First grow in hydro-Will this work?

[Weedly]

My first grow (coco) is finishing up and I'm preparing for the second. This time I'm going hydro. I bought the new Spider Farmer DWC 2 Bucket Kit and it looks like pretty good quality. However, I'd really like to be able to get away for three or four days at a time this spring, so I've tried to come up with an exterior reservoir to keep the water level topped off while I'm away and the plants are drinking a gallon a day. I'd use a small container to put a float valve in that I would set at the proper height for the water in the reservoir to stay at. I would connect the float valve to a bucket raised slightly higher than the valve. Am I missing any reason why this wouldn't work? Also, would I need an air stone in the bucket of extra water? It would only be in there for less than a week and in total darkness. I plan to use HydroGuard and my water runs first through a whole-house sterilizer. I'll have two separate systems like this in a 2.5' x 4.5' tent. The float valve and bucket would be outside the tent.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[NairnM16]

Sterile or beni res?

 

[Weedly]

Sterile or beni res?

I was planning to use HydroGuard, which I think is beneficial.

 

[NairnM16]

Your diagram will work fine,

I use a 110L tote connected to a 36L head bucket with a float stopper,

Then that branches off to my 4 buckets,
I have a pump in head bucket to move the water around

I’ll mix up my nutes for the week and then let tht float in, then top up the tote with just ph water to 5.8,

With benies, environment is key keep res below 21c keep light out ect, the hydro gaurd should work but it’s never worked for me, I use sensisyme from advanced nutes at 2ml all stages, thts basically the exact same as hydro gaurd but I’ve just noticed my roots stay more white with the sensy, I used to ad h202 until I found out tht was killing my benis nd inviting root rot after the 24hour period,

 

[NairnM16]

Another thing is keep your air pump about water level, I don’t know the science behind it just always been told, maybe to stop a syphon if ever a failure

 

[Weedly]

Thanks! If I put the inlet fitting low in the reservoir the plant is in, is there any worry of the roots going that far down and clogging it? Should I put a screen over it or anything?

 

[Weedly]

Another thing is keep your air pump about water level, I don’t know the science behind it just always been told, maybe to stop a syphon if ever a failure

I’ve had aquariums all my life and have always heard the same thing. I think you’re right about a siphon pulling water back into the pump. The Spider Farmer kit has check valves to stop that, but I’ll still keep it up high.

 

[amneziaHaze]

My first grow (coco) is finishing up and I'm preparing for the second. This time I'm going hydro. I bought the new Spider Farmer DWC 2 Bucket Kit and it looks like pretty good quality. However, I'd really like to be able to get away for three or four days at a time this spring, so I've tried to come up with an exterior reservoir to keep the water level topped off while I'm away and the plants are drinking a gallon a day. I'd use a small container to put a float valve in that I would set at the proper height for the water in the reservoir to stay at. I would connect the float valve to a bucket raised slightly higher than the valve. Am I missing any reason why this wouldn't work? Also, would I need an air stone in the bucket of extra water? It would only be in there for less than a week and in total darkness. I plan to use HydroGuard and my water runs first through a whole-house sterilizer. I'll have two separate systems like this in a 2.5' x 4.5' tent. The float valve and bucket would be outside the tent.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
View attachment 2394312

It will work but you have to get the nute concentration low or perfect.if its high it will get stronger each day and burn.if you go sterile you can go for 4 days maybe because sterile needs to refresh


Air pump can be under the water level only if you have a one way valve or the pump never stops

I have a 70L bucket and roots will fill the whole bucket after 3 months when using 300w led.i never used a pump in the bucket but others have said roots go in

 

[Grownsince95]

It was already mentioned but definitely watch out for siphon issues! I learned the hard way.

 

[Weedly]

I have a 70L bucket and roots will fill the whole bucket after 3 months when using 300w led.i never used a pump in the bucket but others have said roots go in

I never imagined the roots could fill an 18 gallon container. Is that just one plant? I thought the 7 gallon pot I bought would be plenty. I’ll definitely put a screen over the intake then.

 

[Weedly]

It was already mentioned but definitely watch out for siphon issues! I learned the hard way.

Just out of curiosity, did that just ruin the pump or did it cause a short and a fire hazard?

 

[NairnM16]

Root prooning is a must if your gonna veg longer than 4 weeks,

Like the top of the plant the roots like to double if not triple come flower too,

That’s why soil or coco users transplant before flower,

I veg for about 4 week then move them into my flower bucket where I’ll cut the roots in half giving my airstones plenty of room to oxygenate the water

If using the right root stimulants you should be able to fill a 36L tub in 4weeks of veg root wise, I use voodoo juice turantula nd prhiranna first 2 weeks of veg and first 2 weeks of flower and sensisyme all stages for white bushy roots

 

[amneziaHaze]

I never imagined the roots could fill an 18 gallon container. Is that just one plant? I thought the 7 gallon pot I bought would be plenty. I’ll definitely put a screen over the intake then.

i dont have any photos here but
rollitup

https://www.invalid.com/t/bubba-kush-2-0-vs-white-gorrila-haze.1084022/page-4

you can see the harvest photos there where 2 plants in one pot.

 

[Grownsince95]

Just out of curiosity, did that just ruin the pump or did it cause a short and a fire hazard?

It caused a flood. About 20 gallons worth. I lied and told my landlord the toilet overflowed. The downstairs neighbors were pissed to say the least.

 

[NairnM16]

It caused a flood. About 20 gallons worth. I lied and told my landlord the toilet overflowed. The downstairs neighbors were pissed to say the least.

We’ve all been there, lesson learned dont have 200L held above the house held together by rubber washers

 

[amneziaHaze]

It caused a flood. About 20 gallons worth. I lied and told my landlord the toilet overflowed. The downstairs neighbors were pissed to say the least.

i had an old 200L aquarium in the attic and an arduino automatic watering the plant.until one day little aliexpress sensor decided to rot away in the dirt.and my bad programing told the arduino no no we are still dry..... flooded the living room.