Mini-Me F & D + LEDs

[PetFlora]

For several years I have been developing my top feed system draining to outboard rez.

The last 2 grows I used Hydro Halo Drip rings, which work great, but... are they an unnecessary expense?

Reveg plant has been in a bubbler. Now that it is filling out, water consumption > 1g per 24 hours, which is hard to monitor. Plant was drooping late yesterday due to heavy water consumption

Time to return to my roots

Mini-Me F & D

For several years I have been developing my top feed system. The last 2 grows I used Hydro Halo Drip rings, which are expensive, clog with algae, even though I drilled out the drip holes, I still had to clean them every ~ 2 weeks, but they work great.

They were necessary when I was using the inverted lid from a ~ 2’ x 3’ storage tote (the lip was ~ 1”) as a drain table inside my DIY 2 x 4 wood frame draped with windshield reflector and insulating foam board.

Feed cycle maxed at 30 seconds in order not have nutes spill over, but was sufficient for the plants.

When I first started growing indoors, back in 1980!, I used a simple F & D under a 1000w MH (street light)

The 2 tubs were filled with gravel rock.

Plants grew great, but my x wife killed them by not refilling the rez while I was on the road a week at a time

This time I will have 2 actual grow tents (3 x 3 & 4 x 4). Each will have one plant, and one led panel/system

I had to rethink how to feed 2 separate tents from a single rez

Time to return to my F & D roots, but incorporating lessons learned over the last 3 years...

Thanks to fast draining Air Pots (or Net Pots) it is not necessary to fill the tub with anything

Simply put the planter filled with rock (I use polished ornamental stones from The Dollar Store) in the tub

Set feed cycle to fill the tub ~ half way up

Currently top feeding using just a right angle 1/2” connector

As to tote size, a ~ 4g tub is all you need per plant

Parts Per Tote

~ 4 G storage tote (~ $5)

Net Pot lid for 5g bucket (~$4)

2-3 bags of ornamental stone (~@ $1/)

1” Bulkhead fitting ($4) *may need O ring to prevent drip

1 ~ 160 gph water pump (~ $10)

I plan to run 2 totes from one pump. which may require either a bigger pump or longer feed time

Half inch tubing + 2 elbows for a single F & D (< $10)

Outboard Rez

Any bucket that holds ~ 3-4 g of nutes with a lid will work... or cover with foil

Timer

Deep Cycle Timer (~ $60) to flood

Currently flooding 45 sec each 45 minutes

I hooked this up an hour ago

One minor leak to fix on the bulkhead'

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[Meison]

Very nice! I have some question maybe if you got some time!

I'm doing drip myself, its not my first time but I'm no expert, not even close to 30+ years of growing either so maybe you can help me see the light?

Could you explain why did you go back to E&F over drip? I know the halo's clogged and it was a pain to clean them but is there any other reason?

Back in drip did you think feeding more times during less time was better than feeding 3-4 times during lights on during longer periods of time?

I'm trying to work on my feeding intervals and it would be nice to get some insight of an experienced grower!

cheers!

 

[PetFlora]

Very nice! I have some question maybe if you got some time!

I'm doing drip myself, its not my first time but I'm no expert, not even close to 30+ years of growing either so maybe you can help me see the light?

Could you explain why did you go back to E&F over drip? I know the halo's clogged and it was a pain to clean them but is there any other reason?

Back in drip did you think feeding more times during less time was better than feeding 3-4 times during lights on during longer periods of time?


I'm trying to work on my feeding intervals and it would be nice to get some insight of an experienced grower!

cheers!

Good questions

As a brain teaser, I am looking to assemble the simplest system at the lowest cost, that compares favorably with any other hydro method, regardless of cost

Nutes pumped through the HH rings by a 160 gph over a short distance is more of a shower- 30 second/ 30 minutes

Short multiple feedings comes from my days growing using High Pressure Aero

Roots are most efficient when they are neither to too wet, nor too dry

Air pockets created by the odd shaped stones hold some moisture. Hard to tell how much. I have the timer set at 45 seconds per 45 minutes and will monitor

 

[PetFlora]

I think I should clarify...

Since I already have regular water pumps, this is a quasi- F&D

A bilge pump is an unnecessary expense, but would eliminate one hose

I am top feeding ~ 45 seconds/45 minutes, which just about fills the tray/tote half way

 

[PetFlora]

Due to my installing the bulkhead drain on the side, about a half inch of standing water remains after each 'flood', so roots are soaking in some nutes 24/7

To compensate, I plopped the net pot lid on top of a 4 liter Air Pot, effectively raising the roots above the standing water- for now. Eventually they will grow down, but can be trimmed

The AP is also wider than the netpot providing better stability once the plant fills out

This one won't as I will be using it for clones

 

[PetFlora]

It's been 3 days since last pics. Seems too soon but...
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[PetFlora]

Round 2 officially begins based on Planting by the moon http://www.the-gardeners-calendar.co.uk ... anting.asp

Tossed 9 Med-Man Bx1+ Silver Skunk seeds into diluted mineral water this morning (homemade mix of Mg + Him Salt sol)

Jar is then placed in a dark cabinet

I gave the + designation as these are Big Mex male pollen used to pollinate the Blue Berry Cheesecake female that I have been revegging

Hoping for 2 Big Mex females, one for each new tent

 

[PetFlora]

ReVeg Blueberry Cheesecake

Gonna have more clones than I have room for

My DIY Mini-Me F & D is the tits

"Flooding" every hour for ~ 36 seconds

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[PetFlora]

Roots + New Plant Update

Roots + New Plant Update

I see so many DWC roots that frankly do not compare that I thought you would like to see what's been driving the explosive reveg growth

FYI, I just changed out the rez, it was ~ 260, now ~ 650, though I will dilute it to ~ 450 as I am not yet ready to flower


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[PetFlora]

Report Explains Why So Many Chinese Panels Fail

Report Explains Why So Many Chinese Panels Fail

LED luminaires offer even more advancement in lower power consumption and expected life. However, if attention is not paid to the drivers and power supplies used to power LEDs, this new technology will also lower the life and reliability expectations.

http://www.electronicproducts.com/P...ting_reliability_More_than_just_the_LEDs.aspx

 

[PetFlora]

My typical seed popping technique is to simply drop them in water and put the jar in a dark cabinet for 24-48 hours.

Usually after 48 hours most are cracked and have 1/4"+ (~6mm) taps

Not so this time; only 2 did, but most cracked

However, after 2 days there was no tap growth. I tossed more seeds into a second jar; after 48 hours same issue

The seeds were harvested in early July from this plant that I am revegging

Nothing to lose, I put them into starter cubes then in my south facing window

24 hours later the 2 are > 1" but the rest are questionable

Late yesterday afternoon, I decided to put them in my starter tent under 2 white ufos (3500/5000)

This morning, 5 more have broken through- yeah

I am hoping for 2 Big Mex (BM) phenos which yielded 222 dry gms under my first grow using the S600, but was compromised, sharing the 2 x 4 space with the Blueberry Cheesecake (BBCC) that I am revegging. My heavy smokers love the knock-out effects from the Big Mex pheno. I can barely handle the Blueberry Cheesecake. I plan to take a couple clones from her and finish the mother in my small tent

Be interesting to see how well BM does in its' own 3x 3 & 4 x 4 tent. One under the S600, the other under a yet to be determined Solar Spec.

 

[PetFlora]

We're off and running

I moved seedlings from plastic egg crate into net pots filled with polished rock

If need be I can use a meat baster to wet from the top, but it doesn't look that way

If anything I may need to raise them up for a few days so they don't get overly saturated at this stage

Currently under 2 ufos (3500/5000)

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[PetFlora]

I took 3 clones from the BBCC mother yesterday.

Found a use for my 1 liter APs... turned upside down they make great clone holders

I cut the clone stems long enough to clear the top of the AP, plus long enough to be slightly submerged in the bubble grid

Insert the clone stems into the upside down AP as it has an open grid like bottom.

Place AP onto the bubble grid

Covered with a 4 liter plastic jug (cut bottom off), cap removed allows air, breathing and spraying water. Fits great over the AP.

Day 2 and zero wilt

Pics tomorrow

 

[PetFlora]

Reveg seems to have plateaued over the last couple days (~ 450ppm), so I upped nutes to ~ 550 this morning

Both tents are up.

The 50 x 50 x 78 is huge. I will subdivide it until I get a SS 1000 to fill it with light

Seedlings are doing well- more than I need, but that lets me pick the best

Clones look fine, too

FYI McCree Graph is the guide for proper spectrum balance

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[PetFlora]

Brain Fart

Brain Fart

I've been thinking about the pumps I have. It occurred to me they should be fine as a 2 way. Once the pump is off the nutes should drain back into the rez from th supply tubing= a true F & D

I found nothing in the pamphlet they come with so tried it this morning.

YEP

Anybody know why this might hurt the pump?

 

[PetFlora]

Seedlings/clones tent

I changed nutes (still ~ 250) and cleaned up the algae

I replaced the large cylinder air stones with new flat disks to cover more surface area with bubbles

Immediately, the clone jug developed moisture

While I was at the hydro store, I saw larger volume net pots, which could replace the need for 4 liter AP to stabilize, but will require a lot more stones

Roots already exiting the fastest plant to show a tap root

Late to the game, in the 1" net pot, dangling above the nutes has a nice tap

Reveg is taking off again. Needed higher ppms

Conversion to an actual F & D works great

It is now a super simple DIY system

Magnets now affect nutes flowing in and out

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[PetFlora]

It's a new day. It's a new dawn, and I'm feelin good

According to USPS 2 Solar Spec panels will be delivered today

I took a pic of the seedlings and clones which have been doing well under the 2 white ufos I was gifted last November. Together they are probably 100w

One of the SS panels is 150w. It will go into the seedling/clone tent. Depending on how much light it has I may disconnect the 2 ufos

The other panel is a SS260 which I will use over one of the seedlings once it is big enough to go into the 3 x 3 tent

I will probably keep the BBCC Reveg under the S600 for now. She is much fuller than when I first harvested her. Reveg seems to have agreed with her

I also took a close up of the magnets just above the rez. Nutes flow through and back every hour

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[PetFlora]

You can count on USPS to get it wrong. On the 15th USPS track said delivery on 9/17- didn't happen

10am this morning USPS Track updated to say delivery tomorrow

They came today!

Here are a couple pics of the highly anticipated Amare Technologies Solar Spec 150

It comes nicely packed like a laptop computer with power cord, hanging hooks AND adjustable hangers- nice touch BUT, no piggyback cord. Yes, I only got one panel, but how will they know when not to ship with piggyback cord?

Should be able to withstand really rough handling

I put the SS 150 in place of the 3500K ufo, and now turned off the 5000 as well= 100% SS 150

Interesting that the pics show more red than I see with both switches on. To my eyes the light looks white with just a touch of pink bouncing off the reflective walls

Will put up the SS 260 later- no immediate need

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[PetFlora]

BBCC is now showing pistils

Moved her to the larger tent

Unpacked the SS 260 from laptop computer type packing

Note all the goodies

Hung the SS 260 and took pics.

This one is chrome, which is no longer available due to inconsitent plating

Alas, the power cord is right angle and directly over the 2 light buttons

Hopefully, this minor issue can be corrected in production

Again, the light does not look this red to my eyes

The SS 260 is much brighter than the SPYDR 600

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[PetFlora]

UPDATE

SS 100

This little rascal is intense.

Yesterday, I lowered the plants again. Now ~ 18" below the light

Clones are looking good- all tops look perky, one has 2 roots coming out

Seems like a great clone light, too

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S600

I increased ppm from ~ 550 > 650 and will bump to ~ 800 today

I have slowly reduced o/o now at 12/12

Stretching like crazy now, so I incorporated the Cube

Working in a 50 x 50 tent sure makes life easier


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