Just dropped $550 at the local hydro store...

NVGrower

NVGrower

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I have a 250 watt HPS light for my first hydro grow and it's done well. But decided we made enough money this month to spend a few bills on new equipment! Medical prices are getting high here in NV, this setup was less than two ounces.

So I bought a Air Cooled Sun System Yield Master 6", a 400 cfm artic cool fan and a ultra grow 1,000 watt 4-way dimable dial a with for 400, 600, 1000 and 1100 watts.

I'm about to put it up in the current tent, tomorrow is the end of its first week of flower.

Any advice on tents? I can grow 12 plants total and I'm about to start an auto flower grow in a month. My 3x4x6 tent isn't big enough for 3 plants right now. I'm thinking maybe a 5x5x6 what do you think?

Also, I run 3x 7.5 gal DWCs with 1 plant in each. What's an easier way to do hydro? I saw these flood trays with a resivor underneath the tray but I didn't like how high it sat at the store, any advice or guides?
 
HydroRed

HydroRed

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I think you may have overpaid on the stuff you got. I got my magnetic 1000W switchable ballast and the exact same hood with glass for $169 out the door. The bulb was $64 and my 360cfm fan was $78. All bought at the local (overpriced) hydro store. I'd agree with @TWS regarding online purchases and bargain hunting. If you are looking for simple setup for hydro, the best reccommendation I can make is 5 gal buckets with 6" or 10" net pots and a drip ring system you hook up to an air pump. Very affordable and easy to build/maintain/clean and re-use. They yield excellent results too. Each bucket kit runs about $17 plus a bag of Hydroton which is about $35 for a bag that supplies about 25-30 6" bucket setups. Commercial air pump with 12+ manifold, tubing and bubble stone runs about $75 if you shop around. My setup is very affordable and easy to replace if/when needed. I have zero complaints about it and it produces big every time. Never had any failures or leaks as well with this setup vs having a seperate res for the entire system.
20150409_200222.jpg
 
HydroRed

HydroRed

Well-Known Member
Nice looking crop @TWS . I cant say I've ever had a plugged air line or dripper with my setup though and I've got some miles on her lol. I do have only one objection to the ebb n grow setup though:
If you do happen to get a leak your whole crop is affected and not just one individual bucket since they are all tied in together on one res system which can prove disasterous & messy quickly in a hydro setup.
 
T

TWS

Well-Known Member
True but where would it leak from ? Not at the rez . It could only happen at the plumbing to the bucket during the flood . Easy enough to replace the grommet. Running this many sites I could not maintain individual sites on a daily or bi daily basis.
Up until peak flower I only have to back fill my res's every 4 days and every 2 days in peak flower . I only change the res's twice in a run.
There is another side just like that one . A 36 site room.
Your plants and method are very nice and sound .
 
T

TWS

Well-Known Member
Oh by the time I noticed the leak the plants would be fine I would just have a mess but they are in a pond liner trough. Lol root disease in late flower scares me more . I have diy rdwc system and chillers I have never even run yet just sitting in the garage.
 
HydroRed

HydroRed

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I agree on the frequency and abilty to run larger crops not being easy with my setup. I wasnt thinking in larger size, but for a tent or smaller grow op its ideal. I only run 10 (plus 2 mommas) or less here to follow MI state laws of 12 plant max.
 
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fandango

fandango

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TWS said:
Oh by the time I noticed the leak the plants would be fine I would just have a mess but they are in a pond liner trough. Lol root disease in late flower scares me more . I have diy rdwc system and chillers I have never even run yet just sitting in the garage.
Click to expand...
I like the pond liner idea...just pulled the carpet out of bedroom 2 after a water hose sprung a leak
 
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T

TWS

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HydroRed said:
I agree on the frequency and abilty to run larger crops not being easy with my setup. I wasnt thinking in larger size, but for a tent or smaller grow op its ideal. I only run 10 (plus 2 mommas) or less here to follow MI state laws of 12 plant max.
Click to expand...
It fits in our new 100sf rule.
 
NVGrower

NVGrower

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Hey everyone. I got it all set up. I defiantly paid $30-$50 more on each item. I had a lot of fun at the store though. Online from now on though.

Thanks for all the advice! I am going to research ebb and flow. These DWC are hard to keep up with 3 res changes each time!

Here's pictures of everything setup:













Was talking to a good friend, grew a lot in the past. He said I need to put a screen on top of the plants ASAP because if they grew that big with a single 250 watt already they'll blow the whole tent up and I could have issues with the plants hitting the light.

Is it to late, today was the end of the first week of flower, I vegged them 4 weeks.
 
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NVGrower

NVGrower

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TWS said:
It's time to put those girls into flower.
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Started them flowering roughly 7 days ago. Should I put a screen over them? They've grown 1.5 ft! In a week! I don't want to risk any issues. Tempature right under the light an inch away is 79
 
T

TWS

Well-Known Member
You need to be at least 2 ft away from the light. How many feet do you have with that said and what strain is it.
 
T

TWS

Well-Known Member
fandango said:
If you have to have rules I like the 100 sq foot rule better than plant count
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Not so great outdoors. I could fill that with one plant. Not good indoor either , it leaves no vegg room but you have to deal with the hand you are delt.
fandango said:
Jungle Zone
whats the spacing and pot size here TWS?
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It's useless to go bigger than the 2 gallon pots. They will grow as big as you want in 2's.
9 pots per 1000 watt about 2 feet on center.
 
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