Newby homemade aero 6 spt 400 watt hps

zmanforever · Jun 25, 2009

Hello everyone, first I all I would like to say I have read many threads in here.

Wow, just wow, after all the knowledge I have gained me and a friend have decided to do a project ourselves.

In a very well hidden area at none of our homes we are putting a 6 planter aeroponics system which will mist the places on a timer. Rockwool and hydroton clay.

3 Super Lemon Haze: http://www.hopefulgrow.com/suoer-lemon-haze-5-fem-p-2792.html
+
3 Kings Kush: http://www.hopefulgrow.com/kingÂ´s-kush-5-fem-p-2789.html

Of course the proper items will be added to the water. Will sprout properly. Area is a closet fully sprayed a week ago with mix of light bleach and a lot of spring water misted. THen I painted the inside all white. Located next to a window will get lots of fresh air. The light is a 400 watt hps. The area will have a bionair air cleaner + oscillating fan which has a filter running and air ionizer when needed.

So far here is the light I have not touched the bulb with my fingers.

Sorry for the blurry cam right now Iphone 3G =/
It says Increased violet and blue lighting spectrum. Designed to create more correct balance of red and blue violet energy for photosynthesis. Is this ok to use? It is all I have to use

Please with all the experts can you please help me gain perfection? I am in a great situation for I will be able to pay a visit to this place twice a day so it will be monitored well. Any help would be so apprecitated. I live in Spain as a student, I am originally from the USA, be back soon after 3 more semesters. :woohoo:

FreezerBoy · Jun 25, 2009

I have to say that chart doesn't impress me. A little more blue but, the hit in red negates getting an HPS to begin with. See all that yellow and green? That's the light the plant wants the least. For a balanced spectrum that will work with your present ballast (if its a magnetic core) Try the CMH thread.

Here's graphs comparing CMH to a decent HPS.

zmanforever · Jun 25, 2009

Thank you for this info so far Freezerboy. If it is ok for me to ask will my light work? I have no other option at the moment? I will put this in as soon as the seeds sprout.

FreezerBoy · Jun 25, 2009

I'm sure it will work, it's just not a lamp I'd pay extra for. I was willing to pay extra for CMH because I was considering MH/HPS switchable, which meant doubling my lamp cost anyway. CMH is more blue than MH and more red than HPS, all in one lamp. Added bonus, the ballast works with standard HPS. I can find an emergency backup at any Home Depot.

Pali · Jun 25, 2009

Yup thats not a very good plant light, it will make the plants look healty cos of the green spectra.

They are often seen in commercial nurserys that sell plants direct to there customeres or in greenhouse plant "show rooms", as the plants reflect green light they look healthy green to the human eye.

I would recomand to buy a Phillips Son-T 400Watt bulp, they are in my expiriance some of the best "cheap" bulps you can get in EU. The cost is down even it's a really good bulp, cos of the greenhouses in EU "all" run 400 Watt Son-T lights. Atleast all the commercial greenhouses I have worked in and visited during my education and so on, have been useing this bulps.

peace

zmanforever · Jun 25, 2009

I can not deny you guys especially you Freezerboy very nice grow journals. I am going to find me a nice CMH.
I am headed to a local Hardware store later today after work, I won't but anything today.
I can on payday, I will take pictures and post them so I don't waste my money again.

If I am going to do this might as well do it right.

lysol · Jun 25, 2009

The HPS seem to have higher relative energy within the yellow / orange / red area. I am sure a wider spectrum is greatly beneficial to all aspects of growth but I don't think you can just look at a chart and conclude a bulb is no good. My Hortilux has the exact same spectrum as the OP. I must say when it runs out after the next harvest I'll probably try out the phillips white bulbs. It looks like you do take a hit in the yellow for the added blues & reds. I am happy with the hortilux tho overall.

I wonder if you switch to this white bulb will you be generating more heat for the parts of the spectrum the plant is not using? I would rather put all my energy into the spectrum the plant uses then waste it as ambient light but I have an open mind.

SqUiSh3e · Jun 25, 2009

How big is the grow area?

zmanforever · Jun 25, 2009

The grow area is small, this is a stealth job.

2ft deep
4ft wide
8ft tall

zmanforever · Oct 14, 2009

Been busy setting this up.

Been busy setting this up.

I know it took me a while to post this, but I finally have this ready to go.

Below is the 400 watt HPS light. Going to give this a try, will try the CMH if this doesn't yield well.

Seeds are germinating should be put into the rockwool in 2-5 days. Cannot wait :woohoo:

I have been looking at many videos on youtube of other similar set ups in action. The results look good, but 1 problem I kept seeing.

Some people were complaining how the plants are growing tall to early causing them to stretch out and fall over when they keep the light around 8-9 inches away during the first 2-3 weeks.

I think it is due to the light being to far away. Now the seeds haven't germinated yet, so I still have time. I ran the system for 1 hour to give it a test run and everything is working the way it should.

The light does run hot obviously, so I kept some distance from the planters. Is this good or bad? What should the distance be for the first week or two? Very new to this so any help would be appreciated.

Also got this Bionaire air cleaner with ionizer which has 3 fan speeds and rotates on its base. Good for clean and good air circulation.

Capn · Oct 14, 2009

Pretty sure your gonna fry your plants.

Try germinating with a CFL.

Are the seeds in the cubes yet? or they somewhere else? I suggest running the hps about 2ft away at first and see how the new emerging seedlings react , then try lowering it 4-6 inches and see how they do. if they start frying, move it up a bit, if not try lowering it more to see how you want the footprint of your light to be. Temps will be crucial also, try keeping the canopy temps cool at this time say, 70-78F 50-60rh . Intense light+high temps+young plants=plant jerky in my experiences.

I also suggest getting an aquarium pump and some 1/4inch black tubing from homethepot and cut some v shape pieces out of it making a few holes and securing that to the bottom of that Tub, I usually run it under the net cups in a circle. It should help with fighting off rootrot.

Oh yea!! light proofing your tub man! algea is a bitch and so is the brown stuff. Best bet now would to get some black/white poly and wrap her up like a Christmas present. Same for the lid. Cut holes and slip the plants into the holes. Make little squares of poly and put X's in the center to slip the seedlings through to block light slipping through your net-cups.

Another good idea is to find someway to make a little spot to pour water in without having to lift the lid to much, cause it will bend/crack/break eventually in my experiences. I cut a little porthole in the top somewhere and cover it with poly also. Just use gorilla tape.

Steal Freezerboy's idea and have a pump sitting in there ready to be plugged in for rez change outs. Just run a hose to your drain and unplug when shes empty. Only really need to scrub em down after every run unless you wanna get really serious about res hygiene but who in they're right mind does bleh to lazy!!!

Hope I help!!!

Mist · Oct 14, 2009

Yep, to start your seedlings you need some kind of floro light. That 400 will just end up cooking them. When you are popping the seedlings in the rockwool the light needs to be close like within an inch or so of the seedlings at first and then can slowly be raised to several inches above as they grow.
Once you have a couple sets of true leaves you can put them under the 400 watter with the light about 2 ft. above them. Then when you see they start to put on some growth you can move it down to where you have good light coverage over the whole garden area. Without an aircooled hood you will probably want a smalll oscillating fan blowing across the plants tops on low too. Not too close though, just something to keep some air flow around the plants so that they don't get too much heat from the light.

Happy Growing.

MacGyver420 · Oct 14, 2009

yea dude ive had that light your workin with the htg hardwired ballast
it runs really really hot!! keep that thing like 2+ feet from your plants at the least
youll definatly want a fan trained directly on the bulb of that light from below as this will help with your heat problems somewhat

i agree with mist just get yourself a t5 for seedlings, i run t5's until the plants are like a foot tall personally

also get that ballast off the ground!!! if that homemade bucket you build breaks and spills water youll have a large puddle of electricity waiting to shock the shit out of you remember the general rule (which i dont even follow 100%) electricity above the waist water below the waist

peace

Bogie · Oct 14, 2009

I agree, use cfls or floro tubes for the seedlings. I use T8 tubes and 6500k CFLs for my seedlings and all the way through the Veg stage. You can keep them right on top of the plants to prevent stretching durring vegitive growth.

zmanforever · Oct 15, 2009

Thank you for all the information.

I moved the ballast up so no worries friends!

The Bionaire will do great for air flow, but I am going to buy a small fan to keep the light a little bit cooler.

Forgot to mention the room is air conditioned!

Thank you again more pics coming soon once the germination it completed.

CheefaThaReefa · Oct 15, 2009

hey man im a newb to, but im getting things down. your setup looks nice, clean, organized, and simple. As far as seedlings go, i had a 250 watter blasting down on my DWC setup as soon as i put em' in the root cube for a week. I had the light set at 2' for the first week, then i got it as close as i could (about 4-8'' above, i just ran a fan on it and kept it the temps as low as possible and they soared like bats outta' hell? For future reference, it looks like your plants could get cramped in that space, but you can work that out. Is the general theory of AERO vs DWC that aero grows faster, and dwc yields? I just dont see how they can be that different, except for having to check shit all the time

Capn · Oct 15, 2009

na he can do it, just flip em soon. like 2-3 weeks in.

I hope those seeds are feminized, cause those males are gona be a bitch to remove without destroying roots.

zmanforever · Oct 15, 2009

Hey update for all the followers...

And yes Capn all the seeds are feminized =)

Capn what did you mean by " na he can do it, just flip em soon. like 2-3 weeks in." ?

I want to know so I can use the information, thanks bro!

CheefaThaReefa thanks for the nice comments and information. I tried my best and it is totally my first time.

Also please someone answer this question!
As far as how many hours of light! I read on this forum that either 24 hours a day or 18 is fine for veg? And 12 for flower?

furley · Oct 15, 2009

You will definitely need something more than a fan cooling that bulb. My 400w MH is super aircooled and still I can only keep it 2" from the canopy.

zmanforever · Oct 15, 2009

Someone please answer the questions I posted earlier.

And also as far as running the nutrient enriched water, should it be 24/7 or on a timer?

Newby homemade aero 6 spt 400 watt hps

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