I’m in the market for a rdwc setup, my budget is around 500 bucks and I am wanting to do 4 to 6 plants. I have a 5x10x7 foot space with room outside for the reservoir. Anyone have any suggestions for good brands or features, or bad brands or features. What kit would you buy?
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With that budget you should build your own. Unless someone knows of a low cost system.
Many here have done so with excellent results.
@repins12 has a sweet system he built and may be able to help.
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My first system was around that price range for materials. Best thing about it is, it’s easily expandable without having to but a new pump. I’m up to 6 totes and a res now and think that I could probably double that, my pump is still not running at half power. Fairly simple to build. I will tag you into my journal and you can take a look, if you like 
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I have a fallphonics system from pa hydrophonics. I was gonna buy everything and do it myself but it’s like 40 bucks more to get it completely drilled all I have to do is assemble it.
I also have a rdwc 5 gallon bucket system that i made. But I just buy it from pa hydro he’s on YouTube under pa hydrophonics. If you wanna know about systems his are the vids to watch
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If you have another system that costs more that’s fine, I wanted to stay around 500 but I can jump if its worth it. Really I just want something that I’m not going to want to upgrade immediately, that’s ready made so I dont have to spend a bunch of time figuring out how to set it up.
If you are handy and have some tools, I would be willing to help you build a system that is easily expandable down the road. You would definitely get more bang for your buck that way 
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I am handy and I have tools a plenty. I have looked at plans and just dont know what’s best setup, if you can help me it would be greatly appreciated.
I have a grow going now in soil so I have a couple months to get this set up and I have an empty 8x10 room waiting for experimentation.
Are you on growers network or thc farmer? I am on both same handle
No, which should I join, or both?
More people here are on gn
Well I joined thc farmer before your reply because I liked the name lol. I will go join growers network now. Same name on thc hopefully same on GN. What should I do after I join?
I tried to find you over there. My thread has the same title there as it does here✌️
So am I seeing your inlet pipe is the same height as your outlet?
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Not exactly sure what you are asking
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The inflow pipe going to the bucket looks the same level as the outflow pipe
They are on opposite ends of each tote, to make sure that the water circulates through entire tote, instead of in one side and out the other.
So the holes in between the totes are higher?
I’m just trying to understand how the tote fills.
Sorry
No everything is the same height. You balance the height of the water with the height of the water in the res and the speed of the return pump, that is pulling the water through the system and then dumping it back into the res
Maybe this will help. A rough sketch of my first system
First system after fabrication
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Now I understand.
I’m just getting into this and using buckets.
So you just fill the tubs and the reservoir and it just circulates.
These buckets are wearing me out