Hydroponics, first grow, learning process

This is not my original post, i changed it to make finding what my exact setup is easier. Pictures of my setup are below.

Alright so i have a little bit more time on my hands and i wanted to describe my setup.

DWC: originally i was gonna buy a kit off of stealth hydro but decided for cost and other reasons to build my own.

• 14 gallon rubbermaid container
• 2 air pumps, 3 airstones. 2 airstones can be connected to one of them. The other pump is running the lone airstone.
• 4 5.5" net pots
• hydroton
• rockwool cubes

I've put a couple coats of flat white paint on the container to make sure its light proof but i put a garbage bag over the system to keep moisture in while the seeds are germinating and until i paint everything again.

The pots are about an inch into the water at the moment, i might change that but i didn't want the rockwool sitting in the water because i heard you don't want to drown the seedlings. I went with germinating the seeds in rockwool because i've seen a lot of people do that on here and the guy at the store told me to.

Lights: I pretty much ripped the stealth hydro design off, i even found some 65 watt lights with 10.5 inch reflectors at menards. Good news is that they were only 25 bucks per set meaning i could even get a third one for the price of stealth hydro's lights...which i am definitely going to do.

Nutrients: I'm going with Foxfarm Big Grow for hydroponics and Tiger Bloom. I've heard great things about this stuff so i'm looking forward to seeing the results myself. I'm also happy to support a responsible company like Foxfarm.

I just started germinating my seeds (White Widow) so i've got my fingers crossed. If you think i'm doing something wrong let me know. If you scroll down you'll see a couple other people have already let me know i'm an idiot.

If for the sheer fun of an expierment, why did you order a system instead of getting fullfilment out of building one of you're own?

I'd like my first grow to be as successful as possible

Alright so its been a few days since i've made an update but i guess thats just because i've been pretty busy.

Things to report:

• My seeds came from BDS.com, in great shape and pretty quickly. I also needs to add how amazing their stealth shipping was, i'll make sure to add pics of that later.
• Russ0r you might be happy to hear that i am gonna make my own DWC system just because i fell in love with the idea of doing it myself. You got me.
• I'm pretty far along as far as turning my dresser above into a grow box and this Wednesday i'll be going to a not so local hydroponics store to pick up my remaining supplies for the DWC system. So this wed. should be the official start of my growing season.

More pictures tonight...

what do you plan on doing with that dresser, taking the droors out and nailing the faces on so it looks like there are droors on it? well thats what i would do anyways. post some pics once you do. im kinda in the same boat as you, and im curious as to how you are gonna do it

Alright so those first two would be the a picture of what my seeds were shipped in, thats right they were shipped in the battery area of a fake mp3 player. Even came with fake headphones.

The third picture is after taking the bottoms out of each drawer and the backs as well, i can still slide each drawer in and out which will probably come in handy. Also i painted the inside flat white to reflect as much light as possible.

The DWC system should be ready on Wednesday so i'm excited.

Alright people a random ass snow storm couldn't keep me from my goals for today. Despite the weather i made a trek to a area hydroponics store and picked up everything i was missing. I just put the rest of my DWC system together and put my seeds in the rockwool.

Anyone with any expertise or relevant tips feel free to chime in. I should have some new pictures shortly.

Never show pics of the stealth shipping you just help out the Feds...good job!

Hey thanks for acting like a prick, anyways they're gone. Maybe these pictures will be more appropriate.

Hey you're welcome !

well dude just think before yah do shit like that but anyway looking forward to the grow i use the bubbleponic tank with some mods I am new to this site but have a journal at gcity

My seeds have all officially cracked open. Now that they're all in rockwool i was wondering if anyone had any guesses on how long before they break to the surface. I can't wait to see how all those airstones affect the growth.

I have that same chester drawer.
I was thinking of doing something simmilar when I move again.

haha thats amazing, i've had it my whole life and this is officially the first time i've used it in 10 years.

midgradeindasouth said:

I have that same chester drawer.
I was thinking of doing something simmilar when I move again.

Click to expand...

Dude, do you mean 'chest of drawers'? If not, what's a chester drawer?
I'm not taking the piss, just wondering

wow thank you for pointing that out because i read it so quickly i didn't even have a second about what he said. i demand an explanation for what a chester drawer is.

haha

chester...of drawers?

muahaha

Um, don't know if you were planning on changing it, but those lights are awfully far away at the moment, you'll get some very leggy sprouts if you don't move them closer

Hey man, if those are the Conpact Spiral Lights, those lights are designed to be two inches from the plants.

yeah i actually hadn't set the lights up yet, i put some ceiling hooks in the shelf above and they're hanging down from chains. Thank you though.

2 out of 4 have sprouted and have their first leaves. The other two are close behind.