DWC Sog 4x4?

[phattybudz]

I've been trying to get hydro down and had a bunch of issues which I feel are solved now, but I'm reevaluating my system, and saw a micro sog dwc built by Connoisseur300.

My area is a 4x4 tent, and I'm thinking about what type of containers I want to use for my individual buckets. As of now I've got 6 (was going to upgrade to 9,) 4 gallon buckets. I like the advantages of the SOG method, namely less veg time. So I'm thinking if I put 4 one gallon pots in the same space that one of my 4 gallon buckets takes up, I could do 36 small plants instead of 9 large plants. This is going to be kind of expensive, so I want to make sure the concept is sound before I buy anything.

36 buckets + lids = ~$300 + tubing + connectors + possibly more air pumps (could I just feed air to the reservoir instead of each tiny bucket?)

Everything else would be connected the same, I would just run feed, return, and air lines to each small container, and they would all be hooked up to an 18 or 25 gallon rubbermaid reservoir.

I've also considered doing 4 large rubbermaid containers in the tent with many small netpots (9 per each rubbermaid?) which would be cheaper and probably easier, but I'm not sure which would work best in terms of yield.

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

Thanks!

 

[FreezerBoy]

I haven't experienced this but there are those that claim individual DWC plants drink as much as two gallons a day. 1 gallon buckets hold about 1/2 gallon of water (remember the air gap) and will require much more maintenance than the 4 gallons.

My SOG days were flood and drain in Rockwool. I get more yield from a single plant DWC ScROG than a 24 plant Rockwool SOG. The difference is root mass. The Rockwool SOG was in 4" cubes. The ScROG was in an 18 gallon tub and its root mass was over 10" in diameter and 15 " in length. Bigger roots=bigger plants=bigger buds.

There are all kinds of reasons to stick with SOG. Perpetual grows are easier (no screen to deal with). A bucket goes bad it's limited to one plants worth of damage. Move plants at will .... But, as much as reason and your room allow, I'd go with the biggest buckets you can use.

 

[phattybudz]

Thanks for the quick reply Freezer...

I'm thinking it wouldn't be worth the effort to do all those tiny containers, but how about 4 rubbermaids with 9-12 netpots each? There would be enough water to not worry about them drinking too fast I think, and I had always heard that more plants = more yield, right? I just worry about them getting cramped that way, and having to change the rubbermaid containers seems like it would be harder than buckets.

I guess it's down to that idea vs. 5 gallon buckets... 5 gallon buckets would be cheaper and easier to maintain probably, but I would have to veg longer (1 month or so?) Can I veg them that long in rockwool cubes, or would I have to buy separate net pots to hold them in while vegging?

 

[FreezerBoy]

More plants don't necessarily mean more yield. I yield more with one than I did with 24 but, I was short sheeting the roots in SOG so that's my fault. I keep an el cheapo water pump in the Rubbermaid tub for water changes. Others simply drill a drain hole at the bottom and screw in a tap.

I've kept moms in 4" cubes for 2-3 years. However, the point of DWC is getting oxygen to the rootball. Rockwool works best with flood and drain or drip systems where water flow pushes and pulls new oxygen through the cube. Sitting in a DWC, the cube would be saturated at all times, possibly restricting oxygen supply.

Many would say SOG works best starting at 12/12 with no vegging. Move em in, move em out. Get em up, RAWHIDE! ScROG usually requires some veg time to fill the screen. SOG would more likely offer faster yields. For some, fast is better than big.

If you go multi plants in a single bucket, try to insure they all finish at the same time. Once their roots tangle up, removing individual plants becomes near to impossible.

 

[phattybudz]

"Sitting in a DWC, the cube would be saturated at all times, possibly restricting oxygen supply."

Well, I'm using rockwool cubes with hydroton, or at least I have been. Is there a better way? I have just been taking clones with rockwool, but I plan on making an aeroponic cloner. If I'm doing the multiple buckets (which I think I 'm going to do,) what would the best way to veg be? (what medium, how long?) I'm thinking 1 month should be good, assuming I'm topping them...

Going to get supplies & start this 4th of july weekend.

 

[FreezerBoy]

While I've been growing for years, this was my first official DWC. My first test run died from a power failure. The second did ok but was pulled for showing male. That one was in a 4" cube rather than a net cup. It's growth was not as impressive as the 1" starter cube in a 5" net pot that my official grow was in. But that may not mean anything as I was not then as versed in EC, pH control etc. I may well be paranoid but, it seems that DWC and Aeroponics both count on flooding the roots with oxygen for full effect.

How long to veg is too subjective. Best I could say is try it and find out. The first month's roots aren't too big. Maybe a veg chamber with a single tub holding 6-12 plants? Just get them out before their roots tangle.

 

[phattybudz]

"Maybe a veg chamber with a single tub holding 6-12 plants? Just get them out before their roots tangle."

Well, what I was thinking is that if I could veg them in just rockwool cubes, it would save space/energy over a bubbler tub, so I was wondering how long I could hand-water them in rockwool before they needed to be transplanted.

 

[FreezerBoy]

I've kept plants in 4" cubes up to 3 years.

 

[phattybudz]

Sweet, that will definitely work then... Can't wait to start it up. If I'm gonna veg em up to about 12-16 inches, should I use the 4 or 6 inch cubes? I guess it doesn't matter much?