| Deep water culture (DWC) is a type of
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| | connect the buckets. The water is
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| hydroponic gardening in which the roots
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| | recirculated with spray nozzles,
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| of a plant are suspended in a solution of
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| | resulting in better aeration and
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| oxygenated water and various nutrients.
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| | oxygenation. By constantly recirculating
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| Traditionally, DWC has been practiced
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| | the water in this fashion, nutrients are
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| using plastic buckets. The plant itself
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| | mixed more effectively and pH levels are
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| is suspended in what is known as a net
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| | stabilized throughout the system.
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| pot. The main feature of deep water
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| | Building a DWC system is neither
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| culture is this net pot - a type of pot
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| | particularly difficult nor expensive, and
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| resembling an open wire basket - is
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| | can be done for under $100. To start, you
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| suspended from the bucket lid in such a
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| | will need a five gallon bucket, a fish
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| manner that the roots are suspended in
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| | tank air pump, an aquarium airstone for
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| the bucket containing the water and
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| | breaking up the bubbles, a six inch
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| nutrient solution. Within the hydroponic
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| | hydroponic growing net or net pot, duct
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| garden, the water is oxygenated with an
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| | tape, and a hydroponic growth medium
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| air pump and an aquarium airstone such as
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| | (organic composted bark is best).
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| are used in fish tanks.
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| | The first step is to cut a hole in the
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| Once the hydroponic garden reaches the
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| | bucket lid that is the same diameter as
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| flowering stage, the level of the
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| | the net pot. The net pot should fit
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| nutrient solution is reduced, gradually
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| | snugly when the lip rests on the edge of
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| exposing the roots to the open air, where
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| | the pot. You'll also need to cut a small
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| they can absorb greater amounts of
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| | hole in the side of the bucket near the
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| oxygen. The massive ingestion of oxygen
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| | top in order to accommodate the air line.
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| and nutrients leads to maximum growth
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| | This should be run down to the bottom of
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| throughout the plant's life cycle.
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| | the bucket and into the airstone.
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| A variation on DWC is recirculation deep
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| | The bucket should then be wrapped in
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| water culture (RDWC). An RDWC system
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| | about five layers of duct tape in order
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| employs a reservoir which in turn
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| | to prevent any light from reaching the
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| provides water to several buckets. If
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| | reservoir (which would lead to the growth
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| these buckets are not connected in some
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| | of algae).
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| way, it will be necessary to test each
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| | The net pot is then filled with the
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| one for proper pH levels (acidity vs.
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| | growth medium and the seedling of the
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| alkalinity) and conductivity factor (CF,
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| | plant you are attempting to grow. Fill
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| a measure of electrical conductivity used
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| | the bucket with clean water, put the lid
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| to determine nutrient levels).
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| | in place, insert the net pot, turn on the
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| In order to avoid the need for testing of
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| | pump, and your new system is in
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| each individual bucket, some RDWC systems
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| | operation.
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| dispense with the air stones and instead
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