is RDWC good for newbies?

mytwhyt

mytwhyt

Well-Known Member
This is a simple but very effective starter hydro system to test the water.. This thread is the best one for a start to finish walk through explanation of the unit.. First dozen pages says it all.. Short, 100 day total, high yield.. It does recirculate, but doesn't have a separate reservoir... That could be added with some mods.. Doesn't need air stones to supply O2, drip on hydroton supplies all the O2 a plant needs.... Pineapple Express G13 Lab's Seed to Harvest | Rollitup
 
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Dodgey99

Well-Known Member
I've grown in NFT tanks for ever, and they have to be the easiest Hydro there is. Self contained, no chance of leaks or overflowing, easy to maintain PH and EC.

I'm about to try RWDC and whilst I'm excited, there are loads more things to watch out for judging by my research so far. Blockages, overflows because of blockages, leaks, are the main ones that spring to mind, but I'm up for it.

I will miss the NFT ability to walk away for a week with zero intervention.
 
myke

myke

Well-Known Member
My rule was if not running a chiller there should be more water outside the room then in.Shade the buckets and keep cool air flow down by the floor.
Dodgey99 said:
I will miss the NFT ability to walk away for a week with zero intervention.
Click to expand...
Thats what rdwc is,just fill and walk away.
Exsplain more about your nft.pics?
 
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Dodgey99

Well-Known Member
myke said:
My rule was if not running a chiller there should be more water outside the room then in.Shade the buckets and keep cool air flow down by the floor.

Thats what rdwc is,just fill and walk away.
Exsplain more about your nft.pics?
Click to expand...
To be fair, pics are fairly dull with NFT.

This is the tank/s I use. GT424

1628114162102.png

Super common. £70 gets you the tank and the matting, and pump. Everything you need. Good fort a 4x4 tent.

You put your plants in rockwool cubes directly on the toplayer (criss-crossed) - usually in spreader matting (just thin glass fiber matting to spread the water more evenly).

You fill the res below with approx 42 litres of water (hence GT424 - 42 litres, 4ft tent (or 4 plants), add your nutes, then a 24/7 pump pushes it through a hole at the top and down the criss-crossed surface. Your plants grow roots over this surface,in the flowing water, and above it. They get to choose what air they get, and what water they get. The water and nutes flow all teh way down and back into the tank. They then get recirculated.

It can't leak.
It can't overflow.
You monitor EC and PH and adjust accordingly with more water or food, or acid.

I can fill the tank to the brim and happily leave it for a week in the summer without any intervention.

Whereas with RWDC you have to worry about roots blocking pipework (and causing floods, or poorly airated plants), failing air stones, leaks (all that plumbing).

But..... NFT can suffer form uneven root growth due to water pooling. It's super relaible mind you, and prob grows not far off RWDC performance.

I'm about to try RWDC -when my current crop decides to finally mature! :-)

In a nutshell, NFT is simple with very little to go wrong. RWDC is complicated in comparision, with lots to go wrong. But - offers more optimal, even, root growth opportunities. That's my take on it, anyhow. ONce i have my RWDC dialled in I'm sure i'll be more relaxed about it.
 
myke

myke

Well-Known Member
Dodgey99 said:
To be fair, pics are fairly dull with NFT.

This is the tank/s I use. GT424

View attachment 4958083

Super common. £70 gets you the tank and the matting, and pump. Everything you need. Good fort a 4x4 tent.

You put your plants in rockwool cubes directly on the toplayer (criss-crossed) - usually in spreader matting (just thin glass fiber matting to spread the water more evenly).

You fill the res below with approx 42 litres of water (hence GT424 - 42 litres, 4ft tent (or 4 plants), add your nutes, then a 24/7 pump pushes it through a hole at the top and down the criss-crossed surface. Your plants grow roots over this surface,in the flowing water, and above it. They get to choose what air they get, and what water they get. The water and nutes flow all teh way down and back into the tank. They then get recirculated.

It can't leak.
It can't overflow.
You monitor EC and PH and adjust accordingly with more water or food, or acid.

I can fill the tank to the brim and happily leave it for a week in the summer without any intervention.

Whereas with RWDC you have to worry about roots blocking pipework (and causing floods, or poorly airated plants), failing air stones, leaks (all that plumbing).

But..... NFT can suffer form uneven root growth due to water pooling. It's super relaible mind you, and prob grows not far off RWDC performance.

I'm about to try RWDC -when my current crop decides to finally mature! :-)

In a nutshell, NFT is simple with very little to go wrong. RWDC is complicated in comparision, with lots to go wrong. But - offers more optimal, even, root growth opportunities. That's my take on it, anyhow. ONce i have my RWDC dialled in I'm sure i'll be more relaxed about it.
Click to expand...
I tried similar,small pots with leca.24/7 pump. mess of roots holy shit.Growth was OK.I went back back to rdwc,its what i feel comfortable with.After 40 or so grows youll master" leak proof" lol.
 
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