Help!! Dwc failure!

hey all! So... I’m using an Aeros 4rdwc system when yesterday one of the top feeding tubes managed to fall out, promptly emptying 35 litres of water over my loft ceiling... upon cleaning up, and lots of swearing, I topped up my reservoir and then had to go to the next town, came back an hour and half later and found that there is a massive leak somewhere, more likely one of the connectors... rechecked and tightened, cleaned up again and retoped up with another 50 litres of water. I waited with it, and made sure I could see no leaks and after an hour and half it all seemed stable, went to bed, woke up at 5am and went to check and low and behold, another 20 litres over the floor!! , so I’ve now emptied the system, recleaned up (for the Third time) and have arranged return of the rdwc system. My only issue now is the replacement won’t be due until tomorrow, meaning my 3 week old plants will have the roots air drying in the empty pots until then.... or do I go out and buy a Wilma (I seem to get on with those) and transfer the plants over, but how would the roots cope with the shock?

Or shall I just fuck the plants off, get another Wilma system later today and start over?

You could hand water until then and hope they can make it, you could stick em in 5 gal buckets just keep the roots wet with oxygenated water.

Dawg don't trip. Get yourself an air stone some airline and an air pump and make 5gallon bucket sites. Use the lids and buckets from Lowe's. They're dark blue at least. Then just cut holes in the lids by tracing the lid of a net pot face down on it, and cut a hole 1/4" inside that line. Drill a small starter hole for your blade and just use a handheld skilsaw. Very simple fix. Aerate the water with the pump and stone to drench the roots in. Use a light nute mix and be sure to keep the water level decent as they drink a lot this way. You'll be just fine. Pics would help.

Wilma will give you a more straight forward grow and less chance of flooding the house again. You no the Wilma system which is a great help.

Well.... so in the end I upgraded to an oxypot 2 xl, so similar to the Wilma system, but with bubbles instead , also on the positive, I managed to get a complete new system from where I purchased the Aeros from, plus a £70 refund for the lost nutrients... so I’m just gonna sell the Aeros system... lost faith in it now when it comes to them oh and the plants are looking good considering the stress I’ve put them through today, survived after 14 hours of no water.

(I bought 2 oxypot 2’s)

This is why I diy everything. Intimate knowledge of connections and possible weak points can be addressed during mock up and pre assembly

A diy system will always work better.Better yet, ditch the recirculating pump and just use air stones. Been doing that for a decade. Nothing is more reliable as long as you maintain the air pumps. Air stones cannot give you a flood. A recirculating system+growing roots=uncertainty.

Ya a leak in a loft is not cool . Might I suggest a tray under the setup with a small water sensor alarm (cost $10). I’ve had a few accidents that were typically all my stoned fault but it’s a garden shed so no issues.
Edit: you can build a tray with 4 2x4’s and some heavy vapour barrier

Budley Doright said:

Ya a leak in a loft is not cool . Might I suggest a tray under the setup with a small water sensor alarm (cost $10). I’ve had a few accidents that were typically all my stoned fault but it’s a garden shed so no issues.
Edit: you can build a tray with 4 2x4’s and some heavy vapour barrier

Click to expand...

Yes in hindsight I should of done that, did think of the tray option after the event. As it is, now I have a oxypot xl (x2) and they are a tank so no more rdwc... girls have handled the stress well (apart from one sour diesel that I nearly killed with the hoover)