Thoughts on this dwc setup?

Delps8 said:

Big tent! 4' x 8' ? If so, 1600 watts should do the trick. I'm at 40 watts/sq ft and will be going to 54 for my next grow. Light is the only way that plants generate food so, up to the light saturation point, more light = more growth = > yield.

If possible, add CO2 and raise it to 1200PPM.

Get a light meter, PAR meters are nice but spendy. A Uni-T light meter is $32± and will do the trick. I've written a short paper on converting LUX to PPFD (attached). I use an Apogee but the Uni-T is just as (in)accurate, in practical terms.

Get enough lights to be able to get your plants >1200µmol, corner to corner,The Migro "CO2" light would be my choice for a 4' x 4' tent. I'm retiring my 330 watt Growcraft and getting the G4500 from Spider (430 watts). If you can't add CO2, get lights that will give you at least 1000µmol.

The reason for that much light is that plants grow bigger with more light (up to the light saturation point). I grow in hydro, as well, and run my plants >1000µmol, just like cannabis researchers recommend. Yields are quite something.

The reason to get a big honkin' light is that, according to research, after the second week of flower (maybe third) ambient temps, which are great at 85° in veg, need to drop so that the temps at the flower tops <=78°. That's the highest temp, generally speaking, that you want to maximize THC and terpenes and the other secondary metabolites. In order to get lotsa light at the canopy level but keep the flowers cool, you need lots of watts.

I've grown at very high light levels and have gotten very high yields but my crops weren't as strong as I expected. As it turns out, even though I dropped temps in flower to 80-82, that was still too high. That's why I'm binning the Growraft and going with a 430 watt light — I'll be able to hang that light at 18", or so, and still get 1kµmol on the canopy.

If you're growing in hydro, your grows should be able to handle "lotsa light" (1kµmol). Hydro can be a PITA to set up but results can be amazing.

Click to expand...

yaboyG said:

I know the tent is needed around 1600 watts to properly light, our combined wattage is 560, before it was just a open air grow so shouldn't be any worse lol, let me know how we can improve, the airpumps behind the tent are 2 70L/min pumps, before my first grow I had just a 25L/min pump then. idk what ima do about trellis or not, I'll need a fuel pump for that I feel, drain to waste btw

P.s nutrients is going to be cronk 5 part npk plus cal mag and bud booster for the right side, and general hydroponics for the left side(me), if I missed anything else lmk, just looking for opinions and suggestions on the setup yo see what I can improve on, 2nd grow ever.

Edit: my ac is 5000 btu and my room the tent stays in is around 148 sqft and 5000 is rated for 150, should be good on that note.

Click to expand...

Mumbeltypeg said:

Looking like you have the makings for a nice grow there! Nice job. First thing I’d ask is have you got any fans blowing directly over the plants there? A good breeze will help the plants develop stronger stems in the early stages and they need lots of airflow once the canopy developes also. (Stronger plants, bigger flower, less chance of mould)
I think that’s a humidifier at the side of the tent? (Maybe?) that’s good too, if you want some cheap (ish) improvements for your grow get some sensors to read and fine tune your main parameters - humidity, temp, res temps, ppfd, ec, ph.. if you can get good at keeping all of those within parameter (see VPD chart for a guide) then you are more than halfway there.. then when you have got a grow or two under your belt you can look at upping your power (lights) and adding the bells and whistles if you like.
Only other thing I would add is whatever your nutrient scheme.. add some silica from early veg..your plants will be stronger and more resilient.
Good luck and enjoy.

Click to expand...