Hydrofarm bucket assembley goof up

[Gone2pot!]

Well, I thought the DIY hydrofarm bucket assembley would be almost as easy as the ready to go kit. Price was possibly a little cheaper at time of purchase. If I lose my plant I'll think much different! The assembly instructions for the tube and water ring are non existant. I found a tutorial on another site but I goofed. I put the cut away end of the brown tube on the bottom, in the bucket. I thought it made since for the air?? Now I have to dissasemble it or saw away part of the top of the tube because the water ring sits to high and it's leaking water all over! Cut away wand of brown tube goes on top if you do this.

 

[Growdude]

Well, I thought the DIY hydrofarm bucket assembley would be almost as easy as the ready to go kit. Price was possibly a little cheaper at time of purchase. If I lose my plant I'll think much different! The assembly instructions for the tube and water ring are non existant. I found a tutorial on another site but I goofed. I put the cut away end of the brown tube on the bottom, in the bucket. I thought it made since for the air?? Now I have to dissasemble it or saw away part of the top of the tube because the water ring sits to high and it's leaking water all over! Cut away wand of brown tube goes on top if you do this.

You have it correct
Its cutt away so the siphon tube doesnt get cut off from the nutes.

You need more hydroton fill it right to or over the ring.

 

[Gone2pot!]

Thanks GrowDude. I used rockwool croutons instead of hydroton, just because I had them. Should I switch to hydroton before I (hopefully) get more root growth? I put aluminum foil to make a higher ledge to keep water from spilling over. So far it's ok. I've been looking in every hour or so to be sure becase I have some electrical cords on the floor and I sure don't want a problem with them getting wet! Anyway, what do you think... Should I get hydroton tomorrow and switch out the croutons? Thanks.

 

[DonJones]

The explanation in the DIY seemed self explanatory when I wrote it.

Did you follow the red print or just rush ahead? Steps 5 and 6 clearly show which end goes where. Here it is again. However you can download the instructions for assembling a complete factory WaterFarm unit at hxxp://www.generalhydroponics.com/genhydro_US/instructions/WaterFarm_instructions.pdf and use those instructions. I strongly urge you to download and study those instructions before deciding to attempt to build this system.


Do NOT screw with the venturi fitting that goes down to the bottom or you will be screwed.

Please look at the second picture in post #2 of the DIY and pay attention. It clearly shows the white tubing of the venturi pump column plugging directly into the drip ring Tee without any brown venturi fitting in between.

Put the square plain end of the white tube on the venturi/pump column directly into the drip ring tee and the brown venturi fitting down through the support tube with both the white tube and the clear air hose tubing pointing up.

I apolgize for any ambiguity. It has been corrected. I have also added a third picture to post #2 in the DIY thread that better shows the assembly of the drip ring to the venturi/pump column. I also am attaching a closeup of the tee fitting and the the drip ring plugged into the opposing ends and the white column tube plugged into the middle opening. The picture is in the next post because I couldn't get it to attach to this one.

By the way, how did you get the brown fitting to go into the TEE? Mine won't even come close to fitting together that way. If you cracked the TEE, it is just a generic 1/2" drip line TEE that should be available any where they sell drip tubing in 1/2" size, at least that is what General Hydro tells me..

If you need any more assistance, please let me know.

Great smoking.

 

[DonJones]

Let's try to post the picture again.

 

[cmd420]

Thanks GrowDude. I used rockwool croutons instead of hydroton, just because I had them. Should I switch to hydroton before I (hopefully) get more root growth? I put aluminum foil to make a higher ledge to keep water from spilling over. So far it's ok. I've been looking in every hour or so to be sure becase I have some electrical cords on the floor and I sure don't want a problem with them getting wet! Anyway, what do you think... Should I get hydroton tomorrow and switch out the croutons? Thanks.

switch out to hydroton....as soon as possible...

 

[Growdude]

By the way, how did you get the brown fitting to go into the TEE? Mine won't even come close to fitting together that way.Great smoking.

I think he just reversed the support tube.

 

[Growdude]

Thanks GrowDude. I used rockwool croutons instead of hydroton, just because I had them. Should I switch to hydroton before I (hopefully) get more root growth? I put aluminum foil to make a higher ledge to keep water from spilling over. So far it's ok. I've been looking in every hour or so to be sure becase I have some electrical cords on the floor and I sure don't want a problem with them getting wet! Anyway, what do you think... Should I get hydroton tomorrow and switch out the croutons? Thanks.

You could just fill it with more rockwool or shorten the tube, I have the real waterfarm and once asssembled the drip ring is about a inch above the top of the bucket, ive heard of others shortining the tube assy. or just mounding up the medium to prevent it from spitting all over.

 

[Gone2pot!]

I didn't get instructions on this site Don. I got them from greenpassion. More later, i'm at work. Thanks to all.

 

[Gone2pot!]

Hi, cmb420... Thanks- I'll get the hydroton in this afternoon.
Growdude- your right, I did reverse the support- I put the thicker brown tube in upside down (ps... "She" reversed support, LOL)
Don, unless you wrote for greenpassion too I didn't see your directions, however, the directions weren't wrong...it was me. I goofed. The instuctions I saw were good with several helpful photos, but I couldn't tell as much as I'd like zooming in because I had to do all this from my phone. The computer is down. I never could find anything in general hydroponics website on the kit, just the ready to go waterfarm. I wish I would have bought that one. The top is wider and the watering ring probably doesn't drip on th wide rim as mine does with the black bucket set up.
Thanks to all, respectfully...me.

 

[Gone2pot!]

Ps, the non existant instructions comment was refering to inside the GH farm kit item #4116 package. No instructions at all.

 

[Gone2pot!]

You have it correct
Its cutt away so the siphon tube doesnt get cut off from the nutes.

You need more hydroton fill it right to or over the ring.

thanks Growdude, you were right...I was right! When I went to buy the hydroton today the clerk asked a few questions about what I was trying to do. He too said the cutaway end goes down in the bucket (which is what I thought I goofed). The set up he showed me had a much narrower rim which would have worked without spillage. The one I was sold has about 2-2 1/2" rim inside the perimiter of the bucket... Basically under the drip ring. Anyway, thanks. It's working fine now that I've buried most of th drip ring.

 

[cmd420]

burying the drip ring is good to prevent excess water "spitting" all over the place...but....

be careful cuz the little drip holes in the drip ring can get clogged and when they are buried in hydroton, it is hard to tell if the water is coming out like it should...

you're good if you bury them, but again, make sure that they are spitting and the little holes aren't clogged

 

[Gone2pot!]

You have it correct
Its cutt away so the siphon tube doesnt get cut off from the nutes.

You need more hydroton fill it right to or over the ring.

thanks Growdude, you were right...I was right! When I went to buy the hydroton today the clerk asked a few questions about what I was trying to do. He too said the cutaway end goes down in the bucket (which is what I thought I goofed). The set up he showed me had a much narrower rim which would have worked without spillage. The one I was sold has about 2-2 1/2" rim inside the perimiter of the bucket... Basically under the drip ring. Anyway, thanks. It's working fine now that I've buried most of th drip ring.

 

[DonJones]

Everyone,

Here is the link for the General Hydroponics' 8 page assembly Guide that is supposed to come with the complete system but is NOT included in just the kit.

hxxp://www.generalhydroponics.com/genhydro_US/instructions/WaterFarm_instructions.pdf

I just checked it and it downloaded and opened the instructions for me. Just either change the xx to tt or just as easily, copy and paste into the address bar starting with the www.

As to the smaller drip ring, I have heard that GH was making the ring smaller so it could be used with something other than their square bucket with the square pot assembly. I checked mine and I can shrink it down at least 2.5 " and have been able to make it smaller than that without the drip tube collapsing. I've been told that every thing except the little brown cut away venturi/pump fitting can be replaced with generic drip tube parts available mot anywhere, but I haven't checked into that yet.

I believe the "pumping column assembly part # 4119" is available separately through a Gen Hydro dealer for approximately $7.00 if anyone wants to put one together or try using it with drip emitters instead of the ring. I have never seen the emitters used, but in theory it should work.

I'm considering doing that with a multiple small plant bed assembly like a bubbler clone machine. IF I try it, I'll post the results on my DIY Waterfarm thread.

 

[Gone2pot!]

Good info, thanks.