Growrilla Hydroponic system 2.0 RDWC 18

Eighteen pots, 285 litres and two air pumps running together. The largest system in the range, and the only one with built-in redundancy.

Eighteen pots need more air than any single Hailea pump in this range delivers. So the Growrilla Hydroponic System 2.0 RDWC 18 runs a V60 and a V30 alongside each other, together good for 5400 L/h. The water pump is an adjustable Eden 135, pushing 285 litres through three rows of six on a 120 by 275 centimetre footprint.

That shape is a deliberate choice: long and relatively narrow, so eighteen pots still fit a 150 by 300 room with a walkway down one side. Instead of forcing you to reach across a block of pots.

What goes wrong, and what it costs you

The bigger the system, the more a single failure costs. Eighteen plants in trouble at once is a whole crop. So it is worth knowing which components can fail and roughly how much time each failure gives you.

• The air pump is the critical component. Without aeration, dissolved oxygen is gone within hours and roots begin to die. This is where failure does damage fastest.
• The water pump gives you more time. If only circulation stops, the pots stay aerated and still hold water. They will drift apart in EC and pH, but nothing dies within a day.
• A power cut takes out both at once. A few hours is survivable. Approaching half a day it becomes serious.
• A leak goes straight into the room. 285 litres is a lot of water. Run it for an hour after every build and check for leaks before any plants go in.

Why two air pumps beat one large one

Eighteen air stones could have run from a single heavy pump. That there are two changes what happens when one fails.

With one pump, a failure is total: all eighteen pots without aeration, and the clock starts from the moment you fail to notice. With a V60 and a V30 side by side, half your air supply drops out and the rest keeps running. That is not full aeration, but it is enough to keep roots alive until you spot it, and that is exactly the difference between an annoying day and a lost crop.

So distribute the air stones deliberately across both pumps rather than putting one row on one pump and another row on the other. That way a failure leaves every row with some aeration, instead of a third of your plants losing it completely.

The same reasoning applies to the rest of your setup: at this size a spare air pump on the shelf is a sensible investment, and a simple alarm on your power supply is more sensible still.

Technical Specifications:

• System type: RDWC recirculating hydroponic system
• Growing pots: 18 x 19 litre (Ø 30 x h 33 cm)
• System rows: 3
• System water volume: 285 litre
• Plant spacing: 50 cm
• System footprint: 120 x 275 cm
• Recommended growing area: 150 x 300 cm
• System power: 116.5 watt
• Air pumps: Hailea V60 + V30 (5400 L/h combined)
• Water pump: Eden 135 (300 to 2000 L/h, adjustable)

Frequently asked questions

How long does the system survive a power cut?
A few hours without lasting damage; after that dissolved oxygen runs out and roots start to suffer. At half a day or more, assume there is damage. At this size a backup supply on the air pumps alone is worth considering.

Does this fit a tent, or do I need a room?
At 120 by 275 centimetres it fits a 150 by 300 tent, but most growers put this size in a dedicated room. Alongside the system, allow space for a drain and for handling 285 litres at every solution change.

Can I expand beyond eighteen pots?
Technically you can couple more pots on, but you are then at the limit of what these pumps handle. More than eighteen means heavier pump hardware and probably a second controller pot.

How much water goes through it per grow?
With eighteen plants in flower, 20 to 35 litres a day is realistic, plus a full 285-litre change every one to two weeks. Across an eight-week flower that runs to well over 2000 litres.

Why three rows of six and not six rows of three?
So you can reach it. Three rows keep the middle row within reach from one side; with six rows you could not get to most of the pots without leaning over plants.