How does DWC work?
- Thread starter homebound
- Start date
pelzroo
Well-Known Member
there is an air pump that bubbles the water that the roots sit in and that is it pretty much it. If no roots are hanging down the water needs to be high enough that the popping bubbles on the surface hit the cup and wet the medium inside. Once roots hang in the water you can gradually drop the level to allow some roots to breathe air, while the majority of the roots hang in the bubbling water wicking up water and food.
nunof
Well-Known Member
plantsinpants
Well-Known Member
yeah but after a couple weeks your plants will have taken-up most of the nutes so how do you accurately mesure up and mix your new nute addition without changing the whole thing!!! I JUST CHANGE THE WHOLE THING EVERY TWO WEEKS OR SO, BUT IM SLOW SO WHAT DO I KNOW?also, you might want to think about cutting an 'access flap' somewhere so you can add nutes, test ph etc without lifting the whole lid or removing one of the plants out of their holes.. (i learned the hard way)
yeah but after a couple weeks your plants will have taken-up most of the nutes so how do you accurately mesure up and mix your new nute addition without changing the whole thing!!! I JUST CHANGE THE WHOLE THING EVERY TWO WEEKS OR SO, BUT IM SLOW SO WHAT DO I KNOW?
na your right though.. not really for nutes.. i just check ph and water level here and there and have been having to lift a cup or the lid.. and when they get bigger i fear it's not gonna be as easy ..
Maybetomorrow
Well-Known Member
The best way to do it is to cut a 2inch hole that a net cup could sit into. just find a 2 inch sleeve that will go over the hole. Here you should be able to add water and check levels. I add a draining plug towards the bottom of the bucket. This lets me change the nutes every two week regardless. I fill with ph'd water and let it sitting with air pump on for about an hour ( help flush out any remaining nutes. Then refile with nutes, PH it, write down the PPM, and Date and your good to go.
neversummer28
Well-Known Member
some great tips here so far. here's another one...
i would only go with one plant per bucket or container. i am wrapping up my first grow and have three plants in a 7 gallon rubbermaid container. luckily i used feminized seeds... if i hadn't, i would totally be screwed. all the roots for my three plants grew into each other and are completely tangled.
feel free to check out my journal (link below) and see my set-up. first time grower and i am really happy with how it's all turning out.
i would only go with one plant per bucket or container. i am wrapping up my first grow and have three plants in a 7 gallon rubbermaid container. luckily i used feminized seeds... if i hadn't, i would totally be screwed. all the roots for my three plants grew into each other and are completely tangled.
feel free to check out my journal (link below) and see my set-up. first time grower and i am really happy with how it's all turning out.
Roseman
Elite Rolling Society
Over 2500 years ago, around 600 BC the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built. That ws the FIRST Hydroponic growing ever done. Roots dangled in FLOWING, moving water and for the next 2500 years, man thought to grow in Hydroponics, (in water) you had to have moving flowing water. As recently as 40 years ago, Hydroponics was done mostly in rain gutter type containers, with water being pumped from one end to the other, through the roots, creating flowing water.
The popularity of fish aquariums and the invention of plastic and glass changed all of that. Man figured out the water did not have to be moving or flowing, IF it was highly oxyegenated water, ie add a air pump, some airstones and make bubbles. Thus,the DWC, Deep Water Culture of roots dangling inw ater with air added to the water.
Then came Ebb and Flow, Aeroponics, etc and all kinds of moderations on DWC..
Here is a link to a few designs posted on RIU:
DWC SYSTEMS
A more modern system is the DRIP SYSTEM where a stream of water, a flow of water or a DRIP of water is delivered to each root base, or grow cup. Until a few years ago, If it was a constant stream and flow of water, it had to be delivered on a TIMER, in Increments of watering, allowing the roots to get an air bath inbetween flows of water, or the roots would drown and rot. Then it was learned you could just DRIP the water and let it drip 24/7, if in drops, or put that on a timer too.
A dude in Michigan, a friend of mine, martin Wiggett, started or created BUBBLEPONICS, ( he registered and trademarked the word) a sort of a DRIP and FLOW combined, but it is NOT a FLOW or STREAM of solid water, but a very slight trickle of half water and half bubbles or air, so the roots get a mix of both water, air and nutes to the root base, creating a way to start seeds in the cups and grow from seed more rapidly than any hydro system can deliver. We often see the word BUBBLEPONICS used as slang for a DWC with bubbling air stones, but it is not the same.
Check this link out:
My DIY Bubbleponics DWC
The popularity of fish aquariums and the invention of plastic and glass changed all of that. Man figured out the water did not have to be moving or flowing, IF it was highly oxyegenated water, ie add a air pump, some airstones and make bubbles. Thus,the DWC, Deep Water Culture of roots dangling inw ater with air added to the water.
Then came Ebb and Flow, Aeroponics, etc and all kinds of moderations on DWC..
Here is a link to a few designs posted on RIU:
DWC SYSTEMS
A more modern system is the DRIP SYSTEM where a stream of water, a flow of water or a DRIP of water is delivered to each root base, or grow cup. Until a few years ago, If it was a constant stream and flow of water, it had to be delivered on a TIMER, in Increments of watering, allowing the roots to get an air bath inbetween flows of water, or the roots would drown and rot. Then it was learned you could just DRIP the water and let it drip 24/7, if in drops, or put that on a timer too.
A dude in Michigan, a friend of mine, martin Wiggett, started or created BUBBLEPONICS, ( he registered and trademarked the word) a sort of a DRIP and FLOW combined, but it is NOT a FLOW or STREAM of solid water, but a very slight trickle of half water and half bubbles or air, so the roots get a mix of both water, air and nutes to the root base, creating a way to start seeds in the cups and grow from seed more rapidly than any hydro system can deliver. We often see the word BUBBLEPONICS used as slang for a DWC with bubbling air stones, but it is not the same.
Check this link out:
My DIY Bubbleponics DWC
lopezri
Well-Known Member
Thanks for that history on it all Roseman.
I'm going to building my own bubbleponics system based off what you have shown in your HUGE thread. I like the idea of combining both the air bubbles and flowing water. I'm hoping to get the same results as you get.
lopezri
Well-Known Member
OH, by the way, I asked my local hydro shop for some 35% H202 and he said that it's been taken off the market because people were spilling it and melting things. He gave me something else (I don't remember the name off the top of my head) that he said works the same but not nearly as dangerous.
bc165
Member
look im in the same boat as you i jus order a 4 bucket DWC system first time doing Hydro , the reason i brought it insteading of making 1 is because i needed to see the Mechanic's of the system & now im happy with the system but so easy to make if you no what to grab, if you want i can put up sum pics of my system, or you can just go check some designs... Just know to make your own it shouldn't cost more then alil less then $10 a bucket... www.hydrowholesale.com
HydroDawg421
Well-Known Member
Illegal Smile
Well-Known Member
You just responded to a post that's almost three years old. If you have questions about your system, probably best to start a new thread.