First Time Growing DWC

[BudtenderAlexSZ]

Hello Everyone,

I am new here and about to start my first grow since Prop 207 passed!

So far I have not ordered anything yet as i was to get advise first on my equipment. This is what I plan to buy so far please let me know if I'm missing anything;
To buy: Rockwool cubes, air pump x4, air stones x6 for extras, hydroton rocks, electric PH testing kit, 3 x 6 tent, fishing line/weights (to hold the air stones down), ocelating fans, 6" because fan, carbon filter, 4 5 Gal DWC buckets, batter water pump (make changing water easier), daisy chains, net pots, humidity/temp gauge, timers, PPM tester, and lastly a LED light 2000 Watts either Mars Hydro or Spider Farms.

I plan to use the Flora series for nutrients and hydro guard to protect against root rot. My house has a built in RO system so my water is not a problem.

Already have:
Portable AC and humidifiers

I am using space in my laundry room to set the grow space. I plan to vent my outtake through the carbon filter out my dryer vent using a damper to make the airflow stop if the dryer is running. I only do laundry on Sundays and usually just 1 or 2 loads. I am looking for any advise in general bu tr want to know thoughts on my LED light choices, ventilation, and if I'm missing anything. Also open to suggestions when it comes to seeds. I was planning to buy feminized from Barneys Farms or Krop King. Appreciate any imput you have for me in advance. My budget for the setup is only $1600.

 

[PK]

Welcome aboard budtenderalexsz
great introduction to start and a good place to land and get information.

I don't use your nutrients but there are plenty of members here that do. I would add cal-mag to that list as it will be used during the process of growing.

As far as light go. I have mars hydro ts 1000 and sp3000. Great lights. However, again plenty of members have spider farm which is also a great light.

you don't need to buy weights if your air stones are the the medium to large size as they are heavy enough. Just make sure your line is hard and black so that light cannot penetrate through it.

You are a lucky to have a place with RO system setup. I am guessing where you live this is a mandatory or perhaps its a option that came with the house. Regardless you are good in most cases.

For purchase i would highly suggest to look into 420 magazine sponsor section and use the coupon code.
let me know if you can't figure what it is

I am currently also doing a DWC grow. feel free to click on the link in my signature and ask any questions you have.
I'll also keep watch here until your ready to start a journal and when you do make sure to tag me. You tag members with a @ sign front of their name.

 

[Southerncough]

I've done the dryer vent thing and would suggest putting a 4x4x4 wye where you connect instead of a tee, then add a 1 way duct flap for both input sides so the dryer exhaust doesn't blow back into your tent. BUT you gotta remember to kill the tent fan when running the dryer or it'll back up the dryer exhaust (which could cause a fire!)

 

[PK]

i know there are some that has a door inside of it and when ever air blows it will blow onto that door which closes the other hole.

 

[Southerncough]

yep, but if they're both running at the same time it could cause issue and too much pressure/volume for the dryer vent

 

[Southerncough]

These are what you want. They're like $6. They sell a more expensive spring loaded version at the hydro store but it puts too much resistance on the dryer and the grow fans IMO. You want that hot air to keep on movin!

 

[PK]

definitely, and i can bet you that the dryer will win that fight.

 

[Southerncough]

also, another life saver are the spring loaded hose clamps.
The ones with the screw drive are awesome and hold very well, but I found the spring loaded ones are great when you're up on a ladder with a duct in one hand and the vent in the other. You can just pinch it, pop it on, and let go!
Also, a great tool for any grower is a nut driver that fits the hose clamp hex nut so you're not trying to do it with a flat head screwdriver that keeps slipping off.

 

[Southerncough]

where will you be venting the portable AC?
Here's the lesson I learned with those...if the exhaust needs to travel further than the ducting that came with it...it won't cool...unless you add a booster fan.
Same deal, if the hot air isn't moving fast enough from the compressor it won't do its job.
(remember that all an AC does is remove heat from the air and release it from the compressor)

 

[BudtenderAlexSZ]

I've done the dryer vent thing and would suggest putting a 4x4x4 wye where you connect instead of a tee, then add a 1 way duct flap for both input sides so the dryer exhaust doesn't blow back into your tent. BUT you gotta remember to kill the tent fan when running the dryer or it'll back up the dryer exhaust (which could cause a fire!)

I'm setting up a safety shutoff so it illuminates the risk of fan and dryer running at the same time. If dryer is running it will cut off the power to the fan.

 

[BudtenderAlexSZ]

where will you be venting the portable AC?
Here's the lesson I learned with those...if the exhaust needs to travel further than the ducting that came with it...it won't cool...unless you add a booster fan.
Same deal, if the hot air isn't moving fast enough from the compressor it won't do its job.
(remember that all an AC does is remove heat from the air and release it from the compressor)

The AC will vent through an old heating plate that also leads to the roof. But to be honest my buddy who grows next door doesnt use hi AC. My laundry room stays at a consistent 72 degrees and the spider farm light does not produce very much heat.

 

[Southerncough]

okay, cool.
Now that I'm running better LEDs I only need my AC in the summer, but my garden is in the garage where it easily gets over 100 degrees out there in July!
Your temps can run a little higher with good LEDs because they don't put much infrared light (heat from lights) on the plants like an old school HPS would.

IF you do end up using the portable AC you may have to get a duct adapter (they usually come with a 5" hose) to fit either a 4" or 6" standard duct and hook it up to a strong exhaust fan to help move the air further away. Also, if it's a single hose AC you may encounter some issues...those are a really bad design because of what they do to the room. Think about it...they pull air from the room, cool half of it and push it into the room, heat the other half and push it outside of the room...which then creates negative pressure because it sucked half the air out of the room, which then pulls hot air in from other rooms/outside which will also need cooling! and the cycle continues to the tune of 600W/hr on your power bill!

Yes, I'm guilty and own one of them but that's what a fella can get for cheap on craigslist LOL but it gets the job done and pumps cool air into my tent when I need it.

 

[Southerncough]

okay, we covered the air temps...how about your water temps?

 

[BudtenderAlexSZ]

okay, we covered the air temps...how about your water temps?

True air temps I think will be good. Do you think I will need a chiller for my system? I was thinking of going oldschool with frozen water bottles in the circulation bucket. I have the luxury of working from home but I've heared the magic temp is 68 degree water.

 

[Southerncough]

You may be okay if it can stay in the low 70's, but sometimes other parts of the system like air pumps want to share some heat.
You can pour water in it and say "well, the water temp is good" then fire up the water pumps and air stones and next day your water temp in the system is 85 degrees.
You can do the ice bottle trick. Due to heat issues I walked away from DWC and went back to coco because it felt like I needed one piece of gear after another just to keep them alive and each new piece of gear was more expensive than the previous!
I was toying with a concept to build a chiller out of a $50 used mini fridge and some copper tubing instead of a $400 chiller. Coil the tubing up so that it fits in a bucket that fits in the fridge. drill two holes in the fridge for the tubing to pass through (send and return lines) to a pump in the res. fill the bucket with icewater and set the fridge to low and let that cool down the res water that gets pumped into the copper in the icewater (kept cold by the fridge), etc.

 

[BudtenderAlexSZ]

You may be okay if it can stay in the low 70's, but sometimes other parts of the system like air pumps want to share some heat.
You can pour water in it and say "well, the water temp is good" then fire up the water pumps and air stones and next day your water temp in the system is 85 degrees.
You can do the ice bottle trick. Due to heat issues I walked away from DWC and went back to coco because it felt like I needed one piece of gear after another just to keep them alive and each new piece of gear was more expensive than the previous!
I was toying with a concept to build a chiller out of a $50 used mini fridge and some copper tubing instead of a $400 chiller. Coil the tubing up so that it fits in a bucket that fits in the fridge. drill two holes in the fridge for the tubing to pass through (send and return lines) to a pump in the res. fill the bucket with icewater and set the fridge to low and let that cool down the res water that gets pumped into the copper in the icewater (kept cold by the fridge), etc.

Yea that wouldn't be fun. I'll likely just buy a aquarium chiller of craigslist. Or new if I cant find one.