Thoughts on a new room design, input pls.

[DHF]

Dave....I was laughin at Steve , not at your wants and needs.....that said....You`re absolutely right that ANY rootzone can get too cold and slow/even stop growth and cause imbalances and lockouts , but....

Coco CAN`T get too hot to turn the roots to mush unless it`s stayin too wet and THAT causes rootborn nasties to form from stagnating and keepin oxygen outta the rootzones....anyways.....

Good luck....DHF.......

 

[bagada]

Dave...have you tried looking at the DIY water chiller alternatives? They are great for small RDWC type setups. I built mine for free using a drinking water chiller/dispenser. There have been others that use small window ACs, dehumidifier, and even mini fridges. Look into it if you dont want to spen 400 on a chiller.

 

[DaveTheNewbie]

Dave...have you tried looking at the DIY water chiller alternatives? They are great for small RDWC type setups. I built mine for free using a drinking water chiller/dispenser. There have been others that use small window ACs, dehumidifier, and even mini fridges. Look into it if you dont want to spen 400 on a chiller.

im very keen on this idea. Havent looked yet as its just about to hit winter here so i have a few months up my sleeve.
is there one you can suggest?

EDIT : wow i can get heaps of water coolers for like $20 or so around here, cant be too hard to DIY

 

[DaveTheNewbie]

I have just found this link : BioBuckets.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=8182

also very similar to what im thinking

EDIT : the one thing i cant get my head around, UNTILL the roots are in the water, how does the plant grow?
I mean you have some rockwool with a clone in it, those roots have to grow 4 inches to get thru the clay pebbles and into the water. Hows does a system without top feed do it?

 

[DaveTheNewbie]

ok 2 thoughts :
1 : DIY water coolers dont have a temp control, could get too cold
2 : i can veg top fed and then flower Bio Bucket, but top feed also airates the water as i goes thru the hydroton.

 

[bagada]

they actually do have a temp control. Mine does. Its a little screw that you can turn left to or right to adjust the temp. Its connected to a thermostat. If you can the easiest DIY is the water dispenser. All you have to do is gut it out and stick the cooling part in the water. Read this whole thread. http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=33123
it cooled my water to low 60s so i had to adjust

 

[DaveTheNewbie]

looks like the only clone i can get any time soon is TGA Querkle. Not the highest yielder but hits like a truck. Ive grown it out a few times in coco so i have a good idea what to expect.

 

[DaveTheNewbie]

Got some cool plumbing bits from my local retic shop today. Im impressed with the screw in filters. Its all 25mm.

What im really struggling with is finding the right buckets. Cannot find them anywhere for love nor money.

EDIT : ive been hunting for days for the right plastic bucket for my needs ... I figured that would be the one thing i wouldnt have trouble with. Bashing my head against the walls it seems.

Requirements :
- lightproof
- square
- has a lid
- roughly 5 gallons / 20 litres

is that alot to ask for ???

 

[Guest 88950]

try trash cans but you may need to cover the outside to light proof. i used the Au foil tape to cover a rectangle 15 gal tote when i did dwc and it worked great.

 

[DaveTheNewbie]

try trash cans but you may need to cover the outside to light proof. i used the Au foil tape to cover a rectangle 15 gal tote when i did dwc and it worked great.

foil tape eh? i guess i could make a cover in panda film too ... just seems messy to me. The other option is to sink the plastic buckets under a flat slab of wood so all the plastic is below. Then i just have to lightproof the lid. Paint is another option too.

But really i figured that i should be able to buy what i want easily enough.

 

[DHF]

Hey Dave.....Not sure what shippin would be to down under , but usplastic.com has every and all kinds of square buckets with lids , but lightproof is another story.....even black ones I never trusted...but.....

Like SSH said , coverin your buckets is the only insurance I ever had cuz I covered mine in reflectix for the added insulation factor as well as lightproofin em ftw....and....

The screen mesh filter looks awesome , but it`s solid at the end so flow is only allowed out the sides and might not pose a problem with a big enough pump/recirculatin setup , but it`s somethin to watch ok ?...IOW....

All the juice is gonna hit the end of the filter and go sideways upon enterin the buckets ....and that might not be a bad thingy if yas had air to rootmass underneath with juice flowin "around" the roots compared to just blastin straight at em , and is there gonna be the same thing on the opposite side for drainage and onto the next bucket ?.....also.......

If yas went to the expense of buyin a regenerative blower and provided max O2 to the roots for as explosive growth with big plants as I ever saw with my Krustie`s back in the day , it`d make yas happy as long as rootzone temps can be dialed and controlled.......anyways...

Hope your project makes yas happy with no dead bitches and massive yields with 50/50 sat/ind hybrids and very little veg time cuz indica dominant plants take FOREVER ta get any size before pullin the trigger 12/12 for any decent size for end result yields......and....

Holler if I can help....Good luck and....

Peace...DHF..........

 

[DaveTheNewbie]

Im planning on top feeding with horseshoes, massive flow thru hydroton to airate the water. Those filters are only for drain. Anyway you shouldnt need a filter for the water in lines as the water pressure will keep all the roots out.

 

[DaveTheNewbie]

Ok im bummed out here. I just cant find the right buckets believe it or not.
I might just do it the old fashioned way like MANY people suggest and go coco RTW.

Does anyone with experience have any opinon regarding the YIELD difference between RDWC and coco?

 

[Guest 88950]

coco will yield less if you only water/ feed once daily so automate it for multiple feeds daily and it will yield better but not as good as RDWC.

keep in mind that im no expert and have little expierence with dwc and there were reasons i moved on to soil then coco.

imo if you find the perfct bucket for your use then it will most likely cost $$$. find a suitable size container that doesnt off-gas toxic stuff for the plants then light proof them. make due and make it happen.

good luck

 

[St3ve]

Does anyone with experience have any opinon regarding the YIELD difference between RDWC and coco?

Soil, Rockwool, Coco, Grow rocks, Hydroton, and RDWC can all yield the same. The difference comes from speed of vegging.

If you veg in a separate room than you flower in then its irrelevant. If you veg and flower in the same room, then you will loose yield in the long run because of having to add time to the veg. This is where some ppl just up there plant numbers to compensate for less vegging.

 

[DaveTheNewbie]

Soil, Rockwool, Coco, Grow rocks, Hydroton, and RDWC can all yield the same. The difference comes from speed of vegging.

If you veg in a separate room than you flower in then its irrelevant. If you veg and flower in the same room, then you will loose yield in the long run because of having to add time to the veg. This is where some ppl just up there plant numbers to compensate for less vegging.

I have a veg chamber and 2 flower chambers.
I run a 8 week flower with a 4 week split so that the 4 week veg feeds one flower chamber then the other.

Still doesnt address the differences between RDWC and coco

 

[DaveTheNewbie]

and a fert question :

I have GH MaxiGrow and MaxiBloom : http://generalhydroponics.com/site/index.php/products/nutrients/maxi_series/

I also have the Soluable Extreme Blend from Kelp4Less as an organic booster : http://www.kelp4less.com/store/products/blends/

According to the lucas formula i should just use MaxiBloom for veg as well : http://lucasformula.com/

Why wouldnt i use MaxiGrow (for veg), and whats the real difference?

And still looking for informed opinion on yields RDWC vs Coco.

 

[Guest 88950]

maxi gro @ 1tsp / 1 gal h2o doesnt quite = Lucas formula.........more N

i use it at times but havent noticed enough of a diff to justify an extra nute rez.....the K.I.S.S. thread is about a quality nutrient that works for veg and flower and it may be out preformed by another method in which you mix for the various stages of life.

its a prefrence about what makes you comfortable and how much work you want to do.

i use mb and at the end ill add koolbloom for a pk boost.

EDIT: the diff between maxi gro & mb.........maxi gro has more N.

 

[TommyTwoColas]

and a fert question :

I have GH MaxiGrow and MaxiBloom : http://generalhydroponics.com/site/index.php/products/nutrients/maxi_series/

I also have the Soluable Extreme Blend from Kelp4Less as an organic booster : http://www.kelp4less.com/store/products/blends/

According to the lucas formula i should just use MaxiBloom for veg as well : http://lucasformula.com/

Why wouldnt i use MaxiGrow (for veg), and whats the real difference?

And still looking for informed opinion on yields RDWC vs Coco.

Assuming a full time, expert level grower and ideal conditions, RDWC/LP aero/HP aero will yield ~5% more than coco - if coco gets you a pound, RDWC gets you a pound plus an ounce or two (again, perfect conditions).

For a "normal" hobby-ish grower, coco will outyield RDWC over the long run because you won't lose any crops because your toothbrush couldn't quite fit into the smallest crevice ever when you were doing your post run cleaning and some bacteria flourished which killed your crop overnight

If you won't mind losing a crop or two, go with RDWC...........if you want to ensure you finish every crop you start, go with coco.

Just my thoughts, good luck with whatever you do.

 

[FlowerFarmer]

and a fert question :

I have GH MaxiGrow and MaxiBloom : http://generalhydroponics.com/site/index.php/products/nutrients/maxi_series/

I also have the Soluable Extreme Blend from Kelp4Less as an organic booster : http://www.kelp4less.com/store/products/blends/

According to the lucas formula i should just use MaxiBloom for veg as well : http://lucasformula.com/

Why wouldnt i use MaxiGrow (for veg), and whats the real difference?

And still looking for informed opinion on yields RDWC vs Coco.

Maxibloom rules..

I've got lots of experience in both and agree with the others... I rely on coco to get me start to finish every time. Pair w/ smart pots and blumats and you've got a simple efficient setup.

Dont go RDWC without a chiller to control the temps..disaster is near guaranteed once you start creeping over 70.

I like coco (despite hauling bags/transplanting, etc) because it is simple and quiet. I run an automated coco garden (blumats) and it doesn't make a sound..nor require a single outlet/cord besides my lights/fan. Garden is minimal and successful every time.

When I ran RDWC you've got chiller, fill lines, return lines, air lines, fittings, pumps, wires, temp probes, the list goes on. Why add all this stuff when you can simply remove water to add oxygen in flood and drain buckets if your wanting to go hydro.

I miss seeing my roots too but no longer bother with dwc. If you wanna run buckets / hydro I'd suggest ebb/flow. Tolerant to water temp and only requires 2 pumps/ no air lines/bullshit...


I got my roots in hydro and gradually have moved to coco. ebb&flow buckets or coco are my suggestion.