AeroJunkie's High Pressure Air-Assisted Hydro-Atomized Aeroponic System (HPAAHAAS)
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aerojunkie
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If your res looks good, and your PH is on par, you can run the same nutes for as long as you want. The problem is unless you adjust your NPK levels, they are eventually going to change until you run into deficiencies. At the most I would recommend switching your res every 2 weeks, but I personally wouldn't go longer than a single week on recycled nutrients.
thump easy
Well-Known Member
Many minutes went into the design and fabrication of my light hoods. They started out as 12' x 3.5' stainless steel fixed hoods with 8" ducts. I fabricated them for my first grow to remain stationary while my canopy levels were adjusted (you never know until you try). After scrapping that entire system I went on to refab them into their current design.
Both hoods are wired with magnetic ballasts. I would like to eventually go digital but my current ballasts are bulletproof and cost nothing. The glass lenses on both hoods are tempered and have been sealed with silicone to prevent loss of atmospheric CO2 levels. Air tight access doors were installed in order to change bulbs and clean lenses when necessary. The ducts are 10" with inline dampers. The exhaust system runs on a single 12" inline vortex fan which is currently overkill. The reflective areas of the hoods were also painted flat white.
The veg hood is 8' by 3.5' and houses 6 sockets. I'm currently running 6x 6500k 400 watt MH magnetic ballasts. This hood is set up with a reduction gear drive and block system to allow raising and lowering of the hood with the push of a button.
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The Flower hood is a bit more complex. The hood is wired with 6x 250 watt HPS bulbs and 2x 400 watt MH. These bulbs are spaced appropriately to get the most evenly distributed lumens and avoid potential hot spots. The 400 MH are there to increase the available blue spectrum in order to strengthen the stalks of the plants (in theory). My buddy came across an 8' retractable projector screen so I threw that up as well to reflect light. This hood is also rigged with an automated block and pulley system. I really need to post a youtube video because its pretty bitchen. Oh, and I built two of these hoods.
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what do u do if a bulb goes out how do u open it?
aerojunkie
Well-Known Member
I have two access doors on each hood lined with weather stripping for a tight seal. I can clean the lenses and change the bulbs with very little effort. You can see them in this picture.
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Trichy Bastard
Well-Known Member
Awesome AJ! I'm glad you've been busy while I was taking a brief hiatus... My solid state HDD died again, and they are gonna upgrade me to a brand new model that will hopefully play nicer with my custom build pc. In the meanwhile my laptop motherboard died and i was pc-less... Damn that murphy all to hell 
... I am figuring to switch to AA after a couple runs with my hpa, so I am loving the new info, I'm really impressed with your setup, and the way your managing your thread as well 
...
... I am figuring to switch to AA after a couple runs with my hpa, so I am loving the new info, I'm really impressed with your setup, and the way your managing your thread as well ...aerojunkie
Well-Known Member
Awesome AJ! I'm glad you've been busy while I was taking a brief hiatus... My solid state HDD died again, and they are gonna upgrade me to a brand new model that will hopefully play nicer with my custom build pc. In the meanwhile my laptop motherboard died and i was pc-less... Damn that murphy all to hell
Well its good to have you back, when you do go to atomized it will be quite easy, as your only lacking a compressor and 2 nozzles. Even in your small chamber I would recommend 2 nozzles as it will more evenly distribute the cloud. Obviously your durations will be low.
As always, thanks for the kind words. Tree Farmer stopped in for a minute and Id really like to see him back. Im hoping this thread will persuade more people to start AA, but id like to have the insight of multiple AA enthusiasts here if possible.
I tell you what I have had some blasted HDD issues the last part of this year, I had 3 drives shit themselves in my raid array at the same time just a couple days ago and a few months back I had a couple sandforce ssds shit on me as well(the Corsair is working great with new firmware). Murphy has had a thing for me the last foew months maybe hes moved on to you nowAwesome AJ! I'm glad you've been busy while I was taking a brief hiatus... My solid state HDD died again, and they are gonna upgrade me to a brand new model that will hopefully play nicer with my custom build pc. In the meanwhile my laptop motherboard died and i was pc-less... Damn that murphy all to hell
Trichy Bastard
Well-Known Member
Well, I had 2 ssd's raided in 0, one went and that's all it takes in raid 0 as I'm sure you know. Upgrading to a revodrive! Sandforce, so hope I get luckyI tell you what I have had some blasted HDD issues the last part of this year, I had 3 drives shit themselves in my raid array at the same time just a couple days ago and a few months back I had a couple sandforce ssds shit on me as well(the Corsair is working great with new firmware). Murphy has had a thing for me the last foew months maybe hes moved on to you now
PetFlora
Well-Known Member
To clarify:
1. I use a Sentinel MDT-1
2. I only recycle during veg when using my AA (Atomized Aero) rig. I also have a F&D rig. I do recycle there, adjusting pH daily and dumping ~ 5 days during flower
1. I use a Sentinel MDT-1
2. I only recycle during veg when using my AA (Atomized Aero) rig. I also have a F&D rig. I do recycle there, adjusting pH daily and dumping ~ 5 days during flower
Mike Young
Well-Known Member
You run an AA rig? I was un-aware. I don't recall you ever mentioning that in the past, making me think perhaps something is being lost in the terminology. AA = Air assisted, correct?
aerojunkie
Well-Known Member
No, not simpler per se, but quite effective. I commend you for your determination, but I personally think not running a solenoid and acc is more difficult in AA or HP. Either way, thanks for the kudos, its great to have you on board PF. Feel free to chime in with any opinions/advice on design, theory, or experience.
PetFlora
Well-Known Member
AJ: Thanks. Well, I would like to know where and how you introduce air into the system.
Using AA sans accum is a learning curve all unto itself. It occurred to me that the line going from pump> filter> mist head assembly was much lower than the head and that the line was making a near right angle UP some 10" as the dual head was near the top of the pod. This morning I moved it low, so that the line from rez to heads is now all down hill. The mist does seem to fill the pod better, making ~ 3 second mist time more efficient. Hopefully, I can get it down to 2 seconds with a shorter pause as well. I think less food more often is a key to root hairs.
Using AA sans accum is a learning curve all unto itself. It occurred to me that the line going from pump> filter> mist head assembly was much lower than the head and that the line was making a near right angle UP some 10" as the dual head was near the top of the pod. This morning I moved it low, so that the line from rez to heads is now all down hill. The mist does seem to fill the pod better, making ~ 3 second mist time more efficient. Hopefully, I can get it down to 2 seconds with a shorter pause as well. I think less food more often is a key to root hairs.
aerojunkie
Well-Known Member
Air is introduced through the nozzle. It's an internally mixed nozzle. The air comes from outside my room using the oil less compressor to allow higher concentrations of O2 to be utilized in the chamber.
well the mdt-1 and the drt-1 are similiar sorry to offend you
Mike Young
Well-Known Member
Pet, you're running compressed air in your lines without using the fancy mixing nozzles? I feel like I've missed something, and if so, I apologize.
aerojunkie
Well-Known Member
Thanks for your interest Destillat! there is not much to show right now, plus I only grow Basil so that alone may not be too impressive for most. Stay tuned though, Ill have some cuttings ready to go into the veg chamber shortly.
PetFlora
Well-Known Member
No, just trying to figure out how the air gets injected at the same time as the nutes
Trichy Bastard
Well-Known Member
I think he's dipping into the fruits of his labor too much
. He doesn't want an accumulator, and I seriously doubt he wants to go AA- lol... Petflora has different motivations from me and Aj- we're more wrapped up in the hobby of trying to perfect the system for the love of the system, whereas pet is just trying to get a good crop with minimal pains. I agree with AJ however, that trying aero without the accumulator is probably more work than just going a simpler route altogether, and I think that's why he is happy with hisnew f/d results. Either way, none of it effects me, and I can appreciate his way of thinking. I like to hear his updates and I actually learn alot from his success/failures.