Starting first DWC soon - just a few "loose end" nute/ph questions

[karmeron]

Im looking at setting up a standard DWC setup.

Im going to be using GH Lucas formula. It will be from seed and here is what my schedule looks like, is this ok? Ok to have them on full strength 5 weeks after cracking?

Stage Amount Of Nutes

Germination None
Progagation None
1st week Vegging 1/4 strength(2-4ml/gallon)
2nd week Vegging 1/2 strength(4-8 ml/gallon)
3rd week Vegging full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
4th week Vegging full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
1st week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
2nd week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
3rd week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
4th week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
5th week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
6th week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
7th week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
8th week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
9th week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)

An RIU user here mentions that you shoulnt gradually go to 1300ppm but straight away. Anyone any input on this that has used the lucas formula before? Should I bother going from 1/4-1/2-full strength or just full in 1st week of veg

Also I read the lucas formula is only for soft-water. At what PPM is water considered "hard"?

Whats the optimal PH range I should be aiming for?

Sticking to the 1300ppm range for lucas formula, will this be enough for all strains, or do you have to go past 1300ppm to grow some strains successfully?

How often do people recommend changing the nute solution in each container with a brand new batch? I was thinking 2 weeks (with a few top ups in-between), is this too long to be waiting? One RIU user here even recommends no full changes here . hmmm???that would be sweet

Is there ANY point in using a Carb based bloom enhancer like carboload etc? Or will I really not bother with anything other than micro and bloom?

What temps should I aim to have the water in the containers?

Also anyone have any experience with using root riot cubes in dwc? What ph water should I soak them before putting the seedling in them?

Sorry for all the questions, I've been doing months of research online and just wanted to tie up a few little questions that were bugging me.

Any input appriciated.

 

[karmeron]

anyone any input?

 

[FeFiFoFUM]

Im looking at setting up a standard DWC setup.

Im going to be using GH Lucas formula. It will be from seed and here is what my schedule looks like, is this ok? Ok to have them on full strength 5 weeks after cracking?

Stage Amount Of Nutes

Germination None
Progagation None
1st week Vegging 1/4 strength(2-4ml/gallon)
2nd week Vegging 1/2 strength(4-8 ml/gallon)
3rd week Vegging full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
4th week Vegging full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
1st week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
2nd week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
3rd week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
4th week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
5th week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
6th week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
7th week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
8th week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)
9th week Flower full Strength(8-16 ml/gallon)

An RIU user here mentions that you shoulnt gradually go to 1300ppm but straight away. Anyone any input on this that has used the lucas formula before? Should I bother going from 1/4-1/2-full strength or just full in 1st week of veg

Also I read the lucas formula is only for soft-water. At what PPM is water considered "hard"?

Whats the optimal PH range I should be aiming for?

Sticking to the 1300ppm range for lucas formula, will this be enough for all strains, or do you have to go past 1300ppm to grow some strains successfully?

How often do people recommend changing the nute solution in each container with a brand new batch? I was thinking 2 weeks (with a few top ups in-between), is this too long to be waiting? One RIU user here even recommends no full changes here . hmmm???that would be sweet

Is there ANY point in using a Carb based bloom enhancer like carboload etc? Or will I really not bother with anything other than micro and bloom?

What temps should I aim to have the water in the containers?

Also anyone have any experience with using root riot cubes in dwc? What ph water should I soak them before putting the seedling in them?

Sorry for all the questions, I've been doing months of research online and just wanted to tie up a few little questions that were bugging me.

Any input appriciated.

I can answer a couple of those questions.

Water temp should be no more than 70f no less than 62f

Ph should be set between 5.5-5.9 and allow it to drift up to around 6.1-6.3 before adjusting it back down.

I change my res out every week, some people say do it every two weeks, and I also know a user that says he never changes his.

I think its all personal choice, and your growing conditions. meaning if something is wrong you would probably change out faster than someone whos conditions were optimal. I was fighting brown slime algae so I changed once a week. Now Im doing better and Im at a week today but considering leaving for another week.

sorry but thats all I know enough about to speak on. have a good one and good luck

 

[karmeron]

thanks mate, appriciate the input.

What happens if water temps drop below 62f? Just test my water today and its about 65 from the tap, that could drop more though.

 

[FeFiFoFUM]

thanks mate, appriciate the input.

What happens if water temps drop below 62f? Just test my water today and its about 65 from the tap, that could drop more though.

I cant tell you exactly what happpens if it drops below, tho I believe it can cause root shock. if you are using tap water you should let it sit for overnight up to 24 hours to let the chlorine evap off, so that should take care of any issue with water temp as far as the tap is concerned.

 

[karmeron]

I cant tell you exactly what happpens if it drops below, tho I believe it can cause root shock. if you are using tap water you should let it sit for overnight up to 24 hours to let the chlorine evap off, so that should take care of any issue with water temp as far as the tap is concerned.

the air temp is probably even less than the water here though i can use the 2x600w's lights to warm it up

There are a lot of people that dont let the water sit and it doesnt seem to cause any problems. I've never seen any plant damage due to chlorine on anyones plants that does that (or anyones plants for that matter), so il give it a try without letting it sit. Mainly because ive no way of letting it sit as i have no container to hold 100's of litres to let sit to fill all the containers.

 

[BeaverHuntr]

thanks mate, appriciate the input.

What happens if water temps drop below 62f? Just test my water today and its about 65 from the tap, that could drop more though.

Warming your temps seems to be easier than lowering your temps at the Pet Store in the aquarium aisle I noticed they sell aquarium warmers... They look like wands that you dip in the aquarium and they warm the water they sell from 30-50 dollars U.S.

 

[karmeron]

Warming your temps seems to be easier than lowering your temps at the Pet Store in the aquarium aisle I noticed they sell aquarium warmers... They look like wands that you dip in the aquarium and they warm the water they sell from 30-50 dollars U.S.

cool, what wattage are they roughly? Are they adjustable(thermostat)?

 

[BeaverHuntr]

cool, what wattage are they roughly? Are they adjustable(thermostat)?

Here is Petsmart's web site in the aquarium section ...http://www.petsmart.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2769132&f=Taxonomy%2FPET%2F2769132&fbc=1&fbn=Taxonomy|Heating

 

[dbkick]

I've found that with an uninsulated res that if room temps(70f) are kept where they should be water temps(67-68f) will be 2-3 degrees cooler and be just about right and there should be no need for cooling or heating the res. Maybe this is just my conditions but I'm in a small sealed room getting nothing but radiant heat since the light is vented on its own separate from the room. But then maybe you're talking about initial temp. in that case if its too low like the dude up above says let it sit out in the room for awhile, if room temp is right water temp will be right in no time.

 

[BeaverHuntr]

I've found that with an uninsulated res that if room temps(70f) are kept where they should be water temps(67-68f) will be 2-3 degrees cooler and be just about right and there should be no need for cooling or heating the res. Maybe this is just my conditions but I'm in a small sealed room getting nothing but radiant heat since the light is vented on its own separate from the room. But then maybe you're talking about initial temp. in that case if its too low like the dude up above says let it sit out in the room for awhile, if room temp is right water temp will be right in no time.

Do what I did and use a 5 gallon sports cooler .. ( The ones you see teams on the sideline use to get water or gatorade) when I res change I cool my water with frozen water bottles and for a good 7 days the temp never changes ..

 

[FeFiFoFUM]

Warming your temps seems to be easier than lowering your temps at the Pet Store in the aquarium aisle I noticed they sell aquarium warmers... They look like wands that you dip in the aquarium and they warm the water they sell from 30-50 dollars U.S.

I used one on my first grow which was an NFT I got mine for around 30 bucks, It worked well, I was growing in the attic then in the middle of the winter, and it kept my ressys at 68f I needed two for my 15 gal res tho. but they didnt last long. maybe they make better ones?

Most of the time I hear about people trying to cool off thier ressy temps,

 

[BeaverHuntr]

I used one on my first grow which was an NFT I got mine for around 30 bucks, It worked well, I was growing in the attic then in the middle of the winter, and it kept my ressys at 68f I needed two for my 15 gal res tho. but they didnt last long. maybe they make better ones?

Most of the time I hear about people trying to cool off thier ressy temps,

Yeah I live in the desert so I just worry about cooling my res not warming it.

 

[karmeron]

i think my main problem will be too cold temps, i dont think heat will be a problem, the tent will be 8x4 roughly and i have ordered an 8" ruck fan for it, so i can keep the temps low, but when the lights are off in the tent im not sure the water will stay hot enough. The room that the tent will be in is about 60-65f id say at the moment, which means the intake air to the tent will be pretty cold. so res heaters maybe the way to go, but i dont fancy loads of extra wattage (ive 6x dwc containers, so 6xheaters) and a heater that wont switch off when the water gets to a certain temp.

I'll just have to run the lights at night and see what temps im left with during the day. hopefully it might just pass, but it is getting colder, so in a few months i might be screwed.

 

[karmeron]

would heating up the room temp that the tent is in with a gas heater work at heating the tent, thus heating the water? Might be a better option then heating the water directly, if it would work.

 

[BeaverHuntr]

would heating up the room temp that the tent is in with a gas heater work at heating the tent, thus heating the water? Might be a better option then heating the water directly, if it would work.

Try it dude and monitor it see what it does.

 

[karmeron]

Try it dude and monitor it see what it does.

will do.

Anyone have any experience with root riot cubes in dwc? what ph should the water be that i use with them when proagating them?

 

[BeaverHuntr]

will do.

Anyone have any experience with root riot cubes in dwc? what ph should the water be that i use with them when proagating them?

None here I use rapid rooter plugs they work like a champ so far.

 

[student121]

would heating up the room temp that the tent is in with a gas heater work at heating the tent, thus heating the water? Might be a better option then heating the water directly, if it would work.

hi there if that gas heater is bottle gas like calor gas i would put it on, ur plants will love it because it will be gettin co2 if the heater has a blue flame.......and tonnes off it

 

[karmeron]

hi there if that gas heater is bottle gas like calor gas i would put it on, ur plants will love it because it will be gettin co2 if the heater has a blue flame.......and tonnes off it

yeh it will be bottle gas, wow i was thinking it would be good for them but is it co2 or carbon monoxide these give off? Also will it lower the humidity much?

Have you used one before? because im also wondering how long you get out of a bottle of gas ?