First DWC run, any tips?!

[Trichomefarmer88]

Plants are still doing great! I noticed some brown algae buildup on the roots of those plants but I lot worse on the GSC.. now I've been using floralaicous plus an it stains my roots a browish color but, I was getting a dark brown build up in the top middle of my root ball. So I emptied it the buckets, scrubbed with h202 an re filled after I did some test to find the light leak.. after a while of trying to find it I gave up an wrapped the whole buckets in big bubble wrap.. also taped a reflective flap over the bucket lids so.. shouldn't have any problems now.. Don't really see how I had a little light leak before? But the only thing I can think of is the clear air tube I'm using... I've taped it all up with black tape tho... From pump all the way to the inside of the bucket... Even doubled up on the tape t to make sure.. so I'll keep a close eye on it.. other than that everything else has been looking perfect.. my flower tent will be mostly emptied out here in two weeks after I flush.. so i will be putting the two dwc buckets into the flower tent soon! Can't wait! Will Max out Lucas formula with additives an throw my new metal halide light in my cool tube... Just for the first few weeks of flower to get a really nice stretch... I also have my first fully organic super soil I made my self to try out, ten gal pot full of worms also.. put the biggest bubba kush clone I have into the big pot.. I'm hoping to fit two five gal dwc bucket an a ten gal dirt bucket all into flower tent at the same time, really hope they all fit! Will probably be snug but.. should be awesome.. we'll see here soon I guess..

[Cannabliss]

How cool are you keeping your reservoir temps? They should not exceed 70 degrees F. I usually keep mine between 60-65 F. Any "funny" smells coming from the root zone?

[alltatup]

Clear air tubes are a no no, but it sounds like you've done the right thing. I use nutes that stain my roots brown, too, but I've also dealt with root rot, so I know the difference.

[Trichomefarmer88]

No, not a funny smell but seemed like a dark brown clumps in the top, middle of my root ball.. if it happens again I'll take pics thanks guys.. also thanks for the replys.. it's also getting warmer out an harder to keep my rez's under 70 degrees Fahrenheit.. I try to add a frozen water bottle every day but I forget some times.. anyone know where I can pick up cheap water chiller? Just a big enough one for two 5 gal buckets.?

[alltatup]

Good luck with the cheap!!! After doing all my research, I bought this:

https://www.amazon.com/Active-Aqua-Chiller-10-HP/dp/B0048IVBT4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1525167916&sr=8-2&keywords=active+aqua+chiller

It has worked great, and I haven't had any more root rot problems. This is no cheap or simple hobby I fell in love with...

[Trichomefarmer88]

Yeah figures huh? Lol just a little broke right now taken care of other things.. just looking for a used one maybe someone on here wants to sell one?

[Locrian99]

Ha you weren’t kidding when you said not cheap.

[Cannabliss]

Trichomefarmer88 a while back I made a post in a topic about keeping reservoir temps down. I chimed in and shared how I keep them down by using a little water chiller system I came up with that involves using those big, blue ice blocks. No electricity needed. You just have to remember to change the ice blocks when needed. It's a pretty long description, so I'll leave the link to the post here just in case you'd like to read up on it.

[Trichomefarmer88]

Thanks for all the tips an info everyone! My girls have been growing an looking GREAT! Took few pics of the tops.. next time I switch water it I'll show you the roots! Thanks again everyone!

[alltatup]

They look great, farmer!!!

[Trichomefarmer88]

Thanks alltatup! Hopefully I'll be going into the flower tent with them soon! Just got to get my water temps under control first.. my veg closet has all cfl's in there an my flower tent is 600w hps an a 600w led.. hard enough keeping the temps under 80 degrees Fahrenheit in there let alone the water.. I did wrap my buckets in big bubble wrap for insolation an use frozen water bottle everyday.. but lm probably gonna try making a rez chillier like cannabliss showed me.. but probably try an cover it all some how... Thanks again!

[alltatup]

This is the big challenge with hydroponics: keeping the water cool enough. I'm keepin my fingers crossed for ya!!

[Trichomefarmer88]

Plants are growing along nicely! Stepped up to fill strength Lucas with the MaxiBloom, using some additives like, hydro gaurd, photo plus, cal magic, an since I just switchedd to flower I added some voodoo juice.. was using armor si there veg.. I usually cut out the silica in soil when I flower so did the same in hydro.. any thoughts on that? I have koolbloom liquid too stay flowing.. I'll add it in like a week.. give the plant time to adjust with the new changes an the crazy strong lights compared to what it was lol

[Cloud]

Im 3/4 way through my first grow and its DWC and i had a bit of problem with root rot at first till i used hydrogaurd. I also added another air stone to my system. I was at 2 air stones per tote and went to 3 and my roots look awesome. Im using 18 gal totes btw and 2 to 3 plants per tote. I also live in Arizona where heat can be an issue. I let my water get over 70F all the time and so far no issues since the first few weeks but its still may lol and its gonna get a lot hotter.

[Trichomefarmer88]

Yeah I don't have that crazy dry heat.. but up on East coast here it's been so damn humid!! An lot, lots of rain recently.. but Ive just been switching out the Ice bottles twice a day now that my buckets are in the flower tent.. the roots are getting really big an white.. beautiful looking... But good luck with your grow! I'm still hoping my GSC is female so I'll keep everyone posted

[Trichomefarmer88]

[Trichomefarmer88]

[Trichomefarmer88]

Shit! So almost 7 well old GSC is a damn male!!!! I'm pissed! Just really got confirmation on it today.. thought it was leaning that way the passed week but damn... I have shit luck I guess! I had two reg. seeds but one didn't make it.. probably the female huh?! Smh ,..... So now I have to decide.. rip him out an into worm compost bin... Or, leave it in there for another week until it's first pollen sac burst to do my first cross breed of female pre 98 bubble gum Kush an girl scout cookies... I'll call it Bubba's Cookies Kush.. lol sounds good right? What could go wrong though?? I've never done this before.. I was gonna try mixing my jeti kush with agent orange an bubba kush last time I had a male but didn't.. what is everyone's thoughts???

[Trichomefarmer88]

Last one standing of the first two hydro buckets I started... The beautiful bubble gum kush clone.. Keeps growing into my lights.. So had to really super crop it an my organic plant.. In doing a side my side with hydro and my organic soil with worms f running threw it.. Hydro is definitely alot faster with growth. . But the organic buds got thicker faster.. These two plants are only flowered a day apart yet.. Organic is like4 months old... Hydros only 9 weeks old or so I think? Ill have to check when I started in this thread.. Anyways pants are looking wonderful!

[Trichomefarmer88]

Working out great! Got to week 6 to 7 of flower! Here in another week are two I'll start watching the trichomes! I cant wait! Farming my trichomes is my favorite time of the grow! Anyhow here's my girl

[Cannabliss]

They're coming along great. Nice n white bud sites. Good job Trichomefarmer88.

[Trichomefarmer88]

Pulled her out today to change water out.. root ball is massive an healthy! Besides being stained pink from maxibloom.. but looks good! Honestly nicest, biggest plant I've done.. in half the time! My garden is deffenitly switching slowly from soil to hydro! Lol I want 4 female plants packed in there all hydro.. I need to learn how I can throw a 20 25 gal rez to attach to the four buckets to circulate fresh nutrient water every other day or so slowly.. have to start researching again.. thanks tho guys.. pretty impressed with this girl myself! She's a Beaut! Ann the bud is awesome so I can't wait to try this! 6 weeks an 3 days into flower.. ( I checked my calendar today because I thought it was on week 7 yesterday's post)

[farmerjim]

Check out my 2nd grow thread... I was able to get 4 buckets circulating into a 13 gal res... I'm planning to put together instructions at some point

[Trichomefarmer88]

So I started cutting down organic plant the other day!!!! Looking great! But the hydro plant is still not really ready.. over 10 weeks now on flower an I'm thinking perhaps another week?!? But I'll keep y'all posted an get better pics, was in rush this morning.... just had another baby two days ago😁 my fourth son!!! So hopefully they let us take him home today so daddy can finish harvesting!!!!

[Trichomefarmer88]

Dried an jarred up, organic bubble gum kush came in a little over 3oz an the hydro I got a little under 6oz of dried smoke.. the organic got cut down a few weeks ago so it's been curing two weeks now, mauve few days more.. anyways it's really, very tasty!!!!

[Trichomefarmer88]

Well, . my first ever cross bread worked!!! I took fresh pollen off a girls scout cookies male, an rubbed it on a bud of my organic bubba kush, an a smaller bud on my hydro bubba kush, so far i pulled 4 seeds out of the organic batch, an 1 out of hydro batch... the organic got harvested first.. so I really haven't cheeked into the hydro batch yet... came across the one seed while transferring buds from dish too jars... im just really pumped that it actually worked!! I harvested the male to early I thought an didn't get much pollen.. but guess that little I got was enough!! Anyone know if that's already a mix?? I want to call it Bubbas cookies kush! Sounds awesome to me, have the dark grow challenge coming up an will need my flower tent for that, but after that.. I grow out a few of my new seeds to see how it goes! So awesome I think!!!