Finally My First Grow

Well My Friends after just reading reading and more reading.
I have decided to finally start my first grow.First I wanna thank everyone here, for info and guidance.
What I have set up are 5 3.5 gallon black buckets, 4 have 8" net pods and 1 bucket as a control bucket.
All buckets are connected with 3/4 flex line and fittings. I used 3/4 grommets and connectors.
The individual grow buckets all have their own air pump and 4" air stone.
I went to my hydro store to get a water pump and i was told i did not need it. To just connect the buckets and the flow will happen naturally from 1 bucket to the other.
This is where i am confused, I originally had each bucket on its own, and not connected, but after checking PH for each individual bucket I decide that a control bucket would be easier because I can check the ph for the whole system in 1 spot. But..... I fail to understand how the water will flow from 1 bucket to the next. I am sure slowly water will combine between the buckets but I would imagine that it would be a very very slow process. But I am just quessing. Wouldnt a pump get things moving. I am just trying to understand why the hydro store recommened no pump. I have yet to install a air pump in stone in my ccontrol bucket(just because I forgot it the day I was at store).
Another question i have it my hydrocorn stays dry must of the ways up. I plan on starting seedlings in coco pods and then transfer to my hydro system. My concern is how are the roots going to get water when its so far down. Should I bring the water level up higher on the hydrocorn till roots touch water and work my way down slowly on the water level?.
So a little about my light setup. I am using a htg supply 150 watt hps light and ballast in conjuction with a apollo 400 watt cob led light. I mounted the hps light to a board i can lower and raise as needed. On the same board i have my apollo led light and she can be lower and raised individually for the hps. Basically so I can get the led lights closer if need be.
I have a ton more questions, but first I will do a search here for answers and if no luck I will ask here.
Thanks again for you advise and input. I am so excited to get this grow on the roll.
Side note: when i was checking ph running lines building my system I found it so relaxing and peacefull.
I hope to do this for years to come.

1 put che k valves on air pumps
2 KISS
3 stop overthinkin things your off yo a good start don't kill them with love

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Rollitup mobile app

Lol....
Ok thats exactly what my wife said.... but thats everything I do.
Check valves ok will do

Looking good!

Welcome to the club, and an addicting new lifestyle

The controller bucket will feed water into the individual buckets as the plants drink the water. As the water is sucked up by the roots, Gravity will feed water through the feed lines from the controller to the buckets... If that makes sense. So no real need for a pump.

I don't think you will need an air stone in the controller bucket because there are no roots in that bucket needing oxygen. It will be slowly fed into the buckets where the air stone has more than enough air to go around. It wouldn't hurt to put one in there, but don't think it would be necessary.

Happy growing, looks like you put a lot of thought into it!

MR Goodtime...
Thank you for the answer. I understand what you mean clearly. And thank u for saying it looks like I put some thought behind it because brother i sure did... I love all the science behind this.

The more air the better! The only downside is that you get warmer water and a greater chance of root problems. Keep the res cool!

Welcome & Good luck brother..

So a few questions? I am in day 9 from when I planted my seeds in soil. I have for different strains. Thc Bomb, Incredible bulk, Gran Heft Auto, and strawberry dream.
I have included pics of each.
First I started by planting my seeds in starter plugs that came with my dwc from htg. Once the seedlings started to break ground. I thought I smelled mold and got nervous and bought a soil mix for seedlings and transferred them over to solo cups. I kept them covered with clear containers till just yesterday where they are out getting light for 18 hours.
They are under a purple sun apollo led light.
I took them out of my room today to take pics and noticed a very very light yellowing on the leaves.
I am using a seedling mix of soil with lil nutrients added and r.o. water. I am also using in the soil growology's 1st stage packet that has a blend of humates and a beneficial mycorrhiza,.
In the water i added 2 drops to 24oz of rapid start.From what I keep reading i might have nutrient burn but with so little added I am not sure thoughts.
also its been 6 to 7 days since these girls starting out of the ground do thier size look right?
thanks guys

Lol what happened to the system you built? Switched to soil because why?

I mean go for soil, but it looked like you had things figured out and spent a bunch of money putting together a system. I woulda given it a bit of time and given it a shot if I was you...

Looks like they might be hungry or something, but I'm not a soil guy so maybe something else is going on. Hopefully a soil guy can chime in for you on that.

Good luck don't give up

Don't give them anything for a few weeks. You can burn them easily. pH is a big issue at this point also. Keep using RO water and don't cover them. Blow a little breeze over them to make them strong and let them dry out a tiny bit. Is the light close?

Yeah I love my dwc why did u change to soil, and to the original post about water level I run my water a few holes up on the net pot til the roots come through the bottom then lower the level to just below the net pot!

Thanks for responces... yah i brought the seedlings to soil to get them started they are getting transplanted to the dwc tonight.
I was concerned with mold. I thought i smelled mold growing freaked out and put the starter plugs in soil.
Now that that situation is under control i am planning on bringing the to dwc tonight.

Ok yeah if u dont overthink it and u keep ph in check your yields are gonna rule and your gonna love it, I stsrted a grow journal its in my sig. Check it out and follow ill go step by step in it!

So last night I transferred my girls from the soil solo cups to my dwc system.
What a process. Everytime i do something wrong its just a lesson for the next round.
I had to carefully remove my seedlings from soil to the dwc, i had to literally seperate the dirt from the roots wash everything clean and place them in the hydrocorn.
I was expecting to see them falling over dead tgis morning but no they look like they handled the move well. I raised the water level in my buckets and as the roots work their way down i will lower the level as needed.
I did have some people say that I shouldnt use anything except water on them for 2 weeks to over come the leaves changing.
As far as they go i dont see any further damage on the leaves at least they dont look like they are getting worst, actually thwy look like the green is coming back.
I did add 1/4 of the recommened amount of nutients of the soul synthetics. In hoops to give them a small chance to succeed. Also I had the lights about 2 to 3 inches from the lights. I think thats where the damage on leaves was done. My 150w hps is about 18 inches above and the led is about 14 inchs above the plants. Do you guys think thats a good height to be at for now.
I am assuming because of the move they probably wont do much for a day or two till they fully recover. But you guys know better, you tell me.
I fucking am loving this.
Let me know what you all think..
Thanks again
CRUZ

Lookin good keep the lights 18 or more away til they recover and start to take off.

Looking good!

Sweet

Just an update. The girls seem to have handled the transplant, atleast from what I can see and understand very well. They are starting to grow upward and out. New leaves seem to be nice and green and the 2 first true first leaves are not yellowing anymore and seem to be getting their green back nicely.
I did run into an issue I knew I was going to have to deal with eventually but not this early with the weather being so cool outside and everything. I opened up the door in my "Lab" a little after lunch time and the temperature was at 89 degrees and it was steadily going up I simply resolved the issue by just opening the door and blowing fans in my room. I have a question? I am currently running a 300 what Apollo purple Sun led and a HPS 150 watt light. I do have two other LED lights they are a 192 watt purple sun LEDs and I have two of them would you guys replace the 150 watt HPS with the 2 192 LEDs. I just thought it would be nice to mix the HPS with the LED. take in consideration that the purple sun LED lights are full spectrum. just trying to pick your brain on this subject thanks ahead for the responses

The LEDs could run hot too. I would try them though and see. My CFLs run hotter than my LEDs.