BigTokes ~ "How-To" Of The Bio-Buckets 101

[Dr. GreenGenes]

BigToke i wanted to thank you so much for the efforts you have put into this thread. I have read it again and again and just have been so intrigued. I am so very glad that i can finally thank you. I will ask some questions that I haven't been able to figure out, or that haven't been covered already -- but wanted to get this off as soon as was possible.

Dr. GreenGenes

 

[senseless]

i just took down my two 150hps's and put up my 400w last night. GROW PLANTS GROW!!

you got any pics of your 400w 6 bucket sytem BT? is that what you use in between cycles of the big room?

 

[BigToke]

@ ~ Dr.GG……….It’s always good to meet new folks here at ICMag, Dr.GreenGenes ask the questions that’s troubling you and I’ll do my best.

@ ~ Senseless…….Hummm…..my gallery is full of pic’s of a 600w over 6 buckets? Those are the only one’s that I have right now…….

 

[Dr. GreenGenes]

If you are so inclined

If you are so inclined

Thank you for the warm welcome. I am in the midst of helping a couple of patients with setting up a small grow for their own med needs. The main factor they need is ease of maintenance. I've researched several other methods before coming across your thread and I beleive the method you've described would meet their needs quite well. So I am still in the planning stage for implementing the bio-buckets into their environment.

Some basic knowns about the enviorment so far:

Their source of water is from a well, so it is a non-chlorinated source. Hardness is yet to be determined, but not very hard I beleive. But hopefully teaming with beneficials. Go team go! :smile: The flowering/vegetive space is limited to about 1m x 1m (though slightly larger may be possible) and at least two meters tall. Plans are to use a single 600 Watt HPS for this area. We will be utilizing appropriate in-line fans for air exchange, oscilating fan for stem strengthening, and humidity control up and down.


Verifications and Queries

Let me state if I should just be able to follow the directions already given that you are more than welcome to state that and to ignore any or all of the following:

What is a good rule for mimimal area for each plant/bucket? Use of cfl's between plants would be possible.

Will bio-bucket produce similar results in taste as compared to organic soils? Is organic nute use at all possible?

Is soft vinyl tubing to be used for all tubing requirements? Linear Low Density Polyetheylene (LLDPE) should not be used because of warnings not to be used with barbs?

If soft vinyl tubing is to be used, I thought I had read that vinyl was susceptible to breaking down releasing chlorine. Is this of an insiginificant amount? And is there no chemical interacton with the nutes one would generally use?

You mention while in the cloning phase you concurrently run the system to build up the bio-field. If they are running well water, then should they shorten this time? Should they use the same amount of time to prep the system between grows as opposed to the very first grow? They want what is best for the colonies of beneficials, as do I.

The plan at the moment is to somehow place the resevoir into some sort of space saving configuration -- either below the plants or somethign very tall with a small footprint that could hug against one of the walls. I know this is a most critical part. I do not think that the width and depth of the space will allow an exact copy of your drainage back to the rez as far as the length of the main drain pvc pipe in your examples. Does the water need to run a particular distance down this main drain or is the waterfall the main concern. If they were to go with a tall small footprinted rez, can a secondary pump be used to raise the water after it has been drained from the buckets to reach the appropriate waterfall height?

I know your system works as described, and works impressively. Any help in the evoultion to this unique enviroment would be greatly welcomed. Of course answer to a depth of your convience.

Thank you very much. I didn't mean to have so many ?'s waiting for your review, but I have been reading the thread for a few fortnights and am just so excited to finally be able to inquire from a bio-bucket pioneer. Arse kissing not meant as bribe for answers but rather as thanks for all you have already done!

Cheers
Dr. GreenGenes

 

[BigToke]

……..well I can see that your egger to get started…lol that’s cool, off we go!!

Just as a rule I do not cover general growing…….like spacing, lighting, air, grow/room environments…ect. For all of theses and more are common knowledge or can be found very easy on almost any grow/forms ~ sorry for this reply but it is enough for me to just talk about the Bio-Buckets and maybe some day I’ll start up a class to teach about those other things that every grower should know about BEFORE they start growing ~ btw if you don’t have a good understanding about grow/room/environment please take the time and read up on theses things!!

……….If using well-water there should be no problem starting the system in a week to three days.

……….the waterfall is the main concern!! And a secondary pump sounds to me like a much of a redundancy.

……….all other Q’s can be found in my grow/threads.

 

[Dr. GreenGenes]

Thank you very much. It is the frank answers that I do appreciate. If I am able to have the 12" drop above resevoir surface, then a shorter length of the main drain pipe (the one that accepts drainage from each of the buckets and then returns to the rez to form the waterfall) will not hamper disolved O2 action. I have read much about the environment and grow basics and just wanted to make sure that info was applicable to the bio-bucket setup -- which you have answered that it does.

The quick and concise answers you gave were more than one can ask.

The people I am helping give you big props and are forever indebted for your contributions.

I look forward to posting a report of their first grow and will be thrilled if you get the chance to enjoy the beautiful bud shots. We shall help spread your knowledge an far and wide.

Alright now

 

[BigToke]

Bigtoke has took on new meaning when it comes to med-users as I have been ask to help setup a many bio-system for them and am glad to help; the majority of my crop goes to med-users…………tell everyone for me that I said big thanks for the props and I’ll do my best to help in any way I can ~ sorry I don’t have the time to answer all of growing Q’s but time just don’t allow…….it’s all I can do to just keep up with the growing number of Q’s that folks have about the Bio-System…….

Btw if you need any help with the calculations of the bio-system let me know……….as for the pic’s, well you can ask anyone around here and they’ll tell yea that bigtoke loves his pic’s….lol

 

[Dr. GreenGenes]

Its allll goood! Now let me go and reread again. I'll ask for calc help once the three of us decide what will be best for them.

 

[Katsu]

Well, I studied this thread for weeks, made about 50 trips to Home Depot, and finally have my little 4 bucket setup ready to go. Many thanks, Big Toke, I look forward to the first run. Here's what I've got going on...

18000 BTU Mini-split ductless AC

The room

Chiller looped into reservoir

Close-up of bucket top

Top-down shot of reservoir

Hydrofogger, controller, R/O unit

Carbon scrubber (shot's sideways, sorry)

I still have to hook up the second reservoir and plumb the R/O to hook up the Hydrofogger, but I'm pretty much good to go.

I stuck three plants from the veg. room into the new setup to begin getting acclimated. I'll post a few more shots until they're done (or dead). I've got one Jackie O, and three OGKushxBubbaKush that just got moved. I'm going to let them veg for 2-4 weeks and then flip the switch.

Peace, KB

 

[BigToke]

………..”good to go” is the word for you!! Nice setup it look very good the only thing I would do differently is to fill those net-pots all the way up to the rim so that nothing can get down in there………good luck!!

Ps…….you are go to do a grow/thread right? That’s a very nice setup not to.

 

[Katsu]

………..”good to go” is the word for you!! Nice setup it look very good the only thing I would do differently is to fill those net-pots all the way up to the rim so that nothing can get down in there………good luck!!

Ps…….you are go to do a grow/thread right? That’s a very nice setup not to.

Yeah, ran just a bit short of the lava rock. Need to go pick up a bit more. I would be happy to do a grow thread. I'll post a link when I start snapping the pics...

 

[BigToke]

Nice very cool bro…………looking forward to it!!

 

[Rattrap]

Hey big Toke,
I just finished having a read thru your water chemistry. I'm having a problem with my home made organic tea made from earth worm castings. Its natural PH is around 7.8 & i'm having a hard time keeping it down. I adjust it down to around 6.9 & in 12 hrs it bounces straight back up. Needless to say my plants don't like that sort of fluxuations. I've been using normal hydro PH down. I can't afford to do a Co2 injection into my water. My water is very soft, measuring just 40 on a TDS meter, its mountain fed rain water. I don't have any access to town water short of driving into town with a load of barrels.

Got any sugestions?????

 

[LifeCycle]

Hello Big Toke been studying your system for a while now I think im going to try it. What did you put in the end of the sump pump hose?

 

[BigToke]

@.................Rattrap, sorry bro I’ve never used organic teas before.

@.................LifeCycle, do you mine supply lines? ……….Because my sump hose don’t have anything at the ends of them? ………….the supply lines are caped off with an PVC end cap.

 

[LifeCycle]

yeah i was talking about this pic http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/2668drain-4.jpg but i just realized its the 1"1/4 coupling thanks peace out 22

 

[BigToke]

………ok cool ~ yea that’s just a coupling/insert for the bucket/drain-hose….good luck!!

 

[Shadtree]

(BIG Toke) Do lava Rocks work the same as Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate?

Thank you....

 

[senseless]

lava rocks dont work the same as clay pebbels. they have a different ph and dont have the space to support bennificial bacteria.

lava rocks are 500 x cheaper than clay pebbles too.

 

[BigToke]

………….senseless is correct, his advice is right on the money..lol.