DWC feeding during night cycle?

[Neb]

DWC is really quite easy to get into biggest thing i would recommend is a good EC/PH meter and to actually use it.

[Canofbusjoe]

@G-paS

I am just nosy and check out all the new treads. You never know were you find a gem that takes you in a new direction

I was just thinking this when I saw your post. for a second I thought did I write that hahaha
I’m not really looking for a new direction please no. But you never do know when you’re going to find a gem of information around here

[Hydro921]

I put a valve before the pump in case of pump failure

[MrWizard]

And dont do like me, I hampered 2 weeks of worth of growth due to a lack of preventive maintenance.

Check your ph calibration regularly!!!

First grow after a 40 yr break, 1 plant, DWC, LED 450W

Damn, damn, damn, I should know better. Another lesson re-learned! I have been struggling with a calcium deficiency for a week now, a bad one. Checked the nutes, they were in range. Checked the pH, always surfing 5.2-6.5 Looks like calcium is available at pH of 6.2 so I thought the pH was fine. Made some adjustments here and there but nothing helped. Low and behold my pH pen was reading 0.6pH high. So when I never let it get above 6.5 I was really only letting it get to 5.9, hence calcium …

[MrWizard]

I think a check valve might be better suited in a safety context.

To close that ball valve you would have to be physically present. A check valve would prevent the buckets from backflowing through the pump even if you werent present to catch it.

[Hydro921]

That is true.
Mine runs constant. A different setup

[Bammer1082]

I keep my buckets with water at all times.

Not sure of the upside benefit to clearing the buckets out maybe more O2 uptake for a short period of time… but the plant isnt photosynthesing so I dont think it really is doing anything with the potential extra O2.

Neat setup though. My returns are at the bottom and my fill is from the top, and I do tend to get clogged return lines.

I use a 24/7 timer and circulate 8 times per day for a few mins to mix things. I keep air lines into each bucket. It’s a lazy rdwc - not a constant flow, but it keeps my rez temps lower and I dont flood anymore

[Jungle]

@MrWizard

Currently during lights out:

• Stop the nutrient pump
• Stop the air in the buckets
• The nutrients in the bucket then drain into the reservoir through the pump, emptying the buckets.
• I do keep the air blubbers turned on in the reservoir.

Nope. Just keep the pump & air running. Why starve the plants, even at night? I mean, maybe it does no good, but it does no harm. CERTAINLY you need to keep water in the buckets, I think.

@MrWizard

• Leave pump and air turned on 24 hours. Should I feed at night?
• Put a check valve in the supply line so the buckets dont drain or circulate. If so - Air on or off?
• Intermittent timer for pump/air during night cycle. If so what frequency?

In my ~35g RDWC, the air is on 24/7. The water pumps are on 24/7. The nutes are what they are 24/7. The auto-top-off in the rez is 24/7. The chiller is 24/7. The CO2 is lights-on only (of course). Environmental controls are on 24/7 (different day/night settings). Monitoring is 24/7. VPD kept 1.2-1.5 (note CO2 usage), as best as possible. Dehumidifier is available to the environmental controller 24/7, as is introduction of outside air. Lights are on a timer, of course.

[BudSy]

You could feed into the buckets from the top. So that it pours out of the pipe into the bucket. So that when the pump stops the bucket just stays full.

[TopShelfTrees1]

I’m with @Jungle my stuff stays on 24/7 . Only things that turn off are the lights and co2. Keep it simple

[MrWizard]

@Canofbusjoe

I’m no expert but as I understand it those roots are water roots not airroots and not soil roots all of which are different.

Would love to hear more about these different kinds of roots. New concept to me. Got any reading links on it?

[Canofbusjoe]

Nothing specific just read a few articles over the years relating to this. Guess that makes this more bro science than anything Google has a few articles on this. Orchids have air roots and you can’t plant those in water or soil and have the plant root itself from that The water roots are a little bit smaller and tender as they don’t need to search through soil and debris for their moisture. If you start your roots in water when you transfer to soil you should keep your soil really moist as the roots transition. soil roots are a little bit thicker and more durable.
Smoke break

[DeepWaterDean]

Keep your system running at night. Water, air, all of it.