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[size=+2]YES![/size] I'm so glad I found this thread again. I remember seeing this thread about a year or so ago and I wanted to try some of the techniques Pipedream has shown here, but I could never seem to find the thread again. I'm bookmarking this bitch this time.
The harvest is usually in a perpetual state with one plant being pulled every few weeks or so. Each plant yields about 1.5 to 2 ounces of trimmed dried and cured bud. If I flower all six on the same schedule it drops down to about one ounce per lady.
Adding CFLs is as easy as screwing in a lightbulb. You can purchase premade lamp bases with the cord already attached for just a couple of bucks. Just mount them where you like them, screw in your CFL and you're good to go.
Absolutely Beautiful. I love that pic of the foot long. That is a sweet setup Pipedream. I am going to be reading this more thoroughly. Your experience is much appreciated!! I love sativia. I used love that spicey taste. Oh man, the summer of 81.. best part of the reagan years..lol
Really want to get into this hydro thing.I have to wait for some cash. This stuff is expensive if your broke. lol.. When I do though I will have to thank this place. I love this IC forum. You guy know your weeds!!
Thank you pipedream. I've been thinking of and researching ways to grow hydro for months now without having to spend too much money. Your setup was exactly what I was looking for, but I have a few more questions if you don't mind.
-About your air supply system, about how many cc's/min do both of your air pumps push total?
-Would upgrading to a 250w HPS add more heat than what an extra fan like yours would be able to exhaust? Additionally, would a 250w light be enough to grow up to 9 high quality/yield plants given that I paint my grow box with several layers of flat white or use mylar?
-Would a more obtusely angled reflector result in more efficient light reflection?
-Would two lower wattage bulbs spaced evenly apart provide more lumens to the plants than one higher wattage bulb placed centrally?
-If I were to buy mylar giftwrap at a dollar store, how would I know it's mylar? Are all reflective looking giftwraps mylar?
-I'm set on growing indica-dominant plants. Do you think I'd be able to fit more plants in a cabinet with the same dimensions as yours since indicas tend to be smaller plants?
-For a setup like this, would you recommend a pack of feminized seeds -> cloning or a pack of regular seeds -> pollinating one female? I'm asking in terms of ease, cost, and highest success rate.
I'm really sorry for all these questions. I just have so many and you seem to have enough experience to answer all of them hahaha. Thank you again. My ambitions to grow became a lot more concrete after reading this post .
Wow, something I can respond to for a change, I love it. OK here we go, now remember these are just my opinion there are likely more than one right answer......
-About your air supply system, about how many cc's/min do both of your air pumps push total?
I have abosutly no idea. I just picked out the two bigest pumps I could find and still stay within the budget I had decided on. There is no magic number here, as long as you are keeping a good steady flow of bubbles going or really breaking up the surface of your nute bath you'll be fine.
-Would upgrading to a 250w HPS add more heat than what an extra fan like yours would be able to exhaust?
No, in a cabinet this size, two computer server fans could easily handle the heat of a 250. I might consider placing them in the top to help them operate more effectively. Also, if the cabinet is smaller, there will be more heat build-up to remove.
-Would a 250w light be enough to grow up to 9 high quality/yield plants given that I paint my grow box with several layers of flat white or use mylar?
If you were doing a SOG and had 2 small plants per square foot you might get away with it. However, I think you would really be pushing the limits of the system. If you need 8 or 9 decent size plants, you are looking at the wrong type system. This is geared to the personal user or a couple. In any case, yes go with the paint and stay away from the mylar.
-Would a more obtusely angled reflector result in more efficient light reflection?
It depends on the footprint of your growing space. Ideally, every reflector should be bent or formed to get the best lighting pattern for the space it is installed in. Seldom does a store bought reflector have the actual shape that is really needed.
-Would two lower wattage bulbs spaced evenly apart provide more lumens to the plants than one higher wattage bulb placed centrally?
Again, this depends on the bulb and the footprint of the growing space. Every bulb you buy has the light output rated in lumens and sometimes par printed on the package. The only way to know the ideal setup is to try two or three configurations and take some readings with a light meter. Short of this, just find a thread with a setup you like that seems to produce well and plagiarize the hell out of it.
-If I were to buy mylar giftwrap at a dollar store, how would I know it's mylar? Are all reflective looking giftwraps mylar?
The mylar we use is just a plastic (polyester) film with a coating of aluminium on it. It used for dozens of applications other than growing. The most common are the reflective ballons you buy in any card store. If the giftwrap looks like the same material, it is.
-I'm set on growing indica-dominant plants. Do you think I'd be able to fit more plants in a cabinet with the same dimensions as yours since indicas tend to be smaller plants?
While indicas tend to be shorter, they also tend to be a bit bushier. I've grown both and when you keep them a size that the box can handle its really a wash.
-For a setup like this, would you recommend a pack of feminized seeds -> cloning or a pack of regular seeds -> pollinating one female? I'm asking in terms of ease, cost, and highest success rate.
For a first time grower, my first suggestion would be established clones. After that I'd say feminized seeds. Keep in mind that this box is just one large flower box, there is no room for a mom, or to veg plants unless they are all the same age.
Thanks for your interest and questions, grow safe & grow smart, PD
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. Your opinions really helped a lot . Anyways, I've decided to stray away from your prototype because of the lack of a separate veg/mom/clone room. You see, my build needs to facilitate all stages of the plant cycle within the box because I can't risk keeping mothers as houseplants and need to keep my clones hidden as well. I've thought of some rough dimensions on my box and will be starting a new thread to get some more help on it. I hope you stop by my thread and put in your 2 cents! Thanks once again for your help PD
Hey Pipedream - I love what you are doing with your 150! I recently bought my own for my first indoor grow. The space will be a Grow tent 1'4"x1'4". My house stays pretty cool in the winter - about 60F. Can I run the vent fan continuously or do I need to put it on a timer/thermostat?
Only time and a thermometer will tell. There are so many variables, that till you have everything up and running you'll never really know what the temps inside that tent are going to be. And, depending on the strain you grow, there is a wide range of temps that will be acceptable.
I've moved my box to an unheated space in my home. As a result, the winter temps can get down-right chilly. To solve this problem, I reverse the polarity on my DC fan. Doing so makes it blows in the opposite direction. As it does, it pushes all of the warm air from the top of the box down around the plants to keep them happy.
If I'm reading your post correctly, your tent is only 16 inches square. That gives you about 1.7 feet of growing space & over 88 watts per square foot. That's not much room for a 150, so I'm going to guess it will heat up a good bit. Also, I don't know what your tent is going to be made of, so be sure there is a good amount of space between the hot lamp and the walls for safety.
If you haven't done so yet, you might want to check out the "150w HPS Club and Resource Guide" thread on this site. Lots of like-minded growers with tons of experience doing just what you want to.
Thanks for stopping by and feel free to PM me or throw me any other questions you might have.
question, when you first put a clone into the net cup, the roots dont extend out the bottom, right? so where do you fill your water to to ensure that the plants are getting water until the roots dangle enough to reach out of the net cups
Let the water level touch the hydroton, hydroton wicks moisture a bit and the bubbling action will send even more up. When the plant feels moisture down below it will drop roots into the mix and you can lower it.
I always make sure the cutting/clone has at least the start of root nubs before it goes into the netpot with hydroton. From that point, I place it as low as possible in the pot and do as Deft mentioned. I raise the water level till its just at the bottom of the pot or stem. With good areation from below, it will get all of the moisture it needs while forcing the roots to search for the nute bath. As the roots pop through the bottom of the pot, the level is slowly dropped till there is about a one inch air-space from the pot to the top of the bath.