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Welding/joining Blue Barrels
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Author:  Erich [ Nov 18th, '10, 15:37 ]
Post subject:  Welding/joining Blue Barrels

Guys

Ive just done my homework and found out plumbing up to 30 x 1/2 barrels for GB's will be expensive, dam expensive. :cry:

Has anyone been able to weld say 3 or 5 together (end to end) or successfully join them? Ive been thinking about cutting the ends (not the first and last obviously) and lining it to ensure no leaks, to make 1 larger GB.

Anyone? :think:

Author:  Jamey [ Nov 18th, '10, 16:03 ]
Post subject:  Welding/joining Blue Barrels

I joined two halves together by riveting them to a piece of stainless and putting a lot of silicone between I don't recommend it though.

Could you plumb say 5 together then put the siphon in the middle one?? This is my plan.

Plaswelding would be pricy also for that many I imagine it would be $100+ per hour, but I would think it would be good.

If your going to line them, I'd sell the barrells and make a bed to line as liners are expensive alone.

Author:  Food&Fish [ Nov 18th, '10, 16:16 ]
Post subject:  Re: Welding/joining Blue Barrels

Erich wrote:
Guys

Ive just done my homework and found out plumbing up to 30 x 1/2 barrels for GB's will be expensive, dam expensive. :cry:

Has anyone been able to weld say 3 or 5 together (end to end) or successfully join them? Ive been thinking about cutting the ends (not the first and last obviously) and lining it to ensure no leaks, to make 1 larger GB.

Anyone? :think:

Hi i thought you would eventually find it to expensive sometime the stuff for free isent the cheapest and easiest there are better options available i have seen bathtubs used successfully [or landmark tubs ]

Author:  Erich [ Nov 18th, '10, 16:22 ]
Post subject:  Re: Welding/joining Blue Barrels

When you say "Could you plumb say 5 together then put the siphon in the middle one??", are you suggesting adding say a 50mm connection and pipe between then all, as low as you could go with a siphon in the middle so it acts as 1 bed? A 50mm "nut and tail" will cost about $9:50 and you would need 8 + piping = siphon. Cost would be approx $120 I would think. It would however mean you would only need 1 inlet, not 5?

Is this along the line you are thinking?

Author:  Food&Fish [ Nov 18th, '10, 16:43 ]
Post subject:  Re: Welding/joining Blue Barrels

Tickley tubs like Jim ,, kuda and Quanchy use are $140

Author:  Erich [ Nov 18th, '10, 16:44 ]
Post subject:  Re: Welding/joining Blue Barrels

how big are those puppies?

Author:  Erich [ Nov 18th, '10, 16:46 ]
Post subject:  Re: Welding/joining Blue Barrels

Food&Fish wrote:
Hi i thought you would eventually find it to expensive sometime the stuff for free isent the cheapest and easiest there are better options available i have seen bathtubs used successfully [or landmark tubs ]


You are correct ;)

Knowing what I know now, bigger is better ;)

Author:  Food&Fish [ Nov 18th, '10, 16:50 ]
Post subject:  Re: Welding/joining Blue Barrels

Erich wrote:
how big are those puppies?

Check jims or Quanchies system

Author:  mantis [ Nov 18th, '10, 17:14 ]
Post subject:  Re: Welding/joining Blue Barrels

Have you cut the barrels yet Erich. If not then cut in half through the middle they make good wicking beds. :wave1:

Author:  Erich [ Nov 18th, '10, 17:20 ]
Post subject:  Re: Welding/joining Blue Barrels

Ive cut 5, however I still have +15 left ;)

Author:  Jamey [ Nov 18th, '10, 18:16 ]
Post subject:  Re: Welding/joining Blue Barrels

Yeah that was along the lines of my thinking Erich

can you use 20mm piping for the siphons, i use 20 on one barrel and 25 on the other.

20mm Standpipes, 50mm bell, 80mm Strainer (found the 80mm on the side of the road :D :D)

not sure, maybe you could use 20mm for the siphons feeding them all down into a 90mm Stormy pipe returning to the sump, would reduce the length of 20mm pipe needed and 90mm stormy is cheap as chips like $14/Length

what about loop siphons?

or Timed Flood and drain? same idea 20mm Standpipes all dropping straight down into a 90mm Pipe returning to Sump.

As for inlets iv found using endcaps with holes drilled in them to be Very cost effictive over taps.


do banks of 5 every fortnight to spread cost over a period...kinda what iv done... just spend small amounts over the weeks to get to what i need done.

hope that iv been able to spread some insight :support:

Author:  RS_ [ Nov 19th, '10, 00:42 ]
Post subject:  Re: Welding/joining Blue Barrels

Hi,

here is my solution to connecting the barrels and tubs with out side the barrel or tub Affan Bell Syphon's

the first one, i had most of the fittings left over from a job, so just built it, not thinking about the cost

was a bit pricey for the 2nd one's PVC fittings, but saves space in the GB, and works great.....

Attachments:
File comment: Tub syphon w/ 1 1/4" standpipe and can be expanded to the left with more GB's
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100_0427.gif [ 321.71 KiB | Viewed 4343 times ]
File comment: 2 1/2 blue barrels, that could be expanded to the left for as many 1/2 barrels as needed w/ 1" stand pipe
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100_0002.gif [ 315.41 KiB | Viewed 4344 times ]

Author:  orcy2010 [ Nov 19th, '10, 05:47 ]
Post subject:  Re: Welding/joining Blue Barrels

I used 90mm water tank outlets (the ones you screw and silicone on) and a short piece of 90mm downpipe to connect two large tubs. about 5 bucks worth of fittings, screws and silicone. Works a treat.

Author:  Jamey [ Nov 19th, '10, 14:27 ]
Post subject:  Re: Welding/joining Blue Barrels

RS_ wrote:
Hi,

here is my solution to connecting the barrels and tubs with out side the barrel or tub Affan Bell Syphon's

the first one, i had most of the fittings left over from a job, so just built it, not thinking about the cost

was a bit pricey for the 2nd one's PVC fittings, but saves space in the GB, and works great.....



Whats under the media?? like just a pipe with 8mm holes in it or somthing??

got any photos

Author:  iammr.bill [ Nov 30th, '10, 23:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: Welding/joining Blue Barrels

what are we looking at here? A bell siphon for two/three/more grow beds? Hhhmmm interesting.
There is a thread somewhere around here that shows an exterior bell siphon on some NFT pipes. Damn if I can find it though. Been looking for it. Any one have a link?
Don't see why you couldn't plastic-weld the barrels together. Well, on second thought, they would be flimsy in the middle. Which could be remedied with a PVC crossbar through the join and a couple of T's on the outside.
Norther Hydraulics sells plastic welding kits and rods if you wanted to go the DIY route. Heck I just used a $20 heat gun from Lowes to soften the plastic on a hole in my (free) tank to fix it up.
I love AP forums. Keeps the brain engaged.

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