Hello everyone, i'm trying out my first hydro grow in a DIY DWC system. i have two different systems and question for both.

1. the first set up is using 5 gallon bucket, airpot, hydrotons, and an air pump to oxygenate the reservoir. just so i understand this correctly...i don't have any type of drip system so do i need to make sure that the bottom of the airpot is sitting in water so the wick can take nutrients to the new seedling? if so will the roots not grow into the cotton wick? and once they grow through the clay pebbles do i need to keep the wick there or what? my understanding is that without a drip system the nut solution will soak upwards through the roots from the reservoir and into the rest of the plant.

2. My second setup is like the first but i wanted to add a drip system so i can see which one works best. ive looked at the general hydroponics WaterFarm system and it says that it comes with an airpump. what i'm having trouble understanding is how you can use an air pump with a line running into the bucket to pump the nutrient solution up a flow collum and out of the drip ring onto the base of the plant. for this type of DWC would you use one air pump to pump the solution to the drip ring and another air pump to oxygenate the water?

Maybe I'm just having some real trouble understanding this type of growing but im real anxious to try it out and do it right.

If you have any input i would greatly appreciate it... Thanks!

I don't know a whole lot about dwc systems, but my general understanding is a little betterr than yours, so here goes...

Air pumps only pump air. Their purpose is to make sure that your nutrient solution is well aerated - full of millions of tiny air bubbles. Your roots need air just as much as they need water, hence, the air pumps. The air pump attaches to air stones - bubble makers. You have air stones in your individual buckets as well as in your reservoir. The aeration is a vital part of the hydroponic process.

To move water/nute solution, you use a water pump, and gravity.

Memorize the above and you'll know as much as I do about dwc systems. Dayum, it just occurred to me that, if you then learn one more thing, you'll be smarter than me. ...that sucks.

Good luck with your grow!

PC

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Never argue with an idiot - they drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.

All of this is just pretend. But if I grew marijuana, it would be in strict compliance with California Law, SB420.

Live wild - it's too late to die young.

"Let the old men who make the wars, fight the wars."

The General Hydroponic kits you are speaking of DO indeed run off of an air pump. They pump air below the water level into the feed column, forcing air and water up into the drip ring and onto your media.

You can indeed use one air pump to operate the drip ring and to aerate your nutrient solution. I am not familiar with the pump that comes with the kit, but make sure that it moves enough air volume to both operate the drip ring and sufficiently aerate the nutrient solution.

There is a grow in these forums which is stickified (is that even a word?). Here is a link: How to build and maintain your own custom bubbler DWC grow

That grow uses something similar to what I think you are wanting to do, so check it out.

I'll say also that in my opinion, you really don't need the drip ring. As long as you raise your water level to reach the bottom of your netpot, you're good. After roots begin to grow lower than the netpot, you can lower your water to about an inch below the pot.

im still wondering about the wick... will the plant grow into it or will i be able to remove it once the plant is big enough. can i instead of using a wick just water it from the top untill the roots grow down enough or will they be prone to drying out that way. also...when i put the rockwool pods in the pots how low in the pots should they be placed. should i then cover the pods up with more hydrotons? thanks for the help.

This baffles me. How can you push water with air unless you are in a completely sealed/airtight container?

I'm not trying to argue with you - just want to understand the way it works.

PC

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Never argue with an idiot - they drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.

All of this is just pretend. But if I grew marijuana, it would be in strict compliance with California Law, SB420.

Live wild - it's too late to die young.

"Let the old men who make the wars, fight the wars."

If you use the drip-ring kit (or water from the top), then you won't need the wick, and vice versa. If you place the wick in, you will not be able to remove it due to root growth.

You certainly can just water manually until the roots grow down (that is what my buddy does).

Pharma-

I had a picture somewhere of how the system works, and I believe it pumps air into the bottom of the pumping column, and forces the water upwards due to the small size of the pumping column itself (combination of air pressure to move the water and a small enough tubing size to take advantage of the capillary effect).

Check out General Hydroponics WaterFarm kits.

Pharma
I think it bubbles the water up the tube, at least that is what it looks and sounds like. The air pump is Y-ed in at the bottom to the water tube that goes to the ring under the water level.

What I have done is run both the drip and the air stones. The pump that comes with it is pretty strong is should be good to run 8 drips. Right now I use it to just run 2 buckets with drip and each with a stone. The roots are huge and almost filled half my buckets once I got to flower after only 5 weeks of veg after planting clones. I am considering going to larger buckets as my roots seem to have filled the bucketes now, I plan on using the drip ring becuase my system seems to be working pretty good though I have yet to harvest. Flowering stage is looking good now.

First pic is after 5 week flower and adding air stones for only 3 weeks of that time.

Last two pics are from last week which is about 45 days flower. They are a little short but they started in a cabinet and were removed to a closet when I switched the cycle.

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What is the wick? You can use rockwool or you can use rapid rooters, whatever you like.

Either medium should say moist enough to allow the roots to develop down into the nutrient supply. Once there are a lot of roots coming out and into the nutrients you can lower the water level significantly and the roots will supply everything.

Should you add hydroton? I do, but technically you can kill your fragile seedling this way. Because the hydroton does not give, as your frail seedling is developing, the stem can be crushed by the hydroton.

when your talking about using rockwool, do you mean granulated or the cubes. i have a sheet of 1.5x1.5x1.5 rockwool cubes. will that allow the seedlings enough archorage so once they grow through the rockwool there will be no problems growing through hydroton?

Yes.

I just lay my roots on some capilary matting (a wick) and pour in the clay pellets. Never had a problem.

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