New to DWC, Few questions

D

debutis

Active Member
Been doing ebb&flow for a while now, but do to my current location, I'm very limited on height(50inches floor to ceiling) and will be setting up my DWC setup.
6x1000w HPS -I have these from the ebb&flow, will them being just 24-30" above clones and smaller cuttings be an issue? They are all water cooled and temps in the room do not go above 79(there's also c02 running)
2x 27g reservoirs with 24 sites on each res. Each site is a 3.5g bucket with 10" net pot(each res is also running off the chiller to keep res temps around 70)

Few questions:
-First the lights. Is 1000w lights only 24" above the buckets going to be a problem for smaller plants? Will I need to add window screen to shade them after first moving them over from veg(few 400w Metal halides)?
-With this many sites on each reservoir, do I need to run a pump to move and mix water around? Obviously each bucket will have an airstone, but it doesn't seem like the nutes will be thoroughly mixed?
-What air pumps are addequate for this setup? I have 6 smaller 8outlet pumps, but would like to run just 2. Would the ecoplus air 7's work? I believe they do 200l/h. I've read to aim for 5l/h per bucket.
-Beneficial bacterias. I've heard some run them and some don't. Also read that some people with no BB's have no issues with slime or root rot, some do. Is it worth running something to help prevent any issues? Is it really needed?
-I have left over H&G nutes, as well as GH 2 part lucas forumla. Which is best for a DWC setup? I've heard to run synthetics and not to use organic ferts in DWC. Fact/fiction?

After seeing many of the DWC setups here, it seems like it's far and away the best way to grow. Ebb and flow was good, but i'm ready to tinker with something else! Sorry for all the questions, and thanks in advance for any help!
 
FeFiFoFUM

FeFiFoFUM

Active Member
debutis said:
Been doing ebb&flow for a while now, but do to my current location, I'm very limited on height(50inches floor to ceiling) and will be setting up my DWC setup.
6x1000w HPS -I have these from the ebb&flow, will them being just 24-30" above clones and smaller cuttings be an issue? They are all water cooled and temps in the room do not go above 79(there's also c02 running)
2x 27g reservoirs with 24 sites on each res. Each site is a 3.5g bucket with 10" net pot(each res is also running off the chiller to keep res temps around 70)

Few questions:
-First the lights. Is 1000w lights only 24" above the buckets going to be a problem for smaller plants? Will I need to add window screen to shade them after first moving them over from veg(few 400w Metal halides)?
-With this many sites on each reservoir, do I need to run a pump to move and mix water around? Obviously each bucket will have an airstone, but it doesn't seem like the nutes will be thoroughly mixed?
-What air pumps are addequate for this setup? I have 6 smaller 8outlet pumps, but would like to run just 2. Would the ecoplus air 7's work? I believe they do 200l/h. I've read to aim for 5l/h per bucket.
-Beneficial bacterias. I've heard some run them and some don't. Also read that some people with no BB's have no issues with slime or root rot, some do. Is it worth running something to help prevent any issues? Is it really needed?
-I have left over H&G nutes, as well as GH 2 part lucas forumla. Which is best for a DWC setup? I've heard to run synthetics and not to use organic ferts in DWC. Fact/fiction?

After seeing many of the DWC setups here, it seems like it's far and away the best way to grow. Ebb and flow was good, but i'm ready to tinker with something else! Sorry for all the questions, and thanks in advance for any help!
Click to expand...

Ive ran an NFT, and a top feed system before what IM running now which is dwc. and in my opinion DWC seems easier, however I have had brown slime Both times Ive run with DWC and I was onne that used H202 as a staple in my garden along with SM90.
Im now running BB's and no H202 or sm90 and waiting to see how that turns out.

I like DWC because each res is independent from the other which would make controlling slime and other dissease easier along with containing them so they dont spread.

I dont use water pumps just one air pump for all six.. tho it is a really powerfull air pump. something like 960gph

I think your temps will be fine and the distance from the clones too especially if youre running Co2
 
Heisenberg

Heisenberg

Well-Known Member
Can address a few of your questions...

Use the bubbles to circulate the water, if it isn't circulating enough add more air stones. 1wt air pump per gallon of water is enough to add dissolved oxygen into your water as fast as it is removed.

If you use only synthetic nutes and are strict about keeping organic material out of the res AND practice proper res maintenece (water temps, light leaks, ect) then you are not likely to need bennies. Some people develop a brown slime, even with sterilizing additives, and bennies are the answer there. Bennies will also let you run water temps in the mid 70's without problems.

If you run anything organic it can not be absorbed by the plant until it has first been processed by microorganisms, so you would definitely need bennies in that case. However part of hydro, especially DWC, is giving the plant exactly what it wants, when it wants it, and in the correct amounts. That becomes extremely hard to do when you run organics and depend on microbes to supply your nute balance. So be smart and go with synthetic nutes. It's all the same chemical fertilizer by the time it reaches the plant.

Making your own bennies is easy, read this
 
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