DWC Changing the Res

Indoor Growing Hydroponics
#1

I currently grow in soil/coco mix but I have everything to start a DWC grow.

I haven’t started because changing the reservoir seems like a giant pain in the ass, especially when plants are large and flowering.

Also keeping the water at the right temperature requires additional hardware, it gets hot in the summer here so I’d need a chiller for the water as well.

THinking it through in my head I could fill a bucket with fresh nutrient solution, take the airstone out of the old bucket into the new one, take the plant roots and all and plop it in there, then take the old bucket and dump the water.

Only issue I could see with this plan is I could potentially damage the root system while transferring the plant.

I googled it and a website suggested a battery operated hand pump.

Between the hand pump, chiller, changing the res and having to monitor temps EC PPM etc.
soil is looking pretty good.

How do you change the res in your DWC systems?

3 Likes
#2

I bought a small pond pump and some tubing, drain the whole res to a drain.

Plumbed in an Ice Maker Connector kit to a cold water line nearby to fill it all backup.

2 Likes
#3

I only run DWC once but with great results, fast and no pests. I had a bucket with a lead and a net pot. I made holes in that lead and passed the airstones tubes through them, so I just fill another bucket with fresh water with nutes and then pick the lead with plant and airstones hanging and put it in the new one.

The airstones were tied to a wired net like you use in barbecues and were tangled with the roots, no harm at all while changing pots … :sunglasses:

IMG-20181213-WA0018
IMG-20181213-WA0018900×1600 134 KB

9 Likes
#5

if it worked well why did you do only once?

I have two 5 gal bucket setups, I was thinking I’ll run 2 autos in the DWC and keep them in the veg tent.

#6

Because I ended with just a big plant and always had envy of those multiple jars filled with different strains I see posted here :stuck_out_tongue:. I must say it was much easier and spent two cans of LITFA as only had to change water once a week and maybe check level. It was my second grow and wasn’t yet in OG so the result will tell you how easy it was to deal with … :sunglasses:

WhatsApp Image 2018-12-27 at 20.36.53
WhatsApp Image 2018-12-27 at 20.36.531472×1166 328 KB

5 Likes
#7

2625×3500 944 KB

These kits came with a draining mechanism built in.
it doesn’t leak & works slow but well.

Everything was in boxes, I got these on ebay, $30 each came with pumps fittings tubing air stones and the lids with baskets.

The airstone and pump that came with the kit are both not very good so I got a more heavy duty air pump and larger airstones

3024×4032 793 KB

Anything you wish you’d known before you started DWC?

#8

Over thinking it man. Its simple.

You fill up a new bucket. And switch lids.

I run my air hose through one of the slots in the net pot.

3 Likes
#9

Man I dont get those kits.

I buy $3 blue lowes 5 gal buckets and a 4" net pot lid which are like $3.

GH dual diaphragm pump is a luxury pump but solid. Ive had mine for 9 years without a rebuild. Theyve gone crazy in price though. I checked recently. I paid $45 for mine. Up to $80 now

1 Like
#10

I bought all this when I was buying everything else, forgot about it until recently.

$30 for a bucket, ya, but I didn’t have to drill holes or go to the hardware store, so I’m gonna say it was worth it. Grubhub charging almost that much to deliver some tacos.

#11

Yeah i dont understand the drilling holes bit and those holes to put a tube. My dad just bought a 4 site kit for $99. It has a grommet at the bottom and some tube that goes up the outside of the bucket from that grommet. Not sure the purpose of it.

Ive been doing dwc for 9 years and would never drill holes in the buckets

2 Likes
#12

its for draining the res water.

I guess people that make these kits play on the same fear I’m having of pickup the lid and dropping it or rootball getting damaged somehow in the process of transfer.

would made more sense for the bucket to be on risers of some kind and have the drain on the actual bottom of the bucket since some old water is still left at the bottom

its probably fine to just dump new water in. We’ll see if I use the drain tubing or if lifting the lid is better.

I could get submersible pumps and longer tubing and use it as a top feeding tube, but I guess I could just run that through the net pot too.

#13

Not sure your physical limitations but a 5 gal bucket holds 3.5 gal tops. Thats like 30#

The roots arent going to get damaged. You lift the lid off and place on the new bucket. Then cart the buckets out and empty down a sink. I used my shower. Also used my shower to fill up buckets.

Ive lost so much arm muscle when I switched to RDWC. No more lugging buckets up and down stairs

4 Likes
#15

I’m running a RDWC system and I don’t change my res start to finish, unless there is an issue. :v:t4:

2 Likes
#16

I run dwc and use a bilge pump to drain the res. I don’t use buckets I use a tote. Makes life easier and at 8 gallons I can run 2 or 3 plants in each one and have to top up once a week before res change. It gets hot here as well but with the ac in the house and pumping 1000l/hr air into the 2 resivoirs the water stays about 74 deg done I keep my house at 76. Not including the lights or anything else my 2 tote 6 plant dwc cost me maybe $85 and the most expensive part was the air pump followed by the bilge pump at 29 bucks at Walmart. I would do rdwc but if one gets a root problem they all get it plus to many parts to fail or a drain get clogged and flood the room

1 Like
#17

I had the same issue and finally found out it was to see the water level of the pot in that tube … :sunglasses:

2 Likes
#18

As opposed to lifting the lid and peaking? I still dont get it

1 Like
#19

It’s because of the communicating vessels theory:

Captura

works the same in the pot, excuse the shitty drawing … :grin:

WhatsApp Image 2020-12-20 at 21.13.21
WhatsApp Image 2020-12-20 at 21.13.211600×1327 87.8 KB

3 Likes
#20

Im familiar. I just dont see the purpose of creating potential leaks for reasons such as that. I can easily lift the lid and find out.

2 Likes
#21

I thought like you and filled that hole with a sort of plastiline and there’s where the leak started … :sweat_smile:

1 Like
#22

My dad has this setup and if u bang it starts leaking.

I guess I just never saw the reason. Extra expense thats not needes

1 Like