DWC and stretch?

[Gil Tokerson]

I need to get my post count up so I thought I'd start a thread. So feel free to comment.

So I use homemade bubble buckets under a 600hps. When I chose my buckets, I wanted to get a large size to cut down on ph swings, and having to top off constantly. I got some 18 gallon tubs, and when topped off, they hold about 12 gallons of water. The larger volume works great for exactly the reasons I wanted. I can leave my buckets for a week without any problems.

Now my thoughts. I was reading the other day about restricting root space to tame unruly sativas. I'm not growing sativas really, but I do get an absurd amount of stretch on most strains. I'm wondering if the plant keeps stretching as long as the roots have more room to grow?

On the flip side, I'd be worried that reducing the root space might reduce yield? However, right now my plants seem to spend too much energy on stretching, and not enough on flower production.

To be fair, I've only grown a few strains so far, could be genetic.

So? Let's here some thoughts and theories.

 

[Gil Tokerson]

...I'd post some pics, but I need 50 posts first.

 

[Snype]

In my opinion, you will still get massive stretch in RDWC with sativa's. The only thing restricting the roots is going to do, is help to restrict D.O. getting to your roots via your air stone / stones. I flower my 16" topped plants in RDWC on day 1 Flower in 5 Gallon Buckets. By day 30 Flower, I have 50 - 55" bushes. That is with a Chemdog/Sour Diesel Hybrid. My flowers stay tight too:

 

[Gil Tokerson]

I wouldn't mind the stretch if I got colas like that. My internodes stretch out, so that I get little buds on a stick, instead of one big bud. I have a feeling I just need to keep hunting for a "keeper" pheno.

 

[Gil Tokerson]

Is that rez's strain? And did you have to go through a few seeds to find that pheno with the big colas? Or did they all look like that?

 

[Snype]

Is that rez's strain? And did you have to go through a few seeds to find that pheno with the big colas? Or did they all look like that?

I found this pheno in a pack of 10 seeds. They all looked like that but there were 2 pheno's. There was a golf ball pheno, and more of a donkey dick pheno. The golf ball pheno didn't stretch as much but actually yielded more but was too leafy for me to keep. This pheno has more bud structure of the Sour Diesel but also has good Chemdog structure as well. She was a perfect combination of both parents traits and has mad flavor and crazy potency. I've been growing this for 4 years now since seed. It is one of Rez's strains and because of that I named this pheno BYTCH. She came from a pack of Chemdog Double Diesel x Chemdog. She's a true gem and will probably be with me for many years to come.

 

[Gil Tokerson]

I've got a lemon skunk (dna) that had the golf ball buds. And it actually out yields the others I've grown that do make the big colas. When I get one that actually makes colas, they're not consistent across the canopy. Some are huge, some smaller. But the total weight on my screen of golf balls adds up. You look like you have an even canopy of dense colas.
...time to order some rez?
I see people talking trash about hermies,etc, but anytime I see a rez grow, I'm impressed.

 

[Gil Tokerson]

You said 5 gallon buckets? Are you using a larger reservoir connected? If not, do you have problems with maintaining ph, ppm,etc?

 

[Gil Tokerson]

Perhaps I'm asking the wrong question? Is the amount of stretch and the bud structure directly related? Also I'm wondering how much the method effects the bud structure? Like if you took the same strain and grew it in soil, would the buds look the same?I know the hydro would be faster, but I'm talking about the end result?

 

[Snype]

You said 5 gallon buckets? Are you using a larger reservoir connected? If not, do you have problems with maintaining ph, ppm,etc?

I have a tutorial in my signature on how to build my systems:

 

[Gil Tokerson]

Wow! You're not messing around. I'm still wondering though. It looks like you only have one extra bucket for a rez. When they get big and full of roots, are you topping off and adjusting ph every day?I would think you would want a larger rez. I'll check your tutorial when I get a minute. Do the roots ever clog the drain lines? One of the reasons I don't do recirculation is the fear of clogged lines and then a flood.
You obviously know what you're doing, I'll listen to whatever you've got!

 

[Snype]

Wow! You're not messing around. I'm still wondering though. It looks like you only have one extra bucket for a rez. When they get big and full of roots, are you topping off and adjusting ph every day?I would think you would want a larger rez. I'll check your tutorial when I get a minute. Do the roots ever clog the drain lines? One of the reasons I don't do recirculation is the fear of clogged lines and then a flood.
You obviously know what you're doing, I'll listen to whatever you've got!

Because I only have a 1 week VEG in the flowering room and a 9 day VEG in the VEG room, their are no clogs. This is because I have 16" centers and plants only need to be around 5.5 oz to get a gram per watt which is pretty easy. Now if I was growing with 50" centers then their would be clogs in the system. It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If I'm trying to grow 1-2 pound plants, then I would need 3" pipe and 15-20 gallon per plant. I'm all about maximizing plants with the least VEG time possible.

I top off every other day and check pH. The pH doesn't really swing bad at all. My system recirculates every 3.77 minutes and I add more air than any other system on the market. You could always add a float valve in the controller / epicenter attached to a bigger tank with nutrients and a lower pH to balance out your system so you don't have to top off every day or 2.

 

[Gil Tokerson]

I think I've been over vegging. I usually veg around 4 weeks for one plant under one 600hps. Then it stretches like crazy and blocks light. I'm lucky if I break .5g/w. I'd be ecstatic if I could get close to 1g/w.

 

[Snype]

I think I've been over vegging. I usually veg around 4 weeks for one plant under one 600hps. Then it stretches like crazy and blocks light. I'm lucky if I break .5g/w. I'd be ecstatic if I could get close to 1g/w.

Yeah a month seem pretty long for RDWC unless you are only growing 1 plant. If I was VEGGING in my system for a 600HPS and 4-6 plants, I would be Vegging clones for about a week. With 600 watt horizontal reflectors, you really don't want the plants to grow more than 36".

 

[Gil Tokerson]

Man! There's a crapload of info in your links. I've been at work all day so I've only got to skim them. when I get some time I'm going to sit down and really read through them.
I do have one question though: doesn't using 7000+ watts make your electric bill shoot up? I get nervous with the spike I get from 2 600s.

 

[Mr Blah]

Man! There's a crapload of info in your links. I've been at work all day so I've only got to skim them. when I get some time I'm going to sit down and really read through them.
I do have one question though: doesn't using 7000+ watts make your electric bill shoot up? I get nervous with the spike I get from 2 600s.

Suggestion; take notes. I sit down with a pad of paper and write down anything that might pertain to me and my grow. Learning from the masters...

 

[Snype]

Man! There's a crapload of info in your links. I've been at work all day so I've only got to skim them. when I get some time I'm going to sit down and really read through them.
I do have one question though: doesn't using 7000+ watts make your electric bill shoot up? I get nervous with the spike I get from 2 600s.

I run diesel generators.

 

[Gil Tokerson]

Ah. That makes more sense. Unfortunately that's not and option for me. Does anyone know at what point power consumption looks suspicious? Like, how many watts of lights?

 

[Snype]

Ah. That makes more sense. Unfortunately that's not and option for me. Does anyone know at what point power consumption looks suspicious? Like, how many watts of lights?

For 20 years when I was on the grid, I ran 1,000 watts per bedroom but I put all the watts in 1 room so only 1 AC to waste. So a 4 bedroom house, you will be safe with 4,000 for flowering and around 600-1000 for VEG. If you need more lights then you get more apartments and do the same thing. I ran 5 apartments in a 2 block radius for over 10 years. Now I'm happy to be off grid but I never had any problems with power companies in a non med state.

 

[Gil Tokerson]

That makes me feel a little better, but I'm afraid my balls aren't quite large enough for 5 apartments yet!