Dwc Buckets vs Dwc Tote(Bin)

Hi guys, I joined the forum 3 weeks ago and have been trying to soak up all the knowledge I can. After reading what seems like pages and pages of info (not smart, didn't retain any of it) I have decided I wanted to go the Dwc/Bubbleponics route.

Well I have a couple of questions about Dwc. Which is better to have Bucket or Tote? I know the Tote is good for cloning but Im gonna start with seeds. I know bigger roots for bigger plants right? So the bucket would be the best choice? Also the tote has very little space in between plants, how many plants can a Tote hold till harvest?

There are so many different ways to setup a system ebb and flow, hempy, drip, dwc. I want to find the easiest system to work with. Please don't flame me too hard. Im a

Im a newbie and a girl so don't flame me too hard or I'll cry.

The shorter the bucket the more dissolved oxygen you get which is why totes are more ideal in that regard as they're more spread out horizontally than vertically like buckets are thus giving the tote more surface area which is where the DO is made. Other than that its all preference.

I started my dwc with buckets before I learned this...but my plants are doing fine. I got tons of air being pumped into it.

Hey wand!

Welcome to the site! The first thing to think about is how much space you have. Are you using a tent or closet? Is space an issue? The easiest DWC system is individual bubble buckets. I would start with that if it is your first time growing simply because you will use less water and it is an easy way to learn the small intricate details of hydroponic growing.
check out one of these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-WaterFarm-Module-w-Farm-Kit-Hydrofarm-Hydro-System-/290422787363?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item439e8c0d23#ht_1357wt_907

There are also DIY video on how to make one on you tube.

they very inexpensive, easy to clean and manage. Get at LEAST one successful grow under your belt first and then look to expand and design a bigger system. You can spend a ton of money on a great system but if you don't know how to have a successful grow first you risk wasting a ton of money and time

I just switched from a simple top drip recirculation system to a more complex DWC reticulating undercurrent system. But what I learned from using an easier system and having a few success grow under my belt gave the confidence to change to a better more complex system. Start small and simple you will learn so much with each grow.

Hope that helps!

GS

How big of plants do you want to grow? How many? What are the plants for?

Questions should be asked first before "we" can give you anything that can resemble a direction that you need to be pointed in.

One could classify a tote as a bucket. No difference other than shape, it doesn't really change anything. You can have small totes, large totes, shallow totes, tall totes, big buckets, small ones, tall buckets, shorter buckets. You can grow multiple plants in a bucket, or 1 plant, you can grow multiple plants in a tote, or 1 plant. I use totes as they hold more water and allow for greater space for root growth.

tip top toker said:

One could classify a tote as a bucket. No difference other than shape, it doesn't really change anything. You can have small totes, large totes, shallow totes, tall totes, big buckets, small ones, tall buckets, shorter buckets. You can grow multiple plants in a bucket, or 1 plant, you can grow multiple plants in a tote, or 1 plant. I use totes as they hold more water and allow for greater space for root growth.

Click to expand...

Agree.. if you grow in a tote or bucket the principle and medium is the same.

Thanks guys.


Well Buddha I am doing a closet grow 2 or maybe 3 plants. Strain is flexible, i know I should go indica because of the closet. Lights I wanna get Hid's but I know they get way too hot for a closet.

I just want something simple, either tote or bucket but I see totes have like 6 3' netty pots. Can a tote hold even 3 till harvest?

What you are talking about is pre-built systems, which is a completely different conversation. To the average grower, a tote means a rubbermaid container that has had a hole drilled in the top for a net pot to sit in. Pre-built systems typically have 5 gazillion holes for net pots so as to fool the unknowing into thinking they can actually gor 5 gazillion plant in it. I've never seen a pre-built system that looked good for any ore than 2 plants and even then i always grow 1 plant due to minimizing potential issues.

Built your own, pre-built systems are a rip off and will more often than not use incredibly inferior pumps and airstones.

I have tried reading but its hard to understand and to get started.

Thank you for your help guys. I need to grow my own smoke. I feel like im gonna get raped one of these days trying to buy some lol.

Spam your shit elsewhere dude.

^^^
Yea I wanna diy tote or bucket. I have seen all of them have plenty of holes. Maybe its because they use them to clone but idk. I was thinking of making a 3 3'or 6' pots. But even then I don't know if that is enough space.

People are happy on this forum, if you're incapable of making your new forum big without spamming it around, then it probably wont become big. Why not put your effort into filling your forum with information to draw members instead of just spamming other forums with links and videos There are 4 times as many threads in the artwork section of this forum than your entire forum, so chances are there will be all the info she needs here as opposed to there

neverenoughsmoke your a tool

I'm using standard 5 gallon buckets and lids. All 3 of the seeds i germinated on 4/20 live in a single bucket. 4 holes in the top, 4 spots for pots. only one airpump, and 1 airstone etc. when i sex them, the females will go into their own buckets with a single hole in the lid, so they can spread out.

im not using any drippers, water pumps or anything, just a bubble stone and air pump. for flowering, when it's time, i'm leaning towards hempy pots in 2 liter bottles or soil.

i thought about using big totes, but the larger surface area and greater volume of water/nutrients would require a much more powerful air pump, and many more bubble stones to get even bubblage. I also dont intend on keeping my plants in a communal environment after they are sorted by gender. once i extract the male(s) it's 1 plant, 1 bucket the way Jesus intended. If you got lotsa plants sharing a resevoir the roots will get tangled up, so if one goes hermaphrodite, or gets the herpeghonnesyphyllaids youll have to damage the root system of her sisters to extract the rebellious one.

seriously, the easy to switch, easy to buy, easy to replace, and easy to modify nature of a 5 gallon bucket's interchangeable lids makes them so versatile. if you like to turn your plants, round lids makes it easy, if you want to try a different nutrient solution, add another bucket. adding a new strain? another bucket. plus, new buckets with lids cost $2 a new 25 gallon tote with a lid costs $25

Dr Kynes said:

I'm using standard 5 gallon buckets and lids. All 3 of the seeds i germinated on 4/20 live in a single bucket. 4 holes in the top, 4 spots for pots. only one airpump, and 1 airstone etc. when i sex them, the females will go into their own buckets with a single hole in the lid, so they can spread out.

im not using any drippers, water pumps or anything, just a bubble stone and air pump. for flowering, when it's time, i'm leaning towards hempy pots in 2 liter bottles or soil.

i thought about using big totes, but the larger surface area and greater volume of water/nutrients would require a much more powerful air pump, and many more bubble stones to get even bubblage. I also dont intend on keeping my plants in a communal environment after they are sorted by gender. once i extract the male(s) it's 1 plant, 1 bucket the way Jesus intended. If you got lotsa plants sharing a resevoir the roots will get tangled up, so if one goes hermaphrodite, or gets the herpeghonnesyphyllaids youll have to damage the root system of her sisters to extract the rebellious one.

seriously, the easy to switch, easy to buy, easy to replace, and easy to modify nature of a 5 gallon bucket's interchangeable lids makes them so versatile. if you like to turn your plants, round lids makes it easy, if you want to try a different nutrient solution, add another bucket. adding a new strain? another bucket. plus, new buckets with lids cost $2 a new 25 gallon tote with a lid costs $25

Click to expand...

At HD, 18 gallon rubbermaid roughneck totes with lids are 9 bucks...And buckets are like 2.75, lids are another 1.25...Where you buying your stuff, dude?

^^^
Good points dr. : )

I plan on just getting 5 females from a seed bank. No need to make it harder for me than it already is.

So basically the easiest, best way to grow would be a bubble bucket right?

Bucket
Tubing
Nutes
airstone
Air pump (good air pump to pump multiple right?)
Netty pot 6'
Hydroton

Agree? Is this all I need?

did anyone mention an igloo cooler yet?

Don't forget PH kit if it is required, if you don't know if it is required or not then get it just in case. Doesn't cost too much.

Other than that the list looks good, growing in DWC is one of the simplest ways of growing i've come across (sure one an argue that soil is simpler than hydro, but you try pouring your old soil down the plug in the bath )