Aero/NFT Grow in Tent w/ CO2, AC, Dehumidifier, and DIY Chiller

letdown shifty said:
Tired of hand trimming everything! Picked up this beauty to help my hands out.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019J2ZE1O?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
Next step is an industrial trimmer. Dispensary is making me work hard, gotta get my grow started fast.
-Shifty
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I just picked one up. Did yours smell like old tires? I washed the crap out of it, kinda made it better, but. .idk. I try to avoid anything that isn't "food grade" and I'm pretty sure these aren't. I tried wrapping the rubber seal in plastic wrap, kinda helped.
Like you I trim bigger/top buds by hand. I throw all the lower stuff in the spinner, that usually becomes mostly my stash. ..I can't, in good conscience, pass off buds that I consider lower quality, so I keep it, it still does the job. I will say it doesn't hurt trichs nearly as much as I expected, especially once you learn the adjustments.
 
How did you come to the 80sec/8 min cycle? I'm running 1 on/4 off, per SB thread, everything seems OK, but cutting cycle time down could save a lil electrical and heat in the res.

Your cooling system, it uses tap water in a DTW type system? Sensor turn it on, flow tap water through the system, to drain, until temps drop? I'm at a point where I don't need a huge temp drop, 10F maybe, and only for like 2 months, middle of summer. Water cost me .0004 cents a gallon, so a DTW system wouldn't be too cost prohibitive.
I also have one of those office water dispensers I'm going to try to steal the cooling circuit out of. Idk what is duty cycle is though, I might be using it outside its design range. If I can use it to cool a ~30 gal res, I can probably do a wort chiller setup like yours and keep it closed loop.
 
WeedFreak78 said:
I just picked one up. Did yours smell like old tires? I washed the crap out of it, kinda made it better, but. .idk. I try to avoid anything that isn't "food grade" and I'm pretty sure these aren't. I tried wrapping the rubber seal in plastic wrap, kinda helped.
Like you I trim bigger/top buds by hand. I throw all the lower stuff in the spinner, that usually becomes mostly my stash. ..I can't, in good conscience, pass off buds that I consider lower quality, so I keep it, it still does the job. I will say it doesn't hurt trichs nearly as much as I expected, especially once you learn the adjustments.
Click to expand...
Completely agree with everything you said. Also, yes it had a definite rubber smell (old tire). I was getting black hands from handling it, like you said, it went straight into a wash & scrubbing.
-Shifty
 
WeedFreak78 said:
How did you come to the 80sec/8 min cycle? I'm running 1 on/4 off, per SB thread, everything seems OK, but cutting cycle time down could save a lil electrical and heat in the res.

Your cooling system, it uses tap water in a DTW type system? Sensor turn it on, flow tap water through the system, to drain, until temps drop? I'm at a point where I don't need a huge temp drop, 10F maybe, and only for like 2 months, middle of summer. Water cost me .0004 cents a gallon, so a DTW system wouldn't be too cost prohibitive.
I also have one of those office water dispensers I'm going to try to steal the cooling circuit out of. Idk what is duty cycle is though, I might be using it outside its design range. If I can use it to cool a ~30 gal res, I can probably do a wort chiller setup like yours and keep it closed loop.
Click to expand...
I started at 4 on 1 off as did most of the @StinkBud peeps. A more advanced version of SB's setup was nicely showcased and used by @superstoner1 in his threads. I believe that he is the original dude that tested the 8 min of 80 sec on with excellent results. I ran a side by side of the two times settings and with the 80n sec on 8 min off I have 20% higher yields, my res temps were an average of 5 degrees cooler, and yes it used slightly less power. I def recommend switching to 8 min off 80 sec on. I believe it provides much better oxygen to the roots and that's how you get the better yields.

Do you have access to fresh cold water and a drain? As long as you're not on metered water you can run my DIY chiller with instructions on page one or 2 of this thread. Its cheap and easy to build and beats the hell out of the off the shelf chillers.

If you do not have access to cold water and a drain? If so, then you could still run my chiller with a res set inside of a fridge (cheap as fuck on CL) with a submersible pump in the res and a return line back to the fridge res and get the same effect without all the wasted water. Same concept as my chiller just without the fresh water and drains. I really think this would be a better option that the water cooler. You could take it to the next level and use glycol inside the rtes in a freezer and be even more efficient! I will eventually go that route.
 
AKGrowAreo said:
I started at 4 on 1 off as did most of the @StinkBud peeps. A more advanced version of SB's setup was nicely showcased and used by @superstoner1 in his threads. I believe that he is the original dude that tested the 8 min of 80 sec on with excellent results. I ran a side by side of the two times settings and with the 80n sec on 8 min off I have 20% higher yields, my res temps were an average of 5 degrees cooler, and yes it used slightly less power. I def recommend switching to 8 min off 80 sec on. I believe it provides much better oxygen to the roots and that's how you get the better yields.
Click to expand...
I've always wondered how dry the roots should get between cycles, mine are usually always wet, or at least damp. I kinda remember reading about wanting them to almost dry between cycles. I think it promotes a finer root mass, but I dont remember exactly?
I might try it out, like I said everything looks good right now, so I really don't want to change what's working. Also, my timers a bitch to set, I don't like messing with it. It took me way too long to get it within 10 secs of 1on/4off , it's something like 1:08 on/3:56 off. I still think it should have been closer, but I almost smashed it after an hour plus of messing with it. Way too fine of adjustment on its dial movement.

AKGrowAreo said:
Do you have access to fresh cold water and a drain? As long as you're not on metered water you can run my DIY chiller with instructions on page one or 2 of this thread. Its cheap and easy to build and beats the hell out of the off the shelf chillers.

If you do not have access to cold water and a drain? If so, then you could still run my chiller with a res set inside of a fridge (cheap as fuck on CL) with a submersible pump in the res and a return line back to the fridge res and get the same effect without all the wasted water. Same concept as my chiller just without the fresh water and drains. I really think this would be a better option that the water cooler. You could take it to the next level and use glycol inside the rtes in a freezer and be even more efficient! I will eventually go that route.
Click to expand...
I'm on a meter, but like I said it, works out to $0.0004/gal at my rates. Still wouldn't want to pay for it. I've always had a crazy idea of burying a 55+ gallon drum under the slab in the basement as an earth chiller setup, some coils and pumps, it'd be sweet. Ground temp at 15-20ft down is like 55-60F all year. I have a sump hole already cut, I just need to dig. Shit, I might hit even hit water, we have a high water table here, can't get a bigger cooling res than that. .lol.
I have a large standup freezer I only keep a little food in. Since it's just me now, I only use 1 shelf in it really. I've thought about just using the empty space for cooling. It'd be dual purpose, and I'm already paying for it.
I'm weighing my options, probably just going to back burner it for a cycle, enjoy the summer without that stress.
 
letdown shifty said:
Looking at upgrading my fixed 1 on 4 off cycle timers to these. Anyone know of a cheaper deal? Or better product?

http://growgreenmi.com/analog-24hr-...BtwrPcvAimdtUZsJmS6OtOQuHzbs-N9f_YaAm3F8P8HAQ

Or

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Titan-Contr...121050?hash=item1ead74a29a:g:rZUAAOSwxvxW8JWu
Click to expand...

I have the autopilot. ..it sucks to set. The dial goes 15sec-2mins-10 minutes...in about a quarter inch. ...try setting 5-, 6 or 7 minutes. Way to fine of adjustment .see my post above...I almost smashed it.

I like the Titan products personally, I have separate fan and light controllers of theirs. Now I know they have a timer, and it seems affordable, I'm going to have to get one or two. Want to buy a used autopilot...lol.
 
WeedFreak78 said:
How did you come to the 80sec/8 min cycle? I'm running 1 on/4 off, per SB thread, everything seems OK, but cutting cycle time down could save a lil electrical and heat in the res.

Your cooling system, it uses tap water in a DTW type system? Sensor turn it on, flow tap water through the system, to drain, until temps drop? I'm at a point where I don't need a huge temp drop, 10F maybe, and only for like 2 months, middle of summer. Water cost me .0004 cents a gallon, so a DTW system wouldn't be too cost prohibitive.
I also have one of those office water dispensers I'm going to try to steal the cooling circuit out of. Idk what is duty cycle is though, I might be using it outside its design range. If I can use it to cool a ~30 gal res, I can probably do a wort chiller setup like yours and keep it closed loop.
Click to expand...
If your careful taking it apart you could throw the chilled bucket thing right in the Res and see how it works, I have one but was not careful lol. The copper line broke so now I need to reweld it and re charge so it's sitting in garage taking up space lol. I'm thinking it would cool a 30 gal Res but need to give it a shot. It's pretty much set at one temp I think but that would be easy to fix with a cheap stat like I use on my passive setup. Let me know how it works if you try it so I can take mine to the dump if needed lol.
 
Great thread with lots of good info!

I took an old water cooler from my office and converted it to a home made water chiller. The only issue I have had is I needed to put it on a timer because it gets too cold if I leave running 24/7. Once I get some time I plan on making a new thermostat for it.
 
Hello Everyone, hope life is going well. Sorry I've been absent a while, still in transition mode from my move. Work is progressing, albeit slower than I pictured in my mind. Here are a couple update shots of the new grow space getting prepped. 2nd floor only right now, then I move onto the 1st floors.
IMG_20160423_175849.jpg IMG_20160423_141940.jpg
 
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