recircilating hydroponic system (UPDATED WITH PICS AND MORE INFO)

[dolmio]

I'm interested in this " constant water flow " Why? roots need air also, constant flooding won't allow this.

Please explain

 

Merl1n

 

 

I always use constant water flow systems they work very well. sorry i didnt add i will have a air stone in each bottom tun plus the resivor.

[dolmio]

oh his changed his plan, it used to have 6 plants

 

my bad

 

I would question the need for 2 x 1000 watt lights too...

 

Better that you have more plants to use all the wasted light, keep them smaller, harvest quicker

 

i want to grow 2 huge plants in a 3x3x3metre room with the plans shown above iv talked to a few people and they say if you want to grow your plants that big its worth 2 x 1000watts.

[dolmio]

oh his changed his plan, it used to have 6 plants

 

my bad

 

I would question the need for 2 x 1000 watt lights too...

 

Better that you have more plants to use all the wasted light, keep them smaller, harvest quicker

Dolmio states he is starting a project...and I don't know if he's a noob or not but even for some 'experts' 2 pound per plant, thats hopeful, very hopeful. It would be more likely to go 1/2pd per plant and have 4-6 plants

As we have no room dimensions its hard to say for the lights,

"keep them smaller, harvest quicker" less veg time to fill the space yes, but still the same time in 12/12

 

My question is around topfeeding and root feeding and why Dolmio wants to use both??

 

Merl1n

 

 

 

i use both too start the plants to get the roots down into through bottom tub.

Edited January 5, 2011 by dolmio

[dolmio]

update:

 

i plan to use Ozi Tonics Grow & Mosta Bud nutrients, also HydroZyme.

 

i will be running 1 input fan for fresh air and 1 output fan to blow the old air and hot air out, im not sure what fans to get any ideas?

Edited January 5, 2011 by dolmio

[Pleb Scrubber]

genereally you want more air pulling out than you have blowing in...

get a big outtake fan and a smaller intake fan that is sucking in from outside for freash air = more CO2

 

I would go a centrifugal fan on output and put your 2 x 1000W in cool tubes, ducted to the output fan, for heat management... I assume your growing in the aussie summer heat and 2 x 1000w = hot

 

 

 

always remember... if you put the good things in... you will wear the dolmio grin...

[dolmio]

genereally you want more air pulling out than you have blowing in...

get a big outtake fan and a smaller intake fan that is sucking in from outside for freash air = more CO2

 

I would go a centrifugal fan on output and put your 2 x 1000W in cool tubes, ducted to the output fan, for heat management... I assume your growing in the aussie summer heat and 2 x 1000w = hot

 

 

 

always remember... if you put the good things in... you will wear the dolmio grin...

 

 

cool mate thanks alot, ok ill go with cool tubes. how do i hook up 2 x cooltubes to a outlet fan that i also want to suck air out of the room and not just the heat from the lights with 1 outlet fan is this possible?

[merl1n]

Hi there dolmio

Thanks for answering my question. Before I start I was by no means making any judgement with my query. I have my setup which works for me. If I can make improvements, I do. Hearing and working with other ideas that other growers have has made my setup what it is today, so my queries are selfish, for me, just like the end product " It's mine, all mine ".

 

The 2 x 1000w. Are they HPS or MH? Personally I'd be going HPS. HPS will see you through the whole process.

 

3 x 3 x 3 that should get you your 2 pd and with a bit of knowledge and a big bit of luck you might be lucky enough to pull 2pd from each. But a big word of warning don't go banking on it, there are many variables in growing. I banked on it once and got burnt badly when my forecast was up the shit, thanks to spider mite. Just a word of warning.

 

What size is your resivoir. Just a quick calculation 3000/hr pump@ 15min =750 ltr thats a large amount of fluid. Its good to hear you have airstones thru it all. Once you have root growth in the base do you shut the top feeder down?

 

As for your fans, I use 2. Both on the same timer one blowing(exhaust) one sucking (intake)both centrifugal. Some ppl just have passive intake (no fan) but with them both on at the same time they assist each other. I've previously had problems with mould caused by a lack of airflow, so with both working I'm certainly getting enough air, now. My problem wasn't just intake/exhaust but also ducting placement, but the result was mould.

 

Merl1n

[dolmio]

okies thanks alot mate.

realy i dont know what size pump i need t would be great if you could calculate wgar size i need? i will have a 60 liter resivour, and 2 pots with 40 liters of water in each.

i have always left the feeders on, what is your opinion? once they are rooted.....

 

is a 150mm centrifugal fan good enough for intake of air? and is 200mm big enough for the air outlet?

[merl1n]

Ok Dolmio,

I need a shitload more info, so here go some questions:

What is your medium and pot sizes. You say 2 pots with 40 litre water in them, plus your medium to support the root system that would almost need 100 ltr pots. Now 2 of them thats gonna take up some room.

I have some idea of the lower pump and why you want it, but naturally the plant gets its fluids from above and it drains down to the roots, not the other way round. If you're only after a constant flow of water through the roots then a 200-300 ltr/hr would be ample but again it depends on your set up.

You give me more info and I'll give you more info. OK?

 

Merl1n

[Pleb Scrubber]

Hey Dolmio,

Your earlier question about cool tubes... yes you can connect them together like you were asking.

 

Air from the room would be sucked into one cooltube, then via a duct to the second cooltube, then via a duct to the 200mm extraction fan...

so the one fan is taking hot air out of the room, as well as cooling both lights.

Then you would have your smaller fan sucking air in.

 

 

Just remember to make sure everythings going to fit together properly before you buy it