Something wicked this way comes

[newguy41410]

hello D9, I am very new to the whole PPK system and have spent the better half of the night researching it. I definitely understand the benefits of it and want to set up my own system but am a little confused on some things and am hoping you can clear up my confusion.

The main thing I don't understand is where your plumbing is starting and ending really. I'm probably totally wrong but it looks like "the supply side" starts with seven 55 gallon totes each holding 22 gallons and this is sort of like your main reservoir? This is where you add more nutrient water? Then these seven totes that you have in series go straight to what you called the "first reservoir?" Then this first reservoir gets plumbed to all the ppk modules supply buckets where the nutrient water waits to get pumped to the watering halos via timer?

Now once the timers power the pumps on we are on the return side of things? Does the runoff go down the wick and into the bottom bucket where we allow it to pool a little and return somewhere? If so, where does it return to?? I'm confused where the plumbing from the bottom container goes? Is it basically a drain line to waste?

And I noticed your seven reservoirs and your first reservoirs are all at 7". Do you simply pour in enough water until you get 7" so you know you have seven inches of water every where else in the system?

Appreciate any time you can give and for your inspiring contributions to the community!!

 

[newguy41410]

i just found zeke99s PDF and skimmed through it and it cleared up SOME confusion but not all. So i now interpret your build as:

the seven 55 gallon totes are your Volume reservoirs? these contain just water? These are elevated in order to gravity-feed the rest of the system correct?

The volume reservoirs gravity feeds the control res (where you can measure "run-off" that combined with the "old nutrient solution" and you can correct pH EC accordingly when adding nutes)? This control res has a float valve so every time the pumps are activated it automatically tops itself off from gravity feeding from Volume reservoir? Now every time the timer allows the pumps to operate the runoff from the watering halos goes down the wick into the bottom container? This is where im probably most confused, mainly because i cant find pictures or information on this part. This bottom container plumbs back into the Control reservoir right? I cant see that happening in any of the pictures so im not sure about this part. Wondering how this runoff gets back to the control reservoir? Via pump??

 

[Snook]

i just found zeke99s PDF and skimmed through it and it cleared up SOME confusion but not all. So i now interpret your build as:

the seven 55 gallon totes are your Volume reservoirs? these contain just water? -These are elevated in order to gravity-feed the rest of the system correct?

The volume reservoirs gravity feeds the control res (where you can measure "run-off" that combined with the "old nutrient solution" and you can correct pH EC accordingly when adding nutes)? This control res has a float valve so every time the pumps are activated it automatically tops itself off from gravity feeding from Volume reservoir? Now every time the timer allows the pumps to operate the runoff from the watering halos goes down the wick into the bottom container? This is where im probably most confused, mainly because i cant find pictures or information on this part. This bottom container plumbs back into the Control reservoir right? I cant see that happening in any of the pictures so im not sure about this part. Wondering how this runoff gets back to the control reservoir? Via pump??

in a simple PPK system the volume res' contain the nutrient solution, most effective is JacksPro w Calcium @600PPMs by 360jacks,240calcium. (I haven't checked my PH since ??? I don't remember, 6-8 months) the volume rez feeds the control rez where the float valve is set to the preferred height at the same height as the PPK rez which is where the wick from the PPK 'pot'
protrudes down into. The PPK rez is sent by hose back to the control rez where is mixes with old juice and new juice from the volume rez when it is called for. ina scrog situation, there is no checking of run-off that is required... and while growing tree type plants didn't look either, if one dev8s from the 600-700ppm mix youre on your own with predictability. delta will be by before too long to spell it out mobetta.

 

[delta9nxs]

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.

that was c99xstardawg which are the only ones i have popped so far. i'll start my c99xgg4's in a few weeks.

 

[delta9nxs]

@newguy41410

looking at the old stuff will probably just confuse you! since we started experimenting with this system the basic principles of operation have not changed. but the plumbing has been done a bunch of different ways.

building any recirculating system with multiple plant sites you need equal delivery of solution and you need to keep the solution homogenized so that you will get the same ph and ec readings anywhere in the system.

there are a million ways to do this in the naked city. there is no "right" way or "wrong" way as long as these criteria are met.

looking at my photos above you see 2 rooms, a flowering room and a vegging room.

you see the 7 totes in a line. the return lines from both rooms enter the lead tote with the floats in it. the nutrient/water supply line also goes into the lead tote via the float valves and is fed from 9 elevated 55 gal drums in the hallway that you cannot see because i thoughtfully neglected to put up a photo of them.

so the solution from the return and the supply lines meet and mix in the first of the 7 totes then travels through all 7 of them in a series until at the 7th tote there are two lines leaving it to supply the two rooms.

the solution goes first to the pump buckets then is supplied to the plants via the watering halo.

the frequency and volume delivered are controlled by a repeat cycle timer in each room that fires the pumps simultaneously.

this draws down the water level in the pump buckets and, after passing through the medium, overfills the bucket under the plant container by approximately the same amount.

gravity then propels solution through the hoses and containers to equalize the water levels throughout the system again. awaiting the next pulse of solution.

we initially loaded the system dec 4. today is feb 8. the reading's today are 800 ppm at 5.8 ph. of course we are not fully loaded yet but still that is extreme solution stability. no precipitation no wild ph swings. just fast and healthy growth.

i hope this helps!

 

[gmanwho]

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.

just to clear that up. the father of both was c99, a freebie c99 pack from wallyduck. so it was gg#4 x c99. then the other pack was stardawg corey x c99. my mind wont let things slip sometimes, it would eat me if i didn't correct that . funny how i am so passionate, or i couldn't care. on or off...

all of them should be super vigorous monster xmas trees. more so the stardawg im feeling. not much to report as of yet. been putting off my gg#4xc99 for like 6-8 months now... yikes, but atleast they are sexxed. still building an tweeking. i cant stop. but that tester tent is a day away from being ready an i have 6 ggxc99 females going in. then another 3 females to slowly mix in.

few more peoples out there with gg#4xc99 just into flowering. beautiful structure on many. some interesting early mutations that fade.


just started some more seeds i used that c99 father on. lucifer og x c99, lucifer was a hells angel og x sfv , or a sfx bx? i can ask again

i cant wait to see what they bring!!! delta tells me they are vigorous an have passed other commercial packs, yes ..no?? how where the germ rates?

looking forward to updates...... i live for this.

bsafe

 

[delta9nxs]

just to clear that up. the father of both was c99, a freebie c99 pack from wallyduck. so it was gg#4 x c99. then the other pack was stardawg corey x c99. my mind wont let things slip sometimes, it would eat me if i didn't correct that . funny how i am so passionate, or i couldn't care. on or off...

all of them should be super vigorous monster xmas trees. more so the stardawg im feeling. not much to report as of yet. been putting off my gg#4xc99 for like 6-8 months now... yikes, but atleast they are sexxed. still building an tweeking. i cant stop. but that tester tent is a day away from being ready an i have 6 ggxc99 females going in. then another 3 females to slowly mix in.

few more peoples out there with gg#4xc99 just into flowering. beautiful structure on many. some interesting early mutations that fade.


just started some more seeds i used that c99 father on. lucifer og x c99, lucifer was a hells angel og x sfv , or a sfx bx? i can ask again

i cant wait to see what they bring!!! delta tells me they are vigorous an have passed other commercial packs, yes ..no?? how where the germ rates?

looking forward to updates...... i live for this.

bsafe

i kept 12 of the stardawgxc99 and they all germinated and are growing vigorously. and yes they are ahead of several other commercial packs. i'm about to take clones from them and flower the bottoms real fast to sex them. i'll know sex by the time the cuts are rooted. then i'll track the females with pics.

 

[newguy41410]

@newguy41410

looking at the old stuff will probably just confuse you! since we started experimenting with this system the basic principles of operation have not changed. but the plumbing has been done a bunch of different ways.

building any recirculating system with multiple plant sites you need equal delivery of solution and you need to keep the solution homogenized so that you will get the same ph and ec readings anywhere in the system.

there are a million ways to do this in the naked city. there is no "right" way or "wrong" way as long as these criteria are met.

looking at my photos above you see 2 rooms, a flowering room and a vegging room.

you see the 7 totes in a line. the return lines from both rooms enter the lead tote with the floats in it. the nutrient/water supply line also goes into the lead tote via the float valves and is fed from 9 elevated 55 gal drums in the hallway that you cannot see because i thoughtfully neglected to put up a photo of them.

so the solution from the return and the supply lines meet and mix in the first of the 7 totes then travels through all 7 of them in a series until at the 7th tote there are two lines leaving it to supply the two rooms.

the solution goes first to the pump buckets then is supplied to the plants via the watering halo.

the frequency and volume delivered are controlled by a repeat cycle timer in each room that fires the pumps simultaneously.

this draws down the water level in the pump buckets and, after passing through the medium, overfills the bucket under the plant container by approximately the same amount.

gravity then propels solution through the hoses and containers to equalize the water levels throughout the system again. awaiting the next pulse of solution.

we initially loaded the system dec 4. today is feb 8. the reading's today are 800 ppm at 5.8 ph. of course we are not fully loaded yet but still that is extreme solution stability. no precipitation no wild ph swings. just fast and healthy growth.

i hope this helps!

Thank you! I think I'm understanding the layout a lot better this morning now but can still use some help clearing up some confusion. Hopefully I got it right this time:

The "lead tote" that you speak of is the "First reservoir" pictured in Post # 5 correct? And it looks totally different from the black-and-yellow 55 gallon totes in series right? So the return lines go back to the first reservoir pictured in post #5 and then they go to the totes in series before starting all over again.

Ultimately, in the end, after I understand PPK, I already know my questions will become "do i really need 7 totes for my setup?" and "what would be the simplest way to incorporate PPK into my setup. In fact, do you mind taking a look at this picture I scratched up in paint and give me some pointers? I think this would benefit me the most!

http://i.imgur.com/FdFKh2W.png

Im actually in the middle of building my rooms so any information i can absorb now goes a long way with saving headaches for things later on! One thing i should also mention is that i think i definitely should have my reservoirs somewhere outside the flower room but in the garage nearby, just not sure where is the ideal location. Here's a link to a thread i made regarding my build in case you want to see pics for reference

thanks in advance D9!!

 

[av8or]

that was c99xstardawg which are the only ones i have popped so far. i'll start my c99xgg4's in a few weeks.

Ah, yes, I stand corrected once again. Or do I??? They both start with "S" and because I hate being wrong, I'm going to artificially claim dyslexia, which makes me a victim of circumstance instead of intellectually incorrect. Man, this post modern world surely allows my emotions to succeed...truth be damned!

I've got 23 of those and 10 of the C99xGG4 popped and an additional 20 feminized seeds from my previous strains. I tipped over two solo cups and "broke" the tiny little seedling stems already. Pretty dumb.

 

[av8or]

just to clear that up. the father of both was c99, a freebie c99 pack from wallyduck. so it was gg#4 x c99. then the other pack was stardawg corey x c99. my mind wont let things slip sometimes, it would eat me if i didn't correct that . funny how i am so passionate, or i couldn't care. on or off...

all of them should be super vigorous monster xmas trees. more so the stardawg im feeling. not much to report as of yet. been putting off my gg#4xc99 for like 6-8 months now... yikes, but atleast they are sexxed. still building an tweeking. i cant stop. but that tester tent is a day away from being ready an i have 6 ggxc99 females going in. then another 3 females to slowly mix in.

few more peoples out there with gg#4xc99 just into flowering. beautiful structure on many. some interesting early mutations that fade.


just started some more seeds i used that c99 father on. lucifer og x c99, lucifer was a hells angel og x sfv , or a sfx bx? i can ask again

i cant wait to see what they bring!!! delta tells me they are vigorous an have passed other commercial packs, yes ..no?? how where the germ rates?

looking forward to updates...... i live for this.

bsafe

I should have read your post before posting a few minutes ago. GG4 x C99! Got it! hahaha I love the passion, boss. I only popped these a few days ago. I'm glad to hear they're potentially strong plants. I'm about to start making crosses for the first time, flowering males and doing the whole gambit. Lots to learn on my end but I'm hoping to find a couple strong males and this pack might do the trick, it sounds like.

Gonna run them in both the traditional X pattern with verts and going to scrog them under DE's simultenously (in different rooms, obviously). I'm watching the kettle boil now and it's taking forever.

 

[av8or]

Thank you! I think I'm understanding the layout a lot better this morning now but can still use some help clearing up some confusion. Hopefully I got it right this time:

The "lead tote" that you speak of is the "First reservoir" pictured in Post # 5 correct? And it looks totally different from the black-and-yellow 55 gallon totes in series right? So the return lines go back to the first reservoir pictured in post #5 and then they go to the totes in series before starting all over again.

Ultimately, in the end, after I understand PPK, I already know my questions will become "do i really need 7 totes for my setup?" and "what would be the simplest way to incorporate PPK into my setup. In fact, do you mind taking a look at this picture I scratched up in paint and give me some pointers? I think this would benefit me the most!
View Image
View Image

Im actually in the middle of building my rooms so any information i can absorb now goes a long way with saving headaches for things later on! One thing i should also mention is that i think i definitely should have my reservoirs somewhere outside the flower room but in the garage nearby, just not sure where is the ideal location. Here's a link to a thread i made regarding my build in case you want to see pics for reference

thanks in advance D9!!

D9 and I don't necessarily disagree about this, but he uses more tubs that I do and no one is complaining about my results at all. I only ever use a single 27 gallon tub for my main res. I've attached as many as 24 sites up to one res of that size with no issues. Of course, the theory holds true that the more volume, the more stable the solution will remain, which is invaluable for the PPK system. Given that, it's technically better to have more volume. Here's why I get away with less: The environmental conditions, lighting, feed times, etc. are all so dialed in that I'm not giving the root zones a reason to fluctuate abnormally. Constant controls to maintain homeostasis throughout the entire grow system/room is your best friend. Also, don't fuss about which bucket. Its conceptual, really. Any bucket, any conduit, any pump, etc. will work so long as you have the concept achieved. Top feed out of a main res, purge the perched water table (PWT), drain back to main res, repeat. The air gap between the bottom of the plant bucket and the top of the water level in the bottom bucket will dial in the purging of the water table but we've found sticking with 4" is the best starting point (and usually you don't need to deviate). As for your setup in the garage, more plants in that small space will likely hurt more than hinder unless you're flowering them at a foot tall. Fill your allowable canopy space instead of worrying about plants. I personally prefer fewer, larger plants as there's less man hours involved in total and I love saying I have grown a 4 pound plant in a 7 gallon ppk site. Anyhow, you're on the right track, boss. Looking forward to seeing how you set up. Focus on enviros, the rest will follow.

 

[delta9nxs]

@newguy41410

my set up here is really not suitable for your space. you need a more compact system that doesn't eat up a lot of floor space.

since you have started a thread let's take this to your place.

there are bunch of ppk user's here who have spaces similar to yours. we'll see if we can get some advice from them.

 

[Sqydro]

nice im actualy in a d9s ppk thread thats not from back in the day and has pics BOOM pulling up a chair mate long time PPK admirer stil cant fully wrap my head around it i know there special tho all the best mate peace

 

[delta9nxs]

nice im actualy in a d9s ppk thread thats not from back in the day and has pics BOOM pulling up a chair mate long time PPK admirer stil cant fully wrap my head around it i know there special tho all the best mate peace

hey, bro! good to hear from you!

 

[C.O.B.]

D9, I'm wanting to upgrade from my 3.5 gal planter to a 7 gal tub. Home depo doesn't stock nor ship the Tom-kap brand fitting. There are a few other brands but the plug isn't the same. Would you recommend either of these?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/NIBCO-4-in-PVC-DWV-SPG-x-F-Cleanout-Adapter-with-Plug-C4816HD4/205840065

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Mueller-Streamline-4-in-Dia-ABS-Cleanout-Adapter-Fitting/3424636

 

[delta9nxs]

that's strange as my hd's shows them both in stock in the store and orderable online.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/RectorSe...ut-Adapter-97482/100141128?keyword=3"+tom-kap

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Sioux-Ch...H=REC-_-rv_search_plp_rr-_-NA-_-202313209-_-N

i don't like the fittings the fittings you show. they look like they would be time consuming to adapt.

editing to say that there are pvc fitting stores online that stock them.

 

[C.O.B.]

Yea it's unavailable in My bs state according to the website. The drains are there tho. Thanks for the speedy response.

Edit: I will be ordering from one of the other sites.

Peace

To be sure. This is the gold eh?
https://www.amazon.com/Rectorseal-9...Kap+3+in.+ABS+DWV+Inside-Fit+Cleanout+Adapter

Found a Ferguson dealer near me. Opens tomorrow. Might be able to avoid online ordering after all!!!!

So, the plug gets tossed correct? We are just using the round thingamajig to connect the 3" pvc to?
1 point scored for the plumbing challenged.

 

[C.O.B.]

Another question. I will most definitely be converting over to Ppk 100%. In tents of course.
Right now I am running a single Ppk 3.5's with a 3.5 pump res. 5gal res.

When upgraded, going to a 55 gal res, should I drop 4 -5 pumps in it or 1 larger pump to supply 4 to 5 sites?

Is that even a possibility? Don't want to build a manifold or a delivery system out of pvc. I'd like to use the Goodyear hose for plumbing only. No much real estate to do individual buckets for the pumps in this case.

Also, my apologies, I know this has been covered. I built my first Ppk and got lazy. Didn't keep up. Hell, just found this thread a few days ago. Appreciate any ideas,or help.

 

[gr866]

When I worked in greenhouses as a young man, we would use two pumps per rez of equal power, they were tied together an run at that the same time. If one died the other could keep up.
I would see the same situation here, where you supply all sites with one rez and two large pumps.
So all your sites are the same strains and grow point?

GR

 

[Mr Blah]

that's strange as my hd's shows them both in stock in the store and orderable online.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/RectorSe...ut-Adapter-97482/100141128?keyword=3"+tom-kap

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Sioux-Ch...H=REC-_-rv_search_plp_rr-_-NA-_-202313209-_-N

i don't like the fittings the fittings you show. they look like they would be time consuming to adapt.

editing to say that there are pvc fitting stores online that stock them.

Ya they say "it is unavailable" on my computer screen also.