Gmax 3rd round knockout

[GMax]

Wondered where yas went Bro.....If yas been doin them tube thingie`s since `08 and the only crop death is what I`m lookin at , then feel blessed......Shit gonna happen...Bet on it....and....

9 times outta 10 it`s stupid ass grower error just like yas just did......

Bet yas don`t make that mistake again and if it took yas losin a few plants ta make sure it never happens again , then they were sacrificed for the greater good......

As far as humidity levels go Bro , I`ve got good news and bad......

If yas`re potentially runnin 8 week cycles/rotations to harvey every week from each cooler then you`ve doomed your fresh planted cuts from the get by droppin RH round 50% to save your older plants from developin airborn nasties/pathogens and I understand.....

An 8 week finishin strain strain needs minimum 24-28 days for the stretch before actual hormone changes and full swellage begins....

70% humidity is crucial to lettin em be all they can be till end of stretch to increase bottom line yields , and then you can drop RH to as close to 50% as yas can get it with so many plants transpiring/ sweatin out used up juice into the room.....so....

Krusty never had problems with powdery mildew and or gray mold/budrot cuz he used sulphur burners and buncha airflow round the warehouses "above and below" the plants , but never on em ta make em sweat more than needed that fucks with nutrient uptake.....and what I was gettin at Bro is.......

Your younger plants are sufferin for at "least" a month before they can deal with the lower humidity levels cuz they just won`t blow up without the optimum conditions , and it`s costin yas in the long run tryin ta keep it down for the coolers that`re finishin so I feel yas.....but...

You could increase airflow around the plants and not haveta worry bout the dehuey so much , and that helps to maintain temps along with the radiator , and for the record.......

The tightest setup I ever saw with fast hydro was with ambient temps in the high 80`s-low 90`s , RH at around 70-80 % till stretch was over , and then 50% till end of cycle with CO2@ 900 ppm`s continuously with tanks and controllers......

Only time I ever saw anyone kill it with CO2 supplement.......ever.....

GMAX....Keep up the good work Bro.....thanks fer the update...

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

yeah i know what you mean..since i cant keep it perfect for everything i am aiming for 60% humidity all the time...since i harvest every week it would be terrible to get a disease because it would be really hard to fight without completly shutting down..luckily my Sb mom is a great stretcher but i know that she is probably missing out some by now having higher humidity

my v2 or whatever is gonna be 2 systems a month apart so i am gonna be in the same situation...it just one of the drawbacks

i am just trying to keep everything i can under control..doing things like running the radiator directly from my faucet will lower temps in the room which will lower rez temps and keep roots healthier etc... trying to minimize any variables

thanks for looking out bro

 

[DHF]

Respect........

 

[GMax]

got a little scare this morning.....

got a little scare this morning.....

well the drain-to-waste idea is outta the question...

I got woken up at 730am this morning by loud knocks on my front door....it was 2 city workers....i did not answer and just pretended i wasnt home...

they left a form on my door that had a check next to EXCESSIVE WATER USE and someone wrote in pen "toilet may be leaking" < yeah lol

at the bottom of the form it is printed to call a certain number to schedule a time for the service man to come

at this point i am kinda freaking out... i didint want to call and have them come over and realize that it is waaay more excessive then a leaky toilet but i also didnt want them to contact my landlord and him be all in my business....

first thing first i setup back to recirculating with a chiller...i was already late for class so i left after that...on my way i seen a different city worker on the street..he looked friendly so i stopped and asked where the city building was and told him that i got this note and i was outta town for few days and my toilet was stuck on the whole time...i told him that i corrected it and asked if i still needed to call or schedule an appointment and he told me that if it was fixed not to worry about it

#whew# that was prob the most compromised i ever felt ever

so now i am back to square one and i got it hooked back up to the chiller...i left the humidifier running on auto and left for school and now that i am back i have a humidity of 60% and temps of 87F which is not where i would like it to be...need to find a way to make my dehumidifier work less or find a way to cool a little better...

I am thinking about adding a small (5-6000 btu) single box ac to the tent to cool/dehumidify on top of the radiator...every time i used an AC i never really needed a dehumidifier...i am running air exhanges but it isnt real outside air it is only 'outside the tent' air and it not winter any more so that probably wouldnt be a help...a bigger chiller would be ideal but i dont have the money for that atm got few sizes of ACs lying around


got to go back to the drawing board a bit.....

some quick specs if anyone has any input

1/4HP chiller>50g rez>1056 gph pump>radiator w/ 750cfm fan

6in passive intake>6in 440 cfm exhaust

35pint? dehumidifier

10'x10ft tent

summer coming on quick


other than that everything looking great...i will put up some pics tom

 

[GMax]

time for another update real quick ...

I got my radiator running with the chiller again and it is doing ok.. i feel like i may need a little more assistance during the dead of summer i just havent decided how i am gonna go about it yet...i am gonna experiment with pushing more water through it with a 1500gph pump i have lying around and see if that makes any difference...if that not gonna be enough to make it through summer then i will bite the bullet and replace the dehumidifier with an AC.

My first batch got a little under 2.5 oz which is ok...i wasnt really expecting too much from them anyways cause i didnt give them full veg time ....it is gonna be about two more crops for everything harvesting like it should

the three left from the survivor batch are doing pretty well...shows how much the SB can stretch when given the space.


here is my next round up...cant get in to get a good bud pic atm...5 more days to go



here is my two new SB moms...gonna let them get a little bigger and then i will take my first clones from it


and here another that is coming up on the end of stretch..


that is all i got for now....i am gonna try to remember to take pics of the next one before chop

 

[GMax]

in search of growroom bliss i have made a new update to the coolers...i have been busy with school and there has been a unseasonal heat wave in this area so my plants have been drinking more and i am not always there to keep them topped off

so...i bought a bunch of float valves and quick connect fittings and gave each cooler their own auto top off

I added a tee to my main reservior and tapped into the 1/2" tubing the same way you would spaghetti feed lines...the air comes in through the top..



It goes into the tent and has a main shutoff valve...then loops around to each cooler where they each have their own float valve and shutoff...



I thought i was gonna run into a major problem when i realized that the cooler is thicker than the stem of the float valve but i just drilled a 1.5" hole and held the float valves in place with neoprene....more qhetto rigged than i liked but leak free and works like a charm

Now i can be away from my grow for as long as i want and only require 10 min per system a week in maintenence so more time to enjoy the garden....$25per system but priceless



with this heat wave i am getting a little taste of what summer will bring and realizing that i am gonna need more cooling to combat it..currently my temps are topping out at 85-86...i can easily mount a AC in the side of the tent but i have no practical place to vent it other than the rest of my basement and that would make my house like a sauna..i like the radiator compared to a stand alone AC because the box i built on the radiator blows cool air in every direction while the AC is very cool close to it and warmer on the other side of the room

i have decided the next thing on my list to buy is a ANOTHER 1/4HP chiller..it not the cheapest option but seems like the best way to go....i will run both chillers in the one tent for now and in the future (flip/flop) i will have one chiller per room and use my AC in the lung...if i can keep my temps in low 80s all summer i will be happy


I didnt get a pic of my last crop because i harvested under green light...looks to be about a qp..my next one only has ten in it and then after that i got the 3 monster crop then finally back to normal


here is a few shots

next one up ...


one side of room...


other side of room



thats it for now

 

[TommyTwoColas]

Wow man, awesome thread..........not sure how I missed it

I run something really similar (90 PVC wyes), but all in one structure (don't have a journal up right now, but the structure is the same as the link below):

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=204946

May I ask why you have a different cooler for each section? I understand that you like staggering your crops, but you could still do that in a structure like I have...........just have a different reservoir for each 3 columns (because I do DTW, I guess recirculating would be a different animal).

Also have the same CO2 generator as you (although I bought the unbranded "Marey Tankless Water Heater" - exact same as the Hydro Innovations model), and I run mine DTW - have a 3/4" solenoid controlled by my Sentinel and the water only turns on when needed.

That brings me to your water cooling - why do you need your water supply on constantly? Why not automate it with a thermostat and a solenoid?

Anyhow, the issues that you're experiencing are, IMO, the reason that watercooling just isn't there yet - the efficiency gains are touted by users, but they forget that you need to run large pumps, chillers, and generally make things really, really complicated - also, an AC does double duty by dehumidifying as well, which is an added expense with watercooling.

*steps off soapbox*

Anyways, do you have some more details of your feeding method? I had mine setup as HP aero but then decided I'd rather have some more time to do things so switched to drip DTW coco and love the flexibility it gives me.............topoff reservoirs every few days in five minutes and I'm done, no checking nothing

Thanks for sharing and good luck with your issues - I'm sure you'll get them sorted

 

[GMax]

Wow man, awesome thread..........not sure how I missed it

I run something really similar (90 PVC wyes), but all in one structure (don't have a journal up right now, but the structure is the same as the link below):

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=204946

May I ask why you have a different cooler for each section? I understand that you like staggering your crops, but you could still do that in a structure like I have...........just have a different reservoir for each 3 columns (because I do DTW, I guess recirculating would be a different animal).

Also have the same CO2 generator as you (although I bought the unbranded "Marey Tankless Water Heater" - exact same as the Hydro Innovations model), and I run mine DTW - have a 3/4" solenoid controlled by my Sentinel and the water only turns on when needed.

That brings me to your water cooling - why do you need your water supply on constantly? Why not automate it with a thermostat and a solenoid?

Anyhow, the issues that you're experiencing are, IMO, the reason that watercooling just isn't there yet - the efficiency gains are touted by users, but they forget that you need to run large pumps, chillers, and generally make things really, really complicated - also, an AC does double duty by dehumidifying as well, which is an added expense with watercooling.

*steps off soapbox*

Anyways, do you have some more details of your feeding method? I had mine setup as HP aero but then decided I'd rather have some more time to do things so switched to drip DTW coco and love the flexibility it gives me.............topoff reservoirs every few days in five minutes and I'm done, no checking nothing

Thanks for sharing and good luck with your issues - I'm sure you'll get them sorted

the coolers started out as an experiment back when i was just growing for personal use...i didnt really do any pre-experimenting with vert i just read some stuff, thought it made too much sense, and built these.. the coolers got me to get more than i knew what to do with and transitioned me to a small-commercial...back then i chose individual coolers because i was a big experimenter...nutrients, strains, etc.. and i would try something new and see how well it responded in time to try it/not try it on the next ...so if i get a new strain i will test nutes on it and keep upping it til i find the sweet spot and then know what to do with the rest.. i can learn a strain quick because one rotation is essentially 8 crops under my belt


i am familiar with the system you have shown, i have actually been planning on building something very similar with my own swag added in.. i am not going to use the wyes though and it only gonna be LP aero and even be on wheels !!!i am so excited that is whats going in room #2

last year i didnt have the radiator or water cooled i just used a 12k btu AC and rarely ever used my dehuey...if i could i would be using the AC for supplemental cooling but i have no where to vent it and i dont want my house to be uncomfortably hot so i am going with another chiller because i will need 2 eventually...thinking towards the future...the ac would be my best option but not practical to setup atm

when i was running the radiator directly from the faucet it was doing better but i was still seeing temps in the low 80s by time lights went out..i didnt automate it becuase i didnt have a thermostat and soleniod lol..even with the chiller it is still only 5 degrees warmer than directly from the faucet... i only need to drop 5 degrees to be happy

my watering setup uses a 1050 goph pump and 1/2'' PVC inside the wyes with red ezclone misters...45 sec ON 5 min OFF

 

[GMax]

well i finally said fuck it and installed the AC....

inside the tent....



outside the tent...



I am using a 12k with two 6'' passive exhausts.. i am venting into the other room I am using a spare waterfarm bucket attached to a length of tubing to catch the runoff from the AC...

y temps are actually too good now...i put it in and the AC was already set at 65 and I left and hadnt been back for a whole day and when i came back the next day my room was actually at 65 deg during lights on!! the AC is dehumidifying better than my deheuy was keeping my humidity at about 50%

i am doing some tweaking to get it dialed in.. i am only running the AC during lights on w/o dehuey, and then i still need the dehuey at night otherwise my humidity will climb to 70-80% my temps barely drop at night ..the combo of water cooled and AC has given me more control than i have ever had in my life!! i could prob keep my temps at 50F during lights on if i wanted to


bout to buy my first controller...

 

[DHF]

Onward and upward my buddy...

Good luck...DHF........

 

[GMax]

well i have been lazy here lately but a good lazy, the kinda lazy when you just sit back and watch your plants grow..these float valves in each cooler has been such a blessing to me...I have been keeping an eye on them but they seem to work flawlessly

Now i am never worrying if the water is too low in any of the reserviors and it also keeps my nutrient ppm more stablized, with all this extra free time i have been able to get my grow more organized and cleaner and i have more time for other projects since i spend less time tending to the plants

i have had 5 crops so far... none of them breaking 2.5z...the first 3 were all stunted and messed up from accidentally leaving the lights on for two days straight...the 4th only had 8 clones and was actually my best so far..and the last was the one that i killed all but 3 and it is drying now but doesnt look like too much..all the while these plants were dealing with extreme high humidity and temps

but now is the start of a new beginning...

the AC has really helped with the temperature in fact my temps are constantly 72-73 day and night, i run the ac during lights on and the dehuey at night both on timers keeping my humidity between 47-63, i may start running the dehuey during the day also to tighten those numbers..my radiator chiller keeps the water at 68 and is set to go off when it reaches 67 my AC only runs for maybe 15min/hr

i have been keeping my mums healthy and my clones have never been better my enviroment is near perfect and my plants never need water everything is working better than last year when i was regularly pulling 5-7 so i should be awaiting some very good yields here soon

sorry for rambling time for pics

this one is my next one up it is on day 40 and i just began flushing...there is easily gonna be 5z from this which i am happy with..still need to get 8 to =gpw





and the rest..everything 7 days apart




I am still missing 2 towers so i am gonna build a little stadium section in the next few days from cinder blocks to flower out these 3 huge moms i have and then build a tower here soon

i am gonna start updating this more often sorry

 

[TommyTwoColas]

What are your dimensions and what is your lighting? Are those three sixes or three Ks?

Looks from the photo as if your plants could use a smudge more light to really beef up those flowers.

Looks like lots of popcorn when you could/should be pulling nice big colas

EDIT: got a light meter? Might be a worthwhile investment.

 

[megayields]

Amazing GMAX ..just amazing (hands clapping) great job!

 

[GMax]

What are your dimensions and what is your lighting? Are those three sixes or three Ks?

Looks from the photo as if your plants could use a smudge more light to really beef up those flowers.

Looks like lots of popcorn when you could/should be pulling nice big colas

EDIT: got a light meter? Might be a worthwhile investment.

yeah those are 3 sixes and thats just how the sour bubble grows..small dense compact nugs...an she will really beef up in the next 9 days..check my old threads from the sensi days, i use to grow colas with 400s

the 600s are 27-30" away and prob need replaced in few months

light meter is on my list now thanks

Amazing GMAX ..just amazing (hands clapping) great job!

thanks bro

 

[benjuanman]

Hell yeah Gmax!! Like DHF said onward and upward things seem to rockin in that system, so cool had to share it with the missus. So you get 2 thumbs up from her and I. Keep up the great work bro.

 

[TommyTwoColas]

yeah those are 3 sixes and thats just how the sour bubble grows..small dense compact nugs...an she will really beef up in the next 9 days..check my old threads from the sensi days, i use to grow colas with 400s

the 600s are 27-30" away and prob need replaced in few months

light meter is on my list now thanks



thanks bro

I use 600s as well, and can tell you that 27-30" is wayyyyyyy too far to get "proper" lighting.

I don't go so far as to measure PAR or anything like that, but using a standard lumens/FC meter, anything further than 20" with a 600 and the light starts to be too weak, IMO.

I'll take readings 30" from the bulb (bare in mind I use cooltubes) if you'd like, but I can tell you it's gonna be like 1,000 - 1,500 FCs (I shoot for 3K at a minimum, prefer 4K+).

I'd really reduce the diameter of your structure for better light penetration (or switch to 1Ks).

 

[GMax]

Hell yeah Gmax!! Like DHF said onward and upward things seem to rockin in that system, so cool had to share it with the missus. So you get 2 thumbs up from her and I. Keep up the great work bro.

thanks bro onward and upward where i plan to go

I use 600s as well, and can tell you that 27-30" is wayyyyyyy too far to get "proper" lighting.

I don't go so far as to measure PAR or anything like that, but using a standard lumens/FC meter, anything further than 20" with a 600 and the light starts to be too weak, IMO.

I'll take readings 30" from the bulb (bare in mind I use cooltubes) if you'd like, but I can tell you it's gonna be like 1,000 - 1,500 FCs (I shoot for 3K at a minimum, prefer 4K+).

I'd really reduce the diameter of your structure for better light penetration (or switch to 1Ks).

yeah i am experimenting a little with this... i did keep them closer last year but i only had 6 sides... i backed them up just a little more and made it 8 sided.. i am trading some lumens for more square feet of grow space and increasing my plant numbers..hoping that it will equal more than a closer 6 sided structure

unfortunately i need to harvest a few more crops before i can make that decision... but really 8 sides should win..


i need to resize my screens anyways, they are the same as last year and if they were a smaller i can tighten them up and keep 8 sides but not much

 

[GMax]

everything has been running smoothly lately..

i have been having better and better clones with each batch and to make things better i put these in between two really good ones..



i am only 100% positive that the bottom one is female i am pretty sure about the middle but i worry about the top one.. I have found that these Sour Bubbles never put on definitive preflowers in veg i am keeping my fingers crossed

i harvest my next crop on wed.. I am hoping to get around 5 oz and technically i only need 5.5 to break my personal best ( 5.5oz x 8 = 7oz x 6 ) here some pics..



you can see it is missing a plant though



I am gonna remove the rest of the leaves tonight... i have been doing more leaf removal than ever before with great results... even after i remove a bunch of leaves, which i am always afraid is too much, they seem to be too leafy again next week..

here some more shots






In the upcoming weeks i will have all my screens sized and cut down my canopy distance to 2ft

thats it for now hope everyone had a good 420

 

[TommyTwoColas]

Looking good man, glad to hear that you're getting dialed in

 

[GMax]

time for another update...


I dropped my camera...it still takes pics but they are kinda blurry.. new camera on my list

Both of my sb moms ended up being male





but thats ok.. i am flowering out my other mom from last year so now i am down to one Sb keeper so i can stick to a monocrop... I might actually just toss the mom in flowering so i can fit another tower in there sooner instead of waiting for it to flower out

My first decent crop got 4.5 oz with plenty of room for improvement... i think that i will definately be pulling better numbers than last year...

only have a few pics this time





this one is next up...



this all i got time for right now i will update with better pics asap

thanks tommy for the kind words

 

[DHF]

It`s all good Bro.......Runs under yer belt.....More dialage....Creatin the perfect sideways canopy ....You`re gettin there GM....

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