Turn table for Vertical grow [conVERT]

[sv4run]

Mission conVERT:

So far i always had flat grow. So i think is time for me to try vertical.

Well this is only in planning stage for now. First i need to finish current grow.
I have some images, so any comments / suggestions will be appreciated. Mainly because it will be my first vertical grow.

I have already read "vert grow 101" thread and saw some interesting vert grows (here on ICMAG). So i decided to try vert SCROG myself. It will also be my frist SCROG grow.

So why title "Turn table ..."?
Well, i saw some posts in which growers mention to be carefull when working in vert grow rooms. Mainly because of hot lights hanging in the middle of grow room. And because i probably won't have much space to take care of plants at the back of cab. So i wanted to make it a bit easier to take care of my ladies. So i thought it would be good to make some sort of "table" which i could spin for 360° left or right. This way i could take care of plants which would be at the back of my cab much easier.

So here is some visual material ...

8 pots vert with turn table under pots - top-front view

8 pots vert - top view

6 pots vert - top view
Just so you can see distance difference betwen pots in 8 and 6 vert. Well, maybe 7 would be better than 8.

front view - so you can see both parts of table with metal balls together

And here are both parts of turn table ...

Bottom part with "fixed" metal balls - top view (on other side is flat). With fixed i mean they will be in holes so they can't move around the table and keep it stable.

(IMAGE IS ATTACHED)
Top part with metal balls in canal, which whould allow table to spin for 360° in left or right.

In the midle of the table is hole through which i could pull tube which would be connected on fan and then cooltube (which can also be seen on images).

That's it for now. Is 1am, so is time to go sleep.

 

[sso]

very nice.

 

[Harry Gypsna]

What you've got there, is the worlds coolest "Lazy Susan"!

 

[guest845704]

I want to see it working!

 

[Hundred Gram Oz]

Cool design. How much light are you gonna use? How much space will you be using for the plants?

HGO

 

[Crusader Rabbit]

I have seen a Lazy Susan somewhere on this site. The guy used skateboard wheels/casters on one surface and screwed huge rings of poly hose to the other plywood surface to act as tracks/guides.

The real challenge is having an automated watering system with this thing.

 

[SEAttown206]

Very cool idea with the hole in the center for a vert cool tube.

How about putting each plant on its own individual "Lazy Susan" so they each plant spins, receiving equal light? This would have the same effect as a light mover, but moving the plants rather than the light… You are planning on this as a manual system, from what I take from your OP, though. Great idea, would just be cool to see someone take it to the "next level."

There is a fairly recent thread in the vert forum arguing whether or not it is beneficial to spin/turn the plants vs. leave them be -- Main argument, long story short, plant uses energy trying to re-orient towards light if they are turned, vs. that energy going towards growth/production… I'm not gonna try choose/argue either side, like I said there is an entire thread devoted to that issue. Would be very interested in seeing a full-on "Automated Lazy Susan" grow.

Big thumbs-up on the drawings/pics, sv4Run! I'm just trying to figure-out how you were able to post them, though? Thought you had to have 50 posts before you can put-up pics? I still can't get pics on here, and I've been around since 2005!

 

[Grizz]

Very cool idea with the hole in the center for a vert cool tube.

How about putting each plant on its own individual "Lazy Susan" so they each plant spins, receiving equal light? This would have the same effect as a light mover, but moving the plants rather than the light… You are planning on this as a manual system, from what I take from your OP, though. Great idea, would just be cool to see someone take it to the "next level."

There is a fairly recent thread in the vert forum arguing whether or not it is beneficial to spin/turn the plants vs. leave them be -- Main argument, long story short, plant uses energy trying to re-orient towards light if they are turned, vs. that energy going towards growth/production… I'm not gonna try choose/argue either side, like I said there is an entire thread devoted to that issue. Would be very interested in seeing a full-on "Automated Lazy Susan" grow.

Big thumbs-up on the drawings/pics, sv4Run! I'm just trying to figure-out how you were able to post them, though? Thought you had to have 50 posts before you can put-up pics? I still can't get pics on here, and I've been around since 2005!

on a vert scrogg you cant turn the plants, there tied to the scrogg screen, i do like the turntable idea though , would make working on plants and watering by hand real easy, the only problem i have is i run a square doghnut with a 3ft x 3ft pvc scrogg screen on each pot

 

[SEAttown206]

Whoops, good point, Joesy Whales, I glossed-over the SCROG part. Was too excited by the cool-looking pics When you look at the drawings, just see where the plant would be, so I was envisioning "bushes."

Also, as Crusader Rabbit points-out, doing the lazy-Susan w/any sort of automated water set-up, hydro , etc.etc. is a limiting factor.

 

[sv4run]

Very cool idea with the hole in the center for a vert cool tube.

How about putting each plant on its own individual "Lazy Susan" so they each plant spins, receiving equal light? This would have the same effect as a light mover, but moving the plants rather than the light… You are planning on this as a manual system, from what I take from your OP, though. Great idea, would just be cool to see someone take it to the "next level."

There is a fairly recent thread in the vert forum arguing whether or not it is beneficial to spin/turn the plants vs. leave them be -- Main argument, long story short, plant uses energy trying to re-orient towards light if they are turned, vs. that energy going towards growth/production… I'm not gonna try choose/argue either side, like I said there is an entire thread devoted to that issue. Would be very interested in seeing a full-on "Automated Lazy Susan" grow.

Big thumbs-up on the drawings/pics, sv4Run! I'm just trying to figure-out how you were able to post them, though? Thought you had to have 50 posts before you can put-up pics? I still can't get pics on here, and I've been around since 2005!

Just a quick reply before i have to go to work.

Main reason why all plants need to be on one turn table is, so i can turn the whole table and all plants only change position and not the side which will be turned to the light. This way i can take care of plant which would be originally at the back of my cab.

I think i saw debate about turning plants and extra energy they need to wasted.

I will post some numbers later, when i'm back from work.

I have seen a Lazy Susan somewhere on this site. The guy used skateboard wheels/casters on one surface and screwed huge rings of poly hose to the other plywood surface to act as tracks/guides.

The real challenge is having an automated watering system with this thing.

I was thinking about using blumat. Which would also be something new. I don't have it yet. But i think i could make it work. All i would need is longer main tube so it can turn with table.

Like i said, this is just a quick reply. Will answer to some other posts later.

Will post some more pics about whole turn table system later as well. System whit balls like ballbearings was not first idea,... so.

 

[sv4run]

First, thank you all for your posts, thoughts and suggestions.

I have 600W HPS. Current cab (60x100x180cm - 2x3.2x6 feet) which is maybe a bit too small for 600, but i have it open an can pull shelf out of cab to get more space. Well i'm plannig to make new one (85x120x180cm - 2.8x4x6 feet).

Turn table diameter will be 83cm (32 inch) and height 30mm (1 inch). Weight of both parts of table should be around 7,1kg (bottom part:4,3kg and top part: 2,8kg). I will probably have to grease the balls a bit, because i have to take in account wieght of full pots, which could make it hard to spin the table with dry balls.

I will probably be using airpots (7.5 L) with dimensions: diameter 223mm (8 inch) and height 255mm (10 inch).
Cooltube diameter is 125mm (4 inch).

Distance between lowest point of glass on cooltube and center of each pot is 258mm (10 inch). And from lowest point of glass to border of pot 160mm (6 inch).
Distance between pots in 8 pots setup is only 9mm (0.4inch). In 6 pots setup is 80mm (3.1 inch). And with 7 pots setup would be 40mm (1.6 inch). I will probably have to raise cooltube a bit.

I really liked marlo's screens, which allowed plants to lean a bit. And that's probably what i will do.
Marlo's screen:

Like i mention in my previous post, i will probably be using blumat, with which i could most likely make it happen.
Full lenght of circle (table) is 2,6m (8.5 feet) and in blumat pack you get tube which is 7m (23 feet) long. I know this could mess with water flow, but i think is worth a try. I just need to keep tube at the same level.

Btw, all images are made in real dimensions. So that's how i got all the numbers.

... I'm just trying to figure-out how you were able to post them, though? Thought you had to have 50 posts before you can put-up pics? I still can't get pics on here, and I've been around since 2005!

I created albums, uploaded images in it and then used links / tags to show them here. But i had to attach one because of 5 images limit. But i do have to wait for 50 posts before i can use custom avatar.

I think that's enough numbers for now.

Is time for my daily after work J.

 

[St3ve]

Lazy Susan? How About Lazy Mary?

It won't help the plants at all but I can't see any reason it would harm them. It will be kind of annoying with the blumat hoses getting in the way though. Just have to leave alotta slack and go back and forth instead of all around.

 

[SEAttown206]

Thanks for the reply on the pic posting. I tried loading into albums a few weeks back, wouldn't let me…gonna try again.

Those are some nice-looking SCROG screens, look simple yet effective .

Will be interested to see how the blumat works out -- like st3ve says, should work ok to have longer hoses, and not spin the "Lazy Mary" like you're trying-out for Wheel of Fourtune…

 

[yortbogey]

needs asmall motor attched to the thing to allow the plants to carousel around the light the whole grow that would be C00L....tripping the lightZ fantastic......

 

[sv4run]

Well, reservoir for blumat would be right next to cab. So i would need around 5m hose, probably less. So approximately 1/3 would be only for turn. I don't actually need 360° spin while growing. Only 90°-180°, so i could get to the plant which would be at the back of grow space.

 

[Crusader Rabbit]

Casters are cheap and easy to install. Screw a hulla hoop to the other piece for a track.

http://www.harborfreight.com/2-inch-x-7-8-eighth-inch-light-duty-rigid-caster-41513.html

 

[Guest 88950]

i cant wait to see you build it out

heave weight can easily be moved using air.........think of an air hockey table.

whatever method you go with good luck

EDIT: like the Air Casters here

http://www.hovair.com/

 

[sv4run]

Thanks for links.

But i will most likely use ballbearing balls. I can get 10, 0.75 inch balls for $7.77.

I need 18 of them. 18 "Light Duty Caster" wheels would be more than double what would be for 0.75 inch balls. And it would also be double in height with wheels compared to both tables with ball system. But less wheels could be bad because of balance. In case top table falls because of imbalance it would fall for about 6cm (2.4 inch), which can be enough to damage plant or two. but with ballbearing balls, distance between top and bottom table would be only 5mm (0.2 inch).

 

[Anti]

I have seen a Lazy Susan somewhere on this site. The guy used skateboard wheels/casters on one surface and screwed huge rings of poly hose to the other plywood surface to act as tracks/guides.

The real challenge is having an automated watering system with this thing.

Yeah... I believe you are discussing Pine Boy's setup.

He used skateboard trucks and wheels.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=198728

For automated watering... what if you had an OUTER ring that was above the lip of the pots? Attached to the outer ring could be some sort of drip system. You could then spin the plants to gain access to the plants in the back without the dripper system moving at all. As long as you made sure to line up the drippers with the plants when you rotated it, you'd be set.

 

[sv4run]

Yeah... I believe you are discussing Pine Boy's setup.

He used skateboard trucks and wheels.

...

For automated watering... what if you had an OUTER ring that was above the lip of the pots? Attached to the outer ring could be some sort of drip system. You could then spin the plants to gain access to the plants in the back without the dripper system moving at all. As long as you made sure to line up the drippers with the plants when you rotated it, you'd be set.

Thanks for link and images. Also good idea about outer ring.

Well i can be very stubborn so i will definitely try blumat first. If it doesn't work can use it for mothers and other plants in veg.