Something wicked this way comes

[delta9nxs]

man i can only dream of having the set ups you do delta...but alas i can only look on and follow your grows...

keep on keeping on...

btw have to ask have you considered using leds?

cheers

yes, i have been watching the development of led's for years. they are finally getting to the point where they are as efficient at converting electrical energy to light as mogul socket hps's.

i don't know how they would fare against these de fixtures though. they are truly brutally efficient.

but the problem with led's is that the initial cost is still too high to justify a large room full of them.

but soon they will be competitive.

recently we took medium socket daylight led floods and built an array out of them for vegging small plants.

i could get 1500 umols about 8" below each one. grew the hell out of just rooted clones up to about 16" at which point it became difficult to adequately light the lower branches.

it is an attractive idea because the amperage that is spent on ac's could be used for light instead.

 

[Ravenboy]

initial cost is high, but I have heard that they last far longer than mogul socket hps.

I keep the cost down by going with. mix of large and smaller much cheaper panels, even though there is some inefficiency running 5 panels, with 5 separate power supplies. but I am getting great results augmenting the main panels on the 4 sides (talking lighting the canopy from overhead, not side lit) with 60 dollar 300w (150w actual more or less) Chinese LED panels, giving me 1000w actual per M**2 - heat isn't as much of an issue I was surprised to find out, the canopy isn't that hot. the top of the tent IS. so lots of air moving...

penetration is far better, the sides get ample wattage and I no longer have to rotate plants in the tents

the big thing is for me, the buds are more dense, and there are many more dense butds than when I had HPS. thats my experience, I am not trying to start a 'this verses that' war. I like HPS, but for me these days, until I go side lighting in X pattern, I aint changing back

 

[p5150]

morning Delta! I've been reading and re reading for days trying to make sure that I dial this thing in the first time, and one of the constant comments in all the PPK threads is about "how much info there is to absorb".....Well thanks to your complete answers, i'm ready for the build!! But i have another problem! SEEDS!....between all the strains and vendors...wholly molly! talk about too much info!!! My strain knowledge is next to non existent. I understand that its a very subjective topic but i was hoping on a little guidance. as far as strain I would like to start with a "can't miss", and if it matters when it comes to vendors ...i personally prefer to support the little guy. Lastly a good source for enlightenment on this subject

 

[delta9nxs]

here is a presentation that i originally put in the "ppk for a 6 plant limit" thread. it is really excellent and will help new folks understand why the ppk works the way it does. it's mostly about pumice and peat in nursery pots but on the way there deals with container and media characteristics.

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/nursery-weeds/presentations/nw_ag_phys.pdf

 

[delta9nxs]

morning Delta! I've been reading and re reading for days trying to make sure that I dial this thing in the first time, and one of the constant comments in all the PPK threads is about "how much info there is to absorb".....Well thanks to your complete answers, i'm ready for the build!! But i have another problem! SEEDS!....between all the strains and vendors...wholly molly! talk about too much info!!! My strain knowledge is next to non existent. I understand that its a very subjective topic but i was hoping on a little guidance. as far as strain I would like to start with a "can't miss", and if it matters when it comes to vendors ...i personally prefer to support the little guy. Lastly a good source for enlightenment on this subject

well, there are so many breeders and strains out there that i couldn't possibly suggest one but i think if you go for an indica dominant one that doesn't stretch much it would be an easier grow.

 

[gmanwho]

So wheres these updates?? u know these other ppk grows over here(me) occasionally have time on our hands to bother other ppk growers an insist on updates.....

 

[Mr Blah]

I second that request gmanwho.

 

[delta9nxs]

been busy popping seeds and cloning.

i have started loading the first production plants in the recirculating system. i have 12 positions in the veg room and i have been loading 2 a week.

trying to dial in environment and watering timing. i am now delivering about 36 oz's in a 15 sec burst every 60 minutes. i had played with 30 sec every 90 min, 15 sec every 15 minutes, every 30 and 45 minutes, and now every 60 minutes.

i'm finding the plants like 15 sec, 36 oz at one hour the best in my room with my environment.

the plants are growing with flat leaves and no displays except for the ones showing yellow from the "too wet" settings. since i dried it down somewhat they are greening up nicely.

i had first under estimated the water holding potential of this 50/50 unscreened turface to chunky perlite mix. it tested at 38% air filled porosity and i thought it would dry down faster than it did.

at 36 oz's per 15 minutes the lower leaves began showing yellow at about 3 days.

i'll get some pics soon!

 

[Oysters]

Just catching up on your new project. My take aways so far are:

1. You're why Sears is going broke.

2. No master controller? You may be reaching that stage in life where separate remotes for the TV and the sound system are just easier to deal with.

3. The idea of a large plant population, all in various life stages, each requiring a somewhat different bite of the apple thus equalizing your solution through their own self-interest is great.

I did notice the centrifugal humidifier in one of the pictures. You mentioned in another post a while ago you were going to get one. Now that you've had it for a while, how do you like it?

 

[delta9nxs]

Just catching up on your new project. My take aways so far are:

1. You're why Sears is going broke.

2. No master controller? You may be reaching that stage in life where separate remotes for the TV and the sound system are just easier to deal with.

3. The idea of a large plant population, all in various life stages, each requiring a somewhat different bite of the apple thus equalizing your solution through their own self-interest is great.

I did notice the centrifugal humidifier in one of the pictures. You mentioned in another post a while ago you were going to get one. Now that you've had it for a while, how do you like it?

hey buddy! i've got 3 of the sears 25k btu units in my 10 light veg room and 4 of them in my 16 light flower room. i run the fans on high all the time. that makes 175,000 btu of cooling for about 5500 bucks. i like the redundancy of multiple units. 2 of the 3 in veg will offset the 10 lights there and 3 of the 4 in flower will offset the 16 there.

i have owned and used several brands of master controllers before and when a single function breaks the whole unit is worthless. i've got 2 pos titans sitting around somewhere that are paper weights. i prefer dedicated devices.

the ac's have fairly sophisticated digital controls. my co2 is controlled by digital co2 controllers. i've got the humidifier running off a titan eos-1, my 240v forced air heater is controlled by a thermostat on the wall. my 240v lights are switched with relays fired by 120v digital timers. all very simple and reliable.

the ac's are set at 78f so when the lights come on the room temps are 80-84f. the heater is set to come on at 75f.

hey, here is a neat little digital co2 controller.

https://blueprintcontrollers.com/Product/Details/BCDCC601

i got mine for about $250.

but you are right about wanting simple shit as you age! i just got my first smart phone 17 years into the century. i'm at the point where i instinctively look at my pill dispenser to see what day of the week it is.

the humidifier works great but it still puts fine white powder from the water all over everything in the room. i have decided to ignore it. now that the glass is back on the lights we can just use a windshield squeegee once a week to keep them in decent shape.

nice hearing from you! later!

 

[gmanwho]

the humidifier works great but it still puts fine white powder from the water all over everything in the room. i have decided to ignore it. now that the glass is back on the lights we can just use a windshield squeegee once a week to keep them in decent shape.

nice hearing from you! later!

found that white powder was from my tap water, build up as it evaporated. using RO has minimal build up.

 

[Snook]

D9, are still on the Jacks/CN-RO? How much RO do you have to make to keep up with the daily/weekly demand? that bugger has to be running 24/7. it is a PITA for me in my little OP but the huey doesn't like the calcium build up from the tap water, it clogs.

 

[delta9nxs]

found that white powder was from my tap water, build up as it evaporated. using RO has minimal build up.

yep, it's definitely the minerals from the 100 ppm tap water. but i don't really have the ability to run ro water here as it's a storage complex with a single hose bib. i have to run out 175' of hose to top my feed tanks. sometimes you have to wait your turn just to get at it.

 

[delta9nxs]

D9, are still on the Jacks/CN-RO? How much RO do you have to make to keep up with the daily/weekly demand? that bugger has to be running 24/7. it is a PITA for me in my little OP but the huey doesn't like the calcium build up from the tap water, it clogs.

no ro here at this site. if i had a pressurized tap in my units i would be running it but the plants seem to like the tap water and i can live with the white powder. it's easy to get off the glass and we can wipe the room down once in a while. we clean the floors with disinfectants anyway.

 

[Oysters]

I'm trying out a furnace mount humidifier attached to the grow tent (in my cold and dry basement) for an upcoming grow. Exhaust fan pulls air through the humidifier adding moisture, heater inside the tent heats the air. Exhaust air coming out is split with some going through a filter to the room and some recirculated back to the intake. This is keeping more of the heated and humidified air in the tent. A bit of a jury rig for sure, but it seems to be working. There's a 20 point delta the on humidity level in the tent compared to that in the basement.

 

[gmanwho]

yep, it's definitely the minerals from the 100 ppm tap water. but i don't really have the ability to run ro water here as it's a storage complex with a single hose bib. i have to run out 175' of hose to top my feed tanks. sometimes you have to wait your turn just to get at it.

100ppm is nothing, unless its sodium. i sent my city tap out to custom hydro for analysis, of the 380ppm , 70ppm of that was sodium. he was like, "do you use a water softner system? "

anything over 50ppm is said to be not suitable for plant life.

** edit, anything over 50ppm is not suitable from fresh water plant life***

 

[delta9nxs]

100ppm is nothing, unless its sodium. i sent my city tap out to custom hydro for analysis, of the 380ppm , 70ppm of that was sodium. he was like, "do you use a water softner system? "

anything over 50ppm is said to be not suitable for plant life.

apparently this is mostly calcium and magnesium because the plants love it. this complex has had a lot of medical growers for many years and none of them are using ro.

i mix "on top" of it. so if i want a 600 ppm jack's/calcinit solution i mix in jack's until i hit 460 ppm instead of 360 and then 240 ppm calcinit.

the recirculating system right now is at 750 ppm so really it's just a 650 ppm nutrient solution.

 

[Juan Budd]

UK newb

UK newb

Hi Delta I've done a couple of balcony grows and some guerilla growing but this is my first interest in indoor. I think the system you have developed is pretty much ultimate for stealth and low input (my guerilla grow instincts showing through!) combined with seriously impressive yields. I've read all your threads, including "the big one"!!! - which I've got to say is one of the most informative and one of the most entertaining items on the web. I hope that you will be kind enough to answer a question and give your thoughts on a product for me. The question is: to what extent do you consider that the stability of the nutrient solution is down to your use of perpetual grow set-ups and following on from that, have you observed unit grows using the JP+CN that have thrived in PPK? Which leads on to the product situation - I have managed to shop for available alternatives for most of the kit required but we do not get Jacks/Peters here. I am hoping for your opinion on this http://www.hortifeeds.co.uk/index.php/hortiponic/ Thank you for what has already been some of the most valued knowledge I have on growing. JB.

 

[delta9nxs]

Hi Delta I've done a couple of balcony grows and some guerilla growing but this is my first interest in indoor. I think the system you have developed is pretty much ultimate for stealth and low input (my guerilla grow instincts showing through!) combined with seriously impressive yields. I've read all your threads, including "the big one"!!! - which I've got to say is one of the most informative and one of the most entertaining items on the web. I hope that you will be kind enough to answer a question and give your thoughts on a product for me. The question is: to what extent do you consider that the stability of the nutrient solution is down to your use of perpetual grow set-ups and following on from that, have you observed unit grows using the JP+CN that have thrived in PPK? Which leads on to the product situation - I have managed to shop for available alternatives for most of the kit required but we do not get Jacks/Peters here. I am hoping for your opinion on this http://www.hortifeeds.co.uk/index.php/hortiponic/ Thank you for what has already been some of the most valued knowledge I have on growing. JB.

thank you! i can't believe you read all that.

i have done perpetual grows for several years at a time, 2-3 years. doing solution changeouts only when the ph becomes hard to control. as in needing almost daily correction to keep it below about 6.5.

once i went 8 mos.

but i think a practical approach that won't let you stray too far off would be to input about 5.6-5.8 ph initially and top from the float valve with the same ph.

it will slowly climb in the recirculating system on it's own. i would just go ahead and change it at 6.4 ph.

i have done unit grows where i completely changed out the solution between grows only.

looking at the nutrients you linked to i like the high p formula for cannabis. although both are definitely hydroponic formulas. you'll notice both must be mixed with calcium nitrate.

you may also be able to find nutrients from haifa chemicals in the uk. they are an israeli co that makes high quality ferts.

(editing for clarification)

 

[av8or]

well then we must thank the thin man for putting up with the foreman.


what are you gonna be starting for seeds.?? so so many out there now. there are so many good choices too. as much as i would like to see the x c99 crosses in there........ i would actually like to see you pull some packs out of hiding more so. never know what those tired hands are hiding ) less worry on my end too!!


whats your ceiling height in there?

what did you go with for lighting an bulbs??

ac's?

enquiring minds want to know

The old man let me pop the C99xGG4 and C99xSkywalker seeds. They're a week out of the shell now. I'll post some of my latest with these for ya, boss.