DWC?

[DirtyMcCurdy]

I am actaully thinking of converting my flood and drain to a direct top feed with coco. That way I can basically automatically water them once or twice a day but only enough to get a little run off. This way I mix up a batch of nutrients and once my res is empty I just mix up a new batch, no more dumping reservoirs anyways. The problem is I don't know how much to make in advance or how each batch would last. Ideally I would want it to be fine for a few days without attention. Will take a lot of trial and error

 

[thenotsoesoteric]

I started using pool shock about a year ago (calcium hypochlorite). It's basically the same thing as "clear rez" and is similar to bleach but much more effective.I always use pool shock in my aero cloner and that lets the temps to be able to be in the 75-85 degree range with no issues what so ever. It can also be used in a hydro res and works great. It keeps the roots perfectly healthy until harvest and is the cheapest thing to use for a sterile res. I also have been using DM Zone here and there and it seems to work just as well (so far).

To make the pool shock solution.

Mix 1 gram of pool shock (shock n' swim brand, main ingredient calcium hypochlorite) per 1 gallon of water. Then use 30ml (2 tbs) per 5 gallons of res water.

For my bigger res I mix the pool shock directly into the res water. 0.5gram per 50 gallons or 0.25gram to 25 gallons, ect. I highly recommend the pool shock.

This worked for me as well. Cheap and easy, the same way I like my women.

 

[Beezcheeze]

I am actaully thinking of converting my flood and drain to a direct top feed with coco. That way I can basically automatically water them once or twice a day but only enough to get a little run off. This way I mix up a batch of nutrients and once my res is empty I just mix up a new batch, no more dumping reservoirs anyways. The problem is I don't know how much to make in advance or how each batch would last. Ideally I would want it to be fine for a few days without attention. Will take a lot of trial and error

Just run a pump inside the nute tub that circulates the water. I set mine in the bottom of trash bin and run a tube up through the lid, then curved back down and through the lid a few inches. Kinda makes a waterfall. The water will stay goood for a lot longer than just bubbles I think. Good ideas too I wish I had height cause I really wanted to do flood tables. All that air those roots get!!

 

[Beezcheeze]

This worked for me as well. Cheap and easy, the same way I like my women.

I like my women the way I like my Raman noodles. Hot, cheap and Japanese

 

[DirtyMcCurdy]

Just run a pump inside the nute tub that circulates the water. I set mine in the bottom of trash bin and run a tube up through the lid, then curved back down and through the lid a few inches. Kinda makes a waterfall. The water will stay goood for a lot longer than just bubbles I think. Good ideas too I wish I had height cause I really wanted to do flood tables. All that air those roots get!!

Flood and drain is where its at, for me anyways. If I had a premixed nute solution I would def want to circulate it from time to time with an added waterfall effect. Whats your height? I only have a 6.5' tall tent and my table sits aound 20" from the floor, just enough to get a tote under it. Thats the bad thing about flood and drain is the whole table part. Unless you want to use a controller bucket system, which I don't.

 

[Beezcheeze]

I like my women like I like my coffee.
Dam I need to quit Payin $150 for coffee!

 

[Beezcheeze]

Flood and drain is where its at, for me anyways. If I had a premixed nute solution I would def want to circulate it from time to time with an added waterfall effect. Whats your height? I only have a 6.5' tall tent and my table sits aound 20" from the floor, just enough to get a tote under it. Thats the bad thing about flood and drain is the whole table part. Unless you want to use a controller bucket system, which I don't.

I use no controller bucket really. I mean it's just a pump running 24/7 circulating water. The waterfall is just In the seperate bucket. I use this bucket to add the nutes, test ph etc.

 

[DirtyMcCurdy]

I use no controller bucket really. I mean it's just a pump running 24/7 circulating water. The waterfall is just In the seperate bucket. I use this bucket to add the nutes, test ph etc.

Yeah, I was referring to one of those ebb and grow bucket systems. The ones that sit on the floor, has a main res and a controller bucket that does all the water leveling with the use of float valve and pumps. Its great how we can all grow the same plant so many different ways.

 

[Beezcheeze]

Yeah, I was referring to one of those ebb and grow bucket systems. The ones that sit on the floor, has a main res and a controller bucket that does all the water leveling with the use of float valve and pumps. Its great how we can all grow the same plant so many different ways.

Ohh. And yea it really is neat. I like to learn about all of them cause I'll try them all eventually

 

[DirtyMcCurdy]

Ohh. And yea it really is neat. I like to learn about all of them cause I'll try them all eventually

I found my niche with flood and drain. I still like growing in a good potting soil and manually watering... Just something about it. All methods have their good and bad

 

[Dankfactory]

Yes, a chiller is absolutely a great piece of equipment to have,and though I've used them in the past, my water never gets above 67 degrees now so I don't currently use one. With that said, root issues can aabsolutely happen in water temps below 68 and a sterile or bennie res is crucial to avoiding the unknowns. Never add h2o2 and another disinfectant as they cancel each other out and never add h2o2 to a bennie res.

Well, yes. Adding H202 to a beneficials system totally negates the foundation of why you're even running a beneficial Bac system in the first place.
I've run both, and not partial to either. They both work, just two different ways of reach the same goal..
Quick rant: really wish people would stop referring to non Bennie systems as "sterile." Nothing sterile about it!! "Inoculated" seems a more fitting term.
And agreed: you can run into issues below 67 for sure, but if you have a solid chiller and you're able to maintain 62, youd really have to be blowing it to run into water quality issues.

 

[AlphaPhase]

I also grow in flood tables andthe ebb and grow bucket system. The ebb bucket system is one of my ffavorites. It's so low maintenance and they grow trees.

 

[AlphaPhase]

To answer the comment about having to top feed dwc until roots grow out of net pot, that is not neccesary, just raise the water level to touch the roots. I use an aerocloner and the roots grow about 7" and then I transplant them and weave the roots through the bottom of the net pot, so they have roots in the water from day 1.

Flood tables are great, but as mentioned, I hate how much height the tables take up. I grew strictly in flood tables when I didn't have height limitations, but now I only grow mama plants in them (the mama room has tall ceilings and the veg/flower rooms do not. You can't get any easier than a flood table though.

Lucas formula is ok. It's not the best though. Currently I use a 1 part nutrient and it worked well. Lucas is easy though. You need GH Micro and Bloom only. The ratio is 1:2. Meaning you can start with 5ml of micro and 10ml of bloom. The max dose for lucas is 8ml mirco and 16ml bloom. This ratio is used through the whole grow.

Res changes. I do them here and there. There's no rhyme or reason and I've never had a problem changing my res once a month. I figure that since I am adding 5 gallons of water and nutrients back to the res every few days, after two weeks I've already changed out 20 gallons of water and since my res is 20 gallons, all of the water has already been replaced. I will change my res if I'm using a nutrient additive that is only supposed to be used for one week, but usually I don't use additives.

 

[Beezcheeze]

Exactly exactly and thanks^^^

 

[Beezcheeze]

Just picked up a gallon of h2o2 and gonna run out the sm-90 on this batch.

 

[davejohnson62]

Could you build a set up for this to work in a river?

 

[AlphaPhase]

Could you build a set up for this to work in a river?

I've thought about that idea.. It would be kind of like aquaponic. I couldn't think of a way to address the changes in water level (after raining, dry spells ect) But in theory it could possibly work.. Depending how much nutrients are actually in the river.. I'd imagine everything changes by the second as the river flows down stream.

 

[Beezcheeze]

Plants on floats... Goes with the water level. Interesting idea. Lot of trial and error im sure. Go for it if you get the info!

 

[davejohnson62]

I've thought about that idea.. It would be kind of like aquaponic. I couldn't think of a way to address the changes in water level (after raining, dry spells ect) But in theory it could possibly work.. Depending how much nutrients are actually in the river.. I'd imagine everything changes by the second as the river flows down stream.

I feel like it would be good random nuts from nature and I figure build a float and hide it with brush to disguise it

 

[davejohnson62]

I might give it a try this year throw a clone out there and see what happens I was thinking a bucket idea with holes in the bottom so as the current goes by it splashes in the holes to the roots so that ate not submerged. From my small amount of hydro info I have in my head you don't want them submerged correct.