[GpsFrontier]

Do you know what a bottleneck is?

Absolutely, but only slows down the inevitable, but still cant change it.

Have a look at the diameter of the outlets in Leon's system and then at the size of the hose's diameter that comes next and is supposed to evacuate the collected amount of all outlets to the reservoir.

It doesn't mater, you still cant change the physics, you can slow it down by clogging the draining system. But one molecule at a time the physics are the same.

We have two bottlenecks here in a row. Firstly the small diameter of the outlets in the buckets that only allow a relatively slow evacuation from each bucket and the second bottleneck is the hose that collects the one from the outlets and limits the maximal flow again.

You can choke it off as much as you want but that wont change the physics. whatever goes out the bottom, the same volume needs to replace the space that is evacuated. Granted that Air is a gas and is compressible and a liquid is not. But considering this is not under pressure I hardly think it would be measurable. In other words no mater how slow it happens the same principles apply.

The ebbing process will go too slow to have any "sucking effect".

It dosen't mater how slow it happens, sucking is sucking. Think of a suction cup on a window. It sticks to the window because of the sucking action, but there is absolutely no air flow. Sucking action is a result of vacuum not air flow.

Yes, the airspace in the buckets will be filled up, you bet it will - but it will take quite a bit of time instead of happening quickly.

I never said how long it would take, nor does it matter. The physics are the same.

If the setup would use 1 inch outlets and a 2 inch collecting tube instead, well - then it would probably suck pretty much.

No, the physics are exactly the same, the difference is it would happen faster.

The other, actually more important point is that I do not see nor believe that there is any notable temperature change in the root zone of either setup (quick flush or slow drain). Naaaahhh, that's truly taking it too far with thermodynamical speculation without proof.

Well unfortunately it's a fact, if adding a warm material to a cold one, the cold one will warm up. As I mentioned that there are many factors in that. How fast the heat transfers occurs is probably the biggest one. I did explain that I have not done any testing on those the effects. Although I did give directions on how to do the testing.

I would only believe that if I would see any notable temperature changes when actually measuring the temperature inside the buckets (root zone if you like) with a actual field experiment- before, during and after drain.

What is notable? One tenth of a degree, one degree, ten degrees. To me any change that the thermostat can record is notable. Sure one degree wont be any problem at all, but it's certainly notable. Again I have explained how to check it if it's a concern. I would be interested in knowing the findings. I can't afford my own thermostat with the probe myself so I wont be able to do the testing anytime soon. If I see signs that the plants are wilting even though the pump is giving the roots enough water, I know there is a problem. Although it would be a problem well before I see those signs.