RDWC- My new system is almost finished

Well done. Looks like it will kick ass.

@sevans1965, Great start man. You've got a lot of good stuff happening. Have you rinsed and prepped the hydroton if that what your using? Unprepped and it can be hard on the little ones some times. Running a straight pipe will be best. I just change mine back at just 1 1/2 months with the hump. Tried it, didn't like it. I can see where it would work but I'd have to change too much to make that happen. Straight pipe works fine. 

Yes you'll need a chiller eventually, maybe sooner than later. 1/10hp-1/4hp. Once your up and running then you'll know how many gal your actually at. It takes awhile to get it all dialed in. Keep posting and Good Luck!!

 Here's the net pot that I was talking about. It has the wider light shield around the top. Yours will work, it's just easier for light leaks. But both will have to be covered anyway, just something to think about. 

Do you have an in-line mess filter. Very important in my book. Helps protect the pump. I place it before the main pump and the chiller pump. Plus I can read what's happening with the system by what the filter looks like. 👍 

@woodi2 I wasn’t sure what you were getting at earlier about the light band around the pots, thanks for the photo.

Filter- I’ve seen it on other peoples designs, but hadn’t given it much thought, an oversight on my part. You raise a good point- about protecting the pump and being able to monitor system. Since I haven’t finished the plumbing to the rez, I have time to add this in.

TY. 

@sevans1965, I'm letting you in on all the little things that I had to find in the dark while blindfolded. Oh Bother. lol

The filter is one very important piece to me. This is what it tells me. So done with the filter now.

How big is your tent? I started with 4 plants and now I grow 2, sometimes 3. I can fill my space very well with two. But by all means, grow 4 and see how it goes.

One other thing that I learned was to use No Hub connectors, on your fittings. So they come apart and can be used in different configurations instead of gluing everything. The black slip hubs. I know some of these are easier said than done. 

Hope this helps man.

Evening all, a few updates— going a little slower than planned (my damn job keeps getting in the way). Plumbing is all done, leak test tomorrow. Just need to raise my 50 gal top-off rez above my 13 gal rez, hook up to my RO, and run the air lines for the stones.

@woodi2, I have an in-line filter between the 13 gal rez, and pump (hard to see in the photo). Not planning on installing  drains at the plant sites, I have a low point with a garden hose hook-up after the pump, any residual water/nute solution I’ll shop-vac out. Need to hit up the legacy market this weekend- good incentive to keep on trucking!

@sevans1965, looks good man. Fill it with regular water a few times to rinse all the PVC glue residue and what not. You probably already washed things. But use regular water to rinse and also to measure exactly how many gallons in the system. This is the most important thing to know about your system. How many gallon to the bottom of the net pot? How much does one gallon reflect in the depth of the system? Mine is a 3/8" water level change for one gallon. This is the most important thing to know about your system. So start counting. lol I use Accu-pour pitchers the 1L, 1/2gal and 1 gal, from amazon. But figuring out all this will help rinse your system. At least that's what I did because I had to double check everything, god knows don't lose count. LOL I probably filled and drained 4-5 times. But you don't want to waste RO water on this yet. Rinse and wash first with tap, then you'll flush with RO and bennies then fill for real after that. IMO. That's how I do it.

 So you just have to take it out for a test drive and see what happens. Just keep the buckets covered. Turn every thing on and start to getting to know it with just tap water and no plants.

 I mix all my nutz in a 20 gal tub, but I can only stir it with 18 gal in it. I have to have a couple of 5 gal buckets, that only hold 4.5 gal max, to complete a full change. Just saying, measure everything and write it all down. Remember, you'll have another even better idea next week, it doesn't stop!! LOL The learning curve a large, is putting it nicely. 🤣 

 You still will need to inoculate and prep the Hydroton and air stones too. Not to mention the whole system. But leak test first. 👍 

One last thing, you'll need to have a shut-off valve before and after the in-line filter. It's under the water level.

Posted by: @woodi2

One last thing, you'll need to have a shut-off valve before and after the in-line filter. It's under the water level.

@woodi2, good point. I have a shut off after the pump, I can add one on the front side, inside the rez. Should work for those occasions between change-outs. Do you find yourself having to open up the filter between change outs?   Asking for a friend  .