a ppk for a 6 plant limit

[RamCTD1027]

Cleaning system between runs??

Cleaning system between runs??

As I previously mentioned, I'm about to finish up my first run with the PPK setup. How do you guys go about cleaning the system between runs?

I obviously know how to clean the buckets, reservoirs, etc, but how about the hoses? I also have a PVC feed and drain loop around the room. Other than replacing the pvc and hoses, what's the best way to clean everything between runs?

 

[delta9nxs]

Hey McKush and thanks for the kind welcome

The tailpipe extends 3.5" below the bottom of the top bucket.
It is submerged about 2" into the nutrient solution when everything is at equilibrium (leaving an airgap of 1.5 inches)

Do you think I could do with a couple more inches on my tailpipe? (said the bishop to the actress...)
I'm thinking it would be tricky but could be achieved with a conduit connector and some extra pipe if it would be worthwhile?

How deep do you think my tailpipe would ideally need to dive into the Atlantis of nutrients in the lower bucket?

Thanks for looking out for a brother.
Cheers!

hey buddy! i went back and looked at your tailpiece arrangement and it is definitely too short.

you want the screen at the 6" level in the tailpiece.

also, you guys running buckets on top should be using 2" tailpieces.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Sioux-Chief-2-in-Snap-in-Drain-845-2PPK/202313208

these work well. they also come in 3" and 4".

cut the tubing at 8" use the bottom one as is but cut the grating out of the top one. use set screws to hold it all in place.

look at the first page of this thread for visuals.

 

[delta9nxs]

Why?

the biggest reason is that i have run 24 sites with a 2400 gph magdrive with the wave pulse feed routine and i have trouble running even 10 sites with a full flood using the same pump.

also the reservoir needs to be correspondingly larger to have the requisite volume to completely flood all pots without starving the pump.

it takes approx 2 gals per site if delivered in less than about a minute so with a 24 site setup you would need 48 gals at one time.

with 24 sites and a wave pulse you only need 6 gals per feed event.

 

[delta9nxs]

As I previously mentioned, I'm about to finish up my first run with the PPK setup. How do you guys go about cleaning the system between runs?

I obviously know how to clean the buckets, reservoirs, etc, but how about the hoses? I also have a PVC feed and drain loop around the room. Other than replacing the pvc and hoses, what's the best way to clean everything between runs?

i usually overfill the system to the tops of the containers and add h202, circulate a few times, scrubbing lightly with a stiff brush doing a light scum buster routine, run a pressure hose through the hoses and pipe, pump it all out, refill with water and some more h202, circulate, and then pump all that out.

then fill and nute.

 

[McKush]

whats the track record for us'ins that are running perpetually, I wonder....

I've no plans to clean jack - other than tubs prior to placing a new plant.

Avman - you been running your original room perp since last fall sometime, ya?

 

[theplaya]

whats the track record for us'ins that are running perpetually, I wonder....

I've no plans to clean jack - other than tubs prior to placing a new plant.

Avman - you been running your original room perp since last fall sometime, ya?

I have been running perpetual since about the time I joined here. May of last year. Still haven't done a thorough clean out.

 

[av8or]

whats the track record for us'ins that are running perpetually, I wonder....

I've no plans to clean jack - other than tubs prior to placing a new plant.

Avman - you been running your original room perp since last fall sometime, ya?

Speaking of....I tore it down YESTERDAY! I only ever swapped nutes. Didn't clean. I'd scrub each individual tub each week as one harvested, but I didn't unhook hoses and clean all.the drains and stuff. Should I have? Maybe....but I averaged 19 ounce plants every week with only 12.total plants to work with. So, maybe cleaning isn't as important as I thought it was? I dunno...if I were monocropping systems, sure, I'd give em a scrub. But a year of perpetual growing didn't land me in hot water without cleaning.

 

[RamCTD1027]

Speaking of swapping nutes, do any of you completely drain and refill the system during runs? My room is going through approx 30gal/day so the system is getting replenished with fresh nutes regularly. I haven't drained and refilled once this run.

 

[Snook]

Speaking of swapping nutes, do any of you completely drain and refill the system during runs? My room is going through approx 30gal/day so the system is getting replenished with fresh nutes regularly. I haven't drained and refilled once this run.

I change hoses every other run, buckets get dumped and filled, gave up on cleaning them, the volume rez gets cleaned out once a year because of the build up of crud that forms on the bottom over time. I've never changed out nutes, during a run, since ppk & Jacks+ ..

 

[LibertyFarmsOr]

Love the setup, much respect and love.

 

[delta9nxs]

Speaking of swapping nutes, do any of you completely drain and refill the system during runs? My room is going through approx 30gal/day so the system is getting replenished with fresh nutes regularly. I haven't drained and refilled once this run.

like av8or, i have run a reservoir with 10 huge plants perpetual for up to 8 mos without a total change out. just cleaning each site as it was cleared of a plant.

averaging 2.5 lb plants the whole time.

but the solution does slowly get out of shape as evidenced by a slow climb in ph. check it once in a while to see if it gets over 6.5. when it does do a complete changeout.

even though you can't access the lower tubs easily because of the plants you can still flush it out and refill.

you should design this capability into your plumbing scheme.

as in my previous post above i like to fill to almost overflowing, dump it, refill, dump it, and then fill and nute or fill with a nutrient solution.

you can never get all the water out on one pass. you probably will leave approx 5% or so each time because of plumbing height above the bottom of the tub.

so with the first dump you are at 95% change of solution. by the same math refilling with plain water and dumping again should leave you with only about .25% of the original solution.

this is a rough description and will vary in actual amounts with each design but the general idea still applies.

one reason we can use the solution so long compared to other hydro types is that we are using continuous liquid feed of nutrients and water.

it takes much longer for the solution to get whacked out of shape because we are inputting nutrients at approx the same ratio as plant uptake.

if you are sampling and analyzing the solution you will find that the main constituents, n-p-k-ca-mg-s, are being removed from solution at a high rate.

the recirculating part of the solution could appear to be almost depleted of these nutrients.

but since we are operating a closed system the principle of mass balance applies. this simply states that all inputs are still in the system somewhere. either in the plant, the medium, or the solution.

i have seen folks totally freak when they see this and begin dumping individual elements into the solution in an attempt to maintain the original nutrient profile. this is a pathway to disaster as the lack of these major nutrients in solution is not a bad thing at all but rather a sign of a healthy, rapidly growing plant.

the key to maintaining vigorous growth is to continuously feed a balanced ratio closely matching plant uptake.

"but won't the micros get overloaded and cause problems?" the answer is yes, eventually. the micros are present in absolute minimum trace amounts in most nutrient packages and take a very long time to get to the point where they are causing problems.

so monitor your solution looking for ec over about 2.6 or 1300 ppm at the .5 conversion and ph over 6.5, which is when most hydroponic precipitation events start occurring.

when i get to either of these points i'll usually do a change out.

if the solution is hovering around 1300 ppm but the ph is not over 6.4 i'll just steer it down by inputting fresh water until it hits around 1000 ppm then resume continuous liquid feed.

as far as volume tank feed strength is concerned you want to input whatever it takes to maintain your recirculating solution between 1000 and 1250 ppm. this will vary according to light intensity and environmental conditions.

it could be 600 ppm with weaker lighting and 1000 ppm with very intense lighting.

all of the above applies to late vegetation and flowering periods.

start clones and seedlings at 200 ppm above your base water and as they root ramp them up to a 600 ppm input. you'll never burn anything like this.

 

[delta9nxs]

Love the setup, much respect and love.

do i know you?

even if i don't i love you too!

 

[delta9nxs]

I change hoses every other run, buckets get dumped and filled, gave up on cleaning them, the volume rez gets cleaned out once a year because of the build up of crud that forms on the bottom over time. I've never changed out nutes, during a run, since ppk & Jacks+ ..

yep, changing hoses every other year or so won't hurt you.

 

[Oysters]

the biggest reason is that i have run 24 sites with a 2400 gph magdrive with the wave pulse feed routine and i have trouble running even 10 sites with a full flood using the same pump.

Thanks. I'm using a 396 gph pump for a single plant in a 7 gallon pot and it takes 50 seconds for a full flood where water is actually about 1/4" above the turface surface. I see that it would be hard to scale up for that many plants.

 

[LibertyFarmsOr]

do i know you?

even if i don't i love you too!

You don't know me but, lurking and reading your thoughts over the years helped make Liberty Farms a reality. Jacks and the PPk is a game changer for those who understand it. I use a slightly different setup for my hydro but the mechanics are based on the PPk, and I don't change nutes till flush unless something goes wackado, usually a hard upward ph drift. Side by side smoke tests with hydro this style and my organic, just as clean if not more so. I still think T.L.O. organic gives better smell and taste, but yield is no comparison to hydro... So thanks for sharing what you do, it's helped me and countless people in my shoes over the last decade.

 

[rover747]

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=298002

AV8or can you post photo from your float valve bucket ,please ?
Thank you

 

[av8or]

Rover,

The mix res dumps into the control bucket outside the room. The hose attached to the base of the little 3.5 gallon control bucket is also attached to one of the six ppk sites inside the room. Levels are maintained and it stays less cluttered in the room. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[rover747]

Rover,

The mix res dumps into the control bucket outside the room. The hose attached to the base of the little 3.5 gallon control bucket is also attached to one of the six ppk sites inside the room. Levels are maintained and it stays less cluttered in the room. Let me know if you have any questions.

Awesome !! Thank you
I almost done building 6 sites ,so in few days i should be able to fire up

 

[rover747]

How far from bottom of 3.5 i need to drill hole for float ?

 

[av8or]

How far from bottom of 3.5 i need to drill hole for float ?

Depends on the level of water in your system. Every setup will be different. Look at the picture closely and you'll see where mine is. I didn't measure it.