Snype's Guide To RDWC - Part 1 - Featuring Chemdog Double Diesel & 2,000 Watts!

[JamesFarmer]

This is all strain dependant. My real formula is 1 part micro to 1.5 parts bloom. For younger plants I usually use 4 mL micro and 6 mL bloom. With what you are saying, this may suit you better.

Thank you for the quick reply!!

I am using a ratio of 1 part Micro to 1.5 part Bloom as well. When attempting to approach the 6ml:9ml per gallon it appeared to be much to "hot" for my current plants. I backed off to a mix that is perhaps a bit milder than 4ml:6ml per gallon and things look ok but I am concerned that I may be feeding too lightly now.

On my .5 conversion meter the 6:9 mix yields 650ppm. I am currently running around 360ppm on Blue Widow plants that are about 4 weeks into flower.

If you don't see any issue with running nute levels this low I will run with it. I don't want to shoot myself in the foot by being "overcautious".

Thank you again for sharing.

 

[Snype]

Thank you for the quick reply!!

I am using a ratio of 1 part Micro to 1.5 part Bloom as well. When attempting to approach the 6ml:9ml per gallon it appeared to be much to "hot" for my current plants. I backed off to a mix that is perhaps a bit milder than 4ml:6ml per gallon and things look ok but I am concerned that I may be feeding too lightly now.

On my .5 conversion meter the 6:9 mix yields 650ppm. I am currently running around 360ppm on Blue Widow plants that are about 4 weeks into flower.

If you don't see any issue with running nute levels this low I will run with it. I don't want to shoot myself in the foot by being "overcautious".

Thank you again for sharing.

I dont know the linage of blue widow but if the blue stands for blueberry, then it makes sense that you were too hot. Your PPM meter will tell you where they should be. Your PPM should go down like 60 ppm in 3 days after top off. If it doesnt, you are too hot.

 

[JamesFarmer]

Genotype: Blueberry x White Widow

OK, I will shoot for 400ppm and watch for 60ppm reduction of TDS over three days and, I expect, pH to rise slightly.

I appreciate your assistance.

 

[Catatafish]

When you guys are saying 300ppm for the 4ml micro and 6ml bloom mixture, is that your final ppm including the ppm from starting water and any ph up/down you may be adding?

I seem to get much different (higher ppm) when mixing that up and im trying to figure out where my difference is. I measured in 500 scale which i thought is what snype is using, with bluelab combo meter.

My tap water is horrible, 200+ ppm, but what the real problem i have with my tap is they are adding some kind of super buffer to it because i have to add trememdous amounts of down everyday to keep it in level. It drifts at a minimum a full point each day (ie.. 5.8 to 6.8).

I switched over to RO and it works perfectly now as far as drift goes, and is much more stable. I know this is different than tutorial suggested but i couldn't keep the tap water in control probably due to something in it locally im guessing.

So even with plain RO water (15ppm ish), before any calmag, i still get above 300pm mixing the 4m:6b ratio in a gallon. Wondering whats going on... i have been using syringes for measuring so i thought they would be accurate but maybe not?? Also wondering if the GH flora series has recently changed formulations and i have a more concentrated version or something (was just bought within last month).

Any ideas on what to look at? I have 2 meters and both say roughly the same readings and i calibrated both.

 

[Snype]

When you guys are saying 300ppm for the 4ml micro and 6ml bloom mixture, is that your final ppm including the ppm from starting water and any ph up/down you may be adding?

I seem to get much different (higher ppm) when mixing that up and im trying to figure out where my difference is. I measured in 500 scale which i thought is what snype is using, with bluelab combo meter.

My tap water is horrible, 200+ ppm, but what the real problem i have with my tap is they are adding some kind of super buffer to it because i have to add trememdous amounts of down everyday to keep it in level. It drifts at a minimum a full point each day (ie.. 5.8 to 6.8).

I switched over to RO and it works perfectly now as far as drift goes, and is much more stable. I know this is different than tutorial suggested but i couldn't keep the tap water in control probably due to something in it locally im guessing.

So even with plain RO water (15ppm ish), before any calmag, i still get above 300pm mixing the 4m:6b ratio in a gallon. Wondering whats going on... i have been using syringes for measuring so i thought they would be accurate but maybe not?? Also wondering if the GH flora series has recently changed formulations and i have a more concentrated version or something (was just bought within last month).

Any ideas on what to look at? I have 2 meters and both say roughly the same readings and i calibrated both.

When I mix 6/9 per gallon, im between 700 and 800 ppm at 500 scale. So 4/6 should be around 450ish.

 

[JamesFarmer]

Comment on the question above: I am running RO water that tests at less than 10ppm. When I mix 6/9 I see 640ppm on a .5 scale.


Question regarding nute temps: I run two RDWC tanks with a common control tank and a single chiller. I keep nute temps 65-67F most of the time...

When I approach harvest I isolate the tank to be harvested, drain & refill with RO water. When I do this one of my tanks is no longer chilled. I am not very concerned about the tank that I am flushing but on alternating harvests I have plants that are 4-5 weeks into flower that loose the chiller for a week. Currently my temps in that tank are running 72-76F.

I have started using chlorine as you advise. Do you think this will prevent pythium or other issues considering the elevated temps?

Thanks again

FJ

 

[Snype]

Comment on the question above: I am running RO water that tests at less than 10ppm. When I mix 6/9 I see 640ppm on a .5 scale.


Question regarding nute temps: I run two RDWC tanks with a common control tank and a single chiller. I keep nute temps 65-67F most of the time...

When I approach harvest I isolate the tank to be harvested, drain & refill with RO water. When I do this one of my tanks is no longer chilled. I am not very concerned about the tank that I am flushing but on alternating harvests I have plants that are 4-5 weeks into flower that loose the chiller for a week. Currently my temps in that tank are running 72-76F.

I have started using chlorine as you advise. Do you think this will prevent pythium or other issues considering the elevated temps?

Thanks again

FJ

My water is about 100 ppm so that makes sense.

As long as you keep your Cl at 0.5 ppm. Add back at least every 5 days. My temps are higher and I dont use chillers.

 

[Catatafish]

thanks guys that makes sense as i believe i hit right around 450ish when i mixed last with the 4:6 ratio. For some reason i thought it was supposed to be lower.

 

[sahdgrower]

Hey Snype, forgive me if this is already posted in your voluminous library of posts but I was hoping for a little clarification. On your Veg-A E&F I am understanding that you are using traditional inlet and drain sizes 1/2" in and 3/4" drain or something like that? If so then your pump is filling the container faster than it can drain through an open 3/4" hole? That's pretty fast. Am I misunderstanding? Could I achieve the same effect by putting an air pump on the same timer as the water pump and putting airstones in the container to keep the roots aerated while the water drains more slowly? The reason I ask is because I don't think my pump will push that kind of water and I already have air pump and timer on hand.

 

[Catatafish]

yea i would love to see a pic one day of the inside of the veg-a when you get a chance in between crops or when cleaning or something.

It will be a month or two before i can convert but want to get an idea of what to do. I have been looking at the botanicare tables and lids already.

 

[Snype]

Hey Snype, forgive me if this is already posted in your voluminous library of posts but I was hoping for a little clarification. On your Veg-A E&F I am understanding that you are using traditional inlet and drain sizes 1/2" in and 3/4" drain or something like that? If so then your pump is filling the container faster than it can drain through an open 3/4" hole? That's pretty fast. Am I misunderstanding? Could I achieve the same effect by putting an air pump on the same timer as the water pump and putting airstones in the container to keep the roots aerated while the water drains more slowly? The reason I ask is because I don't think my pump will push that kind of water and I already have air pump and timer on hand.

My Veg system A is a 2x4 tray with a 20 gallon rez. The pump doesnt need to be large and only cost $20. Its around 300 gph. The fitting are both 3/4". I guess you could do it your way but my way is easy. I want to show you pictures but I need a computer cord. If you guys go and talk to Snypette, maybe she will bring it faster. She has a lot on her plate and keeps leaving it at home. The faster I get the cord, the faster you guys get new pictures and better information cause typing on an ipad is slow as a snail. Takes forever because of some sort of delay.

 

[sahdgrower]

Ill hook up the pump I got and give it a go. For some reason I had it in my mind it wouldnt pump fast enough to fill the res.

I can see one of my seeds just starting to push through the rockwool!

 

[Snype]

Ill hook up the pump I got and give it a go. For some reason I had it in my mind it wouldnt pump fast enough to fill the res.

I can see one of my seeds just starting to push through the rockwool!

It's a bad idea to grow seeds with this method. Each seed pheno will have different needs and you would only have 1 rez. I would focus on finding a MOM and take cuttings. I personally would stick to containers so you can dial in each pheno. Once you find the one that you choose, then you can put them in systems because they will have the same needs. If the genetics are an IBL or stable line where most traits were similar, you could get away with it possibly. You may not maximize the plants to see their max qualities if they have different needs.

 

[sahdgrower]

Hmmm, so here is my situation. I have only 1 room to grow in. Right now my seeds are in isolation from that room but that can only last for a little while. I am running out of medicine and my current crop is slated for execution today to get rid of the root aphids and cleanse the room. So I would really like to get this crop going asap. I could resolve the one room situation if I had to. The added time though seems tough.

So are you saying that phenotype variation is extreme enough that plants from the same seed strain (genotype i think?) will require completely different treatment in terms of nutrients and water temp? How would I know which pheno is the best without growing each female all the way out? Take into consideration I have very limited experience growing pot and even less doing so with a meticulous eye. I only intend to grow four plants, what I had planned on doing was a scrog using the 4-way LST technique (can't be done to most clones) and my 4 best seeds (if I even get that many females out of 10 seeds). In the process of selecting them I will be growing all 10 until I can sex them and determine easily which is best. I will also clone each of the 10 as much as I can with the tops provided by the 4way LST. I was planning on growing these in the E&F until I decided which 4 to put in the DWC. So if I am determined to grow all of these now I could potentially reconfigure my system, I could make 2 different 2 bucket rdwc systems, I could isolate each bucket and just make it DWC with no UC or recirc. I could grow each one in soil (although I am realllllly attached to DWC).

Last question, any way I can repay you for this advice? I feel like I should be paying you or something. Maybe I can make a charitable donation on your behalf? I could donate some of my harvest to needy patients? I dunno, anything you need that some faceless individual half a world away could do for you. I could find someone to distribute your washers?

 

[Snype]

Hmmm, so here is my situation. I have only 1 room to grow in. Right now my seeds are in isolation from that room but that can only last for a little while. I am running out of medicine and my current crop is slated for execution today to get rid of the root aphids and cleanse the room. So I would really like to get this crop going asap. I could resolve the one room situation if I had to. The added time though seems tough.

So are you saying that phenotype variation is extreme enough that plants from the same seed strain (genotype i think?) will require completely different treatment in terms of nutrients and water temp? How would I know which pheno is the best without growing each female all the way out? Take into consideration I have very limited experience growing pot and even less doing so with a meticulous eye. I only intend to grow four plants, what I had planned on doing was a scrog using the 4-way LST technique (can't be done to most clones) and my 4 best seeds (if I even get that many females out of 10 seeds). In the process of selecting them I will be growing all 10 until I can sex them and determine easily which is best. I will also clone each of the 10 as much as I can with the tops provided by the 4way LST. I was planning on growing these in the E&F until I decided which 4 to put in the DWC. So if I am determined to grow all of these now I could potentially reconfigure my system, I could make 2 different 2 bucket rdwc systems, I could isolate each bucket and just make it DWC with no UC or recirc. I could grow each one in soil (although I am realllllly attached to DWC).

Last question, any way I can repay you for this advice? I feel like I should be paying you or something. Maybe I can make a charitable donation on your behalf? I could donate some of my harvest to needy patients? I dunno, anything you need that some faceless individual half a world away could do for you. I could find someone to distribute your washers?

It's not just different feeding requirements but also different flood frequencies and finishing times. Im not saying you cant do it but you may not see what each pheno has to offer. If you are stuck on dwc, you can do a first run with no rez in different buckets and swap plants into new buckets every week. You can get loads of data this way too for all the individual phenos.

As far as donations, you can send in a donation to seedbay Attn Clarence and inside the package you can include a paper that says:

For Gypsy's Case

 

[sahdgrower]

So if I was running individual buckets should I just skip the E&F and put them directly into DWC? Run em in the rockwool blocks for a week or so, till roots coming out the bottom and sides, then transfer to 5" net pot w/ hyrdoton and hand water until roots reach out the bottom? Then just DWC the rest of the way?

Donation sent.

 

[Snype]

So if I was running individual buckets should I just skip the E&F and put them directly into DWC? Run em in the rockwool blocks for a week or so, till roots coming out the bottom and sides, then transfer to 5" net pot w/ hyrdoton and hand water until roots reach out the bottom? Then just DWC the rest of the way?

Donation sent.

I like to do the E&F first. You could hand dunk in a very light solution because you are from seed. Dont run big blocks. Just the starters. If you dont let your pots hang, then go to dwc but that is more risk.

 

[sahdgrower]

at this point I aim to mimic your habits as closely as I can . Sheesh if it wasn't for me reading your posts before I got started I wouldn't even be recording data regularly. I would still have measured just not recorded. That one tip alone should make my future grows exponentially improved.

 

[paperchaser825]

at this point I aim to mimic your habits as closely as I can . Sheesh if it wasn't for me reading your posts before I got started I wouldn't even be recording data regularly. I would still have measured just not recorded. That one tip alone should make my future grows exponentially improved.

Improved to the point where there is ZERO guess work if the environment stays the same.

 

[sahdgrower]

not quite sure how I would go about doing an E&F for individual buckets. Are you suggesting running them all in E&F til they get enough roots to go DWC then move them all to individual buckets?

10 out of 10 seeds popped!