Blah's First Ppk

Mr Blah · Apr 10, 2016

Well, I have clogged up enough of other Ppk threads and it is time for mine. Sorry guys.

I first started this 4 tent venture with all the intent of doing a Under Current like I have in the lower part of my garage on concrete. I knew I could not have any leaks as it would eventually go through the floor and start a fire with all the wiring below it. I know Ppk is also water related but I feel that it is a stronger system with less to fail, where failure is not an option.

My first attempt was with 1.5" uniseals in 5 gal buckets..not good bad leaks. So I bought some square buckets and was going to continue...Got researching and wanted to try something new. PPK was it.

This thread is a learning experiment for me in the Ppk world. So bare with me as I do not know everything about this system and will be learning along the way with peoples input that have all ready benefited from this unique set up.

I am starting with 3.5 gal round buckets with lids as a base and 3.5gal buckets as the tops also. They are all on order and am moving on the next things to buy and order.

I found some TurfaceMVP but not sure if this is a good deal?
http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/t...odHN9Lmjl1nZSPAJJGdb9trUzObqFmcu49hoCK6bw_wcB

Also the rubber hose at HD is not GoodYear which still is a rubber hose.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Continen...de-Rubber-Black-Water-Hose-20258074/100676339

The tailpipe for the top bucket that I could find was this;
Is it a good fit?
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...PIPHorizontal1_rr-_-205154109-_-205153885-_-N

I will post pictures of progress as soon as the buckets come in and the other stuff gets ordered.

I all ready have the 3-6.5'square tents up to have 4 ea Ppk sites and 1-4'x8' veg tent up to house 12 vegging plants. I would like to just move the top bucket and tailpiece into another bottom bucket in flower tent.

RamCTD1027 · Apr 10, 2016

Welcome. Best of luck with your first ppk. The concept is impressive and so too are the growth rates you will experience.

I buy my turface locally at John Deere Landscape stores. They want $24.00 a bag for off the street and $12.00 a bag with a contractor discount.

The continental hose is the same as the good year hose. They ate both made of the same rubber. My whole room is plumbed with continental hose with zero leaks for over a year (knock wood).

Hopefully someone else with chime in about that tailpiece as I've never used it.

Everyone is pretty helpful in the ppk community. If you have more questions, ask away

Mr Blah · Apr 11, 2016

Thanks Ram, I don't have a John Deere landscaping place around here in Maine so I am going to call around tomorrow to a few local landscaping places. If not $45 is not bad for 50# free delivery. I will cut it with chunky perlite 50%.
Does anyone know how many 50# bags it will take to fill 24 3.5gal buckets 7" high roughly a little more than half the bucket?

delta9nxs · Apr 11, 2016

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-1-1-2-in-x-6-in-PVC-Flanged-Strainer-Tailpiece-C9800/205154040

this is the tailpiece you want. you will need a 1.5" hole saw.

a 3.5 gal bucket filled to 7" is 2.5 gals.

the turface bags are 1.5 cu ft and so is approx 11.25 gals so you can fill approx 4.5 buckets to the 2.5 gal level. this is unscreened and uncut.

the big bags of chunky perlite are 4 cu ft so if you were to mix 3 bags of turface with one bag of perlite you would be about right.

you would end up with approx 8 cu ft of material so about 60 gals which should be enough for approx 24 containers.

it won't come out exactly as you might think because of the way the particles of each fit together but it will be real close.

i would not screen the turface but wash the hell out of it separately from the perlite. a big tub and a hoe are useful.

the perlite is best cleaned by floating it in a large tub and letting the fines go to the bottom. then use a net to scoop out the floating perlite.

the perlite will also need a 1000 ppm or ec 2 bath at the same time you clean it.

wash them separately and then mix them wet.

you will need plastic vent screen from lowes for the end of the tailpieces. it has a larger mesh than window screen and doesn't clog as readily.

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?productId=3087579

i would use a 2.5" hole saw for the lid of the bottom container.

i attach the vent screen with a nylon cable tie about 3/8" from the end and then run a bead of glue around the top of the cable tie. it will never slip off.

amazing goop plumbers edition is the glue. it can also be used to glue the tailpiece to the bucket if you like.

gardener60 · Apr 11, 2016

Mr. Blah, best of luck with you first PPK. Give it hell.

Mr Blah · Apr 11, 2016

Thank you Gardener60, this is a new style of growing with me especially the formula for feeding. I have been using a GH formula for about 6yrs now with no hickups. Large UC systems.

Hope this bitch puts out. :laughing:

Big D....What can I say, you da man. If I had your knowledge of growing I would write a book.... :woohoo:

and retire....maybe you all ready did?
I will document my build so we as Ppk'ers can have an up to date build that others can duplicate using 3.5gal buckets.

Mr Blah · May 2, 2016

OK...I finally got my 3.5gal bucket and have taken all the handles out. Next I drilled a 2.5" hole through the bottom buckets cover to allow the tailpiece to slide in with a little wiggle room. (I've done just one, so if this is not what I am suppose to do please voice up)
I then took the top bucket (also 3.5gal) and drilled a 1.5" hole in the center of the bottom and inserted the 1.5"x6" tailpiece.

Couple questions; Do I drill any drain holes in the bottom of the top bucket or in the tailpiece?
IF not I will install the screen on the bottom of the tailpiece and proceed to the next step.
More to come.

McKush · May 2, 2016

I can't help ya with 3.5gals Senor So So.

Best of luck on your build, bookmarked ya when you first posted and only now subbin.

Mr Blah · May 11, 2016

Anyone know if you can just put a zip tie or a pipe clamp on the bottom of the tail pipe to hold screen on?

And do side holes in the tailpipe recommended? Or do I add those in if needed?

delta9nxs · May 13, 2016

hose clamps will deform the plastic, making it out of round. just use a single zip tie about 3/8" from the end to hold the screen on but run a bead of the previously mentioned glue around the end of the tube over the screen between the zip tie and the end, more or less glueing both the zip tie and the screen in place. this will prevent the screen from coming off in the middle of a grow.

Globule · May 13, 2016

Mr Blah said:
Anyone know if you can just put a zip tie or a pipe clamp on the bottom of the tail pipe to hold screen on?

And do side holes in the tailpipe recommended? Or do I add those in if needed?

Hey Mr.B I just found your thread and best of luck with your grow bro!
Give it heaps! PPKs are awesome as you will soon find out on your own.

I used two zip-ties to secure my insect-screen around the bottom of the tailpipe/wick and nothing has fallen off yet.

Go for it like a Gillette-razor ad!

Globule · May 13, 2016

Mr Blah said:
Well, I have clogged up enough of other Ppk threads and it is time for mine. Sorry guys.

I first started this 4 tent venture with all the intent of doing a Under Current like I have in the lower part of my garage on concrete. I knew I could not have any leaks as it would eventually go through the floor and start a fire with all the wiring below it. I know Ppk is also water related but I feel that it is a stronger system with less to fail, where failure is not an option.

...

I've had a couple of floods as I did not worry as much as I should have about the small details. Lucky it was a concrete garage floor and there were no power points below the waterline or I might not be here...

water=water & electricity=electricity. Take care sir...

Mr Blah · May 13, 2016

Finally my buckets are in and I have most of the materials to get started.
First off I want to thank all of the people that helped me wrap my mind around this. I bugged/pm'd a few of you and asked a few questions on other threads.
I hope my build helps a few people. There is a lot of reading involved just to get exactly what I wanted. What I feel is the best of the best.

Like I stated at the beginning of this thread I am outfitting 3-6.5' cubed flower tents and one 8'x4' veg tent.
Each flower tent will have 4 buckets and the veg tent will have 12 so I can correlate the three harvests with downstairs 3 flower rooms.

I will give a step by step build process so others that might want to copy will have an easier way to do so.

First off picture of 50-3.5 gal buckets and 25 lids;

Next you will need 2 of the buckets and one lid;

Next make a 1.5" hole in the center of the bucket with no lid;
and make a slightly larger hole (I chose a 2.25") in the cover of the bottom bucket like this;

Next, insert a 1.5"x6" sink tailpipe (with a lip) in the 1.5" hole you just made in the bottom of the top bucket.

Now cut a small square piece of screen (about 5" sq) from the roll seen on the right (found at Lowes) and wrap it on the bottom of the tail pipe as seen in the picture below. After, throw a zip tie around the hole thing to secure it from sliding off (about 3/8" from bottom). I used 6" tie and pliers to pull tight. I then cut off the excess above the zip tie about 3/8".

More pictures to come....Getnerrrr done

Mr Blah · May 13, 2016

I am trying to practice making a whip with 1.5" pvc. The thick wall scehdule 40 pipe leaves a ring on the wall when using the tapper bit. at 13/16".

I am wondering if this will leak if I shove the goodyr hose in?

delta9nxs · May 13, 2016

looking at the bucket lids i think you bought lids that won't allow you to stack the top bucket. try one and see if the bottom of the top bucket will fit flush inside the lid.

Mr Blah · May 13, 2016

Oh Shit! don't tell me that D..........All ready took 3 weeks for these buckets.
But I think I am all set

You can see the top bucket sitting on the top of the other with no problem. Is this what you mean?

Mr Blah · May 13, 2016

Next...What I have learned in this growing game is that things can add up quick so cutting cost is always a good thing.
When I saw that D9 was just shoving hoses in pipes without the use of threaded fittings and barbs....I was all in.
Unlike the PVC pipe in my last post, the wall of the plastic bucket is a bit thinner. I used a tapper bit and stopped at 13/16" and shoved the recommended Goodyr hose in.

The next photo is of a tiny version of what each flower room will look like. The bottom 1" "T's" with barbs coming out, are the level pipes that are all connected to bottom buckets going against the outside walls of the tent and connected to the control bucket, which will be placed outside each tent.
The top "T's" sitting ontop will be the 3/4 lines barbed out for 1/2" feed lines.
All of this will make sense later when I piece it all together.

delta9nxs · May 13, 2016

Mr Blah said:
Oh Shit! don't tell me that D..........All ready took 3 weeks for these buckets.
But I think I am all set
[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=363065&thumb=1]View Image[/URL]
You can see the top bucket sitting on the top of the other with no problem. Is this what you mean?

great! there is one brand that looks very similar to your lids that will not allow the top bucket to nest. what brand are yours?

delta9nxs · May 13, 2016

Mr Blah said:
Next...What I have learned in this growing game is that thing can add up quick so cutting cost is always a good thing.
When I saw that D9 was just shoving hoses in pipes without the use of threaded fittings and barbs....I was all in.
Unlike the PVC pipe in my last post, the wall of the plastic bucket is a bit thinner. I used a tapper bit and stopped at 13/16" and shoved the recommended Goodyr hose in.
[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=363067&thumb=1]View Image[/URL]

[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=363068&thumb=1]View Image[/URL]

[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=363069&thumb=1]View Image[/URL]

The next photo is of a tiny version of what each flower room will look like. The bottom 1" "T's" with barbs coming out, are the level pipes that are all connected to bottom buckets going against the outside walls of the tent and connected to the control bucket, which will be placed outside each tent.
The top "T's" sitting ontop will be the 3/4 lines barbed out for 1/2" feed lines.
All of this will make sense later when I piece it all together.
[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=363070&thumb=1]View Image[/URL]

actually, shoving the hose into the holes without glueing fittings in first is av8or's idea.

also, i think you will find 2" pipe easier to work with using the garden hose because of the larger diameter giving you more internal space for a longer taper cut on the hose, making it somewhat easier to install.

gardener60 · May 13, 2016

Hope you have a successful grow.

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