Billy's tubes

Billy Liar

Member

• May 18, 2016

• #1

Hi all,

Here's my latest garden, recirculating system using 150mm (6") tubes half flooded with water.

Temp controlled hydro system, auto top off with Ro water. Hand dosed with water soluble fertilisers.

Strain/cutting is a selected Pez S1.

After 1 full week of 12/12


I'll do my best for a weekly update.

Peace
BL

 

Billy Liar

Member

• May 18, 2016

• #2

Another pic from week 1

Peace
BL

 

B

badmf

Active member

• May 18, 2016

• #3

What are you doing for oxygenation?

 

Y

yankeetransplnt

Member

• May 19, 2016

• #4

Also curious about DO...my brother made ome of those about 25 years ago.
.tube system all tied together with 180° turns on each end comnecting the next row...the whole thing was tilted a little so the res pumped up into one end amd gravity flowed it to the other end where it dumped back into the res...a NFT system but the water had no real depth
..it just flowed thru the tubes....the res had the stones...Why so deep in there???...they look great so u must have something for DO??...YT

 

Billy Liar

Member

• May 19, 2016

• #5

Hi badmf, yankeetransplnt,

The system is constantly recirculating around the tubes to a main reservoir, and the main reservoir circulates to a control reservoir outside of the grow room. Each of the 2 reservoirs has a small pump with a homemade crude venturi.

Thanks

Peace
BL

 

Billy Liar

Member

• May 19, 2016

• #6

Before planting


Edit: the holes have been enlarged since this pic. I was getting rot just under the net baskets so have stepped up to 3 inch baskets with extra hydroton to eliminate the problem.

Peace
BL

 

Billy Liar

Member

• May 19, 2016

• #7

And here's the detail of the return ends where the water level is set.


And yankeetransplnt I missed your question:

Why so deep in there???

Click to expand...

I keep the water level with the bottom of the baskets when the water is flowing. Round tubes do not suit nft at all, as when you run a film of solution the curve of the tube naturally dictates a very narrow film where as a flat surface would dictate a wider film and more root zone.
I keep the water level flush with the bottom of the baskets so that the roots will/can fill all of the available space. If I lowered the water level I would get cord roots between the basket and water which is not making use of the available space.

Peace
BL

 

Billy Liar

Member

• May 20, 2016

• #8

After 2 full weeks of 12/12



Peace
BL

 

Billy Liar

Member

• May 20, 2016

• #9

After 3 full weeks of 12/12



Peace
BL

 

Billy Liar

Member

• May 20, 2016

• #10

Peace
BL

 

Billy Liar

Member

• May 27, 2016

• #11

If anybody is looking here's the pez @ 4 full weeks of 12/12

Peace
BL

 

DunHav`nFun

Well-known member

• May 27, 2016

• #12

My old ass missed this 1 ....How the hell have you been bro ?.....been wonderin bout all my guys cross da pond......

Looks great as always Billy , yrs of experience makes it possible to see past the problems where lil bit of rot popped up and you remedied it then moved on......

Hell bro....nobody knows wtf cord roots are anymore when the airgap tween bottom of containers and juice level causes the plant`s defense mechanism in survival mode to make roots spin to hold as much moisture as possible while taking vital energy away from the plant`s nutrient uptake .....anyways...

Great ta see yas around my buddy....Don`t be a stranger and keep us updated....aight ?............

Good luck and ....

Peace....DHF..........

 

Billy Liar

Member

• May 27, 2016

• #13

Fredster,

Thought me and the plants where the only things alive in this thread lol...

I'm all good bro thanks... hope the same is true for you...

Haven't heard much from H, just the occasional hello..

Still trucking along flowing water through pipes and tanks etc..

We're entering the fun stage now hehee.. see you soon

Peace
BL

 

FoothillsFarmer

Member

• May 27, 2016

• #14

holy balls.. night of the living fred.
top notch work on the pez billy, looks like it'll be a minute before I get to run mine.
See ya on the other side

 

Billy Liar

Member

• May 28, 2016

• #15

Hey footie,

Good to see you here, thanks for popping in.

Peace
BL

 

O

OG Tree Grower

• May 28, 2016

• #16

Looking good! Any plans to thin it out or do you have a method to your madness you care to elaborate on?

 

BrainSellz

Active member

Veteran

• May 28, 2016

• #17

How long will she flower? Nice work Billy.

 

Billy Liar

Member

• May 29, 2016

• #18

Hi ogtreegrower.

I would normally remove all lower branching during the first couple of weeks. But between laziness and making oil from popcorn I haven't done it this round. Maybe next one to see the diff it makes with this cutting.

Hi braincellz,
This is the first real run since I selected her, and I'd say 9 weeks.

Peace
BL

 

gardener60

Active member

• Jun 1, 2016

• #19

You have some nice ladies Billy keep up the good work.

 

Waldgeist

Active member

• Jun 3, 2016

• #20

yo kingdom heres your beard

hehe, i found you