Hey guys, hope you're healthy and well. I really want to start growing in DWC because I'm amazed by most of the results online. In soil, I'm used to growing in 15-19Lt. pots and I water 1.5Ltr water with nutes every 2 days. So that would be 4.5Ltr water with nutes per week. If I start using DWC, if the bucket is 19ltr that requires water change once a week(some say once every two weeks), then I would spend 19ltrs of water WITH NUTES per week instead of 4.5ltrs like in soil. Are my calculations correct or no? Thank you and God Bless.
DWC produces huge growth, especially when coupled with the use of the Vapor Pressure Deficit chart. Your calculations are correct, but you can greatly reduce nute usage by less frequent reservoir changes. I've been testing no reservoir changes, and have decided to continue never doing them. I do empty out small amounts daily for measuring, and do use clorox daily. Most people use hydroguard for its beneficial bacteria instead of clorox. After about half a dozen grows doing this, I've never had root rot, but a reservoir did stink once (only), so I did change it out. You'll need good ppm and pH pens. Sometimes tap water doesn't work well, so you might need a cheap RO filter. DWC can also be made semi-automatic using float valves and an external storage tank. I'm testing this right now with three different, 4 usable gallon, 2 plant grow vessels. The oldest plants, now 6.5 weeks old, have never had a reservoir change, and they are thriving. I haven't even added clorox because fluid seems to flow fast enough thru these systems to prevent microbes. There also exist hydro-like systems such as autopots that you might want to consider.
Thanks for the reply. My cousin also told me that after the roots grow and get longer, I won't need to fill the whole bucket but just cover the tips or half the roots. Would this be considered kratky? Also, hydroguard seems to be a very popular fert among hydrogrowers but unfortunately it is not available in my country. I could use Voodoo Juice from A.N. though.
That's similar to a kratky, but I think it uses a solid medium. My plants' roots are in 2.5 inch deep water in a 2 ft x 1.5 ft bin. Root rot is the biggest fear for hydro growers. Hydroguard uses beneficial bacteria to fight off rot microbes. Clorox is what I use, it kills with chemical brute force, and the plants like it. 2 drops per gallon per day because it dissipates.
The kratky method does not work very well with what we geow because it makes the ph fluctuate too much. All the method does is run a dwc bucket with no air stones, as the water drains from the bucket the roots draw oxygen from the parts that are exposed.