Super simple ebb & flow buckets

[JERI]

Bonzo your system looks so great you have inspired me to build somthing simular when I get some free time and my Nirvana-Papaya strain going :wink: But what I have in mind is same thing your doing but with Perlite insted of clay like you have done and setting it up on a watering cycle of about 15 minutes a day 8 times a day with gravity return feed . Was going to use clay but iam told perlite heaps better for devolping root systems as it doz'nt retain as much moister as clay and the motion of a quick draing medium like perlite draws more oxgen to the root system . Iam going to call my setup the Bonzo bucket

 

[Bonzo]

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Hi JERI,happy new year!!! :smile: I flood my system every 3 hrs for 15 minutes, works out to 8 times a day. right now 4 times during lights on. I have never used Perlite but i dont see why it would not work, as long as it does not float with the flood or fall through the drain holes. I was just looking at a system using perlite and the grower put a screen in the bottom to prevent it from falling through. I think with the course stuff and the right size drain holes that wont be needed. I dont like the screen idea cause i want my roots to be able to drop to the lower bucket freely. I want them to be able to stretch thier legs with ease! :smile: Anyway it will be fun to see how it works. Bonzo bucket huh has a nice ring to it have a great day

 

[kingslayer]

That's a great looking setup, Bonzo...I hope you don't mind if I copy some ideas for my next system

peace

 

[BigToke]

Ooh yes I like what I’m seeing, that a really nice setup you got there Bonzo, and the bud pic’s are awesome!!

 

[Bonzo]

Update; day 41 12/12

Update; day 41 12/12

Hello IC Howdy Kingslayer and Big Toke, how the hell are ya? Thanks for comin' by :smile: Hey King, feel free to borrow ,tweak, adjust, or improve whatever you like, or copy to a t :smile: as i stated in the beginning of this thread, i borrowed this design and just added buckets and adjusted the overflow and WALA! Super simple ebb & flow buckets. I would like to think we are all here to learn and share our ideas with one another ya know what i mean :smile: Hey Big Toke, ive seen your buckets dude, GNARLY awesome setup mt friend, great work :smile: Well its been allmost 2 weeks since the last pics were taken. I changed the rez last night and nutes are as follows; 30 tspns Floro Nova bloom, 12 tspns Floralicious bloom, 13 tspns Canna pk 13/14 and 20 tspns Hygrozyme, all amounts are per 13 gallons water. Overall they are doing pretty well, they are filling in a bit and gettin frostier no problems with the system peace Bonzo

 

[Guest]

Man is that sweet Bonzo... love the ghetto gear.

That golden skush is awesome... she will make you a happy clown... I'm puffin on some now.

Going to follow this thread.

 

[Bonzo]

hello Maistre, thanks and thanks for comin by :smile: I love the GS Its funny i dont see more people growin' it. There are so many good strains out there. Its hard too choose peace Bonzo

 

[kingslayer]

The tag in that pic should read
M-39
Location: indoor/outdoor Type: Sative/Indica
Flowertime: 45-50 days Yeild: High
Potency: Zero to "Hmmm...i guess i'm sorta high...maybe"
Nickname: "oh, so THIS is schwag"

 

[CrunchNasty]

awesome thread , it looks super simple too! would ya mind giving a parts list and building instructions?

 

[Bonzo]

I was wondering about that King, its really that bad huh?

 

[Guest]

I knew those colas look familiar. Golden Skush! You sure know what your gonna get with them beans every time. Looking good Bonzo. I'm setting up something similar right now to them buckets. Nice and neat.

From my Skush grow a year ago: Looks like yours eh?


Blatant

 

[Bonzo]

Hi there Blatant How the hell are ya! :smile: How bout them Trojans! I dont think there is any doubt who is #1 in the nation anymore This GS is pretty consistent, good stuff too :smile: Looking forward to seeing your buckets, gonna post pics? Thanks for comin' by peace Bonzo

 

[Bonzo]

Well, i kinda messed up. In my attempt to make some seeds i pollinated some small lower buds and now i see seeds forming on some of the larger upper buds. OOOPS. Well i really like this GS and now i will have plenty of seeds to find a great mom. Maybe ill find the grapefriut pheno that i had and did not clone. Live and learn :smile: peace, Bonzo

 

[Guest]

Hello IC... about using Perlite in hydro pots. Will it provide enough support for the plants when they get bigger? MG

 

[Bonzo]

Hello Mastergrow, i have never used perlite. With ebb & flow buckets i would use the expanded clay balls (hydroton)or lava rock. I have read that people have problems with perlite floating in this application, wich in turn would probably undermine the support of the plants. The results that i have seen other growers achieve using Hydroton & lavagive me no reason to try anything else. Also they are both reusable. One more reason i use Hydroton is i like the way it looks, i dont like the idea of my plants growing in little white peices of styrofoamy stuff. I like the natural look of the Hydroton and/or lava. Is there any particular reason you want to use perlite? Sorry for rambling a bit. peace, Bonzo

 

[Guest]

Hey Bonzo.... thx for sharing your homemade system w/ us... it was very helpful! My reference to the perlite was because of an earlier post on this thread by Jeri:

Was going to use clay but iam told perlite heaps better for devolping root systems as it doz'nt retain as much moister as clay and the motion of a quick draing medium like perlite draws more oxgen to the root system . Iam going to call my setup the Bonzo bucket

Personally I wouldn't try Perlite in that fashion. Not just because of my suspicions of lack of support (and possible floating as you pointed out), but also, because it is white.... I figure it would grow algae faster. Besides... IMHO... using Perlite as a grow medium is "cutting corners", and I don't think this is a good area to do that Thx- MG

 

[slowurroll]

hey bonzo very nice setup, do you have any fungus/algae problems? i see the lid of your reservoir off.

 

[Bonzo]

Hey Mastergrow! Thanks for comin' by I never really thought about the algae thing, your totally right, it would definitly grow algae faster. No algae problems with hydroton, and it looks better peace, Bonzo :friends: Howdy slowuroll, thanks for stopin' by :smile: I only have the covers off for the pics. Normally they are on and i have no algae problems :smile: peace, Bonzo

 

[Guest]

Yeah Bonzo... when I finally get hydro going, I will definitely go w/ Hydroton. MG

 

[sysprog]

Nice looking setup. I not sure I've got the concept of this system down yet...
looks like 3" netpots in a larger netpot (8"?) then in a 3.5g bucket?
The bucket has holes in the bottom, correct? This bucket is put in a 2nd bucket (so there is a gap at the bottom)? Does the bottom bucket have a hole in the bottom that the pvc is inserted into for flow (fill) and as the fill reaches the top 90degree elbo on the overflow, that is the fill limit? Once the flow cycle ends, overflow suction siphons the fill empty?
My guess is that you start you rooted clones in the 3" netpots in another system, put those larger plants into another netpot (3" netpot & all) in the same system then once the roots grow to that system, move it again into the final 3.5g bucket and this ebb&flow?
Parts:
1- rubbermaid container
4-buckets
2- each of 3" & 8" netpots
1- pump (sized correctly)
4- pvc elbows (1"?)
2- pvc Tees (1 for flow pump, 1 for overflow return to resevoir)
1- section of pvc pipe (same size as elbows & Tees)
1- grow medium (perlite, hydroton,lava rock, silica)
Sturdy method to hold buckets above resevoir (2x in your bonzo bucket setup)
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This looks to be a great tree grower!! Simple, effective, user friendly. I have been searching for a good way to grow tomatos and this I think is it. The available hydroponics info outside of the medical mj user forums is either for the commercial grower or geared towards the classroom examples. I have learned more here than anywhere else about hydro. Dirt indoors just doesn't appeal to me...too many watering headaches not to mention bugs!!
I am trying a dwc bubbling bucket but had a situation where the air tube came off the pump and now the plant looks terrible. Must've been off 24-36 hours.
T.y.
Sysprog