How much water flow?

Hello All,

I have been lurking a while and decided to build a modified undercurrent setup but have a question. It seems like the setups most people are using have different sized plumbing for the flow. Why? Meaning, why wouldn;t you have the same lines throughout the entire system? There is no point to step down a 2" line to 1" or 1/2" unless you want a slight pressure increase.

Is there a maximum flow rate that will have a diminishing return to the absorbtion of the nutes?

Thanks

from what ive seen, and experienced, the only reason for the difference in size when it comes to plumbing is the hardware we have at our disposal. as it doesnt require a HUGE amount of pressure to create the current needed in our case, we dont need to be using HUGE pumps. The pumps most are using for these systems are in line magnetic drive pumps, manufactured for and marketed to consumers as pumps for ponds/waterfalls/water features, or for irrigation/watering/sprinklers. That said, those niches of the market have fairly standard sizes across the board when it comes to fitting/atachment, which is where the different sized plumbing you see comes in to the picture. The mag drive pump i use has 1" in/out threaded outlets. My entire system, from the resevoir, all the way to the end of the growth chambers, is 2" pvc, all the way to the on/off ball joint switch right before the pump. i used a 2" to 1" after the valve to fit the pumps standard, and then continued using 1" after the pump fo the return to the reservoir. i have found that this generates sufficient current, and with smaller systems, a chiller is barely needed.

H

So you do not see any use in running a larger pump to keep the flow consistent? I think runnng a 2" pump all the way through seems like a better setup to me. And the pump being larger means you can support more sites per pump.

no?

It comes down to this. You don't need a big line coming off the pump... because it is actively being pumped. The flow through the buckets is passive flow caused by the difference in height in the bucket.

I am running 3" pvc lines between buckets...EVERYONE that has experience said go 3" and I have a 1250GPH pump on a 1" line and the water hauls ass through the buckets.

If you go with smaller diameter pipe and save $12 you may pay in the end when they become clogged.

Cheers.