Dwc buckets to flood table?

[tallen]

Since you run RO water, id assume that theres no chlorine in it still. Chlorine kills microbes, that could be a good thing for you, too bad the ph is so off and youd have to kill the GH down bottle on it. You might be able to add chlorine back to your water but holy shit that sounds dangerous. My plants are loving tap water. Good luck

You can add chlorine back using bleach, but many here really frown upon it. I'm adventurous and tried it when the temps where higher and I was getting some root rot (non-slime) because of high res temps. Worked awesome in flower, took a few doses to cure it and stabilize the ph swings, then I just used a lighter dose for maintenance until the end with no issues. In veg it was another story, they wilted quite a bit and I was worried but decided to ride it out. When I checked on them the next day they where still a little wilted which gave me hope until I looked in on the roots. Worst case of slime I've had yet, and in only 24 hrs! Heavy doses of pondzyme and aquasheild got me by for 48 hours until the tea was brewed and they made it luckily. All the roots died but regrew even better and they're in flower with the best looking root systems I've had yet!

 

[tallen]

The pumps I use fill the tray in about a minute and they also have built in floomers so I think Im getting lots of air in the top res but I guess u can never have to much lol.

As far as the plywood sagging, you may have an issue but I doubt it and if so just use a piece of 3/4 pvc pipe to support it if needed.

So basically what you guys are saying is there is more of a chance for slime in a DWC system? Maybe I'll stick to what I have lol. BTW I got 410 grams from that tray. Next grow was not so good lol just hanging it now so we'll see. I get a harvest every 5-6 weeks using 2-3 trays.

With that pump you'd probably be fine without airstones in the tray.

Pvc or ever a brick or 2 is the plan if I make it that far.

I've read that the slime is pretty much a DWC thing, I'm not speaking from experience. Some people seem to get it no matter what precautions they take (like me unfortunately), and some never have any problems at all and don't run bennies or a sterile res, so YMMV. Don't let my experience with the slime scare you away, it's a great way to grow and I think everyone should try it at least once. Things can happen fast in DWC, both good and bad!!

 

[tallen]

you still around tallen? Have you found out anything on that ph down? Hows the mid grow switch comin along you wild man?!

Still here, haven't looked into the ph bottles and slime link. I think I may have brewed a bad batch of tea, the slime didn't change (for good or worse) with the pondzyme and aquasheild in there, but after I added the tea it just exploded!! Did another res change last night and had to take them all out and try to hose all the slime off. Took the wet vac to all the feed and return lines to get everything out of them but it didn't work. After I refilled the system and let it circulate a while I checked on them to take my #'s and gobs of slime where on the roots again!! It was late (early really) so I just left it and will do it all again tonight.

I wonder if the drain hole is too big and too low to just turn them into hempy's as they sit! Or just drain em and add some soil. I'm about ready to I tell ya!!

 

[Ninjabowler]

You can add chlorine back using bleach, but many here really frown upon it. I'm adventurous and tried it when the temps where higher and I was getting some root rot (non-slime) because of high res temps. Worked awesome in flower, took a few doses to cure it and stabilize the ph swings, then I just used a lighter dose for maintenance until the end with no issues. In veg it was another story, they wilted quite a bit and I was worried but decided to ride it out. When I checked on them the next day they where still a little wilted which gave me hope until I looked in on the roots. Worst case of slime I've had yet, and in only 24 hrs! Heavy doses of pondzyme and aquasheild got me by for 48 hours until the tea was brewed and they made it luckily. All the roots died but regrew even better and they're in flower with the best looking root systems I've had yet!

So with the veg ones, you gave them bleach and then they got slime in 24 hrs? Was it the first time you added bleach?

 

[Ninjabowler]

Still here, haven't looked into the ph bottles and slime link. I think I may have brewed a bad batch of tea, the slime didn't change (for good or worse) with the pondzyme and aquasheild in there, but after I added the tea it just exploded!! Did another res change last night and had to take them all out and try to hose all the slime off. Took the wet vac to all the feed and return lines to get everything out of them but it didn't work. After I refilled the system and let it circulate a while I checked on them to take my #'s and gobs of slime where on the roots again!! It was late (early really) so I just left it and will do it all again tonight.

I wonder if the drain hole is too big and too low to just turn them into hempy's as they sit! Or just drain em and add some soil. I'm about ready to I tell ya!!

Lol, do it, youve had enough headaches over this. 30 bucks worth or dirt will save you hundreds by the sounds of things. Theyre still in veg so the roots will keep growing fine.

 

[tallen]

So with the veg ones, you gave them bleach and then they got slime in 24 hrs? Was it the first time you added bleach?

Yep 1st time I tried it, older established plants didn't miss a beat, almost lost the young girls. 1/2 ml per gallon is the dose I started with.

 

[tallen]

Lol, do it, youve had enough headaches over this. 30 bucks worth or dirt will save you hundreds by the sounds of things. Theyre still in veg so the roots will keep growing fine.

ya, but it'd be a bitch with them in the net pot bucket lids.

Edit- or not, I could just go to the bottom of the net pot, hmmm, you think they'd transplant ok?

 

[Ninjabowler]

ya, but it'd be a bitch with them in the net pot bucket lids.

Edit- or not, I could just go to the bottom of the net pot, hmmm, you think they'd transplant ok?

Ya but youd probably have to do somthing like cut off half of the net pot lid or the whole thing from it. Otherwise watering would suck. On the otherhand you can probably read when your plants need water by weight of bucket and droopy leaves.
I might try and place the dirt in damp.about three quarters up, make a hole as deep as possible in the middle, drop em in and then water so the dirt seeps into the roots and then cover it with more dirt. If they stick up a bit who cares they should level out eventually. Maybe some root boosters or superthrive or myochorizo or whatever that stuff is i use when i transplant.

 

[tallen]

Too much work for me, if it comes down to it I'd just hack em and pop em in rockwool and let em grow new roots. REALLY hope it doesn't come to that, but even if I loose em it's not the end of the world. I've gave DWC a good run (over a year now) and even with all the headaches it's been really good to me overall. Really good! But it's time to move on to another style (I like to tinker and try new things). Still don't know if I'm gunna use rockwool blocks or hydroton pots (already have hydroton, just have to buy pots) for my tables when I get them in motion, any suggestions?

 

[waterdawg]

a brick

Hey your right that would work lol, I'll get some, mine does sag a tad in the middle.
And like yourself I like to tinker as well lol. I have a NFT system I havnt tried yet I built last year out of 4x4 fence posts. If it was me ! would cover the table and in my opinion the pots suspended would be easier. I have seen lots of pics of rock wool cubes on tables uncovered though. Also seen a white sheeting laid over the cubes with plants growing out. Kinda like a house wrap paper. Post your progress. Im always looking for new and better ways to waste my time, opps, I meant tinkering lol. And BTW I did turn my pumps on 24 yesterday and the girls seem happy, time will tell I guess.

 

[puffnpaint]

Just found some info for you, theres been other complaints with the GH up and down causing slime. Primarily the down. There was mention of crystals forming where water splashed around on the side of buckets, ever see that? Try techno flora up/down.
This is all hearsay, i got it off the web, google white slime and it should come up, THC farmer community. Sounds like the answer though, if it is you owe me a beer.

been using gh a long time and never had any problems with it

 

[Ninjabowler]

been using gh a long time and never had any problems with it

Have you ever gotten the slime? I was talking to a friend a couple days ago that has a friend that hasnt had a harvest in over nine months that was hitting them every 2.5 on the reg. got slimed twice, even went to dirt and then got root rot in dirt. 250 in losses. Owch. He was useing a different ph adjuster, he was all over it though, adjusting twice a day. I let mine float to 7ish, ive never adjusted it actually. How often do you adjust?

 

[puffnpaint]

the only time i ever got any slime was when i tried general organics in the bucket.

 

[Ninjabowler]

the only time i ever got any slime was when i tried general organics in the bucket.

Organics? Lol i did that with tomatos in a bucket and they died after two months lol
how often do you change your ph, daily, weekly?

 

[puffnpaint]

i check my ph every day but only have to adjust it once when i change it out which is once a week.

 

[Ninjabowler]

i check my ph every day but only have to adjust it once when i change it out which is once a week.

Nice, this is like my situation too. So almost no adjustment and no slime...ok. Ill keep digging around and maybe start a thread on this one day.

 

[tallen]

I think the longest I've gone without having to make an adjustment in flower is about 4 days. Usually every day or 2 in flower, rarely down, almost always up-even if the roots are pristine white. Veg seems to hold steady, I've gone res change to res change without adjustments on several occasions (about 10 days, up to 14). But I get slimed in veg way more often than flower, go figure.

 

[puffnpaint]

this might sound whack but i`ve gone a whole grow before and never once checked the ph and had no problems. i`m just a lucky s.o.b. like that. ph comes out of my tap at 6.

 

[Ninjabowler]

I think the longest I've gone without having to make an adjustment in flower is about 4 days. Usually every day or 2 in flower, rarely down, almost always up-even if the roots are pristine white. Veg seems to hold steady, I've gone res change to res change without adjustments on several occasions (about 10 days, up to 14). But I get slimed in veg way more often than flower, go figure.

Im expirementing right now with a four plant sog type grow in dwc. I havent changed the res ever. Six weeks. Im going to check the ph because i havent changed that either, they are doing fine. I started them at 250 ppm and didnt really raise it untill they started drinking water noticeably. Ppm is at around 500 now. Hold on ill go check ppm and ph and snap a pic for you.

 

[puffnpaint]

Im expirementing right now with a four plant sog type grow in dwc. I havent changed the res ever. Six weeks. Im going to check the ph because i havent changed that either, they are doing fine. I started them at 250 ppm and didnt really raise it untill they started drinking water noticeably. Ppm is at around 500 now. Hold on ill go check ppm and ph and snap a pic for you.

are you using seperate buckets or do you have them hooked up to a seperate res?