DIY Coliseum On The Cheap - Vertical / Colosseum Growing - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

PoorBoy · 10-03-2009, 09:49 PM

Here is a new vertical grow I just started. I made this entirely out of crap I had laying around.

4x4 concrete reinforcing mesh folded around into a 4' dia x 6' tall column
3 - 600w HPS/MH Dual Arc bulbs
60 - 2 1/2 gallon buckets filled with straight compost
3 - Fans (one at the bottom of the light column pointed up, another behind the column at ceiling level directing the hot air out of the room, a third in front at floor level blowing cool air into the room directed at the base of the column.

10-03-2009, 09:56 PM

pretty cool, are the buckets just sitting on each other?

10-03-2009, 10:57 PM

nice setup

i think you only need 2 600s per 6 feet tho

PoorBoy · 10-03-2009, 11:35 PM

The buckets are just stacked around the circumference of the column in staggered rows. 5 rows of 12 with an extra row of empty buckets on the top to help reflect the light in.

This setup would support 6 rows of 14 (84 buckets) but I ran short on clones. As is, I ended up using a scraggly assortment ranging from barely rooted to overgrown. I'm going to let these veg for a bit to see if they won't even out.

The spaces between the buckets are large enough that I can reach through and work with the canopy relatively easily.

magiccannabus · 10-04-2009, 12:28 AM

haha this is wacky, very ghetto, but I like it. Not sure this would be my approach, but it definitely has the most artistic flair of any vert grow I've seen! I'd be too scared of a collapse.... It probably works pretty well though.

Power13 · 10-04-2009, 12:29 AM

Poor boy, nice setup you have there! Very easy simple setup, while really maximizing that light. This would work great with other media in the buckets, possibly a dripper system to feed them, if you wanted to go hydro next time around. You could use the trellis itself to run the dripper lines up and down, thus allowing the buckets to be freely moved around.

Only thing I recommend is take those empties, and using them around all the plants to space them out a bit more. With 3 bulbs, you are not really covering the whole useable area. By putting spacer buckets between rows, you can cover more of the canopy. the plants will have to be slightly larger, but having a full canopy will really help out in the yield department.

So to be more clear, I am suggesting to move the top buckets that are reflective only, and put them lower in your stack, then put more buckets with plants on top of them.

10-04-2009, 12:42 AM

sorry i meant to say that when the plants get bigger and start overhanging the bucket its not going to destabilize the hole thing and collapse?

also subscribed

grouchy · 10-04-2009, 12:52 AM

Could you use brackets of some sort to secure the buckets to each other? I would hate to see you training them to the screen and have them all humpty dumpty on you.

PoorBoy · 10-04-2009, 02:20 AM

well.... I tried to change the attached pics on the OP so they would show in the poist instead of as an attachment. I deleted them, but then couldn't add them back. Here they are again

PoorBoy · 10-04-2009, 02:29 AM

I've been concerned about a collapse as well. They are very stable right now and most likely would be fine under normal conditions, but we do get earth quakes here. I plan to run a wire around each row to hold them securely. The buckets can't topple inward because of the wire mesh, they could only fall outward. A wire or tape wrap should hold them. I just need to stop at the hardware store to pick something up the next time I'm out.

10-03-2009, 09:49 PM	#1
PoorBoy Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 81	DIY Coliseum On The Cheap Here is a new vertical grow I just started. I made this entirely out of crap I had laying around. 4x4 concrete reinforcing mesh folded around into a 4' dia x 6' tall column 3 - 600w HPS/MH Dual Arc bulbs 60 - 2 1/2 gallon buckets filled with straight compost 3 - Fans (one at the bottom of the light column pointed up, another behind the column at ceiling level directing the hot air out of the room, a third in front at floor level blowing cool air into the room directed at the base of the column.
	Quote

10-03-2009, 09:56 PM	#2
tonto Guest Posts: n/a	pretty cool, are the buckets just sitting on each other?
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10-03-2009, 10:57 PM	#3
mrred Guest Posts: n/a	nice setup i think you only need 2 600s per 6 feet tho
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10-03-2009, 11:35 PM	#4
PoorBoy Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 81	The buckets are just stacked around the circumference of the column in staggered rows. 5 rows of 12 with an extra row of empty buckets on the top to help reflect the light in. This setup would support 6 rows of 14 (84 buckets) but I ran short on clones. As is, I ended up using a scraggly assortment ranging from barely rooted to overgrown. I'm going to let these veg for a bit to see if they won't even out. The spaces between the buckets are large enough that I can reach through and work with the canopy relatively easily. Attached Thumbnails
	Quote 1 members found this post helpful.

10-04-2009, 12:28 AM	#5
magiccannabus Next Stop: Outer Space! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Between the Mississippi and the Missouri Posts: 1,990	haha this is wacky, very ghetto, but I like it. Not sure this would be my approach, but it definitely has the most artistic flair of any vert grow I've seen! I'd be too scared of a collapse.... It probably works pretty well though. __________________ --------------------------------------------- My newest grow diary: 400W CMH + 256W T8. Multi-strain perpetual organic My Grow Diary(finished) T-8 only grow cab, taking shoplights to the extreme(finished) "This coir smells so good I'm having a growgasm!" - Me
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10-04-2009, 12:29 AM	#6
Power13 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 101	Poor boy, nice setup you have there! Very easy simple setup, while really maximizing that light. This would work great with other media in the buckets, possibly a dripper system to feed them, if you wanted to go hydro next time around. You could use the trellis itself to run the dripper lines up and down, thus allowing the buckets to be freely moved around. Only thing I recommend is take those empties, and using them around all the plants to space them out a bit more. With 3 bulbs, you are not really covering the whole useable area. By putting spacer buckets between rows, you can cover more of the canopy. the plants will have to be slightly larger, but having a full canopy will really help out in the yield department. So to be more clear, I am suggesting to move the top buckets that are reflective only, and put them lower in your stack, then put more buckets with plants on top of them.
	Quote

10-04-2009, 12:42 AM	#7
tonto Guest Posts: n/a	sorry i meant to say that when the plants get bigger and start overhanging the bucket its not going to destabilize the hole thing and collapse? also subscribed
	Quote

10-04-2009, 12:52 AM	#8
grouchy Do not disturb Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 843	Could you use brackets of some sort to secure the buckets to each other? I would hate to see you training them to the screen and have them all humpty dumpty on you.
	Quote

10-04-2009, 02:20 AM	#9
PoorBoy Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 81	well.... I tried to change the attached pics on the OP so they would show in the poist instead of as an attachment. I deleted them, but then couldn't add them back. Here they are again
	Quote

10-04-2009, 02:29 AM	#10
PoorBoy Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 81	I've been concerned about a collapse as well. They are very stable right now and most likely would be fine under normal conditions, but we do get earth quakes here. I plan to run a wire around each row to hold them securely. The buckets can't topple inward because of the wire mesh, they could only fall outward. A wire or tape wrap should hold them. I just need to stop at the hardware store to pick something up the next time I'm out.
	Quote