IGT's 2000w+ Perpetual Hydro Garden

[ItsGrowTime]

Hi all
Well, I thought it was "GrowTime" but now ItsGrowTime for real!
I havent updated much on my garden lately so I decided to start a new diary thread that will just be continuous updates instead of individual grow threads.

Ive been very busy making changes to my room, adding, subtracting, streamlining, you name it. While my garden isnt the "cleanest" looking around it definitely gets the job done and I have the benefit of constant fresh air circulation to keep summer room temps down. The drawback is I also get bugs here and there that find their way in. Fortunately nothing major so far but there is something that keeps chewing on leaves. Anyway, on to the nitty gritty.

Here's my current air-cooled light config. Its 3x600w MDHydro digi ballasts with Cool Tubes hooked up to 6" insulated ducting and a 6" Vortex that exhausts outside. They are fed by a 30amp timer box hooked on a dryer circuit. I have a 400w magnetic that may get hung up at some point and lots of CFLs around. Im still debating on odor control measures but _so far_ odor hasnt been a problem due to how the room is setup.

Here's the systems in place. The rear system is the aero fence posts Ive been using all along. If it aint broke, dont fix it!
I have recently built an 18 site NFT fence post system that will be in use very soon. It was one of those builds where everything just falls into place. Gotta love that. There are still some small adjustments to be made tho...

Here's whats going on in the garden at the moment.
I took ten 4" clones from my NLxBB mother and literally sent them straight to 12/12. They took off FAST and the biggest one in the middle is 3' tall and its only day 34! I havent even added my PK boosters yet!
They gonna be some heavy mofos.

After taking a bunch of clones I put the NLxBB mom under 120w of CFLs to flower out. Not much light for her but better than just killing her. I am starting a new mother from a current batch of clones anyway. I really like her genetics...and its a Nirvana strain! Speaking of clones, here they are. Just waiting on roots


Now, for the near future of my garden. Babies! My plan is to veg out these seeds in the stand-alone DWCs, get a few ladies and hopefully start another mother or two to keep my perpetual hydro garden going.
JLP Mississippi Muds. Very vigorous plants already.

Here's Hashberry and Mandala #1 seedlings. Also very vigorous and perfect germ rates on all of my seeds (incl. MMs).


Ill select the two best seedlings from each strain and stick the extras into the flower room and try some 12/12 from seed action

I can't wait to see what those NLxBB clones end up yielding. Ive gotten most everything dialed in so things should get very interesting. Keep checking back, take care and be safe everyone!

 

[s0t7e2m3]

Very nice, the yields on those bad boys should ridiculous. As I'm sure you already know watch the humidity late cause those buds get DENSE, and we know what that can lead to. Good luck and good job on a nice setup

 

[ItsGrowTime]

Hi s0t! Thanks for being the first to reply. Im really excited about the potential of my garden. Actually the NLxBB plants seem REALLY resistant. Ive had 70+ rh in flower and they dont show a speck of mold or rot. I think my powerful air circulation helps alot.

Here's a few more pics I took, mainly equipment related.

6" Vortex hanging from bungees. Im going to get some stiffer bungees shortly since its heavier than the Stanley I had there before.


The 30amp timer box and wall mounted ballasts.


My nute shelf. I love my Hanna 98129 combo meter. Now I understand what experienced growers meant when they said that the smaller your nute collection gets the better you are at growing. Ive found what I like and what works for me. And I love the Holland Secret products!


Forgot to add a pic of flowering NLxBB mom at day 20. I wish I could give her more light but at 4' tall I dont have the height for more HIDs where she is.

 

[pumpkin2006]

Looking good dude, I just got a cut from a buddy that was labeled BBxNL. He doesn't know if its blueberry or big bud. Which is yours?

 

[ItsGrowTime]

NL#5xBigBud, from Nirvana. Ive kept that strain running through 4 crops now....5 shortly. Good plants overall and obviously great potential for a high yielding mother.

 

[NiteTiger]

Heya IGT! Taggin' along for this one too!

 

[clowntown]

Wow!

So much has happened since I last saw your grow show! 2kw!

Keep on rockin!!!

 

[Haps]

That NLxBB has some real heady phenos, dang near always bumped my head on something when I smoked it. Got some I crossed with a sweet tooth male growing right now, gave a lot of those away, got great reviews, good weed, have fun, looks cool.
H

 

[ItsGrowTime]

CT- Thanks for the props and the rep. Ive put alot of money, time, planning and work into putting this entire room together by myself. Lets hope it pays off like Im hoping.

Haps- Its hilarious that you mentioned head bumping. For some reason it seems Ive been hitting my head on something daily?!?! Im a tall guy (well over 6') but I never had that problem until I started smoking this NLxBB exclusively lately. Weird...but funny. It really is a good overall smoke and a hardy plant so Id recommend the strain to anyone.

EDIT: Damn I totally missed NT's post. Good to see you again NT and glad everything is safe with you and your garden is starting back up. Keep it green!

 

[Guest]

That areo looks nice and nlxbb was one of my faverate strains i grew first.

 

[TBug]

Wow!

So much has happened since I last saw your grow show! 2kw!

Keep on rockin!!!

High IGT and clown! Clown, I know right? its about time he lets us in on what hes been up to...lol. Guess he HAS been busy....

IGT, Awesome job! do you use a humidity dome on your clones? and what kind of light are you giving them. Every time you show your clones, just seems like its a tub sitting in a corner..lol. I see you are using some sort of styrofoam, is that just floating? My reveged NLxBB mom produce a ton of clones for me as well, So Ill bee right with ya...lol.

Anyways, thanks for the PM. Garden looks super! Cant wait to see it filled with green
Peace and keep it up, bugout

 

[ItsGrowTime]

High IGT and clown! Clown, I know right? its about time he lets us in on what hes been up to...lol. Guess he HAS been busy....

IGT, Awesome job! do you use a humidity dome on your clones? and what kind of light are you giving them. Every time you show your clones, just seems like its a tub sitting in a corner..lol. I see you are using some sort of styrofoam, is that just floating? My reveged NLxBB mom produce a ton of clones for me as well, So Ill bee right with ya...lol.

Anyways, thanks for the PM. Garden looks super! Cant wait to see it filled with green
Peace and keep it up, bugout

Your pretty much right TBug. My cloner just is a tub that sits in a corner. Its a closet with some low watt CFLs ready for whatever I throw at them. Remember this pic?

Same closet, same setup. I have different watt and spectrum CFLs for what I want to accomplish in that closet. My cloner is a basic bubble cloner. The styrofoam supports the clones on top of the water. It floats! Whats better to use in hydro than something that floats?! Btw, rep for Texas Kid for the idea in one of his old threads. It works great for bubble cloning. Also props to MTF-Sandman for his input on several growroom design threads.
Thx for taking a peek bro.
I have some more pics coming soon!

 

[pumpkin2006]

Ya most hydroponic lettuce operations use styrofoam and have HUGE pools that thousands of lettuce heads float on. Its actually pretty cool. Good idea, but you don't have any stem root problems?

 

[ItsGrowTime]

Ya most hydroponic lettuce operations use styrofoam and have HUGE pools that thousands of lettuce heads float on. Its actually pretty cool. Good idea, but you don't have any stem root problems?

I assume you meant "stem rot" problems. If so, not really. I did have to keep a batch of clones in there longer than I wanted and got algae issues but no serious stem rot problems. I also take several more clones than needed since there are always some that wont root. I would estimate a 95% success rate.

(MUCH LATER EDIT: the algae was from adding Hygrozyme to the cloner water. DONT DO IT! If you must leave your clones in the cloner longer just top off the water.)

 

[TBug]

I assume you meant "stem rot" problems. If so, not really. I did have to keep a batch of clones in there longer than I wanted and got algae issues but no serious stem rot problems. I also take several more clones than needed since there are always some that wont root. I would estimate a 95% success rate.

High IGT! That sounds cool, thanks a lot. I will assume you're still using straight water. how bout' the heater, is still in there? The reason I ask is that Im trying to build one myself. I got the tub heater air stones and pump. Im gonna use neopreen inserts and drill holes in the tub lid. I just cant figure a suitable humidity dome or light yet.
Thanks again and peace, bugout

 

[ItsGrowTime]

High IGT! That sounds cool, thanks a lot. I will assume you're still using straight water. how bout' the heater, is still in there? The reason I ask is that Im trying to build one myself. I got the tub heater air stones and pump. Im gonna use neopreen inserts and drill holes in the tub lid. I just cant figure a suitable humidity dome or light yet.
Thanks again and peace, bugout

If you are bubble cloning theres no need for a humidity dome since the gallons of water underneath along with the air bubbles coming up thru the holes that clones sit in (just punch em out with a screwdriver then set the clones in gently) provide more than enough moisture. No heat mat needed either. For mine its the cheapest aquarium heater Petsmart had..a Neptune for $20? Not big at all. I start with warm water so the heater doesnt have to work so hard then dial the heater in to 80 degrees over a day or two. A floating thermometer helps alot. I just use tap water but my tap is pretty ok at 45ppm and 8.0ph so YMMV. I do think I had faster rooting when I kept the clones on 18/6 lighting than 24/0 like Im doing this time. Im on day 8 and only a few have rooted so far....

EDIT: btw I just get the styrofoam in sheets in the Walmart crafts section where they keep the good Fiskars

 

[Guest]

Awasome. Lots of thought and effort indeed! Looks very well planned. I'll follow this one. Your in for a heavy harvest.

 

[ItsGrowTime]

I took a few more equipment pics. I must confess that my growroom situation is nearly perfect with the exception of the bug issue I mentioned before. I have full access to fresh air from underneath the house so my room is constantly vented and stays cooler than most rooms would be with that much light.

Here's the left side of the aero. That 3' plant isnt the only big one in there. Im amazed at how well they have reacted to going straight to 12/12 from clone. Im going to skip the veg and try this more often.

Here's my intake fan. Its big and keeps the air swirling through the room.


Good ol Stanley Blower. It also helps with air circulation but the best benefit is the extra power plugs! Both the big fan above and the Vortex are plugged into it. Only the Stanley is plugged into the timer box. Perfect.


Flipped turtle air pumps. Ok, am I the only grower that feels a compulsion to flip all my air pumps on their backs? Seems more efficient to me




I hope you guys have a pretty good idea of how my room is laid out now. Overall its about 10x10. I really have been blessed with a great room to work with. Anybody have any thoughts on keeping the bugs out? Something is chewing on some leaves but its not an infestation...

(LATER EDIT: flip your pumps like this so if you have a leak/flood you wont kill your air pumps. But leave the prefilter in. It does work.)

 

[Haps]

You can do styrofoam bucket floats in 3-4 foot bushes, but the stryo needs to be 3-5 inches thick. It is a bit touchy, and overall, not a way I would go again, but did several crops to test it's potential. Iceburgs.
H

 

[NiteTiger]

Flipped turtle air pumps. Ok, am I the only grower that feels a compulsion to flip all my air pumps on their backs? Seems more efficient to me

Nope, I do it too I thought I was the only one