A newbies DWC plan. Opinions?

BurghBudN00b

Active Member
True, but you're set for a while now. You aren't spending another $930 next time for hardware. It's pricey getting started properly though. If you're at least a little serious about it. That little box is a quarter ouncer if everything goes perfect.
Yeah according to my calculations I'm going to be able to produce 372lbs from 4 plants in about 43 days total. :bigjoint:
 

zachyweezer88

Active Member
I think you got suck too. DIY your own. You'll come out cheaper and a lot better quality and performance.
Well, good news is that I asked the dude if I could cancel the order and he agreed. He hadn't yet sent it, so evidently it wasn't that big of a deal. I feel fortunate...

Alright, so back to square one. I'm not going to be so compulsive. It's hard too contain your excitement, but like you said, research and knowledge are more important than the crop.

I smoke a little each night to unwind. Five grams will last me almost a month. A family member of mine has stage four cancer and smokes for his neuropathy. He doesn't like to use painkillers but loves herb, so I get five grams for him every few months. We don't need a lot. I'm looking for something very small and discreet yet safe, adequately lighted, ventilated. Odor control is an absolute must...

I'd be willing to build, too. Not to experienced with DIY stuff, but I'm open to trying.

Y'all have all been so helpful. Thanks!
 

BurghBudN00b

Active Member
Well, good news is that I asked the dude if I could cancel the order and he agreed. He hadn't yet sent it, so evidently it wasn't that big of a deal. I feel fortunate...

Alright, so back to square one. I'm not going to be so compulsive. It's hard too contain your excitement, but like you said, research and knowledge are more important than the crop.

I smoke a little each night to unwind. Five grams will last me almost a month. A family member of mine has stage four cancer and smokes for his neuropathy. He doesn't like to use painkillers but loves herb, so I get five grams for him every few months. We don't need a lot. I'm looking for something very small and discreet yet safe, adequately lighted, ventilated. Odor control is an absolute must...

I'd be willing to build, too. Not to experienced with DIY stuff, but I'm open to trying.

Y'all have all been so helpful. Thanks!
Start with YouTube videos. Tons of information on there. This site is good for specific questions, but not so much for start to finish instructions.

I'm thinking you need a small grow tent with a 4"inline fan w/charcoal canister, 400w hps, and 2 plants. But again, I'm a noob like you so take everything I say with a grain of salt. So you are looking at about 700$ one time investment and then around 100$ each grow (seeds, electricity, nutes, etc...). But once you get good at growing you would have no problem meeting your medical needs.

Good luck!!!
 

SamsonsRiddle

Well-Known Member
$700?
fan, filter, controller (Ventech)- $140
grow tent (2'x2'x6') - $70
300 w mars hydro led - $70
Dyna Gro Foliage Pro and ProTekt - $20 (Just get 8oz Bottles)
Pro-Mix BX Soilless Medium - $20-$40 (find a local grow shop who will sell small amount out of their bag for best price)
Small Bag of Perlite - $7
1-5 gallon Cloth Pots - $3
PPM Meter (Hanah from Ebay or Amazon) - $25

Did I miss anything?
 

Dumme

Well-Known Member
Or for DWC,

As aforementioned,
fan, filter, controller (Ventech)- $140
grow tent (2'x2'x6') - $70
300 w mars hydro led - $70)
-----------
1 x Lowes buckets $3
1 x 6in net cup tops for 5gal buckets $8
1 × air hose line from walmart $4
1 × air pump from walmart $10
1 × air stone from walmart $2
1 bag hydroton from eBay $10
1 x Set pH perfect 3part from ebay $42

~$356

*Do you need pH pen? No, not really, not with "AN pH perfect" , if you follow the instructions on the bottle.
*Will pH pen help longterm? Yes.
*Do you need ppm tester? No, not really, not with "AN pH perfect" , if you follow the instructions on the bottle.
*Will the ppm tester help longterm? Yes.
*Do you need to adjust ppm for the grow? No, not really, not with "AN pH perfect" , if you follow the instructions on the bottle.
*Will you get mush and browning in the roots, by the end of the grow? Sure, but it won't effect the taste if to flush the last week or so, and who's smoking the roots anyways?

Increase buckets with tent size. But I still recommend HPS as long as the recepticles by the tent can handle the load.

1× iPower HPS&MH wing combo with Rachet and timer $97
Total of $383 with more powerful light and both types for veg and flower.
 
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zachyweezer88

Active Member
This is a great community. Thank you all for the information. I'm intrigued by the idea of using LED lights. I noticed that that was the only light y'all recommended for the set-up. Would that suffice for both stages? Also, what about the distance of the plant from the lights. If the light is powerful enough, is it still necessary to have it just a few inches away from the plant? Thanks again. Great info.
 

Dumme

Well-Known Member
This is a great community. Thank you all for the information. I'm intrigued by the idea of using LED lights. I noticed that that was the only light y'all recommended for the set-up. Would that suffice for both stages? Also, what about the distance of the plant from the lights. If the light is powerful enough, is it still necessary to have it just a few inches away from the plant? Thanks again. Great info.
LED, in my experience, dosent have the yeild as HPS, and no, they have flower or full spectrum LEDs; just as you can veg under hps or mh.
 

Terry385

Well-Known Member
Fan had two lasted 7 months bearing got real loud... fan, filter, controller (Ventech)- $140
HTG supply is local to me this is what your going to make
http://www.amazon.com/HTGSupply-5-Gallon-Bubble-Culture-Hydroponic/dp/B015TL6OW2


http://www.ebay.com/itm/380210084591?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT to get started works hooks to skink or just pick up RO water

http://www.skunklabshc.com/shop.html easy to follow feed chart nice low ppm's ph on the money for me i like using tea with DWC tho
 

SamsonsRiddle

Well-Known Member
This is a great community. Thank you all for the information. I'm intrigued by the idea of using LED lights. I noticed that that was the only light y'all recommended for the set-up. Would that suffice for both stages? Also, what about the distance of the plant from the lights. If the light is powerful enough, is it still necessary to have it just a few inches away from the plant? Thanks again. Great info.
The Mars Hydro LED is a full spectrum light that is 100x3 or 60x5. It usually recommends 24-32" for seedlings, 18-24" for veg, and 12-18" for flower. I assume others are the same, but this is one cheap one that has been proven to work and is built well.
 

BurghBudN00b

Active Member
$700?
fan, filter, controller (Ventech)- $140
grow tent (2'x2'x6') - $70
300 w mars hydro led - $70
Dyna Gro Foliage Pro and ProTekt - $20 (Just get 8oz Bottles)
Pro-Mix BX Soilless Medium - $20-$40 (find a local grow shop who will sell small amount out of their bag for best price)
Small Bag of Perlite - $7
1-5 gallon Cloth Pots - $3
PPM Meter (Hanah from Ebay or Amazon) - $25

Did I miss anything?
Yep. 700$. But I tend to not buy the cheap stuff because quality products give me some additional confidence. Like I wear Hoka one one's instead of the crap Nike makes nowadays....
 

zachyweezer88

Active Member
Alright, so this little cab I found is 15.5in. deep, 30in. tall, and 23in. wide. Not huge by any stretch, and probably not even a considerable upgrade from what I was going to have delivered to my door, but it'll have to do. I really can't got much bigger. Remember, this has to be as stealthy as possible. So, at this point, I'm in need of some kind of fan/carbon scrubber combo. I'm not sure if links are allowed, so please forgive me if that's the case, but here's what I'm thinking: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HYDROPONIC-CARBON-AIR-FILTER-WITH-130-CFM-FAN-REFILLABLE-/400363352242?hash=item5d3783f0b2:m:m2kge2tIR2bQix-QA_FuVFA

I tried researching the calculations for determining appropriate cfm, but I became confused (happens all too easy). Here's why.....Check out the info provided in the above link for figuring out which fan to purchase:

WIDTH X LENGTH X HEIGHT = CUBIC FEET

(TO BE EFFECTIVE-THE AIR IN THE ROOM SHOULD BE EXCHANGED AT LEAST ONCE EVERY 5 MINUTE)

CUBIC FEET / 5 MINUTES = CFM NEEDED

EXAMPLE:
8 X 8 X 8 = 512 CU FT


512 / 5 = 102 CFM NEEDED


The cu ft for my little box came out to be about 6.19....Something is wrong here. Could someone please enlighten me. :roll:
 

zachyweezer88

Active Member
I guess the above formula doesn't take into consideration the resistance provided by the carbon filter, but if I did the math right, I still can't help but think that the majority of non-PC fans would probably be overkill. Right?
 

herballuvmonkey

Well-Known Member
There is never overkill when it comes to exchanging air. Be smart and look at alternatives. you can go to Home depot and purchase a 50 Cfm bath fan for 15.00. put it on a 25.00 increment timer and exchange the air that way. Also a few things. Dont be afraid to grow hydro. The difference between hydro and soil when your new is how exacting you want to be. You know who YOU are. are you the type of person who may forget to check your grow every day or you have a job where you cant check it every day? are you a non innovative person who likes to keep things basic? Do you have that little bug that makes you feel better when things are exact or does it matter if you eyeball? I hated soil when I started over a decade ago. To much dirt and guano. I didn't want the plants to talk to me I wanted to tell them what to do. Some will disagree but if you have a head for science then hydro is the way to go. There are so many different configurations you can design a system. I will give you some advice and you can take it for what it is, just my opinion. Find yourself 4-5 strains and learn those strains top to bottom. If you go hydro start with DWC. Less is better, in that I mean not many moving parts is great. Less headaches in the long run. No clogged spray nozzels, no pump failures or multiple timers to configure , just an air pump, stone and water. In DWC you can still innovate. You can still scrog if you like, you can add an auto waterer whereas you use a toilet assembly and gravity to auto water (more on that later, its actually really cool to do. I'm working on an easy manual watering system now because the auto waterer made me lazy). Find ways to make your job easier. You know you need to change your water every 7-10 days add a drain to your bucket with a draincock. Try one strain at a time because the uptake is different for different strains. Plants are like women, we all know they come with a set of basics to make them happy. Your mission is to find out what makes your woman (or women) extremely happy so they will give up the goods (so to speak) date 4 women at a time they are hard to please, date one woman at a time and you can please the hell out of her. Keep your temps between 75-85. Anywhere therein is great, humidity around 50%,-60% til end of flower where it should be around 40-50%. Nothing will fuck up a grow like heat. Over feed you can change the bucket to plain water for a quick flush and bring her back but heat will kill her quick. Nothing worse than not understanding this and coming home to 95* room and plants laying the fuck over. That being said exchange your air often with cooler fresh air, running HID lights make sure they have a hood and a fan to move that heat. I recommend General Hydroponics as a starter nute. Its easy and it gives you an idea of how to use them. Then you can try others if you want. Dont fall in love with a bunch of bullshit "phenom" products. There are people on here that use batshit and get great grows, its the grower so learn the trade first before you blow your wad on those products. Last but not least never stop reading and researching. Ive been doing this for 20 years but seriously for the last 10. So much info out there to help you. Understand Hydro is for people who want to "dial" their plants in. If you are that person dont be scared to try it, you may love it.
 

Dumme

Well-Known Member
Holy crap, man, my screen is too small to read all that.... medicated. Use some paragraphs... break that sht up, man. Give me cross eyes...
 

zachyweezer88

Active Member
There is never overkill when it comes to exchanging air. Be smart and look at alternatives. you can go to Home depot and purchase a 50 Cfm bath fan for 15.00. put it on a 25.00 increment timer and exchange the air that way. Also a few things. Dont be afraid to grow hydro. The difference between hydro and soil when your new is how exacting you want to be. You know who YOU are. are you the type of person who may forget to check your grow every day or you have a job where you cant check it every day? are you a non innovative person who likes to keep things basic? Do you have that little bug that makes you feel better when things are exact or does it matter if you eyeball? I hated soil when I started over a decade ago. To much dirt and guano. I didn't want the plants to talk to me I wanted to tell them what to do. Some will disagree but if you have a head for science then hydro is the way to go. There are so many different configurations you can design a system. I will give you some advice and you can take it for what it is, just my opinion. Find yourself 4-5 strains and learn those strains top to bottom. If you go hydro start with DWC. Less is better, in that I mean not many moving parts is great. Less headaches in the long run. No clogged spray nozzels, no pump failures or multiple timers to configure , just an air pump, stone and water. In DWC you can still innovate. You can still scrog if you like, you can add an auto waterer whereas you use a toilet assembly and gravity to auto water (more on that later, its actually really cool to do. I'm working on an easy manual watering system now because the auto waterer made me lazy). Find ways to make your job easier. You know you need to change your water every 7-10 days add a drain to your bucket with a draincock. Try one strain at a time because the uptake is different for different strains. Plants are like women, we all know they come with a set of basics to make them happy. Your mission is to find out what makes your woman (or women) extremely happy so they will give up the goods (so to speak) date 4 women at a time they are hard to please, date one woman at a time and you can please the hell out of her. Keep your temps between 75-85. Anywhere therein is great, humidity around 50%,-60% til end of flower where it should be around 40-50%. Nothing will fuck up a grow like heat. Over feed you can change the bucket to plain water for a quick flush and bring her back but heat will kill her quick. Nothing worse than not understanding this and coming home to 95* room and plants laying the fuck over. That being said exchange your air often with cooler fresh air, running HID lights make sure they have a hood and a fan to move that heat. I recommend General Hydroponics as a starter nute. Its easy and it gives you an idea of how to use them. Then you can try others if you want. Dont fall in love with a bunch of bullshit "phenom" products. There are people on here that use batshit and get great grows, its the grower so learn the trade first before you blow your wad on those products. Last but not least never stop reading and researching. Ive been doing this for 20 years but seriously for the last 10. So much info out there to help you. Understand Hydro is for people who want to "dial" their plants in. If you are that person dont be scared to try it, you may love it.
Thanks for the advice. It's much needed, trust me. I've been researching like crazy, but the variable nature of growing and the preferences of those sharing their information can make things a bit confusing sometimes. I've decided to go with the DWC method. Although I don't really have a mind for science, I feel confident that it's something I can pull off. Innovation is the last thing on my mind at this point. I just want to get a feel for the absolute basics. I chose one strain. Here she is: http://www.herbiesheadshop.com/fast-buds-girl-scout-cookies-autoflowering-feminised-seeds-6492.

I decided not to skimp on ventilation, so I bought one of these last night: http://www.ebay.com/itm/161078418203?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT.
I'll probably go passive for intake.

My only concern at the moment is the 300 watt LED I bought. It might get a little too hot in the small box that I'll be growing in. I can still get a full refund. The more I talk to people, the more I think that CFL is the way to go for a beginner. Plus, I couldn't really find a decent carbon scrubber without a 9" diameter. That would definitely be an issue with the hanging of the LED panel.

Thanks for the informative post. I'll take all the information you're willing to offer :)
 

erodas

Member
Carbon filter can operate outside the tent (place).
CFL bulbs should generate even more heat than LED.
 
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