First time DWC , Question on nutes residue in bottom of bucket when changing water??

Applepie/vanilla icecream

Applepie/vanilla icecream

Member
For right now, I don't have any problems when doing my weekly water/nutes change and cleaning out bucket, air stone, etc. It's only been twice that I have changed out so far (still in small sprout stage), but each time I have found a build up of (I guess nutes) residue in the bottom of bucket. It's no problem cleaning it for now, but what about when plant gets larger and have branches webbed through a netting.... ?.....How in the world would you be able to clean out bucket properly. Would someone please shed some light on this....Thank you very much...:mrgreen:(2) 11-11-13, day 22.jpg
 
I'mtrying to understand how you have changed the res twice and have nutes in it and the plant be so small. Looks like you are stressing it.
 
Get another bucket. I use a scrog method. Have a friend lift the scrog and bucket lid together enough to just swap
the bucket with a clean one that is already all set up and tested. Then you can clean as long as you like and not worry
about how long your plant is without a rez.
 
icecream

go to home depot get one of the organe buckets and u can spray paint the outside of it black or u can use the silver duct tape and wrap the whole thing up

u want to make sure the bucket is completely dark inside

when the week is up and time to change the bucket........u move the planter basket on top of this bucket and then u can flush the rocks and roots out with clean phed water ........as it is dripping u take the other bucket out empty it .............i personal take the bucket to a deep sink and rinse out with hot water and then wash off the air stone

this should take about 15 mins or so fill your grow bucket back up with the water add the feed and ph it then move the net basket back to the grow plug in the air pump and let it go for a 2 days like that then check the ph lvl since they change over time (i do mine every 2 days) 5.8 5.9 is the golden zone for us

total time to do this should be about 17 to 20 mins ................this will not hurt the roots aslong as light does not get on them


oh and double check that your rock wool/starter plug is close to the waterline in the basket ..........mine was little to high i moved it lower and it seems to be doing much better ..............according to ppl i asked u should see roots in the water by 2 to 3 week .........this is a 6inch basket
 
Do you happen to be using any kind of organic nutrients? Or even Fox Form nutrients? I used FF and i always had ph swings and residue build up at the bottom. I later learned that part of FF three part nutrients is organic and that does not mix well in a hydro system. I switched to GH three part and had no problems or build up. Even Advanced Nutrients Sensi part A and B is really good and wont casue build up. Really easy to use and they are the only company where you can call the tech support and ask questions about marijuana, any other company will hang up on you. Advanced nutes is made specifically for marijuana so its good for beginners or really anyone. Try one of those an i promise there wont be any build up.
 
Also get rid of those rocks and switch to hydroton. More level ph and suited for hydroponics. Make sure you rinse good or you will get build up in your res,
 
Gtran is right about getting rid of the rocks. However, I used hydroton for years, but 2 grows ago I switched on a reliable recommendation to Grow Stone. Pebbles of 100% recycled expanded glass. My fingers are too tired to extoll all the benefits over hydroton, and it is a recycled product, rather than strip mined hydroton. Look it up. Same price, or even a buck or two cheaper than hydroton and zero PH issues,holds oxygen better & Water retention/drainage ratios better, etc, etc. check it out. Peace & be kind.
 
justugh said:
icecream

go to home depot get one of the organe buckets and u can spray paint the outside of it black or u can use the silver duct tape and wrap the whole thing up

u want to make sure the bucket is completely dark inside

when the week is up and time to change the bucket........u move the planter basket on top of this bucket and then u can flush the rocks and roots out with clean phed water ........as it is dripping u take the other bucket out empty it .............i personal take the bucket to a deep sink and rinse out with hot water and then wash off the air stone

this should take about 15 mins or so fill your grow bucket back up with the water add the feed and ph it then move the net basket back to the grow plug in the air pump and let it go for a 2 days like that then check the ph lvl since they change over time (i do mine every 2 days) 5.8 5.9 is the golden zone for us

total time to do this should be about 17 to 20 mins ................this will not hurt the roots aslong as light does not get on them


oh and double check that your rock wool/starter plug is close to the waterline in the basket ..........mine was little to high i moved it lower and it seems to be doing much better ..............according to ppl i asked u should see roots in the water by 2 to 3 week .........this is a 6inch basket
Click to expand...

justugh:
Changing out with a stand-by bucket is cool and I understand that, but what I can't figure out is how do you ( or could it even be possible ) to switch out a bucket when your plant(s) are in flowering stage and you got them bent down after FIMMING (or something) and branches are sitting stretched across a netting with the flowers pulled upward through the netting holes...? How would you change your bucket without possibly hurting the flowers...? I'm just trying to figure things out before I get to that stage. I got a long way to go but I have learned the hard way like from my last grow (FIRST EVER) in soil - I had a whole bunch of screw ups.:? This time, this ole farmer gonna bees reddie..............................Thanks justugh for your help....peace.
 
little butch said:
Gtran is right about getting rid of the rocks. However, I used hydroton for years, but 2 grows ago I switched on a reliable recommendation to Grow Stone. Pebbles of 100% recycled expanded glass. My fingers are too tired to extoll all the benefits over hydroton, and it is a recycled product, rather than strip mined hydroton. Look it up. Same price, or even a buck or two cheaper than hydroton and zero PH issues,holds oxygen better & Water retention/drainage ratios better, etc, etc. check it out. Peace & be kind.
Click to expand...

little butch: Thanks......I found what your talking about and have some coming from Amazon. I got these BOBO rocks that I have been using from my local hydro-shop. The owner talked me into it, swearing how well they do....but when I went back to see if he sold the rocks you mentioned, I noticed (strangely) that all his own display set ups, he wasn't using his favorite BOBO rocks neither himself.... I thought that was strange or I just got punked..(lol) Hey man, Live and learn...right! :mrgreen: peace and thanks for the info........
 
I just realized last night when checking water levels, got enough beef in my stem that I can just pickup the bucket lid and the plant easily supports the scrog :p. Light PVC and some sturdy branches. Maybe a new form for super cropping, "scrog' ups" work out those cannabis arms :D.

IMG_20131113_191901_237.jpg
 
What's up icecream? You seem pretty well set up so far and got a gameplan going. Im subbing and +repping and looking forward to hanging out for the grow. I just started my own topic and im germing the seeds now. Will be getting it going soon.
 
Applepie/vanilla icecream said:
justugh:
Changing out with a stand-by bucket is cool and I understand that, but what I can't figure out is how do you ( or could it even be possible ) to switch out a bucket when your plant(s) are in flowering stage and you got them bent down after FIMMING (or something) and branches are sitting stretched across a netting with the flowers pulled upward through the netting holes...? How would you change your bucket without possibly hurting the flowers...? I'm just trying to figure things out before I get to that stage. I got a long way to go but I have learned the hard way like from my last grow (FIRST EVER) in soil - I had a whole bunch of screw ups.:? This time, this ole farmer gonna bees reddie..............................Thanks justugh for your help....peace.
Click to expand...

I ran into the same problem with my first Scrog. By the time I realized I could no longer get the screen off and could no longer clean my res I kind of freaked out a little.

It it is not that hard to design a Scrog screne that either mounts to the lid of your bucket... Or is just removed all together as soon as you decide to "let her go" above the screen. It just takes some pre-planning. Once you let her go above the screen... You really won't need it anymore.
 
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