Alien RDWC Setup and Testing

[SKELE-TORO]

 

So thats it!  They are in the system and on the way! 

I'm hoping I have an easier go this run and really hope that these new nutrients pay off... they seem a lot simpler TBH  i.e. can be used across the board in all substrates. 

Apart from the possible water quality, I really can't see what's been the problem otherwise. 

 

Lets see what happens!

again... sorry for the picture sizes. was all working ok last week? 

 

[ritch]

@SKELE-TORO very interesting, best of luck with the grow 

[SKELE-TORO]

WEEK 1 VEG:

EC: 0.7

Ph: 5.8-6.1

Temp: 19c

 

 

So...... 
I didn't do an update last week as there wasn't even a little root to be seen!!

 

But this week.. this week they have settled in nicely and the roots are ready, just hovering just above the water... more on that later !

As expected from seeds they have gone straight up, so I have decided to make the first top to try and keep the height down from the get go...
I do expect Fat Christmas Trees if the Ice shows through on the phenos though. I will just play it as I see them... I may not scrog this time. 

 

Some shots as they are situated in the tent  

They were looking a bit hungry last week but the last set of leaves has greened up now they have access to the drink.

 

What I did notice was the roots seem reluctant to get in the drink again.. It was the temperature the last time they did this from seed (as in previous diary) but this time the chiller has been on 18c (fine in my eyes) I turned it up to 19c to encourage them anyway. 

I EXPECT MASSIVE GROWTH THIS WEEK!

 

 

So far, so good.

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2017 by SKELE-TORO

[SKELE-TORO]

WEEK 2 VEG:

EC: 0.8

Ph: 5.8-6.1

Temp: 19c

 

Growth is rapid despite the roots only just diving in!

So even with that v.early topping they have decided to still go for it!

The roots have been just hovering over the water all last week so they had started looking a bit starved, but the roots are just in the drink now so new growth is nice and green. 

Looks like I'm right on their feed limit for now... got my eyes on the tips. 

 

Here they are in respective order:

 

What is it with those roots... bare feeders!  I expected a few long tap roots but nothing yet. 

 

Till next week! 

 

[ritch]

Can you check the temperatures in each pot, maybe it’s changed by the time it circulates?

[SKELE-TORO]

WEEK 3 VEG:

EC: 0.8

Ph: 5.8-6.1

Temp: ??? Fuck Knows ???

 

 

SOoooooooo. 

Extremely stressed at this minute. Just been to look at the girls for the weekly update and discovered something not so pleasant... snotty, slimy roots. 

Just my fucking luck... a NEW problem!? 
Here's an example of how quick it can turn!

 

Probable Cause: Recently the pump has been getting airlocked in the chiller line somewhere (tube leading to top input i think) as its on the floor, the same level as the header pot. 

This has been causing issues with the circulating flow and once or twice it has stopped completely. It didn't happen much on the last grow as I was in a diff tent, rdwc unit on palette in tent and chiller on floor, but even when it did, it usually cleared though after huffing on the pipe.

I've tried to reverse the pump to push the air out but even that didn't work... nothing does.. not putting chiller on its side or anything (ONLY ALIEN OWNERS WILL UNDERSTAND)
I need to find another way to install the chiller which lets me flush the air lock?

 

Anyway, yesterday I went to check and realised i have no pressure. I removed the filter to clean it and was greeted by a large amount of slime and fungus blocking the net filter. 
I panic, clean the filter, dose rez with H202, rinse the roots individually in the shower, and write this update. 

 

Now from what I read, this is GAME OVER.

H202 does nothing currently, meaning, FRESH restart, fresh clones, equipment throw out/deep clean.....  but I'm really not feeling that, and would like to at least try to rescue them.. unless it's pointless. 

I have some GREAT WHITE on the way, hoping that I can fight bad bacteria with good bacteria.  I should have got this to begin with!

 

 

So they still looking o.k considering, maybe a bit hungry, but thats understandable as they getting choked out. 
Another week of this though and they will be dead! 

 

As it stands I have 2 choices:

1. Wait for it to arrive, hope it gets here quick, renew res, dose up quick and pray! (quicker option, 4 phenos)
2. Take 4 cuttings from larger plant, hope they root quick, start again fresh with those cuttings, bennies from the start. (longer option, 1 pheno, uniform plants)

 

I need to take cuttings anyway so we'll see. 

[tecgrow]

hi buddy i feel your pain 

i have a 16 pot 55ltr alian sys runs realy well but all parameters have to be bang on 

found out the hard way 

now im using plant vitality nano series all is good but you have to run thease systems realy week i nevr go above 0.71 ec and keep ph at 6

with room temp at a steady 24-26c water at 19

i fitted a harvest master and a auto doser to help super bit of kit 

have found that the roots stunt over the water if to strong nutes and ter temp 

also using the h202 can do same if to much used

also ph in this sys will drop every day if all going good and i bring mine up with silicate rather than ph plus

also clones are the best not seed for rdwc 

and we just super crop twice during veg then 2 weeks into flower put netting over 

ill get you some pics of my latest

that are only 2 weeks in veg going into flower this weekend

 

[Guest Gojitangie]

Excuse my ignorance but this seems like a lot of effort with large margins for error, what are benefits over soil?

 

I assume it’s a quicker cycle and potentially greater yield but is that it? Appreciate that may be hugely important for some but just curious to know if there were any other advantages to this type of set up.

[tecgrow]

[tecgrow]

main reasons for this sys are mainly crop rotation and amount of y 

last year we managed 4 crops of 16 plants each with n average of 28oz per plant 

still trying to get the magic 1kg each though but my pot spacing is my draw back

a lot less nutes than run to waste no soil to get rid of etc.. 

[Guest Gojitangie]

@tecgrow Thanks for that, different scale!

[stu sleeper 20vt]

Fuck the chiller off mate and replace it with heaters...it is winter after all.

Id be choppinv all those roots back and aiming for 20-22*c

[Guest]

@tecgrow How many ounces per plant?! 

 

How many lights are you using and what type? Is one light per plant or something?

 

I use a similar method as far as topping goes and have pulled 15-16 oz each from 2 plants in 30ltr pots of coco, sharing 600 watts hps and a 200 watt LED but that's my record. Never got above it. I'm now wondering if I should start going DWC.

[tecgrow]

hey buddy iv got 8 600 metal hylide during veg and experimenting with kesil leds at the same time 

then 9 600s super lumen so for flower 

dwc is realy goodfor big crops 

cupple of things we found when starting big buckets are the best you get loads of roots that block up smaller buckets and pipes

and you have more fluid less ph and ec spikes 

maybe 2 55ltr sys to start under your light

keep nutes realy diluted if it says 2ml pltr use .5 ml

warer temp has to stay constant even when changing fluid out 

and they seem to realy take up co2 mine love it 

and get as much air in root solutiin as possible go over board with the air pumps

but put them outside your tent as they push the c02 through the water

its good to give it a go mate and when you crack it it raly rewards you 

 

 

[Guest]

@tecgrow Ah, OK so essentially one light to two plants? Still, that's 56oz per light which seems insane to me. Are you really getting 28 ounces per plant?

 

I've done a little DWC in the past so feel I could scale it up. It was my initial plant when I started growing for myself but for one reason or another I settled on coco.