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viper33802
Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 142
Last seen: 11 years, 11 months
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First DWC bagseed 600w MH/HPS (Completed 7/2/2012)
#616201 - 04/04/12 06:40 AM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
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Hey guys, I am new to growery.org and a complete newb to growing marijuana. I have elected to build a DWC system out of a 5gal bucket. I have about a 7" air stone at the bottom and an 8" pot in the lid that I have drilled out to make my own net pot. The reservoir is light tight. Right now I am germinating my seeds in a cup of saturated vermiculite. I am going to use a small closet in my house to grow in 2'x4'x8'.
Now that you guys got the basic setup here are my questions:
I was going to go buy a 100w MH & 100w HPS bulb from Lowes. Use the MH only for veg at 18/6 then add the HPS and switch to 12/12 for flower. Will that be sufficient?
I am trying to find everything local
With that being said I was going to use a straight perlite substrate. Is that going to be ok? Perlite should not affect my PH right?
Speaking of PH, what is the correct level to stay at? Can I use aquarium PH control solutions?
AND MY BIGGEST QUESTION: What can I buy or make for nutes? I don't have a hydroponics store local and really don't want to order anything in.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Edited by viper33802 (07/03/12 06:45 AM)
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Magash
The Feminizer
Registered: 04/21/08
Posts: 6,634
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Re: First DWC system. I NEED HELP! [Re: viper33802]
#616219 - 04/04/12 11:12 AM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
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If your only going to use a 100watt light you can get away with a 1 gallon bucket instead.
Quote:
With that being said I was going to use a straight perlite substrate. Is that going to be ok? Perlite should not affect my PH right?
I'd go with a perlite, vermiculite mix.
Keep the ph around 6.5
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Can I use aquarium PH control solutions?
Yes
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What can I buy or make for nutes? I don't have a hydroponics store local and really don't want to order anything in.
That I can't answer. I'm not familiar with hardware store fertilizers other then the fact that you couldn't pay me to use them in my garden esp with a hydro set up.
-------------------- All creatures tremble when faced with violence. All creatures fear death, all love life. If we can only see ourselves in others, then how could we possibly hurt another creature?
Join us at the Growery!
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viper33802
Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 142
Last seen: 11 years, 11 months
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Re: First DWC system. I NEED HELP! [Re: Magash]
#616261 - 04/04/12 06:13 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
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Magash Thank you for your reply.
I have already built a 5gal bucket system. Do you think it would support two plants in the one 8" net pot?
as far as the verm perlite mix; i have read anything between 3-1 to 5-1 perlite to vermiculite. what do you recommend?
If you do not suggest hardware store fertilizer do you think floranova grow & bloom would be good for a beginner? I see I can get a pint of both on amazon for $30 total.
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Magash
The Feminizer
Registered: 04/21/08
Posts: 6,634
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Re: First DWC system. I NEED HELP! [Re: viper33802]
#616267 - 04/04/12 07:13 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
I have already built a 5gal bucket system. Do you think it would support two plants in the one 8" net pot?
Depends on the size of the plants. From what you have posted so far I think it would work for your needs.
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as far as the verm perlite mix; i have read anything between 3-1 to 5-1 perlite to vermiculite. what do you recommend?
Myself I had good luck with a 50/50 mix. You may want to put up a post in the main cultivation forum on what ratio people have used with perlite and verm. I haven't done to much growing with it and like I said I had good luck with a 50/50 mix.
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If you do not suggest hardware store fertilizer do you think floranova grow & bloom would be good for a beginner? I see I can get a pint of both on amazon for $30 total.
Yeah it's not bad but if you can get Pure Blend Pro that would be better cause if you use to much it won't burn the plants.
-------------------- All creatures tremble when faced with violence. All creatures fear death, all love life. If we can only see ourselves in others, then how could we possibly hurt another creature?
Join us at the Growery!
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viper33802
Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 142
Last seen: 11 years, 11 months
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Re: First DWC system. I NEED HELP! [Re: Magash]
#616505 - 04/06/12 06:36 AM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
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OK I have taken your advise and ordered in a few items. First the nutrients, Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Hydro Combo Kit: Grow and Bloom (1 Quart each). Second a good pH control & test kit, General Hydroponics GH1514 Ph Control Kit. And last but certainly not least better lights, 400 Watt Super HPS MH Grow Light System Digital Dimmable Hydroponic 400w hps mh grow light set kit. 400w ballast, Super High Pressure Sodium bulb, Metal Halide bulb, 19" Wing Reflector and pair of yoyo.
I was trying to find everything local but it just wasn't going to happen. I hope that these items will make the difference between success and failure for my project. What do you think?
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Magash
The Feminizer
Registered: 04/21/08
Posts: 6,634
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Re: First DWC system. I NEED HELP! [Re: viper33802]
#616531 - 04/06/12 11:02 AM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
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They will absolutely make a difference.
-------------------- All creatures tremble when faced with violence. All creatures fear death, all love life. If we can only see ourselves in others, then how could we possibly hurt another creature?
Join us at the Growery!
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viper33802
Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 142
Last seen: 11 years, 11 months
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First DWC system [Re: Magash]
#621755 - 05/07/12 02:23 PM (12 years, 6 months ago) |
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Ok, it has been a few weeks since I posted on here. Well, so far so good. I am using a 400w MH light. Back on 4/1 I began to germinate my seeds (bagseed). Shortly after I transferred the seedlings to a small oasis cube (1") and placed that in perlite in my net pot (8"). I have two plants growing my net pot in one 5gal bucket. I am using Pure Blend Pro Grow (as advised by Magash). They are both doing well. I have been using the tie-down method of training these plants. In doing this both of the plants are only about 8" tall but have about 10 branches on each that are almost as tall as the main. My questions are:
I am concerned my brances are not getting a lot of light. Should I cut off a few fan leaves to let the light penetrate down better?
Is there any need/point/benefit in setting up scrog in addition to tie-down (LST)?
Also, Where is a good/safe image host to upload pics to?
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Stoneth
D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F.
Registered: 10/06/08
Posts: 25,048
Loc: No where ville, USA
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Re: First DWC system [Re: viper33802]
#621761 - 05/07/12 02:43 PM (12 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
I am concerned my brances are not getting a lot of light. Should I cut off a few fan leaves to let the light penetrate down better?
Yes, as long as that's the only you're cutting them, imo.
Quote:
Is there any need/point/benefit in setting up scrog in addition to tie-down (LST)?
It could benefit by later supporting the weight of the bud. I myself just use string to tie and support the weight.
Quote:
Also, Where is a good/safe image host to upload pics to?
Here at this site. Just under where it says Welcome and your name, click on Pics and choose to upload.
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viper33802
Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 142
Last seen: 11 years, 11 months
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Re: First DWC system [Re: Stoneth]
#621961 - 05/09/12 10:57 AM (12 years, 6 months ago) |
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What is a normal water consumption per day of a plant? As I mentioned I have two plants growing a 1 5gal bucket DWC system and I have to top off my nute solution about 1/2-3/4 gal a day. I don't think i am loosing much/any to evaporation from the resevior. Is this a normal amount of water consumption? Also as of right now I keep the nutes at about the bottom of my net pot. Is that about where it should be? The plants seem happy with it as is. Any insight would be awesome.
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Stoneth
D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F.
Registered: 10/06/08
Posts: 25,048
Loc: No where ville, USA
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Re: First DWC system [Re: viper33802]
#621981 - 05/09/12 02:37 PM (12 years, 6 months ago) |
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Sounds like they/re eating well. Many choose to run the water at the bottom of the net cup until roots are visible, and then drop to about two inches under the net pot.
I don't have a lot of DWC experience, so hopifully someone will help you out better.
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viper33802
Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 142
Last seen: 11 years, 11 months
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First DWC system * UPDATE* [Re: Stoneth]
#622081 - 05/10/12 08:48 AM (12 years, 6 months ago) |
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Well here are a few pics of how they are doing. First is a before and after of he trimming of a few fan leaves the other day. I only cut two fan leaves off of each plant to alow light to penetrate further
Before
After
...and here are a few pics from this morning. Please guys any input would be great
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Hawksresurrection
Registered: 12/04/08
Posts: 13,464
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Re: First DWC system * UPDATE* [Re: viper33802]
#622194 - 05/11/12 12:51 PM (12 years, 6 months ago) |
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That type of water consumption is very typical for how much plant you have for 5 gallons of water. That's why you usually have a reservoir attached to a DWC system to help supply the plants with more water and nutrients.
With only 5 gallons of water to feed off of you are going to start having pretty dramatic swings in PPM and pH when you get to flowering with only 5 gallons of water. I would recommend adding a circulating reservoir to it so that you can avoid issues during flowering. It's very cheap and easy to do.
-------------------- Dude she isn't as young as she use to be.
-niteowl
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viper33802
Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 142
Last seen: 11 years, 11 months
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Quote:
hawksapprentice said: That type of water consumption is very typical for how much plant you have for 5 gallons of water. That's why you usually have a reservoir attached to a DWC system to help supply the plants with more water and nutrients.
With only 5 gallons of water to feed off of you are going to start having pretty dramatic swings in PPM and pH when you get to flowering with only 5 gallons of water. I would recommend adding a circulating reservoir to it so that you can avoid issues during flowering. It's very cheap and easy to do.
Heard... First, I wanted to let you guys know the larger of the two plants(the one pictured on the right) was a male. I was able to tell Thursday night. I cut it out .Boo Hoo. Never the less, he is gone now. Is his old roots that I cannot remove going to damage my live plant? I know that is exactly why I should not have put two plants in one net pot.
Hawk, I am a newb and want something fairly small scale. Maybe 3-4 going at once at most. I was thinking about your recommendation . What about adding another bucket to the system with nothing but a pump in it? I could tie it in with the other (or others later) buckets using tubing at the bottom of the buckets. Then I could hook up a top feed system from the pump to the other buckets.
FYI, my buckets will hold about 3.5 gal of nutes when at the correct level. So, will adding 3.5 gal to my resovoir and changing my system to a top feed be better? Would that promote root rot or anything like that?
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Hawksresurrection
Registered: 12/04/08
Posts: 13,464
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Re: First DWC system * UPDATE* [Re: viper33802]
#622823 - 05/15/12 03:53 PM (12 years, 6 months ago) |
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It would be best to get the root mass out of your dwc. If you absolutely can't, then add hygrozyme on regular intervals into your bucket. This will help break down the root system. I would also make sure to change very frequently.
Your diagram is exactly what I would recommend doing. Except that I would increase the size of the reservoir. The more water your plants have to draw off of, the milder your pH and PPM swings will be. It will also help keep the temperature of the water in a reasonable range.
-------------------- Dude she isn't as young as she use to be.
-niteowl
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Magash
The Feminizer
Registered: 04/21/08
Posts: 6,634
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Here ya go. The you can look over this dwc system and wellll how to put this nicely........ steal ideas.
http://www.currentculturehydroponics.com/wholesale/
-------------------- All creatures tremble when faced with violence. All creatures fear death, all love life. If we can only see ourselves in others, then how could we possibly hurt another creature?
Join us at the Growery!
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viper33802
Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 142
Last seen: 11 years, 11 months
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First DWC system * UPDATE* [Re: viper33802]
#623401 - 05/18/12 11:08 AM (12 years, 6 months ago) |
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Ok guys, I am at day 48, my first day of flowering. My girl (hopefully) is just starting to try to show sex. I was hopping one of you more experienced guys could help me identify it's sex. I know I could just wait a few more days but I think there is enough there for a trained eye to tell. My camera has a pretty good macro lens. I hope it is good enough.
Here is a few of her (I hope)
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Hawksresurrection
Registered: 12/04/08
Posts: 13,464
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Re: First DWC system * UPDATE* [Re: viper33802]
#623402 - 05/18/12 11:11 AM (12 years, 6 months ago) |
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I see no sex organs...sorry
-------------------- Dude she isn't as young as she use to be.
-niteowl
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viper33802
Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 142
Last seen: 11 years, 11 months
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Thanks for the quick reply. no worries. I am just impatient. If the growth I have pictured is not sex organs forming, what is it? It does not matter I guess. I will find out soon enough.
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Hawksresurrection
Registered: 12/04/08
Posts: 13,464
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Re: First DWC system * UPDATE* [Re: viper33802]
#623405 - 05/18/12 11:42 AM (12 years, 6 months ago) |
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It's called a stipule.
-------------------- Dude she isn't as young as she use to be.
-niteowl
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viper33802
Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 142
Last seen: 11 years, 11 months
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i was not talking about the stipules. cropped the photo to make it easier to see. Does that help at all?
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