A Guide To Growing With Hydroponics

Discussion in 'First Time Marijuana Growers' started by Autoflower, Mar 10, 2010.

  1. What is hydroponics?

    Hydroponics is the cultivation of plants in nutrient-enriched water, with or without the mechanical support of an inert medium such as sand, gravel, grow rocks or rockwool.


    Can I use industrial grade rockwool for my hydroponic medium?


    Most industrial insulation contains a fire retardant chemical that severly restricts growth and will cripple your plants.


    [​IMG]
    The only option is horticutural grade, grodan and oasis for example.


    Is pH important?

    Most people assume pH control is essential, but there is considerable misunderstanding about the effect of pH on plant growth. Plants grow equally well between pH 4 and 7, if nutrients do not become limiting. This is because the direct effects of pH on root growth are small, the problem is reduced nutrient availability at high and low pH. The recommended pH for hydroponic culture is between 5.5 to 5.8 because overall availability of nutrients is optimized at a slightly acid pH. The availabilities of Mn, Cu, Zn and especially Fe are reduced at higher pH, and there is a small decrease in availability of P, K, Ca, Mg at lower pH. Reduced availability means reduced nutrient uptake, but not necessarily nutrient deficiency.
    Unfortunately, hydroponic systems are so poorly buffered that it is difficult to keep the pH between 4 and 7 without automatic pH control. Phosphorous (H2PO4 to HPO4) in solution buffers pH, but if phosphorous is maintained at levels that are adequate to stabilize pH (1 to 10 mM), it becomes toxic to plants. Plants actively absorb phosphorous from solution so a circulating solution, with about 0.05 mM P has much less buffering capacity than the fresh refill solution that is added to replace transpiration losses. Figure 2a is a titration curve of fresh refill solution compared to the recirculating solution. Six mmoles of base were required to raise the pH of fresh solution from 5.8 to 8, but only 1 mmole of base raised the pH of the circulating solution to 8. Figure 2b shows the slopes (derivatives) of the lines in Figure 2a. Figure 2b clearly shows poor buffering of the circulating solution between pH 5 to 9; small amounts of acid or base rapidly change the solution pH. The fresh refill solution is buffered by phosphorous, which has its maximum buffering capacity at pH 7.2. This point is called the pKa of the buffer and it is the point at which half of the phosphorous is in the H2PO4 form and half is in the HPO4 form. In other words, the phosphate ion absorbs and desorbs hydrogen ions to stabilize the pH. Unfortunately, phosphorous is quickly removed from the solution.


    How should I clean my grow rocks?

    Fill a bucket with mild, non-chlorinated water and put in the rootball/growrock cluster..

    Gently knead the mass underwater until the rootmass separates. pull it out..
    Some bits of root may remain, so to get them out put the rocks in a kitchen colander or seive and spray them with water.. the roots tend to collect at the bottom.. Then just turn the colander over and dump out the rocks.. the roots will be in a nice neat pile on top..
    Don't worry about getting every last root hair out.. they'll eventually decompose and get strained out by the prefilter which should be on your ebb/flow return and water pump..

    It's important to be gentle to the rocks.. They're just like an aquarium "wet/dry" filter - beneficial bacteria will grow on them as long as water flows over them.. The microbes overpopulate and often directly attact diseases like pythium & fusarium.. Another neat trick they do is convert the ammoniacal nitrogen in some ferts to nitrates.. great for those whose use chems like Shultz or Miracle it Grows..
    Just don't use peroxide or chlorine, because it will kill them..


    How do I sterilize and disinfect my system?

    Sterilizing and maintaining clean conditions inside your hydroponics/aeroponics systems is extremely important. Keeping cloning, vegetative and flowering systems clean gives your plants a fighting chance against pythium (root rot) and other harmful diseases, ensuring healthy and vigorous crops.

    Why?
    Cleanliness is particularly important in closed (recirculating) hydroponic/aeroponic systems due to the favorable conditions these systems present to water and airborne diseases. Failure to periodically clean a system can result in stressed plants becoming infected and rapidly spreading disease throughout the entire system. Once infected, the entire crop will experience reduced vigor and yield.

    Prevention is the best ‘cure' for disease. Sterilization between crops, adding anti-pathogen additives, and attention to system design can help combat disease.

    Materials:
    · Hot water
    · 35% hydrogen peroxide (3% and 17% available at pharmacies, 35% at hydro stores). Oxidizes, then quickly (24 hrs) degrades to water (Sterilizing strength for 1-4 hours).
    · 99% Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. Kills bacteria and viruses on contact.

    Note: bleach is not recommended. It leaves a toxic residue.

    Daily/weekly system maintenance:

    Daily:

    · Dip your portable ph/tds/temp tester(s) in Isopropyl alcohol, then rinse with water before testing solutions to minimize contamination between reservoirs. When taking a reading, submerge only the sterilized portion of the tester into the reservoir.

    · Periodically inspect roots for signs of pythium. Consider pulling any plants with these symptoms.

    Optional:
    · Add 1.5ml 35% h2o2/gallon. H2o2 can attack beneficial bacterial; H2o2 use is not recommended when using these enzymes. H2o2 at low concentrations can add beneficial oxygen to the reservoir without killing these enzyme additives.

    Weekly:

    · Mist all tools, transfer buckets, etc with isopropanol alcohol in a spray bottle, then rinse with water before use.

    · Weekly or bi-weekly nutrient changes are recommended. (Go longer if using enzymes to maintain).

    · Remove and soak all pump filters/gaskets, thermometers, strainers, air stones, etc in strong h2o2 + hot water.
    · Wipe away salt and slime buildup
    · Add Guardian Angel or other pythium-inhibiting enzymes to tank (weaker h2o2 strengths are recommended when used in conjunction with these biological additives.) Maintain enzyme strengths.

    System sterilization:

    Note:
    Wear gloves when handling concentrated peroxide. Do not use bleach.
    Strong h2o2 will not ‘burn off' slime and salt buildup by itself.

    · Remove all plant matter from system
    · Pre-flush netcups/pots with water and inspect to ensure all roots have been removed. Put netcups/pots in dishwasher, then remove and soak in strong h2o2.
    · If infection was present, replace any grow medium; soak gro-rocks in strong h2o2
    · Recommended: remove and replace all irrigation. Biologically-resistant poly tubing is can be cleaned and re-used.
    · Soak all ‘accessories' in strong h2o2 (misters too, if possible)

    system cleaning

    · Remove and sterilize reservoir by initally flushing with water and wiping with a clean cloth, then spraying 50% h2o2 with a spray bottle on all surfaces. Wait for one hour, then thouroughyl flush with water twice.

    · Flush system with water and do a pre-wipe (hot water + h2o2) to remove salt and slime buildup on all system surfaces.
    · Mix up a very strong (ie. 20%) H2o2 solution and spray it onto all system surfaces and allow to dry.
    · Run re-connected system with 10% h202 + hot water for several hours, dump, and flush again thoroughly with water. Don't plant right away!

    General advice:

    · Do not share tools and other equipment between systems or reservoirs. Isolating systems will contain any problems. Keep separate and dedicated transfer buckets, measuring cups, trays and other equipment; do not share between systems.
    · Keep your moms healthy and vigorous! Pythium will pass systemically to clones.
    · Inspect and remove unhealthy/slow growing plants early.
    · Use a pond strainer to keep leaves and debris out of tank
    · Tap water often contains elevated levels of chlorine to inhibit bacteria

    System design considerations:

    · Isolate systems with separate tanks, irrigation and pumps.
    · Use reflective surfaces (mylar, white poly or titanium paint) to keep the root zone cool between misting periods.
    · Keep system light-tight. Cover tank (but do not seal).
    · If possible, use low-cost UV / biologically resistant poly irrigation hose to minimize residue buildup. Pvc plumbing is difficult to inspect and clean.
    · Maintain nutrient temperatures in the 65-70F range for optimum growth and o2 saturation.
    · Maximize o2 levels in your system: waterfall-drop your nutrient return, use airstones/venturis/skimmers
    · Frequently circulate nutrient solution to avoid stagnant water.


    Should I use Lavarocks or Expanded Clay?


    Gravel, sand, perlite, rockwool, oasis cubes, coco, expanded clay (?poprocks? or Hydroton/Groton/ L.E.C.A. and other names), and lava rocks are common choices for Hydroponic mediums.

    Lava rock and poprocks are popular as they are inert, do not absorb water, provide good aeration, are Ph neutral, and can be re-used.

    Which is better?
    Both of these mediums have advantages and disadvantages, depending on the system and requirements. Lava rocks work better in some systems, poprocks in others. They are good for drip, nft, flood&drain and for filling mesh pots.

    Both types should go into a system that irrigates frequently, as Hydroton and lava rocks are non-porous and have little water-holding capacity. Both types should be pre-washed and sterilized to remove dust & mold.

    Lavarocks:

    [​IMG]Lavarocks are a cheap and readily available medium. They are good for large bucket grows where stability is a necessity.

    (Aiptasia)"... consists of feathered basalt which is pH neutral. Basalt can carry trace metals, and my big lava rocks rust from the trace metals..."

    (Snaps_Provolone) "Lava rock is chunks of red, porous (VERY porous!) basaltic (volcanic) rock. I've purchased it both by the bucketful, and by the bag at any place that sells landscaping materials. It is much lighter than, say, peagravel, but still rather heavy.

    Only rockwool (MUCH more $ than lava rock) has more air/nutrientfilm capacity. Lava rock has REAL good capillary action too. Once wetted (I use flood-drain/ebb flow), it holds VAST amounts of water, while affording roots WAY more space to devolop than rockwool EVER can."

    Lava rock is good for ebb-flow/flood-drain, or top-drip systems, but can also be used successfully in an airated standing solution.

    I still prefer Hydroton though, it stays moist longer and lacks that sharpness that tends to be harmful to soft tissue.."
    Advantages:

    Heavy. Roots will become damaged if a plant shifts; heavier lava rocks will help stabilize a large plant, preventing it from leaning or shifting during growth.
    Chemically inert and reusable. Does not absorb water.
    Lava rocks ?lock? together to give a more solid and stabile medium to plant in. Large plants are less likely to shift.
    Easy to find, usually inexpensive
    Lava rock come in large, medium and pellet sizes.
    Individual rocks can be hand-placed to anchor air stones, drip lines, stakes, etc. Stakes embedded into the rocks will be solid.
    Lavarocks can take a beating and not fragment or crush easily

    Disadvantages:

    Lavarocks need to be pre-soaked to clean them of grit and stabilize the pH:
    (raygun) "if you use the lava rocks just make sure that you rinse well and soak them in ph balanced h2o for 3-5 days then rinse and use."

    Lava rocks are a pita to clean. They have irregular surfaces and micropores that roots and bacteria love to fill. 100% sterilization is never guaranteed. Some growers consider them one-grow disposable.

    (the colonel) "i find it easier to just buy new lavarock and rinse/clean it all than to reuse it: scrub each individual lava rock clean off all traces of root, and then disinfect and then rinse real well to get all the disinfectant chemical out.. but thas just me"

    Lava rocks are heavy. This makes everything heavier, harder to haul/move, and more expensive to ship.

    Lava rocks may contain traces of heavy metals, which may cause nutrient deficiencies and pH swings.
    Irregular rock shapes provide uneven aeration and wetting in the rootzone. Roots will be less able to penetrate evenly throughout the medium

    (raygun) "I did not like using the clay by itself as it did not disperse the ater from my drip tube and I ended up with dry spots in my pots. The lava roxs are all shapes and sizes which help change the path of the falling water."

    More difficult to fill containers

    Expanded clay / Hydroton

    [​IMG](Son-T) ?Hydroton: This Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (L.I.C.A.) is manufactured exclusively at high-tech kilns in Germany and is used as a soil replacement in hydroponics. Composed of shale that is pelletized and fired, Hydroton holds water extremely well and transmits it effectively. The pellets are uniform in size and have an attractive, natural appearance. Hydroton is chemically inert, has neutral pH, is reusable, clean and odorless.?

    (nuniabiz) "clay balls at like 2800 degrees which expands all the little bubbles in the clay making the surface area something on the order of 100 times greater theres for holdin more o2 and wicking more H2o purrrrrfect"

    The high temperature sterilizes the Hydroton, but mold can still form in the bags due to condensation and breaks.

    (OzHornet) "marble-sized orange/brownish balls you can get from nurseries or hydro stores - often used in aeroponics; very cheap"

    Poprocks are the preferred medium for hydroponics.

    Advantages:

    Expanded clay is much easier to clean. The round balls of clay have a smooth surface coating that can be cleaned of roots and bacteria.
    Chemically inert and reusable
    Different sizes available
    Lighter than lava rock
    Poprocks are more uniform in size & shape. They can be poured into containers, and they fill containers evenly.

    The round pebbles do not compress or touch. The uniform space between the pebbles provides even aeration and wetting throughout, allowing roots to fully grow into the medium. The clay surface repels water, but surface tension coats each clay ball in a thin coat of water ? perfect conditions for roots. Cracked rocks absorb water like a sponge.

    The round pebbles have more surface area than the flatter lava rocks, proving more area for roots to cling to.

    Disadvantages:

    Can be more difficult to source

    Poprocks are round and as such are less stable to plant in. Larger plants may shift if disturbed, damaging their root systems.
    Poprocks both sink and float! Poprocks can clog drains and tend to go everywhere. Knock a pot over and you?ll be picking up pebbles for a long time

    Poprocks need to be thoroughly pre-washed to remove the heavy clay dust that is caused by the balls rubbing together during transport. Clay dust will still come off them and may require a flush of the system upon startup. Heavy clay residue will settle to the bottoms of systems and may clog pump filters.

    Poprocks will slowly break down, as they are exposed to acidic nutrient conditions.
    Poprocks can break, shatter and become crushed with handling

    Rinsing tip for both lava and pop rocks:
    (tdmaker) ?Simply, poke holes in the bottom of the bag and cut open the top. With a water hose, run water through the top of the bag. The red powder will flow from the bag through the holes in the bottom. Oh, and do this outside. Otherwise, do smaller amounts indoors?

    Should I sterilize my used medium or encourage bacteria?

    (10k) As far as harboring beneficial bacteria, user 'Jackerspackle' wrote some extensive material on this several years ago.

    Basically what he said and I believe and practice, is that expanded clay mediums harbor them too. Just dont sterilize your rockage when washing them out and you'll have plenty remaining in and on the medium to replenish the next grow as soon as they're rewetted. Bactors like nitro simmonas and nitro bactors can go dormant in a dried out state, but will become "alive' again as soon as they're moistened. Of course, you'll keep a more robust living culture going if you dont allow the used rock to ever dry out completely.

    The only time when a grower would really want to sterilize the rocks is if he had suffered a root disease in the previous grow. A gnat infestation is NOT a good reason to sterilize the rocks since they can easily be treated using BTI bacteria and semi-sealing up the wetted bag (or tub) full of rocks for a week or so to prevent the life cycle from any possibility of continuing, but keep an air stone running in the closed up wet bag or box of rocks to help keep the bacteria colonies thriving.


    What is nutrient lockout?

    Nutrient lockout happens when your plant can not access specific, or all nutrients in the growing medium, this is due to a chemical reaction within the medium/solution which prevents nutrients from being absorbed by the roots.

    Aged nutrients can precipitate in the bottle, causing some of the ingredients to become solids or even evaporate, the same problem may also occur in the growing medium.

    Lockout will display the same symptoms as nutrient deficiency; to help control this problem dispose of old liquid feed containers as you would old medicine and use fresh nutrients from a bottle that has been recently opened.

    The following points can also be responsible for nutrient lockout.
    • PH is incorrect or fluctuates.

    • Single pack hydroponic solutions.

    • Salt build up.

    • A chemical reaction between 2 or more nutrient
      solutions that are mixed together.
    For acute deficiency symptoms caused by toxicity and nutrient lockout a first Aid program should be immediately administered.


    Step 1)
    Leach the plants roots and growing medium using a professional leaching agent to thoroughly leach away metals, calcium, sodium, chlorides, sulphates and many other compounds, which can build up in the growing media.

    Step 2)
    Feed with 1/4 strength high quality complete plant food mix along with a high quality vitamin B-1 product such as Superthrive (1 drop per gallon).

    Step 3)
    Spray a professional stay green formula on the leaves. After 24hrs, spray the leaves with a quality vitamin B-1 product.
    Feed at 25% of recommended fertilizer dosage until first signs of growth.


    Can I add stuff to the reservoir to change the flavour of my bud?

    Below are the two processes in which plant roots select and deliver only
    minerals
    .
    1. cell membrane of endodermis provides for selective absorption:
    2. active transport proteins move minerals against concentration gradient
    from water into cytoplasm

    There are many people who strongly believe that they can change the flavour of
    their buds and there are also companies who sell so called products, but every
    Department of Biological Sciences, are satisfied that wanted flavourings are not
    absorbed
    through roots.


    How can I keep my reservoir cool?

    Why do I need cool root temperatures?

    High root zone temperatures often plague indoor growers running water culture (aero/bubbler/dwc/hydro) systems. These systems are subject to rapid heating by intense HID lighting, which increases root zone temperatures, which decreases dissolved oxygen (DO) levels. Rapid plant growth, combined with low DO levels, can cause oxygen deprivation which in turn can result in infection by opportunistic pathogens such as pythium.

    The key to maximum growth is to keep the air temperature at 75-80F, but the root zone at 68F or less. Note: the reservoir should be kept slightly cooler than the rootzone - irrigation and system heating will warm the water by the time it reaches the roots.

    Optimum root growth occurs at 70-75F; however, destructive root diseases also grow and reproduce rapidly at these root temperatures. Maintaining nutrient temperatures at or under 68F maximizes root growth and DO, and inhibits pythium.

    Reservoir cooling options:

    Warm summer temps often require aggressive cooling measures. Bubblers and dwc are difficult systems to temperature regulate due to their (usually) small volumes and lack of external reservoir.

    Note: spray / drip / mist / circulate nutrients on a frequent basis to equalize reservoir and root zone temperatures. Intermittent spraying may require a slightly lower tank temp, to compensate for system heating occurring during "off" spray cycle. (ie. Keep tank temp around 64F for intermittent spray cycles, 68F for continuous spraying).

    Note: submersible pumps add heat. Use an external/inline pump to minimize heat transfer. High quality digital thermometers are recommended.

    • Add cold water when topping up.
      Note: abrupt changes in temperature may shock roots.
    • Frozen pop bottles/milk jugs.
      Fill to ¾. Keep extras in the freezer to replace thawed bottles with new frozen ones, replace as necessary. Note: "Freezy packs" tend to crack and leak.
    • Increase size of reservoir
      Larger volumes are slower to warm up, pH/ppm is more stable and tank changes are less frequent.
    • Put reservoir/bubbling buckets onto floor, or set on concrete blocks to conduct heat away from the water.
    • Insulate
      Paint all exposed system surfaces white or use reflective material (such as mylar or reflectix). Wrap insulation around tank. Use a camping cooler for a reservoir (pre-insulated and comes with a drain!).
    • Swamp cooler
      Blow a fan directly across the surface of reservoir for excellent evaporative cooling. This method works well (expect a 10F drop in res. temp), but humidity and tds will increase, and more frequent topping up will be required.

      [SIZE=-2]430 scrog[/SIZE] "?add a computer fan to a duct blowing into your tank (cut air exit holes). You can run it on a timer (1 hr on, 1 hr off). I run a float valve to keep it topped up."
      Make sure lid and reservoir can be easily removed.
    • Blow air through the root zone
      Divert small amounts of cool intake air directly into the root zone.
    • Remote reservoir
      In-room reservoirs will quickly heat up to room temp. Put the reservoir (and ballasts) outside of the grow room to minimize tank heating.
    • Airstone / Power head / Venturi air supply should be drawn from a cool source (ie. Cool outside air).
    • Peltier coil (Thermoelectric chillers).
      [SIZE=-2](Bayou grower)[/SIZE] "I use an Ice Probe ($125) and it works well. It uses 50 watts and pulls the temp down 4 degrees under ambient. Cools 10 gal or less." (see coolworksinc.com for more models)
    • Reservoir chillers
      These are electric A/C units made specifically for cooling water. (Search for "Aquarium chillers")
      [SIZE=-2](smokin fl)[/SIZE] "?a heavy box with fan and compressor coils, with a 5 foot refrigeration line with a titanium coil at the end. All you do is plug it in, set the controller and put the coil in the res. Circulate nutes for the best cooling. Get a bigger model than you need."
    • Cooling coil
    [​IMG] A coil of stainless steel is put into the reservoir, cold tap water is trickled through the coil and the overflow runs down the drain. A circulation pump in thte rez makes the cooling more efficient. Adjust tap flow as necessary (Water use can reasonable). No power, unlimited cooling, quiet.

    Making your own cooling coil:

    Scrap yards and appliance repair shops are full of A/C and fridge coils: 4-20 loops (more surface area is better), with male garden hose connectors welded to each end (Don't use copper or nickel coils). Available in Hydro stores (around $100 cdn).

    Note: Cooling coils may not be useful for those on metered water.


    How dow I use Oxy-Plus in my nutrient tank?

    Tank..
    To each 10 Litres of Tank Volume add:

    - 5ml Oxy-Plus
    Stir thoroughly before circulating to plants. It will be best to mix the required amount of Oxy-Plus with a Litre of lukewarm water before adding to tank.

    Cleanup..
    To each 10 Litres of Tank Volume add:
    50 mls Oxy-Plus

    Editors note..
    Do not use H202 or oxy-plus when using organics. It's essential that the microbial population be sustained and allowed to work, H202 or ultraviolet sanitizing of nutrient solutions may inhibit the activity of, or even kill beneficial microbes.


    Simple Hydroponics, The Wick System

    [​IMG]
    The Wick System is probably the simplest hydroponic system.It is a passive system by virtue of there being no moving parts and where the nutrient solution remaining static in one place.The solution is taken out of a container and led to the plants? roots through the growing medium by capillary action, conducted through one or more wicks.Normally in this system a mixture of of various growing media are used in order to increase to the utmost their capillary capacity.This system contains conventional soil supplemented with fertilizers, with plain water in a container solely for irrigation.As this very compact hydroponic system is so versatile especially in small home gardens for growing in small spaces as it can be set up on a very small scale.This system?s biggest limitation occurs with large plants which need large amounts of water which the wicks are unable to supply in adequate amounts.In this case, the number of wicks has to be increased to supply demand for water!Of course adding pumps would be advantages but this is just an example of the simplest method you can add your own thoughts and idea's at any stage.


    What are the differences between aeroponic misting and fogging?


    The difference between fog and mist is the particle size generated. [​IMG]Fog
    Any water droplet smaller than 50 microns is considered fog. There is 'wet' fog and 'dry' fog. Wet fog has a particle size in the range of 10-50 microns. Dry fog is produced by ultrasonic systems and has particles in the range of 2-10 microns.

    Dry fogging systems use very little water, but they do require a high quality supply (ie. R.O. or distilled), as they are prone to clogging.

    [​IMG]The disadvantage of dry fogging systems is that they are no good for cooling, since the quantity of water available for evaporation is small. Wet fogging systems can be run to excess during summer and the surplus fog can be vented.

    Fogging systems require additional watering of the cuttings, unlike conventional misting systems.




    [​IMG]Misting systems are the cheapest to set up and run, but fogging systems may give better results with some plant species, for example some Verticordias, Brachycome, lavenders, and many species with hairy or finely divided leaves.




    Misting[​IMG]
    Misting maintains a fully saturated atmosphere around the cuttings, whereas fogging aims to keep the leaves cool. Reducing leaf temperature reduces the water vapor pressure within the leaf and less water escapes. However, a fully saturated atmosphere will not entirely prevent transpiration water loss from cuttings. If the leaf temperature exceeds the air temperature, then the internal vapor pressure will be greater than the surrounding air, and there will be evaporation from the leaf. To avoid this, shading is necessary to prevent high leaf temperatures.

    (Nigel_Samhain) The foggers usually use a diffuser, although they call it a ceramic disc coated with what appears to be brass. These foggers produce vapors in the 2-15 micron range. When applied to the root system, it is comparable to growing your plants within a cloud.

    [​IMG]
    Foggers experience calcification.

    Usually it can be cleaned off with a dilute solution of White vinegar. When the EC of the solution is high, the calcification occurs at a much greater rate.

    It is recommended that the fog be dispersed in increments, rather than remain constant, to cut back on diffuser wear. This also tends to make the roots strive for faster growth.​


    What is this green slime on my rockwool?


    The green slime you have on your rockwool is called Algae.
    Photo contributorOldpink

    [​IMG]
    Algae needs light and nutrients to live, it will spread to your reservoir and will block feed lines. Because of rockwools unique vertical 'tube-like' structure, which takes up nutes via capillary action, and pulls air into the medium as the nutes drain outward, a heavy buildup of algae can effectively block this breathing action. To prevent this from happening, use light-proof and water-proof material to cover your rockwool, for example black/white panda film or thick black bin liners.
     
  2. What is a bubbler/DWC?

    DWC (Deep Water Culture) units are commonly referred to as "bubblers" and are used for a method of growing plants hydroponically in a bucket of nutrients with the plant suspended over the nutrients and the roots growing down into the nutrients which are super oxygen saturated by pumping large volumes into the nutrient solution with the aid of an aquaurium stlye pump with an airstone attached to the airline.

    Plants grown in this method grow at superfast rates due to the fact that they are being fed large amounts of oxygen. This is the same reason that the roots can sit in the nutrient solution without drowning. This method of growing is perfect for a hobby grower or one who wishes to grow for personal use. Large scale commercial growers do not generally find this method appropriate for the reason that each plant is housed in its own reservoir, and would simply be entirely too much maintenance in a large scale grow.

    For someone who only needs say 6 plants, this method of hydroponic cultivation is an excellent way to grow. When an environment has been created to provide your plants with the optimum conditions required for fast, healthy growth,the one limiting factor left is how much oxygen can be provided to the roots of the plants. DWC growing will take care of this factor and then some! The roots will recieve huge amounts of oxygen for some of the fastest growth rates possible. DWC is one of the easiest and yet most effective forms of hydroponic cultivation.


    At what level should the nutrients be in the bucket?

    The nutrient solution should be kept at a level of 1" above the bottom of the net basket when a new plant/clone has been introduced to the bubbler.

    After a good root system has been established, the level can drop down in the bucket and will create a nice aeroponic type atmosphere for the roots to thrive in. Make sure to keep an eye on your TDS however,a s a significant drop in the reservoir level can mean a significant increase in your TDS level. With frequent checks using your TDS meter, you should have no problems. When TDS levels rise in the bucket, you can add plain pH adjusted water to top off and adjust TDS to the correct levels.


    What kind of pump should I use?/How much air does each bucket need?

    While I do not know what the minimum amount of oxygen needed for good growth is, it is extremely important to ensure plenty of oxygen to the nutrients/rootzone in bubblers. One of the things that seperates this hydroponic method from some others is that the plant roots sit directly in the nutrient solution. Without proper oxygenation of the solution,the roots would quickly drown and the plant die. In addition, the fact that high amounts of oxygen are delivered directly to the roots is what makes this hydroponic method the fastest in growth rate.

    Much is known about what the optimum conditions are for growing dope and subsequently, growrooms can be setup to ensure that all the optimum conditions for the plant are met. Once this is achieved,the single limiting factor in plant growth is how much oxygen the root system can be provided. With the DWC method,lots of oxygen is pumped in directly to the roots, allowing the plant to grow at its full potential with an amazing growth rate.

    Be sure to supply your nutrient solution with enough oxygen from a proper pump. When purchasing a pump,be sure that it will be able to deliver 500cc's-600cc's/min to your bucket(s) per gallon of nutrient solution. This will ensure that the roots are recieving enough oxygen to be able to grow at optimum rate. One of the best pumps that I have found for a 5 gallon container is the "Elite 802". These pumps have an air/oxygen output of 1500cc/min X 2. For a 5 gallon bucket, this pump would be able to deliver


    How can I build a DWC cooler tub?


    [​IMG]The first step is, selecting a cooler, and each has its own good and negative qualities. For this faq, I will be using a 48qt Rubbermaid, though I prefer the igloo coolers the best. The dark green exterior of the cooler will help block light more than a yellow, or even a white.

    They all should have insulation between the plastic, to help maintain the right water temperature. Also, if you want, you can use black electrical tape, pvc plumbing tape, or duct tape, to help keep light out.

    I should point out with the Rubbermaid, you will have to add paper, or duct tape, to cover up the hinge on the Rubbermaid. Light can get in there. Igloo coolers don?t have this problem.

    Other good coolers to use: the 48qtr cooler by Coleman/igloo. They have wheels, easy pull handle, (which makes it easy pulling it out, when it comes to changing the nutes). But, they have poor colors, the internal insulation is thinner, and the bottom is not flat due to the roller wheels, which makes it difficult to use a long or even a short air stone.

    The 100qt cooler from Rubbermaid is another great option (I suggest making a permanent stand for this one, cause it would be a bear to move) This cooler has two lids, a main one for the plants, and a smaller one off to the left side - perfect for checking roots and filling. Also comes in dark green, 4 plants will fit, but costs $40.

    The airpump

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    The Rubbermaid has a small hole on the backside. First find the hole under the lid, and use a small drill bit and drill upwards thru it. Find the hole on top, and drill back down with a bigger drill bit. Then just use a scraper or knife to scrape off the edges. Enlarge this hole by drilling.

    The igloo should have two of them, whereas the Rubbermaid has only one. I plan on using only one air pump, rated for a 30gallon tank. Cheap air pumps are louder, and that can be really annoying, especially for a stealth grow. I?m using a Whisper, but they are still loud IMO. I find placing air pumps on the floor will create a vibration thru the floor. If you have to use a pallet, then use one, and place a towel on top of the wood, to help ease the vibration down some. Don?t cover up the air pump though, or this could lead to problems.

    Don?t put the air stone in until after all the drilling and the mess has been cleaned up.

    Construction:

    Net pots

    Now onto figuring out where to place the 5? heavy duty net pots. You don?t want them too close to the end, or too close too the center, and they need to fit flat down onto the lid. You want the net pots all the way down in this cooler, so they will dip into the nutrients. The cooler lid is around 2.5? thick, and if you ever have to move it in the beginning, you don?t have to worry about water pouring out the sides.

    For this cooler, I decided to make the center of the net pots at (for both), 5 ¼? from the center, and that would also be 3 ¼? from the outer ends, and 5? down from the back of the lid. This will allow the net pots to lay flat.

    Netpot holes

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    Now before making the holes for the net pots, I went ahead and cut out a plastic circle. It is just under 5?, and will be used for a guide line. Reason for not being exactly 5?, is because when I use the jig-saw, the blade will make it the 5? that I need. I put tape on the plastic circles, so they won?t shift when cutting them. I then trim it up with a razor blade.

    Check again to make sure the net pots will fit securely, and fit close to top surface of the lid.Remember to clean it out before continuing on.

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    Also use some duct tape (preferably water resistant tape) to cover the inside of the edges where you cut the 5? circle out for the net pots. Styro-foam (inside the insulated cooler lid will be exposed) will fall into the cooler, and water may work itself inside the lid, which can turn into a not so clean cooler. I use a thick sticky black electrical tape to line the holes, so installation won?t fall out, and then lined it with water resistant duct tape.

    Netpot depth

    I want to make sure, when the lid is closed, the net pots will go at least 1" or 2" into the nutrient mix. After a week of growing, the roots should be starting to drop down into the mix, and then you can let the water drift a few inches under the net pots, but in the beginning, I want the bottom part of the net pots in the medium.

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    Where do I set the water level for new clones?

    Specifically with DWC, since it is different depending on the methodology, as long as the roots are staying moist they will grow. The roots will eventually grow down into the solution, and stay there, so keeping them wet continually is not a problem with DWC as long as your water temp is good and the aeration is sufficient.

    The touchy point with placement in DWC is making sure that the original rooting medium does not stay soaked. I'm sure there are clay balls (grow rocks) in your mesh bucket, but inside of there is the original rooting medium-- rockwool? oasis? If you're slick you will remove the rockwool and gently place the clone right into the rocks-- that way there is little chance of keeping it too wet.

    Bottom line... make sure the roots get wet either from direct contact or from the bubbles bursting at the surface, AND make sure that the water level is not too high so that it keeps the cloning rockwool soaked.


    How do I start seeds for DWC bubblers?

    Start with standard rockwool seedling cubes. Soak them in pH adjusted RO Water, and then get your seeds ready. You can germinate them in paper towels, gauze, cheesecloth, or just do like me, and not fool with all that-- just poke the seed in the rockwool cube where the hole is pre-made. If you find that's too big for your seeds, turn the cube over and poke a smaller hole.

    When you think your cubes have soaked up enough water, take them outside, or to the bathtub, and holding it loosely, give them 2 or 3 hardy shakes. (DO NOT SQUEEZE OUT!) This will release LOTS of water from the cube, thus making air pockets within the cube itself. These air pockets are very important for seedlings and clones. Also, by doing that, you keep your seed from soaking to death...too much moisture will kill the seedlings.

    When you get the most of the water out, pick the seeds you want to grow and drop them in the hole about 1/4"-1/2" down. Carefuly squeeze the hole closed and place in a humidity dome. Light isn't all that important until the seed sprouts, however its very important to keep the temps around 80*f in your grow area. Warmth will speed up the process considerably as will a few drops of Superthrive per gallon of water.

    Within 4 to 7 days (up to 14..) you should see seedlings poking out of the cube-- this is where I really watch whats happening as the TAP ROOT will grow faster than the plant itself. When this occurs, I get them ready to move to a 2 gallon rooter DWC bucket with 3" net pot holes. I will take the seedling, and place it in a 3" netpot with a few rocks on the bottom, as to support the cube, and leave plenty of space for the roots to grow without letting them lay on the bottom of the humidity dome's tray. I try to suspend the roots as long as they are in the dome. When I feel they are old enough (when there are a FEW small roots poking out of the RW cube) I will place the 3" pots with the seedlings in them, in the rooter bucket for about a week sometimes two if I am using fluorescents for vegging.

    In that time, I will have a 5 gallon bucket ready, and I will carefuly try to weave as many of the roots thru the holes of a 6" net pot, and like with the 3"er, I will place a small amout of rock on the bottom of the pot to suspend the roots, and allow ample space for more roots. I place the 3" pot into the 6" pot and then fill up with rocks, finally covering the 3" pot (kind of like a BOG double pot method for soil) and placing that into the lid of the 5 gallon bucket.


    What should the pH of the nutrients be?

    The nutrients should be kept between pH 5.2 and pH 5.8 with pH 5.5 being optimal.

    After mixing your nutes,check the pH with a good pH pen or meter and adjust the pH of the final solution accordingly. Your nutrients should be checked on a daily basis to maintain the proper pH, making adjustments accordingly.

    A hydroponic grade pH meter is a MUST in any hydroponic system to accurately measure pH. When pH is too high or too low, some nutrients become unavailable to the plant causing an inability of the plant to uptake the proper nutrients. This will eventually lead to nutrient deficiencys and poor health of the plant. pH must be kept in the acceptable ranges and preferably as close to optimum as you can to ensure proper nutrition and health.

    Hydroponic grade pH down and pH up can be bought at any hydroponic supply store and should be used to adjust the nutrient solutions pH. In a pinch, if you are waiting for your bottles of pH up & down and need to correct the pH immediately, you can buy aquarium grade pH up and pH down at your local pet supply store. This will correct your immediate pH problem, but I dont recommend using it on a regular basis. You need to get the proper hydroponic grade pH adjustment fluids.


    What kind of airline should I use?

    Regular aquarium airline tubing will work fine for attaching your airstone to your airpump for use in bubblers. Some people have claimed that this clear airline tubing acts like a fiberoptic line allowing light into the reservoir. While I have had no trouble with algae growth while using clear airline tubing,the possibility remains that it could eventually become a problem. There is also the bluish tinted airline which can be purchased at most aquarium/pet shops. This could be of some help in regulating light entering the reservoir,however recently I have started using 1/4" drip irrigation tubing purchased for $5.00 per 50 feet. The drip line is all black and will not allow any light penetration at all. Another plus is that this tubing is made from premium resins and is highly flexible and is very hard to kink. With standard clear airline tubing,kinking can be a problem if not handled carefully. A strong kink in the line could stop all the air/oxygen from ever making it to the airstone which could result in a drowned dead plant. With the flexible drip tubing,there is never a need to worry about it kinking. In addition,this tubing is made to be very durable under any type of weather condition,which is an added bonus in any growroom. If you have any worries at all about light making its way into your reservoir or about airlines kinking up,I highly recommend using the black 1/4" drip irrigation tubing with your bubblers.


    How can I get rid of slimy roots?

    to prevent future outbreaks of algae growth. To correct any problems with current algae growth,follow the simple instructions here and the problem should be corrected in a few days.
    • Make a solution (the amount equivalent to the size of your bucket) with plain water and 10ml of H2o2 (Hydrogen peroxide) added per gallon of water.
    • Empty the bucket containing the algae growth and scrub well.
    • Pour the H2o2 solution into the bucket through the top of your net pot.
    • Let this sit for about 1/2 hour and then dump and rinse through the top of the net pot with plain pH adjusted (pH5.5) water.
    • Dump again and then fill with your standard nute solution with 5ml of H2o2 added.
    • In a few days,when no signs of the slime are visible,dump the bucket and fill with your standard nute solution.

    How often should I change the nutrients?

    I recommend a complete change of nutrients once a week to once every two weeks. Although some argue that this is a waste of nutrients and you can just top up the reservoir when the nutrient level has gone down due to evaporation and transpiration, this may be true.

    However, depending on the plants nutritional needs, it may be taking up more of certain nutrients and less of other nutrients...topping up can lead to toxic nutrient levels with some nutrients and deficiencys in others. If you consistently top up with plain pH adjusted water, eventually, the nutrient solution will become depleted of nutrients and the plants will suffer. When nutrients are first mixed..the nutrition is very balanced and for this reason I recommend changing the buckets out at least once every two weeks and preferably once a week. Be sure to scrub the buckets out well with hot water each time you change the nutrients.


    How large should my bucket/container be?

    You have several options here.

    First,are you going to be using a bucket?
    A rubbermaid container?
    Or something else?

    The easiest size bucket to maintain would be a five gallon bucket. These are the common size used by most people who decide to grow using the DWC method.The smallest size I would recommend is the 3.5 gallon buckets if this is your first time growing in a bubbler. If you have already had some experience with this method,you could try using the 2 gallon size buckets. Just remember that the smaller the bucket, the more maintenance will be reqiuired.

    A 2 gallon bucket will require daily maintenance to top up the reservoir as the nutrient solution evaporates and transpires. The pH and TDS of the nutrients will also require daily maintenance. The 5 gallon buckets are more stable for the simple reason that there is more volume there. So just keep that in mind when choosing a bucket size...the larger the bucket, the more pH and TDS are stabilized and less topping up. Smaller sizes are less pH and TDS stable and require frequent topping up. One final note is on bucket color. The darker the bucket, the better. Black buckets are perfect for DWC as they dont let any light into the container which can lead to algae growth. If you cannot find black,use the darkest color you can find. If you choose the white buckets, wrap the buckets and lids with several layers of duct tape or anti-corrosion pipe tape.


    What kind of airstone should I use?

    While most any airstone will work for our purposes, there are a few things to keep in mind.

    First, an airstone which puts out very fine bubbles will saturate the nutrients with the highest levels of oxygen moreso than an airstone which puts out larger sized bubbles. The more oxygen, the better, so choose an airstone which will put out the finest bubbles.

    Second, in regards to airstone size, you can choose from the small 1" airstones to the large 6" airstones. They will all work, and of course the smallest are the cheapest. While its not absolutely critical where the airstone is placed, it is important that it is in the deepest level of the bucket to ensure that long roots are getting enough oxygen. The small 1" airstones will need to be weighted down with a small lead fishing weight or a nut to keep it at the bottom of the bucket. For this reason,I prefer to use the 4" airstones. They put out the same size bubbles as the 1" airstones, but have enough weight to them that they will stay placed at the bottom. Airstones that sit in the nutrient solution may eventually become clogged, so keep an eye on them. If they do start to clog, you can scrub them with a wire brush under hot water and they will be able to be used again. To ensure that your airstone is working efficiently, replace them from time to time as needed.


    What nutrients should I use?/How much nutrient should I use?

    I highly recommend Dynagrow/Dynabloom nutes in your bubblers. This is an excellent source of nutrition for your dope. I believe you will see marked improvements in your plants overall health using Dynagrow and Dynabloom.
    For clones and young plants,use the dynagrow formula and keep a reading of 250-300ppm.

    For veg, use the Dynagrow formula and keep a TDS reading of 400-500.
    For flowering in the first few weeks using the Dynabloom, keep a TDS reading of 500 PPM. For some strains with High N requirements you may want to mix Dynabloom and Dynagrow at a ratio of 3:1 as The bloom formula contains 3% N,and MAY not be enough for strains with High N requirements. Start flowering with full Bloom and watch your plants,if you begin to see some yellowing early on,dump the nutes and switch to the 3:1 Bloom/Grow mix. After the first few weeks,switch to full bloom (if youre not already using it) and you can start pushing the plants. You want to keep a TDS reading of 500-900ppm. Again,read your plants....900ppm may be too hot for some strains. This will be sufficient to take the plants all the way to the final week of flowering at which point you can flush with plain pH adjusted water.
    *Note: If you are growing large plants,ppm's for (late)veg and flower can be increased by 2-300ppm.

    Throughout your grow you want a pH of around 5.5 however,between 5.2-5.8 is acceptable. A hydroponic grade TDS meter or an EC meter is a MUST with any hydroponic system to accurately measure nutrient strength. If nutrients are too low,the plant will not recieve proper nutrition and will begin to show nutrient deficiencys. If nutrients are too strong,you will burn the plants,possibly killing them!

    Dynagrow is really an excellent hydro nutrient for dope. Your plants will get very balanced and complete nutrition. Add to that the phenomenal growth rate of bubblers and of course good genetics and what you get is an extremely healthy,beautiful dope plant that lives up to its FULL potential ;-)
     
  3. How are the salt buildups flushed out of the planters in ebb & flow?

    Pour the water into the system by carefully pouring it thru the planters. This will flush the salts out of the rocks and into the main reservoir. Also, on the days when you are replacing the reservoir solution, it's a good practice to flush some straight ph'd water thru the planters, allowing them to drain off before you refill the reservoir.

    Another method, if the clones have'nt yet grown their root mat outside of the planters, is to simply dip the planters in fresh ph'd water a few times, letting the water drain out carrying away the salts as they drain.


    Is there anything better than the standard planters provided with most ebb & flow systems, and How can I modify the system to give maximum yield and root mat growth?


    Yes, those small square planters are very restrictive as far as giving adequate room for rootmass. They are really only productive if you are growing from small clones, otherwise they tend to stunt growth and thus reduce potential yield.

    Modifying them to have more holes around the sides near the bottom is a must, it will encourage a nice healthy root mat in the tray around the planters.


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    Building a cover plate to suspend the square planters over the tray will allow the roots to freely flow out of the planters without any possible damage caused by the weight of the planters sitting on the root-mat and blocking the holes. (similar to picture below)

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    Better yet, use orchid pots or net pots, suspended over the tray by a cover plate with holes cut to place the pots thru.

    The suspended planter or *orchid pot method provides the maximum for root mat development. The optimum root mat develops when a modified orchid pot co net pot is used.

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    Modified (left) and standard (right) Orchid pot co netpots
    *Orchid pots are heavy duty net pots made by the Orchid pot company, they are better than ordinary net pots because they have a flange molded into the top of the pot, allowing for the net pot to be suspended in a hole without the risk of the combined plant/pot/rocks weight causing it to fall thru the hole. Orchid pots are available from grow stores and they usually sell for about $1.50 each (10 for $15.00), good cheap and easy to use.

    The modified net pot allows for superior root growth and prevents common root damage which can happen when the roots hang down over the sharp edges of the plastic net pot openings.

    Another option is to simply fill the entire tray with grow rocks and forget about using any pots or planters, this will give an adequate root growth space. *Almost as good as the suspended orchid pot method.


    How Do I Prep My Ebb & Flow Table, using big rw cubes?

    Rockwool Prep:
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    In this application, running tight spaced cubes with the intention of doing a spike type, mostly single cola grow, 218 cubes are placed into the table. Thats a full table, less 2 for the fill/drain holes. The tray is first flooded to the top of the cubes, with water at PH 4.7 and allowed to stand for 12 hours. This helps keep them from drifting up in PH. They are then flooded with straight tap water to rid of any debris that may have come in the manufacturing or handling of them. Next they are flooded with PH 5.7 water, at this time the cubes should be at PH 6 and ready to accept clones. This is also a great time to check that your table is level.


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    Each table is a standard 4'x 8' ebb & flow with 2 x 1000wt HPS air cooled lights. Air stones are added to the table and large four inch rockwool cubes are the medium. The cubes are covered with mylar and "X" cuts into the holes that accept the 1" rockwool cubes. This is done to help keep the roots dark, keep the algae growth down and to reflect a light back up to the plants when they are small. I use a very small submersible pump for pumping the water to the table, a couple of shut off valves are also helpful to control the flow and also keep the water in the table for PH adjusting the cubes. A digital timer is used here so that the flood time can be adjusted to the minute.


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    Above dual picture, shows prepared table with pre-vegged six inch clones inserted and ready to go. Tables are flooded one hour after lights on and again every two hours after that for a total of six feedings during lights on, nothing is used at night. Flood height is adjusted to roughly three fourths of the cube height, and takes just over six minutes to fill, pump runs for eight minutes.





    How often should I flood the tray? (flood frequency)

    How often to flood (flood frequency) is determined by three factors.
    1.How long it takes for the plants to show drooping or wilting between floods.
    2.How large the planter of rocks is (wether or not the roots are drying out too much).
    3.The dryness of the root mat in the tray outside of the planters must also be considered, you cannot allow it to get too dried out between floods.

    A good rule of thumb, with expanded clay in planters is to begin with floods every four hours while the lights are on and watch the plants for any signs of wilting just before the next flood. If 4 hours between floods causes the plants to droop, than shorten the time between floods by a half hour to 3-1/2.

    As the plants grow larger, a mat of roots will grow out of the planters, onto the tray between the planters. The floods should be often enough to keep this root mat from becoming too dried out between floods, including the long dry spell overnight during the 12/12 flowering stage. You should monitor the condition of the root mat to make sure the roots stay semi-moist.

    A good way to check this is to have the first flood start a few minutes after the lights come on, if the roots are dry before the first flood, you will need to have one fast flood at night. Otherwise the drying can cause stunted growth and reduced yield.

    Keeping the tray covered with plastic wrap will help keep the root mat moist and help to slow down evaporation, thus preventing the need for a night flood and helping to keep the rooms relative humidity controlled.

    A better solution is to build a cover plate for the tray which holds the planters slightly suspended above the tray to encourage a thick and healthy root mat growing in the tray, which will also cure the problem of roots getting too dry overnight.

    Remember to check the trays drains often to make sure they're not getting clogged by roots or loose medium (small grow rocks).


    How long should I flood the tray? (flood duration)

    Flood duration should never exceed thirty minutes total, from the start of the flood until the tray has drained back to the reservoir. Often times, the companies that manufacture ready made systems like hydrofarm, furnish those half hour increment "pull up" tripper type timers, simply because they're the cheapest item to furnish and not necessarily because they are the right thing for the best results with ebb & flow.

    It is best to purchase an inexpensive digital timer to handle the floods, since they allow you to program better flood times. The optimum flood is just long enough to allow the flood to reach the correct flood depth, plus a few minutes to allow the nutrients to wash thru the planters, carrying away accumulated salts from the planters. Try to have the total time not exceed twenty minutes if possible, and never allow it to exceed thirty minutes total time.

    With the megagarden for example: The system reaches desired flood depth in less than four minutes and drains away in about five minutes, so a ten minute flood allows pleanty of time and finishes the task in roughly fifteen minutes total.


    What is a Megagarden?


    The hydrofarm Megagarden

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    The Megagarden is simply a trade name for Hydrofarm companys small E&F system. It measures 22"x22" and is a self contained reservoir/tray combination system. The reservoir holds 7-1/2 gallons. The tray supports fifteen square planters, but is much better suited to growing nine or less plants sog style.

    Hydrofarms larger version of the mega called the ebb&flow
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    Hydrofarm also makes a larger version (44x26" w/25 gal res) of this system which they call the Ebb & Flow system. Several ready made hydroponic system mfrs make systems which are almost identical to the Megagarden in form and function.



    Can a megagarden be converted to Deep Water Culture (DWC)?


    Yes, it's very easy to convert a megagarden or similar self contained e&f systems to DWC.

    A six site conversion

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    and a four site conversion
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    It's just a matter of building a cover plate and center support similar to the suspended planter ebb & flow method, only the tray portion of the system is discarded, allowing the roots to grow out, and into the aerated solution reservoir.

    Plate dimensions for the megagarden are 21-3/8" x 21-3/8" with a corner radius of 1-1/4", the plate fits in the recessed area around the perimeter of the megagardens reservoir section.

    The aerating action
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    Notice the longer center support tube. 2" pvc pipe was cut to 8-3/4" long.
    For larger cover plates (not sitting in recess around lip of system) the center support should be cut to 9" long.


    How do I grow single cola style, sea of green Ebb & Flow ?

    For starters this should not be attempted with seedlings, a good mother plant that puts off consistent clones is what you need. All plants on the table should be from the same mother or VERY similar plants, mixing things up on the table could be a logistical nightmare with plants needing different nutrient levels and growing at different heights.

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    Clones are cut so that they are rooted when the previous cycle ends. The strain I use takes 14-21 days so I cut accordingly. When the clones are fully rooted in 1" rockwool cubes, by rooted I mean completely busting out of the cubes with roots and not just a couple tap roots sticking out the bottom, they are placed onto the ebb & flow table click here to see How do I prep my ebb & flow table? and put under the 12/12 regime. The lights are also moved to the top position and moved down 6-8" a day until desired height is reached. This helps them adjust to the light easier.

    Once all the clones are on the table all side branches are cut, I do this again on day 6 and day 14 of 12/12. I try not to cut anything that looks like it will stay close to the plant, I also try to keep my trimming to the lower 6". By trimming the side branches all growth is sent to the cola, I have even done side by side comparisons and all the trimmed plants had much fatter single colas while the untrimmed plants were a nightmare to trim at harvest time and actually yielded less.

    For the first 7 days under the HPS lights all plants are sprayed with Kelp foliar at one cap full per 1L. This is done to help keep the plants green otherwise they tend to yellow. Foliar sprays are done between lights on and 1 hour after, doing this any later may result in burning the leaves, doing it just before dark is not recommended as the plants don't get a chance to dry off and mold could become a problem.

    GH used at 3-2-1 ratio for GROW, B1 is also added as per directions on bottle.
    GH used at 1-2-3 ratio for BLOOM
    -No GH 2-2-2 is used between GROW and BLOOM to try to eliminate as much of the stretch as possible.
    All water is kept at a PH 5.7 (it does drift up to 6)
    H202 (35%) is added at 10mL per L but only to fresh tap water, as it tends to react with nutrients.

    For the first 7 days the plants are given a GH Grow diet, after that they switch to the Bloom juice. On day 14 of bloom I foliar spray the plants with Nitrozyme Growth Plus to help induce flowering. After that I pretty much sit back and watch them grow. I must recommend to anyone doing this to use a reservoir of at least 100L per 4'x4' area and get a good set of constant readout PH and EC meters. The smaller the reservoir the quicker the EC and PH will raise. I use a 300L res for a 4'x8' table and adjust it once every 2 days, takes me 5-10 min. For the last 14 days of the cycle I flush my plants with just water, any less than 5 days and the stuff will not burn properly. I find 9 to 14 days to really bring out the taste and make it much smoother. Above pictures are of clones after 6 days of 12/12

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    16 Days Old


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    20 Days Old


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    28 Days Old - Stretch finished.


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    32 Days


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    35 Days



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    [​IMG]
    45 Days



    These are from a different cycle...

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    Day 49

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    Day 60

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    As you can see in these day 60 pictures, they finish quite small. That is a 1ft/30cm ruler used to give you a better perspective. Plants were flowered at roughly 6" tall and finished up on average 18", tallest is 23". Why so small? With a 6' ceiling, less 1.5 feet for reflector and spacing from plant, less another 1.5 feet because the table has to be higher than the reservoir to drain properly leaves me with 3 feet of grow space and supposedly a HID light only penetrates 3 feet down. This could also be incorporated nicely into a grow box with a small HID light. These ladies received 70 watts per square foot of air-cooled HPS lighting.

    The following EC reading are just what I use for this particular strain, it seems to be quite strong for most of my others but it may help as a guide.

    Days 1-7 - EC 1.50 GROW
    Days 8-14 - EC 1.50 Bloom
    Days 15-21 - EC 1.70 Bloom
    Days 22-28 - EC 1.80 Bloom
    Days 29-35 - EC 1.90 Bloom
    Days 36-43 - EC 2.00 Bloom
    Days 43-58 - EC 2.10 Bloom*
    Days 59-66 - Flush

    * I have let it drift as high as 2.35 but only for a couple feedings near the end.

    When flushed the water is flood to drain. If it returns to the reservoir it will send the EC way up and thus needing many more water changes.

    A sea of single cola's. Who needs to smoke the lower "B" quality buds? Everyone knows the cola is the best smoke.



    How high should I set the flood level? (flood depth)

    For most e&f setups, the small planters are used with a grow rocks medium, usually combined with a small (1-1/2") rockwool minicube. The flood height for this combo, should be to a height just touching the very bottom of the minicube, but no higher than 1/4 to 3/8" past the bottom edge of the minicube(s).


    How can I heat my reservoir solution to keep it in the correct range?

    [​IMG]
    submersible aquarium heaters


    Use a submersible aquarium heater in the reservoir. Use only the common type which have a thermostat built in, and only the type which are fully submersible. The glass body of the heater must never come out of the solution or the glass will crack and the heater will short out & burn out.

    If you have the type of e&f system which uses most of the res capacity to accomplish a flood, you must do something to be sure the heater never goes dry during the floods. The most common and best way around the problem is to place the heater in a glass, pyrex, or corning ware dish inside of the reservoir so that even if the res drains completely the heater will stay underwater.

    If you can't locate a big enough lasagnia or cassarole dish, another method is to have the heater on a timer to shut off about thirty minutes before the flood, so the heater cools down well before it goes dry, turning it on again after the scheduled floods have drained back into the reservoir. If you must use the timer method, you'll run the risk of the timers getting out of sync unless you use the digital types with battery backup.



    How should I go about transplanting the minicube into the rock filled planters?

    Simply fill the planter to about two inches from the top, set the unwrapped minicube on the rocks and fill in around the rw to to fill the planter the rest of the way, covering the rw completely.

    The small fine grade (almost sand like) grow rocks are great for sprinkling in, on top of and around the edges of the minicube, they help wick solution in and out of the rw better than the regular larger grade grow rocks.



    How can I properly maintain my hydroponic nutrient solution?

    Reservoir maintenance is the routine task of keeping the hydroponic nutrient solution in the reservoir from becoming too strong or toxic as the water is being evaporated and the nutrients within the solution are taken up by the plants.

    Simply put...
    Top off daily with *half strength nutrients, alternating days topping up with plain water. Change the entire reservoir with fresh solution every ten days to two weeks. (*half the strength of your current new reservior starting strength)

    Why should you?
    One problem in hydroponics solution maintenance, as water is being taken up by the plants as well as evaporating out of the solution, the concentration of nutrient salts in the solution becomes gradually stronger, sometimes to the point of certain elements becoming toxic to the plants. The TDS will always become stronger as water is taken away from the solution.

    Another problem, is that hydroponically grown plants will take up what they need as they need it from the nute solution. A nutrient solution left alone will end up lacking key nutrients, with a build-up of *toxic levels of other key nutrients. *Toxic in the solution, as well as in the plants.

    The only way around these problems for the average hydroponic grower, is to practice sound reservoir topping off procedures. The most widely accepted maintenance method, involves daily topping off and routine reservoir solution replacement. IE: Topping off the reservoir daily with a nutrient solution which is half of the current new reservoir strength, alternating days by topping off with plain water and finally, changing the entire res solution at least every two weeks.

    Changing the reservoir solution every two weeks, will give the plants a fresh and well balanced nute mix, which has not been altered by the plants nutrient uptake.

    *Many scientific studies have been performed, which demonstrate these facts by GCMS testing of the nutrient solution contents and the nutrient salts contained within the actual plant tissues, as the plants "take-up" the specific nutrients in the solution.

    Metaphorically speaking...
    Plants will take up excessive levels of some nutrients, leaving the solution lacking in certain key nutrients. Just like a puppy would make him/her self sick if it were allowed to feed from a bottomless food bowl, plants grown hydroponically can harm themselves with nutrient deficiencies, lockouts and overdoses, if allowed to continue feeding without some control over whats available in the "food bowl".
     
  4. Damn man real nice guide. Im a first time grower, seeds in the mail lol. But I was thinking of using my friends hydro system he got off ebay that he never even used. The box is only big enough for 8 plants, with 4 LED's. I hope all goes well. Thanks for sharing the knowledge
     
  5. Appreciate it man :) just hope it can help some people out, the info that is on the site is very limited from what i noticed.
     
  6. can someone walk me threw the proccess of using a autoflower with dwc help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:wave: u can email at flanderson4@live.com
     
  7. Out of curiosity, do you happen to know how much you pulled per plant off the setup pictured? I really like the single cola style. They look nice and fat.
     
  8. does anyone know if u can just put a seed in a rapid rooter, tear small chunck and cover the hole. once this is done i put my led 3" above it and wateredas needed for a day so far think it will germ and cover to the surface?
     
  9. Greenhouse i have never tried this but i am sure it would work as long as it doesnt dry out. Og larry you can you pm me on whatever question you have or need answered all i have focused on mostly are auto flowering genetics in soil and dwc so if you need help just pm me. :)
     
  10. Nice job AF.
     
  11. The info on grasscity isn't limited by any means, but it sure is scattered. It's nice to see a lot of info in a single thread. Good job on that. I am starting my first hydro grow now in some bubblers so I am hoping for the best.

    One question...I don't have a drain or fill hole on my buckets though. Is that something I will need or just an optional thing for convenience? I know that light can cause algae, but its not like it would be getting light for long amounts of time. What are your thoughts/experience with this?
     
  12. The drain and fill holes are optional there to make things easier on you. And here is i think a more simple guide to building a dwc system can be used with bucket or tub or whatever. :)


    Materials needed

    1. Black Plastic tub. $8.99 at target. I don't know how many gallons but it's measurements are 18" x 14" and 11" tall. You can use a 5 gallon bucket. I have kind of a height restriction in my cabinet so I needed to keep the rez as low as possible. Also, after you modify a 5 gallon bucket to DWC, it really only holds 3.5 - 4 gallons of your solution. This holds 6 gallons. It doesn't seem like that much of a diffrence now but when the plant gets big it will drink a ton. This just makes maintaining the rez easier.IMO.

    [​IMG]

    2. Aquarium air pump. double outlet. $10 at wal-mart.

    [​IMG]

    3. 4' Standard aquarium air line, 2 airstones, 2 .Plastic T-valves, 1 airline suction cup. $5 total also at wal-mart.

    [​IMG]

    4. Net cup. 10 for $5.

    [​IMG]

    5. Exacto knife & lighter ( I'm sure you have one of these)[​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    6. Power drill & 17/64 drill bit.

    [​IMG]

    The first thing that you want to do is trace a circle, in the center of the lid, Using the bottom of the net cup as a guide.

    Next heat the tip of the exacto knife for a minute or two.

    Very carefully cut the hole in the lid. You might have to heat the knife a few times. Remember you can always come back make the hole bigger, but if you make it too big, your fucked. So take your time and make sure you stay within the lines.

    [​IMG]

    Put the netcup in the hole . It should be a tight fit.

    [​IMG]

    Drill 1 hole in the side of the tub about an inch from the top. This is for the airline. Do not drill the hole in the lid because you will be taking the lid off to maintain the proper nutrient level & it will be a pain in the ass each time.

    Cut 2 pieces of the airline about 4" long each and connect them from the airpump outlets to the t-valve.

    [​IMG]

    Cut another 2 pieces of airline, these about 2-3' long and connect the airstones to the t-valve. Then connect a 2' long piece of airline to the t-valve.

    [​IMG]

    Stick the airstones to the bottom of the tup with the suction cup.

    [​IMG]

    Run the line through the hole you drilled and connect it to the airpump.

    [​IMG]

    The last thing to do is fill the net cup about a third of the way up with grow rocks, lava rocks or any similar medium. Place a cutting of your favorite stain on the rocks, then fill the rest of the cup with your medium.

    [​IMG]

    The nutrient level in your tub should be at the bottom of the net cup. You might have to pour some of the solution through the top for the first few days until the roots grow out. Once they do let, them grow into the water. The airstones will provide enough oxygen. when the plant takes off she will drink a lot of water, so make sure you top the rez daily if you have to. If the level goes down too low you will have ph and overfert issues. Make sure you change the rez out every 2 weeks or when you have added the same amount of water back that the rez holds. Airstones are cheap so replace them every rez change for better results. I made this for one plant. If you use a bigger rez, you can add more net pots. Just cut more holes and add another or a bigger air pump. I wouldn't put more than six plants per tub.

    The growth rate is amazing! These pics are of a 5 week old mother plant. The last is of the stem after I took over 40 clones.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Nice cut and paste....
    You really need to check your source though.. Im guessing this info is old.
    many things are not right...


    There is plenty of info here in the city, If your starting hydro look in the advanced section and let a seasoned hydro grower help you.. Its much easier that way.
    We are all here to help so dont be shy... Ive helped many switch over to hydro..:D
     
    • Like Like x 1
  14. Just wanted to put the info out there so people had it thats all
     
  15. Thanks for the info man. Me and my friend have been trying to get a hydro grow going but we just cant find a break and get the plants started. Recently we tried germing 4 more seeds and after checking on them after 2 days, the roots popped through the seed and were actually like 3 inches long. We moved them to a Rockwool but it's kind of scaring me because they sprouts are really tall and long. Hopefully if they don't work out for us than our final attempt (because were running out of seeds :( ) will be the one that get's us going.
     
  16. sounds lke maybe they are stretching a bit what kind of lighting are you using?
     
  17. Hi Autoflower!

    Thank you so much for this awesome guide:D!
    Its the best I've read regarding EbbnFlow up to this point.:hello:

    I've got a question regarding nutes:
    There is an aspect of nute-supply which is still unclear to me.
    Do you mix your nutes and add them once a week without adding any more until 6 days have passed OR do you monitor your EC daily and ensure that the nute-concentration (say EC 1.80 for Days 22-28) stays the same all week long (this would of course force you to add small amounts of nutes daily cause the plants consume them all the time).

    I hope you understand my problem cause my question may sound confusing.

    I hope you can help me out with this one.

    Best Reagards
    micha
     
  18. Thanks for the help. Awesome job.
     
  19. #20 Blackxout, Oct 27, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 27, 2011
    Thanks AF for the info and the effort of making it easier for people to read without jumping all over the forums. Definitely NOT something you should be getting bashed for.

    Edit: lol I didn't realize this thread was from last year
     

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