Dual Areoponic Cabinet, Ceramic Metal Halide

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cruzer101

Well-Known Member
Welcome to my Dual Cabinet grow. One just wasn't enough.

For those of you who were following my previous journal I will spare you the cabinet build
I posted it here for those of you who are interested. Dual Cabinet Build
​

This journal will be loaded with pics and explainations of what I am doing,
You can see for yourself (along with me) if it works.​

Yes, I know I started this in my led/t5/400w cabinet journal but things have changed and I figure it is time for a new journal.​

Feel free to make any positive comments or suguestions as well as any questions you may have.​

I have been growing hydroponics in a cabinet for a while now and once I got it right I go and try something different.
So now it is aeroponics. I got a bigger cabinet and set it next to my old one. Heres the setup.​




This first go aound I am testing a new light.​

Phillip’s new Ceramic Metal Halide. It’s got it all and then some.
Largest wattage available is 400 watts. Works on 400w Magnetic HPS ballast.​



Full Spectrum bulb at 4000k 400 watts. I have flowered with a standard Metal Halide at 4000K before and
got great results. My first grow with Water farms was 400W MH in the center. This is suppose to be much better then that.​


See how it covers the UV 400nm spectrum, that’s just as strong as the deep red.
I think I will get better pics with this too

Dual Cabinet Grow #1

Date: 07-04-09
Genetic: White Widow (WW), Train Wreck (TW)
Plant Age: 2 weeks
System: Aero tub
Grow Medium: Air

Lighting Conditions

Lighting: Sunblaze T5 HO 8000 lumens/CFL x4
Distance: 4 in.
Cycle: 18/6

Environmental Conditions

Temperature: 86 high 75 low
Humidity: 35%
Ventilation [out]: 80 cfm
Ventilation [in]: passive
Heater: NA
Air Conditioner: NA
Odor Control: NA

Water Conditions

H20 Type: Distilled
Reservoir Aeration: 180gph waterfall
Reservoir Size: 7 gal
Temperature: 70 degree
pH: 5.8
TDS content [PPM]: 220

Feeding Solution

Nutrient Solution: GH Flora Nova Grow
Nutrient Levels: 150ppm
Additives: GH Floralicious, Nitrozine
Additive Levels: 70ppm
Foliar Feed: N/A

Plant Health / Stats: Good

Plant Height: 2 to 4 inches
Bud Density: N/A
Trichome Production: N/A
Internode Spacing: NA


Object:
To get these dam things to grow. Then weed out WW males, if any.
Take clones from TW for mothers then flower.

Tools



I am looking at constant monitoring meters, but this is what I got for now.

Nutrients for the entire grow



On the left GH veg nutrients. The right Flower, I think I get a better flush in the end with organic.

Yesterday they went in the system. Happy 4th of July.
I was short one widow so I got the temp probe there.

Left side



Right side





I am using the sunblaze T5 for now. It has four of the 20 watt HO bulbs.



Out temp is root temp.
Wish me luck.
​
 
wannabee

wannabee

Well-Known Member
looks like you've got your system down pat. i'll be following along. thanx for sharing all the information. i can use all the help i can get. :mrgreen:
 
C

cruzer101

Well-Known Member
wannabee said:
looks like you've got your system down pat. i'll be following along. thanx for sharing all the information. i can use all the help i can get. :mrgreen:
Click to expand...
Welcome gonnabee,

With a site like this you will be there in no time. My first cabinet grow was eight months ago. With the help of RUI members I learned quite a bit.

Feel free to ask any questions.
​
 
C

cruzer101

Well-Known Member
Here is a quick video I took on the fourth I forgot to post.
PPM 215, pH 6.0, temps 84° water 68°

[youtube]R56OfPbYlEE&hl=en&fs[/youtube]

Mu ha ha ha
​
 
C

cruzer101

Well-Known Member
Today I noticed the plugs were dry again so I added a couple sprinkler heads to the PVC line. I am glad I didn't glue it.

Then I checked on the roots. They been in there a couple days now.

When I transplanted these most of the roots were stuck to the cube.
On some I picked the roots away from the cube with a toothpick.

Here is one I did not clear the roots from the cube. They died off.



Here is one I did. It's getting a much better start.



Note to self, pick da roots.

Left side WW



Right side TW







I guess it is time to pull the humidifier.


.
​
 
C

cruzer101

Well-Known Member
I noticed ph was up to 6.5 I dropped it to 5.8
The water temp is 66° I cant get it any higher unless I shut off the compressor. I guess thats ok.
The additional sprayers got the cubes real wet so I changed the cycle to 5 min on and 20 min off.
I think I got it balanced now. Although there really isn't any roots in there now to draw water the
water level hasn't changed. I was expecting more evaporation.

pics
7-7-09



I moved the light up for the pic. ( I got those yo yo hangers. )


7-9-09



Yea, see the leaves starting to point up?
Cool.

I am trying to get root growth so I really don't need the HID lighting yet. I guess about
two weeks of this. Then I will fire up the CMH and veg for about three weeks then flower
for eight or nine.

I think I will make a new sig pic out of that shot.
.

​
 
Earl

Earl

Well-Known Member
Thanks for sending me the link

Your cabs looks very stealthy.

I wouldn't worry about the rez temp being too low,
as long as it doesn't freeze.

66º is perfect for sea level and low nute loads.

Some guys in Canada run their rez' in the 50's

Cooler nutes will hold more D.O.

More DO makes for faster, healthier growth.

I'll enjoy watching your grow.
 
wannabee

wannabee

Well-Known Member
cruzer101 said:
Welcome gonnabee,

With a site like this you will be there in no time. My first cabinet grow was eight months ago. With the help of RUI members I learned quite a bit.

Feel free to ask any questions.
​
Click to expand...
Thanks for the nice welcome, preciate that lil cruzer there.:mrgreen:
 
C

cruzer101

Well-Known Member
Earl said:
Thanks for sending me the link

Your cabs looks very stealthy.

I wouldn't worry about the res temp being too low,
as long as it doesn't freeze.

66º is perfect for sea level and low nute loads.

Some guys in Canada run their res' in the 50's

Cooler nutes will hold more D.O.

More DO makes for faster, healthier growth.

I'll enjoy watching your grow.
Click to expand...
Cool, I will be doing the D.O.
(now I gotta figure out what that is)

I plan on nute loads of 5 to 600 in veg and 7 to 800 in flower.
Or you you think I am a little low with this type of grow.
I read people hitting 1600 even 2000

Another thing I would like your opinion on. Epsom salts.
I read you should use it twice in a grow.
Middle of rapid growth and middle of flower. What do you think?

Thanks for the info.
 
C

cruzer101

Well-Known Member
phreakygoat said:
wow legit video. loving the setup, remind me of your total cost to build the aero set?
Click to expand...
The aero set was nothing bro, like $15 bucks for the tub and $10 for 1/2 in PVC, then the 2 inch pots were like a buck a piece. The sprinkler heads or jets I got a couple different ones but that wasnt more then $10 The drains were $20, The 1 1/2 PVC was about $20 for all the fittings and extentions.

So for about a hundred bucks you can build one. Go for it dude!
 
C

cruzer101

Well-Known Member
7-9-09

Temps 75° canopy, 69° root zone.
water temp 62°
Ph 6.2 Backed to 5.7
PPM 240


Going under...



I took these shots right after a cycle. I got the sprayers right on them now. You can see the angle they are on.

Heres the other side. Center is the empty one, otherwise we got roots.




I had heard about the green jets but couldnt find them. I got the red and blue from local garden supply.
.

​
.
 
Earl

Earl

Well-Known Member
cruzer101 said:
Cool, I will be doing the D.O.
(now I gotta figure out what that is)

I plan on nute loads of 5 to 600 in veg and 7 to 800 in flower.
Or you you think I am a little low with this type of grow.
I read people hitting 1600 even 2000

Another thing I would like your opinion on. Epsom salts.
I read you should use it twice in a grow.
Middle of rapid growth and middle of flower. What do you think?

Thanks for the info.
Click to expand...
D O = dissolved oxygen
As temp increases
the amount of DO the solution can hold
is diminished.

Also as the salinity increases the DO decreases.
Nutes are salt, and therefore more nutes = less DO.

I do not recommend using epsom salt for hydro.
It didn't help my grow and it is not easy to apply.

If you need extra Magnesium,
you should use a product design for hydro,
like botanicare Cal Mag PLus.

Keeping the nute loads low will give you better buds at the end.
Too high of a nute load will dry out your buds.
 
C

cruzer101

Well-Known Member
Earl said:
D O = dissolved oxygen
As temp increases
the amount of DO the solution can hold
is diminished.

Also as the salinity increases the DO decreases.
Nutes are salt, and therefore more nutes = less DO.

I do not recommend using epsom salt for hydro.
It didn't help my grow and it is not easy to apply.

If you need extra Magnesium,
you should use a product design for hydro,
like botanicare Cal Mag PLus.

Keeping the nute loads low will give you better buds at the end.
Too high of a nute load will dry out your buds.
Click to expand...
Good to know, seems like most of the aero grows I have checked out needed a boost at some time.
Cool, I get to add another item to my nute arsenal.



By the way, do nutes have a shelf life? That GH stuff is almost a year old.
It stays cool most of the time but a couple months out of the year it like 85° in there.
The budswell sure doesn't stink like it did when it was new. But it is a possibility my
old growing partner watered it down before I got it back from him.

.
​
 
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