Deep Water Culture

[tye08]

i have been lookin at another option of growing deep water culture would ne one know what would be adequate root zone temperatures??? it said something about i may need a watter chiller couldnt i use ice ?? i would have 5 buckets 4 growing an the other pot with extra water is also the same size would i use the 5th pot for adding nutrients??? i just hate dirt water is cleaner an from what i heard more healthy an good out come thats why i thought about the switch

[Timmahh]

i ll be moving to a DWC here in a bit myself. have to get the new area built and inplace. hopefully by end of the month or so.

 

I suggest you take the time and read through LongHairBris (LHB) IN the Lab thread. he has put together a recirculating DWC system that is quite simple.

[RandomStoner]

I too am switching to DWC, I'm in promix bx,with reusable spartan shopping bags for pots,and running full FoxFarm nutes.. I thought i'd try DWC with all the FoxFarm nutes and all I have to say is HOLY MOLY!! The dwc out performed the promix in every stage of groth, in fact my dirt planst are still in veg & my buckets(dwc) were put in flower room last Monday, almost 3 times the size. . .

 

IMHO DWC is the only way to go!! Just think no more bales of forty dollar promix!

 

Thanks,Random

[tye08]

I too am switching to DWC, I'm in promix bx,with reusable spartan shopping bags for pots,and running full FoxFarm nutes.. I thought i'd try DWC with all the FoxFarm nutes and all I have to say is HOLY MOLY!! The dwc out performed the promix in every stage of groth, in fact my dirt planst are still in veg & my buckets(dwc) were put in flower room last Monday, almost 3 times the size. . .

 

IMHO DWC is the only way to go!! Just think no more bales of forty dollar promix!

 

Thanks,Random

well do u have a certin root temp u have to keep???

[CGorganic]

Longhairbri's lab thread

[Dman]

I ran a DWC for a while. It was great. No problems but a leak here and there. Keep a tube of silicone handy. I switched to LHB's cross over. Which is essentially a DWC / Flood-n-drain.

 

LHB's system has more investment, more parts, and more things to check than a DWC. But... also More control. No build up. Roots O2 is plentiful. All the water is keep in the rez so once you find an issue you can change it without it soaking in the system.

[RandomStoner]

I don't have an exact temp I use... just not too cold, luke warm... we fill water cooler jugs & lettem sit out overnight..

 

Thanks,Random

[Dman]

To answer your main question. You want it on the cooler side 55-70ish. Any higher you risk bad bacteria. Lower you will shock them. 60-65 I would say is the sweet spot.

[tye08]

To answer your main question. You want it on the cooler side 55-70ish. Any higher you risk bad bacteria. Lower you will shock them. 60-65 I would say is the sweet spot.

ok so i could put the 55 to 57gallon jug/tank in a closet the closet dont get above 70 if it got to warm i could add just alittle ice or cool water? an for your input flood n drain whats that if u dont mind me asking. i was looking in getting the big boy system from htg if u have seen it u will know what im talkin about i might just add air discs to the 6 pots.

[Dman]

Use 2 liter frozen pop bottles to reduce the Temp. Yes, the Big boy system is same mechanics as the LHB thread. But you get what you pay for. Review the parts on both systems and you will see the difference between the two. Most Flood and Drain systems are tables. They typically flood the system 4 or 5 times per day 15-30 mins soaking. The bonus side to this is no root rot. The roots get a lot of O2.

 

But on the other side done properly DWC is a great system as well. It just takes more time. Watching pH, ppm's, flushing more, looking for rot, and the bad bacteria.

[LansingAreaCaregiver]

Ideal temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the oxygen is most available to the plants. You want it no cooler than 55 and no warmer than 75, though. As far as a chiller, I've never had to use one. Keeping the buckets/reservoir on the concrete basement floor does a good job of keeping it cool. Also, as someone mentioned, you can use frozen 2 liter bottles in or around the buckets to help cool. I'd be a bit nervous about straight up adding ice because it could cause a pretty drastic swing in the temperature, and I don't know that that is good for the plants (I don't know that it is bad, either, but it makes me nervous.) No to mention it could trow off your PPM...

[Darkmatter]

Longhairbri's lab thread

 

I have this system, and I have gotta tell ya, I could not be happier. I am getting maximum yields of the highest quality for pennies on the dollar now. Also that system is very easy to maintain once set up properly.

[bigbudsnewbie]

what ^ he said!

[phaquetoo]

Ideal temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the oxygen is most available to the plants. You want it no cooler than 55 and no warmer than 75, though. As far as a chiller, I've never had to use one. Keeping the buckets/reservoir on the concrete basement floor does a good job of keeping it cool. Also, as someone mentioned, you can use frozen 2 liter bottles in or around the buckets to help cool. I'd be a bit nervous about straight up adding ice because it could cause a pretty drastic swing in the temperature, and I don't know that that is good for the plants (I don't know that it is bad, either, but it makes me nervous.) No to mention it could trow off your PPM...

 

 

um bad for plants! well at least 2 out of 3 that i had goin! lmao, I too just switched to dwc, (where in the hell is the dirt?) At this pointe, Id have to say im not growing anything, ,,,,but I have learned how to kill them real fast! Bawahahahahahaha! gotta laugh about it an move on! yes the big boy would work awsome compared to lets say the bubble boy from same company! Im not giving up though, I did manage not to maim one of 3 brought to me ready for budd!!! Im prob the only person around that dont want his c.g to come around, (im so embarrased at my failure lol) Luckily I asked a lot of questions, got alot of answers, um all different by the way! (thanks for the 1liter bottles froze for chilling) most def I will be making changes, larger bubblers, a flow thru method, and thats about it, Im prettys sure I know how to kill em now, Time to try and make some live!

 

Peace

Jim

[LongHairBri]

um bad for plants! well at least 2 out of 3 that i had goin! lmao, I too just switched to dwc, (where in the hell is the dirt?) At this pointe, Id have to say im not growing anything, ,,,,but I have learned how to kill them real fast! Bawahahahahahaha! gotta laugh about it an move on! yes the big boy would work awsome compared to lets say the bubble boy from same company! Im not giving up though, I did manage not to maim one of 3 brought to me ready for budd!!! Im prob the only person around that dont want his c.g to come around, (im so embarrased at my failure lol) Luckily I asked a lot of questions, got alot of answers, um all different by the way! (thanks for the 1liter bottles froze for chilling) most def I will be making changes, larger bubblers, a flow thru method, and thats about it, Im prettys sure I know how to kill em now, Time to try and make some live!

 

Peace

Jim

KEYS TO SUCCESS IN HYDRO:

 

#1) you need as much air as you can provide in the biggest stone you can fit in EVERY site

 

#2) you need a PPM and pH pen. keep the nutes at 1000 (learn Lucas) and the pH at 5.8 to 6.2

 

#3) any nutes WILL work, but I suggest, and use, DynaGro Bloom and MagPro. very good formula and stable pH (doesn't drift)

 

#4) more light is more better. I use 1000w's on movers. get light as close as you can w/o burning

 

#5) keep temps below 80 and humidity below 60

 

 

I think my plants grew 2" in the time it took to type this and my lights are still unplugged from the wind storm yesterday, thanks for reminding me!! lol

[Spartyon]

Im doing i guess you could say super deep water culture i put a plant in a 5 gallon bucket with hyrdoten and cut a lid out of a 32 gallon brute dropped 5 gallon bucket in the 32 gallon brute. vegged plant like 4 months to 5' tall under one 1000 watt light. first time around got 12 ozs. Should break that the second time around. have two large airstones run off mini air comp. plant finished like 8' tall first one was 1k 47 second time around i got a nice white widow.

[LongHairBri]

Im doing i guess you could say super deep water culture i put a plant in a 5 gallon bucket with hyrdoten and cut a lid out of a 32 gallon brute dropped 5 gallon bucket in the 32 gallon brute. vegged plant like 4 months to 5' tall under one 1000 watt light. first time around got 12 ozs. Should break that the second time around. have two large airstones run off mini air comp. plant finished like 8' tall first one was 1k 47 second time around i got a nice white widow.

those are good results, but a a bit of overkill. I get better results than that using 2 gal of hydroton in 5 gallon buckets. just had a 14oz.+ lemoncake now I'm on to the UK Cheese. she's got to be 12+

[pergamum362]

12-14 oz from one/light .....that's it .........just pokn fun.

[Dman]

 

I think my plants grew 2" in the time it took to type this and my lights are still unplugged from the wind storm yesterday, thanks for reminding me!! lol

 

I think LHB is saying "Size does Matter".... lol

[Darkmatter]

12-14 oz from one/light .....that's it .........just pokn fun.

 

Nah, that plant was only taking about 2/5ths of the 1000 watt HPS. I think if you gave a plant like Lemon Cake 1000 watts to itself ,in a system like ours you would yield over 16 oz. For sure.

[tye08]

I have this system, and I have gotta tell ya, I could not be happier. I am getting maximum yields of the highest quality for pennies on the dollar now. Also that system is very easy to maintain once set up properly.

well i did find a 5 bucket setup without the 55 gallon rez i might go with what really is the 55 gallon rez used for just so u dont have to add water as often?

[LongHairBri]

well i did find a 5 bucket setup without the 55 gallon rez i might go with what really is the 55 gallon rez used for just so u dont have to add water as often?

 

the 5 gal pots have 2 gallon net pots filled with hydroton. 5 gallon buckets stay 1/3 full. every 4 hours the 55 gal rez fills, then drains the 5 gal buckets back to 1/3 full.

 

this swaps out the nute solution, aerates and will last for 2+ weeks if needed. how many growers can go on vacation w/o worry??

 

HERE'S ONE!!!!

[Honeyoil]

A larger rez maintains it's PH and PPM better than a small rez.

[tye08]

good info i know it may sound funny i have never done this the nutrients i would add to the controller unit right inbetween the rez an the pots?? ill take my chances cause like i said before i dont like dirt ne more lol

[LongHairBri]

good info i know it may sound funny i have never done this the nutrients i would add to the controller unit right inbetween the rez an the pots?? ill take my chances cause like i said before i dont like dirt ne more lol

 

you got it!!!

 

check out my thread "LongHair's Laboratory". all the info you seek is there