400watt 4x4 grow tent DWC grow

southfloridasean

Well-Known Member
oh & you want your intake air to be at the bottom & the exhaust ventilation to be at the top of your grow room. hot air rises to the top so the exhaust fan will eliminate it. Your cool air will be at the bottom so the plants can get clean beneficial air.
 

thecloset

Well-Known Member
i went with 2 dwc 5 gallon buckets in a closet under a 400 watt hps for my first time using general hydroponics nutrients and yeilded around 9 ozs total of some of the nicest ive ever smoked from the two plants.... didnt have any fans running through the light just one small fan on the floor of the closet pointing up at the light. temps were far from ideal, it was the middle of winter so the night time lows were around 58F but the closet was so small that the max temp got up to 108F. all i did was change the reservoirs once a week and i vegged for 3 to 4 weeks before putting it into flower... if i was u i would start out with something similar to what i did: two 5 gallon dwc buckets (home depot paint bucekts work great), and maybe abouta month and a half into it start your mothers in another area. changing the buckets even once a week can be a huge pain in the ass so i can guarentee that trying to change 6 of them once a week will be no fun at all. u could try to spread it out so that u change one of them each day but for ur first grow 6 plants might just be too much to look after... once u get ur first harvest and ur mothers are nice and bushy then u could make a larger dwc or even aero set up with clones that u know are going to be female. i think u might have missed the point that someone was making earlier about starting from seed in a dwc system with multiple plants in it... if one of those plants turns out to be male and u have to pull it out ull never be able to get all of the roots out of the reservoir and ull inevitably be left with dead roots that could cause problems for your other plants.
 

converseking

Well-Known Member
thanks i think you maybe right about gowing with only 2 plants for my first grow. i'll be able to take care of 2 plants way better then trying to look after 6 espcially for my first grow. the only reason i even wanted to go with so many on my first shot was to up my chances of getting a gul becuz it'll be hell if i get both males and have to just start all over. but the 2 would be better so how many sq ft was the closet you growing in? and what nuts did you use from HG? and how did you use them tew out your grow to get the 9oz's? and how tall where your plants b4 you started to flower them? and what strain did you use? i was thinking bout m39 since it folwers so fast. do you think if i use HTG's easycool 8 reflector with the 400 watt hps and a fan in the 2x3' closet for more air movement that that'll controll the heat? srry bt i have alot or ?'s lol just trying to get everything rigth. and thanks for clearing that up about the starting for seeds thing. makes since now :mrgreen:
 

converseking

Well-Known Member
this is everthing i was going to get for my 2 5gal DWC buckest grow in a 2x3' closet most from htgsupply.com.

Rockwool / Stonewool 1" Cubes - 45 pack

Champ pH Meter

Sunleaves TDS Essential Calibration Solution

50 foot by 48 inch roll Mylar - 1 mil

Sunleaves TDS Essential Digital Test Pen

2 Elite 801 Air Pumps

2 Sunleaves 6" Air Stones

Sunleaves Air Tubing 20ft

Hydroton 2 Liter Bag

TEN PACK - 3" Net Pots

HTGSupply Ultimate 400w HPS & MH Grow Light
EasyCool 8 Reflector
HTG Supply 400w HPS Bulb
GrowBright 400 watt MH Conversion Bulb
Sunrise Hi-Low Reflector Hangers
Dual Outlet Digital Timer w/ Battery BackUp

FloraNova Bloom & Grow by General Hydroponics - FloraNova 2 Pack
Size: Quarts

2 5 gal buckets with lids

Reusable Tray Insert for Rockwool

Standard White Flat Tray

Mondi Humidity Dome

what do you guy's think? anything i need to add or wont need?
 

Mr Green Man

Well-Known Member
I would go with the 600, it's only going cost like 50 more bucks, that means you only need to produce 1/4oz more weed with it to make a profit. 1000 is probably over kill for that space, unless you want to build a bigger space, remember, you will need somewhere to put your fans, maybe a de/humidifier, even a heater.

It's my first time to, and I'm getting on real good with DWC. There is a lot to it, you will have to read and read and read, Befor you start. but if you have the time I highly recomend it as a way of growing.

The thing I have found i with hydroponics is that there is more to it, but as long as you are aware of the factors, it's a lot simpler.

As for airo ponics, ment to be even faster, I haven't tryed it yet, if you decided to go this rout, I would recomend getting a back up power supply, for the pumps. If the Ellectric goes off in DWC you have 4 hours befor things go bad, in ario you have like 30 mins. Thats the scaryest thing about it and the only thing that makes me feel uneasy.

Ebb and Flow is ment to be very newbi freindly. but maybe a little more comlicated to home build.


Top Tip DWC: If you are getting rubbermades for DWC get 1 spare, use this for rez changes, make up your mix in the spare rubbermade, make it compleatly correct, Temp, Level, PH, PPM, and then simply swap the lids around, so your plants are now in the new rez and push it back under the light. For this to work properly you must have no lip or step into your room.
 

Mr Green Man

Well-Known Member
hi, we possed at the same time.

If you have the cash, then go ahead, you can probably make some of that stuff, if you are so inclined, but hey if you don't need to why bother.

Try to use as little rockwool as possible, it doesn't go with DWC to well.
I would spend more money on air pumps, The more air the faster you plants will grow, also stones can clog and pumps can break, I'ts good to have two in each rez so you have a back up. I would have 2x pumps and 4x 6" stones Each rez, and a Submersable pump.
The submersable pump will add more air, but most important, in a few weeks you tanks will be full of roots the pump will insure that water is kept moving.

What sort of water are you using?
Tap water, what quality is it?

Find out before you get nutes beacuse there are specific nutes for poor quality Tapwater.
You will need some PH down.
I use an Enzym and Silica in my rez. They both keep roots helthy.
I also recomend getting a fish tank thomometer. You need to keep your rez and 19c or 66f, this is very important.

The air pumps maybe cheaper at your local pet shop.
 

converseking

Well-Known Member
Try to use as little rockwool as possible, it doesn't go with DWC to well.
I would spend more money on air pumps, The more air the faster you plants will grow, also stones can clog and pumps can break, I'ts good to have two in each rez so you have a back up. I would have 2x pumps and 4x 6" stones Each rez, and a Submersable pump.
The submersable pump will add more air, but most important, in a few weeks you tanks will be full of roots the pump will insure that water is kept moving.

What sort of water are you using?
Tap water, what quality is it?

Find out before you get nutes beacuse there are specific nutes for poor quality Tapwater.
You will need some PH down.
I use an Enzym and Silica in my rez. They both keep roots helthy.
I also recomend getting a fish tank thomometer. You need to keep your rez and 19c or 66f, this is very important.

The air pumps maybe cheaper at your local pet shop.
i've decided to go with (3)5gal DWC buckets for my first grow. that'll prob be better for me. i think that the air pumps( recommended for a 15gal rez) and the 6'' air stones in each bucket should to well. do you think i should go for the bigger air pumps( recommended for 20gal) or stick with the ones i have? i know more air is better but a 20gal air pump seems lik over kill unless i use the one pump for to airstones( one in each rez). thinks for the idea about haveing extra rez's that'll prob save alot of time and keep me fro messing up to bad on changing the water/nut's. what wood you say is better for DWC if not rockwool? i was thinking of using rapid rooter starter plugs myself instead of rockwool for DWC then go for the rockwool wen i start up a ebb&flow. what do you think?

the submersable pump you speak off yu mean a water pump right? i kno that helps with water movement in the rez but how will it get me more air in the rez? i prob should get a thomometer for each bucket. how important would you say they are to have?

i will be using just normal old tap water unless i decided to buy water but i dont see that happen as i could jus let the tap water sit out for like 3 days or jus use a few drops of ph down on it.
 

converseking

Well-Known Member
I would go with the 600, it's only going cost like 50 more bucks, that means you only need to produce 1/4oz more weed with it to make a profit. 1000 is probably over kill for that space, unless you want to build a bigger space, remember, you will need somewhere to put your fans, maybe a de/humidifier, even a heater.

It's my first time to, and I'm getting on real good with DWC. There is a lot to it, you will have to read and read and read, Befor you start. but if you have the time I highly recomend it as a way of growing.

The thing I have found i with hydroponics is that there is more to it, but as long as you are aware of the factors, it's a lot simpler.

As for airo ponics, ment to be even faster, I haven't tryed it yet, if you decided to go this rout, I would recomend getting a back up power supply, for the pumps. If the Ellectric goes off in DWC you have 4 hours befor things go bad, in ario you have like 30 mins. Thats the scaryest thing about it and the only thing that makes me feel uneasy.

Ebb and Flow is ment to be very newbi freindly. but maybe a little more comlicated to home build.


Top Tip DWC: If you are getting rubbermades for DWC get 1 spare, use this for rez changes, make up your mix in the spare rubbermade, make it compleatly correct, Temp, Level, PH, PPM, and then simply swap the lids around, so your plants are now in the new rez and push it back under the light. For this to work properly you must have no lip or step into your room.
i was thinking of getting a 3.9'x3.9' dark room but not sure i wanna spend the money jus yet. 600 would prob be better but that'll mean more heat so i'll go with the 400 pluse wen i decided to get a bigger ebb&flow system under 1000+ lights the 400 watt with a MH conersion bulb would be good in my veg/mother/clone room and i thenk that 600 watts MH wood be a lil much for a lil-mid size veg area.

yes reading is the key to success :mrgreen: lol. i've read alot from books and the web and i think that i kno jus bout er thing their is to know about each hydro setup the only way i'll learn anymore the i already kno is to start growing myself.their is alot to growing hydro but i think i can handle it i just need 1 or 2 grows under my belt and i'll be good.

im not even thinking of going airo ponice at least not anytime soon i mean it's great for those that do and can handle it but for me it's to much to go wrong maybe i'll try it later on in life( alot later lol)
 

converseking

Well-Known Member
i went with 2 dwc 5 gallon buckets in a closet under a 400 watt hps for my first time using general hydroponics nutrients and yeilded around 9 ozs total of some of the nicest ive ever smoked from the two plants.... didnt have any fans running through the light just one small fan on the floor of the closet pointing up at the light. temps were far from ideal, it was the middle of winter so the night time lows were around 58F but the closet was so small that the max temp got up to 108F. all i did was change the reservoirs once a week and i vegged for 3 to 4 weeks before putting it into flower... if i was u i would start out with something similar to what i did: two 5 gallon dwc buckets (home depot paint bucekts work great), and maybe abouta month and a half into it start your mothers in another area. changing the buckets even once a week can be a huge pain in the ass so i can guarentee that trying to change 6 of them once a week will be no fun at all. u could try to spread it out so that u change one of them each day but for ur first grow 6 plants might just be too much to look after... once u get ur first harvest and ur mothers are nice and bushy then u could make a larger dwc or even aero set up with clones that u know are going to be female. i think u might have missed the point that someone was making earlier about starting from seed in a dwc system with multiple plants in it... if one of those plants turns out to be male and u have to pull it out ull never be able to get all of the roots out of the reservoir and ull inevitably be left with dead roots that could cause problems for your other plants.
what size where your plants b4 you started to flower them?
 

converseking

Well-Known Member
oh & you want your intake air to be at the bottom & the exhaust ventilation to be at the top of your grow room. hot air rises to the top so the exhaust fan will eliminate it. Your cool air will be at the bottom so the plants can get clean beneficial air.
what if i wanted to use ducting with a 6'' cooled reflector? wouldnt i need the intake fan with the carbon at the top to attach to the reflector? im not sure on how to set up any of this
 

thecloset

Well-Known Member
my plants were only maybe about a foot tall when i started flowering them... they ended up being about 4 feet tall. i would highly recommend getting the extra buckets like mr green man said... it makes a hell of a lot easier to swap the res out. id have to disagree with him on the rockwool tho... i highly recommend using the 1 inch rockwool cubes to start your seedlings in a smaller tray. once roots have come through that, put them into 4 inch rockwool cubes and then put those 4 inch rockwool cubes into round 6 inch net pots that u build into the lids of the buckets. the 4 inch cube will fit snugly into the net pot, meaning that u barely have to use any hydroton. just enough to cover the top of the cube and fit down in the cracks between the cube and the pot. it also makes the whole plant much more stable as moving the lid around a lot when changing the reservoir could cause the plants to fall over if the roots arent well established yet. this might not be too much of a problem as the roots tend to grow rather quickly in a dwc setup.. good luck with everything
 

converseking

Well-Known Member
thanks a ft is just about where i was thinking of flowering to.thats a good idea about the rockwool with the net pots thats jus what i'll end up doing. how much did you get of dry weed from the 4ft plants?
 

Yota

Well-Known Member
Hey, i didnt have time to read every post, but heres my 2 cents.

I have a 4 X 4 space and used a 400w for a while, probably 3 grows. After that , i wished i had bought a 600w. So my advice is to get at least a 600w for the 4X4 space. After that, id say go for hydro system. Ebb flow systems are easy and dont involve drip tubes that can get clogged. Plus with hydro, u can leave it for a weekend or several days and it wont be an issue. Another tip is to make sure your ventilation is good, and that u have some oscillating fans. If u stick with the nutrient schedule and know how to measure your ph, than you should be fine with hydro. Also, i have had problems with rockwool, and i use coco as a medium. You can look into what medium you prefer, but coco is very good for an ebb flow system because it allows lots of oxygen to get to the roots, and when the water flood the tray, it push's old air out, and new air comes in. Anways, i hope some of that was useful to you
 

Yota

Well-Known Member
what if i wanted to use ducting with a 6'' cooled reflector? wouldnt i need the intake fan with the carbon at the top to attach to the reflector? im not sure on how to set up any of this
no, intake fans should be coming into your garden. You don't really have to have one (do some reading about that). You will need a exit exhaust fan getting rid of the air from your room. You could attach the carbon filter to some ducting to your reflector, and from your reflector out of the garden, yes that would work.
 

Mr Green Man

Well-Known Member
Hi,

Sorry for the slow replie.

Regarding pump, all the aqurum pumps I have seen come with an air line that attches to the exit on the pump, as the water is oumped threw it also sucks air down the line. It's not as good as an air stone but every little helps.

One thing I would say about using bigger buckets is that it is easyer to keep, PPms, PH and Temps stable.

Good luck with your grow.
 
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