First Time DWC

[420ragz]

After some long talks and lots of research I finally set up and started running a single DWC bucket system for vegging 1 mother plant for cloning. Long story short i think building one on you’re own, is cheaper and you can get better quality components, than already made small systems. Still learning new things along the way though. One very important lesson I’ve learnt that every new DWC grower should have is: pH/ppm/temperature testers. Having the right PH/ppm/temperature in you’re solution is crucial for successful grows. The biggest challenge Im having and come across with is keeping the nutrient solution temperature down below 71*F when the lights are on and keeping and maintaining a PH @ 5.8. I’ve started pre mixing my solution 72hrs before a reservoir change letting the nutrients and ph balance out and stabilize before changing.
as far as set up goes I’m using a Agrobrite flp28 light for veg and a TMLAPY 1000-f01 light for flower in a 4’x2’x5’tent, 2 inline 4” Vivosun duct fans with speed remotes and 1 carbon filter, timers,clip on fan, DWC 5 gal bucket with top drip. I also used a sun blaster nano dome with t5 and a heat mat with a heat mat controller For germination and pre veg in Rockwool cubes. For nutes im using iguna juice grow (advance nutrients), indo max nutrients, and great white.
right now 1/1/2021 I’m on day 14 from seed and I’m growing 1 frosted fruitcake/starfighter (1 seed of each and I accidentally mixed up with only 1 sprouted).
any info or suggestions/advice please feel free to comment. I will be posting weekly updates of my grow!

 

[Dusty Kiefers]

Subscribed. I grow dwc. Interested to see how the iguana juice does in dwc.

 

[BeanTownFan420]

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[StoneOtter]

Welcome 420ragz!

 

[r0am1ng st0ner]

to



I play around in water also and have done dwc now rdwc, it sounds like you have learned the basics now the rest is sorta trial and error, big thing especially with the water being warmer with the lights on is just pump lots of air and try use your great white to keep a healthy bacteria population and it has always kept healthy roots for me but I use it to make teas.

 

[420ragz]

to



I play around in water also and have done dwc now rdwc, it sounds like you have learned the basics now the rest is sorta trial and error, big thing especially with the water being warmer with the lights on is just pump lots of air and try use your great white to keep a healthy bacteria population and it has always kept healthy roots for me but I use it to make teas.

Yeah I’m learning more as I go especially on how my plant is feeding now looking at ppm I had to do a few adjustments. There’s 3 long roots in the water now So I turn off the drip and they look super healthy thanks to the great white and surface of the water theres major bubbles/foam. Looking good so far. Some purple/red hues are starting to show on the leaf stems now.

 

[r0am1ng st0ner]

Yeah I’m learning more as I go especially on how my plant is feeding now looking at ppm I had to do a few adjustments. There’s 3 long roots in the water now So I turn off the drip and they look super healthy thanks to the great white and surface of the water theres major bubbles/foam. Looking good so far. Some purple/red hues are starting to show on the leaf stems now.

That all sounds perfect

 

[420ragz]

Everything was going great until I changed my solution again. I added more nutes and made my ppm 540. My ph went way down to 4.7 so I added ph up until I had 5.8. Next day I noticed there was browning on the roots in the water and bucket was smelling bad with foam on the surface. Root rot was definitely the culprit! I changed solution and added 30ml of hydrogen peroxide and flushed it out and cleaned the bucket clean. I re-filled it with a new solution (less concentrated) and next day the roots didn’t look any better and it looked like it was spreading. I decided to cut those roots off and clean and rinse the bucket again. This time around I added cannazym to the half concentrated solution and run a top drip with no roots touching the water. The plant wilted after I cut those infected roots and I think I’ve stressed the plant out to much now. Hoping tomorrow shows signs of improvement.

 

[JamesBong502]

You need some beneficial Bacteria or an actual sterile res , I had the same issue in my journal. I used z7 by flying skull and have been crystal ever since.

RO or Tap water?
Pics are my results. First 3 with 48 hours

 

[Dusty Kiefers]

The iguana juice may be to organic for dwc. Sounds like organic waste leading to root rot.
Try trimming the nasty ends off and like stated above some beneficial bacteria. I dont think you will get far with h202 and iguana juice.

 

[1ne eye]

I do believe z7 is now z9 in Canada, i use hydrogaurd which you can't get in Canada now, you can order it out of the states but it will cost a arm and a leg, but you will need something for those roots to keep them happy.

 

[420ragz]

You need some beneficial Bacteria or an actual sterile res , I had the same issue in my journal. I used z7 by flying skull and have been crystal ever since.

RO or Tap water?
Pics are my results. First 3 with 48 hours

I used reverse O water this time around.

 

[420ragz]

The iguana juice may be to organic for dwc. Sounds like organic waste leading to root rot.
Try trimming the nasty ends off and like stated above some beneficial bacteria. I dont think you will get far with h202 and iguana juice.

I cut those roots off and the used this product cannazym which was recommended by the hydro store I go to for getting rid of the rot. You might be right about iguana juice. If this happens one more time i will be switching to something else

 

[420ragz]

I ended up switching my solution mix to advance nutrient sensi grow A&B, sensi cal magxtra and continued with the white shark and cannazym. The plant is doing great with new roots exploding. I still continued the top drip and lowered my solution to 8l instead of 10l, increasing the air gap from bottom of mesh to TOW. New leaf growth has also increased and I have topped it for the first time (after 3rd node)
The ph has been steady in the 5.8-6.1 range and my PPM is 876 since my first change of this new solution; this post is on the 3rd day since Solution change.
Water temperature has been in the 70-74*F. Anyone ever use frozen ice packs in the water before to keep the temperature down?

 

[GoogleGenie]

Hey @420ragz

I'm a DWC grower. Happy to help if you need it along the way. Feel free to check out my journal. I understand your concern with the roots, roots are always a priority for me - happy roots - happy plants.

IMG_5318.jpg

• GoogleGenie
• Jan 13, 2021

Glad you sorted out your roots in the end. There is a product here called Botanicare Hydroguard which is a great addition for DWC, especially if you aren't using a chiller. It has cleared up root rot for me in the past and is a more DWC friendly version of Great White. There is an equivalent in the US but i can't remember what its called - It's got a "Z" in it, something like "Z7".
I also use (and swear by) Great White (mainly in veg and when top feeding dwc) and Cannazyme

UPDATED

@JamesBong502 actually already mentioned it above too - z7 by flying skull - great stuff if it's the same as Hydroguard

 

[Dusty Kiefers]

Great deal

 

[420ragz]

Hey @420ragz

I'm a DWC grower. Happy to help if you need it along the way. Feel free to check out my journal. I understand your concern with the roots, roots are always a priority for me - happy roots - happy plants.

IMG_5318.jpg

• GoogleGenie
• Jan 13, 2021

Glad you sorted out your roots in the end. There is a product here called Botanicare Hydroguard which is a great addition for DWC, especially if you aren't using a chiller. It has cleared up root rot for me in the past and is a more DWC friendly version of Great White. There is an equivalent in the US but i can't remember what its called - It's got a "Z" in it, something like "Z7".
I also use (and swear by) Great White (mainly in veg and when top feeding dwc) and Cannazyme

UPDATED

@JamesBong502 actually already mentioned it above too - z7 by flying skull - great stuff if it's the same as Hydroguard

Yeah for some reason most of the stores in Toronto GTA don’t cary hydroguard. I seen it on amazon but it’s + shipping. Either way cannazym seems to have done the trick.

 

[GoogleGenie]

Yeah for some reason most of the stores in Toronto GTA don’t cary hydroguard. I seen it on amazon but it’s + shipping. Either way cannazym seems to have done the trick.

Very nice!! Lovely fluffy new healthy roots and a healthy canopy to go with it

 

[420ragz]

Very nice!! Lovely fluffy new healthy roots and a healthy canopy to go with it

What benefits do you have with coco over the clay pellets ?

 

[GoogleGenie]

What benefits do you have with coco over the clay pellets ?

This is of course based on my own opinion, experience and personal preference. I consider using coco in RDWC to be an advanced growing technique.

the advantages for me include:

- Smoother transition from clone - veg - flower
- Nicer environment for young roots to thrive
- More control over root development
- Easier to administer bennies
- Better at keeping light out of the res

That being said, I get perfectly good results using clay pebbles. I just really like working with coco, and I find it more convenient, with my setup.

Aerocloner -> coco small pot -> coco 1.5l pot -> net pot into system

it’s usually ~3 weeks a rooted clone spends in a pot in coco before moving into the system in a net pot. This is 3 weeks to establish a big dense rootball. If this 3 weeks were spent in hydroton, I’d need to use a smaller DWC setup in my veg tent and the rootball wouldn’t be anywhere near the density it would be in coco. Essentially, I’m able to create a better rootball for clones in coco, than I could in hydroton.

Young roots like warmth. Warmth and DWC nutrient solution don’t really go well together. Established roots on the other hand, thrive and achieve better nutrient update in a cool, oxygenated, nutrient solution.