My first DWC bucket - Critical Jack

[warfish]

This is just the single bucket DWC with no res. I need to add about 1 gallon of water to her per day and then I change out the nutrients once per week. Be careful when adding evap water during the week to only use plain water as the plant will use up the water much faster than the nutrients in the solution.

The two things you will really need is a good PH meter and a TDS meter (total disolved solids). Some use an EC ? meter instead of the TDS but I do not have any knowledge of that type.
The TDS meter will tell you how strong your nutrients are in the solution. Most people start at around 300-400 ppm and slowly work there way up until she reaches her max. Mine is maxing out at 1500 ppm.
Keep your PH between 5.5-6.0 if possible with 5.8 being the optimal target.

 

[slowmo77]

i have a Hanna ph meter thats works great. and i've read up on the TDS and EC. i even have a chart that shows how you can convert TDS to EC and the two different scales the TDS meters use. or some im told they use. its the little things that i worry about. like how much space does each plant need? does net pot size matter that much?

i'd like to grow about 6 at a time but have no idea what size tote to use or air stones or pump. those things are really whats holding me back. i've read tons on hydro but no one really ever talks about these things

 

[warfish]

what size res are you using, and how many plants per res? i've seen ppl using those rubber maid totes with like 6 plants in each tote. but im not sure of the size or what size net pots they used

Now, the dream system for me will consist of 3 of the large totes (18 gallon I think is what they are)in my 4'x8' bloom room with 2 plant sites on each tote so that I have some room to grow them out a bit bigger. Those 3 totes will be plumbed to a larger res in another room (I think I need about a 50 gallon res for my plan) where I will have a water chiller added to it to keep the water at a constant 68 degrees. I have an auto fill added to the plan that will be hooked up to an RO water filter so that my only maintenance will be the water changes, which should consist of turning a few valves and tapping my feet for a bit to wait for the water to drain then fill. I will have at least 2 large airstones in each of the totes, each ran from it's own pump for some insurance in case one goes out.

Then for vegging I will have one more of the large totes with 6 net pot sites so that I can pull them right out of the veg tote and add them to the bloom tote. I have been going through this plan in my head for a good deal of time now but I have to wait for the money to come this spring. I guess it is one of those good things that always take some time

 

[warfish]

i'd like to grow about 6 at a time but have no idea what size tote to use or air stones or pump. those things are really whats holding me back. i've read tons on hydro but no one really ever talks about these things

Just to give you an idea on the size of this girl, she is currently at 4 feet across ( just over 3 feet tall from top of bucket) with being topped one time and trained out from day one of 12/12 to day 14 of 12/12. All of that from only 3 weeks and 3 days of veg. So you can do less plants pretty easily if you like or just veg for less time and still do more plants. Some like to grow trees, some like to grow shrubs, I think I am somewhere in between, lol.

You also ask about net pot sizes and if they matter that much, well that is on my list of things to research so when I know more I will post it up, hehe! I can say that this girl is in a 6" net pot filled with hydroton pebbles and looks to be doing well, although I have no real frame of reference. Thankfully this site is back up since it has been my number one source for starting all my research on this great plant

 

[slowmo77]

if and when i do a DWC it will be auto's so from the way it sounds i could do 6 in a 18 gallon tote with 6'' net pots maybe 2 air stones and a couple of good pumps.

this site has always been my source of information. if you can't find the answer here you may never find it. you've answered 90% of the question i have about doing a hydro grow. the other 10% i can't think of right now. lol im gonna start gettin my stuff togeher so when i finish this grow i can start a hydro. thanks man you've helped alot

 

[warfish]

Did a water change on her today and started the Kool Bloom at 1/4 strength (200 ppm). I reduced the overall strength from 1500 to 1400 ppm as I felt that the tips where starting to burn a bit much.
The buds are filling in so fast and the smell is waaayy stronger already than my organic grow of her. Currently at 4 weeks and 3 days 12/12.

Here is a pic of some of her finished from the last run and then a couple pics of her today.

 

[slowmo77]

she's nice and frosty isn't she! looks nice

 

[warfish]

she's nice and frosty isn't she! looks nice

Thanks slowmo77 I must admit that she is turning out to be my favorite girl ever, I can't stop going in the bloom room just to stare at her, lol

 

[slowmo77]

i don't blame you a bit. she looks tasty i bet you can't wait to smoke that

 

[stinkyelements]

wow nice war, very frosty beauty girl!!

 

[Rosebud]

Still can't get over those roots, being a dirt girl. :~)

 

[meetmrfist2]

lookn nice and dank bro

 

[Peter Jennings]

lookn nice and dank bro

:yeahthat:
:hubba:
Looking Schweet!

 

[ozzywhitelufc]

Brill War, sweet pics and great info. cant wait to pop my Critical. Had a visit from Dibble yesterday so we are somewhat on edge. Not MJ related but one never knows how sensitive their noses are!!

 

[warfish]

wow nice war, very frosty beauty girl!!

Thanks stinkyelements

 

[warfish]

Still can't get over those roots, being a dirt girl. :~)

I hear you on the roots. A funny side note about the roots is I have taken to the habit of opening the bucket lid each day and smelling the roots. For some reason I love the fresh smell they seem to have

 

[warfish]

lookn nice and dank bro

Thanks meetmrfist2 She was very dank from my organic run, and this is like a ton more crystals and smell than that run, so I am overly excited, hehe!

 

[warfish]

:yeahthat:
:hubba:
Looking Schweet!

Thanks Peter Jennings My favorite girl ever so far

 

[warfish]

Brill War, sweet pics and great info. cant wait to pop my Critical. Had a visit from Dibble yesterday so we are somewhat on edge. Not MJ related but one never knows how sensitive their noses are!!

Thanks for stopping in ozzywhitelufc I must apologize for my ignorance here on the term, but what does "Dibble" refer to?

 

[ozzywhitelufc]

Cops War, investigating a neighbour!!