First Dwc Grow

BUSTALUNG · Mar 5, 2016

I am in the planning and building stage of my 1st indoor grow. I have grown out side back in the day, before helicopters started flying and right after the dinosaurs went extinct, but when it comes to indoors I'm a cherry. I'm going to make a couple of DWC units out of 5 gal. buckets and I need some input on nutes, grow media, and water. Should I use distilled or tap? I know I will learn as I grow but any beginners tips would really help.

ohthatguy8 · Mar 6, 2016

Google rumpleforeskin lets make a bubble bucket. It will answer all of your questions. Don't use distilled water. R.o. Is perfered but you can use tap if it's a good municipal source. But if you have a well and hard water I'd get r.o.

BUSTALUNG · Mar 6, 2016

ohthatguy8 said:
Google rumpleforeskin lets make a bubble bucket. It will answer all of your questions. Don't use distilled water. R.o. Is perfered but you can use tap if it's a good municipal source. But if you have a well and hard water I'd get r.o.

Thanks for the info, I need all the help I can get.

PhatNuggz · Mar 6, 2016

I have used DWC successfully but it's prone to issue that are easily prevented with F & D. See my Hail Hydro thread for details

BUSTALUNG · Mar 6, 2016

PhatNuggz said:
I have used DWC successfully but it's prone to issue that are easily prevented with F & D. See my Hail Hydro thread for details

The reason I'm thinking DWC is it's inexpensive and easy to build and seems like a pretty simple setup. Like I said I'm a complete cherry growing without soil, I haven't grown period in 25 years. I am very limited on space since I live in a state that will burn your ass for a oz of nugs. I have to be very discreet with my grow. (Stashed in my closet) I'm hydro illiterate right now so I'm just wanting to get something started to help my moral while I study different types of methods. Do you mind sharing the issues you had and how to avoid them? Thanks for the help

Midwestjay · Mar 6, 2016

BUSTALUNG said:
The reason I'm thinking DWC is it's inexpensive and easy to build and seems like a pretty simple setup. Like I said I'm a complete cherry growing without soil, I haven't grown period in 25 years. I am very limited on space since I live in a state that will burn your ass for a oz of nugs. I have to be very discreet with my grow. (Stashed in my closet) I'm hydro illiterate right now so I'm just wanting to get something started to help my moral while I study different types of methods. Do you mind sharing the issues you had and how to avoid them? Thanks for the help

Its not hard bro. Get you a good air pump. I run a 975gph comercial style pump from bay. As far as grow media, I use rock wool in clay pebbles. As far as nutrients, that's up to the person. General hydroponic has a great 3part, they also have floranova bloom that is a 1part that works great from start to finish. I'm currently using Advanced 3part pH perfect, you don't have to adjust the pH near as much. As far as water I use ro water, distilled is too sensitive pH wise and a pain in the ass. Its easier to fill those 5gal jugs at the grocery store. If you have any other Q's I can help you out.

BUSTALUNG · Mar 6, 2016

Midwestjay said:
Its not hard bro. Get you a good air pump. I run a 975gph comercial style pump from bay. As far as grow media, I use rock wool in clay pebbles. As far as nutrients, that's up to the person. General hydroponic has a great 3part, they also have floranova bloom that is a 1part that works great from start to finish. I'm currently using Advanced 3part pH perfect, you don't have to adjust the pH near as much. As far as water I use ro water, distilled is too sensitive pH wise and a pain in the ass. Its easier to fill those 5gal jugs at the grocery store. If you have any other Q's I can help you out.

Hell yeah man thanks a lot. I have a couple plants going now in dirt that I'm gonna move outside when the weather says I can. I have read enough to make my own DWC bubble bucket. I'm gonna invest in a small grow tent maybe a 3x3 or 4x4 just something I can hide in my closet. I have a general idea of what's going on I have grown quiet a bit in dirt outside, years ago but I want start something I have more control over instead of being at the mercy of the weather. I damn sure will need some pointers. Thanks again bro I really appreciate it!!!

Midwestjay · Mar 6, 2016

BUSTALUNG said:
Hell yeah man thanks a lot. I have a couple plants going now in dirt that I'm gonna move outside when the weather says I can. I have read enough to make my own DWC bubble bucket. I'm gonna invest in a small grow tent maybe a 3x3 or 4x4 just something I can hide in my closet. I have a general idea of what's going on I have grown quiet a bit in dirt outside, years ago but I want start something I have more control over instead of being at the mercy of the weather. I damn sure will need some pointers. Thanks again bro I really appreciate it!!!

Its not as hard as people make it out to be. Just start about quarter strength on Nutes. And keep your pH between 5.5 and 6.5. I recommend the biggest tent you can fit. And the tallest. I promise they'll be bigger then you think. And size helps with temps too. What lights are you planning to use?

BUSTALUNG · Mar 6, 2016

Midwestjay said:
Its not hard bro. Get you a good air pump. I run a 975gph comercial style pump from bay. As far as grow media, I use rock wool in clay pebbles. As far as nutrients, that's up to the person. General hydroponic has a great 3part, they also have floranova bloom that is a 1part that works great from start to finish. I'm currently using Advanced 3part pH perfect, you don't have to adjust the pH near as much. As far as water I use ro water, distilled is too sensitive pH wise and a pain in the ass. Its easier to fill those 5gal jugs at the grocery store. If you have any other Q's I can help you out.

I read somewhere that if you use RO water that you have to add back a lot of stuff that the ro

Midwestjay said:
Its not as hard as people make it out to be. Just start about quarter strength on Nutes. And keep your pH between 5.5 and 6.5. I recommend the biggest tent you can fit. And the tallest. I promise they'll be bigger then you think. And size helps with temps too. What lights are you planning to use?

Im thinking maybe CFL to start off with to keep it simple but really want to use LED after I get a couple grows under my belt.

BUSTALUNG · Mar 6, 2016

To finish my above post. I read you have to replace a lot of stuff the ro removed from the water.

ArcticOrange · Mar 6, 2016

ohthatguy8 said:
Google rumpleforeskin lets make a bubble bucket. It will answer all of your questions. Don't use distilled water. R.o. Is perfered but you can use tap if it's a good municipal source. But if you have a well and hard water I'd get r.o.

Whats the difference between distilled and RO if its 0PPM and ph nuetral?

Midwestjay · Mar 6, 2016

BUSTALUNG said:
I read somewhere that if you use RO water that you have to add back a lot of stuff that the ro

Im thinking maybe CFL to start off with to keep it simple but really want to use LED after I get a couple grows under my belt.

Some plants need cal/mag added back if you use ro. Distilled water is the same way. Both have 0ppm in them. The difference is distilled is like void of anything and the pH jumps very easy with just a lil bit of input. And distilled will drop in pH if you just leave it out. Ro water sits close to 7ph which when you add most Nutes the pH falls right in place.

As far as lighting I recomed a dual spectrum 250w hid like @FrankieCoste runs. He gets killer results. Cfl and t5 will flower but won't yeild like you want. I recently went to a 600hps for flower. I was running a 12bulb 2x4 t5 650w start to finish And just didn't give me the buds I was going for. To get the wattage you need its not even a money saver. I get by with fans and no exhaust. Those fluorescent put off plenty of heat too and you have to keep them close. My dimmable 600w hps cost me $85 for the whole kit, balast, bulb, hangers,hood,and timer. My 2x4 tent was $60.

ArcticOrange · Mar 6, 2016

Midwestjay said:
Some plants need cal/mag added back if you use ro. Distilled water is the same way. Both have 0ppm in them. The difference is distilled is like void of anything and the pH jumps very easy with just a lil bit of input. And distilled will drop in pH if you just leave it out. To water sits close to 7ph which when you add most Nutes the pH falls right in place.

As far as lighting I recomed a dual spectrum 250w hid like @FrankieCoste runs. He gets killer results. Cfl and t5 will flower but won't yeild like you want. I recently went to a 600hps for flower. I was running a 12bulb 2x4 t5 650w start to finish And just didn't give me the buds I was going for. To get the wattage you need its not even a money saver. I get by with fans and no exhaust. Those fluorescent put off plenty of heat too and you have to keep them close. My dimmable 600w hps cost me $85 for the whole kit, balast, bulb, hangers,hood,and timer. My 2x4 tent was $60.

Thanks for that explanation J. With a blanket statement like "dont use distilled" i was like huh? I distill my own water because its cheaper than RO for me but i run organics so i was just curious why you hydro folk didnt like a good old fashioned still, makes sense though

Midwestjay · Mar 6, 2016

ArcticOrange said:
Whats the difference between distilled and RO if its 0PPM and ph nuetral?

I know by the numbers they should be the same and maybe a more educated person can explain it better. Also they don't have distilled at the grocery store fill up thing.

ArcticOrange · Mar 6, 2016

Midwestjay said:
I know by the numbers they should be the same and maybe a more educated person can explain it better. Also they don't have distilled at the grocery store fill up thing.

Throws alot of people off the first time they try to test PH in distilled water. Theres no H+ ions so your meter will "guess" and just throw a random number.

Midwestjay · Mar 6, 2016

ArcticOrange said:
Thanks for that explanation J. With a blanket statement like "dont use distilled" i was like huh? I distill my own water because its cheaper than RO for me but i run organics so i was just curious why you hydro folk didnt like a good old fashioned still, makes sense though

I think just filtering it leaves it more stable. But when its distilled its completely void of anything. It takes just the tiniest bit of anything for way bigger siwings in pH. If you have you system down its fine, but for a newb it may have you chasing pH. Plus its a bitch to get and more expencive if you don't make it.

Midwestjay · Mar 6, 2016

ArcticOrange said:
Throws alot of people off the first time they try to test PH in distilled water. Theres no H+ ions so your meter will "guess" and just throw a random number.

Good to know

BUSTALUNG · Mar 6, 2016

Midwestjay said:
Some plants need cal/mag added back if you use ro. Distilled water is the same way. Both have 0ppm in them. The difference is distilled is like void of anything and the pH jumps very easy with just a lil bit of input. And distilled will drop in pH if you just leave it out. To water sits close to 7ph which when you add most Nutes the pH falls right in place.

As far as lighting I recomed a dual spectrum 250w hid like @FrankieCoste runs. He gets killer results. Cfl and t5 will flower but won't yeild like you want. I recently went to a 600hps for flower. I was running a 12bulb 2x4 t5 650w start to finish And just didn't give me the buds I was going for. To get the wattage you need its not even a money saver. I get by with fans and no exhaust. Those fluorescent put off plenty of heat too and you have to keep them close. My dimmable 600w hps cost me $85 for the whole kit, balast, bulb, hangers,hood,and timer. My 2x4 tent was $60.

I found a 3x3 tent on Amazon for 69.00. I thought about HPS for veg. and MH for flowering. Again all I know is what I've read. Is a dual spect. 250w good from start to finish.

Midwestjay · Mar 6, 2016

BUSTALUNG said:
I found a 3x3 tent on Amazon for 69.00. I thought about HPS for veg. and MH for flowering. Again all I know is what I've read. Is a dual spect. 250w good from start to finish.

Yea dual spectrum is the best for start to fnish. Also you want the mh/ blue for veg. And the hps/red for flower.

ArcticOrange · Mar 6, 2016

BUSTALUNG said:
I found a 3x3 tent on Amazon for 69.00. I thought about HPS for veg. and MH for flowering. Again all I know is what I've read. Is a dual spect. 250w good from start to finish.

Ive flowered under fluoros and HIDs (mh/hps) and the HIds are worth the extra effort in my humble opinion.

J is correct youve got'em backwards there.

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