This pic is also a great example of what I’m talking about. Insulated buckets that I’m guessing run to a cooled Rez. LED lights which could be used for better spectrum but also often used to keep heat down. Costs.
New to growing and thinking of going DWC? Don't
- Thread starter DaFreak
- Start date
Michael Huntherz
Well-Known Member
I prefer to front load my purchase costs and save on the overall cost of ownership over time. The insulated buckets are to keep solution temps low and keep the photons bouncing, no rez chiller needed. That setup cost maybe $150 for the hydroponics build. I could have done it cheaper, probably, whatever. The LED fixture was expensive, but totally worth it.
Michael Huntherz
Well-Known Member
High power COBs can get hot, but they are great. I like the mid-power strips and quantum boards slightly better.
I have an AC vent right by the cool air intake of the tent and I set my air pumps next to it, there is also a small dripper waterfall going to each net pot. Little waterfalls really help keep the solution cool and oxygenated.
So there is cooling. I also love waterfalls, that is what I ended up going with in my RDWC setups. So much nicer to listen to than air-pumps. Lived in sub-tropics so chillers were a must. Like 1000watts I’m just chillers alone but I needed water as my substrate for security reasons, now that I can throw out my peat moss at my local dump I can use those watts for lighting
Michael Huntherz
Well-Known Member
Yes, I guess that is a type of cooling.
It gets really hot here but my home AC is slightly overpowered and I run the big lights at nighttime. The little flower tent will run during the day, once the summer heat backs off a bit.
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Michael Huntherz
Well-Known Member
RDWC, NFT, Rockwool DTW on timed drippers, all produce massive yields in short times. I prefer RDWC in my current circumstances, and I tend to agree with you, based on my own immediate experiences. Also, vertical espalier-type grows yield like motherfuckers, we should collectively ask The Netherlands about that. I want to see, or maybe design, an LED fixture for vertical growers...
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You have a right to your opinion I'm simply saying that there are problems specific to each grow style.
I don't think DWC or RDWC is a bar to a beginner especially if people can tell them what to look out for. In 1996 when I first grew the people were horrified I was going to run NFT. I even designed and built my own setup. I'm an engineer and it gave me the science so I wouldn't fail. I'm a complete black thumb and can kill most any plant. But full hydro you can turn on dime.
I currently grow dtw soilless and you can't turn it on a dime like you can full on hydro. There is a buffer in your substrate. But after a little experience growing I can handle the lag now.
Anyway Vive le Differénce, however you grow or start growing DO IT! OVERGROW them
Michael Huntherz
Well-Known Member
I had a hunch, I have seen you display what I assumed to be engineering-level rigor in taking tangible measurements, in what field is your expertise?
southernguy99
Well-Known Member
That vertical espalier stuff is pretty neat, now you got me thinking , I should take a room and mess around with it. I never got into LED or COB lighting , like anything their is people on either side of the fence about them, I don't know enough to be on either side, but I pretty much always used HPS , I now only use the PL.lighting systems commercial double ended
Michael Huntherz
Well-Known Member
Hanging a bare bulb HPS or other HID bulbs is awesome for espalier, one of the best growers I know did it for years.
southernguy99
Well-Known Member
exactly what I was thinking , thats how I used to grow with hanging HPS bulbs and I have bunch just lying around, have you ever experimented with that type of grow?
Michael Huntherz
Well-Known Member
I saw an op where it was done; 6 RDWC tubs plus a reservoir placed in a hexagon, 3x 600 watt CMH bulbs hung at different heights, six pieces of 6’ tall by 4’ wide sheep and goat fencing, one on each tub, lined on the outside by panda plastic, 2 to 3 month veg time, fencing and tub lids could be moved with attached rootballs from stage to stage. Dude got up to an average of 2lb per plant indoor doing that. Six six foot walls of arm sized colas, shit was insane. I have never seen indoor plants that size before or since.
I wonder if @ttystikk is still around, or what? Last I heard he was going up for a bid with the feds, sad story. Watch out for that magic 100 plant number, they can still get grumpy about that.
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southernguy99
Well-Known Member
Yeah No worries there , I grow legally and just for myself , It ain't worth the hassle otherwise. to bad for ttystikk though
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
You know I got you covered on that, right?
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
I'm still here. Wasn't a Federal charge, just local yokels with a hard on for the devil's lettuce.