Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

R

Roseman

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Member of the Month
January 2010
To some growers, Deep Water Culture simply means growing with BUBBLES, by using a DWC and Airstones.

Technically, Deep Water Culture is a trade-marked registered word owned by Martin Wiggett, an innovator in Hydroponics. It means using a submersive water pump feeding Oxegen, Water and Nutirents to each individual grow cup via 1/4 plastic tubes. An average of 250 new growers buy and use this system every week as growing medical marijuana becomes legal across America. These new growers are looking for advice and help on using this sytstem, and this thread is dedicated to those new growers.

Q & A?
 
Re: Stealth Hydroponics Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

What is Deep Water Culture


The world's first continuous plant feeding system, Deep Water Culture is a hybrid design that takes the best from both worlds of the Deep Water Culture (aka DWC, "bubbler") and drip systems. Since the nutrient mix is highly oxygenated, Deep Water Culture converts its drip function to a constant feed flow directly to the inner roots. Without needing to take breaks to allow the root base to drain and absorb oxygen, plants in the Deep Water Culture system are able to deliver unparalleled growth energy.

This advantage is particularly pronounced during early vegetative phases when the plant's root mass is still relatively small. Cuttings placed into the system experience no noticeable transplant shock and practically start growing immediately. In experiments measured against leading aeroponic systems, the Deep Water Culture design shaved, on average, four days from a two week growing cycle, a 30% growth rate increase over Aeroponics in the early vegetative stage; truly amazing. As the root mass of the respective plants grow larger, growth rate advantages were less evident, however, the plants in the Deep Water Culture planter maintained their 4-5 day lead over the aeroponic plants throughout the cycle.

In a series of stress tests, plants in the Deep Water Culture system performed remarkably when recovering from an over-fertilized condition. With almost the entire root mass destroyed, Deep Water Culture was able to revive 67% of the plants which started re-growing new roots and were able to complete their cycle. None of the other plants in the aeroponic products survived this stress test. The tests concluded that the Deep Water Culture system provided significant recovery advantages over other systems when it came to anything that stressed or killed that root mass.

Hub Feeding Ensures Consistency

The Deep Water Culture design is, ironically enough, one of the first hydroponic products to use real irrigation parts. This includes a hub feed system, where the main flow from the water pump is broken up into 6 smaller feeder tubes via a pressure regulating irrigation distributor. No other plant's sites are thus dependant on any other as they would be in most drip systems that use T'ed designs. This also ensures identical feeding conditions at each site.
 
Re: Stealth Hydroponics Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

My Definition of Deep Water Culture in Easy to Understand Language (Slang)

Over 2500 years ago, around 600 BC the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built. That was probably the FIRST Hydroponic growing ever done. Roots dangled in FLOWING, moving water and for the next 2500 years, man thought to grow in Hydroponics, (in water) you had to have moving flowing water. As recently as 40 years ago, Hydroponics was done mostly in rain gutter type containers, with water being pumped from one end to the other, through the roots, creating flowing water.

The popularity of fish aquariums and the invention of plastic and glass changed all of that. Man figured out the water did not have to be moving or flowing, IF it was highly oxygenated water, ie add a air pump, some air stones and make bubbles. Thus,the DWC, Deep Water Culture of roots dangling in water with air added to the water.
Then came Ebb and Flow, Aeroponics, etc and all kinds of moderations on DWC.

DWC SYSTEM Enhancements


A more modern system is the DRIP SYSTEM where a stream of water, a flow of water or a DRIP of water is delivered to each root base, or grow cup. Until a few years ago, If it was a constant stream and flow of water, it had to be delivered on a TIMER, in Increments of watering, allowing the roots to get an air bath in between flows of water, or the roots would drown and rot. Then it was learned you could just DRIP the water and let it drip 24/7, if in drops, or put that on a timer too.

A dude in Michigan, a friend of mine from Australia, Martin Wiggett, started or created Deep Water Culture, ( he registered and trademarked the word) a sort of a DRIP and FLOW combined, but it is NOT a FLOW or STREAM of solid water, but a very slight trickle of half water and half bubbles or air, so the roots get a mix of both water, air and nutes to the root base, creating a way to start seeds in the cups and grow from seed more rapidly than any hydro system can deliver. We often see the word Deep Water Culture used as slang for a DWC with bubbling air stones, but it is not exactly the same.
Deep Water Culture uses a submersive water pump, that pumps water to an Irrigation Hub, also called an Irrigation Manifold, that divides the water into 6 streams, one to each grow cup and root base. It is the MOST rapid growing system available that I can find. I can get an average of one inch growth in height daily using the Bubleponics System in the Vegging Cycle. Yes, we actually have to raise the lights daily, everyday, to allow for new growth!
 
Re: Stealth Hydroponics Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

Wow, I'm going to save my questions for the time being because I've just been reading your tutorial thread and I am sort of at a loss for words. It's just staggering what you're doing there. I can't believe the detail and complexity that you're undertaking. Man oh man. I will be glued to said tutorial for as long as it is going to take you to finish what you're doing, and once you're finished I may not even have any questions. Thanks for taking the time to explain everything so minutely. Right down to the pain in the ass pH meters! Hah, wow Roseman, you're truly a saint. My eyes are peeled. VIVA LA REVOLUCION!!!!
 
Re: Stealth Hydroponics Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

Great job Roseman! That is the tutorial that gave me the info and the confidence to go hydro. Deep Water Culture grows plants exceptionally fast and is fairly simple to get going.

I must have read that tutorial 10 times on "the other site" and I am still re reading it here. So much detail every step of the way.

Everyone should read it twice! Thanks for putting in the time Roseman!:nicethread:
 
Re: Stealth Hydroponics Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

grass stupa, yarddog,
thank you very much.
It is a labor of love moving that here, but I am slowly getting it. I have to resize the pics, then upload them to here, and then post them, and type the explanation. If I wasn't BANNED there, it would be a little easier.
 
Re: Stealth Hydroponics Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

Roseman said:

A note about nutrients.
I am using pre-packaged, pre-measurend nutrients from Stealth Hydroponics, made especially for growing with CFLS.
One small packet feeds 6 plants in 6 gallons of water. Since my sprouts are babies and are not really ready to eat a Big Mac Full Meal Deal, I am feeding them 1/4 packet of GROW Nutes and 1/4 Packet of Micro Nutes. I disolved those seperately in a quart jar of luke warm water, stirred them briskly, and added them to my tank.
I 'll tell you more about nutes (nutrients) later.

Let me review that my plants grow in two basic cycles. One cycle is called VEG, (or Vegging, or Vegetating) also called the GROW cycle.
The 2nd cycle is called FLOWER, or FLOWERING, or the BLOOM cycle.
The VEG cycle is the plant's early life of growing green leaves and becoming an adult, a mature plant capable of making babies, or making buds and seeds.
The BLOOM cycle is the formation of flowers, that turn into buds or seed clusters.
Nutrients for the VEG cycle are heavy in Nitrogen and have much less Phosphorus .
Nutrients for the BLOOM cycle are heavy in Phosphorus with much less Nitrogen.
Click to expand...


Hey Roseman,

First off I want to thank you for all the vast info related to Deep Water Culture and overall growing you have posted on this forum. Your posted info and recommendation was a key factor in my decision to order the 6 plant kit from SH.

Concerning the above quote of yours, I plan on using a 1000wt hortilux for my next grow (first grow with the SH system). This is the same light im using in my current closet soil grow (the one in my sig). Anyways, you say that the included SH are meant for CFL's, how will the differ with my HPS? What other brands of nutes do you recommend besides the SH ones?

Im sure this will be the first of many questions I have regarding this system lol so I'll just start off with saying Thank you Very Much and I sincerely appreciate any time you take to help me out!!
 
Re: Stealth Hydroponics Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

Hey Blitty D, there are plenty of growers doing the BP with GH 3 part, SH nutes, and Advanced nutrients. Pretty much all of the chemical nutes will work. Its the organics and thick gritty nutes that clog things up.
 
Re: Stealth Hydroponics Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

Blitty D said:
Hey Roseman,

First off I want to thank you for all the vast info related to Deep Water Culture and overall growing you have posted on this forum. Your posted info and recommendation was a key factor in my decision to order the 6 plant kit from SH.

Concerning the above quote of yours, I plan on using a 1000wt hortilux for my next grow (first grow with the SH system). This is the same light im using in my current closet soil grow (the one in my sig). Anyways, you say that the included SH are meant for CFL's, how will the differ with my HPS? What other brands of nutes do you recommend besides the SH ones?

Im sure this will be the first of many questions I have regarding this system lol so I'll just start off with saying Thank you Very Much and I sincerely appreciate any time you take to help me out!!
Click to expand...

There are dozens of Deep Water Culture here:
The Deep Water Culture Home that use that kit in some shape or fashion, who love helping new growers. You cna also ask me here on this thread, I will be here everyday.
You found the thread here:
Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

Watch it closely.

Also, look here:
https://www.420magazine.com/community/threads/rosemans-2009-december-harvest.108899/

Those SH prepacked nutes are weak, designed for CFL growing, and the advantage is NO MEASURING. I've done 8 grows with them, because they are simple. They are cheap too, but if you are going with HID lights, the very best (and most expensive) are the ADVANCED NUTRIENTS
from Canada , made especially for growing pot. They are awesome and easy to use and balance the pH best of all.
 
Re: Stealth Hydroponics Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

thanks for all your info on bp i'm looking for a new way to grow and thanks to you i have :roorrip: peace:
 
Re: Stealth Hydroponics Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

FrostyBuds said:
Hey Blitty D, there are plenty of growers doing the BP with GH 3 part, SH nutes, and Advanced nutrients. Pretty much all of the chemical nutes will work. Its the organics and thick gritty nutes that clog things up.
Click to expand...

Thanks for answering my question Frosty. I think I will go with the Advanced. :smokin:
 
Re: Stealth Hydroponics Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

Roseman said:
Those Advanced Nutrients live up to ther name and price! They give results and balance the pH too!
Click to expand...

:clap:
It is some good stuff! There is a great place that deals with AN discount advanced nutrients.com Stuff is cheaper then most places and they always toss in some samples of AN stuff with your orders.
 
Re: Stealth Hydroponics Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

I just had a some questions on your great grow:

1. how do you control the roots from not going into the water(water is not supposed to be directly drowning roots right?)
2. at what point do the fans(air) come in play?
3.And can you tell me how to save this thread to come back to it.
 
Re: Stealth Hydroponics Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

KcChiefa said:
I just had a some questions on your great grow:

1. how do you control the roots from not going into the water(water is not supposed to be directly drowning roots right?)
2. at what point do the fans(air) come in play?
3.And can you tell me how to save this thread to come back to it.
Click to expand...

Question #1, go here and read the first post for an answer: The Deep Water Culture Home

You will learn that by adding air stones to the water, (adding oxygen) then the roots can stay int he water 24/7 and love it and be very healthy and happy.

Question # 2 Go here:
Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY
That Tutorial is under construction but toward the end, it talks aobut Fans and the need for air movement.

# 3, You should click on User Control Panel often, and it will show you what threads you have visited that new info ahs been added, called subscribing to a thread.

I hope you hang around and come back soon.

Have you voted here yet:
420 Magazine's Member of the Month Contest: January 2010
 
Re: Stealth Hydroponics Deep Water Culture Growing Q & A

thanks man Deep Water Culture is the way to go. ohh yeah you got my vote too.
 

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