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Blah's First Ppk
- Thread starter Mr Blah
- Start date
it doesn't need aeration for oxygen reasons but a little water movement helps keep nutrients in solution.
normally the regular movement of the system is enough but occasionally i have gotten a little bit of surface precipitation in the form of little white flecks.
this has never seemed to affect performance though.
with the right lid and grow container combination some additional small holes could be drilled that would allow part of the gravity driven portion of the drain to break the surface tension and stop any precipitation from occurring.
Here is the tote that's housed my float valve for years now
http://m.target.com/p/sterilite-ultra-seal-16-cup-dry-food-container/-/A-15295139
http://m.target.com/p/sterilite-ultra-seal-16-cup-dry-food-container/-/A-15295139
OK, thanks.
I just needed to get an idea about how big this had to be. 16cup...?..I will go check it out.
it just needs to be big enough for the float valve to swing. depth doesn't matter as long as you can get the float valve mounted about 2-2.5" above your intended water level.
Ya, I mounted the float valve inside the container but it is exactly where I want the water level to be......I guess I don't understand you, if I mount it 2-2.5" above my intended level it will readjust the whole system and meet where the float valve level is. Or am I missing something in PPK language.
Also I just started mixing my next top off water/nutes. Roughly how many Tbsp of each do you guys add? I was at 5 Tbsp of each Jack's and Calcium Nitrate, with a PPM of 468...Is this sounding right? I thought the amount added was much less and the PPM's in the 600rds.
My PH pen must be way off/broken, it is reading 14.4 but started out as 6.9. Back to the store. Don't dare to add any PH up or down till I get a more accurate reading.
Going for a Blue lab pen.
hey Mr. B - yeah, your pen is not right if it is reading that high in your mixed final res solution. In RODI mine is usually lower than 6.9 by a good margin. are you calibrating it? your store may be able to give you a couple of single use packets of solution or you should prolly buy some calibration solution. i don't calibrate each use with my pen but I do it if i get a wierd reading and need to validate it.
Is that RO water down you got down there in Rodi?
I have fresh bottles of 7 and 4 for my two point probe. The only thing I can see that might be wrong with it, is the batteries or it dried out from sitting dormant.
Down stairs, everything is running like clock work and I don't check any PH anymore.
Maybe a new floor....a new pen.
Ya, I mounted the float valve inside the container but it is exactly where I want the water level to be......I guess I don't understand you, if I mount it 2-2.5" above my intended level it will readjust the whole system and meet where the float valve level is. Or am I missing something in PPK language.
Also I just started mixing my next top off water/nutes. Roughly how many Tbsp of each do you guys add? I was at 5 Tbsp of each Jack's and Calcium Nitrate, with a PPM of 468...Is this sounding right? I thought the amount added was much less and the PPM's in the 600rds.
My PH pen must be way off/broken, it is reading 14.4 but started out as 6.9. Back to the store. Don't dare to add any PH up or down till I get a more accurate reading.
Going for a Blue lab pen.
i just meant the mounting hole. i use adjustable float valves that are then set to the correct level.
are you using a 55 gal drum? if so, 5 level tablespoons of each should get you into the 650 ppm at .5 or ec 1.3 ballpark.
Nope 44's.
I will get some pics up later today with plant updates. Curled single top leaves but that is only after a few days of nutes in RO water and also 1.5 weeks of just 150-200ppm well water.
Wow! What a difference new equipment makes. 
Bought an HM PH80 because that's all the store carried and under the circumstances... I needed it now!
I checked the PH in the top off tank first not feeding the vegging control bucket...yet. 4.8-5.0ph 490-500ppm's.
than I checked the vegging control tote....6.8-6.9ph and 220ppm's
So I added some of the 4.8phed water and nutes to the top off rez for vegging control tote and let her mix..we'll check in a bit.
Bought an HM PH80 because that's all the store carried and under the circumstances... I needed it now!
I checked the PH in the top off tank first not feeding the vegging control bucket...yet. 4.8-5.0ph 490-500ppm's.
than I checked the vegging control tote....6.8-6.9ph and 220ppm's
So I added some of the 4.8phed water and nutes to the top off rez for vegging control tote and let her mix..we'll check in a bit.
I put a 1/16" hole on the bottom (holding my breath..that this is big enough) of the cereal bucket with the float valve set at the desired water level mark (3" air gap) and I know know what I think D is saying. The water level is 1" below the mark.
In the cereal bucket the water has stopped flowing in, about an 1" above the mark. Total 2".
So to see if this will fix I am raising the cereal bucket 2".
In the cereal bucket the water has stopped flowing in, about an 1" above the mark. Total 2".
So to see if this will fix I am raising the cereal bucket 2".
have you got any photos of your set up?
Sure do.
This shows the level of water after about an hour of the pump firing. Notice the black level mark for this (3" air gap)systems correct height.
Also in the back you see the cereal bucket with water about an 2" higher than the out of bucket level. But only an 1" higher than the black level mark.
I have the float valve set for the black mark on the vertical PVC pipe coming from the pump.
Please, esplain what happen...
Also have some pictures of Blueberry Headband in the second (right) photo; notice the brighter green where nutrients have been given, starting about a week and half ago...before that it has been straight well water.
Purple Urkle in the first (left) This is a week after putting the plant in this system with nutrients. IMO they took off.
Trying to find out if I need to add any PH down to the system....so far I am happy with the progress.
Attachments
nice looking plants! it looks to me that the hole in the cereal box is drilled at the water level you show in the cereal box. it should be drilled near the bottom of the cereal box at the lowest point on the sidewall.
i usually use a 3/64" bit for the hole but a 1/16" hole should be ok, it just needs to be lower on the side of the cereal box.
i usually use a 3/64" bit for the hole but a 1/16" hole should be ok, it just needs to be lower on the side of the cereal box.
Should be on the side???
Shit! I made the hole on the bottom.
Do you think adding another 1/16" on the bottom side would be too much?
no, if you made the hole on the bottom that's ok. it's just easier to access if it is low on the sidewall. you may have to poke some crap out of it sometime.
one hole is good enough, i'm just wondering why you have two different water levels.
is the photo right after a watering event? if so it is ok. but between events it should be the same.
what the cereal box or float bucket does is slow the input during a watering event.
but it supplies continuously 24/7 nonetheless. it will still deliver the same total volume of solution in a 24 hour period. it just prevents the over fill condition.
I took the cereal bucket out and inserted the 1/16" drill bit in again and rocked it back and forth like a virgin on prom night.
rebolted to the side of the control bucket and checked the float valve. I got the cheap float valves from fleabay 5 for 25 bucks. Not a bad deal but you get what you pay for, might be the fault. But tomorrow I should see if all the work did the trick....If it doesn't I am all over that float valve like flies on shit.
rebolted to the side of the control bucket and checked the float valve. I got the cheap float valves from fleabay 5 for 25 bucks. Not a bad deal but you get what you pay for, might be the fault. But tomorrow I should see if all the work did the trick....If it doesn't I am all over that float valve like flies on shit.
All is well for now...woke up to find that my black level line was where the water is....or is it the other way around?
I can see how anything too large of a hole could get you into trouble. Overflowed control buckets can be a serious problem.
OK enough of the vegging chambers. I will monitor everything and let you guys now of any changes. and of course I will provide pictures for updates.
....on to the flower rooms.
I can see how anything too large of a hole could get you into trouble. Overflowed control buckets can be a serious problem.
OK enough of the vegging chambers. I will monitor everything and let you guys now of any changes. and of course I will provide pictures for updates.
....on to the flower rooms.
