DWC that complicated to maintain??

[WeedCreed]

I'm really leaning towards setting up 6-8, 5 gallon DWC. I keep reading the cons of this system and Id like some opinions. The most bothersome problems seems to come with maintaining the res temp, I live in a very hot climate and its coming up on spring/summer, I lack the proper funds right now to purchase an a/c unit. I do plan on buying an a/c unit that will maintain a 75 F room temp(hopefully). Also Ive come across people saying its high maintenance because it can drink a lot of water in little time leaving the water possibly becoming toxic. I plan on growing some monsters in DWC 3-5 ft. Basically is maintaining a DWC really has hard has I think.

 

[Gygax1974]

It's a very cumbersome system. You could always freeze some water bottles to bring the temps down. But growing 3 -5 foot monsters is tough in any medium. As long as you keep on top of the DWC temps. and res. it should be fine but the res. thing can be a PITA.

 

[WeedCreed]

Thats just the height I'd like to grow but if it cant be maintained well, I'll do smaller grows but I got plenty of room in my grow room.

 

[psyclone]

Would it be possible to use a small pump to circulate water through decent length of flexible pipe which is maybe immersed in cold/chilled water or fan cooled? I was contemplating trying DWC myself but tales of root rot are a bit off putting.

 

[gotdamunchies]

I am using DWC and have my moms in a 5 gal bucket...
I have a few plastic bottles in the freezer that I swap out daily if the room/resevoirs gets too hot, I use 2 liter bottles of frozen water in my 18 gal resevoirs, and smaller 1 liters for my moms...
I also have a hose hooked to copper tubing that I can submerge in a cooler of ice, which in turn hooks to the air outlet on my airpump before I get to my splitter...the cooler air pumping out of the air stones makes a difference in the res temp but only 4/5 degrees, so I really only do this during summer months...the bottles is by far the cheapest and easiest way to go...
just freeze 2 bottles for each res you have so when you pull one out of the res you have a frozen one waiting, your freezer should refreeze the thawed bottle by the next day no problem...
DWC does require more maintenance than soil but plants grow like crazy!!
I have 4 18 gal resevoirs with 8 plants in each (SOG) and 2 moms, so I switch out 6 bottles a day but as I do this it gives my a chance to check my PH as well as my PPM everyday in each resevoir....IMO its all worth it....peace

 

[WeedCreed]

I like the idea of frozen water bottles to cool the res, but frozen water bottles touching the roots isn't a problem?? So I take it you have no problems with the water getting too cold from frozen water bottles...I guess its finding the right size bottle to do the job? I think i'll give it a try and if it fails I'll just make myself a huge flood/drain system, I got a mini one with plants in that are doing crazy good.

 

[cream8]

i think if you use a good size res. you should be ok. also a buddy of mine got a cheap submersable pump that he leaves on at a low setting along with 2 big airstones to keep the water from getting stagnant. i like the frozen water bottles

 

[gotdamunchies]

I also thought about freezing some water with nutes in it already in one of those Glad throw-away style storage containers (like a big frozen nute cube), and using that to help top off a res between water changes and cool the res, But I'm not sure what freezing nutes will do to them, dont feel like riskin it at this point...But, no, the roots dont appear to be harmed by the bottles at all ... Peace

 

[Gygax1974]

Temps affect pH so don't overdue it

 

[cream8]

i think one frozed 8 oz water bottle per 10 gal res would be sufficent

 

[gotdamunchies]

i think one frozed 8 oz water bottle per 10 gal res would be sufficent

I've looked at a 2 liter too see how fast it melts, the outer edge melts away pretty fast at first, but then the remaining frozen water floats around for quite a while before it melts. Therefore the actual temp of the bottle is kinda warmer to the touch than you would think, and it takes alot of energy to cool things. I started out small, but found that the 2 liter works best. The temp in my room stays at a constant 77 this time of year, but during summer can get into the hi 80s if I didnt keep a close eye on it. I'm also using 18 gal rubbermaid containers, doubled up for strength as well as to insulate it from the ambient air, all this considered, the 2 liter bottles work like a charm, just take up a little too much rooom in the freezer...........

 

[Gygax1974]

yeah i throw gallon jugs in 10 gallons fine....they do melt fast. It's ghetto but it works