High to everyone:
I’ve spent years growing outside now that my state has finally legalized cannabis for recreational use I purchased a DWC 8 bucket 5 gallon system wanting to turn it into a rdwc system, 4x4x8 grow tent, 4-60 watt equivalent to 350 watt led grow lights 4’ long full light spectrum, ph/ec meters, flora bloom nutrient system, hygrometer/thermometer now I have to purchase a water chiller to complete my system. This is my first time with hydroponics I have read everything I could get my hands on about the subject if anybody has expert insight it would be very appreciated if you could share it with me I have California Dream auto flower seed I plan to grow for my first time. Thank you.
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I don’t use hydroponics, but may be able to answer specific questions if you have them. Are you wondering which chiller to buy or how to incorporate into system?
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Hello:
I bought a DWC 8 bucket 5 gallon system, I was told that it would serve me well, upon further reading on the cannabis growing, I then came to the hard truth that I should have bought a recirculating DWC system, although I am more than qualified to convert the DWC system I had purchased to a rdwc, I have everything needed to set up grow, minus a well needed water chiller, diagram to build rdwc system, hoses, fittings etc, my buckets are 5 gallon I purchased from the Vevor store months before I found your website, my mistake! See when my state
finally legalized recreational
Cannabis, I guess I went on a
Crazy buying spree, get it before it’s gone or price goes sky high, now will have to build one, no problem! Just need some information what’s going to be required to run 40gallons of grow juice, 5gallon x 8 buckets+ reservoir+chiller and feeding hoses, I am confident that I will be able to complete my endeavor at hand, I am well aware hydroponics is a advanced growing technique,
Although I’ve never attempted
This before, nothing ventured
Nothing gained right!
Just like your awesome FORUM I’m trying to figure it all out to communicate with others, I’m not internet savvy.
So please have patience with
This poor OL country boy.!
David Woody
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I can help with stuff, but not as well as some others. @peachfuzz @Graysin @Grandaddy013 can you help a brotha out?
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Thanks for the tag.
@Bigfoot1 youre on the right track - I did exactly what you did. Ran DWC buckets for about 1.5 grows before I got sick of using frozen water bottles every day to mitigate temps.
I used Uniseals (designed to make a liquid tight seal on the rounded buckets) and pvc pipe to rig up a DIY RDWC. I elected to use 2” pvc for the system and I set my pipe a little low - so the water level with a full res was 3” below the net pot. If I redid it, I’d go up to 2.5” below; it allows more water to be in the system and better fluctuation to have the maximum level a little higher up.
The only things you need are:
A hole saw (and drill) - get one big enough for the uniseals and also one small enough to run air tubing through the net pot lid (you want an easy way to get airstones into each bucket, drilling a hole through the top is ideal)
Uniseals for your desired pipe diameter
Pvc at the desired diameter
Pvc glue and any elbows to configure the system.
Cheap water pump (I used a $20 Vivosun pump)
A large tote (I used a 27 gallon one from Home Depot, it was ~$15)
Space your buckets to fit your space - get yourself an idea of how far apart/how close you want em. Once you drill, no take backs. I tried to give each plant a 2x2 square, but ended up a little off. I could only get 3 buckets comfortably into my 4x4. (Measure twice, cut once - don’t be like me 
)
I’ll see if I’ve got a diagram handy, but my process is in my journal (probably around late august/early September of 21)
By that spot in my journal it’s already set up, but I bet it wasn’t too long before there that I was building it.
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Hello: GRAYSIN
now this my very first ever hydro grow,I have a inclosed
Room in garage in my house 10’x12’that my
4’x4’x8’ grow tent will be set up in plenty of room, I bought a 5 gal-8 bucket DWC system from the VEVOR store, air pump,clay pebbles,4-350 watt x4’ LED full spectrum lights,ph/ec/hygrometer/temp meters,rock wool cubes,flora bloom grow juice,
I plan on adding a water chiller
as soon as I can afford it, do you think in your opinion that all 8 buckets could be stuffed in the tent? chiller, rdwc water reservoir pump outside of grow tent, I’ve learned the chiller generates alot of heat! now u
Have it going on my friend.
Miss blue berry, absolutely
beautiful!!! Man I can smell it!!
Purple urkle and the little one
And Alpujarrena WOW !
BEEFSTEAK now we are on the same page my friend!!!
For my first ever hydro grow
The OL LADY and I flipped a coin: California Dream it is,
24%thc- we will make it work,
God only knows we both are in dire need of pain meds that actually work,life hasn’t been easy!!! On your 2"recirculating lines? why so high up on the buckets? one would tend to think closer to the bottom would be the best for recirculating the grow juice,
I’m just curious,not questioning your judgment, your the pro,
Me I’m learning,small well planned steps,as for my growing ability outdoors it’s honestly about 60/40% here we have deer problems they don’t
care about your hard labors,
Carrying water to your plants all summer long, but the tradeoff in the fall, I put them
In the freezer! U might enjoy this last year I made my first hydro in my pond, old tire with inner tube, plexiglass screwed to tire ,holes drilled,panty hose,for water wicking, petmoss dirt combo,and their ya have it HILLBILLY HYDROPONICS
NORTHERN LIGHTS SKUNK
It got us through the winter tell July!
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I mean, yes probably but it’s likely not worth it. I only run as many plants as I need/want different strains.
They’re up high so the water level always stays where it needs to be - at a “full” tank of water, the system kept the water level at 3 inches below the bottom of the net pot. If you put the water line lower, you lose the natural benefit of having gravity do the regulating of water level for you. Not that it matters much, it was just one less step for me to worry about as I was figuring things out.
Gotta love ingenuity. Not enough credit given to stoners who just wanna grow!
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I didn’t do too well with 5gal buckets. I use 27gal totes from home depot. Main reason was less water changes and could grow bigger plants. I can run 6 plants in one tote, which would fill a 4x4 tent. I don’t know about your lights, that’s @dbrn32 department.
I didn’t like the buckets also because they were round. I feel the totes being flat on the sides, the uniseals work better.
@peachfuzz @Myfriendis410 are both awesome at hydro
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I have a DIY RDWC. Your in good hands with @Graysin. I will tag you in my grow so you can see what i have done. It doesnt compare in a few ways in that my grow room is 14x30
Couple one -off things to contemplate.
Sterile or Living res. A lot dont have challenges with stuff growing in the res with a chiller. Nutes play a big part in that. I use Advanced Nutrients Grandmaster feed schedule which is challenging to control stuff growing like root rot, cyanobacteria. Root rot everyone knows, cyanobacteria grows in shiny brown sheets in your pipes and will suffocate roots if it takes hold. Consider not “just” adding myco and bacteria the plants like, also think “bio warfare”. I add barley straw extract at 4ml per gallon, this stops the algae, and also Dr. Tims Waste Away bacteria for frsh water aquariums, this eats cyanobacteria and will keep roots, airstones, and system clean naturally. Id also recommended a filter to trap anything you dont want. Bad bacteria will form colonies “floaties” and once it gets big enough my canister filter traps it and i clean once a week.
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Thank you very very appreciated:I have a
busy day already unfortunately planned for me: cold weather has kicked my butt this morning! FROZEN PIPE ISSUE! 
I will get back to ya!
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Hey my friend:
Ya GRAYSIN is very appreciated, informative! seems to know alot, looking
Forward in the future
In learning more from u guys!
AWESOME!
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Good luck buddy, that sucks this AM.
Hope it’s an easy fix 
Ahhhh, and Welcome to the Coolest Clubhouse on this rock
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Thanks my friend:
SHIT HAPPENS!
it’s part of living, GOD is always putting us all to the test! but one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind!
I would like to express my GRATITUDE to all of u guys in this iLGM forum, YOU ALL ARE
SO AWESOME!!! my hat’s off to all of you!
GOD BLESS ALL!
and be safe:
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I have a water chiller for each of my systems (3) in the flower room. I keep my veg room below 68°f ,so I don’t have issues there. I use Jack’s 3-2-1 formula. Works GREAT and a LOT less expensive. I’ve grown in 5gal buckets, 55gal trash cans, and 27 gallon totes. I like the totes best running 2 separate rooms. Guys here are ready to help. If it wasn’t for this forum, I couldn’t have made it.
As far as your plumbing issues go, I feel your pain, as I’m a retired plumber.
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This was a pretty easy setup I built for rdwc. Ran a chiller and piped it all in pex for the water lines.
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Good morning:
WELL DONE! Thanks,
MAN all u guys have
Different styles, I’m
Seeing configurations that just is mind blowing! Very well put together, I’ve always grown mine outside
Mother earth she’s
Acting strange these
Days hot, cold, unpredictable,so I’m going inside growing,
Never before have I
Attempted hydro, it’s going to be a mad scientist project,8 bucket system, go big,but thanks to all, books, ETC, I’m getting a real good idea with all the different view points
Offered, AMAZING!!
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Ingenuity of MAN ! Wow very cool setup, thanks for sharing,
so many choices, I’m seeing
The big picture,I can’t wait,to show ya,what I’ve have planned,but still in the planning stages,my mind going wild,with ideas, think twice move once!
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Want to drop a final thought for you with running 8 - 4 gal stations in a tent. Its really really hard to grow small plants in hydro. In the pics you viewed on my grow journal, those big plants are about 5 foot tall and 4 feet wide.
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GOOD MORNING:
now at this point I am at the first stage of planning, already have a large part of my project bought piece by piece, California Dream auto seed, months in preparation still need a few more things, finally my state legalized, waiting on
grow license,in good
Shape to do so, I have a 10’x12’ hidden room in garage under construction for a 4’x4’x8’ g tent, trying to build rdwc out of dwc 8 bucket 5 gall system,and yes you are absolutely right, I unfortunately will have to rethink my space to work with,do ya think 6 buckets, would be more realistic,tell me what you think,now chiller , water res will be outside of tent,heater/air conditioner for humidity will be in wall of room, careful preparation, thinking twice then move once!
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I’m thinking one 27gal tote with 6 plants will fill your tent to the max.
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