Plans for first grow!

[Guest]

Hello oz growers

 

I've just begun the process of sorting out what I need for my dwc grow... check out the attached image on how I am planning to set it up. It's VERY simple, but that's because there's not a greal deal to consider on such a small system... I do want to get it perfect however.

 

I'll be using 5 gal (roughly 19L) buckets with 6" net pots... a typical setup really. The aim here is to grow 4 - 5 foot tall plants, I think these buckets should provide a great space for roots. As far as yield goes ... well, that's not really important to me, for a first grow I think I'd simply be happy for the plants to not die in the ass on me!

 

Hmm what else? I'm still deciding wether to have 4 individual water pumps, or a single mother of a pump running from a central resevoir. I've been reading the topic "which pumps for DWC?" but I'm still pretty clueless as to how a central pump system would be setup ... having 4 little ones seems easiest! What do you growers think is best to maintain?

 

As for my grow area, there's plenty of space, around the size of your average laundry... yeah it's in a laundry! Great place I thought ... nice unused space, great big water basin, easy to clean floors. I think an oscillating fan is all I need for ventilation at this level, although I'm planning to reach 12 plants and 3 lights by my third grow so perhaps at that stage a little exhaust will need to be considered, but that's way off yet! I'm getting ahead of myself

 

This won't be a goer for another month or two as I still have a fair bit of research to do, but as soon as it gets up on it's feet I'll record the progress here to share with you people.

 

I think thats it? If I've missed anything, please tell me... and if I think of anything else I'll post it here

[pipeman]

hey bubba, its easier if your air lines come into your pots above the water line, less chance for leaks. You can also connect all your buckets to a controlling bucket, so you can adjust PH, nutes, water and flush all from the one bucket without having to take the lids off your other buckets.

 

In terms of the air pump you can get fittings that split the airlines to multiple lines. I you're running 4 buckets one 9500cc airpump will do.

[Guest]

Ta pipeman... do you know if nute topups and resevoir changes can be made from the controlling bucket too? If this is so then I will definitely consider this option as changing the resevoir on individual buckets seems like it could be a little stressful on the plants, with all that shuffling around.

 

I'll have a look at 9500cc pumps for price and sizes... splitting seems easy enough, I guess you just get T shaped joiner tubes and direct them to the appropriate buckets. Is there any specific technique to connecting the buckets? Like ... are they all connected in series from one bucket to the next or is there a master air line which branches off to each bucket?

 

Hmm it seems I have lots of questions on this I'll leave it at that for now... heheh!

[pipeman]

I bought a Hailea ACO-208 air compressor from a pet store which produces a helluva lot more air than 9500cc pump. It gives 38L/minute, which I think is 38,000cc, but not sure. Anyway this thing was only $40 or so, and you could get one double the capacity for about $50. It could easily give bubbles for your whole grow, control bucket and nute tank I reckon.

 

here is a pic

[Tom]

The ventilation system does more than just cool the room, it also provides plenty of fresh air for your plants to breathe, you should fit your exhaust fan(s) and inlet vents as well.

 

http://www.gamers-forums.com/smilies/contrib/ruinkai/coolgleamA.gif http://64.207.13.28/mysmilies/otn/glasses/smokin.gif

[Guest]

Heya Tom ... at what size (in number of plants) do you think exhaust/inlet vents will need to be added?

[Tom]

There are variables such as average temperature and humidity to be considered, where I am you would only need one 30cm fan for that size room, in Queensland you need an air conditioner in summer months.

 

http://www.gamers-forums.com/smilies/contrib/ruinkai/coolgleamA.gif http://64.207.13.28/mysmilies/otn/glasses/smokin.gif

[Guest]

Ah yep!

 

Well lets say day temp will be kept around 20-30 (5-10 degree drop at night), with co2, with a relatively average coastal humidity. Does that help?

 

Exhausting might be necessary with co2 anyway. I may have to consider this once I expand on the grow...

 

I've decided to go for the control bucket/raised resevoir config, seems much easier to maintain although there's a little more setup involved. I'll definitely look into one of those pumps pipeman

[white_cluster]

Howdy all,

 

38ltrs per minute isn't 38000cc, I know it don't make sense, but my 9500cc pumps are 502ltrs per hour. which is about 8ltrs per minute.

so you're using 2ltrs more per bucket than me.

 

with your airline, just drill a hole and put it in the top of the bucket, a 9500cc pump has 2 outlets so you'll need 2 tee's.

 

with the waterline, have 2 19mm tubes from the control, and loop it by at the end by having 2 tees, so the 2 lines join up.

I know that probably don't make sense, but its alot more practical and better than the overgrow way of linking the buckets.

 

You should get 2 little sunon fans for that room, mount the inlet at plant height and the outlet on the roof, They cost about $35 each.

 

How are you getting Co2 tanks?? Co2 is a waste, I've dealt with it and it definetly increases yield, but it seems to decrease the taste of your buds somehow, and also is way too expensive.

The only way to distribute it in an area as small as yours is with an environment controller ($300+), trying to run timers in sync is an impossible thing to do,

[Guest]

Hey white cluster! You seem to know your shit thats for sure ...

 

In regards to pump choice, I think I'm now set on getting a large capacity pump with multiple outlets... similar to pipeman's there, which has 6 outlets... 4 could be used for plant lines and the other 2 for res and control bucket. I think the pump should be powerful enough to have support for an extra 4-8 buckets using the 4 output lines... a 38 L/min pump should at least be able to handle that shouldn't it? Tell me if I'm wrong

 

with the waterline, have 2 19mm tubes from the control, and loop it by at the end by having 2 tees, so the 2 lines join up.

I know that probably don't make sense

 

Makes sense to me. Would you have a look at my diagram to see if I'm getting the right idea? Note that I haven't included airlines or anything yet ... I'll draw those when I get the final setup happening. Still that way there looks much better than the fellow on overgrow who had bloody water pipes everywhere.

 

Oh yeah and with the co2... well I've already picked up some very nice co2 gear from a member on overgrow, also a member here, it's a high quality controller (co2, air-con, and exhaust for when I add them) and I also got a gas regulator as well ... so all I need is to hire a gas bottle and fill 'er up! I got the stuff very cheap so it should give an efficient boost on the plants, compared to how much I invested .. I hope, anyway!

 

Please tell me if you think I've got anything wrong here though!