Some SWC reservoir size advice

[sophanox]

Hey guys, I need some advice - I'm planning to use a 27"x31"x23" (HWD) cab, so it has serious height restrictions. As such, I've decided SWC is the best option so I can conserve space.

I was planning on using a 250w hps in a cooltube, with a powerful fan (200cfm). However the cooltube knocks another 5" off the height and the scrog screen as well should be a minimum 3" as well say - thus leaving about 19" of headroom.

With regards to the reservoirs thus, I have two choices:

- 6.5L, but 7" tall - leaving 12" of room from the cooltube to the screen
- 3.5L, but 4" tall - leaving 15" of room from the cooltube to the screen

I plan on using two containers to grow two plants. Ideally I'd want the 15" of room, so my question is, is a 3.5L SWC reservoir enough for a plant to grow to cover a 2.5sqf scrog? Or am I being an idiot even considering this and 15" room from tube to screen is no way near enough?

Thanks a lot for any help =)

 

[FreezerBoy]

The smaller the res, the faster the disaster. With a res that small, you'll need to be around on a near daily basis for maintenance. If that fits your lifestyle, then you really need to look at the NGB cab If he can do it, so can you.

That said, note the NGB cab uses no scrubber!!! YOIKS! BAD IDEA! While you'll likely have no room inside, you can build on on top of or behind the cab. You'll probably run into heat issues with the res. Smaller plastic water bottles (12 oz or less) filled with frozen water can be placed in the res for cooling purposes.

 

[sophanox]

Thanks a lot freezerboy, those are some valid points - having to maintain a rez that often wouldn't really work for me.

After reading through some grows like mntjohn's and yours as well - I think I'm gonna go with the bigger 6.5l rez and just take the hit in height, as growing with only a foot or so headroom can be done it seems.

I'm also gonna go for cmh, which will make thing easier + the cooltube itself doesn't take up much room horizontally, so I can always train buds away from touching the light.

Interestingly, there's enough room for 3 6.5L tubs, which raises the possibility of a recirculating SWC of some description. Or perhaps a backup tank I can use with a pump and a timer to top off if I go away for a weekend.

What are your thoughts on having the scrog screen only about 2"-3" off the rez? It might make life a bit harder but provided I have two fans circulating air from below, I think it should suffice.

Cheers =)

 

[budshoteyes]

What does SWC stand for?

 

[sophanox]

It's shallow water culture, it's basically just DWC but instead of using pots or buckets you use large shallow plastic containers of some description. Very useful in micro grows where height is an issue =)

 

[sophanox]

Building on the recirculating SWC idea, I was thinking of using three containers and placing the plants in the outer two, and use the middle one as a central reservoir, like so:

The water pump would keep the water circulating (and be used to empty the rez) and the airstones (maybe have another in the central rez) would be used to aerate the water ofc.

The central rez would make life way easier adding and removing and testing the nute solution, as well as stabilizing the PH.

Any thoughts about this potential setup?

Thanks =)

 

[thinkin]

Rezs ideas and other thoughts

Rezs ideas and other thoughts

same size cabinet with a 150 hung in the middle of the plants.

Found a 2 gallon storage tote at Home Depot.
Works great. ~ 8" hieght. ~18" long ~10" wide ~1.5 gallons
Just good enough for 2 plants. I tried less than .5 gallons per plant, horrible PH and top off experience.

BUT.. I am struggling with inspecting the plants in the back.
Out comes lazy susan (spin da plants) idea but current rezs are too big.

SO, I am going to make my own Rez with pond liner and (maybe) wood. Shouldnt be expensive. Not a difficult. And it will fit.

GL!

 

[sophanox]

Nice one thinkin, I had a peek at your pics man - looking good! Do you use a cooltube at all? How are your temps?

Also any input on the ^ RSWC anyone?

 

[thinkin]

SWC

SWC

Its cool tubed vertical light.

cool tube was hardest item to scavenge. took months to find it. Literally cool/warm to the touch.
8" by 10" glass shade from online crafts site.
(I looked. Its no longer available)

Temps are awesome. Max +5 F over ambient and usually a lot less(2-3F). Active intake pulling from floor was the best ventilation improvement!

I fear leaks. Nay on the remote rez idea. (KISS)
With current rez size, max time away is 3 days.
When I go away on a long vaca, simple syphon from outside rez works.

 

[sophanox]

Ah good points thinkin - thanks a lot. If your rez lasts for 3 days and is PH manageable then I should be fine too =)

Cheers =)

 

[Sgt.Stedenko]

I have a 16l tote that holds a little over 2 gallons below the netpots.
Freezer Boy is right. It can go south on you real quick with low volume tubs.
I do daily pH and EC checks, and still find some crazy swings in a 24 hour period.

 

[hazydreams]

Building on the recirculating SWC idea, I was thinking of using three containers and placing the plants in the outer two, and use the middle one as a central reservoir, like so:

The water pump would keep the water circulating (and be used to empty the rez) and the airstones (maybe have another in the central rez) would be used to aerate the water ofc.

The central rez would make life way easier adding and removing and testing the nute solution, as well as stabilizing the PH.

Any thoughts about this potential setup?

Thanks =)

if you were going to do this. i would just mount the res outside of the cab for the sake of subjecting it to less heat. plumb the lines inside to the two containers. just food for thought...

 

[ElGato]

Any thoughts about this potential setup?

Thanks =)

yeah, dont do it(imho)

in a space that size you're best off just running a straight SWC, the added pump for recirc will only add heat ...and heat aint good

even with no recirc you may have problems keeping your res cool enough>>>SWC, no recirc, air pumps only ..add bottles of frozen water to keep your rez cool>>> good to go!!

if i were you i'd try to find a tub about 6"-7" tall(deep?) that most closely fits your cabinet floor and run a reverse scrog, tying the plants down from the top side of the screen, that way you can keep the height of the screen lower giving you more headroom

this is all, of course just my opinion


mj

 

[Sgt.Stedenko]

The legend has spoken.
Hey there mj. You're cab was my inspiration.
Still rockin that red beast?

 

[ElGato]

hey Sgt. thanks bro..glad to inspire

...as a matter of fact after 2 yrs of down time while running my 400w cab, the little red cab has just been resurected, new carbon filter, new fan and flowering some plants >>1 week in 12/12 today, no scrog right now... just some soil plants, thanks for askin'



mj

 

[sophanox]

First off guys thanks for all the help guys, great responses. My last grow I just dived into head first without proper planning and I paid the price! Running it past the pros on here first is def the best way =)

I have a 16l tote that holds a little over 2 gallons below the netpots.
Freezer Boy is right. It can go south on you real quick with low volume tubs.
I do daily pH and EC checks, and still find some crazy swings in a 24 hour period.

Ah really? I've found 16L tubs that are the same height as the 6.5L ones I was going to use so I'll use those instead - hopefully having only one plant per tote should make the PH more manageable. I didn't factor in that you'll end up losing a gallon or so cause of necessary air gap - thanks for that Sgt.Stdenko

Hazydreams, yep that's a good point - if I ever do go away for a weekend I will make the extra rez external fo sho =)

yeah, dont do it(imho)

in a space that size you're best off just running a straight SWC, the added pump for recirc will only add heat ...and heat aint good

even with no recirc you may have problems keeping your res cool enough>>>SWC, no recirc, air pumps only ..add bottles of frozen water to keep your rez cool>>> good to go!!

if i were you i'd try to find a tub about 6"-7" tall(deep?) that most closely fits your cabinet floor and run a reverse scrog, tying the plants down from the top side of the screen, that way you can keep the height of the screen lower giving you more headroom

this is all, of course just my opinion


mj

Wow mntjohn himself! My lucky day hehe - yeah I'll def lose the other tank and just go for two larger, but still shallow tubs. That reverse scrog is an excellent idea. I found the thread where it was first brought to light here and i think it'll work perfectly in my cab =)

I do have a question about it though that I can't make out from the pics, do you still weave the plant beneath the screen, or do you just use the ties to tie it to the screen?

Cheers all =)

 

[ElGato]

or do you just use the ties to tie it to the screen?

Cheers all =)

exactly, once the plants grow up thru the screen you just tie the branches down>>horizontally above the screen

also if you are going to run the same strain you could just get one larger res instead of 2, the larger vol. of water again helping to keep your root zone cooler



mj

 

[sophanox]

Cool thanks mj =) - yeah I'm thinking of doing two strains so need two rezs