5 gal DWC and an emergency trip - How to prepair?

What's up RIU? I need a little help. I'm currently growing a beautiful Cinderella 99 plant in a 5 gal DWC setup. Currently 2 1/2 weeks into flowering and really starting to take off. My problem is this: I just found out that I need to take an emergency trip out of town for about 4-5 days and don't have anyone to take care of her while i'm gone. My biggest concern is PH drifting up or down too far and me coming back to a dead plant i have put my heart and soul into for a few months now. As long as the power doesn't go out then I can't think of anything else that may go wrong during this time, but is there anything i'm not thinking of?

So my question is this: What can I do to prepare the setup so that my girl will still be just as happy as she is now when i get back home? I know that some of you more seasoned hydro gardeners have probably faced this same problem in the past. What worked? What hurt? What would you do in this situation? i've got about a week till i gotta leave so hopefully we can get this figured out. any suggestions are appreciated.

If it doesn't drink all the water, 4 or 5 days should be fine, raise your light so it doesn't grow into it & that will keep the heat down and not drink so much water, might want to rig up a gallon jug with a dripper of phed water. If it generally goes up, make it at about 5 of 5 and let it drip in there.

wiseguy316 said:

If it doesn't drink all the water, 4 or 5 days should be fine, raise your light so it doesn't grow into it & that will keep the heat down and not drink so much water, might want to rig up a gallon jug with a dripper of phed water. If it generally goes up, make it at about 5 of 5 and let it drip in there.

Click to expand...

I would attach a reservoir. Get a cheap tote that is roughly the same height as the bucket. Get two half inch nipples w/grommets and a few feet of half inch poly hose. Attach one nipple to the bottom of your bucket, attach the other to the bottom of the tote, then hook them together with a hose. This will add an extra 15 or so gallons to your system. PH the water in the tote to about 5.4 to counter the rising PH in the bucket.

You can put the tote outside the room and run the hose through your air intake into the bucket, this will keep the solution cooler.

2 - half inch nipples $2

2 - Grommets for nipples $1.50

6 feet 1/2 inch poly hose - $3.50

Ask what size hole to drill for that size grommet.

This solution costs $5 - $7
CHEAP!!
CHEAP!!

Fill the res. all the way up with properly nuted water of the correct PH level just before leaving and you will be fine for 4 or 5 days, and as wiseguy316 said - raise your light.

They have PH testers that when hooked up to a H20 Pump will turn the pump on when the PH moves out of the desired range. You use them by hooking them up to a small tote filled with water PH'd very low. When the PH rises the tester will kick the pump on, the pump should be set up to pump from the small tote into your 5 gallon reservoir. This will pump enough low PH water into your reservoir to stabilize PH automatically while you are gone. This will also help to keep your res topped off.

Here is one:

http://www.petstore.com/ps_viewitem.aspx?idproduct=AK01000&child=AK01000&utm_source=pscseggl2&utm_medium=pscse&utm_campaign=pscseggl2&utm_content=AK01000

angelsbandit said:

Fill the res. all the way up with properly nuted water of the correct PH level just before leaving and you will be fine for 4 or 5 days, and as wiseguy316 said - raise your light.

Click to expand...

Just be aware that the water level in the bucket and the water level in the reservoir will be exactly the same. Add water to the reservoir until the water in the bucket is at the desired level.

Thanks and +rep to all of you. Good to know I've got a few different options. I really appreciate all the input.

GreenThumbSucker said:

I would attach a reservoir. Get a cheap tote that is roughly the same height as the bucket. Get two half inch nipples w/grommets and a few feet of half inch poly hose. Attach one nipple to the bottom of your bucket, attach the other to the bottom of the tote, then hook them together with a hose. This will add an extra 15 or so gallons to your system. PH the water in the tote to about 5.4 to counter the rising PH in the bucket.

You can put the tote outside the room and run the hose through your air intake into the bucket, this will keep the solution cooler.

2 - half inch nipples $2

2 - Grommets for nipples $1.50

6 feet 1/2 inch poly hose - $3.50

Ask what size hole to drill for that size grommet.

This solution costs $5 - $7
CHEAP!!
CHEAP!!

Click to expand...

I just completed a 5 gallon bucket grow. That is great advice!!

I would feel alot more comfortable if I had a res if I left my bucket plant alone.

Banditt said:

They have PH testers that when hooked up to a H20 Pump will turn the pump on when the PH moves out of the desired range. You use them by hooking them up to a small tote filled with water PH'd very low. When the PH rises the tester will kick the pump on, the pump should be set up to pump from the small tote into your 5 gallon reservoir. This will pump enough low PH water into your reservoir to stabilize PH automatically while you are gone. This will also help to keep your res topped off.

Click to expand...

I am interested in just this information but unclear about the H20 pump part. What kind of pump do you recomend?