Scrog & Super Crop 400 HID DWC: Modified

[BAKIND]

Keep an eye on that piece of duct material between your fan and filter. If it becomes torn or holed, then some of the air you're exhausting will be unfiltered. I don't suppose that's real likely to happen (assuming it's in good shape now and the two pieces of equipment remain stationary), but.

Some folks will use something more rigid/durable in that location in order to remove even the possibility.

I will keep an eye on that. The filter and blower will be stationary. I will add enough tubing to the light to raise and lower it the necessary distance.

 

[BAKIND]

Cooling and exhaust system complete and working well.
Blue arrow represents the flow of cool air. Everything exhausts to the top of the tent. What's not shown is a vent I have at the bottom letting cool air in.

What do you guys think?

 

[BAKIND]

UPDATE:

Moving grow start date from December 24th to December 3rd. As someone else suggested, I am going with a larger DWC system than the original 5 gallon bucket, and since I am only growing one plant, I am going to start from seed.

I also plan to strengthen the cooling tubes in the most vulnerable areas to avoid breakage. Stay tuned.

 

[Amadeus Forzin]

Hope all is well in your world.

Is this grow still alive?

We would love to be updated with some pictures and info.

How about posting a 420 Strain Review?

If you need any help with posting photos, please read our Photo Gallery Tutorial.

I am moving this to Abandoned Journals until we get updates.

Sending you lots of love and positive energy.

 

[BAKIND]

All is good, I will be posting some updates shortly.

 

[TorturedSoul]

All is good, I will be posting some updates shortly.

When you do, you can use the "report post" function at the bottom of your post to ask a staff member to move your journal thread back into the ongoing journals section of the forum.

 

[Greenlizard]

So how is your grow going?

 

[BAKIND]

Ok guys, after some delays, I finally started my grow.

I have to admit that this is really my first grow, and my previous experience has been primarily from reading books and this forum, so I will be asking questions, and any advice or comments will be greatly appreciated.

I should be updating this journal on a regular basis.

The DWC system is a 60 quart container with 3 individual pumps. I have a total of 12 air stones dispersed on the bottom of the tank.

I am using the water from a newly installed water filtration system which I will talk more about in a later post.

The ph is holding at 5,7 ( the instructions say start With 5,5. It will be adjusted to 5,8- 6,0 or so after she is establish) E.C is currently at 1.2

She’s been in the system for about 2 hours. So far I have seen no growth. How long before they adjust and growth begins?

60 quart dwc system, three separate pumps with two split outlets. Each pump supplies air to 4 stones . The pumps are installed on each side. I will be detailing this system in more detail in a later post.

A shot of all the bubble action.

Jiffy cutting in place. I decided to insert the cutting at the bottom of the pot and I will be filling it with medium ( cut up rockwool) upwards as the plant grows taller.

Notice how there are tons of bubbles directly underneath the plant.

 

[BAKIND]

Can someone please move this journal to in progress?

 

[TorturedSoul]

Ok guys, after some delays, I finally started my grow.

I'll see about having a staff member move your thread back out of "Abandoned Journals" and into the section for current ones. In the future, you can do this yourself by using the Report Post function (at the bottom of every post on the forum).

The DWC system is a 60 quart container

Nice, you should be able to support a sizable plant with a reservoir of that size. And that looks like a quality tote. I like that it's both opaque and white. I've just bought whatever was cheapest (within reason) at Big Lots or Home Depot, so sometimes the colors were... well, in the case of Big Lots, lol, whatever wasn't selling that year. But for $16 to $20 on average, I couldn't complain.

with 3 individual pumps. I have a total of 12 air stones dispersed on the bottom of the tank.

A good upgrade to a DWC reservoir is a device referred to as an aquarium power head. Here's an example of one:

Aquarium Powerhead

• TorturedSoul
• May 6, 2010

Inexpensive aquarium powerheads circulate while injecting air.

All it is, is a simple magnetic-drive water pump, basically. They come with a tube that can be affixed to the bottom (not really necessary, but it helps keep things mixed, I suppose). Draws water up from there and pumps it out where that deflector shield is on the front (shield is generally adjustable). See that clear tube? That goes up out of the water. The pumping causes a Venturi effect - negative pressure - which draws air down through that clear tube, whereupon it is mixed with the water that is being pumped through. They can provide some fairly serious aeration, and they're inexpensive. A local pet store or even Walmart should have one for around $23.

the instructions say start With 5,5

Were those instructions referring to just the process of presoaking your rockwool in pH 5.5 water, so as to prep the stuff in order to prevent it from possibly causing pH issues later (rockwool not exactly being a "pH-neutral" product)?

She’s been in the system for about 2 hours. So far I have seen no growth.

Lol, "Is it done, yet?" Patience, grasshopper . You should notice some growth by 24 hours, assuming adequate light-energy and that the roots have easy access to a weak nutrient solution that is well-aerated. But realize that much of that growth will be at the root zone, as right now it doesn't really have any.

By the way, if that's one of your air pumps that you've got stuck to the side of your reservoir, you might wish to rethink that. You want to ensure that they will always be above the top of your nutrient solution, so that if you ever have a power failure and the check valve in the pump fails, you won't return to find that all of your reservoir's liquid has siphoned out onto your tent floor. That's fairly rare - but it can happen (and does, occasionally).

I think this might be the first time that I've seen a picture where someone placed a seedling in the cup / net pot of a DWC reservoir with almost no media and the plant more or less completely inside the cup. I don't know if that'll cause you any hassle or not, to be honest. I just use those 18-ounce disposable Solo cups, mostly, put a bunch of holes in the lower half, and fill the cup with something like Hydroton (aka "expanded clay balls"). That puts the "above-ground" portion of the plant above the top of the cup, where it can get hit by both light-energy and the breeze from my fan (which is important, both for strengthening the stem and for aiding in the plant's transpiration process).

A shot of all the bubble action.

Yeah, a decent aquarium power head would give you lots of bubbles. Getting the highest level of dissolved oxygen in your solution as you can is one of the keys to a successful DWC grow.

Good luck on your grow! I've always been a fan of (reasonably) large-reservoir single plant DWC grows.

 

[BAKIND]

I lowered the water level a little bit and will continue to lower it as roots grow out.

She looks good, but so far no new growth after 4 hours or so in the system but she’s looking good.

She’s Under a 400 watt metal halide, distance is 24 inches away.

 

[BAKIND]

I'll see about having a staff member move your thread back out of "Abandoned Journals" and into the section for current ones. In the future, you can do this yourself by using the Report Post function (at the bottom of every post on the forum).



Nice, you should be able to support a sizable plant with a reservoir of that size. And that looks like a quality tote. I like that it's both opaque and white. I've just bought whatever was cheapest (within reason) at Big Lots or Home Depot, so sometimes the colors were... well, in the case of Big Lots, lol, whatever wasn't selling that year. But for $16 to $20 on average, I couldn't complain.



A good upgrade to a DWC reservoir is a device referred to as an aquarium power head. Here's an example of one:

Aquarium Powerhead

• TorturedSoul
• May 6, 2010

Inexpensive aquarium powerheads circulate while injecting air.

All it is, is a simple magnetic-drive water pump, basically. They come with a tube that can be affixed to the bottom (not really necessary, but it helps keep things mixed, I suppose). Draws water up from there and pumps it out where that deflector shield is on the front (shield is generally adjustable). See that clear tube? That goes up out of the water. The pumping causes a Venturi effect - negative pressure - which draws air down through that clear tube, whereupon it is mixed with the water that is being pumped through. They can provide some fairly serious aeration, and they're inexpensive. A local pet store or even Walmart should have one for around $23.



Were those instructions referring to just the process of presoaking your rockwool in pH 5.5 water, so as to prep the stuff in order to prevent it from possibly causing pH issues later (rockwool not exactly being a "pH-neutral" product)?



Lol, "Is it done, yet?" Patience, grasshopper . You should notice some growth by 24 hours, assuming adequate light-energy and that the roots have easy access to a weak nutrient solution that is well-aerated. But realize that much of that growth will be at the root zone, as right now it doesn't really have any.

By the way, if that's one of your air pumps that you've got stuck to the side of your reservoir, you might wish to rethink that. You want to ensure that they will always be above the top of your nutrient solution, so that if you ever have a power failure and the check valve in the pump fails, you won't return to find that all of your reservoir's liquid has siphoned out onto your tent floor. That's fairly rare - but it can happen (and does, occasionally).

I think this might be the first time that I've seen a picture where someone placed a seedling in the cup / net pot of a DWC reservoir with almost no media and the plant more or less completely inside the cup. I don't know if that'll cause you any hassle or not, to be honest. I just use those 18-ounce disposable Solo cups, mostly, put a bunch of holes in the lower half, and fill the cup with something like Hydroton (aka "expanded clay balls"). That puts the "above-ground" portion of the plant above the top of the cup, where it can get hit by both light-energy and the breeze from my fan (which is important, both for strengthening the stem and for aiding in the plant's transpiration process).



Yeah, a decent aquarium power head would give you lots of bubbles. Getting the highest level of dissolved oxygen in your solution as you can is one of the keys to a successful DWC grow.

Good luck on your grow! I've always been a fan of (reasonably) large-reservoir single plant DWC grows.

As far as the PH, THE instructions said start a cutting at 5,5, however I have it 5,7.

I will be looking into the aquarium power head and also relocating the pumps sometime soon.

 

[Teddy Edwards]

I'll see about having a staff member move your thread back out of "Abandoned Journals" and into the section for current ones.

 

[notechvapor]

subbed. I love the detailed info. you guys are so helpful on this forum.

Bakind, you do your research first like me. Once I apply it, the learning is never ending and everything makes sense.

Very nice setup.

 

[BAKIND]

Looks like the plant is still adjusting. PH is at 5.9, EC at 1.2. There may be some slight growth.

Looks like the new leafs coming out are slight bigger, I am not 100% certain however. Any opinions?

 

[Curiousnoob]

Looking good man good luck!

 

[notechvapor]

Looks like the plant is still adjusting. PH is at 5.9, EC at 1.2. There may be some slight growth.

Looks like the new leafs coming out are slight bigger, I am not 100% certain however. Any opinions?

Oh yeah she is no longer stressed. Going to take off now. She looks very happy and healthy!

 

[BAKIND]

Oh yeah she is no longer stressed. Going to take off now. She looks very happy and healthy!

She took a tide for the worse, and it’s 100% my fault. I discovered something. Let me explain.

For the first 24 hours things looked OK. It looked as if she was just adjusting, but the next day, it wasn’t such a pretty site. Please see picture below.

Looks like this is too much nutrient. I have been mixing the nutes at 1.2 EC AS I read on the website of the manufacturers for young plants, however, when read the instructions in the back of the package lol, it called from 2.5-5 grams per liter of water. I mixed up a liter with 3 grams per liter, then measures EC, and it was a 0.7 in accordance to the instructions in the back of the package! So that’s been my problem all along I believe.

Can someone please confirm that the plant in the above pic looks like it received too much nutes ? I am flushing her in filtered water now.

I have a second cutting that was starting to do the same. That’s when I realized I needed to check something. It also explained why i couldn’t grow seeds after they sprouted.

 

[BAKIND]

Ok I have made a lot of changes which I will be announcing soon. For the meantime, here is a more detailed picture of my DWC system.

 

[BAKIND]

Oh yeah she is no longer stressed. Going to take off now. She looks very happy and healthy!

She didn’t look stressed at the point you made that comment, however, I was way over feeding and she went down hill fast. Making corrections.