4 inch Tube Aero with Chiller

[lilmafia513]

I'm afraid of soil.

How can I control the pH ?


With this I just watch the meter
and use an eye dropper to keep it where I want it.

I'm sure if you have good soil
you don't need to do anything but add good water
when your plant is thirsty.

I've grown outdoors but always got ripped by bugs, critters, or people.

And I didn't want to bring that in my house.

I like hydro cause its clean and easy.

It is expensive to get really set up,
but I'll get it back eventually.

Take the plunge
the waters fine.
.

It's so true...i know man!!
My garden has those damn gnats! I think they came from a bag of soil i had bought, and left in the room. And dirt makes a mess anyway,oh and add water to it to get a muddy mess!LOL!!

It scares me because things can go wrong and die faster than soil. I also don't bring it in my home, so i can't tend to it daily like i would need to being new at it and all.
I'll get there one day when i'm ready for it, i need the practice a little more anyway!

 

[AeroKing]

Thanks, Earl for the information

So far as the pump ratio,
I guess what I was really asking is:

What would you consider a minimum GPH for say 6 misters or 10 misters?

How many misters do you think your largest pump would handle?


I'd also like to note that probably the biggest beneficial difference between yours and the Aeroflo2 is that the aeroflo uses an adjustable water level system in the growtubes.
It's simply a big grommet through the bottom of the tubes with a short piece pipe in it that you slide up and down.
To me, this is a valuable safe guard. It ensures that at very least, you will have some water available to the plants and the humidity alone will keep roots from drying out completely during short outages.

This is what reallyv scares me about a 'true aero' system. (though i guess technically yours is a aero/nft hybrid also). Thats also why I really like the Rainforest system, too. It is an aero/dwc hybrid, but point being that it incorporates a safeguard(available water), that a true aero does not...
​

 

[Earl]

I am glad you feel safe.
You will enjoy growing this way.

Thai Cross.

 

[morrisgreenberg]

where can i find a water chiller for less than 200?

 

[Earl]

I don't know,
but if you find one that cheap
let me know.

.

 

[AeroKing]

Earl, been reading more and more on those misters. I've read that to create a true mist, you need to use a high pressure pump (diaphragm maybe?), and the Mag Drives won't sustain the required pressures (30psi?). Can you comment on the mist using the mag-drive pump?

 

[Earl]

I don't use misters,

They clog.

I use spray jets.
perfect for the mag drive pump.

I don't know anything more about misters
and don't care.

If you want to go that way,
you will have to find another mentor.

I'll help all I can
if you want to do it like me,
but if you are one of those people
who are crazy about mist and fog,
In my opinion, and from my experience,
you will fail.

 

[AeroKing]

I don't use misters,

They clog.

I use spray jets.
perfect for the mag drive pump.

I don't know anything more about misters
and don't care.

If you want to go that way,
you will have to find another mentor.

I'll help all I can
if you want to do it like me,
but if you are one of those people
who are crazy about mist and fog,
In my opinion, and from my experience,
you will fail.

OK, I see. The term misters gets thrown around so loosely, I guess I didn't realize there was a difference.

The ones that you use, they are marketed as "misters", though - are they not?

So I take it then that you do get a nice even, fine spray from your "spray jets"?

Don't get me wrong. Your way is far more appealing then the clogged mister heads/roots drying out... horror stories I've read about "True Aero" systems.

Just trying to work out some of the details, ya know?

 

[Earl]

Sure .
Here is the link to emerald electronics.com

If you use these green spray jets
you won't have any problems.

click on the picture
.

 

[AeroKing]

Thanks. How many of these do you think you could run off of that 1250gph? And have you used/would you recommend the 180' ones also?

 

[Earl]

You should use the spray jet
that fits the pattern you need,
to cover the area you want to keep wet.

The amount of volume that gets to your spray jets,
is dependent upon the size of your plumbing.

Here are some links for you.

Engineering data

Pump Head Loss Calculator
.

 

[smppro]

Very nice, i was always a big fan of the shuttle, i even managed to find 3 10' pvc pipes behind a dumpster by a shop a work at. But i always wondered if 4in would work, i was going to start a little aero herb garden with 4in because it is so much cheaper and you can buy it in 2ft lengths if you need, thanks for the thread

 

[Earl]

Take some pictures of your herb garden
and show me how it works.

What herbs are you planning on growing ?
.

 

[bobbyboy34]

Thanks. How many of these do you think you could run off of that 1250gph? And have you used/would you recommend the 180' ones also?

you don't want a pump that pwerful man, seriously its too powerful, unless you are running like 50 misters. That pump will cause a type of resistance that will both heat up your res water super quick and lower the life of the pump

i have less than 20 misters in my system and my pump is 700gph, this is too powerful

if you plan on using 20 misters, get a 400-500gph pump a three hundred might even do.....you've got to remember its gallons, and four hundred gallons an hour is a shit load of gallons, that will produce enough pressure but not too much to heat up your res water like unwated


i think thats your problem earl, try using that 600 gph for your misters and forget the chiller, if your res is not in direct light, i bet your res temp will be a significantly lower

 

[Earl]

i think thats your problem earl, try using that 600 gph for your misters and forget the chiller, if your res is not in direct light, i bet your res temp will be a significantly lower

Thanks,
I didn't know I even had a problem.
.

 

[SOMEBEECH]

Earl does your chiller have a scroll are hermatic compressor? And whats the name brand on compressor ?

 

[AeroKing]

you don't want a pump that pwerful man, seriously its too powerful, unless you are running like 50 misters. That pump will cause a type of resistance that will both heat up your res water super quick and lower the life of the pump

i have less than 20 misters in my system and my pump is 700gph, this is too powerful

if you plan on using 20 misters, get a 400-500gph pump a three hundred might even do.....you've got to remember its gallons, and four hundred gallons an hour is a shit load of gallons, that will produce enough pressure but not too much to heat up your res water like unwated


i think thats your problem earl, try using that 600 gph for your misters and forget the chiller, if your res is not in direct light, i bet your res temp will be a significantly lower

Thanks a load. I'm glad you noticed my prodding for this info from earl was getting nowhere.

I've seen on some aero systems they use a pump bypass to dial in the pressure (allow excess flow to run directly back into the reservoir).

I could see the res temp being lowered by using the pump efficiently, but if you're using HID lights inside of a small area, you'll likely still need a chiller.

 

[bobbyboy34]

its always good to try and get your res away from the light as far as possible, or make some type of barricade or wrap yuor res in fylon. I have a chiller and im trying my hardest to do everything i can not to use it

 

[Earl]

Earl does your chiller have a scroll are hermatic compressor? And whats the name brand on compressor ?

Maybe you can make it out.
I have a hard time.

You need the titanium heat exchanger.

 

[rocknsea]

If you are using rain water
or you have a source of water that has not been underground,
then you will probly be OK.

If you live in the USA
and get your water from a municipal source,
more than likely
your water has come from a municipal well.

Almost all well water in the USA
is unsuitable for growing
due to the high Calcium content,
which has been dissolved into the H2o
for millions of years.

RO machine removes this suspended Calcium
through the use of a Membrane
that allows H2o2 to pass through it by Osmosis
thus leaving the Calcium behind.

Suspended Calcium will bond with other micro elements,
mostly Magnesium,
and this will be detrimental to your grow,
sometimes even fatal.

Purchasing an RO machine
is the cheapest solution
to getting around the Calcium problem
that you will always have with most USA tapwater.

Hauling bottle water is too expensive,
and too much labor.

Once you have added RO
your grow will greatly improve,
because you will have better control over the pH
and the micro nutrients won't be "locked out",
by bonding to the Calcium suspended in your tapwater.

If you have spent a $100 on good seeds,
it pays to have good water to grow them with.

RO is about 20¢/gl after you amortize the unit.
.

Hey Earl,

That might explain some of the problems I've been having. What is a good RO to get?