Been planning and saving for awhile and finally got everything set up for my first DWC grow in a 3'x3.5'x7' shower in my basement. Here's a little bit more about the set-up. \nRoom Set-Up: First we sanitized and disinfected the shower just using a Lysol cleaner, let it dry completely for 24 hours then covered the walls and door with 9 mil blackout canvas using velcro and duct tape so it can easily be removed if I want to expand. Light/Ventilation: 600w HPS with air-cooled Big Kahuna Shield (33"x27") with 6" High Velocity inline fan and 6" carbon filter. Set-up so carbon the fan is sucking air through the carbon filter, through the light, then blowing out into the bathroom. \nDWC Buckets: Basic 3.5 gallon buckets with 4" net pot, each containing a 4" bubble stone that has air supplied by it's own pump. Nutrients: Gen Hydro Flora Line RX Green Solutions Axiom pH Up and Down Strains: For this grow the three strains that I'm using are Golden Goat, Ice, and Glass Slipper. \nOther: Humidifier in the main room to keep the humidity around 60% during veg stage De-Humidifier/Air Conditioner (swamp cooler) in the main room for flowering/if the temp gets too high Small oscillating fan in the shower itself I'm going to try to keep this thread fairly updated throughout the grow. If you have any feed back, anything I'm potentially doing wrong, or anything I might want towatch out for please let me know!
Looks like you are off to a great start. One suggestion that comes to mind is remember that with dwc there is a lot of water involved. You move this, pour that, drip here, spill there, etc. I would consider finding a way to get your electronics off the ground at least a little. It would help reduce some of the oh sh** moments. Subbed in. Edit: you may be able to put those plants closer to your hood. I'm running an open 400w with no cooltube about 12 inches from the top. There's a fan blowing across the tops. I would really think with your setup you could get them much closer. 12 to 18 inches is a good mark to hit. http://forum.grasscity.com/index.php?/topic/1290525-400w-MH/HPS-mixed
Thanks for you input! I do plan on lowering the hood eventually, but want to make sure my little babies make it through the first week or two. I was also warned that the 600w HPS might be a little bit too much, so I want to try to ease them into it a little bit. I'm also a little concerned about the temperature in the small space-- if I don't leave the window cracked to the outside, the temperature climbs to around 82F in the shower itself with 60% humidity. It stays around 76F with the window opened, but I drop to about 35% humidity in the room (thanks Denver).
I used a window a/c unit I got for a friend. Did me wonders dropping to 73-79f.... and I agree with what letter said. I would definitely get those pumps up. Say there was a power outage water could back out to the pump. I haven't heard it happen but still a possibility. Looking pretty good though. I'm subbed in. Sent from my Z930L using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Thanks for the input, I will definitely get all of the electronics off the ground today and will probably start running the A/C. The air around the plants is at 78F with the window open and it's 68F outside, so I will definitely be needing it during the summer months.
same here.. my temp was getting up to high 90s. Caught it one time over 100. Threw the window ac in and I keep at a constant 73-79 Sent from my Z930L using Grasscity Forum mobile app
I think the first 24 hours of the 600w HPS was too much light for the clones that I received. I've only had them in there a day, but the leaves were showing signs of turning down, so I'm going to be running a 20/4 light cycle during the veg stage. Since the room runs a little hot, I'm thinking it will be more beneficial to give the plants (and light) a little bit of time to cool off and relax. Do any of you have experience running a 20/4 light cycle in a DWC bucket? If so, please share your knowledge/experiences!
I'll help what I can as I'm a noob to not only dwc but growing as well.... when I first hooked up my 1000 watt hps in my closet a little smaller than your shower. My temp jumped up to 94f quick from 74 and got as high as 108f before I turned it off and put my cfl back up. Tried it again a week later with a fan directly on the bulb a fan at bottom bringing air in and a fan at top pulling hot air out. Temp dropped down to 84f-87f. I thought about a window a/c unit, got one from a friend, and haven't had heat problems since. I've stayed in between 73f-79f. I also ran the light 18/6 for veg and used cfl till big enough for 1000 watt. I see you have a air cooled shield, maybe try throwing a fan on the light along with it before doing something that costs more. Sent from my Z930L using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Could you give a pic of the clones? Would help more to see if it is the light or something else Sent from my Z930L using Grasscity Forum mobile app
It might be in my head, but turning the light off for 4 hours and letting them rest seemed to improve color.
Yes, right now I have the HPS running -- you're the second person to tell me to get a MH bulb. If one more person tells me, I'll do it . What about an LED?
Well, my set-up changed a little bit because I inherited some plants and LED lights... I added another room in my house for early vegging. I think the new setup should make the rooms conditions a lot easier to control. The new plants are Strawberry Dream and Bubba Kush.
It's been a little less than a week, so I changed out my buckets and nutes for the first time. To my surprise, the Glass Slipper clone had 3, 6-8 inch long roots on it already.
Cool grow dude, great idea with the shower... Easy disposal right down the drain... Imma be # 4 ... GET A MH ... HA. Aight, Subbed... L8r
Good point, I had a room mate willing to share. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Grasscity Forum mobile app