T
thefatman
At the end of the day, we choose systems (or versions of systems) that we like. There is no absolute, though I admit HPA/TAG + accumulator is pretty close to ideal, but, you need to be able to handle hardware failure on the fly or you could lose an entire grow. I don't like the odds.
At this level, you will be growing some outrageous weed. no matter how advanced you want to take it. Personally, the easier/simpler, the better . hth
We can just agree to disagree.
I have already read your TAG thread. I disagree with your arguments/opinions such as the easier/simplier, the better and more. You apparently have misunderstanding or have neglected of some of that I have written, but that is OK as like I said some are always willing to settle for what they call good enough. Some like me are damned with being engineers or other types of perfectionists and mechanical systems designers. We often do not just settle for less then better.
What I suggest is better for my needs and is well within reason as well as it incorporates safety back ups protecting against mechanical failures and power outages which with your easier/simplier system a pump failure or power outage would quickly lead to a total a loss as would the accumulator solenoids system. I really do not suggest anyone build a HP aero system but instead I recommend an air atomized system especially if it is a commercial grow or perpetual grow system. However we all make our choices. Many make their choices and after many half measure systems are built and rebuilt and rebuilt they finally make their changes to different systems without all the complications and short comings.
I am just offering an example of a better system in my opinion as well as stating the deficiencies of most HP aero systems both with and without accumulator tanks and solenoids.
In my opinion the system you grow is what some Pod HP aero growers call a tag system rather than a true HP aero grow system. Tag is far from ideal as described in your forum. It is however likely good enough for the majority. You explained in your thread the problems and errors in your system as you grew with it and steadily got closer to a system with short spray times, such as 0.5 seconds, as you progressed in knowledge in using such a system. You described how you could not get a good hair root ball with the longer cycles you were using. Also you fail to mention here that a system using a two second spray cycle wastes about four or five times as much nutrient as one using a 0.5 second spray cycle and grows a lesser quality root system especially if using no accumulator tank. I am not aware that you ever added a fogger to your system and a HP aero mister system without a fogger is not a mister fogger system. A mister nozzle does not put out droplets in the fogger range but in the 30 to 80 micron size with the greater percentage of the droplets at or very near the 50 micron size.
Is your system any less prone to mechanical failures then a system with a solenoid and accumulator. I would say no. Is either your system or a HP system with an accumulator tank and solenoid less prone to mechanical break down then a good air atomized system. No. In the long run I doubt with the pump replacements that will be needed much more often with your system then the pumps in a system with an accumulator tank and solenoid that your system is not cheaper to operate. Neither will it compare to the lower operating cost of the air atomized system and the lesser mechanical failures as well as the easy expansion capabilities and back up system that will erase any cost disadvantages of higher component cost of the air atomized system.
As I said before we can just agree to disagree. After all the vast majority of those who try a HP aero or air atomized aero system whether with an accumulator and solenoids or not usually abandons the project before ever getting their systems dialed in. The learning curve involved is not easy to accept for most growers. Medium pressure aero systems are much easier to build and use as well as usually being much cheaper to build. They are however more expensive to operate and use much more nutrients per grow as well as taking a longer period of time per grow. More prone to root rot also. Less then low pressure though.