03/13/2026
Not our photo (and we don’t know whose install this is), but it’s a great example of how small plumbing + pump choices can create big ongoing waste.
Plumbing issue: the pickup is plumbed into the side of the tank, above the drain. That means the pump can’t draw the tank down—there’s about ~15 gallons left behind that has to be dumped.
That turns into roughly:
🚰 ~180 gallons/day wasted
🧪 about ~1.25 lb of nutrients/day down the drain
Pump issue: this setup is using a DAB pump, and many booster/transfer-style pumps are intended for clean water service. Nutrient solution isn’t “clean water” in the way these pumps are designed to handle long-term—so you can end up with more wear, more maintenance, and performance drift over time.
Another factor: leaving that volume behind creates stale solution + concentration drift (and extra cleanup), which adds variability when you’re trying to keep recipes consistent.
If you recognize this install and want credit, DM us 😅
(And if you want credit for a setup that wastes 180 gallons/day, we can give you that too.)
