DWC Essentials

Nutrient loaded, aerated, perfectly pH-ed and chlorine free water is the perfect environment for the rootzone to thrive – how can you get that? Deep Water Culture. The term, “Deep Water Culture” (or DWC for short) refers to a system in which the roots of the plant remain fully submerged in water. Deep Water Culture systems are customisable and versatile. They can be constructed out of simple containers, making them one of the more inexpensive methods of hydroponics.


Very healthy plant roots in a DWC system

Deep Water Culture systems only require a few items and you’ll be away laughing. Below we have listed the DWC essentials.

You need:

• A pot/bucket/container 10-15L minimum for a single tomato style plant.
• Arectangle tray/bin with a lid is suitable for multiple smaller plants. E.g., lettuce, basil, spinach etc.
  Look for a container for your DWC system that will hold water without leaks. Preferably a dark colour or thick plastic to help keep light from reaching the water. This will help prevent algae build up leading to less cleaning during reservoir changes.
• Air Pump, Air Line and Air Stone
  One airline from an air pump is enough for one pot or tray style set up. Bigger air pumps can supply more air lines to extra pots. Expanding indefinitely. Airline tube and air stones are a consumable item that should be replaced in between grows.
• pH of the water
  Maintaining the correct pH of the water is a manual daily routine. Checking the pH with test papers, drip tests, or a digital pH meter. When adjustment is required, using a liquid such as white vinegar or Nutrifield pH Down are recommended for lowing the pH.
• Liquid Nutrition
  When selecting nutrients for your DWC look for hydroponic compatible products. Often a brands base nutrient mix will suit soil/hydro/coco systems. While others such as Canna separate and specialise. Canna Aqua: Vega for vegetive growth and Canna Aqua: Flores for flower and fruiting are best suiting to the DWC system when selecting from the Canna range.
• (optional) water cooler/water heater
  All hydroponic systems offer great benefits in terms of growth and yield. However, if you can’t control the water temperature results could get difficult. Fast. A water heater in the winter will help stop the water from getting too cold below 16°C / 60°F. While in the summer a water chiller could save you from a very disappointing harvest after your plant roots boil to death in water above 26°C / 80°F.

Pro Tip - A bucket from your local hardware store that comes with a lid is almost a perfect application for a single DWC setup. Paint or cover the clear plastic sides. Everything else is available from Hyalite. Drill a small hole for your airline. Cut a hole in the lid large enough to fit a net pot. Mix up and pH your water mix and your good to get started learning how to grow in deep water.

Yep. It’s that simple to get started on your Deep Water Culture journey. If you want to know more about DWC come and visit your local hyalite store.

Another example of a DWC system