5 gallon DWC built in 15 minutes, for less than $15 dollars. W/Pics
- Thread starter snutter
- Start date
snutter
Well-Known Member
Holy shit!! That's bad ass!! I'd love to see pics of the grow box!
And actually, I really wouldn't be surprised. I'm more surprised about the amount of people that don't smoke... It's a good thing, not bad.
PlasmaRadio
Well-Known Member
Even though this is a waste of breath, just to clairify: Cheap plastic in hot temperatures releases chemicals you don't want (ie bisphenol, or just good old plastic molecules). Also, the plastic needs to be opaque so you don't get algae.
Anyway, not to rain on your "do-it-yourself" parade, but I was once like you building inferior crap with junk I wasted my time scrounging. Seriously, now I buy proffestional equipment at good prices (you gotta shop it a bit) and it ends up costing roughly the same, but your final product will superior with a lot less day to day fuss.
But hey, what do I know, right?
PS: Satisfaction isn't a job done right, it's a pound of premium chronic.
tom__420
Well-Known Member
For chemicals to come out of the bucket it would have to be a lot hotter than the temps we grow our plants in
If it was hot enough for chemicals to leach into the rez than the problem wouldn't be the chemicals it would be the extreme heat
70-80° will not cause leaching, but what do I know? Maybe you are growing in 100+ temps that caused leaching before and that is why you are scared
Keep on wasting money dude, I can guarantee that your "proffessional equipment" does not perform any better than my "inferior crap"
Just because you are not as creative and cannot build a good diy system does not mean that it can't be done and perform just as well than a proffesional overpriced system
If it was hot enough for chemicals to leach into the rez than the problem wouldn't be the chemicals it would be the extreme heat
70-80° will not cause leaching, but what do I know? Maybe you are growing in 100+ temps that caused leaching before and that is why you are scared
Keep on wasting money dude, I can guarantee that your "proffessional equipment" does not perform any better than my "inferior crap"
Just because you are not as creative and cannot build a good diy system does not mean that it can't be done and perform just as well than a proffesional overpriced system
I
Illegal Smile
Guest
I agree that leach temps come after plants are already dead anyway. I do fine with storebought totes although I'm frustrated at the lack of size and shapes I sometimes want. I'd like to check out this professional grade stuff, where does one find it?
snutter
Well-Known Member
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lhbucs
Well-Known Member
Nice thread. I use the same method and have never had better results. I have mine in a series with one control bucket to 3 planted buckets. Oh and dont use duct tape, light goes through it. Use the gorilla glue tape. It completely blocks light and is 10 times as sticky as duct tape.
snutter
Well-Known Member
Thank you very much for that bit of advice! I didn't know that, and that is good to know.
Ok now... To be completely honest with you all, I don't bother wrapping the sides of these reservoirs. I just put that mylar tape on top and call it good. And I have NEVER once had an algae problem. I just mentioned doing this because I didn't want any one else to have an algae problem and then say, "hey snutter, you suck! why didn't you say I'd get algae if I didn't cover the sides of my buckets." hahah!
I think covering the top is probably good enough. It has been for me so far.
Don't say I didn't warn you though, if you do end up getting algae. I've been using them for months now, and no problems so far...Thanks again, lhbucs.
-S
Hey Snutter, I'm new to your thread. been a dirt bagger for a long time...getting tired of that. I've been thinking of going the DWC route for awhile. Your DIY buckets convinced me. Great job man! Hey what's up with chillers for the res. and nutes, do you have one, if not how do you maintain temps in the heat? Thanks for any input.
snutter
Well-Known Member
Wow. Cool man. Glad to bring you over the the DWC side of growing. I know you're going to enjoy it.
As for res temps, I don't seem to have a problem with them and don't need a chiller or anything. My grow room stays at 75 degrees with lights on and 60 with lights off. Even at 75 degrees, my reservoirs don't get above 60 degrees....65 degrees at the most, and so is a non issue.
I guess my suggestion is to try and keep room temps down if possible. I do this by piping in cold air from outside my house. Of course come summer, I'm going to have to figure something else out. heheh.
Good luck to you on your DWC grow. If you don't mind, drop me a PM every now and then and let me know how it's going.
Here is another thread I wrote on building a DWC reservoir using an 18 gallon tote filled with 12 gallons of nutrient solution, in case you want to go a little bigger than 5 gallons.
Link: https://www.rollitup.org/hydroponics-aeroponics/272015-how-build-easy-dwc-reservoir.html
Take it easy,
-S
old time smoker
Member
Hey all,
I needed to build a quick DWC for a new clone. I built this one is less than 15 minutes and thought I'd post some pics of it. I also have a thread on how I build my DWC systems normally. The cost is less than $20 dollars for my larger DWC reservoirs. That link is Here:
https://www.rollitup.org/hydroponics-aeroponics/272015-how-build-easy-dwc-reservoir.html#post3398733
This is just an empty 6 gallon bucket I had left over (it held kitty litter). I cut a round hole in the top to hold my mesh basket, ran my tubing to an aquarium air pump for oxygen to the roots, and placed my clone in some hydroton pebbles. That's it. Done. Simple. I can grow this plant to full size in this reservoir no problem.
Time to build: less than 15 minutes
Cost for air pump: $9.99
Cost for mesh basket: $1.95
Cost for hydroton pebbles: $1.00
Cost for tubing: $1.00
Total cost: $13.94
I get about 2 inches of growth per night!!! And that's under a cheesy little 60W full spectrum light form home depot. I think that's pretty impressive. I'll get 3 inches of growth per night once I get it under my HID lights.
Nutes: General Hydroponics, Flora Micro and Flora Bloom using Lucas Formula (half strength until plant is more mature).
Light: 60W full spectrum. running 24 hours..
I'll stick it under my metal halide veg lights after it grows a little more. Plus I need to move one plant in to my flower room before I have room for this under the HID veg lighting.
Take it easy, all. And huge happy harvests to everyone!!!
Hey Bro
have a couple questions
1. how much water do you put in your bucket?
2. So all you have in there is an air stone?
I just saw someone else put up pics in another post of a cloner - 5 gal bucket, with a lid, 5-6 holes in lid with foam inserts (where you put clones), and an air stone. It looked like he had the water all the way to the top and you could see all the bubbles from the stone. It looks too easy. Is that all you have also? I'm getting ready to try this bucket cloner - I've seen these things on the web for a couple hundred dollars - unbelievable if this is all it is!
Thanks Bro - take it wasy
old time smoker
Member
I hope this isn't too stupid a question but how exactly does that system work? I see you have drain tubes from each bucket - or are those water feeding tubes? And air lines going in the sides of the buckets. It doesn't look like it would drain with the buckets being the same height as the res???
That is confusing me?? Is there some sort of water level regulator? Just trying to get the plumbing mechanics in my head??
Thanks bro for any reply + rep
redi jedi
Well-Known Member
They are feed tubes. The flow path is upper res to lower res to buckets. Nothing drains back to res. The lower res acts as a controller for the levels in the buckets. Since the buckets are all plumbed to the lower res they act like a single container. Meaning you can't have a fluid at different levels in a single container...
As the plants consume water, the level will drop in the buckets. With the water level being higher in the lower res, water will flow to the buckets to equalize the difference in levels. When the level in the lower res drops below the desired depth, the float valve will open and refill the lower res with solution from the upper res.
The float valve would be the regulator you mentioned. I got it from Stealth Hydro, but im sure you could find something similar at a plumbing supply shop.
With this setup, I never need to top up the buckets or change/flush the water in the buckets. I just refill the upper res once its almost dry...thats it. I use a 30gal tote for the upper res. Thats enough for about 7-10 days worth of water/nutes depending on how thirsty the plants are.
As the plants consume water, the level will drop in the buckets. With the water level being higher in the lower res, water will flow to the buckets to equalize the difference in levels. When the level in the lower res drops below the desired depth, the float valve will open and refill the lower res with solution from the upper res.
The float valve would be the regulator you mentioned. I got it from Stealth Hydro, but im sure you could find something similar at a plumbing supply shop.
With this setup, I never need to top up the buckets or change/flush the water in the buckets. I just refill the upper res once its almost dry...thats it. I use a 30gal tote for the upper res. Thats enough for about 7-10 days worth of water/nutes depending on how thirsty the plants are.
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snutter
Well-Known Member
Actually Old Time Smoker, this is not how I do it. I have a different method that cuts out his upper reservoir. Now, I'm not slighting Redi Jedi's method, it's very cool and works well. I'm positive he gets great resuls with it! I just personally don't like having the extra reservoir because it takes up extra space. The way I see it is that if it's in the grow room, it should have a plant in it.
heheh.I'm going to grab a couple beers. I'll be back in an hour and post an explanation of what I'm doing (there is NO airstone, I don't like them. I use a tube with very small holes drilled in it). It's really VERY simple. You'll laugh.
Below is a thread that I wrote on making a DWC reservoirs using an 18 gallon tote. I make them the exact same way as this one was made, just one is smaller (this one is a 6 gallon bucket with 5 gallons of nutrient solution. The one in the link below is an 18 gallon bucket filled with 12 gallons of nutrient solution.)
This link also explains how I build them with pictures as well.
Link: https://www.rollitup.org/hydroponics-aeroponics/272015-how-build-easy-dwc-reservoir.html
I'll be back in a little while. If you have any questions, let me know. Thanks.
-S
Concord Dawn
Well-Known Member
man snut, awesome buds, great grows, i think the cheap diy stuff works just fine, subscribed to both of your threads, great stuff!! getting ready to try again after a big failure, not sure what really happened any ideas what would cause a plant to do this in less than 22 hours? i know there are many variables, but any input would be helpful. heres a couple pics, thanks man and +rep for you. Blade
oh yeah, really dig the holes in the tube deal instead of stones!! gonna make my 10 gal tote work that way with 2 pumps and 2 "air loops" when i start again, LoL.
oh yeah, really dig the holes in the tube deal instead of stones!! gonna make my 10 gal tote work that way with 2 pumps and 2 "air loops" when i start again, LoL.
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tom__420
Well-Known Member
You need to make your rez lightproof or else you will get a thick layer of algae growing on the inside which is bad. The algae will eat the nutes in the rez leaving less for the plant. Here is a good way to lightproof, wrap the rez in metal repair tape. One layer is lightproof and it is shiny as shit keeping the rez cooler. Here is a link: http://www.lowes.com/pd_237722-56131-142334_0_?newSearch=true&catalogId=10051&productId=3077863&Ntt=metal+repair+tape&N=0&langId=-1&y=0&x=0&storeId=10151&Ntk=i_products&ddkey=http:SearchCatalogDisplay
Concord Dawn
Well-Known Member
thanks tom, great tip, will do that before i start again