictures consist of:
1. 10g sterlite tub marked to diameter of drain
2. use a good sharp (heavy) knife or jigsaw, and take your time in order to be accurate...you want the drain to fit snugly when you are done.
3. Hole cut and drain components laid out...
4. Make sure to pay attention and install friction ring correctly so as not to pinch rubber washer...
5. Timeout. I found a crack from cutting bottom. I will try a fix using aquarium sealant from Wally's and a piece of the plastic that I cut out for drain hole and fabricated this piece to fit around drain.

I will be posting question's that pop up in my head, while I post pix...
A Q...Will it be ok to use stainless steel drain, instead of plastic? No, don't answer...wait

[latewood]

6. OK, patch in place drain tightened down...wait and see if it holds
I might look for plastic drains...
7. Drain installed and holes cut in top for 5 inch netpots...
8. I cut a piece of Panda Plastic to fit tub-top and added 1-2 inches excess to wrap around sides and tape...
9. Use 1/2 roll width tape and tape plastic snugly to underside of tub-top...
10. Cut small pie shaped sections to open up netpot holes, trim plastic back wrap inside and tape edge of hole with 1/4 width tape...

Looks like I need to make some coffee...despite downsizing pix, it is taking a while to upload each set of pix

I was going to start from scratch on this system, but decided to be frugle and use tubs and totes that I had laying around...

My list of parts to buy; include valves for feeding and draining, pvc and, hand tightening compression fittings, t's and 90's...

[latewood]

11. Holes taped pots fit nicely, now for the pot-lids...
12. Drain/side view of tub...
13. Wrapped pot-lid in plastic and although they are not installed, this is the location of the 2 sprinkler heads...They will be mounted pointing down...
14. I got these sprinkler heads at the hydro store...they are replacements for a pipe dreams 32v stadium type system...I never would have thought to use heads this size, but when I pulled out a netpot and looked at the spray this little sucker produces , I bought 6
15. This is the heart of my system...1/2 hp 600 gph clear water pump...

This pump raises another Q...Will it be alright to run acidic nutrient solutions through this pump? Wait! Don't answer! The box says that this pump is suitable for handling clean water not containing abrasive particles and fluids which are not chemically aggressive to the pump components. So, Q2 would be; Are acidic nutrient solutions chemically aggressive to this pump? Wait! Don't answer, Thanks

[latewood]

Me and the 'ol lady just got back from getting some supplies for the Mad Man
Here are some pictures of all the little playthings we brought home to assemble
1. This is all we got, this is all the hardware, I believe I need to supply a 6 site aero system...With a bit of overkill... NOTE; The shelving cost about $25 bucks...it is 4 foot by 2 foot and ,yes, Harddon, you could jump on it. roh'ware lmao...got it with the coated shelf for the units to sit on. So the AC floor register will not be blocked...
2. Once we got in the irrigation area of Hopot...I was found by a very helpful young disciple, who really got into helping us spend money...So, I bought this electronic manifold and this neat six system timer/controller...well, so much for building my manifold... that was tough...$80 bucks for both
3.you all know what this "schtuff is: lego's...Oh, the books I have accumulated for projects that I have going...bought sprinklers tonight...$20 bucks...I did find and buy 2 plastic drains
4. The drain system and "schtuff"

Well enough for now...Thanks all for allowing me to continue to Post this tutorial; without interruption...This is going to be a nice system

[Stormcooker]

looks like a lot of work. You could just have gotten the American Hydroponics "Baby Blomer" and been done with it. Yeah it's ebb n' flow but it's fast, effecient, and yields BIG when you know what you're doing. Cost way under $200


1st week flowering, 35 days from seed

[turtle420]

Latewood,

Keep on the FAQ/Guide quality posts. They are very intersting and plenty of usefull. When you're done with this thread/topic, ask one of the moderators to copy/paste the entire thread for you and give you editing capabilities/priviledges. That way, you can erase all the posts you don't want, even this one. Sorry I posted man, but maybe you don't continue if you don't read this inspirational tip... Dude, keep it up!

[HUGEBUDS]

KEEP THE THEAD GOING GREAT JOB

[latewood]

I will be adding/moving forward to/with this thread, for those of you interested...I have been notified by Zandor that I can move pertinent posts to faq without the replies! So let's have fun, but keep in mind I may not always reply to you until I can use a throwaway post...I'll be back...

[latewood]

I am go to build a simple system first, without the use of my 3x electronic manifold/timer...Don't worry I will be adding this later...So, I am going to do the first 2 tubs of a multiple tub system...these tubs are multi-funtional, i.e.
...we are building an aeroponic system, we could also use continual flow drip method, or by incorporating a cut-off valve; we convert system to dumpable DWC reservoirs

After getting into the middle of putting this system together, I found the need for a few more parts. Converting this old bathroom into pumproom/water station, veg room, cloning station...That is another thread, but you will be seeing some things changing as we build system, the room awakens, and becomes functional...Enjoy

1. needed more parts, 2-3 valves, a drain conversion, and some gluable t's and endcaps...
2. Here, I threw it all in a box and "AWAY WE GO"...

3. Converting Old Bathroom...notice: drain system attached and tubs placed on wood frame support...
4. Drain system test...

5. Tubs hold water, drain seals work...

[latewood]

1. We decided to recycle this 10 gallon 4 site dwc tub for our res...

2. Mounted pump to angle iron brackets...

3. OK, Here is where we ran into a problem! ... Pump would not draw water efficiently if at all with pump mounted on res. support so...

4. We put the pump just above res. level and dry-fitted one nipple on pipe tall enough to 90 over top of reservoirs and ran a pump test...

5. Pump test worked, LOTS and LOTS of water pressure...You'll see ...So, I cut 4 almost even (fist width) pieces of pipe to build my manifold with...

[latewood]

...over 20 inches...so we did a pump test, it worked , so...

1. It is important to de-burr all your PVC after you cut it, to provide a better seal when you glue system together...

2. Get all your manifold pcs. together and start assembly...

3. We dry-fitted pcs. together and 90'd over to test it out...

4. Check out the round water mounds on the wall... ...
...............wwweeeeeeeee...........
I found this very motivating

[latewood]

...see what we think ...
I hope that these head can providethe oxygen needed to grow MONGO'SIZE
root systems

[latewood]

...the pump...from the res to pump inlet/frompump outle to manifold...

1. This is the basic water/nutrient supply line/w 4 line manifold

2. Notice the angle slightly up from towards 90, then up...Notice the 90 foot
in the res...this this helps to draw fluids lessening the chance of creating a vortex effect if the water level gets low...

3. ...up and 90 over to manifold...Notice shelf 4' shelf supports used to brace up manifold...

4. I put tubs back in place and thought, here is a nice view of the delivery/drain system...

5. After I put every thing together; I realized that not all of you are handyyet, so I thought I would introduce you to pressure fittings in the drain system...

[latewood]

IMHO PVC is not that hard to deal with, so I dry-fitted...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

...the pump...from the res to pump inlet/frompump outle to manifold...

1. This is the basic water/nutrient supply line/w 4 line manifold

2. Notice the angle slightly up from towards 90, then up...Notice the 90 foot
in the res...this this helps to draw fluids lessening the chance of creating a vortex effect if the water level gets low...

3. ...up and 90 over to manifold...Notice shelf 4' shelf supports used to brace up manifold...

4. I put tubs back in place and thought, here is a nice view of the delivery/drain system...

5. After I put every thing together; I realized that not all of you are handyyet, so I thought I would introduce you to pressure fittings in the drain system...

[latewood]

1. ...push it on 3/4 to an inch onto pipe...

2. insert drainpipe into coupler, tighten, and drain is complete.

3. Supply system/Drain system.

4. In order to attach 1-1/2 inch dump valve to plastic drain pipe...we must do a conversion; we found a 1-1/2 PVC compression fitting that will slide right over 1-1/2PVC coupler...

5. Now we are ready to attach dump valve...It took 3-4 trips to H'ware, then feed store, where I found the 'schtuff', for this conversion.

[latewood]

1. ...and snug on valve...now we know our conversion fits properly, so take it apart and...

2. ...connect it to drain system (remember to slide on coupler, then compression ring 3/4 to an inch, so a s not to bind or crimp it)...

3. Now add conversion coupler and PVC valve...

4. OK...Now we have a nice drain system and a dump valve...or is it?..

5. MY 'Special Feature'...If you close off valve, then you have a ................
....Drumrolllll; PLEASE!!! Dumpable Deep Water Culture System...NO MORE...
...BACKBREAKING, res changes

[latewood]

1. ...put the sprinkler couplings/lines/heads on the manifold

2. screw on 1/4 inch line nipples...

3. Lines attached...we put a T here; This allows us to expand system or to add a watering station on end...we have already drilled a 1/4 inch hole and slipped 1/4' hose thru hole...

4. barbed sprinkler heads attached to 1/4' hose.

5. System complete..., Or is it

OK, I need to stop here ...Houston, We have a problem )
Well, I knew I had a lot of power from this 600gph, 1/2hp external pump, but
I did not know how that would effect my system...
When I primed pump and turned it all on, it took 20-30 seconds to pump up pressurand then wwweeeeee... water pumping, misting everywhere, and the hhissssssssssss of fine jet misting
Then came the pulsating wine of the pump struggling ...I let it run for about a minute and it sounded like it was having a brown-out... ...Well, I shut it off. It turns out; the sprinklers didn't allow enough flow to properly relieve pressure off the feed lines and bogged the pump motor down.

I had about 10 hours of work/redesign/and by this time and I was ready to give up; Then it HIT ME ...I pulled 2 sprinkler heads off the lines, cranked up the pump and let those 2 lines run wide-ass open...
I mean J-Lo ass open . This worked, I was whipped and went to bed

[latewood]

I have decided to add a pressure relief line by adding a 3/4" PVC valve to extension stubout> and recirculate flow right back into the reservoir. By doing this I will relieve pressure from the sprinkler manifold and lines.

1. stub out to a T...

2. on the downside we stub out to a 3/4" PVC valve. (adding this valve will allow me to open/close it as much as I need to relieve pressure off the pump and enable me to use my sprinkler heads without bog down of pump motor.

3. Stub out to another T and we now have a waterstation for potted plants or filling water vessel(Special Feature #2)...Notice downpipe for pressure relief valve.

4. I had to move downpipe inside of support frame and I 90 stub 90'd over to final splashpipe.

5. Here is what final system looks like...Notice plants in res on left (When original system failed), I needed to move these to bigger res for final veg/sexing...so, you see, I already am using 'Special Feature' #1

...On the middle res...I have shown a line that could be a drip line, then another hooked to sprinkler head thru the top...Just to illustrate the versitility
of this design...

...I will be testing the newly re-designed system tomorrow night...Stay tuned.
...Same Bat-time...Same Bat-station...Peace. The madness is draining out of me now...I must retire to my study..................

[latewood]

1. ...Beast on...10-15 seconds and pressure came up...as pressure came up, I cracked open pressure relief valve 45degrees/1/2 way...

2. It worked; As I opened valve pressure came down...you could hear the strain of the pump motor going away and then, the sprinklers stream started to droop; and I tweaked it up until sprinklers started to hiss

3. Look at the overflow pressure and the amount of turbulence in the reservoir.

4.more turbulence on the inlet side of res...

5. All I can say is "Awesome"

[latewood]

...I have a few more pix to wrap up this portion of system build. From here I will take it apart and tweak things/pieces, glue it all back together and I am trying to get up the nerve to dump the nutrients out of this (left)pic#5) DWC unit, with drain system open we will have a nice little aero unit(I will probably take pix when I open drain and let nute solution dump into main reservoir as I turn on the sprinklers ...I am going to take clones from my BB cross. The one in the pics with 2 main stalks...I think...and I will use second res (middle)pic#5) as an aero cloner....wait until you see my little cloner inserts.

1. Check out the turbulence that the 4 sprinkler heads are causing in this 3 gallon tub...

2. check it out...that is a lot of water runoff...I might be able to run an entire hydrohouse off this baby!!!

3. I had a couple of towels over system to guard against splashing up and blowing up my 400w MH...but, the only leaks we had were minor leaks at the manifold/couplers, because I hadn't tightened them enough...a little tweak and no leaks!

4. Water station works great, but if you notice there is not enough pressure; It is because I had already turned off the pump...then I said to myself..."Damn, you didn't include pik of waterstation"...

5. Pik #5 for your reference...latewood

[Stormcooker]

[Kurtfolder]

your out of your mind

[Easy Roller]

nice work man..what strain will you christen it with????? what power of light will you blast it with...and how expensive was it all..and what cost to run it...are u and storm friends again
???

[Zandor]

Hey latewood is there a Harbor Freight tool place around where you live? If there is you may want to pick up a PVC weld tool from them. You need a small air compressor with it but it does work. I have 2 of them and I use them all the time, you designs will change once you learn how to use one. You will save money too in the long run; you can weld pipes as drains and not use sink drains. Save you 5 bucks each time, hint, hint.

You may want to wrap your tubs with water heater blankets there is a silver one with plastic bubble wrap as insulation that works very well.

[Easy Roller]

u can also visit plumbing supply shops and buy plastic pipes ..and pipe connecters relatively cheaply!!all u need is is a tube of silicone to join the peices....black silicone is better to prevent photosynthetic parasite growth !