ttystikk
Well-Known Member
Instead of the drain, consider using it in the garden, the toilet, the dishes, laundry...
First try at dwc, am I missing anything?
- Thread starter Banana444
- Start date
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
Compressorless chiller; one junkyard radiator, a shroud to force air through it and a box fan. $100 total. It's good for three Tons of chilling at 32f.
CO² isn't necessary.
Good call on the Blue Lab, the one place it's fatal to skimp is on your instrumentation. I got a combo meter, you can get them for about $200 on eBay.
Pics, because I made it happen;
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
When building your own air handlers such as the one I built, remember this;
SUCK to cool the water.
BLOW to cool the air.
This is why my compressorless chiller draws air through the radiator under a slight vacuum, and why the air handlers I built the same way for my room blow warm air through the cold radiator for best effect.
I could bore you to tears with why it works like this but for purposes of getting 'er done, it's just necessary to know which to use where.
SUCK to cool the water.
BLOW to cool the air.
This is why my compressorless chiller draws air through the radiator under a slight vacuum, and why the air handlers I built the same way for my room blow warm air through the cold radiator for best effect.
I could bore you to tears with why it works like this but for purposes of getting 'er done, it's just necessary to know which to use where.
BruteLemon
Member
T
Thank you haha. I do try!
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
Why not? It's duct tape, baling wire and irrigation fittings from the hardware store!
You could spend a couple thousand dollars on a shiny new one in a big sheet metal box if it makes you feel better. Personally, I find being a cheap ass makes me feel gooooood, lol
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
Take them back and get a big waterpump, then run a half inch line to each bucket. Run it like a waterfall so it splashes into the water in each bucket.
Yes, you'll need to plumb your buckets together- which means RDWC. I've seen lots of people try DWC, only to have slime problems. Nature uses waterfalls to aerate and agitate and it works better than airstones.
Vumar
Well-Known Member
Please do not let him sway you from your original idea. Airstones n bubbles work fine for a first few runs of DWC. I agree with what he said but you don't need a waterpump for DWC. I did a few grows like this and had great results but the one thing I will warn you is stablizing PH in each bucket is a daily task. He isn't at your level yet Ttystikk lol not everyone jumps into rdwc & vert growing
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
RDWC is easier and gives the grower the advantage of consistency over DWC.Please do not let him sway you from your original idea. Airstones n bubbles work fine for a first few runs of DWC. I agree with what he said but you don't need a waterpump for DWC. I did a few grows like this and had great results but the one thing I will warn you is stablizing PH in each bucket is a daily task. He isn't at your level yet Ttystikk lol not everyone jumps into rdwc & vert growing
I've seen too many slimy DWC buckets and upset growers in mid bloom, I wanted to save him the heartache, nevermind save him money buying shit he doesn't need and shouldn't use.
An honest difference of opinion on this.
Bokie
Member
So them air pumps will work for now man?Please do not let him sway you from your original idea. Airstones n bubbles work fine for a first few runs of DWC. I agree with what he said but you don't need a waterpump for DWC. I did a few grows like this and had great results but the one thing I will warn you is stablizing PH in each bucket is a daily task. He isn't at your level yet Ttystikk lol not everyone jumps into rdwc & vert growing
Bokie
Member
So if I use them two pumps in one bucket that would be fine I have two air stone (one is a 5-6" disc and the other one is a 45cm flexible rubber air stone) and go buy a Bigger pump from my local hydro shop?
I need to buy some net pots and hydroton balls there tomorrow ?
Banana444
Well-Known Member
The rule of thumb is two watts of pump per gallon on water in dwc. I am running two pumps on my single 5 gal bucket, one is 6w one is 2w. My roots are doing fine now. I also emailed botanicare and they responded, hydroguard freezing is nothing that will harm the product.
churchhaze
Well-Known Member
As long as your plant has everything it needs, its roots are very unlikely to start rotting. It's unhealthy/dead roots that rot.
I've never monitored my temperature or done anything but pump air into DWC tanks (no water pumps). Even with accidental light leaks, it just creates a nice green paint around the firm healthy roots, which is easily rinsed off, light leak fixed. It never actually causes the roots to rot.
My experience leads me to conclude that root rot comes from the roots, not from the water. Unhealthy roots lose their firmness and become starchy. That starch leaks out like a white slime and becomes infected.
The only time I ever get root rot is when I'm lazy and forget to throw the roots away after harvesting. They rot after dying, not before.
I've never monitored my temperature or done anything but pump air into DWC tanks (no water pumps). Even with accidental light leaks, it just creates a nice green paint around the firm healthy roots, which is easily rinsed off, light leak fixed. It never actually causes the roots to rot.
My experience leads me to conclude that root rot comes from the roots, not from the water. Unhealthy roots lose their firmness and become starchy. That starch leaks out like a white slime and becomes infected.
The only time I ever get root rot is when I'm lazy and forget to throw the roots away after harvesting. They rot after dying, not before.
churchhaze
Well-Known Member
A lot of people mistakenly use products that source N via urea and ammonium for DWC, without a source of calcium. In this case, the plant is just going to die, and then the roots will rot.
Products that use urea to source N generally do not contain calcium nitrate, which is the key to success with hydroponics. Urea based nutes are not meant for hydroponics, especially pure hydro like DWC.
Products that use urea to source N generally do not contain calcium nitrate, which is the key to success with hydroponics. Urea based nutes are not meant for hydroponics, especially pure hydro like DWC.
churchhaze
Well-Known Member
Another common mistake that could lead a lot of people to root rot is underfeeding seedlings, then "flushing" with pure water to fix the problem. This increases the chances or root rot significantly.
Banana444
Well-Known Member
Here is an update. Only done a res change twice. Full strength nutes with gh flora lucas formula. Res temps are a little high but always dip back down with lights off 67-73f, I have had some stuff growing on the roots since the start, last res change I rinsed it all off using the kitchen sink sprayer. Got it all off then it was back in a day, doesnt seem to be effecting the plant and I am running hydroguard at a little higher than whats on the bottle 3ml/gal. I would probably switch to flower now but no room in the flower tent.
