Dwc & aeroponics

Beginner Autoflower Suport
#1

Hey y’all, I am new here and wondering if anyone has grown autoflowers in a DWC AEROPONICS setup?
If so, how long have u been growing hydros? What nutes do you use? What water temp has been best for you? Do u use dry or wet nutes? Are nutes for DWC’s ‘organic’ or synthetic? Should I scrog/sog autos in your experience? Have you grown autos under 24 hour light?
Curious minds want to know?

I am 69 y/o and new to all of this. I am learning all i can about hydroponically grown cannabis.
Thanks for any and all input to my silly questions.
G

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#2

@GOLLO welcome to the forum. While I haven’t personally I’m quite sure someone here has and I am interested as well, this is a method I am looking into trying out in the future.

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#3

Thanks. I will be watching for any new posts on the subject.

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#4

@GOLLO and @Rye you both are in luck! Many years of research I dig into hydro and it was my first several grows ever. So first I want to express to you the pros / cons. I don’t want you wasting money on basically what are advanced methods of growing. There’s multiple forms of hydroponics which includes soiless mediums and aeroponics. If you’re wanting to do true Hydro, you have several options like Recirculating DWC (deep water culture), making DWC buckets, or a Flood and drain style setup. Personally compared to soil I won’t grow hydro again. Unless you’re working with 6+ plants in a 25 gallon reservoir you’ll be checking PH every 2-4 hours and balancing it consistently that often. I spent 6+ hours a day when I worked in hydro under 25 gallon reservoirs and now I spend maybe an hour a day with soil. Another massive key con to think about is since your roots are directly being fed and are in contact with accessible nutrients, shocking, deficiencies, ph imbalance will all massively effect your plant. Even being out of range for 2-3 hours can effect end harvest. Hydroponics is not cheap either. It’s about two to three times the price of soil / organics. Also to consider there are very FEW true organic hydroponic blends as the microbes tend to block up piping. So you’ll be working with salts or solvents. Which that’s another thing all in itself as science says flushing can’t extract any chemicals developed in already developed bud so you have to be okay using salts or solvents. Personally I grow only organic and that’s soil for me. Keeps my girls healthy and happy like me. So pros for hydro is if you’re in a 25 gallon reservoir and you’re working with multiple plants you can stabilize it and you’ll have stable PH for 3-5 days depending on res size. You’ll have less chances of pests with hydroponics. Your roots will stay clean and you can monitor them directly. One major con though - LOTS of water means very real chance of leaks, meaning water + electrical stuff = fire. So lots to think about. Hydroponics is just seriously a lot more in-depth and if you truly want to do it justice and have a good time you’ll be spending $500+ on a good setup. Just for the Hydro stuff not the lights or tent. Just strictly hydroponic gear.

#5

To answer your other questions - 68-73 degrees are the temps you want to be in - for colors during flush 55-60 is a good temp (I use ice). 24 hours ALWAYS on Autoflowers. Due to the way they’re bred they take forever to enter a REM cycle so sleep periods are useless for them. Instead add a slow release C02 like TNB naturals or Exhale c02 bag. I generally won’t use ANY dry nutes ever in hydro. Clogs things and can promote growth of bacteria. I used Heavy 16 - they’re a par synthetic blend but they are the closest you’ll get to a full organic line for hydro.

#6

Perspective also - my first ever yield off two plants collaboratively in hydroponics was 92 grams. 6 hours a day or more, 5 gallon dwc bucket which is the most popular hydro setup. My first organic soil grow in a 5 gallon grow pot, 1 hour a day (training days excluded), 184 grams from 1 plant. Was way smoother of an experience hahaha

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#7

Hey dude, thanks for hitting me back so soon.

In the age of covid, and because of my physical limitations, I’m gonna try aeroponics first. I am confident I can pull this off. Why? I don’t know, but if I don’t try, even if it is my first time, I’ll never know.

Man your knowledge knocks me out!!! Your extensive study of ruderalis is so cool.

I can sit @ my desk, turn my chair around and work on the plants every day. I won’t/don’t have trouble checking PH every day, or twice/thrice a day.
I tinker, having built 2 computers and building two more (raspberry pi’s) for my house, and being a firefighter, tinkering is a way of life. I have no job or anyone I have to report to, no pets, so it is possible to do, it takes patience, which I’ve been told I have an overabundance of & help, which y’all have/will provide(d).

Thanks once again for schoolin’ me. I hope I don’t come off as an arrogant, as all knowing EVERYTHING ABOUT GROWIN’, cannabis grower. No!!! I am as dumb as a rock.
“All that I know is that I know nothing”. Someone named Anon wrote that. I believe it. Look at all of the prepositions I leave at the end of sentences!!! :call_me_hand:t5: :v:t6:

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#8

@GOLLO hell yea man!!! Much love and thank you for the kind words! And nah not by any means you came across very nicely man! Aeroponics is a ton of fun - so run your ideal system you’d like to run by me and I can help point you in directions and give tips - there’s a few ways you can adjust PH - one natural way is acids but they add PK to your reservoir - I can honestly give you a full list of nutrients in powder form for hydro / aeroponics reservoirs for feeding that won’t clog tubes. Just gimme an idea of what you’re running so I can give dosages proper! :smiley:

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#9

Having all that time is going to make your girls blossom and you’ll have a very clean product! :smiley: can’t wait to see these beauties you grow!

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#10

Thanks dude. I’ll be checking in on your videos, and asking many more questions in the future, as soon as I get my cabinet. I’ll be starting a journal too.
Thanks again for all of your help and positive reinforcement.
Peace be unto you & yours,
G :v:t6: :call_me_hand:t5: :eyeglasses: :older_adult:t6:

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#11

Hey dude, if I pre-mix all of my soil in a covered black bin, and use half of it, how long will the remainder keep before it goes bad?
How do I get into your Patreon community? Where do I sing up for the $3 monthly group?
Thanks again, your info is fresh. :call_me_hand:t6: :v:t6:

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#12

@GOLLO hey man! You can keep soil for a fairly long time - generally up to 6 months, just open the container every so often allowing fresh air exchange and mix up your soil. Moves moisture around and prevents mold buildup.

#13

I’ve seen quite a few photos that show red/purple stems. Is that an indication of some kind of deficiency?

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#14

Are there any soils out there that don’t require adding amendments? One that can be used from seedling to harvest?

:sunglasses: :smile: :alien: :v:t6: :vulcan_salute:t6:

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#15

Look up living soil, as well as super soil. Theres several recipes for each one, and quite a bit of information on each.

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#16

Thanks Rye :sunglasses: :v:t6:

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#17

Does SCROG or SOG work best for DWC & AEROPONICS? My first grow will be autos and I want to maximize the 2’x 3’x 6’ space. :sunglasses: :v:t6: :eyeglasses:

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#18

Do regular (both sexes in the bag) autos take as long the show their sex compared with photoperiods??? :sunglasses: :v:t6: :eyeglasses:

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#19

@Kronic that was timely advice about the soil. Luv this forum!!

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#20

Ive used miracle grow from seedling to harvest they done really well .i like making my own i like the challenge

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