Hello. I’m about to lose my mind. I’m trying to build a hydro system my bf has but I don’t understand the process and am having trouble wrapping my brain around the concept. I have DWC set up in a 17g tote with 2 holes for plants. I have an air pump. I’m putting diffusers on and have the dwc down. Ok. Now I want to top feed but I can’t figure out how to split the function. I have a manifold from my pump and need to recirculate water with one and bubbles with the other. His was a kit from vivosun. He replicated it at home but we bought the pieces and it does not work the same. It’s spitting at the drip ring, gurgling. Like too much air. The air pump is 2.9 psi, it’s a decent pump. We just can’t make it work. I have a 6 way mani on it and was going to dedicate ani air and a water to 3 totes. So a paired line. The exact same thing as the dwc with drip. I don’t want to set up 3 sub pumps. His works perfectly fine. We built the ring with pvc and T connections from the ring ro the uptake hose and put little holes in the halo and dropped the pvc tube into the water. It spits at best after dedicating the entire pump. It’s not right. How do you make the air push water that emits from the holes instead of just a gddm bubbler??? Contents of the kit and what we made are the same thing, so I thought. What am I missing?
Any pictures to help me picture what you working with exactly or a link to the one you copied
You have an air pump and a water re-circulation pump?
I think its just air and trying move water with it some how 
I think you are trying to use air to force water out. Like aquarium sponge pumps? Right?
Trick to these is straight up and down. If they are off angle the amount of water lifted with air is greatly reduced. Also, for making the water rise, skip using a diffuser. You are way better off having the bigger “mad” bubbles rather than the fine diffuser bubbles.
Also, the deeper you can put it in your reservoir, the more lift effect on the water.
Tapering the top works too if you don’t quite have enough lift. Like reduce (reducer fitting) it from 5/8 inch to 1/4 inch
I have lots of air pumps, lol. And one submersible that I used to pump h20 to my soil plants.
I just don’t understand how an air pump can run a bubbler and utilize it to push the water up thru the halo….I have pieces cut to make halos with a T connector and another tube into the water I just don’t understand the physics ….if I did, I could see it and make all kinds of adaptations……but I just don’t get the concept.
Then I also have the water pump. Do I just need a coupler to connect to the manifold and connect the lines to a top drip halo or another suggestion if you have one?
I have so much stuff but it seems I’m missing something. I want to understand how the system works.
I will take some pics.
The idea came from my bf have a one bucket system and he and I tried to expand it to a 6 channel system. I can’t seem to share the link, but it’s a vivosun DWC with top fed drip system 5 gallon bucket. I have a larger 3 psi water pump tho and made 3 totes with 2 net pot holes. Right now, I have them all in one big tote and I will move them out as they need their own space. Essentially I will be adding a reservoir with the water pump, the air pump pushes water, so it recirculates in its container. Or i guess I’d need 3 water pumps, one for each container. So, I’d like to avoid a separate reservoir, I think. Idk, maybe it’s the best? I really don’t know, bc the part I can’t understand is the air pump pushing water……how does that happen!!! I know I am overthinking but I just don’t get it.
Here’s some pics. The pumps, the containers, the halo and tubing and manifold. I did get water to gurgle up, but I just don’t get it. And it’s not working right. It’s loud and gurgle.
Howdy Luna
When I do hydro ,I have air pump for aeration and water pump for top feeding with halo ring.
I bet it’s not staying vertical. You may have to attach it to something more rigid, or use suction cups or hooks. Off angle it barely works. This one is telescoped up 9” in this image. Still pumping away even with a bit of back pressure. Very small crappy old air pump that barely still pumps….
Maybe try it without the ring. Make a 90degree elbow like the aquarium ones. My fish ones all taper slightly at the top.
The airlift definitely works. But never gonna equal a submersible pump. You just want a little flow right @Lunabudz929?
So that’s what I did. I ordered a hub bc there’s just too many tubes but I’m in a a 17 gal tote with 6 nets. I put the hydroton in, put my Rockwool cube in, pulled through a water line in the side and have it trickling into the very tip of the cubes and a water pump pushing, it’s a small one but seems to bee doing what is supposed to. I noticed that if the water level is ever a bit low ir doesn’t work with all 6. They drop and then they don’t. When I topped ir they began working again.
Anyway. Then I have the air pump l, this is 2.9psi, and it’s pushing 3 5 or 6” air stones. About 14 gal nutrient solution. I’m using advanced nutrients connoisseur ph perfect part an and b and cal mag. It took a lot of ph diwn to get it at 5.8. But I did, ppm at 825, I know that’s a motor high, but this morning it was 760. my ppm is higher than normal I’m getting a RO. I have them at at 20% abs 30” under hlg 600 Rspec. My intent is to transfer to a 17 gal tote with 2 holes. I guess I will either get 2 more punps, one for each tote or figure out the recirculating am drop the drip all together alt that point.
So it’s going. I checked before I left this morning and they were happy looking. All praying and perky. Lol. Pics later.
Whatcha think??
This is where I’m at, it is a thing though.
I looked up some online and they sale them like this but i also don’t understand how it works without some kinda special valves or something
