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Tonka's Vertical Grow in Modified UC6XXL 13

T

Tonka

I started this thread about 9 weeks too late. Stand by for the next.

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After 5 years of homemade aeroponic and bio-bucket growing, I decided to switch it up in my 6th and go with a commercial system. I went for the Under Current XXL 13 system with 6 modules. The system is impressive in both results and operation. However, in my situation I found that I needed to make a few modifications.
  1. Increased the width of the entire system from 51" to 63"
  2. Upgraded the return pump from 550 to 750
  3. Used the 550 for the chiller and drilled new holes in the epicenter for the chilled water return and feed
  4. EDIT: The epicenter is outside of the grow room so I can manage the nutrients even when lights are out.



The system is very impressive and easy to run. Little to no fussing with the system which is a HUGE difference from my bio-bucket runs. Also, this is the first time I have gone an entire grow without pushing the nutrients above 800ppm. More pics to follow, getting back to trimming.
 
aligee

aligee

Well-known member
Veteran
nice one loving that UCsystem what nutrient line you running in there??? so your using two water pumps in there ?
 
T

Tonka

aligee: Loving the UC system too. I'm running Dutch Master Gold nutrients and Shooting Powder in week 7 but I'm looking at Pure Flower instead of shooting powder for the next show.

I am using two water pumps. The chiller is kind of far away from the epicenter to combat heat and I want the return pump to work as efficiently as possible so I installed a chiller pump. It's working very well, temps stay below 69F.
 
T

Tonka

UCMEGROW: Thanks for stopping by. You're right, I need a bigger truck.
 
aligee

aligee

Well-known member
Veteran
nice flowers there Tonka!!! that truck reminds me of when i was a kid lol!!!
 
T

Tonka

aligee said:
nice flowers there Tonka!!! that truck reminds me of when i was a kid lol!!!
Click to expand...

Thanks aligee! The only toys I saved from childhood were my tonka trucks. They don't make steel constructed toys like these anymore. But as a kid I never would have thought I'd be filling the dump truck up with fat nugs. :headbange
 
ajc0k

ajc0k

Active member
very nice!! so how is your light configuration, how many watts? i really want to do either MPB's or UC 4XL next with 5k bare bulbs but the problem with UC is i cant set it up in a
X O X style. X light O plant.
O X O
X O X
 
aligee

aligee

Well-known member
Veteran
^^^ just rotate the layout of the buckets in the room should work just find !!!
 
T

Tonka

ajc0k said:
very nice!! so how is your light configuration, how many watts? i really want to do either MPB's or UC 4XL next with 5k bare bulbs but the problem with UC is i cant set it up in a
X O X style. X light O plant.
O X O
X O X
Click to expand...

Thanks ajc0k! Running 2k lights with a very simple configuration due to space restrictions.

Current Setup (pruning is key with this setup):
O O
X
O O
X
O O

I plan to add two 400s or two 600s in the next grow but I haven't decided where to put them. It is quite possible I'll just stack them above or below the 1000s.

Like aligee said, just rotate the buckets so your configuration will look like a diamond inside a square room.
 
T

Tonka

Impressed with the Undercurrent system, I wanted another one for vegatative growth, but this time I built my own to customize it for space reasons.

I used the ezstor buckets, but only the 5 gallon version, and an 18 gallon rubbermaid for the epicenter. Everything else is set up the same except for the configuration which is the "mother configuration" as sold by cch2o. Also the plants look a little shitty in the pics but they are recovering nicely from ozone overexposure. Live and learn.

 
aligee

aligee

Well-known member
Veteran
thats a nice diy for your moms i too gots the white 13 gal x16 buckets with the 3" pvc and uniseals !!!
 
G

guambomb813

Member
Hey tonka awesome setup, I love the UC system im in the process of building my own. Currently im running ebb n flow 5 gallon buckets been runnin it for past 2 years almost and love it but The UC system is so tempting i must see how it works first hand.

What kind of systems did you run before you made the switch?
I know you said aero and bio but how big were your pots, sites, etc?
Is this your first go at UC? asking because im interested in seeing your yield differences.
-.-
 
T

Tonka

guambomb813 said:
Hey tonka awesome setup, I love the UC system im in the process of building my own. Currently im running ebb n flow 5 gallon buckets been runnin it for past 2 years almost and love it but The UC system is so tempting i must see how it works first hand.

What kind of systems did you run before you made the switch?
I know you said aero and bio but how big were your pots, sites, etc?
Is this your first go at UC? asking because im interested in seeing your yield differences.
-.-
Click to expand...

Thanks guambomb! I love the UC system too and building your own really isn't that difficult. However, I did find that for the price to order one from cch2o and to build one is not that different. DIY always makes me feel good though.

This is my first show with the UC and it is impressive. Before the switch I ran BigTokes bio-bucket system with 8 sites. Bio-buckets are great but I had major flooding and leaking problems so one day, after a major flood, I just ripped it out I was so pissed off. The other issues with bio-buckets are rootzone and difficulty using vertical lighting. A few times I had major root rot even with a chiller and my yields were greatly affected. Vertical lighting is difficult with biobuckets, I could never get it to work out correctly.

Before the bio-buckets I ran an almost mediumless (pool noodle method) Aeroponic systems in 6" tubes. I switched to buckets because the only way I could get enough smoke in aero was to use more plants, SOG style 40 plants.

Now I'm running 6 site UC with vertical lighting and for me the yield is comparable, maybe even slightly better, to an 8 site biobucket and 40 site aero using the same wattage.
 
T

Tonka

oval said:
Does current culture have no shame? "Hey bob you're gonna need a bigger truck for those nugs you grew with your (insert product here) available at (insert website here) created by (insert shameless self promoting overpriced product company here)"

If I wanted to watch commercials I would turn on the tv! (or read the Farmer which seems to be the CC headquarters) I like the system but fuck, spare me with these advertisements. Please don't flood this nice forum with a bunch of posts from your employees and friends like you have with the other.

CC totally reminds me of Advanced Nutrients. Ruthlessly plugging their name in all over the internet. If you want to advertise buy some ad space!
Click to expand...

ok
 
G

guambomb813

Member
Tonka said:
Thanks guambomb! I love the UC system too and building your own really isn't that difficult. However, I did find that for the price to order one from cch2o and to build one is not that different. DIY always makes me feel good though.

This is my first show with the UC and it is impressive. Before the switch I ran BigTokes bio-bucket system with 8 sites. Bio-buckets are great but I had major flooding and leaking problems so one day, after a major flood, I just ripped it out I was so pissed off. The other issues with bio-buckets are rootzone and difficulty using vertical lighting. A few times I had major root rot even with a chiller and my yields were greatly affected. Vertical lighting is difficult with biobuckets, I could never get it to work out correctly.

Before the bio-buckets I ran an almost mediumless (pool noodle method) Aeroponic systems in 6" tubes. I switched to buckets because the only way I could get enough smoke in aero was to use more plants, SOG style 40 plants.

Now I'm running 6 site UC with vertical lighting and for me the yield is comparable, maybe even slightly better, to an 8 site biobucket and 40 site aero using the same wattage.
Click to expand...

Tonka thats real exciting to hear the differences you have experienced. The UC is real interesting even compared to similar recirculating.

If you dont mind me asking how many watts were u running with your bio setup and what were you yielding

Hope alls growin well -.-
 
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