First DWC grow. Help needed before starting.

What do you have in your res, just an airstone attached to an external pump?
What type of water do you fill the res with, tap? Then just add the nutes to the res?
 
I have two air stones in my res, they are attached to an aquarium dual output air pump.
I used black air tubes so i wouldnt have to worry about algae in there.

I use distilled water most of the time, its clean water that plants seem to love. I bought an electric distiller off amazon so i wouldnt have to buy water. Make sure you get a ppm or ec meter, thats how you check your water and nutrients. I make up a gallon of water and add my nutrients to that gallon then pour that into my res. but yes you can add the nutrients to the res if you prefer directly, just do not mix the nutrient trio's together without water, that causes nutrient lockout.

JP



JP
 
How much did you pay for the electronic distiller? I just looked on amazon and they're pretty expensive. Most of them are over $300.
 
get the EC meter first and check your tapwater ppm, if it's too high then get a RO filter
 
ouch i paid a little over 100 for mine.

I would opt for a ro/di filter instead of a distiller. you get zero ppm water from them. perfect for mixing nutrients.
I totally agree with Zim, get a meter first.

JP
 
I will look into the ro/di system.
I have an ultraviolet sterilizer from a pond that I'm not using. Has anyone ever used one of these?
Also, need more info about co2, OS it pumped into the air in the grow box or into the water in the res?
 
I will look into the ro/di system.
I have an ultraviolet sterilizer from a pond that I'm not using. Has anyone ever used one of these?
Also, need more info about co2, OS it pumped into the air in the grow box or into the water in the res?

Its pumped into the air.. You can grow without it and have success all the CO2 will do is give you a bigger yield. And you cant use Co2 unless you have a sealed environment.
 
Have you decided on a cabinet or tent? Sterilite makes a four shelf cabinet which is easy to work with. i light proofed it with Mylar windshield shade. I cut holes for an intake, and a exhaust fan using a dremmle rotary tool and one small hole for the power strip you will use to power the cabinet. I traced then cut out a shelf so the res would sit down a bit more. I cut it out and fit the res in the shelf and hung it.

Then i hung my lights with YO YO hangers, (which suck btw) i went cheap on them and they barely work for what i need them for. you can use chain or rope to hang the cfl.
If you use the vanity idea, get a short board to mount it to then hang from chains.

important thing is to have the cfls close to your plants to avoid stretching.

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JP
 
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