Building another RDWC system for VEG

[Onelow1]

No just straight water. I tried many combination with pump size, tubing size, temperature of chiller and what I came up with is you have two separate units of water and they are linked together by the wort coil, and that's the only way to transfer all the BTU from one to another, and it's just too much to transfer. Yes it will work, but not economically and maybe a bigger chiller. But I'm only 20 gallons and that just not going to happen. Now Disclaimer: I may have fucked up my chiller a year ago (it's all coming back to me now, lol) so it may or may not be operating to peak performance.
But I do know that with Bennies, Hydroguard, I haven't tried Defguard yet, they grow great without a chiller. I have always used one, but I'm ready to ditch it. I've started using Enzymes with the bennies and things are doing great. That combo is just as affective as a chiller at keeping things at bay. You can still get a bad case of the nasty's with a chiller. But for the price for a chiller, I can buy a butt load of bennies and zymes.
So no light leaks, AT ALL. Cover your net pot like your life depended on it. Inoculate your hyrdoton VERY well before your grow and then during your grow. And pay close attention to your plants. It takes a while, a few grows before you start to see how things impact each other. But this is the same avenue that I went down and now I'm simplifying things. Remember, big money tells us how we should grow, but our plants will teach us the right way for us to grow. You'll learn no matter what you do, so go for it. peace

 

[Smokey0418]

Thanks for he read.
I could see how a straight water mixed would not be beneficial as it would cool and warm rapidly we’re as a glycol and water mix would be way different.

From many reads here and there then the last one on orp meters (Oxidation reduction potential) .

This in turn was interesting on the temperature aspect and that the potential for bacteria to be present in colder water is impossible.

For the price of hydroguard or orca for eg North of the boarder is pricy.
But to maybe be able to stop and or cut back would be a cost savings for sure.

Thanks for the info

 

[Onelow1]

Thanks for he read.
I could see how a straight water mixed would not be beneficial as it would cool and warm rapidly we’re as a glycol and water mix would be way different.

From many reads here and there then the last one on orp meters (Oxidation reduction potential) .

This in turn was interesting on the temperature aspect and that the potential for bacteria to be present in colder water is impossible.

For the price of hydroguard or orca for eg North of the boarder is pricy.
But to maybe be able to stop and or cut back would be a cost savings for sure.

Thanks for the info

I haven't tried glycol yet and haven't researched it either. But as I said I'm suspicious of my chiller and don't know where I could get it serviced. It became clogged once and have been the same since.

So you want to play for electric or bennies? Plus like you say, your north. Sorry to hear, love that place up there. But I have also had rot in cold water to. Brown slime doesn't need light but sure does like sugar and carbs.
So for my 20 gallon system I'm get confident enough to pull the plug. I've got her completely blacked out, each site is insulated and wrapped. All tubing is black and wrapped. With the right bennies and enzymes (I've just started using them, so far so good) things are looking good. I do have good water movement too at each site. I went from 4 sites down to 2 sites in a 4x8 room. And these are auto's. Hey, what about Hygrozyme? They're made in BC. They might have a beneficial bacteria on your side of the fence.
I've have always ran hydroguard with my chiller, just as insurance.

 

[Smokey0418]

Had an issue going from just a tote to rdwc and carting some slime in.
Hit it with guard at first as I was short the chiller while aquiring the remaining piece but did not know double dose was were it’s at

so once resolved it’s been the smoothest ever , knock on wood.

but reading about using nothing has me wonder if it’s really needed once you have consistent cool temp.

I will not stop as what going is rocking and I am not changing if it’s looking full steam ahead. So orca and guard for me now as insurance like you say.

 

[Dr.Green55]

I don't know why but It seem like everyone doing bucket systems these days are way over designing them, making them more complicated and far more pricey them they need to be for what there doing with it.