LSWM's 3k Vert Donut's @ 7000ft!

[LSWM]

And has anyone dealt with carpenter ants? I have a colony in the rafters of my 2nd story. I've already built a room near. No way I can call an exterminator.

I have a completely wood construction house and I live intthe forest, so dealing with Ants and bugs is a constant issue. Luckily I think the diversity helps keep pests like spider mites at bay.

Ant baits have had limited success, and i cant exactly squirt liquid into a hole in wood. Ive seen dusts and expanding foam suggested for these areas.

Anyone with any personal experience or insight?

 

[LSWM]

Well I think I'm going to go with a product such as THIS.

I already have plenty of ant baits around the house but fipronil seems like a winning active ingredient. Unfortunaly I won't be able to use this foam as an area repellant and the liquid concentrate form is another $40. I'm gonna make a trip to the h/w store and see what they have to offer rather than ordering online.

Fingers crossed!

 

[LSWM]

So I got these bulkhead fittings off Amazon for $4.50 a piece. I picked up 5 of them.



Then I found these flow control/on/off valves at the hardware store. They were $2 for a pack of 5. I bought 5. Such a good find!

 

[LSWM]

Here's some cuts I took ~1 month ago that have been just sitting in a cup of water I occasionally just added to, and they rooted!



The rest of the cuts I took.



Here's the t104 I wired up from a new breaker.

 

[LSWM]

Finally all the progress on the room.

 

[GrowerGoneWild]

Well I think I'm going to go with a product such as THIS.

I already have plenty of ant baits around the house but fipronil seems like a winning active ingredient. Unfortunaly I won't be able to use this foam as an area repellant and the liquid concentrate form is another $40. I'm gonna make a trip to the h/w store and see what they have to offer rather than ordering online.

Fingers crossed!

Generally speaking, Ive been able to buy some insecticides directly from the exterminator himself. Might help.

 

[LSWM]

My new HPS ballast gets HOT. Like so hot I can't touch it for more than a few seconds... I guess that's what cheap gets me. I'm assuming is is normal!? Anyone have any tips on hanging this beast? I was thinking chains...



Here's that new evaporative cooler I made.

 

[LSWM]

Ppk I built. Right now the pump is just in the rez below. Not sure if I need to add a control bucket or not. We will see.

 

[Mister_D]

And has anyone dealt with carpenter ants? I have a colony in the rafters of my 2nd story. I've already built a room near. No way I can call an exterminator.

I have a completely wood construction house and I live intthe forest, so dealing with Ants and bugs is a constant issue. Luckily I think the diversity helps keep pests like spider mites at bay.

Ant baits have had limited success, and i cant exactly squirt liquid into a hole in wood. Ive seen dusts and expanding foam suggested for these areas.

Anyone with any personal experience or insight?

No experience with carpenter ants directly, but mixing basil and catnip 50/50, then put it in small potpourri bags (2x4" is sufficient, no penalty for a bigger bag though), which are then hung around the house has been an very effective means of keeping all bugs out of my house and grow for years. A lil trick I pick up while in the islands House smells like basil for a few days, but then it goes away and so do the bugs. The bags remain effective for 3-4 months, so if/when you notice the bugs coming back just refill the bags . Sounds strange I know, but it works. Even in the forest

So I got these bulkhead fittings off Amazon for $4.50 a piece. I picked up 5 of them.

[URL="https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=55127&pictureid=1290004&thumb=1"]View Image[/URL] [URL="https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=55127&pictureid=1290005&thumb=1"]View Image[/URL] [URL="https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=55127&pictureid=1290006&thumb=1"]View Image[/URL]

Then I found these flow control/on/off valves at the hardware store. They were $2 for a pack of 5. I bought 5. Such a good find!

[URL="https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=55127&pictureid=1290007&thumb=1"]View Image[/URL] [URL="https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=55127&pictureid=1290008&thumb=1"]View Image[/URL]

Home depot sells those same bulkhead fittings for ~3 bucks just FYI. Usually found in the same area as the brass gas fittings, and the off white nylon fittings in the little bags .

 

[LSWM]

No experience with carpenter ants directly, but mixing basil and catnip 50/50, then put it in small potpourri bags (2x4" is sufficient, no penalty for a bigger bag though), which are then hung around the house has been an very effective means of keeping all bugs out of my house and grow for years. A lil trick I pick up while in the islands House smells like basil for a few days, but then it goes away and so do the bugs. The bags remain effective for 3-4 months, so if/when you notice the bugs coming back just refill the bags . Sounds strange I know, but it works. Even in the forest

Does this work at all for fungus gnats? I'm having a minor problem with them ATM. Sounds like something I'll definitely try, I've got too many insects, lol. I'm willing to try anything at this point.

Home depot sells those same bulkhead fittings for ~3 bucks just FYI. Usually found in the same area as the brass gas fittings, and the off white nylon fittings in the little bags .

Last time I bought one of those bulkheads it was like $8 from HD. Nomatter though bbecause the closest HD is an hour drive so ordering off amazon with free shipping is a winner.

Thanks D

EDIT: Where do I get catnip? I'll assume fresh would be best?

 

[Mister_D]

Last time I bought one of those bulkheads it was like $8 from HD. Nomatter though bbecause the closest HD is an hour drive so ordering off amazon with free shipping is a winner.

The bigger ones are a bit more expensive, but the 1/2" are only 3-4 bucks.

Thanks D

EDIT: Where do I get catnip? I'll assume fresh would be best?

Catnip can be bought at most pet stores as well as farm supply/hardware type stores. I'm sure it could be ordered online also. Fresh is best (actually looks a lot like nugs ), but I've used the container stuff with great success also. As for fungus gnats, I'm not sure. It's supposed to work for all bugs so it's very possible, but I haven't tested it for fungus gnat specifically.

 

[LSWM]

Plant in the ppk!

 

[LSWM]

My biggest bell is getting end blossom rot... You can see in the first pic. They are in 5 gal coco pots hand watered with jacks @1.2 ec. Same as the ladies get. I dunno what's causing it.

Then the second largest bell has aphids all over the new growth. I sprayed everything with a light solution of azamax but it doesn't seem to be helping much. Was gonna grab some habaneros, and whip up a garlic/hab/ginger spray and hit them with that. Probably do my ladies in Veg as well.

My blackberries are finally ripening as well!

 

[LSWM]

 

[LSWM]

Left the house for two days... Came back to wilted plants and a DISASTER. Well it could have been worse, but I guess my swamp cooler was leaking, and that leak seeped through the b/w poly, and now the square/woodish/laminant/press together flooring has swelled and popped up INCHES in 2 places.

Probably wouldn't have been so bad if there was a massive tray stopping any expansion and the swamp cooler sitting on it full of water.

No real plans as of yet. Here's some pics.

EDIT: The PPK was still looking great, lmfao.

 

[LSWM]

I also had a 600 magnetic ballast go out right before my 2 days away that i was using for Veg...

Okay, I have much better news! I was in SD, and a good friend told me he was cleaning up a friend/bosses "apartment" that's zoned as an "office" in downtown. Apparently sometime last year they were operating a storefront dispensary that was very short lived.

Somehow I walked out of there with TWO 12" MAXFANS, and CanLite filters to match. FOR FREE! I told my buddy to sell one and id just owe him for the second but he just didnt want to deal with them, due to weight and size, just told me to take them and i would get him back at a later date. So not quite free, but basically! One of the filters popped open on the drive home, but it was still SUCH A COME UP.

I was ready to buy another can75 to control the extra space/odor, but I'm 99% sure these things have a bit left in them. Haven't decided if I'm going to use them as scrubbers or exhaust or the new fan design. I could certainly keep the apartment next door as well as my new room in the main house ventilation/odor handled.

 

[LSWM]

I also picked up 2 new ballasts, 25' cord and sockets, bulbs, and pumps.

Ran me $400 total after tax. Ballasts are 1000w mh/HPS 120/240v switchable. I paid $107 each plus tax. SCREAMING DEAL if you ask me!

 

[LSWM]

Started playing with the floor tiles and I think I may just pull up the whole floor... Uggghhh

 

[LSWM]

So everything seems to be falling apart all at once. First the floor, then the 12" filters and fans had to go back, now me and the GF broke up.

I keep having to undo work already started as plans are changing on me. I got the two trays in the new room into flower a few days ago, and am going to move my 5-6 week tray into the same room.

Lots of ventilation changes in the works. I bought materials for a pulley system to hold a carbon filter 15' up in the new space, but I'm currently just going to steal the one from my old space. I'm a one man band right now so I have no idea how I'm going to get it down from up there, but I'm sure I can figure it all out.

I had help last night but everything went to shit and now I'm on my own from here on out it seems like.

Lots of work to do. Be back with pics soon!

 

[paper thorn]

bummer about the floor. i guess bummer about the gf too. But hey, now you just get to set all the new stuff up like you want to.