Quote Originally Posted by PdoubleOTY
when i am older and live in a home with hopefully a good salary job, this is the kind of grow i want to have..you and crispi both have taken DWC buckets to crazy levels..medium sized rooms filled with light and ventilation and then HUUUUGE plants...man i cant wait to have all of that! good luck and enjoy the medicinal benefits of that harvest :thumbsup:


edit: you wouldnt happen to have a parts list and some made up directions for how you built your dwc system?i have 2 5 gal dwc i grow in, but they arent recirculating..the whole plumbing and sealing shit seemed really difficult, and since im only growing a few plants i can deal with not having a recirculating system....but if its simple and semi inexpensive, i would like to set one up
It is quite simple and inexpensive to build the buckets an recirculation. Its everything else that starts to cost money. The IGS environment controller computer, the 10,000 BTU air conditioner, the many osscilating fans, the air pumps, the 5 gallon things of nutrients, etc etc etc... Thats what costs money, so this system can be taken to whatever level you want.

I have done this system as small as 4 plants in a 5x5 closet with wonderful results. The # of buckets is completely up to you, and this will detirmine your size of reservoir and the type of water pump you use.

The parts necessary for recirculation are 1/2" hose, 3/4" hose, 1/4" hose, 1/4" 90 degree barbs, 1/4" straight barbs, 1/4" air hose (I use clear as it differentiates between water and air), 3/4" Ebb and Flow (Flood and Drain) bulkhead fittings (for the buckets and reservoir, 1/2" E & F bulkhead fittings, as many 3/4" and 1/2" 90 degree elbows, on/off valves, and T fittings as you need. Finally you need your water pump and your reservoir(s). For a much more detailed list of construction and parts, search my past threads in the Search function.

For 4 plants, I used a 350gallon per hour pump, which is excessive but I had it laying around. For only 4 buckets, youd be fine with a 200gph but its nice to get a bigger one incase you expand in the future (since magnetic drive pumps dont wear out any faster even if they arent putting out their maximum output). I would use a 20 gallon reservoir (A rubbermaid tote works great), as it fits easily between or amongst the 4 buckets. The pump sits in the reservoir, pumping the water into the top of the buckets via the 1/2" to 1/4" line. The water sprays against the 6" Netpot, keeps the medium and rootball wet, and adds water. The 3/4" line recirculates the water back to the reservoir via gravity. You must have your reservoir the same height as the buckets because the level of water in the reservoir determines the level of water in the buckets. This takes a few tries to get right.


The absolutely most important part about DWC and Recirculating DWC is your water temperature. You can have everything else absolutely perfect but if your water temp is not controlled, its a good chance you will have problems. That is why 68 degrees F is your golden number. This is the best combination of available dissolved oxygen in the water that will keep any pathogens from forming and keep everything very clean. Anything cooler and you will stunt growth, anything hotter and you will most likely run into root rot. For this reason, I use a 1/4 horsepower water chiller for my big room. This can lower 150 gallons of water by about 15 degrees, meaning it can lower 75 gallons over 30 degrees. It works absolutely amazing and is the single best purchase I have made.

That being said, I have completed more then one recirculating DWC grow without a chiller and with great awesome white roots and good yields. However, I kept the temperatures very very low in the closet (usually between 60-70 degrees F), I used an 8" fan to exhaust (thats a lot of CFM for a small closet), and I put ice in the reservoir anytime it got warmer then 68 degrees. Sure, the water got as high as 75 degrees plenty of times but if you keep things clean, use a supplemental cleaner like Hygrozhyme, you will be fine.



The latest pictures. Started the 8th week yesterday. Flushing for the last 7 days. Just water.