KB's RDWC grow

kbmed$

Member
RDWC, dwc, hydro, going to be my second full run in the rdwc. I'm running a 5 gallon 12 bucket system with an extra 5gal bucket for rez..about 40 gallons in mid bloom..this run i will be adding 4 inch air discs in each bucket instead of reg style stones..going to also add a float in the "control" bucket and add a 55gal Res to have the system constantly topped off automatically (I work too much to always top off each day) 3 extra air pumps (never too much oxygen) a 1/4 HP chiller water temps are around 72-75 soon to chill a little further now that outside temps are dropping into.the 30's and we are directly on the basement floor..

Nutes are green planet full line up with molasses/carboload for the last 2 weeks.. green planets just cheaper for now I usually run advanced nutes full line about 1200$ per 2 runs compared to 450$ for 3-4 runs..

Strains are as follows pre 98' Bubba, grand daddy purple, power kush, and another Cali conec strain that's unidentified as of now..these are filler strains besides the Bubba while I wait for my white fire beans to break ground..

Running 2 600w hps and 1 1000w hps/mh for mixed spectrum..titan light controller and co2 meter...20lb co2 tank..8 inch inline fan and carbon filter outside the room..room temps range from 65°-80°f night/day

Veg room is comprised of 3 tubs with 4 8 inch net pots cut in each and is just regular dwc style with 2 4 inch air discs in each hence some extra pumps one in veg is not enough.. 2 6 tube t8 flouro lights simple yet very effective and inexpensive..

I'll post a lot of pictures later today and update daily I'm just bored on my phone
 

kbmed$

Member
Alright sry guys work came in like crazy so I got fucked on any updates..

So made some changes to the system I've insulated all the pipe connecting the buckets and the buckets themselves trying to get around the 500$ for a chiller..but if I do go that route looks like polar bear is my best bet gonna snap some pics in a few of everything and post um up
 

kbmed$

Member
So far the insulation has kept the temps down to 67-68f constantly right now I'm dealing with some droopy plants probably due to root damage my veg tubs have 4 plants per tub and by 3 weeks of veg the plants roots are tangled..

Hopefully the couple pull thru 100% I LOATH stressing my plants its yeild right out the window
 

kbmed$

Member
alright fuck finally gonna have some pics to post just always last thing on my mind latly works crazy atm winter rush to fix everything before the snow flies ppl are retarded...i charge more cuz i gotta work in the cold lol...

pics are jumbled my lazyness sry but whatev haha



so inside of the RDWC got enough bubbles? big air stones just replace them every run so i buy the cheapest biggest ones i can find
2012-12-20_17-05-28_56.jpg

my "control" bucket basicly like the mini rez the float is connected to a 55 gal rez and keeps the system topped off for me..I usally will make 55 gallons of nutes and use about 45 in the actual system. The rest of the left over i have a R/O that also is on a float filling the 55 gal drum with fresh water thus i let it mix with the remaining nutrients creating a 300ppm nute solution that is 6.3PH and it keeps the plants fed and constant supply of good water
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the dual pumps running the buckets that the plants are actually in and a much smaller pump running the rz bucket alone
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elephant trunks lol..nutes+r/o+bubbles=elephantitus
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the sytem filled last night
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the GDP (4 in the middle)
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front two are cali connec unknowns looks like a chem somthing back left is power kush and the wee on is either a pk or GDP i forgot
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front left is pre 98' bubba kush an amazing producer of fine cannabis the rest are power kush
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gonna let these girls sit for about a week still vegging to get used to the intense light which is currently about 4 ft above the plants..along with the new super charged solution they are in..

ppm 990
ph 6.3
water temp 67-68f
room temp 70-75
c02 ppm 800-1300
 

kbmed$

Member
bud pron from the last run of snowdawg and my pre 98' bubba keeper

thats me! "MEDS'
2012-12-02_13-23-43_28.jpg


SNOWDAWG
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2012-12-05_10-38-31_635.jpg


PRE 98' BUBBA
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2012-12-04_13-02-00_417.jpg
 

kbmed$

Member
Thanks sir

I wouldn't say I'm 100% in rdwc as I am in soil but I'm getting there a few more runs and every kink will be worked out.. old man pulled his second dirt run he did without my help 3 oz per plant 2.5 lbs.. his new record not bad for a 60 year old man on his 5th run ever

Oh yea notice water temp was 73 last night gonna check now hopefully it goes way down at night or the chiller will be at my local hydroshop

ppm 940
Ph 6.3
Water temp 70
Co2 empty
Room temp 70-74
 

Tokemup

Member
Nice grow Kb! Does you plants fill up the space when you flower or is there a void in the middle of the 2 rows of buckets? I been thinking about RDWC but not sure about the layout and I like to either scrog or sog for even canopy.
 

kbmed$

Member
Nice grow Kb! Does you plants fill up the space when you flower or is there a void in the middle of the 2 rows of buckets? I been thinking about RDWC but not sure about the layout and I like to either scrog or sog for even canopy.
It depends on how long I let them go based on a few factors mainly my schedule I grow for a dispensary and try to keeps things rolling I'm in the process of switching strains the gdp may be a keeper and the pre 98' is an amazing plant I plan to keep..but these are fillers I cloned late so they are smaller than normal and usually fill up the whole area..I also share this room with my ol man atm so my flowering schedule depends on his as well..he just harvested so luckily I'll have 1-2 weeks to continue veg and let the girls fill out further id like them to be about 2ftx2ft bush and finish around 4ft tall x 3ft wide...

My next run will only have 2 strains based on what I see in this grow and either the gdp or pre'98 will stay along side my white fire..I'm looking for quality over quantity to a point.. I have a rep to keep for producing strong quality meds and if that means I'll lose a few oz's in yeild then so be it..

Also looking for a keeper mom to breed with I have a few hybrids of my own as of now my best being a cross of blackwater x snowdawg...

Looking for the perfect mom to reverse and bomb the BW x SD which I think I have in the white fire..thus KB kush shall be born
 

nitro harley

Well-Known Member
Hey KB.......


After looking at your photos I can see that you have your air pumps on the ground below your water level .......I would mount them above your water level before you have a major misshap....If the pumps stop for some reason and water sifons into your air pumps it will ruin them very quick......Just thought I would let you know.....I know people that learned the hard way and had to buy new pumps............nitro..
 

kbmed$

Member
Yea I usually have them sitting on a crate I just haven't put them back since the clean up and transfer of the new plants in as well I learned that the hard way on my first run we had a tornado blow thru about 10-15 miles from my home with rolling brown outs and power outages it fucked up the pump..it still ran for the rest of the time I actually just replaced it..the guys at the local hydroshop said it was under warranty since it still ran..it sounded like shit and blew black smoke out every once and a while haha.. but I think since I ran it for so long it didn't show water damage some how..

Plus my local hydro shop owners are real good friends of mine and prolly just hooked a brotha up
 

nitro harley

Well-Known Member
Hey KB.....

I mount my air pumps just out side my tent, on a shelf above my buckets .......The air is cooler outside the tent, anyway this is what I do...I will post a pic.........nitro..
 

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kbmed$

Member
Very true I gaurentee that's part of my water temp problem when the plants are full the pumps are shaded but if I did mount the behind the plastic wall directly behind the control bucket I could prolly cut out some heat from the pump..wish there was a way to have them pump AC air into the bucket
 

Friendly Caregiver

Well-Known Member
My pump sits directly in front of a 12k btu AC where cold air blows out. Keeps temps really cold, but then again my room is always 68-71 degrees.
 

kbmed$

Member
So I've been foliar feeding the droopy plants I think a couple got seriously damaged roots..but 1 of the 4 has made a comeback and the others are still green and 2 look like they will come back around..

I also added hygrozyme to help the roots out and hopefully they'll recover quickly I belive if I had fucked up too bad they'd be dead by now its been about 3-4 days..I just constantly go mist them with very very low ppm tap water with aussie tonic (superthrive) in it
 

kbmed$

Member
Noticed a slight yellowing of some main fan leaves so I removed 5 gallons of water from the system and added 5 gallons of nitrogen boosted r/o water at about 650ppm should do the trick..

Probably won't have a picture update until Xmas or the day after
so happy holidays everyone be safe smoke one with some one and keep it real
 

kbmed$

Member
Foliar feeding the plants has been working it seems the 4 that were bad look to be turning around..1 is 100% back besides some loss of leaves..and 2 others are slowly perking back up..this is the only mistake I have made thus far is damaging the root system..which at this time I'm short of an idea to fix it other than completely re building the veg system and instead of a four plant tub doing actual dwc stand alone buckets I just don't know if my veg room has the space..

I plan to build another room soon and think I'll have to make it larger to accomidate another veg room for the time being
 
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