Grow Mediums Deep Water Culture Basics - Bubbleponics

[Mañ'O'Green]

I think it’s super awesome! But then again, U ARE super awesome. So it makes sense! LOL

But is that an ebb and flow? When you pump up the nutes, it also goes in on the top, besides only flooding the tray? That’s why I see those tubes connected to top feed?

Awesome setup! Hope I get to try hydro soon!

No this is a drip to waste system.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Thanks so much bro. I've read that somewhere but would H2O2 be better? Or are they the same? Will it really work for daytime temps of 30C and above?

My temps are super high plus humid. A little but rot here and there is inevitable. Just gotta check often and catch it early. I'm hoping for better results in a tent where I have more control.

I also wish to just try one DWC bucket in that tent next year. If my roots can survive the soil in my fabric pots, do they stand a chance in a 5-6 gallon DWC bucket? I'll insulate it. Maybe grow a Sat dom? A small 30L aquarium chiller is pretty cheap but the extra 70-100W is not cool especially for only one plant.

Or will I be better off staying in soil? I'm pretty confused on what to expect as info is pretty contradicting. Some say hydro is more potent, faster. Some say the opposite. Some say my environment is impossible for DWC but some claim otherwise. For me, my official stand is I DON'T KNOW. I'm just a new grower wanting to try out new stuff. But I do try to research as much I can before getting my plants wet LOL

Sorry for so many questions and a big thank you for all the knowledge. I've been reading your posts since my very first grow! You da man!

@BakEQ DWC is hydro. There are some testers here checking out a new product called RotBlok you should check it out:

https://www.autoflower.org/threads/tester-results.74575/

 

[bakEQuatorial]

@BakEQ DWC is hydro. There are some testers here checking out a new product called RotBlok you should check it out:

https://www.autoflower.org/threads/tester-results.74575/

I have my eye on it too! But most of the stuff you guys get, I can't or its so expensive that it don't make sense.

I do realize the different forms of hydro. Just not sure which one to try? DWC sounds easiest so will probably try that first even though chances of great success is slim. Will need my growbros on stand by when I mess up.

 

[Photosynthetic Photon Flu]

Sharing some things I have learned doing Deep Water Culture with cannabis.

Technically what I use is called “Bubbleponics”. First your environmental needs must be met - light, temperature, humidity and air movement all need to be in range for plants to grow well. I will assume you understand these basic concepts. The rules for a good DWC are simple but not very forgiving. Plants respond adversely quickly to something out of range. The good thing is that they will also respond well to a correction quickly. DWC is an everyday task; in fact checking your plants many times a day can keep you ahead of needs.

Two tools that you cannot do without are a good PH meter and a EC meter; both should be equipped with a temperature gauge as well. Maintain them and replace them on the vendor’s schedule.

The five basic components:

1. Water. You could spend a lifetime trying to learn about water for plant growth but let’s keep it simple. Most people can use their tap water as long as the beginning PPM is 200 or less. If your water goes over this you will need to mix it with distilled or Reverse Osmosis water to get it below 200 PPM. Use a float valve and top off bucket to keep the water level in your reservoir consistent even small fluctuations can cause stress. Set the water level 1” – ½” below the bottom of your net pot. Aerate your water for a day or two before you intend to use it. This will help precipitate calcium carbonate out of the water and make it easier to control your PH. I just use my top off tank for this. The perfect reservoir water temperature is 68°F. This is the temperature that water holds the most dissolved oxygen. Do not use copper, brass or aluminum anywhere in your system; not even the tiniest fitting.

2. Air. Roots need air. An aquarium air pump and air stones provide this critical component. I always use two pump/stone combos for redundancy. Losing aeration even for a short period can be problematic. The smaller the bubbles are coming out of the stones the better. I use a UPS battery back-up on my air pumps. The volume of airflow needs to be high enough to saturate the roots but not be so violent that the roots are damaged. Smaller bubbles allow more airflow with less violence.

3. Nutrients. Just make this a no brainer. Unless you have a lab and the skills to use it; choose ONE nutrient vendor whose products are built from the ground up for cannabis hydroponics and use their entire line. Do not mix and match. Vendors spend millions of dollars and years developing their products to work with each other. Take advantage of that. Follow their feeding schedule. Change the water/nutrient solution every week – without fail. Learn about Liebig’s law of the Minimum to understand why you are doing this. Look at the Liebig’s Barrel to visualize what we are talking about here. DO NOT MIX NUTRENTS INTO THE RESERVOIR; mix them in a separate container using water that has been aerated for a day or two following vendor instructions the day before the reservoir refresh. Doing this ahead of time will make it much easier to get the PH balanced and stable. A suction pump will be worth its weight in gold to help evacuate the reservoir for a refresh. Many product lines can and should be used at 50% of the vendor’s chart strengths in DWC but not all of them. Do a little research on your chosen brand.

4. PH. PH has absolutely everything to do with the uptake of nutrients into the plant. Let it range from 5.7 to 6.2 in DWC. This will allow the different components to move through the best uptake zones for that nutrient. Check the PH every day even multiple times per day is better. Roots not only take water and nutrients in they also exude substances that can dramatically change the PH in the reservoir in a very short period of time. I am talking hours here not days. Mix PH buffers into some water before adding to the reservoir to prevent burning the roots. Make small changes at a time. One full point is too much (5.2 to 6.2). It takes practice and vigilance to maintain PH in the proper range. PH problems have caused me more issues than all of the other environmental factors combined. The minute you take your eye off this it will bite your plants in the ass!

5. Botanicare HydroGuard. The only additive outside of your chosen nutrient regime I recommend. It is a must have. I would not even buy a bucket before I had this in stock. Root Rot is totally preventable with this. I live where it is not possible to maintain the reservoir temperature below 78°F in the summertime and it has gone as high as 82°F. The ability for water to keep oxygen saturation at that high of a temperature is minimized. Think stagnant pond! I have grown great plants totally root rot free using HydroGuard under these conditions. High temperatures are not the only thing that can cause root problems. Botanicare HydroGuard is a basic component to DWC. I am not affiliated with or compensated in any way for this endorsement by anyone except my happy plants with huge colas.

I have tried several ways to get a plant started. Top feeding seeds planted in small rock wool cubes or Park’s Bio Dome sponges supported in the net pot by PH balanced clay pebbles until the roots get down into the reservoir a couple of inches has worked best for me. Then stop top feeding to prevent crown rot.

So there you have it. Now 10,000 people will take issue with something I have laid out here and I may agree with many of them. I have moved on to growing hydroponically in rock wool cubes because it solves my oxygenation problems associated with high summer reservoir temperatures. I am telling you now that if I did not have heat issues in the summer I would still be growing DWC!

Quick question Man of green; why do you say not to use even the tiniest fitting of brass

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

@Photosynthetic Photon Flu The oxidation process with brass, copper, aluminum and iron are rapidly accelerated by the nutrient solution. The metals are then taken into solution and are a nutrient to the plant in minuscule amounts. Beyond that tiny amount they become toxic to the plant. I learned this the hard way. I did not have a plastic or stainless steel bulk-head for my top-off bucket so I used a brass one. I kept killing seedlings until I figured it out.

This is all of the exposed brass I had in the system;

This is a "text book" example of copper toxicity:

 

[Photosynthetic Photon Flu]

I have same set up but with plastic bulkhead; however on the inside of the bucket I do have the nut and female side of bulkhead is brass. I’m already germinated. Will it destroy me? I’ll upload a pic

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

I have same set up but with plastic bulkhead; however on the inside of the bucket I do have the nut and female side of bulkhead is brass. I’m already germinated. Will it destroy me? I’ll upload a pic

If nutrients are in contact with them then yes it may cause a problems. If it is just plain water not an immediate problem but you should change it out. Use only plastic and stainless steel in hydro systems in contact with nutrients.

 

[Photosynthetic Photon Flu]

If nutrients are in contact with them then yes it may cause a problems. If it is just plain water not an immediate problem but you should change it out. Use only plastic and stainless steel in hydro systems in contact with nutrients.

 

[Photosynthetic Photon Flu]

Glad I took your advice and did it right (I think). No more brass

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Perfect! It is paying attention to the details that makes one farmer more successful than another.