Anyone have time to help a design challenged grower? :)

[northernkush]

Hi guys,
I finally got my MEDICAL LICENSE TO GROW!!!!!!!!

I am super stoked!!!

My patient requires 3 grams a day so I need to provide him with 3 ounces a month. I have 3.5 months to get him the first shipment.

My plant count limit is 15. I have a basement bedroom that is 11x11.

There is a small window like most basement rooms.

I was thinking of doing an under current 4 8 gallon bucket flowering system and something for veg all in this room.

I like the way Philthy has his room set up but not sure if I can use a similar design at all?

I want this room to be as self sufficient as possible and am willing to pay for the good gear but am looking for as many savings as I can as well.



If there are any design gurus out there who wont mind lending a helping hand that would be much appreciated. If you live in Canada I can send you some beans for your trouble.

Thanks guys.....

PEACE AND LOVE

 

[STUNKY]

I wouldn't consider myself a guru ,but how much money u gonna spend and what kinda stuff do u have laying around to use now???

 

[ak-51]

Medical grows are a twist on regular grows since you have the added complexity of trying to do as much as possible with a set plant count. I think this is the only reason we see giant trees being grown indoors.

 

[supermanlives]

perpetual scrog. modular units would be sweet.i would start with soil and go from there as you gain skills. to much can go wrong with hydro to fast for a newbee IMHO

 

[LandscapeEscape]

yeah a dollar amount that you're willing to spend is important. also what kind of power are you set up with, is there a dryer outlet you could utilize? with that size space you could fit 2 k flower 2 600's veg and still have some space to limbo around.

 

[Jamorg13]

A fellow Washington stater? 3 ounces a month definitely should not be a problem even for a newbie newb. Dont go hydro for you first time. How much money do you have to invest?

 

[ak-51]

A lot of people saying don't go hydro your first time.

I went hydro my first time. I have went hydro every time after that. I have never ever grown anything in soil, pot plant or otherwise.

 

[medicalmj]

Hedge your bets, I do and I've done sh*t for a long time. That is, throw a couple in some soil on the side.

But for the main grow, if its to be hydro, hold off on the under current and dwc for a minute. I would absolutely recommend you start w a simple recirc gravity system. The biggest cost will be the PH/EC tester, which you must have. Do it right and buy the Blulabs combo, about $250.

Many ways to do it. The idea is that you have the plants above the resevoir. This requires only one $25 pump and maybe an airstone pump for $15, a reservoir (tote) for $15. You will connect that pump to 1/2 tubing that will top feed your plants, usually you will connect spaghetti line to drippers that go into media. A timer may need to be used if your media is something like RW.

Next you need to decide media and what it'll be in. Lots o options. Not gonna get into all of them and all that I've done, but heres what Im doing now.

I like the double buckets method w the first filled w hydroton and the bottom drilled w little holes. The second bucket has a return tubing drain back to res. They sell the fittings for about buck each. Buy a 25' roll of 1/2 poly tubing, about a dozen drippers, a roll of spaghetti line, and whatever they have to connect the spaghetti line to 1/2 poly tubing, some have grommets some have little barbs. just make sure they fit one another. The buckets will sit on a platform at or just above the height of the res. Dont have the ends of the drain tubing go into res as that'll creat back pressure and you'll have too much water in bottom of buckets. Mine are zip tied to be level w top of res, allow slight air gap. This is a super simple yet highly productive system. The only draw back is the amount of hydroton you'll have to deal with. Get that down then think about media-less systems.

You can do 2 or 3 gallon buckets and grow large plants, or you can go to 5 gals and grow some monsters. I have (4) - 5 gal buckets that are under a 1k light. In flower, each one is just under meter^2. You need to supercrop, LST, top, or something to keep height down and have a level canopy.

 

[northernkush]

Id say I want t0 spend 5 grand or less on the room if possible. I have a 1000hps and 600 hps
1 fan i think its 465 or something like that. I have a small regular window AC unit

I am new to design but not growing. I have done many cycles in soil and am ready to try hydro.

I have started my seeds already.

I was thinking cut the room into two by dry walling it. Have a slightly larger flower section and then a smaller veg section. I was thinking 3 or 4 large UC buckets in the flower with 2 or 3 1000 HPS

then 2 1000MPH in the veg room with 6 UC buckets and then I can have 5 clones/ mothers going

I need to figure out how to set it up so that I know how big a sub panel to run into it
Should I get light mover or will I have room? I have air cooled hoods but I'm thinking I just let them hang naked and hook the AC up
I also want to supplement with CO2 which I have never done


Thanks a lot for your help guys. Hopefully that helps shed some light on what I'm trying to do

 

[northernkush]

Hedge your bets, I do and I've done sh*t for a long time. That is, throw a couple in some soil on the side.

But for the main grow, if its to be hydro, hold off on the under current and dwc for a minute. I would absolutely recommend you start w a simple recirc gravity system. The biggest cost will be the PH/EC tester, which you must have. Do it right and buy the Blulabs combo, about $250.

Many ways to do it. The idea is that you have the plants above the resevoir. This requires only one $25 pump and maybe an airstone pump for $15, a reservoir (tote) for $15. You will connect that pump to 1/2 tubing that will top feed your plants, usually you will connect spaghetti line to drippers that go into media. A timer may need to be used if your media is something like RW.

Next you need to decide media and what it'll be in. Lots o options. Not gonna get into all of them and all that I've done, but heres what Im doing now.

I like the double buckets method w the first filled w hydroton and the bottom drilled w little holes. The second bucket has a return tubing drain back to res. They sell the fittings for about buck each. Buy a 25' roll of 1/2 poly tubing, about a dozen drippers, a roll of spaghetti line, and whatever they have to connect the spaghetti line to 1/2 poly tubing, some have grommets some have little barbs. just make sure they fit one another. The buckets will sit on a platform at or just above the height of the res. Dont have the ends of the drain tubing go into res as that'll creat back pressure and you'll have too much water in bottom of buckets. Mine are zip tied to be level w top of res, allow slight air gap. This is a super simple yet highly productive system. The only draw back is the amount of hydroton you'll have to deal with. Get that down then think about media-less systems.

You can do 2 or 3 gallon buckets and grow large plants, or you can go to 5 gals and grow some monsters. I have (4) - 5 gal buckets that are under a 1k light. In flower, each one is just under meter^2. You need to supercrop, LST, top, or something to keep height down and have a level canopy.

What kind of yeild are you getting with that?

Im using BOG seeds which arent always the best producers but the smoke is awesome. Hopefully my patient likes

 

[STUNKY]

nice what bog strains have u got going!! when ya build the wall just frame it and cover in that insulated mylar stuff (its like bubble foil insulation)..

Her is a question i have wondering in when u have a plant limit what makes a plant one plant ??? Hear me out.. Well u know how u can root a plant while its connected .. what if ya took a limb of the mother and put it in another pot and let it root... then the day of harvest once u have killed chopped harvested your plants and have room to add more plants could u then chop them from each other and they become 2 plants??? I'm sure its a grey area .... Ideas??

 

[medicalmj]

What kind of yeild are you getting with that?

Im using BOG seeds which arent always the best producers but the smoke is awesome. Hopefully my patient likes

First off, 1/2 of what I grow is a low yield, high demand, awesome strain.

I recently took out the glass on my lights. They say UV = more glands. Glass will cut UV rays. I have AC pumped in when needed.

Thats alot of light for a 11x11. Also, do plan to store all your supplies in that area. And where do you want your work area to be?

I have more space that that I find 2x400 in veg and 2x1000 in flower is all I can fit. You need to be able to get around and have work space. So can you use more than that 11x11. Oh wait, you will, LOL.

Yes partition the space up. 1/3 to 2/3 (of dedicated growing space) or there abouts is a good starting point for the ratio. But I like my work area in veg area (light can be on any time) so you may find that the partition for flower is smaller than the 1/3 2/3 ratio. And have the veg room the first room you walk into. Dont make the flower room too narrow. I did that once.

As far as yields go, not a whole lot more than soil, just faster. When I did RW cubes on slabs top feed, 1.5lbs per 1k (no CO2). When I first started RDWC almost 2 lbs per 1k (with CO2), then I got rot and then it was cut almost in 1/2. Aeroponic Hybrid buckets was about the same as RDWC, maybe a little more, but it had the fastest growth rate, and no rot issues. Square feet is also a factor. And your lighting would be so intense for the sq/ft that I dont think you will maximize the GPW. Now you will have the thickest, densest, trichome dripping buds possible, but you're still limited by sq/ft.

I shoot ya some more ideas later.

Happy planning!

 

[northernkush]

Thanks a ton medical. Im gonna draw up some plans and scan them and see what you guys think

 

[supermanlives]

good luck. hope it works for ya.putting all your eggs in one basket with someone needing your product prob aint the smartest idea. i have run every form of hydro unless they made a new one lol. alot can go wrong quick.

 

[Bud buster]

You should check out Heaths latest tree grow this is page 8 it shows how to build the system it's not to difficult https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=181239&highlight=Heath+Robinson&page=8 it's 46 pages but Heath is only on it for the first 12 pages there is still lots of info in the rest of it. He got 56oz from 900 watts and 76oz from 1500 watts and he likes to keep things simple. I'd also check out the defoliation thread it has made a huge difference for me. This page has lots of info it's a huge thread. https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=174163&page=250

 

[Iffy-Caradoc]

New Room

New Room

Personaly I don't think you should shy from hydro. You can fit 14 6.5 gal pots on an 8' x 2' Hydro table, makes things real easy. Hydro's ok if you're there with the grow & can respond to problems as and if they occur. Be absolutely accurate with your additives and check your nute temps, EC & PH regularly.



Simple pump to recirculate to reservoir.
Whatever you decide, stay safe & enjoy the journey my friend.

 

[northernkush]

You should check out Heaths latest tree grow this is page 8 it shows how to build the system it's not to difficult https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=181239&highlight=Heath+Robinson&page=8 it's 46 pages but Heath is only on it for the first 12 pages there is still lots of info in the rest of it. He got 56oz from 900 watts and 76oz from 1500 watts and he likes to keep things simple. I'd also check out the defoliation thread it has made a huge difference for me. This page has lots of info it's a huge thread. https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=174163&page=250

56ozs from 900??? SAY WHAT? lol

I don't think I need that much but I will check out those threads for sure. Thanks for the help