Rdwc Bucket Size Question

[peta1111]

your tap water is going to lock out nutes at 250ppm.

Maybe, hope not. I've spoken to many people about this. Most say that 250ppm is not that high and I can lower it a bit by using part purchased water. It is what it is. I can not buy 25-gallons of water whenever I need to change it out.

BTW, I won a box of nutes and asked their people about the 250ppm also. They said its not that bad but if it was higher than 400ppm they would suggest slightly lowering some of the nutes. They gave me the info in case I want to do that. But I was planning on using 1/2 strength to start anyhow. We will see what happens. Roots are almost into the water and I haven't watered the plants in a few days. They are getting fed from the splash. Growing ok for now.

 

[gonegrowin]

if you have a few water containers, fill them and put a bubbler in. will help wonders.

 

[peta1111]

if you have a few water containers, fill them and put a bubbler in. will help wonders.

I did that. I also filled the system and let it run with air stones since I popped the seeds. Like I said, it is what it is. Wish I had RO water but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

 

[Mr.GoodCat]

I use 4 gallon sq buckets. How much do you figure this is gonna cost you? Or better yet, what do you have to spend?

Plenty big for DWC unless your trying to grow 2-3 pound trees

 

[EventHorizan]

Plenty big for DWC unless your trying to grow 2-3 pound trees

I agree. I drop 150 grams per plant easy...

 

[peta1111]

The roots are bathing in the water. Giving the plants another day or two to develop in the root spa then moving them into the system. They seem ready for it now and can probably use a bit higher nute concentration than what I have in the tub.

 

[Hammer088]

I was planning on having a larger epicenter outside the tent where it is cooler and to save space. Originally I was also thinking of going with 2 buckets to start but I am starting with seedlings so I am going to have to grow more plants initially to sex them. I may need to fall back to that plan though. I really do not want it to get out of hand. Appreciate the feedback. Sounds like the 8gal buckets may be a good compromise.

The choice between lge buckets vs smaller or square buckets, aside from sq buckets fitting better, which has no bearing om DWC. if you have the room, lighting, and cash to grow a large amount of tall plants Ok bigger pots bigger root ball but large conical plants yield 1 great cola per plant and diminishing size from there , but you're paying the same to produce the smaller and the popcorn. why not grow less plants , more sq " per plant with some LST and tons of apical colas . doesn't have to be SCROG but a little horizontal influence will save you money , nutes bulb life and produce more similar buds,
cheers

 

[peta1111]

5 days in the system and plants are happy. Took a couple of days to get over the stress from messing with the roots when I changed net pots but all good now. They are supposed to be the same strain but are obviously different phenos.
I topped the larger one last night.

 

[EventHorizan]

The choice between lge buckets vs smaller or square buckets, aside from sq buckets fitting better, which has no bearing om DWC. if you have the room, lighting, and cash to grow a large amount of tall plants Ok bigger pots bigger root ball but large conical plants yield 1 great cola per plant and diminishing size from there , but you're paying the same to produce the smaller and the popcorn. why not grow less plants , more sq " per plant with some LST and tons of apical colas . doesn't have to be SCROG but a little horizontal influence will save you money , nutes bulb life and produce more similar buds,
cheers

How does it save bulb life???

 

[visajoe1]

how often are you checking you ph @peta1111
that leaf twisting/deformities can be a sign of ph issues

 

[EventHorizan]

how often are you checking you ph @peta1111
that leaf twisting/deformities can be a sign of ph issues

He just had to jack with the roots.. read back just a little ways and you will see...
It's It's a sign of stress from that.
They look great considering what they went thru!

 

[peta1111]

I check the PH daily and it has been rock solid. That larger plant didn't like the root mangling but it seems to be over it now. It is an odd duck though. It grows crazy fast but if anything changes, even a fan moved, it will react in one way or another.
I did notice that RH has been creeping up. May have to deal with that.

 

[EventHorizan]

Rh should be anywhere from 55 to 70 and pref around 65 during veg...

 

[peta1111]

Rh should be anywhere from 55 to 70 and pref around 65 during veg...

Yeah it has started creeping above 70 now. Keeping an eye on it.

 

[EventHorizan]

Yeah it has started creeping above 70 now. Keeping an eye on it.

What do u have for air circulation? And how thick is your canopy. Sorry bro. I forget so easy...
Rh is good. Plants thrive but so does mold. But as long as you got 2 things u ought to be good..
1. Air circulation. ..
2. Filtered intake air with hepa filter... = no spores, mites, etc...

And it don't hurt to keep things clean with bleach water. I wash down the inside of my tent every couple weeks with bleach water.
Of course now I have a room and it's filtered...

 

[EventHorizan]

What you on now about day 16 -21?

 

[peta1111]

What do u have for air circulation? And how thick is your canopy. Sorry bro. I forget so easy...
Rh is good. Plants thrive but so does mold. But as long as you got 2 things u ought to be good..
1. Air circulation. ..
2. Filtered intake air with hepa filter... = no spores, mites, etc...

And it don't hurt to keep things clean with bleach water. I wash down the inside of my tent every couple weeks with bleach water.
Of course now I have a room and it's filtered...

It's a 5x5 tent. I have a couple of fans for circulation and a small heater going because it can get cold down there.
I setup a exhaust fan with a filter for odor control too but have not had it going yet. I'll have to put that on a timer. May need to add an intake filter. Maybe I'll rig something up from Home Depot.
I put seedlings in the root spa about 18 days ago (1/25) and put them in the system 8 days ago (2/4). So treating this week as week 2 of veg (for nutes purposes).
I wiped down the tent with bleach water when I moved the plants into the system. Good idea though, will do it weekly.

 

[EventHorizan]

It's a 5x5 tent. I have a couple of fans for circulation and a small heater going because it can get cold down there.
I setup a exhaust fan with a filter for odor control too but have not had it going yet. I'll have to put that on a timer. May need to add an intake filter. Maybe I'll rig something up from Home Depot.
I put seedlings in the root spa about 18 days ago (1/25) and put them in the system 8 days ago (2/4). So treating this week as week 2 of veg (for nutes purposes).
I wiped down the tent with bleach water when I moved the plants into the system. Good idea though, will do it weekly.

Is the heater digital control? they look pretty good.. the higher you raise the heat the less rh in tent. I actually have my house heat vent in to my grow room which brings c02 from the furnace and then I have my exhaust set up to kick on when it reaches 80. So the heat brings c02 and drier air. And tends to drop it lower an 50. So I have a himiditor that raises it back to 60.. pretty good system so far and I don't have to run a separate heater, which I'm really estate about.
I mean I'm in the basement, and it's cold, but my room is well insulated.
You could do the same with your tent. You just need buy a Y pipe to come off your duct and go straight in the bottom of your tent. Then hook up exhaust at top and buy you a temp day/night controller and do away with the heater! That will control the rh too..
And his is the gold! Even when the heat ain't on it still pulls air thru your ventilation system from upstairs to keep it heated during lights out! And recirculated.
And the double gold, if you hook up the exhaust like mine it vents to my liven room above thru a vent. Free heat!

 

[EventHorizan]

Is the heater digital control? they look pretty good.. the higher you raise the heat the less rh in tent. I actually have my house heat vent in to my grow room which brings c02 from the furnace and then I have my exhaust set up to kick on when it reaches 80. So the heat brings c02 and drier air. And tends to drop it lower an 50. So I have a himiditor that raises it back to 60.. pretty good system so far and I don't have to run a separate heater, which I'm really estate about.
I mean I'm in the basement, and it's cold, but my room is well insulated.
You could do the same with your tent. You just need buy a Y pipe to come off your duct and go straight in the bottom of your tent. Then hook up exhaust at top and buy you a temp day/night controller and do away with the heater! That will control the rh too..
And his is the gold! Even when the heat ain't on it still pulls air thru your ventilation system from upstairs to keep it heated during lights out! And recirculated.
And the double gold, if you hook up the exhaust like mine it vents to my liven room above thru a vent. Free heat!

Just food for thought

 

[peta1111]

Is the heater digital control? they look pretty good.. the higher you raise the heat the less rh in tent. I actually have my house heat vent in to my grow room which brings c02 from the furnace and then I have my exhaust set up to kick on when it reaches 80. So the heat brings c02 and drier air. And tends to drop it lower an 50. So I have a himiditor that raises it back to 60.. pretty good system so far and I don't have to run a separate heater, which I'm really estate about.
I mean I'm in the basement, and it's cold, but my room is well insulated.
You could do the same with your tent. You just need buy a Y pipe to come off your duct and go straight in the bottom of your tent. Then hook up exhaust at top and buy you a temp day/night controller and do away with the heater! That will control the rh too..
And his is the gold! Even when the heat ain't on it still pulls air thru your ventilation system from upstairs to keep it heated during lights out! And recirculated.
And the double gold, if you hook up the exhaust like mine it vents to my liven room above thru a vent. Free heat!

It has a digital thermostat. Seems to be fairly accurate according to the thermometer in the tent. I hate running a heater though.
Your solution sounds good. I could probably do that. I'l have to look into that Y-pipe to see how hard it is. Maybe next grow.