I need to share a secret about Black Widow. This report is about the second nut. The first one I soaked 17 days earlier. On day 13, it really slowed down after the transfer, so I just left it in the sun under the strawberry plant. Now it's been through two prunings and one nitrogen deficiency (the main stem was very red). I put it in a DWC bucket. It throws roots beautifully.
What I've learned about DWC:
Use it only after 1–2 weeks of rooting.
In hot weather, enzymes really help deal with flowering. With them, pH stays stable at 5.9 even at +28°C. The solution stays clean. Also, Hesi Root helps the roots survive the scorching heat (temps around +29°C, close to critical +30). And a CO₂Bag – without it, growth would stall. She drinks little by little.
Speaking of simplicity: my DWC runs on 15 liters of solution, using the simplest setup – an AquaPot for about 22 EUR, including the air pump. That's it. And the real simplicity is in the base Hesi line: one bottle for veg, one for bloom. Compare that to Canna – they need two bottles for each stage. Minimalism wins.
In the background – the second widow, which this report is about. She's flawless and planted in 15L of coco (Simplex Coco and UGRO RHIZA). Mixed in once: Powder Feeding Bio Grow 3 g/L and Bio Bloom 4 g/L. The second one is already throwing flowers and slowing down in growth. The first one, on hydro, I switched to 12/12 several weeks later, so she's in no hurry.
I'm happy to have the chance to try the full HESI HYDRO kit on coco at +29°C and on DWC without chillers, for about 330 EUR, no pH controllers or solution meters. I like minimalism, and it makes me happy when I can make it work in growing too. I missed one week – may the doctor forgive me.