Ok this is my Full guide with pictures on how to setup a Deep Water Culture grow, items you will need for this grow -
Firstly a TENT or ROOM i use a tent
REMEMBER stuff you buy NUTRIENTS off eBay and Amazon could be decanted (watered down) , or cheap chinese fakes (Ph Meters, PPM meters) you should really buy these things from you local hydroponics store,as they are guaranteed , i ve dropped a few into the bucket and they are fked,its been a sunday night with a bank holiday monday and i m fked,
1) Ph Down - makes the ph of water LOWER - this is VERY STRONG SHIT , wear gloves and googles if you are messing with it, i drop a bit into my main reservoir Ph 6.9 ( maybe 10ml per 200L)
2) Ph up - makes the Ph go higher - also STRONG SHIT -only needed in Emergencies
3) Ph meter
4) PPM Meter or EC meter
5) 20L Bucket + moulded lid netpot
6) Air Pump ,air hose 3m ,air stone x2,
7) Pebbles to fill to top of netpot,
8) ROOT IT cubes , i use these and ONLY these, by that brand,i know why,and so im telling you,
9) Seeds - I prefer Fast_Buds ,autos ready in 10 weeks of 18/6 - top quality
10) Nutrients, I use Canna as they are the easiest, they have a way of filling the one side , if you take the top off you can squeeze into the measuring side - I would also recommend Advanced Nutrients,but they are more expensive - so you will need 1L Canna Aqua Vega A+B ( it comes as two parts that you cannot mix together , when you put this into the water you MUST stir it well before putting each one in seperately otherwise you will get salts formed and crystals floating around,10 ml per 10L week 1-2 ,15ml per 10L week 3, 20ml per 10L in week 4)
1L Canna Aqua Flores A+B (as above) 25ml per 10L week 5, 30ml per 10L week 6 ,30 ml per 10L week 7 , 25ml per 10L week 8,15ml per 10L week 9, 0 per 10L week 10
250 ml Canna Rhizotonic (roots love this use this from start 20 ml per 10L and cut down after 4 weeks to 5ml per 10L up until week 9
250 ml Canna Cannazym ( breaks down dead roots, enzyme of some sort) 15ml per 10L from week 3 through to week 9
250 ml CannaBoost - (quite expensive but worth it, DWC will show you why) 15ml per 10L week 3 to 4 , 25ml per 10L week 5-9
250 ml Canna PK 13/14 (bud booster) this is optional because you only add it once,personally i add 15 ml per 10L in week 7 so its stays in for 10 days
I leave my water for at least 24 hrs before using it, in a big old olive container i bought , i think its 225 L i might be wrong, but it was cheap , solid and had a top :)
I check my water levels ,my PH and PPM daily
11) Jubilee clips x3 - to secure the fan ,filter and outlet.( 5 clips if using air cooled hood )
12) Fans - i have 2 little fans and 1 big one = think about it, outside there is always good air flow -
13) Extractor fan -mine is 6 inch
14) Carbon Filter - mine is 6 inch im not overly impressed with any brand.
15) Ducting- 5m of 6 inch easy enough,well for me...
16) Ballast - LUMATEK -i found this one amazing and switchable.
17) Lightbulb -600w HPS ALL THE WAY but i would use 1000w HPS if i could keep the heat down, they both fit in same fitting
18) Air hood - i have a MAGNUM superXXXL it has screw in holders for glass , they are quite tight
19) Timer for lights , must be good quality , I do 17 hrs on 7 off as it's more natural
20) Syringes for measuring accurately
21) Bucket to mix solutions
THE GOLDEN RULE - you can always put in but never take out - never put in too much or undiluted into the reservoir unless you really know what you are doing, less is better than too much .
Ppm v EC - you may well buy an EC meter instead of ppm meter there is an easy way to convert between the two ~ 1.0 ec = 500 ppm
EC multiply by 1000 then divide by 2 to get ppm
This diary will start shortly but as so many people ask me how to setup HERE YOU GO :)