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DWC vs Top Feed Coco
- Thread starter SwamiMon
- Start date
W
willyweed
i have used both systems, the coco is slightly less work and slightly more forgiving ! and also quieter! imo .but the dwc got me 10-20% extra bud easy! it is harder to do and you have more chance of losing plants due to critical loss ! imo
it is all about you goals and the effort and time you are willing to give!
good luck .willyweed
it is all about you goals and the effort and time you are willing to give!
good luck .willyweed
The hang up for me on DWC is the LINKED system. I used to farm corals, and the #1 rule is NEVER use a linked system, that allows you to lose you everything with a single problem. Allowing water re-route capability, in a DWC, add's to the complexity of the system.
Haven't ruled it out yet. Still thinking on it.
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willyweed
i used the individual buckets ,not linked for that very reason! more work! but less chance of killing everything in one run! also i guess the cost of the coco would be higher than using water as the medium 
.i should add i am running coco at the mo.for the forgivingness
and the bloody noise and vibration ! all the best .ww
.i should add i am running coco at the mo.for the forgivingness and the bloody noise and vibration ! all the best .ww
JamesFrancohaha
New member
Personally I would go with top feeding system, but due to the system I would choose clay pebbles. I hate how noisy all the dwc systems are, they work well and roots love that environment, but this system that i used is faster than dwc for some reason, still more airflow i would say. I would always go for clay pebbles over coco or soil, just because it can be used again easier way, just wash them and they are good to go again. Way less hassle than coco when it comes to cleaning it.
I would go system like this
I wrote on other thread about this already, so you can check the other pictures and built one up for your self, but I am pretty sure that you would have to go with clay pebbles, cos' you don't wanna get that system clogged, not that in the bottom water tank would have enough water to overflow this system, but if you would do your own version then it might, but beauty of this system is that it is easy and cheap to make and it can be altered in many ways, but there is very little that i could even think of changin in it.
here is link to the other thread.. https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=251762
For my rule of tumb for growing is that keep it simple, that is way of keeping your grow enjoyable, cheap and hazard free. With hydroponic growing it's all about nutriens and oxygen in the water, so if you provide all that to it, it will do the magic for you. And if you take care subtle nurtients too, you will get closer or even better tasing product than you will get from soil, your advantage is very good flushing that only hydoponics can provide for you.
But, hey this is personal opinion, don't you dirtgrowers kill me over saying this about the taste!
I would go system like this
I wrote on other thread about this already, so you can check the other pictures and built one up for your self, but I am pretty sure that you would have to go with clay pebbles, cos' you don't wanna get that system clogged, not that in the bottom water tank would have enough water to overflow this system, but if you would do your own version then it might, but beauty of this system is that it is easy and cheap to make and it can be altered in many ways, but there is very little that i could even think of changin in it.
here is link to the other thread.. https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=251762
For my rule of tumb for growing is that keep it simple, that is way of keeping your grow enjoyable, cheap and hazard free. With hydroponic growing it's all about nutriens and oxygen in the water, so if you provide all that to it, it will do the magic for you. And if you take care subtle nurtients too, you will get closer or even better tasing product than you will get from soil, your advantage is very good flushing that only hydoponics can provide for you.
But, hey this is personal opinion, don't you dirtgrowers kill me over saying this about the taste!
there are so many variables its hard to answer. Speaking generically though, IMO if you are vegging and flowering in the same system, the DWC should be able to yield more as that system grows plants faster in the veg stage. Its a higher risk style of growing though.. so if you have problems, the problems ALSO grow faster.
if you have a separate area to veg, then you may be able to allow for a little more veg time and can easily get the same yields.
Personally, I was told the same thing when I left rockwool and I opted for for the DWC. That lasted about 2 years.. now in coco for a year and would never go back. (unless circumstances change or something) Its easier for me (eg: a lot less cleaning, same yield, less power consumption, less equipment to trip over and maintain) YMMV Good luck
if you have a separate area to veg, then you may be able to allow for a little more veg time and can easily get the same yields.
Personally, I was told the same thing when I left rockwool and I opted for for the DWC. That lasted about 2 years.. now in coco for a year and would never go back. (unless circumstances change or something) Its easier for me (eg: a lot less cleaning, same yield, less power consumption, less equipment to trip over and maintain) YMMV Good luck
