Gadget Guy's PermaDream 1st DIY RDWC Journal

[Gadget Man]

Wazzup! Gadget Man's first grow.
Here's the stats:
Tent: 3x3x6
Light: Mars Hydro II 900
Water: R/O!!!
Nutes: GH Flora Series Micro/Bloom/Gro, Rapid Start, Floralicious Plus, CalMagic
One 18 gal tote
RDWC
950 Gph O2 air pump (3 LG stones in tote, 1 in control)
Active Aqua 1000 Gph water pump
Active Aqua 250 Gph water pump (for res)

Goal:
Eventually, I WANT A POUND!

We've had big burn problems . I got excited and gave the new clone full nutes. I know, right? If you add that to the fact that I want to VEG longer to get bigger yields, I think I've been put back maybe two weeks to a month. I made some crazy mistakes. I thought she was too long and stringy. I figured I could cut the top off and root it and maybe have it for the next cycle. NOPE, It died. My plant was left shorter and stressed. All the while fimming and cropping.

Okay, she came back from all that! I moved her from a 3.5 gal bubbler to a 18 gal rdwc. I think I've made up for hurting her so much. She looks fantastic right now.

Chiller Gadget:
Want one, but for a 3x3 tent? Talk to me about that. I'm adding frozen packs. FREAKIN' label came off and Got caught in my pump.

I have soooo much more to tell and ask. Talk to me!

Meanwhile, here's some pics of my new rig.

PS PVC glue gets you so high! Lol

 

[Chris Scorpio]

What's yer water temps??

I live on the surface of the sun my water is ways 77-80deg
The hydroguard and z7 eliminate the goopies, so no chilling has been needed

What is that tub, I like that, 18gal??

 

[Gadget Man]

What's yer water temps??

I live on the surface of the sun my water is ways 77-80deg
The hydroguard and z7 eliminate the goopies, so no chilling has been needed

What is that tub, I like that, 18gal??

Chris! Howzit Bro? Yeah, 18 gallons. My next build is a 27 gal with two net pots. I built this one to easily exchange to the larger one.
My temps are from70-77. I'm going to try that hydrogenated and z7 after some research. I was worrying about that.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Your water isn't too bad if you add the z7 and hydroguard

I have 2 tubs,12gal, with 3 plants each
Was planning to test some strains, my 2nd only DWC grow, and they are insane, 2 max next time but will probably stick with 5gal buckets

 

[Gadget Man]

Morning Check:
Numbers are good. I added Raped Start and Florilicious Plus yesterday at 2.5 and 1 ml per respectively. I just realized I went from 167 ppm to my current 619. No burn and actually she grew an inch. I was feeding just Calmg and very little of that because of burn and recovery. Now she gets the full compliment just not full strength. About 2.5 of each Flora Series.

Question:
My mix is brown due to the color of the nutes. I see people bragging of bright white roots. Mine are strong but not slimy. However they are brown. Can they still be white with brown nutes?

 

[Gadget Man]

Hey, Wassup people? What do you know about that Mg salt (Epson Salts)?

I'm going to ramp up the nutes. From a chart I got from Rifleman, I identified my water level going down, EC going down and PH going up means she can handle more nutes. 2.5ml of each flora is what in there now. Thinking of going to 3.5 next week. What do you think of the recommended doses on the Flora chart? I hear its always too much.

 

[Gadget Man]

Good Day All! She is looking great! I tied her down to get bushier. I've added Hydroguard and a sample of Flying Skull Z7 for root health. I'm going to cut back on the nutes by half.
Learning a lot about my rebuild.
Smaller res tank.
Incorporate a chiller.
Gradually ramp up nutes.
Crop early.
Use RO water

I want to stop looking in on her 4-5 times a day.
"I wish I knew how to quit you". Lol

Added some Epson Salt. Let's see if I can get that purple out of those stems.

 

[Gadget Man]

I GOT A USED CHILLER!!!
EcoPlus 1/4 hp. I am playing with it now. I am running a bucket of water through it now, I need to pick up some H2O2 tomorrow. I wouldn't dare introduce it to my system until I am sure it is clean. It's over kill for my 24 gal RDWC Set up but hey go hard or go home, right? My temps are in the mid 70's but I'm dosing Hydroguard and some Z7. Her roots look better everyday. I'll drop the latest pic. I've been beating her down and topping her the whole time. I think I'll flip her around the first. I depends on how she looks. She's been through a lot.

 

[Gadget Man]

She's looking great. Chiller is fantastic. I was able to turn off my air conditioner completely with temps in the tent up to 82 but res temp stay at 67.

I'm adding a top off res. Can anyone give me a hint on what to put in it? I hear just OR water with calmag, but won't that dilute the nutes? I also heard copy the PPMs of the control res. If I do that, what is the purpose of a complete res change? I'm waiting on this info before I add the top off tank to the mix. Thanks

 

[Gadget Man]

I like working on my setup almost as much as I the flower. I went to the grow store and saw an inline water filter. Can't wait to put it on! Another gadget!
I'm still looking for a bluelab pH doser, maybe even a pro controller. Someday .... Someday.

 

[Gadget Man]

SCROG TIME
I beat her down to half her size. She's been through so much as a first child does. So many mistakes:
full nutes at clone,
broken in half,
warm res temps.

Flipping next week. I cut clones and have them in a clone. They are waking up nice under a 24 hour light.

She is short but has many bud sites. Getting ready for the next one.

 

[Gadget Man]

I am really considering a pH doser I am terrible at dosing. I've over dosed several times. Leafs show it, too. I'm in the first week of flower. Scrogged and growing. "Sea Of Green" method. The first always gets it the worst, but I'm learning loads.

 

[Gadget Man]

SECOND WEEK OF FLIP!!!
I'm confused. I keep hearing people running their ppms at or lower than 400. There must be nothing in it.
Check this out:
RDWC
20 g RO water
1000 gph pump
One 27 gal tote for plant
4 large air stones
950 gph air pump
1/4 hp chiller at 67 degrees

Okay, now for the nute change info:
Drained system, filled with 20 gal RO. Due to water left in tote, It came to 48 PPM.

Calmagic at 5 ml/g comes to 100ml bringing it to 361ppm

Flora Micro at 7.5 ml/g but cut in half is 75ml bringing it to 572 ppm

Flora Gro at 2.5 ml/g but cut in half is 25ml brings it to 600

Flora Bloom at 10 ml/g cut in half is 100ml brings it to whopping 701!

I waited between 10 and 30 minutes before adding next nute.
PH currently at 5.9. I'll let it settle for a day before checking again.
I forgot my Armor Si, which should be added before Calmag so maybe next time.

I still have 20 mls of Rapid Start and Floralicious Plus of which I'm reluctant to add seeing the high ppm not to mention the Diamond Nectar and Flora Nectar at 100 mls each that wont be added.

So I'm sitting at 701ppm waiting on the burn. Maybe my system is so over powered that I need to go with 25% base nutes? That sounds like my girl will only get a taste of what she needs. I'm only worried because I keep hearing people running low nutes. I saw a guy running 240!

Thoughts?

 

[Chris Scorpio]

I'm usually around 700ppm

 

[Gadget Man]

I'm usually around 700ppm

Thanks! That makes me feel so much better. I really want to get the Rapid Start and the Floralicious in there. They are only 20 mils each. I'll let it settle for today and check it out in the morning.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

So no hydroguard and z7????

 

[Gadget Man]

Whats the deal on lowing the water? I'm thinking of letting her lower it a few gallons. Right now its less than an inch from the bottom of the net pot. Roots are almost to the bottom of the tub. It's about 8 inches from bottom of net pot to bottom of tub.

 

[Gadget Man]

So no hydroguard and z7????

I added H2O2 at 3ml/g (60mls). I was waiting to add Hydroguard last and forgot about it, honestly. LOL

I can't add Z7 (Mammoth P) after adding H2O2, right?

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Nix the h202, it doesn't last in the water long

No, add the hydroguard and z7 anytime, silica goes in 1st, that's really it

Gotta have yer hydroguard and z7 for the roots

 

[Gadget Man]

Okay, I added the Rapid Start, Floralicious and KoolBloom at 20 mils each. I also put in some Z7 (Mammoth P). I'm sitting right at 748. I'll let her sip on that for a couple of weeks. I'm pushing so much water with one plant that I think I can go 2 weeks between changes.

Ph is sitting at 6.1 where I'll let it stay over night and see how she looks in the morning.

Thanks for all the help. I'll post pics in the morning.