different strains in dwc advice needed

so i was thinking about growing 4 different strains (similar tho) in dwc and i am building the setup myself.
so is the best way to do this in 4x 5 gallon buckets that are not connected to each other in any way?
i am worried about different strains different nutrient needs.
any advice is welcome.
 

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
so i was thinking about growing 4 different strains (similar tho) in dwc and i am building the setup myself.
so is the best way to do this in 4x 5 gallon buckets that are not connected to each other in any way?
i am worried about different strains different nutrient needs.
any advice is welcome.
You'll hate using single buckets. Connect then and add waterfalls to them and have an RDWC setup. You'll have a control reservoir too so you can add nutes, water, drain, or whatever.


 
You'll hate using single buckets. Connect then and add waterfalls to them and have an RDWC setup. You'll have a control reservoir too so you can add nutes, water, drain, or whatever.



yeah i was thinking that but if I connect them wouldn`t that mean that same nutrient water flows thru all of them and is it a problem with different strains with different needs?
that is my main question.
have you for example growed different strains in rdwc with success and if so i would be interested to hear more details like strains, did nutrient burn occur and regularity in yield between those different strains in same rdwc.
 

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
yeah i was thinking that but if I connect them wouldn`t that mean that same nutrient water flows thru all of them and is it a problem with different strains with different needs?
that is my main question.
have you for example growed different strains in rdwc with success and if so i would be interested to hear more details like strains, did nutrient burn occur and regularity in yield between those different strains in same rdwc.
You won't have problems. Just run it. Plants will take what they need just don't blow them out with 1300+ppms or some insane shit like that. Just start flowering at 500-600 and be around 800-1000 poms mid flower and everything will be smooth sailing.
 

GBAUTO

Well-Known Member
I've run many different strains concurrently in my RDWC systems.
I started with 5 gal buckets for a couple of seasons.
Had constant issues with root clogging/filling up the buckets-not a good solution.
I would strongly suggest using a 12 gal tote for each plant.
That allows enough volume in each rez to maintain a stable system.
If you decide to use a common rez, you will have to adjust the solution strength to keep everyone happy.
 
6A7D25A1-A7CF-4680-81EB-3558C1ECAD8C.jpegEAD6FF9D-1EFB-44E6-AC99-1C57BBC3AED6.jpegii have made two prototypes earlier both are 90L and the lids are made out of styrofoam isolation plates to prevent heat in the reservoir.
Is it overkill with just 1 plant or should i use the one with two plant sites?
Planning to run maybe 4 of these in future just dont have powerfull enough air pump atm (just 45L/Min).
What airpump should i buy?
 

J232

Well-Known Member
Is it overkill with just 1 plant or should i use the one with two plant sites?
I setup 4 100L sites with 8 net pots, day 30 12/12 2 plants would of been enough to take up 6x5 nevermind 8. I’m only doing one per site next time unless I went less veg time. Anyways, depends on veg time and your plan, training.. I made one plant cover 2 x 100L totes.
F93C9C99-1CB7-4D27-9A16-8CBADBAF94EE.jpeg
 
I setup 4 100L sites with 8 net pots, day 30 12/12 2 plants would of been enough to take up 6x5 nevermind 8. I’m only doing one per site next time unless I went less veg time. Anyways, depends on veg time and your plan, training.. I made one plant cover 2 x 100L totes.
View attachment 4608233
is it easy to maintain good temps in 100L?
are all of those plants same strain and what kind of airpump do you have?
is this rdwc system? and if so what kind of water pump you are using.
 

J232

Well-Known Member
how long did u veg :D looks pretty damn good to me!
It was around 60 days give or take a few days. It’s way bigger then I expected, the canopy is a bully at over 3 feet across, I pulled two and a half 5 gallon pails from pruning this one about a week ago. I’m also running 5 strains on common feed, one light feeder but I’m able to feed the light and keep the others happy. The light feeder is catching up to the rest and has actually grown taller then the rest being over 5ft now.
 

J232

Well-Known Member
is it easy to maintain good temps in 100L?
are all of those plants same strain and what kind of airpump do you have?
is this rdwc system? and if so what kind of water pump you are using.
I use a 1/4hp chiller and it’s set at and keeps it at 64, it wouldn’t be possible without, maybe with bennies but I’m running sterile now. 5 strains, no air pumps as @Airwalker16 recommended, we swapped for waterfalls about a month in veg. Yes it’s rdwc with 5 107L totes filled to 75 gallons total, very stable on ro, I haven’t touched ph in a month. I’m adding back 5-7 gal daily at this point lows 80s @ about 45-50rh.
 
I use a 1/4hp chiller and it’s set at and keeps it at 64, it wouldn’t be possible without, maybe with bennies but I’m running sterile now. 5 strains, no air pumps as @Airwalker16 recommended, we swapped for waterfalls about a month in veg. Yes it’s rdwc with 5 107L totes filled to 75 gallons total, very stable on ro, I haven’t touched ph in a month. I’m adding back 5-7 gal daily at this point lows 80s @ about 45-50rh.
do you think it would be possible to run this kind of a system with out water chiller?
for example with hydroguard and ice bottles or are the reservoirs so big that ice bottles are not making a lot of difference anymore?
 
and the ph stability is main thing i am looking for and i have read it is possible wit larger reservoirs like your.
is there any disadvantage in your opinion with this kind of large system?


I use a 1/4hp chiller and it’s set at and keeps it at 64, it wouldn’t be possible without, maybe with bennies but I’m running sterile now. 5 strains, no air pumps as @Airwalker16 recommended, we swapped for waterfalls about a month in veg. Yes it’s rdwc with 5 107L totes filled to 75 gallons total, very stable on ro, I haven’t touched ph in a month. I’m adding back 5-7 gal daily at this point lows 80s @ about 45-50rh.
 

J232

Well-Known Member
do you think it would be possible to run this kind of a system with out water chiller?
for example with hydroguard and ice bottles or are the reservoirs so big that ice bottles are not making a lot of difference anymore?
I’m not sure, I don’t have enough experience trying different methods, this is my comeback and first hydro run. I tried frozen bottles once and they did nothing but block my small waterfall in my control res and cause water to spray out the lid cracks. Guys who run warmer temps and bennies seem to do great but that’s not my subject.
 

J232

Well-Known Member
and the ph stability is main thing i am looking for and i have read it is possible wit larger reservoirs like your.
is there any disadvantage in your opinion with this kind of large system?
The only disadvantage I can think of for some people might be nutrients for 75 gallons. If you get crazy with a bunch of bottles maybe. For me and my space, there are a few times I had to work on the ceiling and it’s 9.5ft, not being able to move the sites sucks but better planning would of fixed that in my case. With the exception of 2 weeks, since seed, I have used GH micro and bloom only, 90 days in I’m almost threw 2 gallons of bloom (with 1L wasted) and I’m still on my first micro. So I can’t even argue nute cost. I’m using UC, micro/bloom and AN big bud currently @ about 1.8ec. I can do a complete drain and fill, micro and bloom will buffer my water to 5.8-5.9 with nothing else. I have been really happy with ph stability.
 
The only disadvantage I can think of for some people might be nutrients for 75 gallons. If you get crazy with a bunch of bottles maybe. For me and my space, there are a few times I had to work on the ceiling and it’s 9.5ft, not being able to move the sites sucks but better planning would of fixed that in my case. With the exception of 2 weeks, since seed, I have used GH micro and bloom only, 90 days in I’m almost threw 2 gallons of bloom (with 1L wasted) and I’m still on my first micro. So I can’t even argue nute cost. I’m using UC, micro/bloom and AN big bud currently @ about 1.8ec. I can do a complete drain and fill, micro and bloom will buffer my water to 5.8-5.9 with nothing else. I have been really happy with ph stability.
good info!
i am planning to use canna aqua just the base nutes with hydroguard and pk13/14 nothing crazy in my first dwc run just going to stick to the basics at first.
how much lph should my water pump have for this kind of rdwc (4x90L) and can you recommend me one?
are you using a control reservoir at all?
 

J232

Well-Known Member
good info!
i am planning to use canna aqua just the base nutes with hydroguard and pk13/14 nothing crazy in my first dwc run just going to stick to the basics at first.
how much lph should my water pump have for this kind of rdwc (4x90L) and can you recommend me one?
are you using a control reservoir at all?
@Airwalker16 or @fragileassassin would be better in helping with a pump choice, it would depend if you are doing waterfalls as well. Mine is 1800gph but most run close to half that it seems. I’m using 5 totes and one is a control res outside the grow area.
 
Top