Heisenbubbles Do it yourself RDWC build

Burned Haze

Really Active Member
So how can you tell if it is still making UV?
The uv bulb ballast is still showing it’s on status , you can feel heat when it flows when it first on that’s fed being pushed through heat , than the uv is hot all the time till you are pushing water through it
 

SCJedi

Synergist
Thanks For the reply Jedi.
I make RO into a 45g storage tank. I have the uv on the outlet of the storage tank so it only sees flow when I'm topping up or doing a res change witch is every day. Not really worried about the power usage, more life of the bulb. Which I read is 1 year.
Maybe I should run a return back to the 45 so some natural convection can circulate the water and keep it cooler. I'll put a lazer thermometer on it this morning to see how hot it gets.
Other stuff I have read is the newer digital igniters are not near as hard on the bulb during start and stop. I'm guessing most of the uv on domestic water sit most of the day with no flow so it should be designed for it?
The advanced water purification work I used to do was at this place in SillyCon Valley was to take secondary wastewater from the sewage treatment plant next door, run it through microfiltration, RO, decarb, UV, chlorinate, then store. I promise the water was cleaner than anything that came out of a tap even though it starts as flocculated and settled sewage.


We used a train of UV sterilizers so some were in use while others were offline, then we would switch although this plant is built to auto-run 24/7 and should not really have any downtime other than for PMs.
 

SCJedi

Synergist
So how can you tell if it is still making UV?
If you unscrew the end you should see light. Two things, be extra careful as both the quartz sleeve and bulb are fragile, and two be smart and don't look at the light or leave it out longer than to see if it is working. Typically, if a UV bulb is on it is sterilizing to some degree.
 

Turpman

PICK YOUR OWN
My uv has see through fittings on the ends so I can tell it's making light. I have read they make light long after the uv part of the spectrum deminishes. Thus my fist question how can you tell it's making uv.
I measured my temp and its 104F not too terrible. I think I will run it full time till I do some more reading. Thanks for the input.
 

Armdog

RDWC GROWER
Thanks For the reply Jedi.
I make RO into a 45g storage tank. I have the uv on the outlet of the storage tank so it only sees flow when I'm topping up or doing a res change witch is every day. Not really worried about the power usage, more life of the bulb. Which I read is 1 year.
Maybe I should run a return back to the 45 so some natural convection can circulate the water and keep it cooler. I'll put a lazer thermometer on it this morning to see how hot it gets.
Other stuff I have read is the newer digital igniters are not near as hard on the bulb during start and stop. I'm guessing most of the uv on domestic water sit most of the day with no flow so it should be designed for it?
This is exactly the same setup as I have seems to work great
 

Rattman

New Member
Question for H!

Almost done building my 4 bucket rdwc system......
Should I get the chiller or do you think the UV light would be a better purchase for a beginner in hydro medium growing.
As a soil grower I have no experience dealing with brown roots or root rot..

Thanks!
 

Armdog

RDWC GROWER
Question for H!

Almost done building my 4 bucket rdwc system......
Should I get the chiller or do you think the UV light would be a better purchase for a beginner in hydro medium growing.
As a soil grower I have no experience dealing with brown roots or root rot..

Thanks!
I'm using both
 

Bc_ca

Super Active Member
Which takes priority tho? I may need to buy in stages to manage my budget. Thanks!
Rattman. Environmental control is essential. Seeds are expensive and often in short supply. Growing from clone is a huge advantage if you have the coveted mother's.
Heisen proved straight up if you have pathogens in your water source even with the chiller you still lose the battle. Yet a UV sterilizer removes pathogens threat.
But heats up the water. I bought a 1/4 or 1/3 hp chiller that what the heisenbeans bucket setup called for its a environmental requirement. The uv light should be the smallestto allow you to run it 24/7 to fill up your Rez and backup water supplies for changeout and emergency. If water flowing all the time your UV treatment is maximized on new water not recirculating. Once your water is treated uv you removed the threat of pathogens from source water. I like you must budget my purchase I went for the chiller first then the uv.just so you know I have a open grow room not a tent.
 
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Rattman

New Member
Thanks for the guidance folks!

Yeah turpman I got that impression from H too so I hope we hear from him.

BC.... I was originally thinking of gtg the chiller first like you did... but now H has me second guessing myself...
 

Bc_ca

Super Active Member
Thanks for the guidance folks!

Yeah turpman I got that impression from H too so I hope we hear from him.

BC.... I was originally thinking of gtg the chiller first like you did... but now H has me second guessing myself...
Right now where I am located (desert valley) it's winter even I can grow without a chiller on my NFT table and maybe even buckets. But that is only due to seasonal weather temp. Summer grow ac needs help enviro critical. If you split on choice season temp seems it gives you best op buy for your Uv light first. But only as a water source protection not recirculating as it will remain on. May you always have excellent grows Rattman
 

Turpman

PICK YOUR OWN
Just a side note in the uv.
I read any iron or manganese will drastically shorten the life of the Quartz tube so recirculating hi ppm water is probly not the best.
So best to treat water with RO then UV. Start with a sterile system and add sterile water and things should be clean. My current run I had going before the UV so it probly isn't helping much. I'm hoping next run will be clean.
 

Bc_ca

Super Active Member
Ok... ordering my uv now.

Thanks all.....
Really nice group here!
Item # 1438488 Model # UVF11A
iSpring UVF11A Ultra Violet Sterilizer for RO Systems Mechanical Filtration Under Sink Water Filtration System

This is at lowes. It has flow switch turns on off flows .5 Gpm /30 gph/ 720gpd. 116.00
11w 8000hr rated uv lifE
 

Bc_ca

Super Active Member
Item # 1438488 Model # UVF11A
iSpring UVF11A Ultra Violet Sterilizer for RO Systems Mechanical Filtration Under Sink Water Filtration System

This is at lowes. It has flow switch turns on off flows .5 Gpm /30 gph/ 720gpd. 116.00
11w 8000hr rated uv lifE
I sorry for the bold but it's cut&upaste... I'm thinking 720 gallons per day ought to be plenty my NFT Rez is no greater than 70gallons i may run it at 60gallons and daily makeup should not be more than 30 gallons that is 1hr of run time to prep level in Rez back to 60 gallons then add ppm then ph
The HB buckets swap out is 55 gallon max , that's 2hrs same day . Steering Rez adds 1 hr. Hard to beat .5 gpm uv . Let me see if they offer a doubling perhaps
Wow 12 gpm with charcoal block. Hmm the r/0 media is the greatest flow restriction. I got the 2 sediment 20inch filters but the r/o stage is missing and the uv filter stage at the end. Time to start digging in the dirties.... need to find great r/o flow rate but not a high waste water ratio. Like 1/.5 good to waste ratio or better. I would think 1:1 sucks imho....
 
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Rattman

New Member
I sorry for the bold but it's cut&upaste... I'm thinking 720 gallons per day ought to be plenty my NFT Rez is no greater than 70gallons i may run it at 60gallons and daily makeup should not be more than 30 gallons that is 1hr of run time to prep level in Rez back to 60 gallons then add ppm then ph
The HB buckets swap out is 55 gallon max , that's 2hrs same day . Steering Rez adds 1 hr. Hard to beat .5 gpm uv . Let me see if they offer a doubling perhaps
Wow 12 gpm with charcoal block. Hmm the r/0 media is the greatest flow restriction. I got the 2 sediment 20inch filters but the r/o stage is missing and the uv filter stage at the end. Time to start digging in the dirties.... need to find great r/o flow rate but not a high waste water ratio. Like 1/.5 good to waste ratio or better. I would think 1:1 sucks imho....
Yeah I wasn’t really concerned with the flow rate of the UV because my experience with RO is that it is definitely a major flow restriction. I. Ended up getting this UV off amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NCQUE0X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 

Boybelue

Super Active Member
Those look like the Lowes Commander 5 gal. Craftsman has the same kind but red locking lid and a dollar more. I think I'm gonna go with the Commander for the next build.
I couldnt find no 5 gal commander buckets at my lowes, are they in the same spot as the totes? And the craftsman buckets? just about everything around me that carried craftsman has went out of business. I really dig the looks of those.
 
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