My first dwc grow

[LuckyAcres]

I was set up earlier this week by a friend with a full hydro system and clone! The lady is Candida CD1 a mostly cbd strain but the pheno I took home is closer to a 10/10 thc/cbd ratio.He kept the 15/1 cbd pheno to make his salve. The third clone had to be chucked, couldn’t find a taker.
The diy system is cheap and made of 2buckets, one tank and one extra reservoir. The tank is at full strength nutes using the grow big, tiger bloom etc... line and hydroguard basically. The reservoir is at 1/3 strength and is used to replenish the tank as the level drops. Both are emptied out and replaced once a week.

[Jibblerjoe]

Staying tuned

[Jason]

Not familiar with that set up, but it looks well thought out. I use a simple WaterFarm. If all goes well, you should be happy with hydro. Season/weather independent and should produce very predictably.
Good luck.

[LuckyAcres]

Thanks! Yeah it’s more out of curiosity than anything at this point, the crazy veg growth I heard of... my other biz dies off a bit in winter so that’ll keep me busy and out of trouble!

[Grinder]

I see a couple things that concern me. From your first pic it appears you have way too much water in the bucket. It may just be the angle of the photo but the water level should not go above the bottom of the net pot. Second and again it may be the picture it looks like you could use more air. I switched to DWC from soil almost two years ago and will never go back to soil.

[LuckyAcres]

First time not growing in soil so I’m all ears! I have 4 gallons of solution in a 5 gallon bucket. How much you’d recommend?
The tank with the clone has a bigger stone but I’ve been wondering if that’s enough movement. Bigger pump maybe? How many watts you’d recommend for this bucket?

[Grinder]

In a 5 gallon bucket I use about 3 to 3.5 gallons of water. It depends on how low your net pot sits in the bucket. I use two medium air stones and 15W 4 port air pumps. I use 1 pump for 2 buckets. It's probably overkill but I like to see a good churn in the water.

[Californiakid]

Subbed
I'm in for the ride. 👍

[Locrian99]

How do you like the rippin ale? Haven’t had anything from sunriver brewing. I’ve been a fan of pallet Jack from barley browns lately, or RPM from boneyard.

[Locrian99]

If you like the RPM you should try the pallet jack. Pretty sure it’s growler only though. It’s out of baker city

[LuckyAcres]

I’ll keep my eyes open for it in portland. I always have an empty growler in the truck for those special encounters!

[DingusKhan]

No way, RPM is one of my favs! Are you an Oregonian too?

[LuckyAcres]

In a 5 gallon bucket I use about 3 to 3.5 gallons of water. It depends on how low your net pot sits in the bucket. I use two medium air stones and 15W 4 port air pumps. I use 1 pump for 2 buckets. It's probably overkill but I like to see a good churn in the water.

Grinder thanks for the info! Finally had time to look at tutorials this am and adjusted the system, see pics. I also replaced that tiny pump with a 60 gallon aquarium air pump, churning is way better now! Ph at 5.8, lowered tank level, we should be rolling I think!

[Californiakid]

Lucky I don't grow dwc but I brew tea. Get air stones with the most surface area you can get. It really helps get more aeration out of your pumps output.

[Cannabliss]

LuckyAcres just a small tip concerning the air flow going into the bucket from the air pump; keep it at low/med for now. The roots are still young and delicate and too much (fast) water movement may tear them and/or tangle them up. As the plant grows and the roots get bigger, you can start raising the strength of the air flow. Just my 2 cents. Good luck with the growth.

[LuckyAcres]

Great tip! Thanks man!

[LuckyAcres]

Quick update, just added a flow control on the tank line, turned it down a bunch, the roots seem ... calmer...
thanks all for the pro tips!

[DingusKhan]

Lucky! Welcome to the dark, wet side! I knew it would have you. Now you will know the sheer power of growing in the Matrix!

Dude, there are so many variations on set ups that you can do. You've got the basics down, and Grinder has got it right on. Gentle with the bubbles and flow. You got this, yo.

[Grinder]

Glad to hear your dialing it in. DWC is really a simple and very effective way to grow.

[Mr.furley]

Lucky you never cease to amaze me, you're such a plethora a great information, styles, experiments, ect ect.....
good luck.

[LuckyAcres]

Ha! Thanks man! I have no social life, I need a hobby to stay out of trouble!

[MadMike]

I think I'm going to follow along as well. I'm on my third grow with coco and dwc has had me intrigued. Excited to see how you progress. I've been a little hesitant about it since changing the water seems like pouring nutes down the drain. Of course, I always have runoff that I pour down the drain so maybe not much of a difference.
Didn't see a ppm meter in your descriptions. Always sounds like something you should have for hydro, or coco for that matter, but that's another investment. If you're going without one, I'm doubly interested in following your grow.

Oh, what's the side spot with the can over it? Monitoring water levels?

[LuckyAcres]

Welcome to the show! Yup I got me a proper ppm meter, like you said, couldn’t do it without it! That tube is to check water levels and the can was what I had on hand to block the light!

[LuckyAcres]

It’s been a tough start for this girl. Ph pen broke, took time to replace it, finally found that happy distance between water and nutes, and new shoots are finally popping off the main root. Was about to cull her two days ago... my topping wasn’t at the best time considering what’s been going on down under in the bucket... new shoots are coming out, we’re back in business folks!
i also went ahead and painted the buckets white to deflect some of that heat. Ph is steady, pm around 1700, not sure if that’s good or bad yet, opinions? I run my soil nutes at 1300.
cheers!

[DingusKhan]

Good save on the roots there, Lucky! I think the ppm sounds a little high. Good idea on the brush-on paint. I feel silly for spray painting. Messy and inconsistent.

[RosettaStoned]

For a plant that small I'm at like 100-300 ppm in dwc.

[Cannabliss]

If you'd rather not paint your buckets, I sometimes use those black/white poly sheets. I cut out small strips enough to wrap the buckets in (white side facing out). That deflects some heat while helping to keep the inside of the bucket nice and dark. You can slide them off to clean and reuse them.

As far as PPM's go, I have to agree with DingusKhan in that they seem pretty high for the age of the plant. You may have to lower them way down. How old is she?