From my understanding, DWC is just multiple bubble buckets daisy chained together, with a water pump to circulate the same water through the entire system, usually with a reservoir for ease of water maintenance stuff? This is what I would like to do, if I'm onto the right idea In any hydro setup where all the water is shared, ideally you would probably want to be using clones, or at least the same strain. I would LIKE to grow like 2 or even 3 different strains in the same system, I'm sure it's possible, but is it highly advised against? How problematic would it be especially for a beginner in hydro? Is it totally unheard of? or common practice? Thanks
DWC can take many different forms, from large multiple plant reservoirs, to small single plant reservoirs. I've tried a lot of different systems, but have now settled for small (5 gal), single plant reservoirs, each fitted with a float valve that controls fluid flow for each plant from a different external reservoir. This type of gravity feed allows for the possibility that different plants will want different feed levels. Those of us who crave variety prefer to have a lot of different strains growing at the same time. Once dialed in, such a system can be left alone for several days. , In any case, trying a new grow style is likely to be stressful, and fewer plants will reduce the stress.
Bubble Buckets are DWC. The system that you're talking about being linked together is RDWC recirculating deep water cultivation Kevieboys family adventure grow
Interesting, so each plant has it's own reservoir elevated above the plants, with a float valve to keep the water level in the grow bucket. Don't the nutrients settle to the bottom of the reservoir without any movement? or is that not really an issue Thank you for the idea, definitely sounds like the more optimal and controlled setup. I might do RDWC my first hydro run because I'll hardly know what I'm doing anyways, and then 2nd time around try this out once I have any experience in hydro. Maybe I'll just do 2 strains and hope they all get along okay with the same water hahah
Thanks, learned a new definition. Surprised out of all the things I've read people overcomplicate, none actually mentioned this haha
You can grow different strains, but keep the same together as height will or could be a problem. Also if you get the root rot on one it will make it to the rest of em'. So you need to run a chiller, great white or something. You could say run 8 plants. 2 of this strain 2 of that etc... Run LED panels so if you cut early on a few the lights can be adjusted on the next batch of veggin' clones or seeds that are ready for 12\12. That method will give you a cut every month or so. Got 4 making clones, 4 veggin', 4 flowering (2 months) so moving in the veg after a month into the flower room will give you what you want I think. A perpetual RDWC system.
Each plant vessel has airstone(s) that keep things well mixed. If I were starting my first hydro setup, knowing what I know now, I'd just go with individual plant bubble buckets. And fewer plants. Then after gaining some experience, try something more complicated.
I would say RDWc is just a refined Bubble Bucket rig. Since they are linked together you only need 1 res. One source of nutrients helps changes. Different plants can be run at once if you have room for them. It really doesn't mater what they are growing in. A little trial and error will help you define your limits.