My 1st Hydro. 2x600W DIY - NFT.. I think! :)

Heydiho, here comes a somethingish growdiary!

So.. I have decided that I'm going to grow hydro. Having a lot of theoretical problems now when I'm planning/building my system..
I am kinda halfway through both in my mind and IRL. I need to figure out a lot, and need help!

So.. was thinking to let others follow my progress from nothing to harvest, and maybe, if you don't mind, wich I hope you wont, help me on the way! Cause help I could use


Haven't been growing for years, but have an old rectangularly shaped space/small room( 1,5*2,3m(~4.9*7.5feet) previously used for growing in soil. The room is fitted with lights and a ventilation system giving it underpressure() forcing all air through a carbon filter. The last couple of days I have been cleaning up all the dirt things wich have been standing there for years.

Now I got an empty ventilated growarea just waiting to be utilized! The room is 1,5*2,3m large. Wich makes the growarea 3,45m2(~37ft2) big. It is fitted with two 600w HPS lamps.
Pretty nice start eeh? A funfun room u can fit with all kinds of fun stuff u want?

I've been starting to fit the room with things but haven't gotten especiallt far. And I'm planning as I go. My thought is It'll be some kinda pipebased NFT/E&F/DWC-system, not really sure. I change my mind all the time... not good.

Now in my next post I'll present where I currently stand and where I'm going. I'm also gonna list all the things I use and how.
Also one thing I'm sure of, is that this will be an EASY to use system. BTW! Please excuse me if I might express myself strange and/or spell things strange. English is not my native tongue.

So, I've cleaned my room...( mum )
This growsystem is going to be based on four 2000mm(79'') pipes, with diameter 110mm(4''). Them fitted with x plantsites...
This is where I'm kinda stuck now... I am thinking to grow "almost" SOG. Using many plants and a relatively short veg-period, but not going straight to flower from seed. Sort of medium-sized plants.

So how am I going to space the plantsites?
How far between the sites?

I have built a wooden rectangle with legs like a table to place and hold the pipes. The rectangle is ~1400*1100mm(55*43''). For it was needed three standard planks here of 4200mm(165'').

Since I got four pipes in this space(1500mm/4,9ft), the width spacing will be something like <30cm(6'') between pipes:
What size of netcups should I use? 2'' or 3'? And how far between plantsites?

PipeWidth:
--|15|--|50|--|90|--|125|--
|xx|= Pipe Center.

PipeLength: What about 2'' cups spaced ~25(5'')cm? I'm afraid that is too close, but I'd rather make too many holes than too few... what do u think would be good for this setup? What size of netpots will do? 2''? 3''? Using NFT I'm unsure how stable it will be. Will the roots themselfs be able to support the mature plants weight?

200cm of pipe:
| =:10:=:40:=:70:=:100:=:130:=:160:=:190:=|
:xx: -PlantSiteCenter -
= - Pipe
| - Pipe end

So, thoughts collected.
We got 4*200cm pipe. ~30cm/6'' between the pipes...
7x2'' plantsites on each pipe. ~25cm/5'' space between plantsites...
So.. Whats sound and realistic considering spacing and size of plantsites ya think?

Here's a little of what I bought.

1* Multi-purpose Silicone sealant for a little this and that.

3*4200mm standard planks for wooden frame.

4*2000mm D110mm pp pipe
4* D110mm pipe plug stop one end. Other I'll prolly improvise/silicone
4* Stop connector ½''
4* ½'' connectable regulating tap
Will in one end of 2000mm pipe I'll have a standard garden hose connector with hose for return of water to nutrient reservoir.

1* ½'' 20m/65feet hose kit
1* Water pump Eheim CompactOn (1000litres(264gal)/min 1,4m high)
1* 2,5m/8,2ft D16/22mm aquarium hose
4* 3-way hose connector for getting 4 wpump outlets (+cooling?)
(going to make some diy cooler for my nutrienttank so need water going through my cooler why extra )(+connector for emptying system partially or fully to drain)
1* Canna Vega and Flores (1vegAB, 1 floweAB) +PK1314
1*Ph-meter with buffer and stuff
1*Ec-meter with buffer and stuff

So, what kinda netpots should I get?? How should I solve the plantsites, and their spacing?? Thats my question now... I'd be thankful for advise. With/without medium? will NFT with pipes be enough or do I need extra drip to every site or anything other? Suggestions suggestions?? just a trickle of water in the bottom feels too little?
How big nutrient reservoir is needed for ok ph stability. Got access to different tanks.. 25litres(6.6gal) and 150(40gal) litres, but 25 "feels" too little, and 150 too much.
Otherwise I'll also order seeds in 24-48h too to get going.

So... That was a little of the most important things, not gonna mention tools and like skrews

Building together system and starting seeds are very close! All I need is on its way!

Building together system and starting seeds are very close! All I need is on its way!

Alright. I've decided to go with 2' cups. 7 sites per pipe. 4 pipes. That is 7x4 =
28 2' sites in 4' pipes under 2x600w.

I really hope this isn't too small so it will limit my growth. I've also decided to make this system kinda like hybrid NFT-Aero, placing my smaller ½' waterdeliveryhose _inside_ of the main 4' pipes, and fitted with 28 micro sprayers, one under each plantsite. I am really unfamiliar with this, but I HOPE I will be able to skrew these sprayers into the ½' hose(that is how I think the sprayers are supposed to work, isn't it? Looks like it, see picture) so I get like a cloud of nutrient mist sprayed under each plant.

Also, today I got my measuring"kit"!! And what a bargain. I must recommend you. The PH-meter costed 10£, and the EC-meter 10£ as well. That is like four times cheaper than possible in my country at least. And it's ~11EUR/13USD!, cheaper than anywhere else I could find. The shop also sent me a "product return form" if any problems, and the bottles with liquid were in plastic bags. This's professional I think. Check that image if you want to know where to get a digital PH-meter(or EC) for 10£.

Anyway, I got an EC+PH-meter, PH up&down, and PH-Buffer 7 solution. You have to calibrate a PH-meter often to get correct results. A PH-probe is one of the most "unstable" kind of sensors there are, that's sadly just how the that tech works, it's the same with really expensive probes as well. You can't pay yourself out of that problem!

Now to get started for real I'm only waiting for my order of:
28+* Neoprenrings for 2' netcups
28+* netcups 2'
Rockwool round plugs 1'
ROOT!T Gel4Plugs Rooting gel (for next grow, now I'm going from seed)

And of course My Seeds!
I chose Sensi seeds, and got 3*10pack(hoping 28 will germinate) of feminized seeds of two varietes. Not the most usual strains. Have anyone grown any of these?
-Purple Bud Feminized White Label Seeds
-Early Skunk Feminized Sensi Seeds

Micro sprayer:
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=75233&pictureid=1801546

https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=75233&pictureid=1801545
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=75233&pictureid=1801547

PH stuff:
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=75233&pictureid=1801543
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=75233&pictureid=1801544

Howto feed

Howto feed

So... My plan is.
I will grow 28 sites of this under 2*600W HPS:

-18* Purple Bud Feminized White Label Seeds
-10* Early Skunk Feminized Sensi Seeds
Both strains Sensi and feminized.


Using these nutrients:

-Canna Aqua Vega A+B
-Canna Aqua Flores A+B
-Canna Boost Accelerator
-ATA PK 13-14


Following this schedule:

https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=75233&pictureid=1801556

I'm skipping the Rhizotonic and the Cannazym in schedule, also using another brand of PK 13-14(Since I already got a bottle). How will this work? Should I do anything differently? As I said, I have no experience from hydroponic before whatsoever, only what I've read, so this is one big experiment.

Why can't I edit? :-S

Why can't I edit? :-S

All my images get wrong, too bad I can't edit. Anyway, here they ar e again!

Micro sprayer:


My ordered PH*kit*:



Little of this and that:


Cannas feeding schedule I plan on following somewhat:



Also... I havent actually done anything to the pipes yet, so if 2'' is wrong, and amount of holes or anything with the build should be done some other way/I should think on this or that, please tell. Anyway.. Soon the real stuff is going on when the seeds have germinated(though they havent arrived yet, they are on their way). Will place them in rockwool and then insert it into the system. Thanks for any help or comments!

Ready... Set... Grow..!

Ready... Set... Grow..!

Ready, Set, Grow!
Almost there. This diary started before the "grow" started, since the whole method of hydro is new to me and I wanted company both for help, and fun on the whole way.

Today the last things I've ordered arrived, and _need_ arrived. I got everything I need to start grow now!

Tomorrow I'll plant my seeds in the rockwool plugs(wich will later go into larger rockwool cubes? or?). I'll also "build together my Flood and drain system, wich I got in parts and imagination.
This will be FUN! And soon you'll be abkle to see some actual plants! ;-)

So I started this thread thinking it would be an NFT-system in tubes. Later I realized everything would be too small and stuff. So I looked at the options, and what was possible and availible...
What I found was cheap, but sturdy plastic trays 40*60cm / ~16*24''.


So.. Using these I would get an area of 1600*2400mm or 4''*6'' when at its most compact set(wich rarely would be the case). I got fittings for ordinary garden hose wich will connect their bodies of fluid. Just got to decide if fitting/drain should be on the bottom(little bit impractical) or on the side of tray. If on the side there will always be a little bit of water left when drain. It will not drain properly. Any suggestions wich way to go?

I've also chosen a timer, a Mitsubishi FX1n-24MT with an extra analogue input module . This will control a contactor fitted with my two 600w hps lamps.
I found an old electric distribution board wich is perfect to fit the modules on. one of these have room for the plc, two extra I/O modules, and one reusable fuse kinda circuit breaker/"main power on/off".

I've got a second old distribution board for the contactor and with room for coming relays and stuff... will probably just be relays, maybe some sensorstuff. As it is NOW I only got one contactor and some relays.. but my thought is that everything possible to control should be controlled. That will take a long time though. With plc+modules I got more than enough with digital I/O, 8analogue inputs, but no analogue outputs.(I think I'll manage without, can use lots of different "limits")
This is what I am thinking of should be made controllable/logable:

1 digital out - Lights on/off.
1 digital out - Pump water on/off.
1 digital in - Water is being pumped(we got flow).
1 digital in - Water level in trays is max+.
1 digital in - Water level in reservoar is max+(system max water).
1 digital in - Water level in reservoar is min-(Warning).
1 analogue in - Room temperature
1 analogue in - Solution temperature.
1 analogue in - Solution EC.
1 analogue in - Solution pH.

also with everything on/off like this I can count the time everything is being used and automatically suggest replacing stuff before it brakes..


The seeds, the nutrients and the rockwoolplugs wich arrived today(missing the also ordered CannaBoostAccelerator) posing with my(as it is now) "timer". I will as said plant tomorrow.

And here's the contactor, and an electric timer i found if you wanna eg. trim flooding time "physically" instead of through software, which might be more practical.

Something really fun in the long run would be to build a web-interface or something and do electrical interface with it through a raspberry pie or something. Maybe communicating with the plc through a home made morse code protocol

Also... I ordered Canna Flores+vega + Canna Boost. But they forgot to send the booster Mailed them immediately. Hope they solve it soon. So Will it do with only Flores+Vega+Booster and some PK1314, or do I need more nutrients stuff? Also, would be fun with tips on more things I should do with the Plc and/ore more things I should measure! I want this system to be really easy to use

This has become a monster of text...

This has become a monster of text...

..so please let it die
Ok... Since this has become an impenetrable wall of text no one should have to read, and not relevant to this grow anymore, and since I changed almost anything, I'll let this thread die(and cause I cannot edit, that's dumb :-S), and start on a new more relevant one, and with less text more focused, starting with a summary!

This continues, and/or begins here:
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=347850