My First HPA Attempt

Hi All,
This will be my first attempt at HPA, so ALL comments and words of wisdom are welcome.
I will be posting a full grow journal here, so you are all welcome to laugh but hopefully not cry along with me.
For starters, I will be using Super Bud Feminized seeds from Crop King Seeds. They guarantee 80% germination. As per their instructions, I soaked the seeds in warm water for 14-18 hours, then poured them onto a paper towel, covered them with more paper towel and drained off excess water.




Now, I plan to use a high pressure system with tefen nozzles at 100 psi.
My question is, once I get my taproots, should I use rapid rooters if I plan to go HPA? Or what other medium should I use to get these babies started?
Thanks

Ok, so after 24 hours, snug as a bug in a wet diaper, 9 of 10 have popped. So far, so good.
I’m gonna wait until the taproot develops more before stage 2.
I read a post on this site where a guy put his seedlings directly into neoprene collars and into his bubbler. He claimed it worked well. I’m strongly considering trying this, but I don’t have a bubbler, so I will use my 12 head mist maker instead. This sucker really pumps out the fog. Makes my yard look like Salem on hallowe’en!
Still have a day or so before that happens, so if anyone has a suggestion, I’m all ears
Thanks

So, all the seeds have popped, YAY, some more vigorously than others. Some look
camera shy, while others look like they're ready for the money shot.


The bigger ones will be put into foam collars and into a fog environment for stage 2. The others will be allowed to outgrow their shyness for a bit longer.

So 5 had taproots worthy of stage 2.
Stage 2 consists of a 12 head ultrasonic mist maker in one 18 gallon tote providing the mist to a separate 18 gallon tote which will house the little ladies. I'm doing it in 2 totes for 2 reasons:
Firstly, the mist maker splashes an awful lot and I don't want the roots to get too saturated.
Secondly, the mist maker produces heat, and I don't want my little ladies to die of heat stroke.
I am using a 1min on, 3min off cycle to start. We'll see if that needs to change.
I am using a 240w full spectrum LED with UVA and Far Red on the lowest output for now.
I just figured out how to use the thumbnails instead of the full image. lol

I have perused this, and other forums extensively and have found that this site seems to have the most members willing to help. It was firsttimeARE who germinated seedlings without a medium, just a collar, so Thanks to firsttimeARE. I hope I get the same success as you did.
I also have read and re-read all of Atomizer's posts. There's a wealth of knowledge ruminating around in his bowling ball.
Larry3215 is also very helpful as are many others.
Thanks to you all, not just the ones I mentioned, for posting the volumes of information.

Ok, so now down to the nitty and/or gritty.
I built a 10'x6'x7' "box". The frame is made of 2x4 and insulated all six sides with 1" foam insulation. The interior is lined with 6mil white panda film, all 6 sides.
I am using 10x240w full spec +UVA+FR+IR, 5 are by King Brite and 5 are from Bava Green (I think the Bava Green are much better imho)
I built the reservoirs out of the same 2x4 and 1" insulating foam and wrapped them in the 6mil white panda film. They are "L" shaped, 8'x4', thus allowing me to have 10 plants and a 2' space to enter the "box" from. I was not able (due to the configuration of my room) to put the entrance to the "box" on the end. This would have been much easier, but alas, was not doable, sigh.
So the reservoirs are 18" high x 18" wide and 8' long with an "appendage/nub/wart/pimple" 2' long.
My system will be a high pressure aeroponics unit.

My hardware is:

1xUPS in case of power outage
1x Geekpure pump to evacuate effluence
1x Air pump with air stone to agitate nutrient solution
1xAquatec 8800 pump to pressurize tank
1xWell-x-trol accumulator tank
1xinline 5 micron filter placed before pump
4xinterval timers for the solenoids
1x24v transformer for solenoids
40x24v NC solenoids! YES 40 SOLENOIDS!!! (explanation to come...)
40xTefen nozzles
1xBlue Lab pH controller with peristaltic pump
1xBlue Lab Monitor for ppm, temp and pH
1xTitan Controls Spartan Temp/Humidity/CO2 controller
1X 8" inline fan with Phresh Active Charcoal filter
1x Pressure reducer valve set to 100psi
1x Digital pressure switch
1x Titan Controls CO2 Regulator
1x 15,000 BTU window unit air conditioner
1x 15,000 BTU portable air conditioner
1x 12 head mist maker
4xfans for air circulation
several Nearpow timers
Lots of 1/4" tubing and connectors

Ok, so I know what you're thinking,... How many nearpows?!?


But... WHY 40 solenoids?!?!?!

Well, my reasoning is that the dollar store was having a fire sale...

No, really, it's because my biggest fear is a clogged nozzle. I farted around with aeroponics and had a beautiful lady die on me while I was at work due to a clogged nozzle. So, to prevent this, EACH lady will have 4 nozzles.
So, what I did was to surround each site with 4 nozzles to spray for 0.3 sec every 23 seconds. If that sounds confusing, let me explain...
I have 4 cycle timers, each set for 0.3 sec on/92 sec off. So, once the first timer sprays, the second will spray 23 secs later, the third will spray 23 secs after that and the fourth? When will it spray, you ask? Well, I like uniformity, so, 23 secs after the third one.
This way, if a nozzle clogs, the lady will only lose 25% of her spray. I think she can survive that. I will also inspect each nozzle daily to make sure they are all working correctly. That means I will be required to spend a minimum of 10x92s or 920 seconds or 15 mins and 20 seconds in a box filled with lovely bud producing ladies every day! What a wonderful life!!!

As for the timing of 0.3s/23s...(Nozzle and pressure dependant). This will produce 1.3L per day per plant. According to Atomizer, this is the ideal amount of nutrient solution per day for early growth. We will see if he's correct.

Well, 3 of the 5 little ladies in stage 2 are coming up for a peek. I switched the on/off to 1min/2mins. Seems to be working well. The 5 other little ladies still in stage 1 are not yet ready for stage 2. I suppose the first 5 are classic over-achievers.

Hi all
Just a little update. All 10 little ladies are in the fogger now. I can see the top of 7 of them.

Holy shit!! I commend your efforts. You are definitely putting in the work, lots of work and I hope it pays off for ya.

Thanks for that @Bucsfan80. I was wondering if my journal was being posted, since you're the first to reply, or maybe it's my breath? I admit, I DO need a shower...

Sounds like a real effort, maybe add an in res filter and in line 10 micron filter to help negate the possibility of clogged filters .

Hey @Budget Buds. Thanks for the advice.
I did install a 5 micron filter before the intake side of my pump.
Thanks

So the little ladies seem to be doing well after 3 days in the fogger.
Today I will start them on 300ppm calimag (because I’m using RO water) and GH Floranova bloom.
Thanks for watching

Well just a little update, all but 1 have broken through. Nutes and calimag have been adds as of yesterday to 300ppm. Light has been increased to 25% and the humidity dome has been opened a smidge. Roots look good, so all in all, good news.
Thanks

Just to be safe, I added Hydrogard because these foggers do heat up and I really want to avoid the nasties! 2ml per gallon, as prescribed on the bottle.

I also changed the timing to 1min on, 3 mins off. This fogger produces 5L/hr, so, I don’t want to drown them

Seedlings are really slow, or am I doing something wrong?

Got a few that are starting to develop a root system, but I swear, these seeds must be from the government, the work sooooooo slowly!!!