The Official Dwc Cooler Club - Any Kind of Cooler Res

[Flo Grow]

Be even better if they allowed the cord set to hang from top-center and swivel at least 180 degrees.
Then you can turn that bitch at random.
But I can see cats running a couple of these on a rail system and getting hella yields !

 

[iFreeSki420]

Hey everyone! Almost done with my new cooler setup, so stoked to try it out! I am very new when it comes to plumbing so I was wondering if anyone could help me with some parts I will need. I need to plumb from the top of one cooler to the bottom of another cooler. The overflow on the main res controls the water level and returns to the other res using gravity where it will top feed with a water pump back to the main res. I have drilled 1.5" holes in each cooler and was wondering what parts I need to connect the pvc and have them be secure? Thanks!

 

[iFreeSki420]

Hey! Here are some pics of the coolers, drilled and ready to go. Any advice on what I can use to plumb the two together. I just went to Ace hardware and they couldn't help me out. The two small holes on the tops are for airstones. The second hole on the top is for a top feed to the main resevoir. The 1.5" holes on the back need to be connected together somehow.

 

[BoomerBloomer57]

oh fuck,,,,

now you went and done it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Don't know why you are complicating matters but,,,,,,,,,

I give this an F.

Why?

Why drill holes in a perfectly good cooler?

F-

Now you need to go to the Marine store and find a Thru-Hull fitting to make that thing work.........

Hell, cheaper to buy a new cooler.

There is no need to recirculate you cooler water. Kind of defeats the whole purpose of,,,,,,,,,,

argggghhhhhhhhhhhh

Back to the drawing board.

Fail.
Fail.
Fail.

Complicating a simple concept will always be an invite for uncle murphy.

Know Him?

You do not want to meet him.

I just don't get the whole hole in the cooler thingy.............

bb57

with my eyes popping out,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[BluBerry]

Why link them together? Put a couple stones in each one and run them individually. Work smarter not harder!!

 

[BoomerBloomer57]

Hey! Here are some pics of the coolers, drilled and ready to go. Any advice on what I can use to plumb the two together. I just went to Ace hardware and they couldn't help me out. The two small holes on the tops are for airstones. The second hole on the top is for a top feed to the main resevoir. The 1.5" holes on the back need to be connected together somehow.

View attachment 1584114View attachment 1584115View attachment 1584116View attachment 1584117View attachment 1584118View attachment 1584119

Well you didn't pay attention so now you'll pay tuition.

You ruined the coolers. Throw em out and start new.

Like this,,,

Do you see any holes? Besides in the Lids?

Take the lid off and use 1 or 2 inch thick styrofoam insulation from lowes. You'll be able to access
the cooler, save the real lid and not drill any holes in a good cooler.

 

[iFreeSki420]

I am making a cooler setup based on heath robinson tree grow. Why would I throw them out? All I need to do is connect them via pvc. Heath says the gap between the roots and water is a bad thing. The external resevoir will insure the water level is always at the bottom of the net pot. I appreciate people like you innovating cooler ideas, but there are more ways to grow than one. I followed heath s diagram to the tee, but I don't have $1000 to spend on a water chiller so I spent $15 on 2 igloos

 

[BoomerBloomer57]

I'm pointing out the fubar you have committed.

You will now need Thru-Hull fittings to fix the coolers.
You now have a big headache to deal with.

As far as me being a dick?

You brought it out in me.


bb57

 

[faithfulmastiff]

more tuition....lol

 

[iFreeSki420]

Why link them together? Put a couple stones in each one and run them individually. Work smarter not harder!!

Having a gap between the water level and the net pot created an inneficient root structure. My setup insures a steady water level

 

[BluBerry]

Sounds like you have it all figured out then. You know what you are doing. With the help of Heath of course.
Yes there are many different ways to do set the cooler up. Actually I believe most of the people in here are also doing Scrog grows instead of growing trees.
They can be hooked up together using anything. But it would prob be best to use 1-2 inch pvc or tubing IMO.
By cutting those holes you are adding the headache of having another spot for water to leak from.
I think if the gap between the pots and the water was so bad then everybody on here wouldn't have a gap. It can be done either way tho.

 

[iFreeSki420]

Not bad, just less efficient. I have read through lots of threads and saw it work well both ways. I just want to try out heaths system. Telling me to throw it out is ridiculous. I dont have it figured out which is why I am asking for help. Didn't realize I would be bombarded. Will those hull fittings screw into pvc? I was thinking of using an insulated caulk of some sort for the tight seal, but I realize this is my biggest obstacle. All together this setup is under $50. I believe that is what each of bbs cooler runs

 

[BoomerBloomer57]

Where's FloG damnit toheckandback.

FlowG,

Did you or anyone else in this cooler club espouse drilling holes in the bottom of the cooler?

I've let slide those out there the sin of wasting a good cooler lid, but this?

The whole cooler dealio was to prevent high temps, light leaks and cleanliness. Ease of flushing and maintenance.

In an rdwc you would not have the need for a cooler as the main res is what you would be trying to control,,,,

ahhhhh,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, fuck me.

Just fuck me.

bb57

on the floor and gasping for breath.
The horror.

The bleeding fucking horror of it,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[BeaverHuntr]

Not bad, just less efficient. I have read through lots of threads and saw it work well both ways. I just want to try out heaths system. Telling me to throw it out is ridiculous. I dont have it figured out which is why I am asking for help. Didn't realize I would be bombarded. Will those hull fittings screw into pvc? I was thinking of using an insulated caulk of some sort for the tight seal, but I realize this is my biggest obstacle. All together this setup is under $50. I believe that is what each of bbs cooler runs

Yeah sealing that hole is going to be real tough. You might have to plastic weld ( hot air weld ) a fitting of some sort.

 

[BoomerBloomer57]

Not bad, just less efficient. I have read through lots of threads and saw it work well both ways. I just want to try out heaths system. Telling me to throw it out is ridiculous. I dont have it figured out which is why I am asking for help. Didn't realize I would be bombarded. Will those hull fittings screw into pvc? I was thinking of using an insulated caulk of some sort for the tight seal, but I realize this is my biggest obstacle. All together this setup is under $50. I believe that is what each of bbs cooler runs

So for $50.00 you have purchased a headache.

No, the Thru-Hull fittings would go into the hole you made. Then you have to add a toxic sealant to keep it watertight.
You have now introduced a nightmare toxic substance into a pristine environment.
I own a boat thats why I said a Thru-Hull fitting. You will spend more time and effort and MONEY to try and seal that
baby up.

But hey, what in the FUCK do I KNOW? You may ask,,,,,,,,,,

I'll never tell.

bb57
still spinning over this.

 

[BeaverHuntr]

So for $50.00 you have purchased a headache.

No, the Thru-Hull fittings would go into the hole you made. Then you have to add a toxic sealant to keep it watertight.
You have now introduce a nightmare toxic substance into a pristine environment.
I own a boat thats why I said a Thru-Hull fitting. You will spend more time and effort and MONEY to try and seal that
baby up.

But hey, what in the FUCK do I KNOW? You may ask,,,,,,,,,,

I'll never tell.

bb57
still spinning over this.

Boomer is right. Those sealants are not NSF61 which means they are toxic thats why I mentioned the plastic weld.

 

[faithfulmastiff]

here bloomer i just packed a fresh bowl, have a hit or 2....lol

go lil easy on poor fella, we all got to learn, after all he ask nicely for help


friski, i will say this, your biggest fuk up was drilling holes first & then tryin to figure out how to join it all, if thats what you want to do, have at it & the best of luck to you, hope it works, but you should of researched more first before drilling, you know the rule... measure twice cut once, same principle, my advice go to home depot & take look at their pvc & cpvc fittings & see what will work, bring cooler with you, i would say regular clear silicone will be ok, if its good enough for my 6' fish tank & still holding with healthy fish, be ok for res,if anyone asks anything, tell them you building a bait livewell

 

[BluBerry]

As far as the roots. If you have a gap from the start then you will prob develop ropey roots.
Where as if you have the bottom submerged a little then you will develop more feeder roots.
Once these roots are developed then you can lower the water level and give the roots some air. Roots need oxygen and food to survive.
I had the bottom of my pots submerged for the first couple weeks then lowered the water level and had good thick feeder roots.
My noob mistake was that I didn't make them work for the water and it was always there for them. Don't baby them too much!
I'm not sure why you decided to link them together vs putting a couple airstones in each one and calling it a day. (Alot easier)
But you can get those threaded coupler things that have a weatherstrip washer on each side and stick it thru the hole and screw the nut onto it.
That should waterproof it for the most part, but you might wanna add silicone to it as well.

 

[iFreeSki420]

Thanks for all the help from most of you guys. I was planning on using the threaded couplers with washers after reading heaths post. If I add a glue of some sort, will it really have that big of an effect on the environment? Is silicone my best bet? Is there anything I can do to counter that? I'm a little confused by "once the roots are developed I can lower the water level". Does that mean when they get out of the net pot and touch the water? Thanks! I just saw some of the root ball pictures and the stringy ones don't yield nearly as much as the flat bed of roots.

BB, not sure what you do for a living, but I'm sorry I don't have a boat and a big ass expensive grow room like you. I have been growing for just over a year now and am obviously still very new. I have not come across such a self righteous jerk in my entire time growing. Pretty impressive if you ask me.

 

[iFreeSki420]

Boomer is right. Those sealants are not NSF61 which means they are toxic thats why I mentioned the plastic weld.

What's the difference between sealing the cooler and sealing the big ass resevoirs you see in Heath and DoubleD grows? Why can they seal without toxic chemicals? Sorry, like I said before, plumbing is my weak point.