Krypto's Ultimate Controler

[billbob]

you can get big plants with the 2gallon, but of course bigger with 5. It all depends how many plants you want under each light. If you do 6 plants a light they will be nice size. Also depends how long you veg. the 2 gallons work great and use less water to fill.

 

[venge]

Thx billbob.

Not too sure yet. May just do my first run with the 2 gal pots.


venge

 

[Kryptonite]

Good info from billbob.

For that size of a room I think 3 X 1k is a bit overkill.

I grew some very nice plants in the two gallon pots. Clones work best in that size of a container due to the shorter veg time. The only time I had problems with container size was when starting from seed, and that was only with extremley vigorous strains like the MoonBeam. I did make a system using a 5 gallon res with 3.5 gallon buckets for starting from seed that did work better for that purpose, but I would see no benefit of going to 5 gallon containers for the plants in this system.

I gave the plants approximately 1.5 foot square, flowered most varieties at 12 - 15 inches tall and finished them at an average of 30 inches tall with nothing but BUD from the leca up. After using this sytem for several years I found that method to produce best for me. When growing larger plants, two to three feet beneath the canopy and your just growing for bubblehash IMO.

 

[legallyhomeless]

Im confused on your bucket measurements. I am going to use a 5 gal bucket holding a 3.5 gal bucket for my pods and a 5 gal bucket for my controller. I dont understand how to decided where to place the top set of float switches for the controller.

Also, after ordering my float switches I noticed the threads on them are only 1/4" not 1/2". Whats a good fix for this? Just fill the 90 with silicon and slip it in?

 

[wreckMEplease]

hey homless...you would want to use two 3.5gal buckets for your grow buckets and a 5gal bucket for your controller. your controller bucket must be taller than both your grow buckets stacked together

 

[billbob]

the 3.5 in a 5 gallon is fine. The controller does not need to be taller, as you do not flood to the top of the inner bucket

 

[legallyhomeless]

I dont want to use a small bucket for my grow bucket, that is why I bought bigger ones. I figure the more space inbetween buckets = more space for healthy roots.

From what Ive read in this thread, krypto floods until 1/2" from the top. If I flood 1-2 inches from the top are the roots going to get enough water and will a 5 gal bucket work for a controller. If so... where do i make my holes in the controller for the switches, using a 5 gal with a 3.2 inside and a 5 gal controller.

 

[wreckMEplease]

but the roots arent meant to grow in between the buckets in this system; they are supposed to stay within the hydroton medium. Sure they make their way down there eventually but are more of a nuisance than anything. I usually end up cutting the roots off that make their way thru the holes in the inner bucket.

 

[billbob]

yes a 5gallon bucket will work for the controller. yes the roots will get enough water.

 

[legallyhomeless]

I usually end up cutting the roots off that make their way thru the holes in the inner bucket.

foolish. more roots = bigger plant = bigger colas. Where do I drill the holes in the 5 gal controller? I asume the bottom float switches are in the same spot as any but where do the top ones go?

 

[billbob]

the top ones go as high as you want the water to go. Just leave some room at the top so it doesn't splash out. probably 3 or so inches from the top. You never want the water to go higher than the bottom bucket.

 

[legallyhomeless]

My float switches are white and not clear so I dont know what end the magnet is at. Looking at kryptos pictures helps me some but not much.

I ended up drilling my holes about 4" from the top.

 

[legallyhomeless]

Well I tested my system today and I had a few problems. When I lift the bottom switched the pump starts. When I lift the top switches nothing happens. Any ideas?

 

[legallyhomeless]

Well after messing around with it for hours I finally got it working. I had to flip all the floats around as well as plug the pumps into different outlets. When the system is pumping water back into the res, the pumps shuts off and on about 10 times waiting for the water in the pots to catch up. Is this normal? The hose Im using isnt very flexible and I think this is the reason its taking the water so long.

 

[billbob]

legallyhomeless - yes the pump will turn on and off a bunch of times during the drain and fill

 

[memyselfandi]

Yet another krypto happy user











25 litres (6.6 gallons) buckets and a 220 litres (58 galons) reservoir

 

[wreckMEplease]

thats a nice unit you built yourself memyselfandi!!!

 

[mister_terious]

More float valve information.....PLUS.....

More float valve information.....PLUS.....

http://www.aquahub.com/store/index.html I found this method of incorporation to be of some value!

 

[-=KwarE=-]

where have people found the best deals on 3.5gallon black buckets? I need 48 for my two 12site systems that i'm building.

 

[mister_terious]

http://www.usplastic.com worked for me.