Dual Areoponic Cabinet Build

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Finished off the intake vent with a vent cover. I had one laying around.. can you believe that? Weird, I found it in the garage.​

I lowered the bottom shelf, I used some sticks to brace the new height and cut the vents in the shelves for ventalation​

Now I know why they said it took two people to assemble. I did it myself though, just took my time. Followed the directions for once.
I still had a bunch of screws left over.​

I decided just to use more of that strapping tape to support the fan. The fan, its really pretty light.​

Here is what I got for my DIY Cooltube.​

Got the Bake around Pyrex tube on ebay and built this a while back put didn't get pics. So, if you want to build one this is how. You get a socket and some strapping tape. some clamps, attach a 4 inch duct fan to one end and a 4 inch collar to the other. (yea, I cleaned it)​

So now we need to vent the tube.​

I use those space saving dryer duct vents, Intake comes from under the cabinet then through the tube and out the back into the window box. Cant see a thing. I use cardboard from the cabinet packaging to attach the mylar.​

I now have the thermostat wired up and the ventilation done.​

OK time for a break.​

Is it just me or do you hear "Danger Will Robinson!"​

Today I was trying to decide what way to go, I had planed on the waterfarm or 4" PVC setup. I couldn't figure out how to drain the tubes properly. I have seen other DIY setups like stink buds but I think the drain is too small. look at the roots earls setup.​

So then I got to thinking about all the hydroton I would need, cleaning it out and all that. I really don't want to hassle with that. So, I am building sort of an over sized aero cloner.​

I got a rubber maid underbed storage container, some PVC and micro sprinklers. Luckily I have a few pumps to chose from. 180 gal 250 gal 550 gal and a pond pump that puts out more and is smaller but it is too loud.​

The 180 gal didn't even get any air. It would work for drippers but not these.​

Here is the 250 gph at two feet in height.​

Here is the 550 gph.​

The sound the pump makes is about the same. This pump is larger in size but I think this is the way to go.
I can always drop to the smaller pump once I get some roots.​

Time to get the tub ready..​

Ok, here we go. I am going to try aeroponics now. I am tired of dealing with hydroton. I havent tried it in the past because I dont want to haul all that dam water but I think I figured out a way I can do it without using a large res.​

First I start with a rubbermaid under the bed storage container.​

I cut holes for 2 inch net pots​

This way I can open one side at a time.​

Sorry Pics are kinda bulry, I used 1/2 in pvc to make the frame and I got eight full spray sprinlkers on the center tubes. I will probally add more to the out side but I am going to start with this.​

I put it in with the jets pointing down.​

The jets are one inch away from eight of the pots. the two center pots will be ok after I get a few roots. I may need to move them around a bit when they are small.​

Then put the fill line through the hole.​

Here is a shot from inside.​

Cool huh?​

Here is the new Cycle timer I got today. $100 shipped to my door. Got here fast too.​

Tomorrow I will drill holes for the two drains. I sketched out my plan in Microsoft paint.​

I am going to try this with a five gallon res. I know it should be three times that size but I carry the bottles.
If I keep an eye on it and I usually do, hopefully I will be able to keep it under 10 gal a week.
Where I think I am going to have a problem is with temptature of the water. From what I have read 65° is ideal.
Even with the intake right by the res I think I am going to be in the 70's​

Man I hope this works.​

OK I got the drain supply's Two bathroom sink drains. they are 1 1/4 size.
The deal is there is no tubbing or elbows I could find that would work with them. But I found a reducer fitting that attachés 1 1/2 PVC to 1 1/4 drain.​

see the one on the left?​

Thats the key. Once I get to 1 1/2 there is all kinds of fittings. OK, time to get to work.​

OK I got the drain supply's Two bathroom sink drains. they are 1 1/4 size.
The deal is there is no tubbing or elbows I could find that would work with them. But I found a reducer fitting that attachés 1 1/2 PVC to 1 1/4 drain.​

see the one on the left?



Thats the key. Once I get to 1 1/2 there is all kinds of fittings. OK, time to get to work.

OK First thing is to cut the rear wheels off. By leaving the front ones on it will tilt it back for better drainage.

Cut the holes for the drains.




Lined it up and cut the hole in the shelf too






The drains I got are to be installed in a thicker material like a sink maybe?
Anyway the rubber washer will have to be messed with. I used my dremel tool to grind the rubber to get them to fit.
(The one on the left is done.)





Got some silicon for the lip and got the drains installed in the tub and cut the holes in the shelf.
Wrapped the tub with duct tape and set it in.



Next I got some cardboard left over from the cabinet shipment and use it to help block the light.
I cut it to fit up under the lip at the top.

Then got under there and hooked it up. Well all except the last section.




I tested it before mounting and there were no leaks. so far so good. the right side is slightly higher then the left for better drainage. I glued the joints between the extenders but I didn't glue the PVC inside the tub because it didn't leak and if it does it is inside anyway. besides I can twist the center tubes and angle the spray this way.

OK done for today.

Heres what I got done today,

First I covered the rest of the tub so no light gets in. I used this spray glue to attach the mylar.





and covered the front with more cardboard.



This will be the timer rack





OK now the res.
I have a water farm eight pack I am not using right now. In the set is what they call a controller. I have
already modified the 8 pack so there were extra holes already drilled in it. I was going to try and plug them up but instead I took advantage of the holes.

This will be the front, the blue tube is my water level monitor/drain



Heres the opposite side. those lower holes were already there so I connected them and inside added a power head so this will mix the water.




here is inside




You see the air stone is under where the water comes back into the res. between the wall and the main pump.

Here is a better shot.




the power head pumps the water from the other side of the res, out and back through the wall, the water shoots through the bubbles and in the pump.

Then when its time for a res change I twist the water indicator and drain the res.




gets most of it





I was thinking maybe I could chill that line outside the res. I looked at chillers. they are kinda of expensive and draw too much power for me. Like 280 watts. I gotta think of some other way to cool the water and this just may be a start. I have one of those small coolers you plug into your cigarette lighter and keeps food cold without ice. Maybe I can get a converter and poke some holes? I wonder if that would work. You think someone would have thought of it already.

OK, well tomorrow the electrical.

Hi people,

I got the electrical done today, I wired up the tube with new cord so it will go into my new ballast. Oh I forgot to mention I got a new Hydro farm ballast today. My old setup was hardwired so I needed to install the hydro farm lamp cord. I got a new 15 foot heavy duty cord for the duct fan too. It really didn't need it but I wanted the weight the same on both sides to keep the light level. I hooked it all up to timers and stuff. i still need to clean it up. hydro system went through a 4 hour test run, No leaks. Weird thing though, the new ceramic metal halide bulb felt cooler when I tested it in the old cab. I ran the lights with the fans and it only went up 3° though. That's much better then before. i was hitting 10 to 15° hotter then room temp with HPS and the old fans.

Duh, I should have compared it with outside temps. I did that test last night.
So, I did it again today. It is 70 outside and temps were 79° thats more accurate.

However I am getting more lumen's than before. The meter I bought used on ebay when I was testing LED lighting. It only goes up to 2000 foot candles or lumen's. At 19 inches away before I got about 1200 lm. now at 20 inches I get 1800. Go figure, I guess the old bulb I had was pretty much shot.






I have eight sprinklers in there now. I got what was available, I will replace them with the green jets when I can. Maybe add more to the outside tubes too.





Here is the new ballast, It is twice as tall as I thought it would be. oops.








For a reflector I took one of those oven liners I had and cut it. Then formed it around the top of the tube and clipped on the wings I had with strapping tape. Here is what we got so far.




So now I have 48" by 24" flower area compared to 36" by 18" I will be using the same amount of power, the 400 watts. I realize I will have about 6 inches on both ends that will be shy a bit the meter measured 1300 so I think will add some side lighting, maybe a couple of cfl's or a of par 30 red led spotlights on each side. I dont know if the LED will make much difference, I can always just screw in a different bulb.

I let the system go for a couple days and I kept seeing water on the lower shelf. I pulled it out and set it on the table and ran it no leaks but after a while I had water. I finally figured it out. The res was sweating on the bottom. Building up condensation and lt seeped out the bottom edge.



Well I fixed that by razing the res so air could flow under it. so far so good. I got the side lighting in, didn't use the LED I used CFL's



Now it is time for the last test. I have my growing medium, Rapid rooter cubes set in the net pots. They are not getting direct spray, I want to see if the humidity alone will keep them damp enough.



They were a little small so I cut some foam to hold them in at first.
I got some neoprene collars for when I get some clones but this will be starting from seed this first grow.




and plug them in.






Got all the timers installed where I can get to them this time.




I got the 400w and the duct fan on the hydro farm timer, the CFL's, CO2 and res mixer pump on the other. I still have to refill the CO2 but I wont need it for a while yet.

The next thing I am tweaking on in a diy chiller to keep the water cold in the res this summer. Most chillers I have found have been larger then I need so this is what I have in mind.



Portable cooler. I got this on ebay for $30 Its 12v DC says it will keep temps 40° lower then ambient temps. I found a 5.8 amp DC converter for $15 shipped. I read that to figure wattage you multiply amps by volts. That means this will only use 60 watts. I can use it with the pump that circulates the res water. I think I should fill the cooler with water or something to conduct better than air, any ideas?

OK, Pretty much done,
I have almost doubled my space, cut the noise in half, (to about the sound of a fridge) eliminated hydroton and Rockwool.
With the window box my neighbor only sees the blinds. I have a fresh supply of air from under the house where I don’t think those spider mites would be and an 80 CFM exhaust directly above supplying the underside of the leaf with fresh air, 110 CFM Duct fan for the light. I have CO2 supplement I will run Once they hit the screen. A new Ceramic Metal Halide 400w light and new Hydrofarm Ballast. Four CFL's and the Custom Aerotub Hydroponic system.

Oh, and everything is grounded this time.

Yahoo!
Lets Grow!

Couple days ago I checked out those Widow buds from the last grow, found the one that had a few seeds.



I had five that looked good but I soaked them all overnight. next day tapped them and six sank.




I put them all in a paper towel kept them warm and in two days pop! We got five.





I split the rooter cube and put them in with the root tip pointing down.

>


In one empty cube I placed the temp probe. that registers the out temp on the thermometer







Got out the seedling heat map and plugged it into the second daytime timer I have the CFL's and res circulating pump on.
I actually run that at night to keep them warm.






I want the root zone between 80 and 84° and upper temp about 75°



I don't have a thermostat for the heat map, too cheap I guess. I use sticks under the pan to raise it



Im going to hand water them while they are young.
By putting them in the tray I can control moisture better.

These are the seeds that didn't’t pop right away.




I put water on them and will give them a couple more days.
But if they don’t pop I have backup.


I Have these feminized Train wreck from my last order.






I also have five Mazar seeds that would need to be sexed.
So either way this first crop will have females and flower out. Then I will plug in there clones for a second round.

Once I get the hang of this system, I will get some awesome genetics and grow a mother or two.

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Thanks

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