Testing the Waters!!!!!!!!

[Tap_Water]

One cant truely understand what works best without testing it all. So I will!!!!!:eek: :D :thumbsup: :lite:

The net pots are 5.5in and I think they may be a little small now that I see them but I will run them for this test run anyhow.Tap

[Chronic User]

are ya doing dwc tap?

would be interesting to see how it turns out

[Useless]

Welcome to the dark side tap. heh heh heh. You do em right, you will never go back to chucking dirt. Bigger, Faster, Better, Easier, Cleaner.

Those net pots can handle some decent size plants, but if you get em over 2 feet or they are bushhy you're gonna have to stake them up, or tie em up.

How many buckets you going to do?

Nutrients?

Air supply power? (watts or liter/hour)

Starting water ppm and PH?

Hit me up if you have any questions man.

[redeyes]

:popcorn:

[SFC]

Same here man. Anything we can do to help your conversion to the darkside smoother, you know plenty of cats here that can help.:animbong:

[Tap_Water]

I'm bucket shopping now.HAHAHA

I only bought 4 net pots and enough clay stones to fill those. My problem is veg space useing 5g buckets. 4 of them will take up half the area and its full now with seedlings, cuts and others.

I'm planning on finishing the other half of my room and makeing a 3x5ft veg box and a smaller spot for cuts and seelings.

The other problem is that the water is 100ft away and there is no drain out there either. I have enough fun carying the water out so carrying it back in wont be no fun. I can dump it in the year 6 month out of the year but that 6 months is close to over now. I do plan on running a water line some day but more next summer. Drain would be pretty easy but next year as well.

I just orderd the 1000w hort and the new ballist will be here this week and I also ordered a 24w 4 outlet air pump and 4 inch stones.

I have a PPM pen and will go easy on what the feed is. Havn't set on a nute yet but I have 4 new kinds to chose from. PH will be 5.8 or what ever water hogs go with.

I do have a Q? Would it be wrong to veg in a smaller pot say 3g and then throw them in 5s to flower. Or will that shit the roots??

Anyone got a bucket site they like.HAHAHA The best one I found so far dont have solid black lids, just ones with pour spouts off to the side. Guess I could go with gray. LOL Tap

[solo]

Uline.com is wear I get my 6 gal buckets. They will have any bucket you need.

[Stinger816]

Ya!...I get a chance to return some of the help Tappy has given me!!:D

As you might know, I use the 5g DWC system...sounds like you have decided to venture down this road as well

I have 5g from Home Depot, with regular lids to match. I cut a hole in the middle of the lid, and add a 10in? net pot...thats for flowering

When in veg, I use 3in net pots. I cut 5 holes in the lid for the 3in ones, so each 5g can hold 5. Once they out grow that, get another lid ($2) and cut 3 holes to give them a little space...and when they out grow 3's, mine are then ready to flower and to the single net pots...

Hope this helps!!

Peace
-Stinger:rasta2:

[Useless]

You've got plenty of air. Rule of thumb is 1 watt per gallon, or 600 liters per hour. High air flow in the bucket is key to everything. If you want to get techinical I can explain the ratios of oxygenation to pump output, but in the end, high air flow is just a good thing overall. You got it covered.

I use the 10" net pots myself, however I have used the 6" with excellent resluts. Just gotta be more consciensious of supporting the main stalk so it does not cause stress to the root zone. Plants like to be anchored.

For DWC I'll veg in the 3" net pots. However, I get the ones with large squares cut out. About 1/8" square. The "ribs" are wider, but the holes are bigger. This allows for better root growth.

DWC bucket nutrient temps kept at 68-73 degrees optimum. You can go lower, but dont go higher with ressy temps.

As far as dumping water. You can actually mix your nutrients properly, so you can do what is called "add back", where you just top off the nutes as needed. Drain and change to fresh nutes every 2 weeks. SO you're only dumping a few gallons every few weeks. As for draining, thats what a pump is for. Hook pump and line to a seperate area and let loose, or drain into a container that is in a more convenient place to dump. You're only talkin 16 gallons or so, if that. Each 5 gallon bucket is only going to have 4 gallons of solution in it due to water level requirements (1" under the bottom of the net pot). Shit, water your vegetables with it, they'll be massive. haha

Check out the GH 3 part recipe I posted here in the hydro section. Works superbly in hydro. There are some additives mentioned, so if you got ?'s just let me know.

And at least you can live up to your name sake now! hahahaha

[Tap_Water]

Thanks solo, I'll check it out for sure.;) :thumbsup: :lite:

Stinger816, You just keep uppoting the net pots,Leaving them??

Useless, I bought that pump just for this reason. :D

I'm confused on the uppotting or up netting. How do you go from these 5.5 in to a bigger one later?? And what about useing a smaller bucket for veg. For now my real problem is veg space. I won't shit my grow by adding these to the veg box. If that is the case I will run one in the veg box at a time till I get a bigger veg spot. Tap

[Stinger816]

Ya, I cut a hole in the bottom of the bigger one, and get the roots threw, the smaller pot covers a majority of the hole. Then just fill around. I have also started adding stakes. Dowels fit in the holes pretty well, so I have a main stake to anchor her to, to keep her up right. I also tie the longer lower branches to it if they need it

I use 3g to help with the vertical space, because the lids fit the 5g as well

[mr_nice_guy]

You cross over to the dark side first let me know how it works.....I am really thinking about it but, i have alot to learn about soil first!!:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Tap_Water]

Well, I'm sure the 4 different organic nutes I have will be a Problem so I'm gonna go with the three part stuff. The ? is what other stuff will I need if I use that? I'm Useing RO water also.

This is my 5th order this month and I need to get everything on this one.:eek: :D

I'm also going with new net pots the 10 inch bucket lid ones.

Thanks for the Link Solo, Good Prices and all kinds of buckets but the shipping was 60 bucks for 8 buckets and 4 lids. More then the buckets themselves. :eek: Wrong coast I guess. HEHEHE

Thanks guys. :lite: :thumbsup: Tap

Edit.

http://www.420genetics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3681

I take it Cal-mag and then Pray. HEHEHE

[Captsneak]

Welcome to the dark side tap. heh heh heh. You do em right, you will never go back to chucking dirt. Bigger, Faster, Better, Easier, Cleaner.

lets hope:thumbsup:

[Useless]

No praying involved tapster. If you must pray, pray to me (i.e. send me a PM if you got probs with that recipe).

I use that recipe almost exclusively.

Make sure you keep your nutrient solution temperatures in check, and that formula kicks ass man. Nutrient temps in the buckets 68-73 degrees...

Yea cappy, hydro is all that. Just gotta convert another from playing in the dirt to riding the waves of water. heh heh heh. If he does it right, he'll wonder why he wasted all that time pissin with the puppies when he could have been barking with the big dogs. :eek: :D

Seriously though, you got any problems, shoot me a pm or catch me in shout Tap.

[Tap_Water]

It goes like this. Tap

[Tap_Water]

Well, Here we go!!!

It's been along time and it was more me on the slow time but the plants hung out in chill mod but now I hope they are ready to rock on!!!!:D :thumbsup: :icon_smil : pipe:

The 12w pump with 4 - 4 inch air stones seems week but I don't know what rolling water should look like?

4 strains and kinda a mix of nutes. I have the three part and added some grow but I also added some secrets.HEHEHEHEH Tap

[gnarly]

'testing the waters'.... :rofl: you nerd.

lmfao. Nice one dude.

It all looks great and that bubbling looks awesome. Your girls are gonna be shittin bricks!

make it happen man!

[Useless]

The water does look a little weak to me.
Usually need a minimum of 1 watt of air power per gallon of solution.
4 buckets with 4 gallons of solution would make your pump undersized by 25%.

I would grab another pump, and just split em, 2 buckets each. Then you'd have 1.5 watts per gallon of solution, and you'll get some good rolling action in the solution.

[Tap_Water]

The water does look a little weak to me.
Usually need a minimum of 1 watt of air power per gallon of solution.
4 buckets with 4 gallons of solution would make your pump undersized by 25%.

I would grab another pump, and just split em, 2 buckets each. Then you'd have 1.5 watts per gallon of solution, and you'll get some good rolling action in the solution.

Its a 12w pump with 4 outlets and I'm only in 2g buckets right now. The stones are 4 inch and all bought from a hydro store online.

But I hear yah on the weak bubbling.

I'll look into a bigger air pump.Tap

Edit here is the air pump and stones.

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/eco-air-12w-4outlet-variable-control-air-pump-p-1517.html

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/eco-plus-inch-air-stone-p-1526.html

Maybe new stones??

I do have 4 Bales of soil. :lmao:

[Useless]

bump...
so I remember to reply when I can...

[Tap_Water]

Thanks Use.

I won't give up so easy even if this don't work out as Theres more to this then I have right now. For me atleast.LOL

A few days after the pic I woke up to one dead plant and dead like it was pulled and threw out in the sun??? It was one I stopped growing in soil this week as well so fuck that one. More air for the other 3.

But now I see one droppy and turning red in the stems?? She might go as well here soon. Even more air.AHHAHAHA

Been less then a week but I will change the water out tomarrow and see if I cant keep the two growing.

I'll get a shot of the roots and plants as well. Little browning on the roots or some and that can not be good so I'll get that shot as well.

They are in 2g buckets for now and will be till i see roots hitting the bottom or trying to fill the little bucket.

I think the pump is gay and not enough air so if i do kill the one. There should be enough air to run 2 buckets. I might even get a splitter and see if two stones puts out more air then the one.Tap

[Bilbo_Baggins]

Don't know how I missed this one :plant:

Tap :tap: Control the Force my friend....:yoda:
Beware the Dark Side :starwars:

That said I'm pullin up a chair and settling in. :popcorn:

Also a great read so far.....
Thanks to all you water lovers :thumbsup:
Great tutorial all....:r2d2:

Bilbo
:blaze:

[SFC]

The biggest problem is not the pumps Tap, it is the stones. They never equalize well, one seems to be always fucked up. The make these 4" puck style stones that look promising,and they also make expensive ceramic ones (to rich for my blood).

[HappyJay]

Yeh, I grabbed a couple of the ceramic ones, IMHO a waste of money, my cheap ass stones work shitloads better. I have decided to start looking into the bubble wands or soaker hose a bit more, I tried em before with OK results so might look back into them.

Also Tap, not sure if it will help or if you have it in cheak, but I always found that with the bubblers, you can drop the nutie levels as they seem to soak it up good. The more air, the less nutie required. The level of the water is another little peronal thing that can be adjusted to suit. Whilst the roots are small, have the water level up touching the pot, stones, and as they grow, you can drop the water level. This works great if you gots shit loads of air as the roots thrive in the area between the water and the pot in a small like bubble/aero zone.

[Tap_Water]

I pulled #3 but after an house I cleaned her up and got her in soil now.:lmao: She gonna go from sick and dead to the biggest plant of the new year. No worries I'll veg here to 8ft.:lmao:

She was not looking well and I also thought that the 4 head air pump would run 2 buckets with 2 stones with a roll. I have roll and 580ish PPM at 5.8-6.2PH at about 70degs.

I also made sure no light was getting into the white buckets. ;) :D :thumbsup:

I am running the GH 3 part and added a tsp of purple and 1.5 of the green stuff with a pinch at best of ES as the stems are red but not from cold. It was so small i'm sure it wont help nor hurt.LOL

Anyhow, They don't look bad but not good either but there still with us.

There was some Browning on the roots but that might of been light or low air flow or something.HAHAHAHA I pulled a little bit of that bad stuff but it was minimal and not that bad. I could see the bright white roots where the bubbles was hitting or the light wasnt so we should be on track from here.:eek: :D :thumbsup: : pipe: Tap

[Tap_Water]

Double post. :smash:Tap

[SFC]

Sounds liek you could also use some SM-90 Tap. That stuff is a must have for hydro,and it also works great on clones. Spray a diluted mix on your brown roots, and it will likely heal them. I also add a capful to each bucket.

Not sure about your airlines, but you can buy black line at lowes. That will eliminate the problem of your airlines working like a fiber optic line, like it does with clear lines.

[Tap_Water]

Thanks SFC, The roots are looking good now and it wasnt that bad or brow just a slight tanish and not bright white.

Anyhow, I think my net pots warnt deep enough and the RW was set to deep and I didn't get the roots going right in the get go as I think the stem in the RW is not happy. I wiggled it and almost pulled it but it didn't realy want to pull but might next week.HAHAHAHHA

Everything is right but I think I need to hand water more and get the roots away from the RW as so i don't have to keep the water so high as to let the clays leach and wet it.

So how far should the new pot be in or out of the water??

That and the Three part needs PH adjustment daily for most the week and thats a pain in the ass. Flat out BS I say as soil yah hit it and water and good till next week.HEHEHE or what ever many days they take. 6-8 mostly for me.

Anyhow, I have roots hanging well and healthy looking so I dropped the water to just below the net pots and will see what this does. Tap

[Hydro#1]

:eek: Tap ya didn't? Don't do it buddy,,LMAO Come back and play in the dirt with me. I use to grow Hydro, but found it to be a lot more work then soil. And they are less forgiving. I still clone with a bubbler. The one thing I found was that plants grown in soil seem to taste better to me. I have no doubt that they grow faster in hydro, but I grow for myself, and I prefer the taste of soil. The possiable reason for this is probably that I use chems in hydro, and organic in soil. I am sure that makes a difference. I will be watching buddy,,I hope to see some big nugs:thumbsup:

Hydro#1

[Bilbo_Baggins]

Fear not Hydro#1 for Tap will never truely go to the Dark Side
:starwars:
He may dabble and play with his "PODS" :hairpull:
but he will return to the ease of Dirt.
:plant2: :plant2: :plant2: :plant2: :plant2:

Bilbo
:useless:

[DefCon3]

Hey Tap what strain/s did you go with?

I'll be watching this one to see how it turns out for you. :thumbsup:

Good Luck
DefCon3 :spy:

[Tap_Water]

And then there was One!!!!:lmao:

Funny how I had 4 stones running and put a tube on the other two outlets to block them off and I have no more air then with the 4 open. China Garbage!!!!

Its not the stones as I lightly blow through them and they work real well.

The roots are growing well and nice and white on this last one but I feel with PH change every day and Cemical nutes her days are #'ed

Not sure how many days since the last water change but I have had to up the PH every day. Plant looks like shit and the one that went was drowned for sure but might of been that the RW was getting wet from wicking through the clay What evber there called. Bullshit I can then. Look like they need to be in a Mexicans house down south.:lmao:

Anyhow, We will see how this last one likes her water.HEHEHEH Tap

PS, She has got to be 6 weeks old from cut and is 4-5 inches tall and 3 inches wide.:Lmao: