wanting to try DWC but have some ?'s

ok so i have a few soil grows done , using cfls and they all turned out great but now i picked up a 400w hps and am thinking about doing a DWC. i dont have a hydo store nearby, i can get to one but its a pretty far drive. Im a DIY guy so ill just build one but what i need to know is 1. how deep of a res is needed , im wanting to use like a rubbermade bin and do 4 to 6 plants in it ,and im trying to save space height wise 2. is their any thing i can use as net pots like just flowerpots with a bunch of holes drilled in it. 3. and the hydro clay balls any thing to replace them like maybe those glass fishtank stones. thanks for all the help

1. "I picked up a 400w hps" - I hope you have your heat issues worked out ahead of time... that 400w setup is going to generate a lot of heat and with a DWC, its a nightmare if temps aren't under control since it just leads to development of pythium, causing root rot early in your grow.

2. How deep does the res need to be? Really it depends on your roots... successful grows can be done in 3gal/5gal buckets which are only about a foot or so deep... keep your waterline about a half inch to an inch below your netpots... you can increase this distance a bit when your root mass develops fully.

3. Can you make your own netpots? Yes... make sure they are sterile and you make a lot of holes and make sure you don't get excess water in the cups from lack of drainage.... real hydro netpots are obviously ideal but you can save a little money this way... however its not much as netpots are fairly cheap when compared to the investment in the total grow setup.

4. Can I use glass stones? Uh... in short no... the hydro clay balls work well because clay is absorbent and wicks up nutrients.... there are substitutes such as lava rocks but nothing works quite as well as hydroton.

probably at least 4 ". you can use anything, just about to grow in. I once used marbles and a beer can. You can make your own net-pots but you'll lose a lot of veg time.

seriously good luck on this new endeavor.

thanks snoopy i think i will hold off till the colder months get here cause i do have a lil heat issue , ill got ahead and just do another soil grow or two just to get the hang of the HPS, I might just rebuild my whole flower box anyway

i did my netpots with disposable plastic coffee cups and a welding gun, it worked great.

Ok-I have a DWC in a multi layer painted aquarium 10 gal.
I used my own pots and didnt even make holes. The root system is huge!
I didn't use hydroton, I used aquarium rocks for about an inch and a half on the very bottom. The I place my sprouted plants on the rocks and filled the sides with perlite to the top of the rockwool. Last, I added another layer of the same rocks on top to block out light and discourage algae growth. No hydroton yet highly successful medium.
I have a Bubble stone and something they call a Bubble Wall in the tank.
I am using CFL's and this is all contained in a "cabinet".
Oh also, I use a raft system, so the plants are floating and about 1 inch is in the water.

This is not for braggin purposes, I was on a budget, and all of this has been very successful for me. I recommend this method highly.
Hope I could help Dollabill840