DIY DIY shallow water culture

[The Iconoclast]

This is a super easy to build DIY hydro set up, nothing groundbreaking or original here, its just a complete package specifically designed to avoid all the problems I see people have with DWC mainly caused by root problems.

This system is built from 3 standard reversible tubs. One way they stack the other way they sit inside each other. No added air stone or stuff like that needed. No cal mag is needed. Runs on a simple 8W water pump which I have running 24/7 at the moment but will turn down after a couple of weeks.

There's virtually nothing that can go wrong. The reservoir is a decent size which the whole thing is very compact. I think this is the best and easiest way for a new grower to have success. Any question just ask away.

I won the mars hydro TS 2000 a few weeks ago so this is a test grow both for that and for this hydro system. I have two orange bud autos growing which should fit well under this light.

 

[The Iconoclast]

Alwrighty here we go...

 

[STILLSMOKIN]

What keeps the light out of res?

 

[The Iconoclast]

Nothing other than what you see. I suppose it's possible to put a little skirt around it but I don't think it's necessary. The middle tub which will have the springy root ball form is more shielded than the reservoir because it sits deeper. But if there are any problems they will show up in this grow, so it's a bit of a final test. But for an indoor grow I don't think enough ambient light will get in to cause any problems. Probably be a month before I'll get an idea if there's any problems.

EDIT: day 33. I had a look at the roots, look very happy. Also the top tub bulges at the sides which also seals the light a bit more.

 

[AutoWonders]

Cool. Hope the grow goes well. Lots o' luck.

 

[The Iconoclast]

OK time for an update and some observations. I've been brooding over these seedlings like a mother hen, the two seedlings are expressing themselves quite differently. They always seems a little too yellow to me, and the yellow one fell over, but I did not worry as I know they don't fatten their stems for 10 or 11 days and that's what happened. I had to go back over my previous grows to convince myself that there's nothing wrong. At day 11 they duly burst into life, I've upped the nutrient level to about 1100ppm and moved the lights a little back, (I think I was overdoing it), they are looking very happy today but I'm still waiting for some side branched to grow a bit more before deciding what to do.

Regarding the light leak question earlier, it turns out that the middle tub's sides get pressed outwards and seal that off. I've been very delicate so far as the roots could be easily damaged at this stage. I thought the shallow pool in the middle tub was too deep (although there are not roots in it yet) so I drilled a couple of extra holes under the drain plug. I'll replace this middle tub next week with a new lower elbow in it. Otherwise I'm trying to see if I can keep the same reservoir on for a long while by just keeping it topped up. It's easy to pour water in as it runs down the side of the middle tub into the res.

Just have one light on at the moment running at 3A so that's about 108W.

 

[The Iconoclast]

Awrighty we're into the 5th week now here's some 4th week updates, things are definitely very interesting especially when comparing these to my other orange bud that is 10 weeks old. Both of these are the leggiest plants yet much more so than my previous orange bud. I'm quite liking the look. I added a net but then I took it down again. I'll put it back soon because they have gotten quite large since I took it down. More updates to follow.

I will say though that I'm growing quite fond of this light, it really does have a useful output,

 

[The Iconoclast]

Just changed the reservoir, here's 2 shots of my current 10 week Orange Bud when she was also at 33 days . Very stocky and rigid and stocky whereas both of these Orange Buds which are from the same packet are leggy and stretchy with giant leaves unlike anything else I've grown, so I'm still puzzling over this. The only real difference is maybe even more room for the roots. I'm pretty excited now to see how this is going to end up compared to my first Orange Bud.

I was going to put a new middle tub in but I couldn't be bothered but I will modify it for the next grow, I only really want about a one inch pool. With this one the roots have become entangles in the white spacer tub that you can see in the original post.

A few leaves are curling down and weird, sort of like what nitrogen toxicity might do but it's not that, because I only use the same standard GH nutes all the time and these are no different to my previous one. But there's something different, I guess I'll have to be patient and maybe do some more testing.

I'm now beginning to really appreciate this light which at 4 foot wide give a very even illumination. I've only just turned them up from 2.2A to 3.2A both sides on so that's up from 154W to 227trueW

 

[The Iconoclast]

Some thoughts on the tub, I think 2 inches is too high for the shallow pool, I prefer the drain for the middle tub to be about one inch, also I'll have to work out something better than that white basket because the roots get tangles in it and they might tear if I lift it up when they're young. But maybe this is what's making it work? Not sure. Lots of room for tinkering with this design, main thing is that it does not have the problems of a normal DWC.

 

[Fitzy]

That's cool man very interesting may have to give it a try thanks for this info and I will be watching closely