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Mini PPK Full Build Tutorial with Pics
- Thread starter Rocketman64
- Start date
I try for 78*F-80*F, day, 70*F-72*F, night... humidity,,, 55%(+|- 5%) both D&N. night time exhaust goes 15min every 1.5-2.0hrs. the PPK, I think, will continue to feed/give the plant what they want at higher/lower temps.. but bud density suffers as temps go higher, IMO. leave those 90*F behind, Imaginary Friend, did it, I believe, just to be contrary... he was good to have around..
Rocketman64
Member
I love the positive feeling I'm getting and the encouragement from this ICMAG crowd. Thank you all. There are some brilliant minds lurking around here. One can't help but learn and be inspired.
hey, great thread! thank you!
i run my res at 78-84 normally but it has gotten to 86-88f before with no adverse effects.
it's not high temps that cause root rot, it is low o2.
and since we are not deriving o2 from the solution but rather the air we are not concerned with dissolved o2 in solution.
Rocketman64
Member
Thanks for chiming in Delta! I don't think I'll mess with the temps a whole lot, doesn't seem to be worth risking upsetting the apple cart. It's good to know temps are one less thing to have to watch super-close.
Just a side note: My last grow was a really nice mutt hybrid of some sort that produced outrageous amounts of resin on the buds. Towards the end of the grow, I decided to start screwing around a little for the hell of it.
I knew I was going to harvest soon so I decided to just kill the whole system to see how long it would go before I noticed the plant suffering. It never happened.
I left the lights on schedule but shut off the feed, the air and the heater for 10 days. She didn't flinch!!!! As a matter of fact, I believe the resin production may have increased. I have no way of knowing for sure because I didn't have a 'control' plant but damn, it was impressive.
This plant never wilted, lost leaves or showed any signs she was under duress. That, in a nutshell, is why I'll never go back to any other way of indoor growing.
In fact, now that I've proved to myself this system is worthy of continuing, I've made plans to bump it up a bit. Stay tuned for a Mini PPK Quad system.
Basically, two plants per 10 gallon tub x2 side-by-side connected to one reservoir. Four plants instead of one using only slightly more resources than a single plant. The whole thing will fit under one 4' T5 Flouro's I already have. I'm stealing some ideas from Riddleme for the T5 configuration and hope to plant some pure landrace sativas for a trip back to my high-school days in the 70's. Really, really stoked to try to pull it off.
Just a side note: My last grow was a really nice mutt hybrid of some sort that produced outrageous amounts of resin on the buds. Towards the end of the grow, I decided to start screwing around a little for the hell of it.
I knew I was going to harvest soon so I decided to just kill the whole system to see how long it would go before I noticed the plant suffering. It never happened.
I left the lights on schedule but shut off the feed, the air and the heater for 10 days. She didn't flinch!!!! As a matter of fact, I believe the resin production may have increased. I have no way of knowing for sure because I didn't have a 'control' plant but damn, it was impressive.
This plant never wilted, lost leaves or showed any signs she was under duress. That, in a nutshell, is why I'll never go back to any other way of indoor growing.
In fact, now that I've proved to myself this system is worthy of continuing, I've made plans to bump it up a bit. Stay tuned for a Mini PPK Quad system.
Basically, two plants per 10 gallon tub x2 side-by-side connected to one reservoir. Four plants instead of one using only slightly more resources than a single plant. The whole thing will fit under one 4' T5 Flouro's I already have. I'm stealing some ideas from Riddleme for the T5 configuration and hope to plant some pure landrace sativas for a trip back to my high-school days in the 70's. Really, really stoked to try to pull it off.
2nd_nature
New member
Well done, nice write up.
Rocketman64
Member
Ditch the air pump
Ditch the air pump
Ya know, I just realized something after reading your post. I don't think I need the goofy air pump in this thing. I was concerned when I first built this the solution would sit too long with no aeration between cycles but hell, 90 minutes isn't long enough for anything nasty to start growing. I should have picked up on this a long time ago but for whatever reason, I got stuck on making sure the solution was well aerated.
At one time, I tossed around the idea of putting the air stone directly into the bottom section of the tailpiece. That would certainly supply an ample amount of air into the roots but honestly, I'm not sure it's necessary.
Maybe someday I'll grow a plant with the air in the tailpiece just to see if it aids growth in any way. I keep picturing how some of the aeroponic systems work with the way they mist the root system. I'm thinking the air rising through the tailpiece into the grow medium would really saturate the root zone with O2. It may also cause the medium to dry out too quickly or cause the capillary action of the floor dry to change in some way. Who knows, maybe it would actually act to 'super-charge' the root formation. Or more likely, I create the perfect Plant Killing Machine! (PKM?).
I'm pretty sure the air pump is completely unnecessary in the system. If you are reading this thread and thinking of building one of these, leave the air pump out of the build. Thanks Snook and Delta for the awakening.
Ditch the air pump
Ya know, I just realized something after reading your post. I don't think I need the goofy air pump in this thing. I was concerned when I first built this the solution would sit too long with no aeration between cycles but hell, 90 minutes isn't long enough for anything nasty to start growing. I should have picked up on this a long time ago but for whatever reason, I got stuck on making sure the solution was well aerated.
At one time, I tossed around the idea of putting the air stone directly into the bottom section of the tailpiece. That would certainly supply an ample amount of air into the roots but honestly, I'm not sure it's necessary.
Maybe someday I'll grow a plant with the air in the tailpiece just to see if it aids growth in any way. I keep picturing how some of the aeroponic systems work with the way they mist the root system. I'm thinking the air rising through the tailpiece into the grow medium would really saturate the root zone with O2. It may also cause the medium to dry out too quickly or cause the capillary action of the floor dry to change in some way. Who knows, maybe it would actually act to 'super-charge' the root formation. Or more likely, I create the perfect Plant Killing Machine! (PKM?).
I'm pretty sure the air pump is completely unnecessary in the system. If you are reading this thread and thinking of building one of these, leave the air pump out of the build. Thanks Snook and Delta for the awakening.
HAHA! we all have done it.. out 'fabricate' the fabricator. I ran a 3.5 gallon ppk inside a 5 gallon bucket. 3" wick as I remember but enough to drain the PWT mostly.. there were many roots in the solution but it produced pretty well.
The pulse draws down O2 as it retreats into the PPK rez after the pulse finishes. O2 going up?? its not happnin. I still have a hole in my volume rez for the power cord on the pump that was never installed. 2 gallon PPKs guess I'm still screwing with the concept.
Rocketman64
Member
WELL DONE!
Actually, I think you put me onto something I may be able to use outside or in a greenhouse.
Now lets see if I can find Deltas thresd.
Greenhouse would be ideal! You could stick with something small like what I have or do the full-blown 12+ plant set up like the big boys play with. Either way, it's very user friendly. Good luck!
I try for 78*F-80*F, day, 70*F-72*F, night... humidity,,, 55%(+|- 5%) both D&N. night time exhaust goes 15min every 1.5-2.0hrs. the PPK, I think, will continue to feed/give the plant what they want at higher/lower temps.. but bud density suffers as temps go higher, IMO. leave those 90*F behind, Imaginary Friend, did it, I believe, just to be contrary... he was good to have around..
rocketman.. I was talking air temps, when you were talking water temps.. sorry...
Rocketman64
Member
Roger that.
Rocketman64
Member
My grow space is limited to my basement area. I only use an actual space of about 4' wide, 4' tall and around 3' deep. I could use a whole lot more if I wanted but frankly, I don't really need to. My plants are kept small and don't require much room.
Awesome tutorial and thanks for the tip about MicroKote.
Also, MicroKote is on sale 50% off for the 8oz bottle, $14.95 was $29.95.
http://www.microkote.com/shop/microkote-liquid-8oz/
Ordering a bottle now...
edit they do kill you on the shipping $11 ouch. Its a friggin 8oz bottle!
Also, MicroKote is on sale 50% off for the 8oz bottle, $14.95 was $29.95.
http://www.microkote.com/shop/microkote-liquid-8oz/
Ordering a bottle now...
edit they do kill you on the shipping $11 ouch. Its a friggin 8oz bottle!
av8or
Member
I grab the trunk of the plant and pop the whole root ball out and have a buddy chop the clogged plug of roots off the bottom of the root ball. Then I put fresh media in the tailpiece from the top, put it back on the ppk bottom bucket and place the rootball back in the container. Do this when you flip to flower and you'll not have issues. I haven't since I started doing it.
