First shot at DWC!

[OoNickoC]

Hey all! Finally back on the boards after a couple years of being a creeper.
I am going full indoor this time with a specific goal for a cross I have become randomly enamored with, the reaperXtepin. I saw a review from Ted on the tiny reaper pods and since I couldnt find any I will be trying to create my own for a longish term project.
 
I'm a self admitted gadgetry fiend...so here is a gear list.
 
3 part GH micro/grow/bloom
ro system for clean water
4'x3'x5' tent
140 (actual) watts Meihzi LED (only $60!)
Generic DWC tub with six sites and hydroton in netpots, also a generic airpump
Small oscilating fan
Things i have but may not use:
Dehumidifier and dedicated digital humidistat
4 head programmable reef doser DP-4
 
 
 
My real goal is to get a pepper around the heat of a ghost with thee quick burn of the tiny peppers, I would really like something that breaks well into 1mil SHU that smacks you hard then fades out relatively fast. I love that drawn out burn that leaves you somewhat euphoric but sometimes i just want a quick burn then on with the day lol. I have a variety of seeds coming in ill be experimenting with IF I can get the DWC down! Here is a list of what Ill have to work with:
 
Carolina reapers sourced from reputable stock
3 varieties of Tepin
Filipino birds eye reporting extreme heat for a birds eye (wee shall see on this one)
Orange jelly bean from puckerbutt....the temporary blindness claim sold me on this one lol
Wild brazil (if i can even germinate them....
 
A couple neglected days left all but afew test reapers on deaths door, though that was totally my own doing.
 
 
 
I transplanted the Reapers three or so days ago and was shocked....I expected some sort of temper tantrum from them after washing the roots and droping rocks on them, NOPE, they took it like champs and the roots are already headed into the water.
 
I will be popping the orange jelly beans and Filipinos first, after i confirm I can DWC Im really stoked on how this is coming along, I did have some aphids somehow (Im on the third floor for gods sake lol) but i knocked them out with some capt Jack's. 
 
Anyone tips or tricks you guys and gals know on DWC would be most appreciated, Ive done a ton of research but that never covers everything!!! Thanks for stopping by
 
 
 

 

[OoNickoC]

After changing out my nutrient solution today I believe Ive stumbled onto a future potential issue. As of now I can simply pop the lid and place it on a container with water for the roots while i clean the res and refill it. I'm thinking when there are two mature plants on the lid it will be a tricky endeavor, so I ordered a 5 gallon bucket system with 4 separate buckets instead of tubs with multiple sites. 
 
The root systems are growing well, I cant wait for these to really take off. Once I have more plants going ill be adding  a second 140 watt led.
 
Question to those who DWC (or may just have a good idea!) How to you manage your nutrient solution changes as far as moving the plant while you do your maintenance? Do you clean the resevoir or just swap solutions? I want to avoid damaging the plants as they mature.

 

[AndyW]

I don't have any experience with dwc, but one option could be to have another empty bucket to put your lid and plant on while refilling your other buckets.

 

[OoNickoC]

I don't have any experience with dwc, but one option could be to have another empty bucket to put your lid and plant on while refilling your other buckets.

 

Right on, thats pretty much what i was thinking. Trying to imagine doing that with a 3' bush lol!

 

[AndyW]

 
Right on, thats pretty much what i was thinking. Trying to imagine doing that with a 3' bush lol!

Yeah, that could be a bit cumbersome.
I'd think topping may help a bit with that. That would also be better for growing under lights, I'd think

 

[JoeMay]

I currently have a flood and drain set up that i am using. The reservoir is a 5 gallon bucket with a kitty litter tray with hydroton clay pellets.
 
When its time for a nute change i mix up my nutes in a new bucket, then lift tray off old bucket and onto new bucket.
 

March
 

May
 

August
 

 

 
In the planter I have a Fatalii, a BOC, a sweet heat, and 2 aji lemon drops

 

[trlrman]

fitting at the bottem of the bucket on the side . With a shut off valve , drain and refill . elevate the bucket so you can use a drain pan .

 

[OoNickoC]

I currently have a flood and drain set up that i am using. The reservoir is a 5 gallon bucket with a kitty litter tray with hydroton clay pellets.
 
When its time for a nute change i mix up my nutes in a new bucket, then lift tray off old bucket and onto new bucket.
 

IMG_3654.JPG
March
 

IMG_3771.JPG
May
 

IMG_4142.JPG
August
 

IMG_4260.JPG
 

IMG_4275.JPG
 
In the planter I have a Fatalii, a BOC, a sweet heat, and 2 aji lemon drops

 

Awesome, that's exactly what I was hoping to see. Thanks for taking the time to post that, with the new buckets I have coming in that's exactly what I will be doing!

 

[OoNickoC]

fitting at the bottem of the bucket on the side . With a shut off valve , drain and refill . elevate the bucket so you can use a drain pan .

 
 
The tubs have drains but they are poorly placed about 2" from the bottom of the tub. This is great advice though.

 

[OoNickoC]

Roots are going nuts, reapers seem to be thriving thus far!
 
These shots are from today, one week of growth as of this afternoon, couldn't ask for more thus far! Getting nice compact growth, hopefully I can work a trellis in and do away with the bottom foliage by the end of the month if my buckets get here in time (new dwc 5 gallon modular setup). Sorry for the purple pics, the phone loves to exaggerate the hues.
 
 

 

[OoNickoC]

Somehow aphids decided it was time to party, they must have come in with the soil or something (all brand new equipment and incoming air is filtered). I used cpt Jack's spino and that seemed to do the trick but then they popped back up today. I am up for any suggestions to knock these out asap, even willing to release a horde of lady bugs into the apt if it works lol! Need some pro tips here.

 

[MNXR250R]

OoNick, for aphids I have used a mild solution of dish soap (Dawn). Worked well.  I don't have much of a problem with them though.
 
Other thoughts. If you can, when you take pictures of your plants, try to do it under white or natural light... even a flash from a camera. Pictures taken under those BLUE/RED LED lights can prevent others from seeing any problems with your plants.
 
As for your "future" problem with DWC, I had similar troubles when my plants got big.  Too big to be able to just pop them out of the bucket to do pH measurement, PPM measurements and nute changes. I moved to a RDWC system (Google). This way, I have one "maintenance" bucket where I can easily pop the lid (no plants in this bucket) and adjust pH, measure PPM, and even change solutions. Not the perfect system, but it works for me 
 
Your plants look good.
 
Happy Growing,
 
Jeff
 
 

 

[OoNickoC]

OoNick, for aphids I have used a mild solution of dish soap (Dawn). Worked well.  I don't have much of a problem with them though.
 
Other thoughts. If you can, when you take pictures of your plants, try to do it under white or natural light... even a flash from a camera. Pictures taken under those BLUE/RED LED lights can prevent others from seeing any problems with your plants.
 
As for your "future" problem with DWC, I had similar troubles when my plants got big.  Too big to be able to just pop them out of the bucket to do pH measurement, PPM measurements and nute changes. I moved to a RDWC system (Google). This way, I have one "maintenance" bucket where I can easily pop the lid (no plants in this bucket) and adjust pH, measure PPM, and even change solutions. Not the perfect system, but it works for me 
 
Your plants look good.
 
Happy Growing,
 
Jeff
 

Right on, Ive seen those and wanted to pull the trigger but decided to test the waters with a cheaper tub setup (which I now wish I had just got the RDWC kit lol)..started with a $50 tub....bought the 4x5gallon dwc I'm setting up now once I kill off the aphids and am now eyeballing parts to make it recirculate over top feed, BHUT I must master my feeding and indoor basics before I go too crazy..which I sometimes do. Either way the growth is truly explosive with the DWC! Ive got leaves that are longer than my plant is tall!!! Thanks for the reassurance as I think that is where I'm headed to for fall/winter grows.
 

 

[MNXR250R]

Right on, Ive seen those and wanted to pull the trigger but decided to test the waters with a cheaper tub setup (which I now wish I had just got the RDWC kit lol)..started with a $50 tub....bought the 4x5gallon dwc I'm setting up now once I kill off the aphids and am now eyeballing parts to make it recirculate over top feed, BHUT I must master my feeding and indoor basics before I go too crazy..which I sometimes do. Either way the growth is truly explosive with the DWC! Ive got leaves that are longer than my plant is tall!!! Thanks for the reassurance as I think that is where I'm headed to for fall/winter grows.
 

 
I like the BHUT I must master the feeding......... 
 
There is always a "BHUT"
 
I thought about "this", BHUT
I tried "this", BHUT
I've heard "this", BHUT
 
I'm not sure that NAGA works though.
 
I thought about "this" BHUT NAGA, it's too much work.
I tried "this", BHUT NAGA, it didn't work.
I've heard of "this", BHUT NAGA.... it just doesn't make sense !!!!
 
Dude 
 
Jeff

 

[OoNickoC]

 
I like the BHUT I must master the feeding......... 
 
There is always a "BHUT"
 
I thought about "this", BHUT
I tried "this", BHUT
I've heard "this", BHUT
 
I'm not sure that NAGA works though.
 
I thought about "this" BHUT NAGA, it's too much work.
I tried "this", BHUT NAGA, it didn't work.
I've heard of "this", BHUT NAGA.... it just doesn't make sense !!!!
 
Dude 
 
Jeff

 

  Going to work these in somehow lol!
\

 

[OoNickoC]

Well, after a moth long battle with root aphids and white flies I pulled the plants and am starting fresh once I sterilize everything. I tried neem oil and cpt jacks spino as foliar while doing weekly substrate/root baths in SNS and pyrethrin to the surfaces they can get to.....no avail. So I did a hardcore cleaning to my studio, and breaking the tent down and bombing my apt while im out and about.....these things will die!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

 

[MNXR250R]

Wow... That sucks AZZ !!
 
I learned something this fall and I'm still trying to deal with it.... Aphids !!
 
I wanted to over-winter a Chi-Chien that has been outdoors all summer, and been very good to me. I brought the potted Chi-Chien inside and placed in inside of one my 4x4 tents. The 4x4 has several other plants inside that have never seen the (real)light of day. That was the WRONG way to bring an outdoor plant into the indoors  !!!!!!!!!!!    Aphids infested my tent !!  Epic FAIL on my part.  I am now worried that those little F*ckers will find their way to my other tents. Sh!t...
 
I trashed the Chi-Chien... literally. I am now watching the rest of the plants in that tent.... if those Aphids find their way to the other tents.... well hell.... I don't know what to do !
 
I empathize.
 
Good luck man,
 
Jeff