Best system for indoor trees?

Feijao · Aug 16, 2009

If electricity was not and issue but plant numbers were what indoor system would you use? I was thinking of running vertical 1000k lamps with out reflectors.

Thanks

globel · Aug 16, 2009

If you wanna do hydro then a ebb n flow / multi flow system is the best "turn key" system for trees. It uses 2.5 gallon buckets. Witch I now use to grow 7ft tall mothers in.

They look like this

If your good with electrical stuff you can make your own controller in a 5 gallon and make a "DIY" system

Here are links to the DIY's
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=92963
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=6341

divenosa · Aug 16, 2009

I'll jump in. When you say best I think easiest AND turnkey. While ebb and flow is effective and no one really doubts the performance, it is still time and resource intensive.
E&F
-You have rocks that deteriorate over time leaving sediment in the system.
-Those same rocks need to be cleaned after harvest
-More tubing per square foot than other systems which means more chance for failure
-More plastic per square foot

Take aero - it solves many of these cons easily and are:
-capable of growing trees
-letting the roots grow unencumbered
-faster bloom cycles and
-uses less material and quicker turn around once everything is done.

There is also chance for failure but even ebb and flow has those issues. I don't want to attack that particular method again, just stating that there are more efficient designs which are just as simple. Just my .02

alphaguru · Aug 16, 2009

vertical cool tubes. recirculating buckets

essentially these http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=26343

15 plants
10 lbs

i bet

globel · Aug 16, 2009

It all boils down to container size. The bigger the pot the more the pot. And divenosa take a look at these. No more medium to clean.

5:10 into the video. (or watch the whole thing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hC9LrpeNT4

BlindDate · Aug 16, 2009

Drain to waste coco is BY FAR the easiest system to run.

DankHawk · Aug 16, 2009

so how cool are those tubes? Is there not a distance the plant must be from it?

jakeh · Aug 16, 2009

BlindDate said:
Drain to waste coco is BY FAR the easiest system to run.

The only thing i would add to this statement is a hempy bucket w/ head's formula. Idiot proof explosive growth that does not use a single watt. I can't believe how well the couple I have outside are doing.

alphaguru · Aug 16, 2009

DankHawk said:
so how cool are those tubes? Is there not a distance the plant must be from it?

yes the plant can only be within 10 inches of the light before it will be light bleached.

the cool tubes work great for a vertical grow

i think they are def not good for horizontal

Feijao · Aug 16, 2009

alphaguru said:
vertical cool tubes. recirculating buckets

essentially these http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=26343

15 plants
10 lbs

i bet

If I were to replicate that system but use larger buckets would I need to increase the water pump size as well? I was thinking about doing something like that but making a 6 plant system with larger buckets or containers.

alphaguru · Aug 16, 2009

5 gal buckets are perfect. no need to go bigger.

and yes we had a HUGE water pump. we had to put it on a
controller and turn in down to half way. dissolved oxygen and water flow are key

Feijao · Aug 16, 2009

In that system Alpha how is the water returned to the controller bucket, via gravity?

Thanks

alphaguru · Aug 16, 2009

yes sir.

you can see the feed manifold in the picture. there is a similar manifold made of abs or hosing if you so choose. bottom of the bucket has to be higher than the rez. so we used a 100 gal botanicare rez

Feijao · Aug 16, 2009

Thanks a lot for help brother!

What dictates the level of water in the buckets with this system brother? Do you have a little space between the water level and the net pots or are the bottoms of it in the water a little? Just wondering how you would adjust this or whatever.

BlindDate · Sep 3, 2009

Amazing setup Alphaguru,

I've always wanted to try something like that for my vertical grow, but been too lazy. I just stick a big AC in the room and be done with it. Extra $100 month electric bill is no big deal for me, but I've always wondered how well the air cool method works.

morrisgreenberg · Sep 3, 2009

Cap's Ebb and Grow system is amazing or the multi-flow, caps uses 2gallon buckets and you can grow trees as large as you like, this is good compared to 5 gallon buckets since you need less media and its less work and less $, the E&G system is so easy to use you will get bored, you can change out rez every 10 days or simply addback without changing without any ill effects. the biggest difference between bucket type ebb systems and tray based ebb systems is when the buckets are on the drain cycle they suck oxygen into the root zone as opposed to no vacuum effect in trays, take it from me, i love complicated aero systems but the bucket systems are fool proof

alphaguru · Sep 3, 2009

BlindDate said:
Amazing setup Alphaguru,

I've always wanted to try something like that for my vertical grow, but been too lazy. I just stick a big AC in the room and be done with it. Extra $100 month electric bill is no big deal for me, but I've always wondered how well the air cool method works.

it works but you still need an A/C
of course it hardly ever runs

*mistress* · Sep 3, 2009

only do the trees...

veg for 2-6 weeks under 1k bare bulbs, in 4-5 gallon buckets. this permits roots to colonize the container & reach bottom. can bottom-feed after this...

have ran aero buckets, dwc, soil, soilles mixes, etc. this is by far the easiest and most rewarding method have done.

free to inexpensive materials, and only really need 1 bottle of nutes: gh fnb.

after running several times, w/ only black gold coco blend, found that adding these inexpensive amendments to media greatly increase long-term plant health:

cornmeal...
attracts trichoderma fungi

molasses...
plenty of cal, mg, and potassium. use this every other watering. gh fnb - molasses w/ water - water only - gh fnb... roughly.

this is method used:
coco+wick+gh flora nova=never dump run-off|pdg’s imaginary/enjoyable garden
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=127112

this method does not employ or rely on machines for operation. is scalable too. use 10 gal container for bigger plants... easy to replicate and fool-proof.

this may also be helpful:
SYK's Killer Bucket System (KBS) Suggestion/Discussion Thread
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=121419&highlight=syk's+kbs+thread

enjoy your garden!