HYDRO First-time RDWC - tips and advice before I germ

[Mephisto]

Hey guys,

I've done a couple of grows in coco, reasonably successfully in my mind, but looking to go RDWC for my next. My setup is as follows:

1.2x1.2x2.2m Lighthouse Max tent
2x300w +1x600w Viparspectra V-series LED lights
6in Rhino fan out (390/760L/hr) + carbon filter
4in Rhino fan in (160/280L/hr) + carbon filter
+various fans, humidifiers and dehumidifiers as required.

My hydro set up started life as an Aeros Master IV, but I've replaced the distribution pipework with 13/16mm Ice Tube and the return pipework with 40mm waste pipe. The 4 grow pots are inside the tent (best place for them, I'm told) and the header tank is outside. Total capacity to just below the net pots is ca. 55lt. I'll mix 60lt a week in the 90lt reservoir tank and do a full nutrient change with a small amount of excess for topping up.
I have a Newa NJ1200 pump moving the solution around the system and two Boyu S2000 airpumps feeding a flat round stone at the bottom of each pot. For good measure, there's a generic 4-way pump (672l/hr) feeding a coke can stone hanging from each of the net pots as well.
I've got another 2-way air pump feeding a pair of stones in the mixing reservoir as well.

Nutrient-wise it'll be Advanced Nutrients Sensi Grow and Bloom two-part with the full set of "Expert" supplements - Big Bud, B-52, Bud Candy, Voodoo Juice, Piranha, Overdrive and Flawless Finish.

I'll be growing Pineapple Chunk on a target 9wk flower, utilising a double-topped manifold method to fill out my scrog. I'll start from seeds in rapid rooter blocks and clay pebbles in the net pots.

I think that's all the detail covered - question is, did I forget anything? Like I say, this will be my 1st proper hydro grow (I count coco as half-hydro) so I wanna make sure I've got all the bases covered.

If there is any interest in it, I'd love to set up a grow diary for this one get some help from you all if I hit any problems. Been using GWE guides to find my way for a while but never got involved with the community tbh.

Let me know what you all think.

Peace and love x

-Meph

[OverflowD]

Very nice setup, I also grow in hydro and will be following your progress closely. I would definitely love to see how your grow works and will read the diary.

I have just taken the plunge on some seeds and am using rapid rooter blocks, but I think the first 2 I started died off, so what guide do you use to start the seeds?

Good luck and thank you,

--OverflowD

[YYCannabis]

Setup looks great, but it’s a shame to waste sooo much light shining down on that big dead area in the middle of the grow pots. You should rethink the layout and distribution of light.
I’m not a fan of the community reservoir hydro setups. How do you tackle a plant issue when one plant wants more nutes while another plant is in nute lockout? I know that many people do it successfully, but i prefer my individual pails setup.

[gbauto]

I agree that it can be challenging when running multiple strains, especially if you have pheno's that have drastically different feeding needs.
I tend to run mono-crops in my RDWC system because of this. Then it works quite well.

[Mephisto]

Very nice setup, I also grow in hydro and will be following your progress closely. I would definitely love to see how your grow works and will read the diary.

I have just taken the plunge on some seeds and am using rapid rooter blocks, but I think the first 2 I started died off, so what guide do you use to start the seeds?

Good luck and thank you,

--OverflowD

I can only speak based on my previous coco grows (also used rapid roosters) but based on that it was real easy - touch wood but I've not lost a lady yet! For method, I germ seeds in wet tissue paper then when the seed shell splits and the white root emerges I space them in the blocks. Just a small spray each day to keep the blocks moist and as soon as either the seed shell pushes out of the top or the root out the bottom, set it in your medium. I just need to translate that across for hydro instead of coco but it will be largely similar, I guess. Maybe just have to top feed for a few days until the root hits the solution below my pots. Hope it helps!

-Meph

[Mephisto]

Setup looks great, but it’s a shame to waste sooo much light shining down on that big dead area in the middle of the grow pots. You should rethink the layout and distribution of light.
I’m not a fan of the community reservoir hydro setups. How do you tackle a plant issue when one plant wants more nutes while another plant is in nute lockout? I know that many people do it successfully, but i prefer my individual pails setup.

Hey YY, thanks for the thoughts. Regarding the pot lay out, I'm fairly comfortable with it as I scrog my canopy to cover the full m2. As for dealing with issues on a single plant in a shared system, the best I can do to mitigate this is keep to 4 plants of the same strain and not start mixing it up in there. With a little luck, any issues are then across the tent and can be resolved fairly easily. With a tight scrog, individual plant management is always a toughie.

I could put lock-off valves on place so I can isolate individual pots later if required, but I wonder if this is unnecessary effort? Irrigation valves for the feed half would be easy enough but the waste pipe would be a pain in the ass to do.

Does anybody think this is a necessary precaution?

I've added a couple of pics of my last crop so you can see how I use the light across the whole area. Ignore the fact it got a bit high in the middle, that was down to me skipping a day or two on training. Life is full of lessons...

Thx

-Meph

[UndergroundFarmer]

If the phrase "pain in the ass" is part of the discussion, yeah it's probably too much effort and complication. I've done two each of three different varieties in my six pot setup and am now doing six Ghost Train Haze plus one extra in coco. Even with the same variety (I don't like calling it a strain unless it truly is), you're always going to have individuals that don't grow as well as others and it just happens. The GTH in hydro are all close in size. Interestingly, the Skunk #1 in the other tent (a much older strain) is much more varied in size.

[RetiredGuy]

What I like about RDWC is that you can install a cooler if required. My DWC grow had reservoir temps up to 72 f and I was always concerned with root rot. Fortunately, I ran Hydroguard and it wasn’t an issue.

[LUKE61]

Hey from 1 retiree to another im ,,,running a super closet set up my water runs high as well but hydro guard works well. I made velcro for l s t amazon has velcro i cut it to 1-2 inch piece's put tape over 1 half an stuck the other to the tank,,,, bucket. I also use pipe cleaners as they will not stick to the velcro so adjusting is easy
good luck
luke

[FlyingDutchPaddy]

Hi there,

I used a system almost exactly like that before...
I took out the blue water level indicator & put a plug - keep out any/all light from the reservoir...

as an idea... spray paint the top of lids of the buckets white, should help keep the water temp a bit lower.

good growing!