Blazeoneup's Recirculating Dwc Construction Tutorial!

plumpm0nkey · Jul 7, 2007

Where did you get your tubing from? I have my net lids but it is 8" . My clones have a good amount of roots from the rw in the tray. So when i put the rw cube in the cup i should put it pretty low so the roots are reachable to the bubbles. when the plant gets bigger then how do i raise the plant or , thats where it stays and just add more hydrotron around the plant when it gets bigger?

forkboy · Jul 7, 2007

great, thanks for the good advice. Just a couple more questions. When making clones for DWC I use oasis 1" cubes. Would you recomend using a bubble cloner or aero cloner and remove the media altogether? If so which way would you go. I have built an areo cloner but the heads get clogged all the time. are bubble cloners any more reliable? do bubble cloners need a chiller, sorry if I am getting of topic, but I traditionaly use oasis cubes and 3" rockwool cubes to root clones, which in DWC just isnt working. thanks again and if there are any good links to cloning methods more congruent to DWC pls let me know, thanks again to everyone for your help, good growin

plumpm0nkey · Jul 8, 2007

go look at the diy for bubbler cloner, pretty easy.

forkboy · Jul 8, 2007

can someone explain how the rock stays wet when the water level is 1" below the netcup? I have watched the bubbles coming from the airstone and it just doesnt look like there is enough bubbling,splashing action to keep the cup that wet, but when I puck up the lid/netpot the whole thing is wet? is evaporation responsible for getting the netpot soaked? I had set up a drip system to root in the 3" rockwook cubes into the DWC buckets, on 1 time a day for 20 min. But I have shut it off because the plants seem to not like it. the plants get heavy and look lifeless when I use the drip system, so I have turned it off. I still have 8" plants in 3" rockwool cubes that have only rooted into the DWC buckets maybe an inch. How do I draw the roots to the buckets bottom, without drying out and killing the small plant? when the rockwool cube dries out and the plant needs water do I provide it or let the roots search down to the wet rock? I am trying to understand these new DWC concepts coming from a semi-succesful water farm grow. what are the major differences between weterfarm and DWC growing techniques? I have also just switched to Advanced Nutes after using General for years, this coupled with the new DWC system is leaving me with alot of learning and problem solving. I am going to try bubble cloning (with no media to over wet) next time and I am hoping to grow long roots that will transfer seemlesly into the system.

plumpm0nkey · Jul 9, 2007

You want the rocks to remain dry exept the bottom 2" or so, The key is keep your water level 1" or so below the net cups, The bubbles will keep the bottom parts of the net cups wet, And you want to place you rooted clone far enough down in the cups for the roots they have to contact this wet area. If they havent broke the cups in 7 days from putting them in the cups then something isnt right and your probly keeping the media in the net cups to wet. So the key is keep the solution 1" below the net cups, Plant the pre rooted clones deep enough in the cups for the roots to touch the area soaked from the bubbles splashing which is the bottom 2" or so of the net cups....

kovenant · Jul 11, 2007

Also I have to go back and edit this tutorial, I built the 1st design improperly, You want to use a 1/4" elbow on the feed line to the bucket so it can be pointed down spraying directly into the solution. Not at the net cups...

blaze --> i just finished my system based off this tutorial. my in-line water chiller arrives tomorrow (upgraded the the 1/4hp as you suggested) and then i can circulate water through and see how she performs and make sure i have no leaking. i was wondering if the water/nute solution should be spraying directly at the netpot bottoms... seems you just addressed that - AND just in time for me! since i havent circulated any water through yet.

quick question regarding this. i have extra elbows so i could change these out now. as an alternative... could/should i just add about 4" of 1/4" line to the inside of the straight barb, so it aims under the netting of the netpots, or would you just recommend i replace the straight barbs with an elbow like the air lines have?

thnx mate! ill report back once i have her up and running!

Guest · Jul 11, 2007

blazeoneup said:
No you need a squirt flow not a drip drip wont be effeciently getting the job done. Steady flow of water is needed to get the job done. More flow = better circulation, Which equals better over-all mixing of the solution and better temp control as well.

Also I have to go back and edit this tutorial, I built the 1st design improperly, You want to use a 1/4" elbow on the feed line to the bucket so it can be pointed down spraying directly into the solution. Not at the net cups...

Thanks for the heads up, ran 1/2 inch tubing to 1/4 7gph lines and its helping with the clogs without the drip.

plumpm0nkey · Jul 12, 2007

ok i got all my parts that blaze said to get, now im starting to realize that i dont need to build it just like he did, that fuckn tubing isnt cheap 75$ for 100' of 3/4" and 35$ for 50' of 1/2". Would this setup be ok? is 8 inch bucket spacing to close when with floor 50watt hps lights? when i get some batteries for my digi ill take some pics,. i also realized i have 8" nets should i exchange it for 6? The bucket connection for drainage, think that is sufficient? So many questions i have since the only guide i have is blazes word tutorial.

kovenant · Jul 12, 2007

plumpm0nkey -> your setup looks just like the one here in blaze's tutorial... the only difference i see is your feed lines (i think thats what they are...)

looks like 1 goes up the center to supply the buckets on each side of it, then two run down the side channels supplying water to both the inside and the outside buckets. so do the two middle buckets have double (redundant) lines running to them and the outside rows only have 1? looks like you mostly have it right (and even if those are redundant lines for the middle - guess it would work.)

slips --> how many watts are you using in your room?

blazeoneup -> where do you have your chiller hooked up? i have everything ready to go, just waiting on my chiller (this friday.) was wondering where i should tie it in to the system... my guess was from the feedline - where it feeds out of the controller. let me know where yours is, thanks!

MID TOWN · Jul 12, 2007

you have an adiitional 650-900gph pump in your res that feeds the chiller and then of course there's a return line that goes right back into your res.

kovenant · Jul 12, 2007

Mid Town -> even though the res is 'apart' of the system, it is not a part of the recirculating water... the water recirculates through the controller and buckets, and water is only added from the res as the water level lowers in the controller. so how does the chilled water from the res actually keep the recirculating water cold? does that much water evaporate or something that allows water from the res to continue to trickle in? and if that is the case... then i suppose the water chiller has to actually be set cooler than the temperature you want it, to allow for the tiny bit of 'cold' water to mix with the non-chilled recirculating water in the system?

im confused with how it being connected to the res gives continuous 'cooling' to the water in the controller->bucket->controller->bucket system.

MID TOWN · Jul 12, 2007

No. it's hooked up the controler res not the top off res. the water that's being chilled will be circulated by your other pump.

kovenant · Jul 12, 2007

Mid Town -> miscommunication :redface:

when you said res i figured 'top off res' because i dont refer to my controller as a res (although it definately is.) so we're on the same page.

Blazeoneup -> would greatly appreciate your help.

Veg to Flower using this system:

i have been vegging my clones in 4x4" rockwool cubes on an ebb&flow tray for just over 3 weeks. ive been waiting to complete the bucket system & receive my waterchiller (which will be tomorrow, friday.) i was planning on vegging how i have been (in the tray) and then setting the rockwool cubes into the netpots with some hydroton to add stability. im getting conflicting information (conflicting against my original concept of how i was going to do this, and what/how it can actually be done.) is what im saying feasible - will it work? if i must also veg in a DWC system, anyone have an idea of how to convert the tray/space i have for that? i suppose i could even make a rubbermaid, cut holes in the top, and have the stem supported by something (bottom of a dixie cup?) with the roots freely hanging down... which would easily be transfered to the bucket system. but i didnt want to have to do that. whats your opinion and experience blaze? i know you've done it quite a few different ways. im tapped out fund wise... i just figured the way im doing it was going to work fine.

thnx!

blazeoneup · Jul 12, 2007

plumpm0nkey said:
ok i got all my parts that blaze said to get, now im starting to realize that i dont need to build it just like he did, that fuckn tubing isnt cheap 75$ for 100' of 3/4" and 35$ for 50' of 1/2". Would this setup be ok? is 8 inch bucket spacing to close when with floor 50watt hps lights? when i get some batteries for my digi ill take some pics,. i also realized i have 8" nets should i exchange it for 6? The bucket connection for drainage, think that is sufficient? So many questions i have since the only guide i have is blazes word tutorial.

I think that setup will be fine, But dont run it exactly like you done it in the diagram, Make sure your returns dont run through each bucket. Run your return like I run mine, And use the single feed line for 2 rows of buckets thats fine.

kovenant said:
plumpm0nkey -> your setup looks just like the one here in blaze's tutorial... the only difference i see is your feed lines (i think thats what they are...)

looks like 1 goes up the center to supply the buckets on each side of it, then two run down the side channels supplying water to both the inside and the outside buckets. so do the two middle buckets have double (redundant) lines running to them and the outside rows only have 1? looks like you mostly have it right (and even if those are redundant lines for the middle - guess it would work.)

slips --> how many watts are you using in your room?

blazeoneup -> where do you have your chiller hooked up? i have everything ready to go, just waiting on my chiller (this friday.) was wondering where i should tie it in to the system... my guess was from the feedline - where it feeds out of the controller. let me know where yours is, thanks!

I have my drop in close to the controller and just drop my coil right in the controller. In your situation I would connect to the feedline just as you described, Run line from pump in controller to the chiller and then from the chiller on to the buckets. CONTROLLER---CHILLER----BUCKETS

kovenant said:
Mid Town -> miscommunication when you said res i figured 'top off res' because i dont refer to my controller as a res (although it definately is.) so we're on the same page.

Blazeoneup -> would greatly appreciate your help.

Veg to Flower using this system:

i have been vegging my clones in 4x4" rockwool cubes on an ebb&flow tray for just over 3 weeks. ive been waiting to complete the bucket system & receive my waterchiller (which will be tomorrow, friday.) i was planning on vegging how i have been (in the tray) and then setting the rockwool cubes into the netpots with some hydroton to add stability. im getting conflicting information (conflicting against my original concept of how i was going to do this, and what/how it can actually be done.) is what im saying feasible - will it work? if i must also veg in a DWC system, anyone have an idea of how to convert the tray/space i have for that? i suppose i could even make a rubbermaid, cut holes in the top, and have the stem supported by something (bottom of a dixie cup?) with the roots freely hanging down... which would easily be transfered to the bucket system. but i didnt want to have to do that. whats your opinion and experience blaze? i know you've done it quite a few different ways. im tapped out fund wise... i just figured the way im doing it was going to work fine.

thnx!

The best way for pre vegging is using a E&F tray, But instead of using the 4" rockwool cubes use 6" net cups with hydroton rocks, This will make for easy transplants, The main reason I dont like the cubes for pre veg is they will remain to wet in the actual dwc system, When You set them in the netcup the bubbles splashing up will keep the rockwool cubes soaked and it will slow things down a bit. So IMHO just go buy some 6" nets and hydroton and put the clones right into the net cups and do the pre veg!

plumpm0nkey · Jul 12, 2007

why cant the drains run through the buckets?

blazeoneup · Jul 12, 2007

They can but I dont reccomend it the flow just isnt as good doing it like that! If you do it like that all the water pumped into the 2nd and 3rd buckets will have to flow through the 1st bucket and this will slow the flow and possible eventually cause an overflow on the front bucket!

Guest · Jul 12, 2007

plumpm0nkey said:
why cant the drains run through the buckets?

Because it will clog

plumpm0nkey · Jul 12, 2007

even with screens?

blazeoneup · Jul 12, 2007

Yeah trust me when I say dont run it like that, Its only asking for problems running it like that, best to run the returns like I do, Use your split feedline style thats fine.

Guest · Jul 12, 2007

Well i ran the drain lines between some 10 gallen rubermades with 1 1/2inch piping in the past with screens and it still clogged so prolly yes

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