DWC from seed

[realsquirrels]

OK, so I've searched around quite a bit and can't find info on what I'm looking for so here goes. I have done many grows in soil, but am planning to start my first DWC in the next couple weeks. I will be starting 6 plants from seed(non fem), in a 2x4 grow tent with a 400w HPS/MH. I plan to eventually have however many females I get in their own 5 gal buckets. My main question is rather than wasting time, space, money, etc. on 6 5gal buckets, is there is a more convenient way to start the plants and veg them long enough so they can be sexed and males trashed? At that point the females go to the 5 gal. I don't want to make 6 containers that I will not have use for later. Is it possible to start them all in a large tote and move them to the 5 gal later? Say I put them each in 6in net pots all in the same large container then move them to the 5 gal container, is the 6in net pot big enough to finish out the plants as they get large? Also how do you avoid root tangle if I start them in 1 container?

I know thats a lot of questions but just trying to figure out my plan so i can start building my setup. I am open to other suggestions besides what I have mentioned also. I basically just want to make the simplest, easiest to maintain DWC that fits my grow space and doesn't require a bunch of equipment that wont be used past the first few weeks.

Thanks

 

[Dyster]

Two 5 gallon buckets in a 2x4 would fill up that tent brother.
Plants grow crazy in a DWC setup, wild.

 

[hotrodharley]

OK, so I've searched around quite a bit and can't find info on what I'm looking for so here goes. I have done many grows in soil, but am planning to start my first DWC in the next couple weeks. I will be starting 6 plants from seed(non fem), in a 2x4 grow tent with a 400w HPS/MH. I plan to eventually have however many females I get in their own 5 gal buckets. My main question is rather than wasting time, space, money, etc. on 6 5gal buckets, is there is a more convenient way to start the plants and veg them long enough so they can be sexed and males trashed? At that point the females go to the 5 gal. I don't want to make 6 containers that I will not have use for later. Is it possible to start them all in a large tote and move them to the 5 gal later? Say I put them each in 6in net pots all in the same large container then move them to the 5 gal container, is the 6in net pot big enough to finish out the plants as they get large? Also how do you avoid root tangle if I start them in 1 container?

I know thats a lot of questions but just trying to figure out my plan so i can start building my setup. I am open to other suggestions besides what I have mentioned also. I basically just want to make the simplest, easiest to maintain DWC that fits my grow space and doesn't require a bunch of equipment that wont be used past the first few weeks.

Thanks

Yes, read up on rockwool cubes or Rapid Rooters. You can fit 4 in that tent but 2 will fill that thing as full as you can handle. Read up on LST and SCROG. You could use a single Sterilite but since you are new having two separate setups will help maintain the tent.Meaning if you had to move one out. Simple heavy duty aquarium pumps can handle the aeration cheap.

 

[realsquirrels]

Thanks for the replies. I am aware that 6 5gallon buckets is too much for a 2x4 tent. Thats the whole point of these questions. Due to local laws I can only flower 3 plants anyway, and most likely I will only flower 2 in future grows. Law is 6 plants only 3 in flower. So the plan is have 2 in flower, 1 mother and 3 clones getting ready for the tent a few weeks before harvest. Then I will take 2 of the 3 best clones into flower.

hotrod, I am experienced in LST and plan on doing SCROG. Also familiar with rockwool and rapid rooters. But I gave never heard of people vegging plants to sexual maturity using those.

So the main question remains. Is there a better way to start 6 plants in a smaller more manageable system, then move to 5 gallon pots later, after sexing and getting rid of males?

 

[Banana444]

If you use 5gallon bucket lid net pots filled with hydroton and put 4-6 of those in a single tote (cut holes in the lid). Start seeds in rockwool starters cubes and transfter to net pots and veg em all in a single tote for about 5 weeks and thats about the time they show. I am doing this with 4 clones before i flower in a 4x4 for my first rdwc grow.

 

[realsquirrels]

Banana, do you have trouble with roots growing in to each other in that setup with the single tote?

 

[Alaric]

OK, so I've searched around quite a bit and can't find info on what I'm looking for so here goes. I have done many grows in soil, but am planning to start my first DWC in the next couple weeks. I will be starting 6 plants from seed(non fem), in a 2x4 grow tent with a 400w HPS/MH. I plan to eventually have however many females I get in their own 5 gal buckets. My main question is rather than wasting time, space, money, etc. on 6 5gal buckets, is there is a more convenient way to start the plants and veg them long enough so they can be sexed and males trashed? At that point the females go to the 5 gal. I don't want to make 6 containers that I will not have use for later. Is it possible to start them all in a large tote and move them to the 5 gal later? Say I put them each in 6in net pots all in the same large container then move them to the 5 gal container, is the 6in net pot big enough to finish out the plants as they get large? Also how do you avoid root tangle if I start them in 1 container?

I know thats a lot of questions but just trying to figure out my plan so i can start building my setup. I am open to other suggestions besides what I have mentioned also. I basically just want to make the simplest, easiest to maintain DWC that fits my grow space and doesn't require a bunch of equipment that wont be used past the first few weeks.

Thanks

Is there a reason you're starting non-fem seed? would be much easier starting fems, IMO.

What's your plan for nute changes once in the buckets or tote in the tent?

What are you planning to keep your mother and clones in----under what light?

A~~~

 

[Banana444]

I havnt run this setup yet, but yes roots would eventually grow together. I will be moving mine into thier rdwc home for flowering beforet hat happens. If you have a 2nd tote, you can lift all 4 plants in the lid and set in empty tote while you do a quick water change. I use various water pumps and hoses to move large amounts of water.

 

[realsquirrels]

Is there a reason you're starting non-fem seed? would be much easier starting fems, IMO.

What's your plan for nute changes once in the buckets or tote in the tent?

What are you planning to keep your mother and clones in----under what light?

A~~~

I've had bad experience with fem seeds and hermies. But if I had it to do again I probably should've went fem. But I have to roll with what I have now.

I'm not sure what I'm going to put mother and clones in yet. Thats part of what I'm trying to figure out. But the space wont allow for them to all have 5 gal buckets. Also don't have a light for them yet but will most likely just be fluoros. The clones will only veg maybe 2 weeks after rooting before going in the tent so I don't need much for light.