is RDWC good for newbies?
- Thread starter farangar
- Start date
Hugo Phurst
Well-Known Member
First grow? Start in dirt, it's much more forgiving than hydro.
Good luck
Good luck
farangar
Well-Known Member
I do grow in soil but wanted to give hydroponics a try.
jondamon
Well-Known Member
It’s doable but you need to understand EC feeding strength and reservoir monitoring.
for example.
if you set the reservoir at EC1.0 and pH5.8.
then you test it after it’s run for 24 hours and your EC is now
1.4EC and pH 5.2
Do you know what’s happening to make it return this way?
or oppositely
Set EC 1.0 pH5.8
after 24H it returns as
EC0.6 pH 6.5
What’s happening in each of these scenarios?
Billy the Mountain
Well-Known Member
DWC is probably the least forgiving hydro method. Things can turn for the worse very quickly. I'd suggest coco in fabric pots, you don't have the same watering concerns as soil and you'll still reap the benefits of growing hydroponically.
jondamon
Well-Known Member
+1 for coco I had a stint using full hydro for a little while but after getting busted returned to coco.
been coco growing since 2009 with a brief 2 years or so with full hydro.
Now I automate drip feeds in DTW coco for simplicity and ease of use for me.
This is 2 plants in a Scrog 1m x 0.8m under 400w HPS.
Day 67 of 12/12.
5x feeds per day
Johiem
Well-Known Member
You got me drooling bro!
jondamon
Well-Known Member
I just started my first grow and I chose RDWC. Technically I did a soil grow nearly 20 years ago one time but that doesn't really count and I'm not sure how those plants survived.
I wouldn't say it's super hard or anything, and rdwc lends itself quite well to being mostly automated. It's definitely easy to run into issues, though.
Here's my progress and setup so far if you're interested.
I wouldn't say it's super hard or anything, and rdwc lends itself quite well to being mostly automated. It's definitely easy to run into issues, though.
First Grow! Indoor RDWC Zkittlez
Haven't grown since college years but with taxes these days I'm taking the plunge into the deep end with a rdwc setup. Here's a quick overview of what I have so far and what I'm planning. Any and all criticism and/or feedback is appreciated. Gorilla 2x4x7 4" AC Infinity exhausting out the...
www.rollitup.org
Here's my progress and setup so far if you're interested.
I started with hydro and kinda wish I'd never left that path.
It depends on you, probably, more than the actual method you choose. If you have all the right equipment needed, I think it's easier.
(Speaking of substrate-less systems, only water).
Major Blazer
Well-Known Member
That's so wrong that I can only guess these same guys came to that conclusion after running an rdwc system for a week with zero plants. Sorry if I sound harsh but I'm only trying to save you from future disappointment. If you want a good newbie hydroponic system, dwc/rdwc should be way down at the bottom of your list just above aeroponics. At the top of your list might be flood/drain, waterfarms, drip systems, and coco (if you consider coco hydroponic).
I woukd do coco... I've done dwc a few times and coco and rockwool drippers.
Coco is the one for me.... Best of all things imo
myke
Well-Known Member
Yes RDWC is perfect for newbies. Not DWC. Having a res with water flowing between ea site is so much easier.
Back 25 some od yrs ago my first grow was a home made rdwc. 20 litre totes linked together with 3/4 flex hose a small water and air pump and your off. Didn’t have a clue. Only ph drops and followed what it said on the bottle. Sure I had yellow leaves but plants grew big and harvested about a pound with 6 plants. Now strain is important and also where your growing. Cold bsmt floor is a must.
Anyway back in the day didn’t have internet or anyone to ask so that probably helped. Now a days with internet could easily spin you into a hole lol. Do this don’t do that haha. It’s a fricking weed it grows by it self.
Back 25 some od yrs ago my first grow was a home made rdwc. 20 litre totes linked together with 3/4 flex hose a small water and air pump and your off. Didn’t have a clue. Only ph drops and followed what it said on the bottle. Sure I had yellow leaves but plants grew big and harvested about a pound with 6 plants. Now strain is important and also where your growing. Cold bsmt floor is a must.
Anyway back in the day didn’t have internet or anyone to ask so that probably helped. Now a days with internet could easily spin you into a hole lol. Do this don’t do that haha. It’s a fricking weed it grows by it self.
Technically it is true in that all the plants in a rdwc system receive the same EC/PH. I think what you are referring to is the fact that you need to watch these things like a hawk and make changes based on the plants responses. When things go bad in dwc they go bad fast.
Major Blazer
Well-Known Member
I see what I misinterpreted there, you're probably right.
Autodoctor
Well-Known Member
I should have stayed awake during class
myke
Well-Known Member
I set a friend up not long ago simple 2 5 g buckets back to a res.Now in my city grow stores carry 1 1/4" bulkheads and matching hose so pretty cheap and simple.Anywho,hes always asking questions, I just say leave it alone go golfing haha.Ph is bounces around ,quit dicking with it I say.
Heres a pic from one I had awhile ago.
Heres a pic from one I had awhile ago.
RDWC is easy... but don't take the "Easy" as not a lot of work. RDWC, there is a design element you will have to deal with. You have to be on top of your readings because a full day of PH above or below the plants range will have a negative impact. Water temps are crucial but with some hydroguard you can deal with warmer water temps. There is obviously more hardware costs when dealing with tubing, bulkheads, pumps, and nutrients but if you like to be more involved with the grow, hydro will be for you.
Hook Daddy
Well-Known Member
I started hydro with dwc but have since switched to a drip system in coco/perlite, and currently I recirculate and change out the res every 3 to 4 days. My res is fairly small at 17 gallons, I usually fill with 15 gallons, and right 
now I add 5 gallons mixed with nutes on day 2 and 3, then feed my tomatoes what’s left on day 4 and start again. Seems to be working. Here’s my current grow with Sour Diesel and Durban Poison.
now I add 5 gallons mixed with nutes on day 2 and 3, then feed my tomatoes what’s left on day 4 and start again. Seems to be working. Here’s my current grow with Sour Diesel and Durban Poison.