5by5's 2nd RDWC grow

CrvenaZvezda said:

Thanks man!!! I’m fairly pleased as well, this being my first adventure I’ve only run into a few ventilation issues which is due to me underestimating my needs and being a fool to start my grow in the middle of summer.

Likewise I underestimated how quickly these ladies would grow once they got going.

Haven’t done any training but will be entering flowering within the next 3 days (beans sprouted July 25th)

I transplanted from quart size containers into 5 gallons on 8/9 and roots were coming out the bottom 7 days following transplant!!!

Looking back it was also unwise of me to start such a large garden, it seemed like a good idea at first but boy did I bit off more than I can chew!!! I swear I expected some to die on me along the way

[First two on the left are random bag seeds - 3 small containers in the middle are autos - remaining plants are GMO Cakes and my main crop]

View attachment 4382193 View attachment 4382194

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Also, FWIW on two of my plants, I snapped one of the main shoots almost half off training them.
I wired it back into place and it just grew like crazy, never even wilted.

9 days into 12/12. I have been using RO water for the first time.
440ppm or about .9EC. Equal parts Calmag and GH three part. Silica is used on fresh res.

Adding back about 1.75 gallons a night and around 40ppm of nutes every night. In other words the PPM's drop about 40 a night. PH stays relatively stable. I attribute this to adding fresh nutes.
I brew a fresh EWC tea with the Oregonism XL and Ancient Forest each res change. I brew it nice and strong and add about 150ml when I change the res. Three days later I will add around 75ml.

I’m Hey 5BY5LEC,

I’ve been reading some of your posts because you seem to have the same passion for RDWC as myself! I’ve designed multiple RDWC systems for smaller grow set-ups
(2 plant, 3 plant & 4 plant systems) & fine-tuned them over time. I run two 4 plant systems in two separate tents for a perpetual grow. I’m still fairly new at this, but I’ve had some good success with some key additions & revisions for improvements. I use air stones waterfalls & fluming to maximize dissolved oxygen and the girls seem to love it. I’ve also dialed in room temps, tent temps & water temps...and I don’t even use a chiller! so I figured we could collaborate some so everyone wins. I’m getting ready to leave town next week on a 6 day trip and I’m not even worried about my grow I’ve got my system dialed in pretty good on auto pilot for a long trip coming up, but we’ll see how it goes? It’s getting late, but I’ll be back soon enough to share my RDWC experiences.. Before I go I’ll post some pics of my set-ups.

Thanks for taking the time to read them.
Ditto as far as the additions and revisions. If I had it my way I would have built a new system already but I figured I would run this one for a bit cause it works.
What size water pump are you running?
The more DO the better for sure. A lot of people say to ditch the stones but they have worked well enough for me, to this point.
The pump makes little noise and uses like 1.15a.

The thermometer has been overtaken.

Underneath shows no brown leaves or tips.

I actually use a 1000 gph pump because it runs the undercurrent flow, as well as the waterfall system, plus I use it to generate a fluming method (small geyser or boiling effect) in the control station, which provides another major source of dissolved oxygen. I also have an aerator & stones in each grow bucket, but when they fail (and they always do at some point) I’ve got more than substantial DO, without an aerator, to keep the plants thriving indefinitely. It’s balanced out well enough that I don’t get root suction issues in the undercurrent system, plus I also use filters on the inflow pipe in each bucket I clean weekly. Another trick I use is...I have no water chiller, but keep the water around 65°F. I have a small portable A/C unit (6000 btu’s) in my storeroom which I use to vent cold air into the bottom of the tents. Then I use folded Mylar sheets that sit right on the RDWC and covers most of the system...it not only reflects away the grow lights & heat from the RDWC buckets, but it also helps trap much of the cold air down below In the lower tent portion which keeps my RDWC water temps at an idea range below 68°F. The best part is, it also keeps the plants canopy section around 70°F to 74°F, so it serves multiple purposes. I travel for work so I gotta have the system dialed in to leave for days or even a week at a time without issues.

I also have two 25 gallon water reservoirs outside each tent that auto feeds the RDWCs at a constant level by float valves. Since the pH levels in my RDWCs typically rise over time, I keep the pH level in the reservoirs around 4.5 to 5.0, which slowly feeds & balances out pH levels in my RDWC’s at around 6.0 for days. I’ll include another below canopy photo of the system in the tent, but I removed the larger Mylar sheets to see the system better. The plants are nearly 6 weeks old now & I’m just transitioning them over to flower this weekend, so I’ll take a few more snapshots in a few hours when the lights come back on.

Took this photo tonight. These girls have exploded in a week since my previous picture in the above post was taken. RDWC growing kicks ass!

Yeha you arent kidding.
I am 13 days since flip and its getting out of control.
I had to trim the shit out of them last night cause the top was blocking everything, leaves sitting together ect.
Only running 500ppm @.5 but I add every night back to 500, it drops like 40 ppm a night. I have been raising it around 20 a night. Tomorrow will be 520 ect.
With RO I have not had to touch the PH yet. Nute mix comes out perfect.
Each plant is using a 1/2gal or more if its hot every 24hrs.

A new bud

Sdh777 said:

Took this photo tonight. These girls have exploded in a week since my previous picture in the above post was taken. RDWC growing kicks ass!View attachment 4385173

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They look great but you look like you got some N tox going on. Dark green leaves and pointed down tips. Drop the grow a bit.
I ran into the same thing in veg and a little into flower. As soon as I dropped the grow by half it went away.

Thanks! 2nd grow so I’m still learning a lot...usually by mistakes. It’s under 1000ppm now, but it did get up near 1200 last week for a day or two. I’m doing a water exchange today, so I’ll flush for a day, then I’ll slowly bring it back up to 600 ppm.

I just designed a new pumpless drainage system for my TDWC this week, so I’m adding that in today. Every Few weeks I try and improve the overall RDWC design until it’s as easy to run as possible & automated so I can travel.

I just flipped to flower over the weekend, so I’m about 10 or 11 days behind you.

Sweet. Yeah man, I have been doing this completely by trial and error too.
I still have to come home to adjust the fans every day at lights on and off. I need a bluetooth rheostat lol.

Get ready for those things to fill up your space once you flip!

Man, what a difference 12 days makes...
These 1st two photos were taken on 8/18...right after defoliation & about 6 days before I switched to flower or 12/12 light cycle.



These next 2 photo were taken today...
about 6 days after switching to 12/12 light cycle



They’re already in desperate need of defoliation once again, but I’ve read to hold off until week 3 of flower?
At this rate, If I wait 2 more weeks to defoliate I’ll need a bigger Scrog net and tent!
Anyone who wants to chime is more than welcome!
To defoliate or not to defoliate...that’s the question?

Defoliate! I do it 1 week before flip, 1 week after flip, then again lightly about 2-3 weeks after the last.

Thanks Axion!
I’m just a little nervous about trimming in early flower, bcuz last grow I F’d up & hermied 2 plants from stress, but it was more likely from screwing up my grow light timer in early flower.

They have gotten a bit unruly. I have done two big trims, one at switch and one about a week ago.
I would pinch the stem over on the tall but I am going to let it ride. Maybe it will bud the whole way down.

Running about 550ppms. Still drops 30 a night but I just add it back each night to keep 550 all the time.
Calmag/GH Three part. 1 part micro, .5 part grow, 1.25 part bloom.
This time I am not seeing any kind of spots or brown/dead leaves like last year. Here is underneath the canopy.
Not really anything going on I can see. My nutrient mix must be ok.