Deadstill
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It's ridiculously overregulated, that's the biggest problem. They want us to report to the Colorado Dept. of Agriculture (who then reports to the USDA) AND the Farm Service Agency, on top of compliance testing and everything else, it's no wonder so many hemp farmers did 1 season and quit. I'm having a hard time justifying doing another season, myself, but I don't give up on anything that easilyYeah the hemp thing seems sketchy. Lots of pitfalls for sure. 1diesel1 had a tough time too up in Oregon.
Seems like a tough way to make a living.
"I would fit right into that last 'unknowingly' group of newbs, I likely just didn't keep at it long enough to have many root issues"THanks for the explaination. That helps alot!...and as previously stated, I would fit right into that last 'unknowingly' group of newbs, I likely just didn't keep at it long enough to have many root issues. After nearly killing the arugula with my city tap water..., I wanted to see if our Chloramine water would be good after 4 days of sitting. Within minutes the letuce was wilting, literally and the roots turned orange. Needless to say, I've been using a catalytic activated carbon filter as well doing my pH down with L-ascorbic acid (vitamine C) for my supersoil JAWS grows ever since.
Anyway, from the experiance and knowlwdge here, it looks like I should be relatively fine doing DWC and any issues won't really be from a lack of oxygen to the roots, as long as I'm aerifying well and constantly. Is there any advantage to an air pump and stone verses a circulating water pump with venturi?
I think you missed part of what I said"I would fit right into that last 'unknowingly' group of newbs, I likely just didn't keep at it long enough to have many root issues"
i was thinking the same thing for years but ive been growing "neither" for the last 10 years with good success. So much so that i don't think its a fluke anymore.
You don't have to convince me that root rot is real, but all i can say is that ive never lost a crop because of it. Ive always only grown 4 plants at a time and never lost one to root rot. My first attempt at rdwc wasin a 4 site home made 5 gal set up and only harvested one plant of the 4. Other 3 were a loss because of uniseals.I think you missed part of what I said
Neither means you are so damn good at growing that you laugh at things like Pythium, and use neither H2O2 or Great White.
I’ll tell you that root rot is real but it is not just a hydro thing. I cannot speak to your practice that prevents it in your system, can you? If not you are a lucky son of a gun is alll I can a say. If you were to get it tomorrow you would break out option 1 or 2 right? Or do you know something nobody else does about this? You have also told me in the past that pushing hot air into the res via pump / stones does not raise water temp. It’s possible you live in some sort of space time warp where normal rules of physics do not apply.
Do a search for a old member on this site called texas kid (good grower) i remember his starting well water was 2600. I'll agree with your salt comment for sure but to date i haven't had an issue that im aware off.I hear you. I think you also do a fair amount of down time between grows, right? So if you were to get some baddies, they would die off between grows I'm thinking, basically a natural sterilization process. Like leaving a field fallow. Most of us don't pause between grows, so if you get contaminated and do nothing about it, it effects every grow going forward.
I wouldn't change what you are doing with air or anything else if it is working for you and you are happy. We don't all have to have the same goals or techniques. What I was reacting to on the hot air was that you told me that pushing heat into a res via a piston pump was possibly a myth, but the laws of physics would disagree. The fact that you are running a chiller allows you to keep temps in the right zone. Folks who don't have one may create their own problems with heat in the res based on lack of understanding. This applies primarily to new growers. Most of what I put on the forum is intended for new growers, and I spend a fair amount of time dealing with root rot and other emergencies with newbies. You are in a different class!
I have no idea how you are getting away with 2200PPM start. Another smokedareefer mystery. I'd be worried about sodium, among other things.
FWIW, mycos will enhance the root structure. Here is an example of running beneficials from seed and putting the plants into an inoculated system:
^^^This was actually a throw away male plant when I was testing low PPM levels, but look at the white fungus on the substrate. That comes from Orca or Great White. The beaker has a concentration of them which I dip the roots and substrate into, fully submerging them. Then pop them back in the hydro system. Not much to it.
Below is how 4 week old established roots in my system look. Is that the structure you are going for?
Yeah I agree the roots are not hairy, but I see that in my RDWC systems at the end too. Here is an exampleDo a search for a old member on this site called texas kid (good grower) i remember his starting well water was 2600. I'll agree with your salt comment for sure but to date i haven't had an issue that im aware off.
Here's a reject that i left in the veg room to see how far a falling ph changes things or if it did at all in my system. Ph went to 4.3 on this plant.View attachment 1316634View attachment 1316636View attachment 1316635
And here is a snap of one of my keepers the day she moved to the flower room. Notice the lack of fibrous roots. Looks to be mostly tap root or am i wrong?
Water level is 1 inch below net pot, notice the roots in that area or near the surface have more "hair".
I already had your 2 root pictures in my "root" file as i have been curious how i do what i do.View attachment 1316641
Grab a microscope and meet your bus. Your running live, unless u use chlorinated tap water. You get bbs naturally via humidity like me.i was thinking the same thing for years but ive been growing "neither" for the last 10 years with good success. So much so that i don't think its a fluke anymore.
I'll typically shave their legs just before going into flower and then a defoliation at day 21.Yeah I agree the roots are not hairy, but I see that in my RDWC systems at the end too. Here is an example
Seems like the area where the roots are packed in does not grow hairy, but the other areas with space around, like at the top, does. Seems like that can be effected by veg time from my informal experience less veg = more hair. Also, if you starve them a little up front, they grow more, hairier roots if that is a thing. But early root growth is always pretty hairy in my RDWC. Either way, what you are doing is working, but like you I would feel better with less snake and more hair. Could just be us stupid humans putting our value on plant morphology while they laugh at us knowing they are doing it right for the conditions they are in.
Very curious. You have me thinking.
I also wonder how what we do above the ground effects the roots below. I typically defoliate and scrog. I'm sure that has a different effect on root requirements than letting the plant go natural. A significant amount of the plants in your pics would have been gone in my system. But I pack them in closer, you have lots of room to work with.
Lots of variables brother. I can't even keep track of them all.
problem with buckets is they are round. If you come out the side they need a very thick gasket to compensate for curvature or will leak. I had to make my own washers on a 3D printer to accommodate normal bulkheads.First up, THANKS to all for the good advice. I purchased a Vivosun 4 bucket DWC. It's on sale, add on another 15% coupon code and the $4.20 they give you for making an account and the total was only $126. Now I want to add recirculating pump and reservoir. I'm also expecting to add a chiller to the system for summer, but right now, temp in the garage is running about 50* so I'll need a water heater.
Anyone have a good 1/2" bulkhead fitting for 5 gal buckets to recomend?
I know that's an option, I just don't want to have to customise a 4'x4' pallet down to 110cmx110cm, :). I found these on Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7CSTQ8...colid=1ZMWORAZFQ46T&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1problem with buckets is they are round. If you come out the side they need a very thick gasket to compensate for curvature or will leak. I had to make my own washers on a 3D printer to accommodate normal bulkheads.
Can you come out the bottom?
They have washers and are small, so not much concave/convex to have to flatten on the bucket. Maybe?
They might work. Plan on some silicone would be my advice. I could never get them to seal up like that myself. Couple other options:I know that's an option, I just don't want to have to customise a 4'x4' pallet down to 110cmx110cm, :). I found these on Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7CSTQ8...colid=1ZMWORAZFQ46T&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1
They have washers and are small, so not much concave/convex to have to flatten on the bucket. Maybe?
Good point. Aqua man uses 2" and gets away with it. I have clogged 2" myself, and the result is you empty the res into the bottom of your grow space. Been there.If these are for your return lines, I think they will be too small and clog with roots eventually. The smallest return lines I have seen are 2" and some say those even clog up, not sure what the truth is there. My system runs a 3" line back to the res and would be pretty hard to clog that up. I would try to get some square buckets, they are spendy but you won't have this issue and can go with larger bulkheads and return lines.
Single 8 Gallon Bucket with Lid
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Well, that was another question I had, roots and pluggung up a circulating DWC. I was/am hopeful that a slowly circulating system might work with the small return lines, something like this from Amazon, here
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