1000 Watt RDWC Setup

Well, I would like to have started from scratch with a "how to" of setting this system up, but I was just too busy while actually doing it.

I'll keep it simple and let you all ask questions should you have any.

This room is set up as follows:

1000 Watt Super Spectrum relfector with 600 Watt HPS & 400 Watt MH Bulbs on 6 foot light mover

RDWC Hydro System - Recirculating Deep Water Culture:

-27 Gallon Reservoir
-960 GPH In-Line External Pump
-12 Five Gallon Buckets with volcanic
rock medium (for beneficial bacteria)
-PVC Sprinkler Plumbing w/ball valves
and flex tubing for in-flow lines
-Washing Machine drain flex tube
overflows
-10 foot 3" PVC return line
-27 Gallon top off reservoir via float
valve in main reservoir
-1/10 HP Chiller with 200 GPH pump
- Supplemental air pump / air stone

740 CFM In-Line fan with CAN charcoal filter

The buckets sit atop vertical 2' x 6' wood planks to allow the overflow and return line the height necessary to return the nutrient solution back to the main reservoir.

Running Botanicare Nutrient Line:

Pro Grow
Pro Bloom
Liquid Karma
Cal Mag
Sweet

Air Temps: Day 75F / Night 68F
Water Temp: Constant 72F

Sensi Star & Ice Cream - 4 Weeks Flowering

Wow! Nice setup! No how to needed, I think the pictures say everything!

Dystopia said:

Wow! Nice setup! No how to needed, I think the pictures say everything!

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Thanks Dystopia. I'm guessing there may be a few questions out there on parts, setup details, etc. We'll see...

I am currently building a recirculating DWC, on a smaller scale, and I'll be incorporating some of your ideas. Great stuff!

Dystopia said:

I am currently building a recirculating DWC, on a smaller scale, and I'll be incorporating some of your ideas. Great stuff!

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Gracias! Good luck, keep me posted on your setup..take some pics!

How long are you vegging them? What is your expected finished harvest? What is your feeding schedule? I take it the 3/4" flex is your overflow? Are you using regular Home Depot type 5 gallon buckets? If so, how do you modify the lids? What size net pots are you using? TIA

ifixbax said:

How long are you vegging them? What is your expected finished harvest? What is your feeding schedule? I take it the 3/4" flex is your overflow? Are you using regular Home Depot type 5 gallon buckets? If so, how do you modify the lids? What size net pots are you using? TIA

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These were all from seed (didn't have time to mother/clone this go round). They were sprouted and vegged for 25 days, then I switched to flower on day 26 whent they were about 15 inches tall. I have just been adding proportionate shares of the Botanicare line I'm running. It will drop anywhere between 25 - 75 ppm every day or two, so I add roughly, give or take the amount called for for 3 gallons to raise it about 50 ppm. Keeping them in the 1200 - 1300 ppm range. Yes, the 3/4 flex are the overflow that run into my main 3" pvc return line. They are all Home Depot buckets that I started spray painting black, but holy hell, that was a major pain in the ass and was using a ton of paint, so I just wrapped the remaining ones with mylar. I use 6 inch net pots and the holes in the lids were easily cut with a utility knife and a steady hand (I turned the net pot upside down and outlined it, then hand cut about a half inch inside the outline and the net pots hang perfectly).

Why the chiller? Does the pump generate that much heat? Or is it your choice for a cooler reservoir to feed? What is your expected, or was your total harvest?

The chiller was crucial for me. While my room temps normally remained below 80 degrees, the water would warm up in the low - mid 80s. I'm guessing that the heat generated by the pump, even though external, added to the temp increase. Nonetheless, I needed it to be closer to the low 70s. The chiller helped me achieve that, no problem.

Final harvest - 12 ounces from 8 plants (however, the majority of the weight was from 5 of the 8 plants.....2 were low producers and one had to be harvested early due to the appearance of some hermaphrodites in the 6th week of flowering).

Ultra crystally, frosty chronic.

Did you run the HPS and MH together during veg and flower?

DMC65 said:

Did you run the HPS and MH together during veg and flower?

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Yes, ran them both the entire time.

Final harvest = 17 oz. dry weight (8 plants)

Very impressive. I like your room. What were the dimenisions again?

wonderblunder said:

Very impressive. I like your room. What were the dimenisions again?

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Thanks! The dimension of the room are larger than the grow area. I have mylar draped around the grow area which is approximately 15' x 6' (8 foot ceiling)

Some pics of the Ice Cream:

That shit looks bommmb. what about the sensi star, can you get some pics of that. I started growing it once, first time in organic soils and organic nutrients...got kicked outta my apartment for drama, CHOPPED EM UP and made tea...bomb.

Whitekush420 said:

That shit looks bommmb. what about the sensi star, can you get some pics of that. I started growing it once, first time in organic soils and organic nutrients...got kicked outta my apartment for drama, CHOPPED EM UP and made tea...bomb.

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Thank you...High Times agreed...was their home page pic for a month last year. I can't find my Sensi Star pics...they were very good...but as far as Paradise goes, I prefer the Ice Cream...people always raved about it. Beware that the feminized tend to hermie and micro seed...go with the regular seeds.

Here's some Super Lemon Haze and Power Plant grown in the same system.

First time poster -- looking to get my own set up running again. Used to just have a simple 250w HPS sun system in my closet when I was in college, now that I'm moving and getting a better location it's time to start getting some ideas and you have a very nice set up. I am a big saltwater reef aquarium enthusiast and you're using some very similar methods and techniques for your water filtration. Float switch for top offs, external water pump. I was just wondering how you keep the water level in the buckets consistent? It looks like they fill at the top and drain around the upper mid section or is it the other way around-- where the water drains from an overflow tube.

I will probably be much more limited on space than you so I'm playing with multiple ideas. Also the idea of two rooms one for flowering and one for veg never occurred to me. Makes a lot of sense for a serious grower. Hope you're systems still treatin you well! What kind of water are you using? RO/DI or tap?

Thanks for the thoughts and you nailed it. Reefkeeper here too and, yes, I did employ a lot of those methods used for reefing....it's funny how very similar the two are. Lights, chillers, etc. etc. The buckets to drain when they reach about the 3.75 - 4 gallon mark. The drill hole for the bulkhead is about 2 " below the lower collar of the bucket. The inlet is on the opposite site and about an inch higher (1" below the collar). Just a simple flow through. I didn't want to fuss with tons of airpump lines (only had one going to main rez) to each bucket and figured the flow would be enough. I'm actually going to use this same system for my mother plants on a larger setup I'm working on and I'm upgrading the pump from the 900 GPH to an 1800 GPH pump. It worked fine with the 900, but I want more of a jet spray into each bucket, whereas with the 900 it was just a decently strong flow.

Looking really good!