# DWC vs Ebb and flow



## kctats13 (Dec 26, 2009)

Ive grown ebb and flow with good results but am thinking of switching to DWC for my next grow.
The thing is with DWC it obviously takes up more room so i wont be able to grow as many plants as i did with ebb and flow. But with ebb and flow i usually only grew my plants up to about 24-30 inches at harvest. 
So i guess what im asking is how tall do you recommend growing your plants with DWC and how does the yield compare to ebb and flow?
Im hoping since ill be growing less plants that i can grow them alot bigger to increase yield.
I used to harvest about 1 lb every few months with ebb and im wondering if its possible to do the same with DWC.
For my set up im using a 3x4x8' sun hut and a 600 watt hps.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!


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## captain1 (Dec 26, 2009)

I have seen ebb at 4-5 foot tall skipping every other hole. FYI they did tie up they plants for budding.


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## kctats13 (Dec 26, 2009)

Thanks for the reply.
And also if I do decide to do dwc how many plants can be together in one container?
Like for instance if I use a 20 gallon rubbermaid container can I grow 4 plants together?


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## captain1 (Dec 26, 2009)

I have seen 4 in a 20 gallon rez the main thing is plenty of air and room for the roots. In my opinion you would want a wider than taller container so there is room for the plants otherwise you are back to the same problem as the EBB


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## captain1 (Dec 26, 2009)

As far as yields I have seen 1 week old plants put to flower give 2 oz per plant. Matters type, veg time, lights ect..


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## kctats13 (Dec 26, 2009)

Cool. So with a 20 gal reservoir how big a pump do u think I'd need?
And how big u think I'd be able to grow the plants?

Is it gonna be a ***** to change the reservoir water since the more plants= more roots?
Sorry for so many questions I just wanna get it right the first time


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## DonJones (Dec 27, 2009)

kctats13,

To change the rez, just get a good pump and pump it out.  Then slowly pour the new solution back in through the pots.

I'm not sure what you mean by what size pump do you need.  Do you mean a solution pump or an air pump?

If you are talking about a solution pump to run sprinklers or misters, then I have no idea.  I know when my son tried to run sprinklers in his clone machine he had problems getting the right size.  But both of those are something different than true DWC.  For true DWCall you need is an air pump to run air stones.

For an air pump to run air stones in your rez if your are actually going with DWC, then go to the PETCO and get their 2 outlet one and that should be sufficient.  If in doubt, get their four outlet one and just plug off the unused ports. The 4 outlet is under $25.00. (Buy one rated for twice as large of an aquarium as your rez and maybe even a little larger than that for a safety margin.)

Good smoking.


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## kctats13 (Dec 27, 2009)

Yeah I was talking about an air pump.
So I got an 18 gallon rubbermaid, 2- 14inch airstones, and a. 30-60 gallon
air pump. I was thinking of putting 6 plants in 4 inch basket pots in there.
Should it work out ok with what I've got or am I putting too many plants in there?
I saw on another board people had 6 plants in a 10gal so I figured itd be ok.


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## captain1 (Dec 29, 2009)

you want 3 gallons per plant from what I have read in the bible.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Dec 29, 2009)

Are you going to use fem seeds?  the problem with multiple plants in one container is that some of them are going to be male and will have to be removed, which can be very difficult.  Have you considered using individual 3 or 5 gal buckets?  

Also, remember that more plants does NOT mean more yield.  Your light and space is basically capable of producing x number of grams of bud, _regardless of the number of plants you have._


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## kctats13 (Dec 29, 2009)

I ended up using an 18 gallon tote with 4 plants.
I'm growing from clone so I won't have to worry about males.
I'm still kinda worried the plants might crowd each other.
Thanks for all the help


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## nouvellechef (Dec 30, 2009)

I too have been going back and forth on changing over too DWC or Ebb and Flow. Still torn. I won't have height issues in the new room, Room is 10x12. I looked at the 12-site on Ebay. I saw a senior member talk about if I am going with more than 5 dwc buckets to use a rez and controller And it would save alot of time. Hmm. Good thread, indecisive and I need to decide. What would
you do?


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## The Hemp Goddess (Dec 30, 2009)

I like individual 5 gal buckets for my DWC.  I do not use a controller bucket because I have plants of all different strains, sizes and ages in my flowering room at the same time.  I run a perpetual harvest and try to put 1 or 2 new plants in the flowering room every 2 weeks or so.  Although changing out the nutes is a bit more of a PITA than if I could run a controller bucket, I really like harvesting a plant or 2 every 2 weeks or so.


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## RUDEBWOY (Dec 31, 2009)

I have a DWC system and i use 27 gal. tubs with 5 plants in each ... I have had plants almost 6ft. in them without any problems (of course i had to tie them up) .. Air pump i use an Active Aqua 4 outlet pump ...To fill and drain the tank i cut an extra larger hole in the top so add water and nutes also to drop in a submersable pump so i can drain it ... I also drilled a hole in the side of each tub about 2 inches from the bottom and put a barbed elbow and gromet in there with a 6 inch piece of clear tube then attached another elbow and gromet back into the tub so i can see the level of the tank.Make sure you have a piece of pipe insulation or something to cover the clear tube so that the light doesn't create algae in your tank .. I like DWC because everything is contained , no pipes or hoses to leak , much easier to clean up , & easy to move plants in and out of ...I've had my nicest grows using DWC i don't think i would go any other way ...Good Luck....


EZ&SAFE


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## kctats13 (Jan 2, 2010)

Rudebwoy- how big is the pump your using? im using an 18 gallon tub with 4 plants in each and i got a dual outlet 20-60 gallon pump from walmart and ive got 2- 14" airstones in the bottom.
should that be good enough?


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## nouvellechef (Jan 2, 2010)

So how would a controller and Rez work with DWC? How would it know to keep the buckets full? I kinda understand the float lever thing to refill the bottom barrel. But is there a electronic unit in the bottom Rez that pushes nutrient solution into buckets as they deplete? Still can't figure that one out, maybe I am over thinking it.


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## monkeybusiness (Jan 2, 2010)

All the buckets in the garden get connected to the control bucket via separate lines. 6 buckets in garden means the controller bucket has 6 lines running to it. As you raise and lower the level of liquid in the controller bucket, the other buckets all get automatically adjusted(cuz they are all connected to the controller). If you hook up a reservoir to the controller bucket, using a float valve, then it automatically adjusts the level of the controller bucket (which controls all the buckets) as plants suck down nutes.

BEWARE: FLoat valves are notoriously a pain. They don't necessarily go bad alot but when they do (if you don't hav an overflow safety on the controller bucket) it can be a horrible and possibly dangerous situation. Frankly, with DWC you have to check and adjust so often it's seems silly not to just top it off by hand.


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## nouvellechef (Jan 2, 2010)

Perfect thanx. Does the waterfarm power grower Rez/controller have a shutoff like you said? Now it kind worries me a little. I like safer than sorry.


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## monkeybusiness (Jan 2, 2010)

nouvellechef said:
			
		

> Perfect thanx. Does the waterfarm power grower Rez/controller have a shutoff like you said? Now it kind worries me a little. I like safer than sorry.


Not a clue. :confused2: 
It's not so much a shut off as an overflow tube that lets the water drain somewhere else, instead of out onto the floor, should the float not work and water levels rise too high. Like the bathroom sink has. Little hole at the top so the water doesn't overflow onto the floor. Problem is trying to figure out how to do one since it needs to be lower than the water thats coming out.
If your system comes with a reservoir to top itself off you certainly don't have to use it, i'd imagine. No reason you couldn't just top it off by hand that i can think of but i am not familiar with that system so i don't really know


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## nouvellechef (Jan 2, 2010)

Kool. It's on eBay for like $175. 2, 20 gal Rez, one with controller. Guess I could always add one. Hmm.


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## RUDEBWOY (Jan 2, 2010)

kctats13 said:
			
		

> Rudebwoy- how big is the pump your using? im using an 18 gallon tub with 4 plants in each and i got a dual outlet 20-60 gallon pump from walmart and ive got 2- 14" airstones in the bottom.
> should that be good enough?



Are you just running 1 tub? if so that should be fine ... You want your water to look like a nice boil ... 

EZ&SAFE


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## kctats13 (Jan 3, 2010)

Yeah im using a 18 gallon reservoir. 
Thanks for the help


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## joseaf (Jan 3, 2010)

I read your thread and I plan to follow alone.  I started my 1st and 2nd crop using Ebb/Flow.  The two crops were my very best to-date.  I switch to DWC to get 9" more height and it was a total failure.  I will be the 1st to admit that I got upset with the setup after a month of seeing the plants change.

I am now using top feed.


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