How Long Does It Take Your Plant To Drown In DWC ?

[Buddaluva]

I just started on my first dwc grow and just experienced my first power outage with it last night ,

I wasn't worried about the power being out since i knew eventually that the power company would have every ones power back a.s.a.p

But the whole time the power was out i could only think about my plants drowning since the air pump was not working and aerating the water

How long does it take for your plants to drown if your power went out ?

It was only out for about 3 hours but i was still worried about my plants

I kept thinking ( damn ) i should have tried out hempy first lol

 

[highonmt]

you don't have to worry about it if you drop 10 bucks on one of these....http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=battery+powered+aquarium+pump&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=5183153686507279347&sa=X&ei=txG0TpqEO5PViALQ-O1V&ved=0CF8Q8gIwAA

but about 24hrs with out air and yer in trouble by 72hrs dae did mon...

 

[Buddaluva]

Ok thanks man

and thanks for the link , i did not know they had those lol

 

[Hydrosun]

I would have to say it all depends. The main factors are the size of your plant, the size of your roots, and the air gap between the water line and the top of the DWC.

For instance I used to flower in 5gal buckets with no air stone and a drip ring going 12hrs a day. Even with no air or top feed for 12 hrs the plants loved life.

Almost all drowing deaths I have seen (unfortunatly dozens) have been caused by not having enough air gap for the plant. The plant draws more O2 from the air than the water if the roots are big and strong.

 

[Buddaluva]

I would have to say it all depends. The main factors are the size of your plant, the size of your roots, and the air gap between the water line and the top of the DWC.

For instance I used to flower in 5gal buckets with no air stone and a drip ring going 12hrs a day. Even with no air or top feed for 12 hrs the plants loved life.

Almost all drowing deaths I have seen (unfortunatly dozens) have been caused by not having enough air gap for the plant. The plant draws more O2 from the air than the water if the roots are big and strong.

Their just seedlings right now , the roots are barley coming out the net pots

Their in homemade dwc , 1 is in a coffee container and the other in a cashew nut container

I know i wont be able to grow big in those , its just something for me to practice with until i get it down lol

 

[sneaky101]

Like hydro sun says, depends on size. Seedlings I would be a bit concerned. If their roots are touching the water I wouldn't worry too much, but either way it should be near 100% humidity under the net pot. I had a 3 day power outage with decent size girls vegging, plenty of root mass and they were fine. But again, they were a good size. If you were home and that concerned with it I suppose you could always unplug the line from the air pump and blow in it for a minute to aerate the water, but that would be painstaking, not to mention the headache from when you wake up after passing out from blowing in an itty bitty tube for 5 minutes straight. .

 

[budshoteyes]

The air gap must be the reason they survive....I do believe you hydrosun as I've experienced similar! I bet our statements are freaking a few and giving others great relief!

I've had one plant..mother..in a 5 gal bucket for 7 weeks now. Root development is slow,the plant does not grow as fast as it should,though it grows fast in spurts! it definitely is smaller than it's sisters!

I do use air pumps normally as I like my water levels high!

 

[rollinmachine]

you'd be surprised how big they will get ina coffee can dwc...lol. if u think the power is going to be out for an extended period of time u can drop the water level down(about 3" of water in the coffee can) or they sell oxygen tablets at pet stores for fish like bettas that are in fish bowls without an airstone. either way will help keep them alive untill the powers back on.

 

[budshoteyes]

If you were home and that concerned with it I suppose you could always unplug the line from the air pump and blow in it for a minute to aerate the water, but that would be painstaking, not to mention the headache from when you wake up after passing out from blowing in an itty bitty tube for 5 minutes straight.

Funniest post I've seen here....and you are correct as in an emergency I think I'd be desperately trying that method!

 

[growshopfrank]

the temperature of the water makes a huge difference the hotter the water the less dissolved oxygen it will hold
FWIW bait stores sell battery powered air pumps for live bait wells or you can power your air pumps off one of those jump start boxes with an inverter for days in a pinch

 

[FreezerBoy]

I've had a few blackouts in the 11-13 hour range. Plants didn't even blink.

 

[Buddaluva]

Ok im alot more relieved now lol

I just did not know , like i said this is my first attempt lol

Much thanks for your replies

 

[Blunt Africa Sr]

I know this is an old thread but I learned a good deal from reading this this morning

I live in South Africa and we have regular power outages... I recently started up growing again and have a Cinnamon in a DWC busy vegging and yesterday I had a power outage that lasted 12 hours.

I was concerned about my air pumps not running so I almost broke my back moving a big camping deep cycle battery and inverter to my grow room to keep the pumps on....

Now I know that if there is a decent gap between the pots and the water level that the plants will not kick the bucket very quickly...

Nevertheless I think I will keep my battery in the room and hook up a cfl lighting setup so that I can maintain photoperiod lighting if (or should I say when) the power goes out again...

 

[boshuter]

I know this is an old thread but I learned a good deal from reading this this morning

I live in South Africa and we have regular power outages... I recently started up growing again and have a Cinnamon in a DWC busy vegging and yesterday I had a power outage that lasted 12 hours.

I was concerned about my air pumps not running so I almost broke my back moving a big camping deep cycle battery and inverter to my grow room to keep the pumps on....

Now I know that if there is a decent gap between the pots and the water level that the plants will not kick the bucket very quickly...

Nevertheless I think I will keep my battery in the room and hook up a cfl lighting setup so that I can maintain photoperiod lighting if (or should I say when) the power goes out again...

I don't buy into that water level idea at all. Plants can take in oxygen from the water, but I don't believe they can take it from the air. It seems to me that the lower water level will only make the plant run out of oxygen quicker. A cheap battery powered air pump is a much better safeguard IMO.

 

[marrdogg]

I don't buy into that water level idea at all. Plants can take in oxygen from the water, but I don't believe they can take it from the air. It seems to me that the lower water level will only make the plant run out of oxygen quicker. A cheap battery powered air pump is a much better safeguard IMO.

Just means you haven't tried it, it's basically what powers hempy's. Do ya research mane before jumping in it's already been tried and proven.
PEACE!