DWC or RDWC questions......bring em here!?!?!!!

Here is one for 9 buckets but you can see the idea and modify it.


http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=192667


CC and I did the same thing as this type of technique but I hard piped mine instead of the black hose bucket to bucket.

 

NICE!! Thanks. One question....His feed lines. Should they be pointing down like that or straight out, toward the roots? I'll count all that shit up and hit the stores.

 

I like to shot them at the roots but you can even just run a 1/2" tube from the feed line pump and put 1/4" barbs and 1/4" tubing to go to each bucket via the top of the buckets (netted pots).

 

yeah for the VEG room system now I'm dripping mine down through the hydroton through a 1/4" feed line. Before I had it squirting through a 3/8" line, hitting the side of the net pot, but had to hand feed daily for the first week, so switched to top feeding thru thinner lines. It all works fine and I think also helps airate the water. The tinkling sound of water is also pleasing :thumbs-up:


For the bloom system I just have a 1/2" line running directly into the side of the bucket. It sort of cascades, but my pump (396 gph) doesn't produce enough pressure (or I have too many elbows) to get a good squirt through 1/2". Doesn't really matter in bloom though since by the time the plants get there, the root mass is hanging in the solution anyways.


As for putting it all together, what I did was plan it out on paper first, then took a list to the hardware store. I've been back and forth to various hardware stores about a million times since I started :roffl:


too much :redbong: and I have a current list for when I go AGAIN


for a guy like me its a lot of trial and error, but that's half the fun! :alienwink:

 

FF, were did you find 1" hose? I've searched all the hardware stores plus Lowes and Home Depot and nobody has 1" hose. Also, how does your fittings get tightened to the buckets?

 

great questions.


I had a BITCH of a time finding 1" hose. Seems like the regular box stores only carry clear 1" tubing or super thick and stiff (and expensive) stuff for well plumbing.


In my system, I have a little of everything. I used some clear wrapped with black then white electrical tape to make it lightproof. Works OK just a PITA for long runs. I also used some very stiff white tubing that happened to be 1" that I found at West Marine, but this was too expensive and also a bitch to work with because it's so stiff.


I finally found a hydro shop near me that stocks it. You can also order it from McMaster-Carr or a million other places on-line. The clear vinyl 1" tubing is pretty common at the box stores and hydro stores, so if you tape it or paint it...


I think you can go with 3/4" for the return lines if you plumb a over-flow drain at the top like I did for the bloom buckets. 3/4" line is much easier to purchase and work with, and the rate of return of the solution will not be compromised enough to matter in plant growth. So long as you can keep the buckets from overflowing if the roots plug the return line in some way (never happened to me, but did to CC) I will go with 3/4" for returns next time. 1" was a PITA, needlessly.


You can see the overflow here - if the roots clogg the lower return line and the bucket fills with solution, it will spill back down into the res through the overflow drain.





As for the bulkheads for your buckets and reservoirs: go with actual hydro bulkheads. There are DIY threads online for making bulkheads. I cobbed together some outdoor electrical connection pieces from Lowes, used glue, spent HOURS engineering and constructing the bulkheads for the veg room. Waste of time. After all that struggle (leaks, rebuilding, ten trips to lowes) a month later when I built the bloom system, I just ordered the correct sized barbed bulkheads. Easy :thumbs-up: You can get them dirt cheap from any hydro store or online like here http://www.amazon.com/Botanicare-Ebb-Flow-Bulkhead-Fitting/dp/B003B61I8I Sometimes it's just better NOT to DIY, like with using bulkheads.


Hope that helps! Do a thread with the build! :alienwink:

 

After I saw your buckets with the over flow, I was definately going that way! I'll just return all the 1" shit I got and go 3/4" on the return and drop to 1/2" on the feed. I can't swing the bulkheads at the moment. I never thought I'd be in this situation, but, oh well. I plan on using silicon to help seal things up. I'll do 1 bucket and see how it goes. Do you have bulkheads in all the holes in the buckets, besides the air lines, of course.

 

I wouldn't just be using the sealant to hold them in. Just as an extra precaution for leaks. I was looking for some kind of plastic nut that would fit, but can't find one. I was thinking of using some kind of plastic glue that would kind of melt the pieces together, then silicone. Maybe I'll see if I could swing some dough to get the bulkheads. With all my problems, $1 a piece is better than $4.80 a piece. Times 18. Sucks. Never thought $$ would be an issue at this point in my life. Oh well, I shall persevere.

 

Ok, just got back from the hydro store. Got the e&f fittings for about $33. Not bad. I could handle that. Tomorrow, get 'er done.

 

I feel like a total dick asking this... but what's the difference between RDWC/DWC and regular hydroponics?


Is the R/DWC easier than regular hydro? Or IS it the same as hydropinics?


I've picked out a tent and new lamp/s for the closet and got the wife wanting to learn more about pot and growing it and she loves building things, so if we got into this it would be a great bonding/learning experience for us both.


When i mentioned a 'boc' Vs tent, she was eager to help me build it and says she's willing to help with a more automated set-up too.

 

ok so having decidied to take the short amount of time required to learn that all I need is a bucket, some hydroton/lavarock, water/nutes solution, air pump and airstone which is fed as close to the top of the bucket as possible.... sound good so far? And a spare bucket to hold the plant and root ball while changing water solution once weekly.. right?


I was worried I'd have to fit the buckets myself but on reflection our local hydro store sells them with the root baskets and all ready to go... so would it benefit me to have some way to keep the water temps in check between 65-70F? Is there a simple-ish drop-in piece of equipment that will keep the water cool?


Ok.. that all does sound a lot simpler than I imagined it'd be before deciding to scare myself with extensive labor/knowledge... sounds pretty simple.


I guess besides the water cooling and Ph issue, my only concern then is what is the EASIST most reliable way to do this with a seed??? I only see 'clones' in the thread but I maybe didn't read far enough.


If the air stone is left running 24/7 regardless of light.. makes sense that it would.. I might as well make sure my new lighting has is set on a timer as well... so then I only have to worry myself with once weekly water changes and checking temps, and I'm looking into more equipment for temp control/air flow too. I'm done doing medicore ganja. I want some good stuff that I don't have to bust my ass and take excessive risks for.


If it's really as simple as it looks so far, I'll go get my tent, buckets and new lamp soon.


Anyway, speaking of doing this starting from seed instead of clones(i suck at cloning)...what do I do? Start with rockwool, jiffy pots, perlite... I dunno what u reccomend?

 

Right on brother. I know where you are coming from. It's good that the girlie wants to participate! :thumbs-up:


Hydro is, as CC has said, EASY. I have only been growing using water as a nutrient transfer medium (instead of dirt, perlite, etc.) for about 4 months. I'm just completing my first RDWC grow. Before that I was hempy with perlite, which is technically hydroponic growing since the perlite was completely nutrient free outta the bag. Before that I was dirt.


Notwithstanding the DIRT vs HYDRO debate, I have found it less labor intensive to grow RDWC than any other method. Fundamentally, one reason we power our cars with liquid fuel is because liquid is easier to move than solid. Imagine pulling up to the local minimart to fill your trunk with wood or coal? For the same reason, its easier to move nutes to plants via pure water rather than soil because you don't have to physically move the water with your muscles. You pipe it in. No more bags of perlite and all the associated hassles (rinsing roots, rinsing new dust, rinsing and storing and scooping and dumping, etc etc etc). No more humping bags of dirt. No more disposing of used dirt. No more mixing dirt w/ perlite. No more bending over to feed. No more squeezing 7 week plants through a narrow door to water them (my big issue) three times a week. No more gallon jugs of water (except one or two for moms / clones). To me, it's just plain easier from a labor/physical perspective. Some of the efficiency gains I have experienced are specific to my grow op (i.e not everyone has 18" doors to a small closets for a grow space).


But all that being said, the activation energy is much higher than the continuation energy. Just like a match. The heat required to initially begin the burn is much higher than the heat required to keep it burning once lit. To get set up takes some doing and some spending. This is the downside of RDWC. With dirt, you just fill a bucket with dirt. To quote another GKer, fire and forget. Just basic equipment is all that is needed. But with a hydro system that immerses the roots in nutrient solution, you must have an air pump. The main reason RDWC roots don't get root rot or kill the plant from over-watering is the air pump. It creates dissolved oxygen in the solution that the roots use to breathe. In any RDWC system, the name of the game is BUBBLES.


Ph is an issue no matter what medium you grow in. I think it's easier to test and get an accurate read on hydro PH since all you do is dip you meter, or read your trimeter, or use drops or litmus paper....whatever. But you KNOW that PH. In soil, it's always a guess unless you have a reliable soil PH tester and you use it. If you are merely adjusting the PH of your feeding/watering, you still don't know the actual PH at the roots unless you use a soil PH tester that you can jam down in there to test.


Anyway, to answer your questions - RDWC is hydroponic growing. Anytime you use a non-nutrient medium and supply all the nutrients the plants needs through watering, you're going hydro my friend. Hempy is hydro. RDWC is hydro. EnF is hydro. DWC is hydro. In all these methods, what the roots sit in does not add nutes.


I've never done DWC, only RDWC. RDWC is just having a separate reservoir connected to the bucket(s) that circulates the solution. In both you need to change the solution completely once a week.


Ever "flush" your plants? Well, in RDWC, a flush is a true flush! Those girls get NOTHING but pure water in a hydro flush. In soil or even hempy, a flush is only as good as the volume you put through, and you never get ALL the nutes out of the medium.

 

Dang, you guys got some good convo goin on in here, nice to see


My life is busy as hell with the kid and work and grow and home upgrades im doing ATM.......life is crazy! Cant wait to get laid off for a few weeks! COME ON SNOW, WTF!!!! Its fuckin 60 out today, your kiddin me right!


Anyhow, I keep having a slime issue in 2 of my rooms, the other 2 are going great, it makes no sense, everything is exactly the same, ill figure it out tho in time and after some tweeks


Ill try and answer any questions that come my way, keep it wet guys!

 

yeah can I get a confirmation if this is enough supplies?


-bucket or other container with lid(light proof)


-Net pot


-Hydroton(thoroughly rinsed)


-Air pump/ air stone


-Ph up/down


-Ph water meter(6.0-6.5 range?)


-hydro nutes(already on hand)


I decided to keep this one small to start so I'll only do one or two buckets at first to see how much trouble I have with gauging nutes/Ph etc.

 

a ph meter that only reads 6-6.5 will not do the job yo need to read a little lower than that when you shoot for 5.7 a meter that reads to 6 kinda sucks because you need it to always be out of range and you'll have to guess, guessing sucks, real easy to go way low


i use the little drops. meters are a pain i don't trust them.

 

uh no, I meant isn't 6.0-6.5 the ideal Ph range to have the water?

 

oh yeah the roots... seems to me the roots will need to be IN the bubbling water, but CC says the suspend the root basket just above the water.


I am assuming this to prevent the main stalk contaner from being soaked.. but I dunno. Whats' the skinny on submersing the roots? Do they go IN the water, are do you gradually lower the water levels as the roots grow to keep them from being totally submersed?

 

Roots hang directly in the solution.

 

that was a really dumb question, huh? how else would the plant get the nutrients?:bduh: