Snype's Guide To RDWC - Part 2 - Featuring BYTCH & 4,000 Watts!

[Snype]

Day 3 VEG-B Data:
Date: June 26, 2014
Stage: Day 3 Veg-B
Heights: n/a
Top Off: 4 Gallons
pH pre: 6.0
Added (pH): n/a
pH Post 1: 6.2
pH Post 2: 6.1
PPM pre (500 scale): 740
Added (ppm): 25mL Micro / 50mL Bloom
PPM Post 1: 670
PPM Post 2: 760
Water Temperature: 73
Air Temperature: 66 - 77F
rH: 39-75%
CO2: None
Pump Cycle: 24/7
Other Information: Lights changed to 750 watts.
SuperCropped all tops (3-5 per plant).

 

[Snype]

Day 4 VEG-B Data:
Date: June 27, 2014
Stage: Day 4 Veg-B
Heights: n/a
Top Off: 0 Gallons
pH pre: 6.1
Added (pH): n/a
pH Post 1: n/a
pH Post 2: n/a
PPM pre (500 scale): 750
Added (ppm): n/a
PPM Post 1: n/a
PPM Post 2: n/a
Water Temperature: 75
Air Temperature: 66 - 79F
rH: 37-74%
CO2: None
Pump Cycle: 24/7
Other Information: Plants look perfect in both systems.

 

[paperchaser825]

Yo Snype. I opened a a thread about this but I figured I should ask you as well. Do you ever take the plants out of the system before pH adjusting? I have this fear that I am burning the plants by doing so.

 

[Snype]

Yo Snype. I opened a a thread about this but I figured I should ask you as well. Do you ever take the plants out of the system before pH adjusting? I have this fear that I am burning the plants by doing so.

I don't take any plants out of the system when I pH. That would be a lot of extra work to do every couple of days. I'm really not sure why you feel that way but maybe you are having other problems

 

[Snype]

is this a new system? i remember the old rdwc system you had was 12 buckets now you lowered it down to 10?

In the old system with 12 buckets, I used to tuck the branches inside the tomato cages. Now I use 2 less plants and bring all the branches outside of the cages and get the same yields with less larf.

 

[Snype]

Day 5 VEG-B Data:
Date: June 28, 2014
Stage: Day 5 Veg-B
Heights: 11.5" - 13"
Top Off: 4 Gallons
pH pre: 6.0
Added (pH): n/a
pH Post 1: 6.2
pH Post 2: 6.1
PPM pre (500 scale): 740
Added (ppm): 30mL Micro / 60mL Bloom / 1mL Clorox Bleach
PPM Post 1: 660
PPM Post 2: 770
Water Temperature: 73
Air Temperature: 66 - 77F
rH: 38-73%
CO2: None
Pump Cycle: 24/7
Other Information: Spread branches outside of tomato cages. Heights were taken before the branches were spread out.

 

[immortal]

Are you still using the scrog screen for this system?

 

[Snype]

Are you still using the scrog screen for this system?

I still use the SCROG but the plants have to grow above the tomato cages before I put them in there or it gets harder to work and move around.

 

[jointventure420]

T5 fixture

T5 fixture

Hello again…was wondering what size(LxW) T5 fixture your using above the Botanicare set-up in VEG-A…

 

[Snype]

Hello again…was wondering what size(LxW) T5 fixture your using above the Botanicare set-up in VEG-A…

6 bulb 4 feet T5's. I believe they are Sunleaves Pioneer 6's over each 2x4 tray.

 

[B4O2N0G]

Hey Snype, Everythings looking great.

I am ordering all the parts to build one of the 10 bucket systems.

Are you using no logo grey encore 5 gal buckets to build these? In the tutorial you are using the encore grey/blue with lowes logo so im just wondering.

 

[Befri]

Another great thread Snype!! Sitting in on this one...

I've been reading your threads for awhile. I have 2-12 bucket systems(designed by you) running right now. I'm really thinking about adding some vertical bulbs on the outside perimeter to increase the yield per harvest.

 

[Snype]

Hey Snype, Everythings looking great.

I am ordering all the parts to build one of the 10 bucket systems.

Are you using no logo grey encore 5 gal buckets to build these? In the tutorial you are using the encore grey/blue with lowes logo so im just wondering.

I'm glad that you're going to try out the systems!

I like the Encore buckets but the lowes that I deal with doesn't have those anymore. They may have changed manufacturers. Letica is the name at the bottom of the new bucket. These 2 companies buckets work great for the systems. Some other buckets don't work as well and some buckets don't have the lines at the bottom of the bucket to make it easier to place the holes in the right place.

Good luck with the build! I hope it goes well for you!

Another great thread Snype!! Sitting in on this one...

I've been reading your threads for awhile. I have 2-12 bucket systems(designed by you) running right now. I'm really thinking about adding some vertical bulbs on the outside perimeter to increase the yield per harvest.

That's great that you have 2 of the systems! The 12 bucket system is going to create more larf if you have bushy plants like me. That's one of the reasons why I switched to the 10 bucket system.

I know what you are talking about with your idea of adding some vertical bare bulbs. I'm in the process of building 2 rooms with 4 x 10 bucket systems in each room with addition bare bulb vertical. If you look at how the room in this thread looks, it's the same idea but between the systems there will be more space for 2 vertical bulbs in between both systems and also 2 bare bulbs on the outsides. The way that I'm going to run the bare bulbs for the addition side light will be different though. There will be 5 rows of bare bulbs for 4 systems. Each row will only come on for 3 hours a day just to get some additional bulk. I think that it would be almost impossible to get a gram per watt if those bare bulbs were each on for 12 hours a day but adding them for a few hours a day will be much more worth it in my opinion if your crops are about maximizing for business reasons.

The reason why you wouldn't be able to get that gram per watt with the added light is because you would have to grow the plants bigger which would require bigger buckets because the roots will surely clog the pipes.

I designed these systems for the regular guy and not the warehouse guy. I believe there are more regular guys than warehouse guys and the regular guy has to maximize his crops in the shortest amount of time which is what my systems are about. My systems are also about being cost efficient for the regular guy. The cost per system for every 2,000 watts is less than $500 which to me is amazing considering I see some systems in the thousands for 2 lights that are garbage.

I like the 12 bucket design but I like it more for untopped plants. What I like even better is a 18 bucket system with untopped plants. The 18 bucket systems are the exact same as the 12 bucket but instead of 2 rows of 6, there are 3 rows of 6. Also, if you notice that the 12 bucket system has 16" in-line plant centers but 22" centers to the other row. The 18 bucket system has the same 16" centers in line but the centers between rows are also 16" and still use the same 2,000 watt lighting. In those systems, the plants are not meant to be topped. They are meant more of a SOG style in theory but the plants are really bigger than most SOG grows in other methods. I'd say up to 36" tall in that situation.

I wish you well on your journey with these RDWC systems. I really hope that you are able to see results from them that are on par with my grows. Data has been the key to my success. The more data that I keep, the more that I learn. Good luck!

 

[Snype]

Day 7 VEG-B Data:
Date: June 30, 2014
Stage: Day 7 Veg-B
Heights: 11 - 12.5"
Top Off: 4 Gallons
pH pre: 5.9
Added (pH): n/a
pH Post 1: 6.1
pH Post 2: 6.0
PPM pre (500 scale): 740
Added (ppm): 30mL Micro / 60mL Bloom
PPM Post 1: 670
PPM Post 2: 770
Water Temperature: 79
Air Temperature: 66 - 82F
rH: 40-74%
CO2: None
Pump Cycle: 24/7
Other Information: Spread branches outside of tomato cages. Heights got lower when the branches were spread out from the cages. Lights changed to 1,000 watt settings.

 

[paperchaser825]

Just wanted to update you Snype. I have been adding pH straight to rez recently and really been trying to keep my pH swings from 5.8-6.2 The plants are stacking like mad now because of this I think. I haven't been able to keep this strain looking this nice until now. Thanks for the all the help so far.

 

[Snype]

Just wanted to update you Snype. I have been adding pH straight to rez recently and really been trying to keep my pH swings from 5.8-6.2 The plants are stacking like mad now because of this I think. I haven't been able to keep this strain looking this nice until now. Thanks for the all the help so far.

I'm glad some of you are listening! As long as the pH doesn't stay at 5.8 too long, you'll all good. I have much better results staying closer to 6.0 because 5.8 gets real close to locking out Mg if your meter isn't totally accurate. That's why you see in my data that when I adjust my pH, I try to adjust it to around 6.0 or 6.1 if I can. I'm really happy that you are seeing results! I hope you have an amazing crop!

 

[captinahab]

I'm really happy that you are seeing results! I hope you have an amazing crop!

..............

 

[stonerloner822]

sup snype man, I'mn on a budget and gettng ready to start setting up soon, should have the tent friday and the light next week, it's a 2x2x5 tent, how many 5gal dwc pots do you th I could fit, it's with a 90 watt UFO triband LED, still looking for a fan and carbon filter but I was wondering, what's some cheap nutrients I could use to start for right now, I got some seeds now and just waiting to start germing 'em in a bit, (5 white widow xtrm fem. from AMS, and 5 blue dream fem, not sure the breeder) I only wanna grow 'em to 3--4' tall, so I just need some nutrients now. I was thinking Jack's it's been recomended to me by quite a few friends, I just don't know which formula I should use. Oh by the way, any idea how trust worthy herbies is, don't wanna get ripped when I need to buy lol.

 

[Snype]

sup snype man, I'mn on a budget and gettng ready to start setting up soon, should have the tent friday and the light next week, it's a 2x2x5 tent, how many 5gal dwc pots do you th I could fit, it's with a 90 watt UFO triband LED, still looking for a fan and carbon filter but I was wondering, what's some cheap nutrients I could use to start for right now, I got some seeds now and just waiting to start germing 'em in a bit, (5 white widow xtrm fem. from AMS, and 5 blue dream fem, not sure the breeder) I only wanna grow 'em to 3--4' tall, so I just need some nutrients now. I was thinking Jack's it's been recomended to me by quite a few friends, I just don't know which formula I should use. Oh by the way, any idea how trust worthy herbies is, don't wanna get ripped when I need to buy lol.

A 2x2x5 tent is very small. Unless you put the controller outside of the tent, you'd only be able to run 2 RDWC buckets. If you did DWC instend, you could run 4 buckets but in your situation, I'd fill the tent with 9 x 2 gallon soil pots and grow them small without topping them.

With RDWC, you want to mono-crop clones. You want all your clones from the same mom because your plants will all have different feeding requirements. With that LED light, you'd have no light penetration to grow 3-4' plants. I wouldn't consider growing plants more than 24" in your situation if your trying to get some quality until you have a bigger light. I'd put the RDWC on hold until you have a bit more space and a tested MOM.

As far as buying seed from a trusted source, I wouldn't even consider buying seed anywhere else besides seedbay. It's very important to support the community that you are apart of.

As far as a formula, if you do go DWC / RDWC, use the methods that I use in this thread. If you go with soil, use a good bagged soil like Fox Farm Ocean Forest and just add water at around 6.5 pH. Up pot them at least 3 times like maybe a pint to a Gallon to 2 Gallons. You won't need to feed them anything until 3 weeks after you up pot to 2 Gallon and use a decent organic bottle like Neptunes which is like ground up fish. You don't need tons of bottles of supplements.

 

[Snype]

Day 8 VEG-B Data:
Date: July 1, 2014
Stage: Day 8 Veg-B
Heights: n/a
Top Off: 0 Gallons
pH pre: 6.0
Added (pH): n/a
pH Post 1: n/a
pH Post 2: n/a
PPM pre (500 scale): 740
Added (ppm): n/a
PPM Post 1: n/a
PPM Post 2: n/a
Water Temperature: 80
Air Temperature: 66 - 86F
rH: 40-79%
CO2: None
Pump Cycle: 24/7
Other Information: Normally I would up the nutes here but it’s so hot that I’ll wait until the change-out tomorrow. Spread branches outside of tomato cages.

So as you can see, yesterday when I added back nutrients, the PPM was 770 and today it is 740 with no top off. Because my solution went below my PPM from yesterday, the PPM should be raised. Normally I would raise the solution to around 820-ish but as you can tell it is very hot this summer and the AC can't keep up because the walls are poorly insulated and it's been very hot. If some of you don't know, my nutrients are salt based and the more salts that there are, the less Dissolved Oxygen the solution can hold. The same goes for these high solution temperatures in the 80's. The plants look great but I don't want to add any unnecessary stress into the equation. I also have a nutrient change-out coming up any day now which I'll probably do tomorrow. After about 10 days, the solution starts to become unbalanced and that's another reason why I'm not going to increase the nutrient solution to a higher PPM today but I will most likely raise it tomorrow. A grower must consider many variables to make educated decisions that will help lead to a quality crop.