Couple basic questions

New to dwc and have a couple simple questions....I would appreciate any help and info, even if it's stuff that doesn't pertain to these questions....I am using totes that are 3 feet long by 1.5 feet wide and 1 ft deep....23 gallons ( longer and more shallow than most 22 gallon totes) is 1 foot deep enough? I would like to have 8 5inch pots on a tote. These pots leave about 7 inches to the bottom of the totes. I am thinking this will allow me to fill 11-13 gallons or so and bubbles would be hitting bottom of basket...if I am using a constant drip, do I need/want my water level this high at all times(to the bottom of net pot?) as roots grow should I allow them to be all submerged or have some that are not in water at all? Would it be ok to spray paint my totes black to ensure no light penetration? Should I wrap totes in Mylar or black poly?

depth is enough
no need for drip at att, get bubble actiob that splashes sides of pots, that's all you need
water level about an inch below bottom of pots
roots want to be in water
spray them white 2 coats, better for heat, no need for mylar

Nice, I didnt think about white for heat! Good call! can drip lead to over watering?

you really only need to run the drip untill you get roots growing out of the net pot,and the only way to over water in dwc is lack of air

I use a 50 gal (40" square) res for my DWC tank. Net pots have 7" of water below. I started with 40 gals of nutrient, but as they grow the roots displace water. Now at 3 weeks veg I am only using 35 gal, and by the time they finish they will only need about 30 gal. I pull an average albs with 2 600wt lights.

My point to this is that you will find 8 plants in your tub to be a bit crowded unless you just plan to grow lollypops.

Good luck!

snocat said:

you really only need to run the drip untill you get roots growing out of the net pot,and the only way to over water in dwc is lack of air

Click to expand...

I figure the same principle goes for clones in 1" rockwool/hydroton net pot. submerged but just below where the rockwool is?

I think drip should be limited to post nasal congestion. The best way to feed and water seedlings or clones in dwc is with a high level of bubble action from underneath. If it splashes up and wets the sides of the netposts, it is fine. And you can't get stem rot from too much watering from the top. And no water pumps. DWC growers have been doing it this way forever. There's no need for drip systems in dwc.

WaterFarm is DWC w/ drip rings, basically.
It does help and add a little more growth due to the heavy dissolved oxygen that's made from the solution running over the rocks and down into the rez. View attachment 1522547
I was thinking of adding drip rings or an aerator/oxygen infusor after this harvest, but I'd rather cop an bait oxygenator, like FaithfulMastiff did below in the link.
Less hassle and parts to deal with and clean in the long run. View attachment 1522546
Plus, I don't believe the amount of DO from drip rings can match the DO put out by one of these :
http://www.keepalive.net/portable.htm

Also, you won't need the water/nute level at the very bottom of the pot.
Defeats the purpose of allowing all that oxygen-rich nute solution to drip and fall into the rez. View attachment 1522545
But I would keep the level to within an inch of the bottom of the pots.



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