White Widow, 2X4 Tent, Dutch Buckets, Budget Led

[Bud basher]

Ok lads looked up some info on the mc seems there has been three versions of the all in one type and all they sell now is the third type unless some shops has old stock and they have come out with a new two part A & B which I personally would prefer as to be able to dial it in better but I still like the fact of an all in one for ease of use. So I have 14 bbc and 3 disco biscuit 7 weeks in flower and 8 disco biscuit in veg all in coco so my plan is to do 2 x sets of 8 plants all DB all the same clones with megacrop two part A&B only for 8 and the other 8 with additives all with the same lights in the one new room I will be building before Christmas I hope so i will really see if the additives makes any difference in the two with taste, strength and yield I can’t wait as I’d love to get my nutrients bill cost down and prey the A&B on its own wins I’ll keep you posted pga cheers.

 

[PGA Caddie]

So keep the air stone in the buckets housing the plants and the rest is like a RDWC? When the pumps turn on are the fresh nutrients coming from the top, then resting in the bottom of the totes?

Nope, the air stones are in the 12 gal res. There's a water line that runs from the pump and then branches off to each bucket using a t connector.

 

[PGA Caddie]

Not long now mate to flip there looking stellar as usual, really liking that Dutch bucket set up very simple and effective with fast growth, how often do you change out your res? and what size pump are you using? You said you run it 4 times a day how long do you let each feed run does it run till it comes up to the top of the perlite and what size drain outlets did you use from the bottom of the totes to the drain away pipe to the res? and lastly do you top up the res if so with the same strength nutrients? as I might have a go myself with this set up as I recon you could leave this a few days if I was to go away from home, any info on it pga would be very appreciated cheers.

I change my res once when switching from veg to flower. Mainly used GH Trio in the past so had to transition from veg nutes to bloom nutes which required the res change. Now that i'm using MC I might not change the res at all.

My pump runs 4 times per day for 15 minutes. When they plants are small I only run the pump 2 times per day for 15 minutes.

The res is a tote. I grow in bato/dutch buckets. Bought them online and their ready to use with little to no assembly.

I usually top off the res with plain water. When adding MC I siphon about a gallon of res water and add the MC. Give it a good stir and dump back in the res. After a couple hrs I'll check ph and take a ppm reading to see where we are at.

You could easily leave this alone for a few days and not worry as long as your res is large enough.

 

[PGA Caddie]

Since there is some interest in my set up I'll try and explain how it works.

Lets start with the res. Its a heavy duty tote from a big box store. The heavy duty ones don't bow out when filled with water. Its a pain putting the lid on if they bow.

Inside the tote we have some air stones and a submersible pump. The pumps on a timer to refresh the nutrients in the buckets 2-4 times per day depending on how big the plants are.

When the pump turns on the nutrients run through 1/2 ID tubing from the tote into the tent. I run the hose through one of the built in ports on the tent. The same port the drain runs out of.

Now we have to get the nutrients into each bucket. This is where you'll need some T connectors and an adjustable water valve. You'll need a 90 to end the run on your last bucket.

There has been some confusion about my buckets. I bought them online ready to use. It holds about 1/2 gal before starting to drain. You can see the step down inside the bucket.

The bucket is made to sit on 1.5 inch pvc.

I dry fit my buckets on the pvc. Get my spacing how I want. Then mark where I need to drill the holes.

I will be using these for lettuce this winter.

Clear as mud?

Caddie

 

[InTheShed]

Excellent write up Caddie.

Other than the drainage system, what would be considered the difference between this and an auto-watering hempy setup?

 

[PGA Caddie]

Excellent write up Caddie.

Other than the drainage system, what would be considered the difference between this and an auto-watering hempy setup?

Thanks Shed.

Not sure there is a difference. Mine recirculates and a lot of hempy growers drain to waste. Kinda wasteful IMO.

 

[InTheShed]

Thanks! Do you find the PPMs dropping quickly in the res the way RDWC folks do?

 

[PGA Caddie]

About 100ppm a week right now. That will pick up in flower.

 

[Southerncough]

This is really cool!
Really wish I could mess around with hydro but...water temps just waay to high down here without having to add a $$ chiller. That and having the ability to relocate plants should the landlord need to stop by!
(Last year the city was making all property managers certify their rental properties so i had to make the place ready for both landlord and code enforcement to check out!)

 

[Southerncough]

This is really cool!
Really wish I could mess around with hydro but...water temps just waay to high down here without having to add a $$ chiller. That and having the ability to relocate plants should the landlord need to stop by!
(Last year the city was making all property managers certify their rental properties so i had to make the place ready for both landlord and code enforcement to check out!)

Yeah, full pucker factor

 

[PGA Caddie]

Keeping your water temp in range is important but not near as important as not getting arrested...

 

[Growingbimbos]

Keeping your water temp in range is important but not near as important as not getting arrested...

I agree, better off going guerilla

 

[Bud basher]

Very detailed info on your set up mate cheers for sharing that, I really like the simplicity of it and the little res in the bottom of the Dutch buckets so even if the pump broke there’s still some feed in the res that’s cool, the pump looks like a 250 gph, I have most of the parts just need the Dutch buckets and the paint screens, how many buckets would you suggest to put in an 4x8 floor space (12) or less with larger buckets? and again thanks for the info much appreciated.

 

[PGA Caddie]

Your right, if your power or pump goes out you can still hand water to refresh nutrients. Can't do that in DWC.

I believe the pump is a 450 gph. By the biggest you can get (that's adjustable) for 1/2 ID tubing. Doesn't hurt to have a spare on hand....cheap insurance.

Its all going to depend on how big you plan on growing them. In my 2X4 tents I run three at a time so 12 in a 4X8 should work pretty well. Make sure to account for room to access the tent. If your scroggin you'll need to get in there to tuck and weave.

Might need two pumps for 12 buckets to get even flow. One pump for 6 buckets/plants.

 

[PGA Caddie]

I don't like giving out bad information so I need to correct something....the paint strainer bags I use are 200 micron not 20 micron.

 

[Bud basher]

Cheers pga do you know what size the buckets are are they the 11 litre / 3 gallon ish? So, no one sells them here in the UK so expensive shipping for me :-( and haven’t looked for paint screens yet as not sure on bucket size but 200 microns no probs, thanks.

 

[Southerncough]

Cheers pga do you know what size the buckets are are they the 11 litre / 3 gallon ish? So, no one sells them here in the UK so expensive shipping for me :-( and haven’t looked for paint screens yet as not sure on bucket size but 200 microns no probs, thanks.

You could probably just make hempy style for the same effect and very little money...use regular buckets with the drain hole on the side wall 2" from the bottom. Just make sure there's only perlite at the bottom "reservoir area". Use thru fittings to connect the drain line manifold bit

 

[Growingbimbos]

I don't like giving out bad information so I need to correct something....the paint strainer bags I use are 200 micron not 20 micron.

Thanks

 

[stardawg17]

Here's how I did my buckets... I thought I had more details.

Here's the video I followed about the 3:45 mark

 

[stardawg17]

Since there is some interest in my set up I'll try and explain how it works.

Lets start with the res. Its a heavy duty tote from a big box store. The heavy duty ones don't bow out when filled with water. Its a pain putting the lid on if they bow.

Inside the tote we have some air stones and a submersible pump. The pumps on a timer to refresh the nutrients in the buckets 2-4 times per day depending on how big the plants are.

When the pump turns on the nutrients run through 1/2 ID tubing from the tote into the tent. I run the hose through one of the built in ports on the tent. The same port the drain runs out of.

Now we have to get the nutrients into each bucket. This is where you'll need some T connectors and an adjustable water valve. You'll need a 90 to end the run on your last bucket.

There has been some confusion about my buckets. I bought them online ready to use. It holds about 1/2 gal before starting to drain. You can see the step down inside the bucket.

The bucket is made to sit on 1.5 inch pvc.

I dry fit my buckets on the pvc. Get my spacing how I want. Then mark where I need to drill the holes.

I will be using these for lettuce this winter.

Clear as mud?

Caddie

Yours is so much neater and organized than mine