Bubbler DWC Tutorial - PART 8

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Bubbler DWC Tutorial - Part 8

This tutorial has been copied and pasted from 420magazine.com

Everyday for the past two weeks, I check my pH in the evenings, and my pH is 7.1 to 7.6. I drain one quart out of each reservoir with a syphon hose, and replace it with a quart of cool water with a measured 1/4 teaspoon of pH DOWN, dropping the pH to about 5.8 to 6.1, on average. Ocassionlly it goes to 5.6 at the lowest. Daily, once a day, I soak my wash clothes, roll them up tight and lay them on the tanks, to help increase humidity and to block light from shining on the reservoir lids. I also put cups of water on the reservoir lids too. Every other day, I re-arrange the lights. I have three lights over each tank, now, two 6500K and one 2700K. Every other day, I move them around, so that one plant does not get more of one spectrum than the other. For the past 4 days in a row, I raised my lights up a 18 inches high for ten minutes, and I Misted (sprayed) them with plain water. Today, I added 1/4 dose of GROW nutes that would go in one gallon of water, to my spray water, and I will mist them daily with that water. I really believe in Foilage Spray. For a week, I have seen tiny white specs on my cubes. That is perfectly OK, it is mineral salts, from my well water. The white spots are gritty and have no odor. If it was mold, it would be slimey, mushey, grow or increase rapidly, and smell bad up close. Today I moved my tanks closer to the center of the closet, so that they all share the lights, and I raised my air pumps higher, so the lights do not shine on them and heat them any. Three days ago, I got my first smell of the skunk cat urine smell. I will do something about it soon. Lets look at them after the TOPPING on about the 12th day AFTER Sprouting. Once tank is really 15 days and one tank is really 11 days after sprouting because I had to replace some duds and bad or dead sprouts. The bucket is 15 days. I am spliting the difference and using September 1st as the Start Date from here on out, averaging the start days. I'll call this the 12th day of VEG, on average. This tank is really 7 days after sprouting but I need an average day or start date to track the growth, so from here on out, I am using September 1st as my Start Date.

12 Days from Sprouting


Today I did a complete DRAIN and REPLENISH, to all three reservoirs. I balanced the pH to 5.7 to 6.0 on all three containers.
I added a full dose of nutes to the reservoir that has the older plants, and I added 3/4 dose of nutes to the bucket, (because it has 4 gallons of water and not 6 gallons, and has 3 plants and not 6 plants).
In the tank with the younger plants, I used 3/4 dose of nutes.
I got out the ppm meter, I have a nice Truncheon ppm meter. It uses the 500 or the .5 reading (same thing) in opposed to the 700 meters. The tank with full nutes read 560, which is 400 on the Hanna chart.
My bucket was a ppm of 420, or 300 Hanna ppm. My young tank was between 250 and 300 Hanna or 400 Truncheon ppm.
Those readings are after I subtract the ppm reading of my well water.

I do not really rely on the ppm readings to tell me whether to add nutes or not. For me it is just a rule of thumb or a helpful guide to go by. My meter does help determine whether they are eating or not, and how much, but without the meter, I would still know anyway, by their appearance.

They are STINKING BAD NOW!

Let me tell you, if you have not ever been around In-Door Growing Indica Pot Plants, THEY STINK BAD! Worst than when the cat pees in the middle of the floor!


I did not invent or create this Odor Bucket. I found it for sale on the Internet for $139.00 plus shipping. I call it -------'s because it is mine and I built it.

Pot is going to stink and stink very stong too. Even in a cabinet or a closet behind closed doors, the smell or odor will spread all over the entire house. I have smelled my grow when I was outdoors, from inside the spare bed room closet.

I do not grow with HID lights, I use CFLS and for that reason, I do not need to VENT the HEAT. And also, for that reason, I do not use a Carbon Odor Filter Scrubber. I do believe a Carbon Odor Filter Scrubber is best, but it will cost more than my DIY BUCKET.


The pics tell the story, bit I start with lots of holes. My bucket and lid cost $5.00 from Walley World.







I did the square holes with an electric Dremel Cutter, but a razor knife or heated knife blade will do the trick.


I use ONA and prefer the fresh Linen Scent. I have used Febreeze too and it works OK, but not as good and does not last as long. You can also use Pine Sol, but Pine Sol masks the odor, or covers it up. ONA really neutralizes it and eliminates it. And avoid the cheap ONA imitations, they do not work!






Either a 9 or 10 inch round fan (aka muffin fan) is used. They are only $8.95 from Walmart, and Lowes has them during the Winter Time.

The 9 or 10 inch fan fits perfectly into the top of the bucket. If you use a smaller fan, I suggest you install it into the lid.

I could have easily removed the stand from the fan, but it worked well with it, so I left it attached.

The fan pulls the air and odor from the room into the bucket, and pushes it into the ONA Gel and water placed in the bottom of the bucket. The air escapes from the holes, but without the odor.

I have tried cheap and expensive Ionizers, carbon filters, electric Febreeze filters, and they do not work well at all.
I have tried charcoal and I have tried cheap smelly substitutes, but the ONA really, really works. I sometimes use the solid blocks but I like the chunks in liquid or the GEL best. I just add a little, like 1/6 of the big jar, and it lasts for weeks. I can dildute it with water or cat liter, to make it last even longer.

I 've seen a computer fan on a 3 gallon bucket, but a 5 gallon bucket without the lid is only $4.

AND, with 6 inches of water added in the bottom of the bucket to make the GEL last longer, it increases the humdiity too.


I would not recommend or suggest this, if it did not work and work very good too. I have seen many other growers duplicate it and eveyone says it works GREAT

Here you see my growing buddy's Odor Bucket in his grow room. His name is Olias!

He said:

Bucket I found around the house 0$ cost!
8" Desk Top Fan WalMart fits perfectly using the bucket handel to lock it down I think it was 9.99$
ONA Gel Block $6.95

Works GREAT!

I sincerely believe that growing pot is one of the most magical, mystical, religious, spiritual experiences we can accomplish here on this earth.

I believe that growing pot brings us to a union with some sort of angels, or great spiritual beings, or LORDS of POT GROWERS, or some high and mighty spiritual beings.

I think that growing pot is watched over by some sort of angels, or great spiritual beings that guide us and the plant's growth.

I think there is a Lord or Angel of the water, of the light (or sun), of the air (or oxygen), that brings it all together for us, leading us to a great spiritual experience.

I think there is a big reason that the Creator God made pot have 600 to 1200 seeds on a plant, and made it very hardy and nearly indestructable and easy to grow and thrive and flourish.

I think it is miraculous that I can run over an outdoor plant with a pickup truck, and flaten it out on the ground, and it will continue to grow.(I've done it)

And I think it is miraculous that I can pull up a male plant outdoors, and throw it ten yards away on rocks and dirt in the woods and it will lay there and struggle to still live and survive and it's roots will dig into the dirt seeking food. (I've seen and done it)

I think there is a reason pot grows in every hemisphere that plants can grow in.

I think it is magical and mystical that a pot plant knows whether there is a plant of the opposite sex or same sex in the general area or vicinity of that plant. Even more amazing is the fact it can make a HERMIE just to insure it gets fertlized and continues to grow.

I think it is miraculous that I can plant a seed outdoors in March, April or May, and another one in July, and August, and they will all bloom at the same time. (yea, I know, I know)

And I think it is a miracle that I can take something the size of a pot seed and get enough buds to keep me and a few friends high for so long and for so many times.

Many years ago, I made a study of secret religions and early religions, esoteric religions.

There was a Jewish sect, one of three, that lived a life like monks, in the desert, named the Essenes. It was during the life time of Jesus, before and after. They were a secreative group, hid in the dessert and did not make themselves known much until 200 A.D. They would go into the city and fill their pockets with soil and waste, like sewage and garbage, and take it back to their dessert home and bury it in rows in the sand and grow food.
They were the sect of jews that Jesus favored and often visited. John the Baptist was associated with the Essenes. The Essenes were one of three sects of jews, but they shunned the Pharisees and Saduceses.

The Essenes believed in a Heavenly Father, Jehovah God, but they also believed in an Earthly Mother, based on Sophia, duality to Jehovah, the Goddess of Wisdom. They believed in Heavenly Angels and Earthly Angels too, and the Earthly Angels were the angels of the water, the angels of earth (soil) and the angels of the air, and that they all communed together to make things grow. Growing food was a very religious experience to them because they were communing with the angels.

I believe likewise. I have like 20+ books about them.

Do you see the 12 ounce styrafoam cup of water hidden in between the three plants? It helps raise humidity.

They are growing very rapidly. Temps stay at 82 to 84, Humidity is at 46 to 52%.
I am adding about three quarts of water daily now, and and additional 1/8 packet (dose) of nutrients, daily. They look healthy enough to me, and the growth rate is very satisfactory. I am impressed!
Over each tank now is one 105 watt 6500k bulb, (one is spiral, one is tube type) one 85 watt 6500k bulb, and one 65 watt 2700k bulb. Over the bucket is one 4100k 105 watt spiral bulb, one 85 watt 6500 bulb, and one 65 watt 6500 bulb. I rotate and move the bulbs around every day, just re-arranging them over the plants.
Almost every day or every other day, I come home to a pH of about 6.8 to 7.0. I lower it to 6.0 almost every evening, on average. Some evenings it is 6.7 or 6.8, but I still lower it to 6.1 to 5.8. I can do it in one step normally, using 1/4 measured level teaspoon of powdered pH Down to two quarts of 7.0 water.

Let me stop here and tell you a few things.

I have seen a grow done with only one 42 watt 6500k bulb.

I have seen a grow done with only one 42 watt 2700k bulb.
They had one plant, it got two feet tall, and they got 1/4 ounce to 1/2 ounce of buds.

I have seen many grows done with two 42 watt bulbs, two 65 watt bulbs, and two 85 watt bulbs. My first grow was done with two 65 watt bulbs, and one 85 watt bulb and I got 5 ounces of buds from 4 plants.

A couple of days later.









This is the closet from a distance.

I believe in HIGH Humidity and 24/7 Movement with a fan, during the Grow - Veg cycle.
Consider how much it rains in the rain forrests of Bolivia and parts of South America? or Africa? or where ever?
I mist them often, and they love it. ( I don't suggest misting often with HID lights)


To get the temp down and the humidity up, try these:

You need a fan pulling heat out and a fan pulling cool air in.
You have to have an oscilating fan on the plants 24/7.
Lay wet rolled up like a cigar wash rags everywhere.
Hang a soaking wet bath towel on a cloths hanger and let it drip into a pan or bucket.
Put a frozen milk jug of water in front of a fan or let it drip into something by putting a pin hole in it.
Get a bucket, put ice in it or frozen water and blow a fan into the bucket, blowing cool air everywhere. And you can put Pine Sol or ONA in the bucket for Odor Control.
Put saucers and cups and pans of water everywhere.
Mist the plants with plain pH water.
Put Frozen cups of water on the lids and everywhere around the plants.
Insulate the reservoir with towels or blankets.
Cover the lid with something wet.
Put the air pumps where the Lights do not shine on them or heat them.

I am going to pinch or snip with scissors the top 1/4 inch from each plant today again.
Daily, I raise the lights two feet higher, spray (MIST) them with plain water once a day, and once a day I mist them with water mixed with 1/6 does of VEG nutes.
They are on full dose of nutes, giving me a ppm of about 1000 counting my water's ppm.

Well, I am doing something else that not everyone agrees with,
Deliberate Stretching! My plants are very tight bushes and the CFL lights are not able to penetrate down into the plant.
And I want to do some training soon, (bending them over) and so I raised my lights up from two inches to about 18 inches last night. What I am doing is called

DELIBERATE STRETCHING.

When we grow in small spaces, especially in areas that do not offer a lot of room for HEIGHT Growth, we often worry about STRETCHING. STRETCHING comes from having the lights too high up from the plants. IF you have limited Height Room, this info is NOT for you.
But if you have ample room for Height Growth, and are growing INDICA strains, I suggest you learn how to DELIBERATELY STRETCH your plants to create more room between the nodes for LIGHT to penetrate and Air to circulate.

I am getting questions everyday asking about Trimming Off Fan Leaves to make room for the light to get down in the plant, to let the light get to the smaller leaves and lower leaves.
IF you have plenty of room, and are growing in HYDRO, then go to your grow area and raise the lights 18 to 20 inches up higher than you previously had them, for half a day, or 12 to 24 hours. IF growing in soil, raise them for 24 hours, 18 inches too high.
Then, after the time period passes, lower the lights back to where they were.

You can do this anytime in VEG but I start STRETCHING the end of the 2nd week, or in the 3rd week.

You will see a GROWTH Spurt in Height, and more room between the nodes, as the plants STRETCH to the Light.

I am offering this advice from experience, and not from anything I read in a book. It works for me, but I have plenty of HEIGHT space.

IF you break a CFL


IF YOU BREAK A BULB...
1) Open a window before cleaning up, and turn off any forced-air heating or air conditioning.

2) Instead of sweeping or vacuuming, which can spread the mercury around, scoop up the glass fragments and powder. Use sticky tape to pick up remaining glass fragments or powder. Wipe the area clean with a damp paper towel or wet wipes.

3) Dispose of the broken bulb through your local household hazardous waste program or recycling program. If that service is unavailable in your area, place all clean-up materials in a trash container outside the building.

4) Wash your hands after cleaning up.

5) If vacuuming is needed afterwards, when all visible materials have been removed, vacuum the area and dispose of the vacuum bag in a sealed plastic bag. For the next few times you vacuum, turn off any forced-air heating or air conditioning and open a window before doing so.

Daily Maintenance

Check reservoir for water level and pH and adjust and replenish.
Look at the water, for algae, insects, larvae, and trash.
Check Temp around grow area and check Humidity.
Check Water Pump and feeder tubes for clogging and not feeding .
Check for crimpted or folded air tubes.
Look under the plant canopy, look into or inside the plant for bugs, larvae, insects, dead leaves (remove the 90% dead ones). Examine the top and bottom leaves.
Look for discoloration, and leaf tip yellowing. It is very normal and natural for one or two bottom leaves to yellow, dry and fall off from each plant. Look for leaves curling down (nute burn) and curling up (too much heat).
Check Temp of water in reservoir daily, and weekly look at roots.
Hygiene. Yes, I mean cleanliness. Clean up the area, the lid, the reflective material. Keep the area clean.
Raise bulbs to proper height daily.
Re-arange bulbs every other day, swapping positions.
Daily properly mist with plain pH water in VEG cycle. Every other day, to 3 days, mist with a foilage spray.
Move the oscilating fan to a different location, if only 3 or 4 inches.
Replenish whatever you are doing to increase the Humdity.
Check your Odor Control.

---

I want you to look at and study the first two sections of this chart. The first two sections are for hydroponic growing. The 2nd two sections are for SOIL growing and not relevant here. The chart shows how you need some pH fluctuation for the plant to eat or absorb all of the nutrients. It shows that the pH has to be above 5.8 for Magnisum (MG) to be absorbed, but has to be lower than 5.8 for Calcium (CA) to be absorbed.

Consequently it is good and normal for the pH to go up and down to some degree so that all the nutrients are used.

Mistakes I made with the Deep Water Culture System in the beginning and on my first grow:


You should start the pre-soaked seeds in the cubes, in the system, with the water flowing, but with NO nutes.
You should start 2 or 3 EXTRA seeds in a wet paper towel to replace the plants that are duds, deformed or runts.
DO NOT USE THE SYSTEM TO RINSE THE HYDROTON ROCKS. AND rinse those rocks ten times, over and over in a collander, until the water runs clear.
DO NOT LISTEN TO ANYONE OFFERING ADVISE THAT IS A SOIL GROWER OR HAS NOT USED THIS SYSTEM.
I wish I had added 1/4 nutes at the first sight of 4 full leaves, and another 1/4 daily or as I saw new odes appear.
I wish I had done 24/7 lights THE FIRST DAY, and NOT gradually built up to 24/7.
I wish I had not tried 18/6 Lights, BIG WASTE OF TIME.
When it was time to flower, I wish I had not wasted the time gradually going to 12/12. BIG MISTAKE.
I wish I had not went for the SOG grow and had VEGGED 5 FULL WEEKS, and then started BLOOMing to get a bigger yield.
I wish I had not taken any advise about additives, and supplements.
I wish I had used an extra air stone the first grow.
I wish I had used some SIDE LIGHTS the first grow. You get a bushier plant and more tops.
I wish I had not listened to anyone who said to LOLLIPOP or remove the big fan leaves near the bottom.
I wish I had snipped (Topped) the tops off, about one half inch, at 2 and 4 weeks, along with the ends of any large branch.
I wish I had never done anything thinking "I wonder what will happen if I ...............................?"
I wish I had not added miracle grow to the tank. BIG MISTAKE, THE NUTES FROM SH ARE PERFECT!
I wish I had made cup covers the first grow.
I should not listen to "they say........." or "I heard that.......".
I was very wrong about doing a SOG.
I WAS WRONG ABOUT MIRRORS AND TIN FOIL.
I was not putting the cube low enough in the cup. Put it half way down.
I was WRONG about introducing the nutes THE FIRST DAY.
I wish I had butted the tube right into the side of the cube.
I was VERY Wrong about City WATER, (It is probably better, but do not let it sit)
I DO Advise going for large plants, you can do 3 or 4 in the one tank.
You DO need to soak the cubes.
I wish I had learned to DRAIN AND REPLENISH more often, earlier.
I wished I had checked the feeder tubes more often to see if they were still connected to the hub AND NOT CLOGGED.
I wish I had learned how to let the pump empty the tank, instead of siphoning it out.
I wish I had learned to pH the water first, then add the nutes.
I wish I had spent the $39 to $59 on a pH meter, earlier.
TEST STRIPS work just fine, they are just not as precise.

I WAS WRONG IN WANTING TO KEEP DOING SOMETHING. YOU CAN REST AND LET THE SYSTEM DO THE WORK.

Trimming, Pruning, Fimming, LSTing, PINCHING, TWISTING and Adding Nutes are like WORDS. AFTER they are said and done, they are said and done and you can not take them back. Like toothpaste, once you squeeze it out, you can't put it back. What I'm trying to say, that when you experiment, take it easy, don't go hog wild crazy doing anything to them. Too little is just too little and can be fixed. TOO MUCH is TOO MUCH and you can't go back and do less, it's too late. It is so easy to get stoned and ask yourself "I wonder what will happen if I...." DON'T DO THAT! If you don't know what will happen, don't do it!

Link to Part 9 - http://www.strainhunters.com/portal/forum/bubbler-dwc-tutorial-part-9