1200w 8 RDWC / BB
- Thread starter Raphael
- Start date
Raphael
Member
Very nice growth for 15 days for sure!!
Is this a version of biobuckets or is it strictly a RDWC? Great setup either way and those pearly white are lookin good from my chair..
keep up the good work
fireman
I followed Big-Toke's tutorial on Bio Buckets but then added a 6" airstone to each bucket hooked to a 8port manifold hooked to a 45 liter/minute 20watt air pump. I also have a 1/5hp chiller keeping res at 68 for maximum dissolved oxygen levels.
I fucked up by not lowering the rockwool cubes far enough into the res on a couple buckets. The only way they were getting water and food was from bubbling action until the roots grew down into the water. Also I fucked up by seemingly not washing the lava rock enough. On some buckets the roots are all over them, on others (the small ones) the roots looked scared to come out of the rockwool, so there were tons of shoots poking out until they found the way into the water.
Some root inhibiting cloth that allows water through is what is needed on the drain on each bucket to prevent the root invasion. I made the drain 1" internal diamater so there's lots of space for the roots to chill. I'm going to need to trim the roots, they are growing about 2 inches a day at the tip going into the reservoir.
DarkLance
Member
tough break on the clone issues raph, next time them rocks gotta be super clean. I might also put less lavarock in, having medium out of the water is not doing you any real favors besides limited light protection. With the way you covered the buckets with poly-film, that should not be such an issue though.
to combat your root problem, I would install an elbow on the inside of the drain, pointing to the bottom of the bucket. This should help the situation, but with the drains installed on the top the tendency of the water to pull roots with it will make this hard to eliminate. You might want to periodically check for blockage, which could spell disaster in a BB system, as I'm sure you're well aware.
I wouldn't worry about the screen either, i'm sure its earthquake proof.
to combat your root problem, I would install an elbow on the inside of the drain, pointing to the bottom of the bucket. This should help the situation, but with the drains installed on the top the tendency of the water to pull roots with it will make this hard to eliminate. You might want to periodically check for blockage, which could spell disaster in a BB system, as I'm sure you're well aware.
I wouldn't worry about the screen either, i'm sure its earthquake proof.
Raphael
Member
WOW, things have changed over the last couple of days! Flower time soon raph? Those roots in your drainage are going for it alright! I'd get onto it ASAP or else you could end up with some unwanted problems. Can't wait to see them after the stretch.
Awesome job.
Peace keke
This is day 17 of veg. The last one before I flip the lights.
I am already picking up a 4x8 tray later today. I am going to do a SoG of this Blue Dream packing them in at 36 per 4x4 space with coco and perlite.
Here is a shot of some cleaned up undergrowth. Took them as clones, hopefully get a good mother going.
Raphael
Member
Day 18 of veg. The light on the right is hydrofarm magnetic ballast, the one on the left is digi lumatek. Notice anything different between the two sets of four plants?
Yesterday I put window screen on each of the drain pipes and cut the roots so I won't have a problem of root clogging later on in flower.
I also picked up a 4x8 botonicare for $140 last night. Suweet! Craigslist rocks. I'm gearing to set up a 2k 4x8 top drip coco in the other room I have.
Yesterday I put window screen on each of the drain pipes and cut the roots so I won't have a problem of root clogging later on in flower.
I also picked up a 4x8 botonicare for $140 last night. Suweet! Craigslist rocks. I'm gearing to set up a 2k 4x8 top drip coco in the other room I have.
Two12sKnockin
Member
honestly the lumatek looks like it's producing faster growth rates. assuming all else is the same. same bulb? PH?
either way looking good man. now you are prepared to enter flo from a position of strength through having well vegged girls.
I assume you use e&f fittings to hook your water line up? if so, you can just add screens next time to prevent roots from entering the water line which can cause clogging later on in flo when their roots continue to develop.
yo what air pump(s) do you run? and what kinda stones?
either way looking good man. now you are prepared to enter flo from a position of strength through having well vegged girls.
I assume you use e&f fittings to hook your water line up? if so, you can just add screens next time to prevent roots from entering the water line which can cause clogging later on in flo when their roots continue to develop.
yo what air pump(s) do you run? and what kinda stones?
Raphael
Member
The bulbs are both generic 600w HPS; one a GE and the other Osram. They are all hooked up to the same reservoir, so PH is the same all around. The fittings I use for the drain I made myself using a male and female adapter along with some 1/4" rubber acting as a washer, so I had to zip tie the window screen around it.
I'm running one 45 liter/minute split into 8 airlines, each airline ending in a 6" airstone at the bottom of each bucket.
Thanks for the comments!
Cheers
I'm running one 45 liter/minute split into 8 airlines, each airline ending in a 6" airstone at the bottom of each bucket.
Thanks for the comments!
Cheers
Raphael
Member
Haha thanks for the compliment greents I'm going to make a .gif of 10 pictures, each of them a week apart. That one will be the coolest lookin' one no doubt
Thanks, I now realize the buckets are way to complicated for the amount of wattage I can actually run. The optimum wattage for the size of the 5 gallon root system is probably around 6k. That's why I added a screen and flowered early.
Today is the first day of flower, 10/13. I vegged them for 18 days under 1200w 18/6. The thickness of the stems are incredible, fastest and most vigorous growth I've seen in my limited experience.
I built a 1" pvc frame for my new 4x8 botanicare flood tray for $12 yesterday. As soon as I fill the 4x8 with 5.5" pots w/ coco fed via top drip I will throw in 2 1000w HPS digi's w/ GE generic bulbs. When I do that I'll make a new thread.
Micro grow late finishers, coming from cfls, then went to 400w cmh, now finishing under 1200w hps. The sour d is gonna kick my face in.
Thanks, I now realize the buckets are way to complicated for the amount of wattage I can actually run. The optimum wattage for the size of the 5 gallon root system is probably around 6k. That's why I added a screen and flowered early.
Today is the first day of flower, 10/13. I vegged them for 18 days under 1200w 18/6. The thickness of the stems are incredible, fastest and most vigorous growth I've seen in my limited experience.
I built a 1" pvc frame for my new 4x8 botanicare flood tray for $12 yesterday. As soon as I fill the 4x8 with 5.5" pots w/ coco fed via top drip I will throw in 2 1000w HPS digi's w/ GE generic bulbs. When I do that I'll make a new thread.
Micro grow late finishers, coming from cfls, then went to 400w cmh, now finishing under 1200w hps. The sour d is gonna kick my face in.
DarkLance
Member
big, sexy ladies
big, sexy ladies
very nice, for < 20 days of growth, those are some big bushy plants. can we get a shot of the stems again? how thick are they?
I like the foliage in the foreground, gives the photos a very natural setting.
That Lumatek is definitely brighter, not sure if its a trick of the camera, but that second shot tells the tale. The hood is filled with a lot more light. Are you running the digi at 110%, like they advertise?
Can't wait to see them after the flip!
P.S. did you get a picture of the drain screens? Is it something you picked up at a hydro shop?
big, sexy ladies
very nice, for < 20 days of growth, those are some big bushy plants. can we get a shot of the stems again? how thick are they?
I like the foliage in the foreground, gives the photos a very natural setting.
That Lumatek is definitely brighter, not sure if its a trick of the camera, but that second shot tells the tale. The hood is filled with a lot more light. Are you running the digi at 110%, like they advertise?
Can't wait to see them after the flip!
P.S. did you get a picture of the drain screens? Is it something you picked up at a hydro shop?
Raphael
Member
Thanks for the compliments Lance, the stems are about a bic lighter width. I will try to remember to take a pic of them for you tomorrow.
The Lumatek definitely does look brighter than that old ass Hydrofarm magnetic. The Lumatek is running at 100%, maybe I will turn it up for a comparison pic. It just seems weird, like having an 11 setting on a stereo like on Waynes World.
Party time, excellent!
No you cannot see the screens for two months. No way I am opening up those lids again. Just get window screen from home de pot and zip tie it around the lip. It is easy.
Cheers!
The Lumatek definitely does look brighter than that old ass Hydrofarm magnetic. The Lumatek is running at 100%, maybe I will turn it up for a comparison pic. It just seems weird, like having an 11 setting on a stereo like on Waynes World.
Party time, excellent!
No you cannot see the screens for two months. No way I am opening up those lids again. Just get window screen from home de pot and zip tie it around the lip. It is easy.
Cheers!
Lightning Bug
Member
Great, I'm just in time for the show! Looks like you flipped them right at the right time, looking forward to watching that screen fill up. Very nice setup Raph! 
Raphael
Member
Great, I'm just in time for the show! Looks like you flipped them right at the right time, looking forward to watching that screen fill up. Very nice setup Raph!
I consider your grow on such a different level than mine so that compliment really means a lot 
I am looking forward to the next two months; I'm going to have a 2k E&F SoG going in a month or so as well. Might as well make the most of my roommates moving out! HahaCheers
bendoslendo
Member
Nice grow duder. How far is that screen from your bucket tops? Are you still tucking under? When will/did you stop? With the penetration you will get with that set up, it looks like you could grow some big colas
Raphael
Member
Thanks for the good vibes bendoslendo! The screen is 12 inches from the top of the buckets. I am tucking under every other day, once they get 5 or so inches above the screen. I don't actually tuck anything under the screen; I use plastic coated twisty ties that come on a roll so I can custom cut lengths to fit what I need. It sucks though, tying every goddamned shoot down onto the screen. I can't stop until the plant stops growing, which means I fucked myself because that growth is before the flowering stretch...There's going to be twice as much foilage in 5 weeks. The whole point of scrogging is to get all the bud to an equal level, thus all getting max penetration. I am shooting for horizontal colas, kinda like snakes or tron filling up the field or like that old snake game on the cell phones!
We will see what kind of buddage I get!
Thanks for stopping by
We will see what kind of buddage I get!
Thanks for stopping by
Very nice. Subscribed.
I assume the bulbs were the same age/hours of use when you started this grow?
The Digital Lumatek vs. Hydrofarm core-and-coil ballast is the first clear evidence of superior ballast translating to better growth that I have yet to see online. Might be that I am not looking as carefully as I ought to - and it might be that most don't grow in a manner which deploys the equipment in such a way as to provide a clear comparison, side-by-side. I think it's more of the latter than the former.
In any event, the digital vs magnetic side-by-side is reason enough to link back to this thread multiple times over the course of years, so "nicely done". I'll be keeping an eye on this one.
+Rep
I assume the bulbs were the same age/hours of use when you started this grow?
The Digital Lumatek vs. Hydrofarm core-and-coil ballast is the first clear evidence of superior ballast translating to better growth that I have yet to see online. Might be that I am not looking as carefully as I ought to - and it might be that most don't grow in a manner which deploys the equipment in such a way as to provide a clear comparison, side-by-side. I think it's more of the latter than the former.
In any event, the digital vs magnetic side-by-side is reason enough to link back to this thread multiple times over the course of years, so "nicely done". I'll be keeping an eye on this one.
+Rep
