What do I place my plant in while cleaning my DWC every week?

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
Cronk Nutrients for Autoflowers
The Bonnie and Clyde series.
with Cal mag
Monkey Juice
And sticky bandit
Whoa..... that's a lot. Here's what I use.....
71PpZ381WOL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

I've never heard of that nutrient line, so I can't comment on it, but gh nutes, using the Lucas formula, you can definitely top off your res with your normal nutrient solution.
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
Gooddddd gracious that’s beautiful!!!! The only thing I’m running into is my ppms are low. It’s currently day 10 since sprouting and I changed the water and went to week 2 feed with nutrients but my ppms have dropped from 250-275 to 150 in 3 days. I’m afraid to top up with water and not sure about topping up with nutes. Any recommendations? I change the water every week so just curious on what you think! Thanks again!
I always started small clones around 300ppm so I would add small amounts of your nutes to the bucket to boost up your ppm. I have no idea what those nutes of yours are and can't read the pic of the feed chart but I never followed a chart but went by the ppm or in the case of using hydro nutes in pots of soilless like ProMix HP used 1/4 of the max at that stage and upped the amounts as the plant needed. If the lower leaves are beginning to fade then up the nutes. If they are staying green then stay the course for now. Levels generally need to go up as the plants get bigger to a point lower than the max stated on the containers of nutes. I used AN 3-part for the bulk of my grows and never fed the max in any scenario. Follow their feed chart and fried plants are guaranteed.

When doing my DWC without changing nutes I'd top up with RO or distilled water about every 3 days. Let it mix for a while then check ppm and add small amounts of the nutes in the same ratio to raise it back up to my target level or a little higher if they were feeding heavy. With the AN pH Perfect nutes I never checked the pH where before those came out I'd be adding a few drops of conc. sulphuric acid at each top-up. Rarely had to check pH then too as it would be pretty consistent. I'd bump it down to around 5.4 and 3 days later it would be around 6.4 and 4 or 5 drops would knock it back to 5.4. The plants loved that swing it seemed but did just the same with the newer nutes that didn't need adjustment and shouldn't be adjusted at all.

Each strain can react differently to the same ppm tho so you learn to 'read' your plants after a while. Even plants grown from seed of the same strain can have different needs so it can be hard to dial in the feed. Clones are consistent tho.

Just woke up from an after dinner nap attack and the wind has died so going to run outside and play with my new drone. :)

:peace:
 

futurebanjo

Well-Known Member
Don't over think it, when the plants are so small they are not going to dry out in an hour, just make sure you don't disturb the roots if you can help it.

When the plants are much bigger in DWC, in a shared rez, you can't pull them out without causing a lot of stress and damage to the roots, as the roots will all be intertwined ...in this case you have to drain the rez with the plants in situe.

But same principal applies, they are not going to get stressed or dry out too much if you get on with the job within an hour or two.
 
Last edited:

Mgrower2790

Member
Don't over think it, when the plants are so small they are not going to dry out in an hour, just make sure you don't disturb the roots if you can help it.

When the plants are much bigger in DWC, in a shared rez, you can't pull them out without causing a lot of stress and damage to the roots, as the roots will all be intertwined ...in this case you have to drain the rez with the plants in situe.

But same principal applies, they are not going to get stressed or dry out too much if you get on with the job within an hour or two.
Thank you so much for the advice! I really appreciate it!
 

Mgrower2790

Member
I always started small clones around 300ppm so I would add small amounts of your nutes to the bucket to boost up your ppm. I have no idea what those nutes of yours are and can't read the pic of the feed chart but I never followed a chart but went by the ppm or in the case of using hydro nutes in pots of soilless like ProMix HP used 1/4 of the max at that stage and upped the amounts as the plant needed. If the lower leaves are beginning to fade then up the nutes. If they are staying green then stay the course for now. Levels generally need to go up as the plants get bigger to a point lower than the max stated on the containers of nutes. I used AN 3-part for the bulk of my grows and never fed the max in any scenario. Follow their feed chart and fried plants are guaranteed.

When doing my DWC without changing nutes I'd top up with RO or distilled water about every 3 days. Let it mix for a while then check ppm and add small amounts of the nutes in the same ratio to raise it back up to my target level or a little higher if they were feeding heavy. With the AN pH Perfect nutes I never checked the pH where before those came out I'd be adding a few drops of conc. sulphuric acid at each top-up. Rarely had to check pH then too as it would be pretty consistent. I'd bump it down to around 5.4 and 3 days later it would be around 6.4 and 4 or 5 drops would knock it back to 5.4. The plants loved that swing it seemed but did just the same with the newer nutes that didn't need adjustment and shouldn't be adjusted at all.

Each strain can react differently to the same ppm tho so you learn to 'read' your plants after a while. Even plants grown from seed of the same strain can have different needs so it can be hard to dial in the feed. Clones are consistent tho.

Just woke up from an after dinner nap attack and the wind has died so going to run outside and play with my new drone. :)

:peace:
One thing I have noticed is with it only being 11 days old. It hasn’t drank much water yet. It’s done a lot of growing already so I feel like I don’t need to top up just yet until maybe after week three if the water starts to lower? Does that sound about right? I did increase the PPMs, overnight back up to 300 everything is moving along beautifully now.
 

sandman83

Well-Known Member
One thing I have noticed is with it only being 11 days old. It hasn’t drank much water yet. It’s done a lot of growing already so I feel like I don’t need to top up just yet until maybe after week three if the water starts to lower? Does that sound about right? I did increase the PPMs, overnight back up to 300 everything is moving along beautifully now.
that's pretty normal, when small they grow slow and don't drink or feed much, around 5th or 6th node they usually explode.

Not familiar with that nutrient line either but no reason you should be able to top off with plain PH water or 1/2 strength nutrients based on your previous fill.
 

Mgrower2790

Member
that's pretty normal, when small they grow slow and don't drink or feed much, around 5th or 6th node they usually explode.

Not familiar with that nutrient line either but no reason you should be able to top off with plain PH water or 1/2 strength nutrients based on your previous fill.
Ok perfect! Thanks for the advice. I’ll keep you updated!
 

Canadian_Growing

Active Member
I've done around 50 DWC grows with multiple plants in Rubbermaid tubs and never once cleaned my tubs . . . ever. The only time they might get a clean tub during the grow was if I switched up to a larger tub after the stretch. Once I started going the whole grow without ever changing nutes and getting the same good results I just started with the 50L tubs and cleaned it once the plants were cropped. Unless I was going to reveg the plants then I might drain half the nutes and freshen up with some Grow based AN.

Weekly changes and/or cleaning is just freakin' anal. Or OCD then have at 'er. Too much like work for me.

:peace:
I second this. And if you want an even bigger container to do a whole bunch of plants, just get a low-profile hydroponic ebb&flow res and put some corrugated white plastic sheets on top, drill some holes for the clay pebble pots, and boom.
 

Cbaumle

Active Member
I second this. And if you want an even bigger container to do a whole bunch of plants, just get a low-profile hydroponic ebb&flow res and put some corrugated white plastic sheets on top, drill some holes for the clay pebble pots, and boom.
I grow in a 3 x 3 tent with a 27 gallon tub and I only clean it after the grow is completed. I've never had an issue.
 

JCnAK

Active Member
When I ran dwc with tomatoes years.ago, I set up a 2nd bucket and I would just swap out the bucket with fresh feed/water in it. That kept.me from rushing to get done what I needed to. Plus it kept the plant stress to a minimum.
Same. I recently started a Lime tree and Lemon tree DWC grow and that is exactly how I do it. I keep a spare bucket and prep my 3 gallons and just lift the lid off my old bucket and drop into my new one done. My other plant is a little different I do not typically use a 5 gallon bucket.
 
Top