Primzz Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Hi All, havent been on in a while hope all are well and happy. Basicly cut a long story short i moved homes and my friend who is a pure hydro man decided to have a little upgrade and passed along his IWS Ebb flood and drain system . obviously i am chuffed but i am a soil man myself and always have been butdef want to givrethis setup ago as his results far pass mine everytime but i must admit i do smash him on the taste side tho Ok so here it is, how do i use such a system??? I have some Big buddha cheese cutting in rockwood just taken the other day so in about 7-10 days they should be good to go. i will use Clay pebbles and also replant into 4" or 6" rockwool cubes later on. I have a 48 pot system, using 600w HPS.See Link for IWS System - http://www.basementlighting.com/Merc...ge=1/PROD/IWSSThe main aim of this grow is to allow cuttings 14 days of veg then flip to 12/12 and of course see some nice bud So Any advice on how to use this setup would be great.Happy tokingPeace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamsbread Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Assembly InstructionsIWS Flood & Drain System.Firstly howdoes itall work?The IWS Flood & Drain System is a highly developed hybrid ebb and flow system which works by flooding from the bottom of each individual pot. The system uses gravity to send water to the pots and only uses pumps to fill and drain the main 25 litre control bucket. This has two magnetic float valves mounted insideto control the power to the pumps. These floats precisely control the flood level in the growing medium to stop any over watering or flooding. As the water is forced through the growing medium it forces out all the stale air in the medium surrounding the root ball and as it drains away replacing it with fresh oxygen.The pots are made up of three parts:1. A stand with a preset height and a 10 degree slope which allows all the water to drain back to the main control tank which will then pump it to either waste or back to your reservoir to be recalculated.2. A base pot which incorporates a patented water tight sealing gland through which the nutrient is delivered to the plant.3. A separate drain pot with 10mm machined holes in the bottom of the pot to allow even and controlled flooding of the growing medium also the pots can be removed with the plant intact without damaging the roots.The IWS timer is made up of two parts the grasslin segmental timer and the minute timer. The grasslin timer tells the brain when to start a feed and the minute timer then reduces it to however long you have set the time for. This will send power to the pump in the main tank which will turn on (indicated by the greenlight) filling the brain pot. As this fills, the pressure of the water forces itself down the pipe work and into the pots filling the medium from below. As equal pressure is gained the water in the brain pot will rise and lift the float valve turning the pump off, the brain will refill the pot as the medium soaks up the water until thetime set is reached. The pump in the brain pot will kick in and drain the system back to the main green tank. It will remain set in drain mode until the next feed. Assembly InstructionsIWS Flood & Drain SystemNutrient tank Tee connector Elbow connector Sealing gland Pot standBlack hosepipeBrain potFlood & drain timerInner & outer potCongratulations on your purchase! Here’s some more good news - setting upyour IWS Flood & Drain System is easy! You should be ready to go in well underan hour.Before you get started, please check that you have all the necessary parts:• 1 x nutrient tank with lid (please note there are different sizes of tank depending on the number of pots you have)• Maxi jet pump (connected inside the nutrient tank)• Brain pot (with fixed pump inside) and lid• IWS flood & drain timer• Inner pots (holes in the base)• Outer pots (solid base)• Pot stands• 6 elbow fitting hose connectors (one for each end system pot)• Tee fitting hose connectors (one for each middle line pot)• 6 hose connectors (for brain pot)• Sealing glands for each pot• Black hosepipe - enough hosepipe is supplied to give you 1 metre for each pot• There’s also a plastic tap attachment to modify your nutrient tank - however this is not required to set up the system.The quantity of certain items in each kit varies depending on the pot system you have purchased - see table below for the exactnumber of components in each pot system. If you think something is missing please contact your retailer.IF YOU THINK SOMETHING IS MISSING PLEASE CONTACT YOUR RETAILER.6 POT SYSTEM• 100 litre tank with pumps• Brain pot with timer• 6 stands and pots• 6 elbows• 10 metres of hosepipe12 POT SYSTEM• 220 litre tank with pumps• Brain pot with timer• 12 stands and pots• 6 elbows & 6 tees• 15 metres of hosepipe24 POT SYSTEM• 220 litre tank with pumps• Brain pot with timer• 24 stands and pots• 6 elbows & 18 tees• 30 metres of hosepipe36 POT SYSTEM• 350 litre tank with pumps• Brain pot with timer• 36 stands and pots• 6 elbows & 30 tees• 45 metres of hosepipe48 POT SYSTEM• 350 litre tank with pumps• Brain pot with timer• 48 stands and pots• 6 elbows & 42 tees• 60 metres of hosepipeBefore we get started, you may also find the following items useful:• A sharp knife or a pair of scissors.• A cup of hot water.• An adjustable spanner is also handy for ensuring all nuts are really tight.Ok, let’s get on with it....Assembly InstructionsIWS Flood & Drain System1) Choose where to grow! Find a suitable area in which to install the IWS Flood & Drain System. You are going to need access to one additional nearby electric point.2) Position the nutrient tank. Once you have selected a space, place the nutrient tank at one end. Remember that it will need to be easily accessible.3) Connect the nutrient tank to the brain pot. Locate the two pipes labelled ‘fill’ and ‘drain’ coming out of the nutrient tank and connect them to the corresponding nozzles on the brain pot. You will need to soften the ends of the pipes in a cup of hot water so they slide on easily. Rotate the elbow connectedto the ‘fill’ hose inside the brain pot so that it is pointing sideways as not to flow water over the pump which may cause air blockages. If you get an air blockage, turn the pump sideways while under water - this will release air from the pump.4) Connect the nutrient tank pump’s power lead to the brain pot. Plug the three pin connector into the side of the control box on the brain pot. Ensure the nutrient tank pump remains positioned at the bottom of the tank.5) Connect the IWS flood & drain timer to the brain pot. Plug the seven pin connector into the front of the control box on the brain pot.6) Create a watertight fitting on each outer pot. Take a sealing gland and unscrew the smaller end nut, then remove one of the two rubber sealing washers. Now, carefully screw the sealing gland through the hole in the outer pot so that the narrower end is on the inside. Replace the washer on the narrow end of the sealing gland. There should now be a rubber sealing washer on the ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ sides of the pot. Finally, screw the end nut back on. Tighten on both sides to create a watertight fitting.7) Position the pots. Imagine the final desired size of the plants and space the pot stands appropriately. Next, sit the outer pots on the pot stands. Fit the elbow and tee connector to each outer pot. Loosen the sealing gland outer nut on each of the outer pots. Insert the tube of the elbow or tee through the sealing gland, into the pot, as far as it will go, and then trim back the pipe with a knife up to the flange of the sealing glands. Remember to use all six lanes from the brain pot where possible to allow quicker floods and drains. E.G a 12 pot system would be 2 pots on each lane using a tee to connect through to the elbow which would act as your stop end. Rotate the elbow and tee connector so that it lies horizontally, facing towards the brain pot. Re-tighten the outer nut.9) Fit the hose connectors to the brain pot. (Similar to the last step) Loosen each of the six outer nuts on the brain pot. Insert the tube end of each hosepipe connector as far it will go and re-tighten the outer nut. No need to trim back these pipes.10) Connect the brain pot to each of the outer pot. You will need to cut the black hosepipe to various lengths depending on the distance between each pot and the brain pot. Leave some slack so that you have a little room for manoeuvre later! Connect each brain pot nozzle to the fitting on the outer pot nearest the brain and work outward to the remaining pots. Remember to first soften the ends of eachlength of hose in hot water.11) Fill the inner pots with growing medium and place inside each outer pot.12) Fill the nutrient tank with water (and nutrients as required). Be careful not to overfill the nutrient tank. Remember the water level must sit below the anti siphon valve.13) Set up the IWS flood & drain timer.a. Set the current time. Rotate the timer’s 24hr dial so that the small arrow points to the current time. For instance, if it is 4pm, rotate the dial to ‘16’.b. Set the flood duration. For this example we’ll set the flood duration to five minutes.i. Flick the second / minutes switch to ‘minutes’.ii. Turn the “feed time†dial to 5.c. Set the times when your plants are watered. Push a segment out on the 24hr timer dial corresponding to each flood.d. Ensure the small switch on the 24hr timer is positioned centrally. This sets the timer to react only to the position of the segments rather than being set to permanently ‘on’ (1) or ‘off’ (0).14) Ok, we’re nearly ready to go! Plug the brain pot into the mains electricity. The red power light should be illuminated on the IWS flood & drain timer.15)Wait for the first feed. When the timer reaches the first watering period the green feed light on the IWS flood & drain timer will switch on and water will start pumping from the nutrient tank into the brain pot. The brain pot fills with water and gravity pushes the water through the hosepipes into each of the six pots. Once the watering is complete both the green feed light and the nutrient tank pump will switch off. The green drain light on the IWS flood & drain timer will switch on as the drain pump in the brain potstarts.Assembly InstructionsIWS Flood & Drain SystemWeb: www.iwssystems.co.uk Email: info@iwssystems.co.ukGreat stuff! Now you’re ready to get growing!Download the pdf and watch the set up video here - http://www.iwssystems.co.uk/setup.anice to see tou around again PrimzI will be interested to see how this system works and the results it produces.Will you go organic hydro?it may improve taste.I am adding a Link from ICMAG about "Dead reservoirs" (Dead Res) a method of eliminatating microbial and fungal nasties in your system. http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=205186Good hygene is essential, make sure you thoroughly clean all pots and reservoir with bleach solution (wearing rubber glover and eye protection, being careful not to get any on your clothing), replace all tubing if you can afford too.Or if you can't afford to replace tubing run some bleach solution through them and rinse thoroughly.Be sure to check their grow advice section< if the system is not set up correctly you can get root blockage in the tubing.Use the copper disc supplied to prevent root blockage, they have now created new filter discs which it might be a idea to inquire about and purchase.Peace and all the best Lams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 now if you can't make it work with that ^^Thanks lamsbread Good luck primz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
med4u Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 my advice is to keep res temps under 70F,and i use grow rock instead of hydroton,less messy ebb n flo systems rockgood luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvis420 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 watch for roots cloggin the hoses during grow!! copper mesh doesnt always stop them!!also i would recommend more than 1x600w light...!good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panacea76 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 As elvis says you'll need at the very least 6 lights, preferably 8.Personally i would run them in batches. For example your IWS system has 3 rows of 16 pods. I would have each row on different flowering periods (if you can have a separate veg room). That way you'll have a constant supply of bud. You would wait 3 weeks for the next row to finish and then move another 16 veg plants to your flowering IWS pod... Does that make sense? I haven't used the IWS system but i know they're good as i've seen them before being used. If you can get the additional rootball aerator it would definitely benefit your plants.Good luck with your grow and upload pics if you can...Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
med4u Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 hey fellas,just a fyi,i actually have done the side by side with aerator stones in half the buckets and half without,unfortunately there was no disernable differance in the health, growth patterns or yield,i was really wanting to see something too,it seems the fresh oxygen being drawn in is more than enough if anyone has had dif results please post, it certainly seems logical Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stretchnomore Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 great system but young roots can struggle and suffocate even with good set times and periods of no feeding- bubblers really help in this area- also liquid oxygen is a must use it daily in the res 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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