DWC Top Feed. First Grow in over 20 years.. Help, Advice appreciated.

OldMedUser said:

In hydro? Methinks not.

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I

OldMedUser said:

In hydro? Methinks not.

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Just to topdress. Have you tried experimenting with this? What's wrong with topping off with a organic blend of nutes? Too many dank buds after harvesting maybe? Compost teas and quantum boards seem relatively new, but I only see benefits for this (if done properly with adequate research).

AriusCultivator said:

I

Just to topdress. Have you tried experimenting with this? What's wrong with topping off with a organic blend of nutes? Too many dank buds after harvesting maybe? Compost teas and quantum boards seem relatively new, but I only see benefits for this (if done properly with adequate research).

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Do you know the difference between hydro and soil grows? Topdress that and the rez would explode with all sorts of bacterial and fungal growth killing the plants.

Adequate research. Try some.

OldMedUser said:

Do you know the difference between hydro and soil grows? Topdress that and the rez would explode with all sorts of bacterial and fungal growth killing the plants.

Adequate research. Try some.

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Yes I do know the difference, the main differences is; hydro doesn't use soil so no pests, explosive root growth, have a much higher veg growth, higher yields, much more ph anal. Soil is easier, but chances of pests(sticky traps for this), yields less (compost teas can change this potentially), and grows slower, more maintenance work eg watering.

I was initially planning to do dwc but its too loud for 12 plants, and switched to soil instead.
I can barely find any research regarding dwc with compost teas. I have not found results from anybody, just found people afraid of compost teas and pages with claims but no results.
Everyone I've seen who has tried has made a mistake in their compost teas- usually people don't add hydroguard and or regalia to prevent issues, people don't dechlorinate, people don't pH correct before application, people don't measure their ec or ppm before applying.

I add hydroguard and regalia to stop the bad bacteria and fungi from promoting. Do you reccomend any sources for dwc compost tea, with results? Cmon let me know

Here's my soil grow with a quantum board and compost teas.

AriusCultivator said:

Yes I do know the difference, I was initially planning to do dwc but its too loud for 12 plants, and switched to soil instead.
I can barely find any research regarding dwc with compost teas. I have not found results from anybody, just found people afraid of compost teas and pages with claims but no results.
Everyone I've seen who has tried has made a mistake in their compost teas- usually people don't add hydroguard and or regalia to prevent issues, people don't dechlorinate, people don't pH correct before application, people don't measure their ec or ppm before applying.

I add hydroguard and regalia to stop the bad bacteria and fungi from promoting. Do you reccomend any sources for dwc compost tea, with results? Cmon let me know

Here's my soil grow with a quantum board and compost teas.

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There's no info about compost teas for DWC because it just doesn't work hydroguard or not. I've done about 50 DWC grows in Rubbermaid tubs since 2001 and used peroxide for the first 35 or so then made a chiller out of an old water cooler and dropped the peroxide. Only had root rot twice and both times was from using clones that were rooted in a blend that included real dirt. Straight Promix soilless doesn't cause that and I've rooted dozens of clones in it that went into DWC.

Good looking grow so when done with that try DWC with your organic topdressings and get back to me.

If people have only experimented in an subpar way or the incorrect way, do we sum it up as it doesn't work at all? Like hydroguard and regalia would take care of ALL the bad bacteria, but how do we know if no one did it right?

Do you have any pics from your 50 grows or harvests? Im very curious what hydrogen peroxide does for plants, I've read into it, but tbh only used it as an antiseptic, and curious to what it can do.

If the dam air pumps weren't so loud I'd def be running dwc but soil isn't bad, kind of easier imo. I would love to be the first who experiments this successfully, but I just purchased 30,000 various seeds to experiment with and I'm also teaching myself Horticulture to further my knowledge. Though I will consider a dwc compost tea experimeny after this harvest, I would love to have the opportunity to be the first one to prove to everyone that it works!

I only used the peroxide to fend off root rot. 2 - 12" airstones in each tub for lots of air.

We should take this elsewhere as we are hijacking someone elses thread. You got a journal going? I don't.

Getting back to MY thread..
Have some CalMag on the way, though everything seems to have settled of late.
Problems with humidity at night when lights out. They go through the roof. 100%+
Have an oscillating fan (recently repositioned) operating 24 hours, and tonight am attempting running extraction fan all night to see if that will assist.
Night time temps are getting down to single Celcius figures.
Put in some vents to assist with air flow, though had to make them mouse proof. (Huge mouse Plague here this year! Huge problem..)

I know, people told me to leave them be and just let them grow, but I could not resist to experiment with some LST. At least now I can see what is going on.
PH: 5.6
PPM, ~700
Temps 23C-17C
RH: 65-100 (!! - See note above.)

Net Basket to make it Mouse Proof.

Some LST.

Air inlet. x 2

Better fan position. Removable.

You need a 4in inline fan and you need to blow the exhaust outside. Without it you have stagnant air.

AriusCultivator said:

You need a 4in inline fan and you need to blow the exhaust outside. Without it you have stagnant air.

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With some respect, I do not "NEED" to do anything. Tho' I would advise you to read my first post where I stated ...
Amongst other equipment...
"Vivosun 6" extraction fan and Carbon Filter to suit. Ducted about 1 meter to another room. "

Looking good friend! I've been lagging on my own grow due to the new grandchild just a heads up on your ppm mine just burnt a bit at around 900ppm but I suspect the alkalinity was a little higher than normal! Are you using tap water? Cal mag can cause lock out so be careful using it. You're doing a great job and good call on the LST low stress in my opinion was a great choice!

AriusCultivator said:

You need a 4in inline fan and you need to blow the exhaust outside. Without it you have stagnant air.

https://www.amazon.com/AC-Infinity-CLOUDLINE-T4-Thermostat/dp/B06ZXWN3BG/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=4in+ac+infinity+inline+fan&qid=1623154106&sr=8-4

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I use two inline fans, one was not enough for the humidity at night and temps are better controlled in the day too.

We can get our Water Quality online, though the latest report was August 2020.

Been a bit slow of late. Battling high humidity. Have another fan on the way and now running Extraction fan 15 minutes every hour.
Did a Res change yesterday, (full day off work, first in months - loved that!) Had pretty well change out the 35litres total Res + Pots.
I discovered a neat trick. If I turn my Feed off, all the solution in my pots syphons back to the Res. Pump the Res out, and refill with new Nutes.
I am going to leave my plants and let them grow for a time. Don't seem to be getting any height, so am intersted to see wht will happen in the next weeks.
Just playing around this afternoon and made myself a CO2 dispenser. Sugar, yeast.. hopefully tune it up for when I need it, line leading into the top of the tent. Can't hurt.

Usual numbers. 5.8PH. 680 PPM, dosed with H2O2, and a little CalMag.

I use an alcohol lamp for CO2. Burns cheap methyl hydrate from the hardware store and gets the CO2 way up there.

3/16" copper tubing soldered onto a mason jar lid. Same lid fits on a 1L jar. Cotton shoelace for a wick. The dye leached out and coloured the methanol.

Looking good! Very nice work, love how fast growth is in hydro. Can't wait to see what phenotypes you get hopefully something special.....

Windy Saturday, so another day off (second in 4 months) and loved playing around down stairs.
Learning so much as I go along.
Yes DWC = OCD = Me = I Love it!

I have to amit, I know not what I do. Just been reading, following, and copying other threads here. I know my Tipping, Topping, LST'ing, defoliating, is not perfect, but I am taking notes, learning as I grow, and listening to all advice given.

It's been a learning curve. Due to the the location of my Res I had to install a "Float Switch' otherwise my Res would end up floating, which I did experience.. Subterranean stream runs under the house after heavy rains.. Floods my man cave, but thanks to my grow, now have it sorted..

Had to insert the extraction fan within the tent, as previous installation, though installed with foam padding etc., "drummed" throughout the house when it kicked in. Grow room Tent is situated under the house.. Man Cave situation.


LST tied down on 12 guauge wire attached to the top of the Pots.


Tieing down, until branches grow past 12 guage wire, then hopefully onto the SCROG.

This outlet was originally installed to assist with draining the pots. (It runs down to the inside bottom of pots via 90 degree inside pot.) Though when I took the Top Feed out, I inserted the 3mm hose into this outlet. Later discovered, that if I turned off my "Feed" all Nutes siphoned back to Res via this hose. Bonus.



Installed SCROG. Not sure if too early, but can always move it up as we go along.


These are ALL the ingreients that I am using. So far.


.
I am wondering how much longer before I flip them? In the mean time, just need to fill the space I assume.

Best wishes to all

Flipped today. Thinking that I continue Veg nutes until end of stretch, perhaps 2- 4 weeks? Does that sound about right Brains Trust?

Looking good friend! Can't wait to see some buds in there!!! Not sure about your vegg nutes but my a n b had enough npk to get me by the whole way threw.

Defoliation today.. Now to sit back and watch the stretch. Yes, I have been reading about DWC and flipping and there seems to be a train of thought that the Veg nutes are needed for the stretch. We shall see. Still reading about this. I'll give it 4 - 5 days like this. Prior to defoliation, they were drinking near up to 2 litres day. Great to see. I love the smell, though still got my doubts on Amnesia haze, though that was what ILGM sent me. Can't get the humidity down, though will have to wait until next grow to see about dehumidifier. La Nina here, so much rain etc.
Before


After

Day 13 since flipped to 12 - 12

Thanks to all those that have helped me yo get this far..