How to build and maintain your own custom bubbler DWC grow

[deftdrummer]

7-17-07 Day #28 of Flowering.
Cab Temp: ~ 75F
RH: ?
Nutrient Temp: 74F
PPM: 1100
pH: 5.7

Ok, I apologize for not posting as frequently, but if you have been following along you know its been a bit hectic in the garden. I will attempt to catch everyone up.

First off, the pump that went out was replaced later the same day. The new pump is a lot better for now but I think for the next grow we will probably do a complete nutrient delivery and air stone overhaul with better pumps that cost only a few dollars more. You can get quality air pumps inexpensively at a local hydro shop.

Second, we had big problems with the spider mites on all plants. We have been spraying daily with bugzyme and we were beginning to think that it was not doing anything to the mite population. I also mentioned that we got a hotshot pesticide strip which we also thought was not working. We used one of these hot shot strips on our last grow however, and didn't see but one mite the entire grow. The only concern of ours (and others) is that these hot shot strips release pesticides into the air that are not suitable for human environments. If you are going to be eating, sleeping, breathing the chemicals from these it can be hazardous to your health - it even says so on the warning. We were faced with a difficult decision as you know, so we had to decide to lose the whole crop due to mites, or eradicate ourselves of them as quickly as possible. We even went as far as to call in to the local hydro shop to see what the pricing was for P. Persimilis which is the natural predator of the spider mite. Persimilis is also a mite but feeds on spider mites at a rate of about 10-20 a day. Our local store said they can special order them for us since they are very perishable and need to be used right away.

We were going to do this in the next day or so but when I woke up this morning and checked on the plants there was not a single mite alive. All the mites in the webs were dead and the ones walking were dead in their tracks. We are going to spend the next few days with Q-tips trying to get rid of as many mites as we possibly can so the smoke is better in the long run.

As far as the growth goes, the buds are starting to fatten up and smell like the stanky danky we all love and admire. There are trichomes all the way out to the tips of the leaves. Here are some pics

[deftdrummer]

Here are some close up's of the buds. I know why they call it grandaddy purple now! :stoned:

[deftdrummer]

and yet even more. Soon I will master my camera but it is a bit tricky, especially with the lighting.

[palerider7777]

thats what i like to see,

[deftdrummer]

7-18-07 Day #29 of Flowering.
Cab Temp: ~ 75F
RH:
Nutrient Temp: 74.3F
PPM: 1160, 1198, 1240
pH: 5.38, 5.45, 5.51

The pH has lowered a bit since yesterday when we put it at about 5.7 but we are going to leave it and let it rise on it's own to about 5.7

Now is the time something with higher lumens than a 400W would come in handy but there's not much we can do. Actually, we are currently not using our mother chamber and could take out or T5 HO fluorescent but there is no place to hang it really in the grow chamber. That would be perfect for the lower bud sites, especially since we are moving the plants daily and rotating them.

[deftdrummer]

7-23-07 Day #34 of Flowering.
Cab Temp: 78F
RH: ?
Nutrient Temp: 78.4F
PPM: 1205, 1246, 1351
pH: 5.8, 5.76, 5.5

Update, the buds are getting super crystalized and are looking great. We are half way through flowering so we should have something to smoke on here in the next month maybe a little sooner. I will probably go to wal mart some time today to buy another temperature / humidity gauge so we can be more accurate with our postings. We have been keeping the pH a little higher since they seem to be responding well and producing lots of trichomes. Lately the pH has been going down a little bit when the water evaporates from the reservoir so when we top off the pH goes back up which works out quite well with not having to add anything other than water. The day after tomorrow we will be going on a small two day vacation so we will have a friend come over and top off all the plants for us each day, then we will need to do another nutrient change when we come back on Friday.

[Earthy Dank]

yummmm... trichomes everywhere... You better order a bubblebag so you can make some hash... I can wait to get one.

[horror business]

What an amazing thread. Thanks. I had been looking for a good thread on a home made DWC bubbler. I have a few questions though. First, I don't want to utilize the drip system, just the DWC. So, would a lid like this more suit my needs?: Worm's Way - Bucket Lid I plan on using this bucket: Worm's Way - Black Bucket with Handle .

Assuming that would work, as soon as a I transplant a seedling into it, would I need to run the air stone 24 hours? Or, is it too young? Also, since I'm not utilizing the drip system I'd assume I'd need to keep the water level up to at least the net pot until it's roots grow, right?

Another question I have is what can I use to cut a hole for the tubing to the air stone? I don't plan to drill on the bottom, but a little underneath the lid, that way I won't have to worry about leaking, although I'll still use aquarium sealant to seal it. But the plastic buckets look pretty thick, so what do I cut them with to make holes?

I'm also wondering, when you change your reservoir, what do you do with the lid/net pot with the plant and it's root mass during that time?

Peace,
:rasta:

[orangeman]

Wow. Those plants look very amazing. Only 34 days of flowering and those things are very developed. Love the trichome development. Deft I have a question, do you have MSN or AIM or something like that? I promise I will try not to annoy you .

[horror business]

Since the tubing is 1/4" could I simply use a 1/4" drill bit, and use that to drill my hole, and then seal it with aquarium sealant? Again, I'm using the bucket and lid shown in my above post as long as you think that will do.
Peace,
:jointsmile: