Questions about DWC

Grow Mediums Hydroponics
21

RDWC has one distinct advantage, water movement. Hard to “imitate” the same water movement that you get in an RDWC system with one large tote. I have seen people say that a large air pump (which I use) and air stones move the water enough…
Im not sure what “enough” is lol, but I do know there is a reason the undercurrent method of growing was developed. DWC naturally has the lowest oxygen levels out of all the different forms of hydroponics and the “undercurrent” system was the solution to that.

I myself am in one larger bucket right now and am not doing am undercurrent but I am still trying to “imitate” an undercurrent setup to the best of my ability by pumping the water off the bottom of the bucket to a water chiller and then back.

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My chiller is outside the tent but you can see the hoses that run out to it. Also, to help offset any potentially low oxygen levels, I use an o2 grow.

You can make these if you don’t want to buy one…

In short, I’m in a single bucket system because a undercurrent system is simply more of a hassle in many ways and all the extra connections do pose leak potentials like bogs said

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22

I do think for growing “monsters” that @Grandaddy013 has just about the perfect system

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23

You won’t increase oxygen just bu pumping the water around. You need to create turbulent flow whereby air it trapped and whirlpooled down and into the water. It’s all about creating as much surface area for the air to dissolve/diffuse into the water.

24

My pump is like this, but mine is loud, makes a ton of noise!
Any suggestions on one that is quite?

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25

WOW!! I did not expect this much input, advise, and examples. If a person can not learn and make up his mind from this topic, they just need to stick with dirt… :joy:

I have read post on other journals from every one I tagged in this topic and I can’t say enough great things about every bodies knowledge. I do appreciate everyone of you for your input and wisdom. :+1: :sunglasses:

I’ve seen the youtube video about the hydro build and it just doesn’t get any simpler than that. I can actually do that kind of a build but it would just be on a smaller scale then what he did.

@Bogleg appreciate the recommendation for the pump. I had actually look at a pump like that but didn’t know if it would be too much pump for an 18 gal tote.

@GreenJewels I can assure you, i’m learning from your journal as well. Thanks!

@WickedAle I appreciate your input also. I like the idea of just changing out the buckets. Do you use RO water? I saw a video of a guy and he uses RO water and the GH micro, GH Flora Nova, and Calmag and I think that’s all he uses. I have also notice a lot of people recommend just keeping it to the basics. My plan is to use just the micro, grow bloom, kool bloom, calmag and epson salt. Thanks again!

@Myfriendis410

Water temp and humidity I think, will be my enemy. It can be challenging to keep conditions ideal in a small tent especially during the summer. We’ll see! Thanks again as always! :+1: :sunglasses:
When you get time, can you explain how you regulate your water in your reservoir? example: if targeted goal is 700 ppm’s, your ppm’s drop to 500, do you add 200 worth of nutes to your water to bring it back up?

@BigDaddyCain DIY is definitely the way to grow. I have read a lot of your post and can’t seem to absorb enough info from you and everybody else. Thanks a million for your sharing your wisdom with not only me but also with everybody else.

I haven’t thought about having to use more nutes. If I were to go with an 18 gal tote, as the water gets lower, do I add more water w/nute to the water, or just add plain water? I’m trying to wrap my head around the idea of how to water when the water is already mixed w/nutes. I’m sure it will come in time.

@Grandaddy013 Thanks for chiming in on this. I wish I had the space for a 4x4 scrog.

I bet you have some green grass where it dumps in the yard. We fed our tomato plants last year with our runoff and boy did they ever explode when we started doing that.

@TDubWilly I have actually thought about just putting a small water pump inside the tote to stir the water a little bit along with about four air stones?? What say you? Thanks for the video of the o2 that’s pretty interesting.

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26

My thought as well. Is there a quite motor that will work? How big of a net pot should I plan on using in an 18 gal tote?

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27

Look on the right side of this picture @kw_Bat

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Hanging your air pump will make it allot quieter. Also, air pumps are more “efficient” pumping air downhill only instead of up and then down although an air pump of that size it probably won’t even be noticeable.

Also ive used laser thermometers to gauge temps on those things, they are about 102°, if you can install it outside of the tent then it’s less heat to fight

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28

If the pump doesn’t heat up your water temps then it can’t hurt bud

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I have a fan blowing directly across the top so it’s registering a little cooler, I really should put mine outside my tent

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29

I just use GH flora 3 part and a bit of armor Si to stiffen up the branches. I will push to a 1partM/3G/gal (25ml M, 75mlG/5gal) to get a 5-15-14 NPK ratio in late flower and push to 1200PPM. I use city water (150PPM pH 7). Don’t need to adjust pH at all because I hit 5.8 initially and it doesn’t drift much during the 7-14 days I use.

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30

93F wow. Your microbes must be growing like mad. Do you have a lot of slime building up on the walls?

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31

How big is your space again? 32x32?

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32

No, not a bit. I run a sterile environment, no organics at all.

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33

And your,plants grow fine? I grew in the middle of the summer 85F+ and saw some glassyness of the leaves forming. Water was clean. One plant did hermit on me.

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34

That’s the temp of your pump?

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35

I have done ok. For me the checks and balances work out better for me this way. I have great trouble keep root issues under control with organics so I choose not to use them. Am I sacrificing “maximum growth”? Possibly, but I do well enough not to worry about it.

Lol…

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That’s even with what’s called “hot feet” the plants roots are not even in the ground but instead a soil container so they don’t have the distinct advantage of being 55-60° in ground temperature

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36

My plan is to have the air pump outside. Only fan and lights inside.

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37

Here’s the pic from last year when it was on the outside of my tent @Grandaddy013

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38

Yes 32” x 32” wish I had gotten the 36” x 36” just for the height.

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39

Well I guess that answers @dbrn32 temperature question in DWC. As long as you keep things clean (good O2 and low microbe growth) preferably by not using organics you can grow at any temperature.

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40

To be fair, I think, and this is just a guess, the “outside environment” was on my plants side, indoor plants hermie on me at much lower temps than that

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