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dwc fellas!

i bought both my meters off amazon my PPM is a hanna and it was like 20-30 bucks, the PH/Temps meter was like 80bucks on sale from 120.

in regards to how often i test my PH is like every 4-5 days. lately my BS in the DWC has been drinking 1 gallon of water a week so i just add 1 gallon nute/PH water and some aqua sheild once a week. DWC can be very simple once you get your reoutine down!
 
I try not to get wrapped up in pH too much - if it stays in the 5.0-7.0 range, it's all good. Natural swings happen, and even a bit outside the range the plant will be fine.

Another associated point: I don't use commercial pH adjusters. I'm sure they work fine and all, but I just use my nutes to adjust pH downward and RO water to adjust pH upwards. This system works well for me - by the time the pH rises to the edges of my comfort zone, the plants have consumed enough nutes for me to add some more without fear of toxicity.
 
All kinds - T5s, MH & HPS (400w-1000w), full-spectrum bulbs, and of course, the sun. Which one to use has a familiar answer: It depends...
 
Anyone try out cmh?

Id love to indoor but energy bill will suck running a 1000w. Whats your lighting schedule?
 
Yeah however there a pain as you have to keep them damn near on the plant or you loose to many lumens

Also you need quiet a few and rigging thems a pain (for me at least)

Guess i can handlecmother natures outdoor :P
 
Thanks, mild. I read about people going crazy and adjusting pH every day, and I just don't see the need to. Nor do I see a need to own a $100 pH meter for my one plant. I'll probably want one when I scale things up (and knowing me, I'll probably want to build an automatic pH adjuster)

I'm using 2xT8s that I had for seed starting, plus some indirect window light. Seems great for my one plant, although it's well on track to outgrow it soon. I think I can add some CFLs at that point. I think T8s compare very well to T5s. You can't pack them quite as tight, but they are only slightly less efficient and MUCH cheaper. I think the added electricity cost of T8 is offset by cheaper and longer lasting bulbs, not to mention much cheaper fixtures...Unless I'm missing something (very well might be), I'm not really sure why growers tend to T5.
 
I can't speak for anyone else, but I got T5s because of what was in stock at my local stores and the pricing structure. Nothing against T8s - I'm sure they'll work just fine with the supplemental window light.

Joining the ppm/ec meter conversation a little late perhaps, I have both a handheld hanna combination meter (temp, pH, ec, ppm) and a pen-type hanna combination meter (same functions as handheld) and both work great; I prefer the handheld.
 
I grow in a 2.5gal DWC bucket with one 3yr old Fatalii, another 2.5gal bucket with 3 sites which has a Trinidad Scorp, Choco Bhut, and a Yellow Scotch Bonnet. These two 2.5 gal buckets are my all year arounds which I move back inside when it starts getting cold. Now for the growing season, I am running a 10 gal DWC tub with 15 sites, in which I transfer plants from a 6 site 5 gal tub and a 2gal tub with 6 sites (3 large, 3 clones). I find the DWC buckets almost fool proof and very low maintenance. Once they are outside and get used to the sun and wind, they will grow to monsterous proportions. As for pH, I never check it. I found the cheapest way to check for pH is to buy those pH aquarium strips, I got some but never used em. Also, a small flat tub with many holes big enough to fit 2x2 Rockwool cubes makes an oh so easy cloner.
 
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