ebb and flow reservoir size

[GypsyBush]

You can use just about anything to make a cover bro...

from wood to plastic to whatever you can imagine, that would do the job...

Connecting reservoirs sound like a leak nightmare to me...

I still say go as big as you can...

YOU will only benefit from a bigger res...

Even if you spend a few more buck in nutes... the stability of your res will reward you with a bigger yield...

Being dialed in and stable is what gets you the big Gram per Watt numbers...



..

And Laser, I am sorry if I came off as rude... I didn't mean to...

But I am basing what I am saying on actual grow experience...

 

[ForcedInduction]

thanks gypsy your always a huge help. i found a cooler that i think will fit perfectly. i'm washing it now and waiting for it to dry so i can test fit it.

 

[laserbrn]

You are trying to claim you've never flushed a reservoir? I don't even know how to respond to that.

Flushing should be done every 2 weeks regardless of problems or not. You don't know exactly WHAT nutrients the plants took up and at what rate. Say they were hungry for nitrogen the first 2 weeks and ate it all up, but didn't eat up any P or K. You just add more of your mixture the balance will be off and you won't be adding enough of the N it may still need or P or K or whatever the case may be.

I use AN nutes and they don't cost me $40.00 so it does concern me.

I agree you shouldn't have a minimal reservoir. I usually figure that if it takes 5 gallons to fill it, you shoudl get about a 10-15 gallon reservoir. If you have a lot of plants in that tray than it will require a larger res. as it will drink a lot more, but as a guideline it works. I certainly wouldn't get a 5 gallon if it takes 5 gallons to fill it.

 

[GypsyBush]

You are trying to claim you've never flushed a reservoir? I don't even know how to respond to that.

no...

I said I do not have problems that cause me to flush...

I change my res every 2 weeks...

Flushing should be done every 2 weeks regardless of problems or not.

Sure... I never said I didn't change and clean my res...

But I never had to do an "extra" one because of problems...

You don't know exactly WHAT nutrients the plants took up and at what rate. Say they were hungry for nitrogen the first 2 weeks and ate it all up, but didn't eat up any P or K. You just add more of your mixture the balance will be off and you won't be adding enough of the N it may still need or P or K or whatever the case may be.

Oh I know...

I think we all know that here...

I use AN nutes and they don't cost me $40.00 so it does concern me.

Right on.. some people like to pay more...

I like to pay less... and keep it simple...

I use ONE nute and H2O2...

I agree you shouldn't have a minimal reservoir. I usually figure that if it takes 5 gallons to fill it, you shoudl get about a 10-15 gallon reservoir. If you have a lot of plants in that tray than it will require a larger res. as it will drink a lot more, but as a guideline it works. I certainly wouldn't get a 5 gallon if it takes 5 gallons to fill it.

We are all on the same team bro...

Maybe "as big as practical" would have been a better phrase...

I dunno...

But any time someone asks me what MY EXPERIENCE was...

I will tell them that an undersized reservoirs are a nightmare... go big...

...

I didn't read that somewhere... no one told me either...

I did it and learned through trial and error...

I know what works and what doesn't cause I had my time and money invested in it...

...


But like I said..we are all on the same team here...

 

[laserbrn]

That makes more sense. I used to use cheaper nutes too and I didn't want to buy into the "hype" of AN nutes. Then I used their nutrient calculator and gave them a try once. It did make a substantial difference using Bud Blood, Big Bud and Overdrive. The plants are definitely more vigorous in flower.

"As big as practical" works for me too. I just hate when someone w/ a 2x2 tray goes out and buys a 40 gallon reservoir. That's just a waste and the hydro store WILL sell it to you.

 

[GypsyBush]

That makes more sense. I used to use cheaper nutes too and I didn't want to buy into the "hype" of AN nutes. Then I used their nutrient calculator and gave them a try once. It did make a substantial difference using Bud Blood, Big Bud and Overdrive. The plants are definitely more vigorous in flower.

I have gone full circle...

All of my grows are logged here on RIU...

There is no difference that ANYONE can point out to me...

My buds look the same throughout...

And they look OK if I may say...

I went all over the place trying to find something that actually made a difference...

Today I use this in my flower room.......

"As big as practical" works for me too. I just hate when someone w/ a 2x2 tray goes out and buys a 40 gallon reservoir. That's just a waste and the hydro store WILL sell it to you.

I use a 100 gallon res filled to 70 gal for each of my 3x3 trays...

And I would not go smaller unless I was FORCED...

and Like I said... $40 a month in nutes gives me a zip a day... everyday...

Do you think that is a wasteful op?

At least 1 gram per watt... AVERAGE...

You can see for yourself... look twds the end of the page...

https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/167596-gypsys-picture-depot-162.html

...


Not to mention my big girls...

each in a 19 gallon pot of hydroton with a 50 gallon res...

Top Feed AND ebb flow...

Here you see them at the end of week 3 of 12/12...

I think SIMPLE nutes and BIG res is working for me...

What do you think?

 

[GypsyBush]

And just to clarify..

I do would not mind more trays sharing the same 100 gallon res...

But I would not go to a smaller volume res...

 

[laserbrn]

And just to clarify..

I do would not mind more trays sharing the same 100 gallon res...

But I would not go to a smaller volume res...

I dunno, here's my white widows @ 4 weeks in my 3x3 tray with a 20 gallon reservoir using A/N nutes. It costs a little more but I definitely see a difference...

 

[laserbrn]

I dunno, here's my white widows @ 4 weeks in my 3x3 tray with a 20 gallon reservoir using A/N nutes. It costs a little more but I definitely see a difference...

One thing I do tell people and I do DEFINITELY believe though is that the nutrients don't make HUGE differences. If you want bigger plants or more vigorous growth all good growers know you need more light. Cramming more expensive or more nutes isn't going to WOW you like more light will.

 

[GypsyBush]

considering you are a week ahead and that I am growing bagseed...

I see no need to spend more dollars...

I look at it kinda like the racers...

It takes "X" dollars to go 150mph... but it takes 10x "X" to go 200mph...

I like simple...

It gives me the most bud for each dollar I spend...

 

[GypsyBush]

One thing I do tell people and I do DEFINITELY believe though is that the nutrients don't make HUGE differences. If you want bigger plants or more vigorous growth all good growers know you need more light. Cramming more expensive or more nutes isn't going to WOW you like more light will.

you said it...

...

and you saw my plants...

do you think they are lacking anything?

Do they not look healthy and vigorous?

..


Bro...I am not knocking you...

Your buds are beautiful...

...

I'm just thinking that my op is FAR from wasteful...

 

[GypsyBush]

considering you are a week ahead and that I am growing bagseed...

Not to mention that big plants like that move a "little slower"...

 

[laserbrn]

definitely not. You've definitely got your system down and it's working for you. I usually grow smaller plants as the turnaround for me is quicker and I use a single 600w light in each tent. I tried longer veg's and bigger plants but found it to be less efficient for me.

I never said your setup was wasteful, but a lot of people waste a lot in flushes becasue they have giant reservoirs. I don't think your reservoir is WAY off base, but a 100 gallon reservoir for a 3x3 tray is a bit much. I understand it makes things easeir for you though and it will help keep your ph more stable, I just wouldn't want to have to deal with flushing that big dog. Cleaning it, flushing it, filling it, etc. But I keep my setup small and simple as I only grow my own smoke.

 

[GypsyBush]

definitely not. You've definitely got your system down and it's working for you. I usually grow smaller plants as the turnaround for me is quicker and I use a single 600w light in each tent. I tried longer veg's and bigger plants but found it to be less efficient for me.

I'm an Al B. Fuct SOG man...

The trees are just am experiment...

I never said your setup was wasteful, but a lot of people waste a lot in flushes becasue they have giant reservoirs. I don't think your reservoir is WAY off base, but a 100 gallon reservoir for a 3x3 tray is a bit much. I understand it makes things easeir for you though and it will help keep your ph more stable, I just wouldn't want to have to deal with flushing that big dog. Cleaning it, flushing it, filling it, etc. But I keep my setup small and simple as I only grow my own smoke.

I have pumps that do all the water transfers... it's pretty easy actually...

I clean the res with a long handle brush... don't even wet my hands...

The H2O2 takes care of anything I may miss...

And yeah...

When I have all 4 trays going I do 2 3x3s for each 70 gallons of solution...

But anysmaller of a res and I have to start topping off... and messing with the ppm...

the way it is... I fill it.. and I do check every other day or so... but I usually do NOTHING to the res in 2 weeks... MAYBE a little Ph Down...

 

[laserbrn]

I'm an Al B. Fuct SOG man...

The trees are just am experiment...



I have pumps that do all the water transfers... it's pretty easy actually...

I clean the res with a long handle brush... don't even wet my hands...

The H2O2 takes care of anything I may miss...

And yeah...

When I have all 4 trays going I do 2 3x3s for each 70 gallons of solution...

But anysmaller of a res and I have to start topping off... and messing with the ppm...

the way it is... I fill it.. and I do check every other day or so... but I usually do NOTHING to the res in 2 weeks... MAYBE a little Ph Down...

I do have to adjust my ph quite a bit, but seems like a lot more since I started using hydroton even though I soaked the pellets in 5.5 adjusted water before starting.

 

[GypsyBush]

You soak your pellets???

Yeah.. bro... I am deff on the lazy stoner path...

My nutes bring my Ph into range... I only adjust IF needed... usually at day 10 or 11...

PPM stays stable as well... ALWAYS 1400 PPM plus or minus 50...

I think that the less I do .. the better it is...

and all that revolves around a big res...

but hey...

My first grow was done in a 1 gallon AeroGarden...

so yeah you can totally grow with a small res...

But you will have issues...

and anytime you have issues, your yield suffers...

being dialed in and stable is what makes or breaks an op's efficiency...

Even a little nute burn, or slight defficiency.. knock you off the ideal mark... and hurt you in the end...

make your temps stable... make you RH stable... make your solution
stable and you will see what your genetics have to offers you...

Any less than perfectly ideal and you will suffer...

I vote big res any day...

they are just more stable...

but enough of all this...

I think we all get the points being made...

blah blah blah...

Nice chatting with you Laser...

Thanks for a good healthy discussion with no name callings... these seem to be rare around here...

Cheers Bro.. and see you around...

 

[laserbrn]

Same to you. I'm laid up in a hospital right now bored to tears so I'm kinda just pushing this just so I can "Talk Shop" instead of wanting to just blow my brains out from the boredom.

I may try a larger res in the future, but thus far I dig my setup. It get's the job done for a little 600w setup. I only drop my ph about .2 each day. My ppm stays really stable, but I read the ppm to get it into the ideal range for what I'm growing. I've definitely found that some plants are WAY different than others. For example, grow BB Blue Cheese in that 1400ppm res and see what happens (over fert like crazy). Yet I know that my WW would handle it just fine. BB Blue Cheese over 900 it's pretty unhappy.

 

[ForcedInduction]

i just realized my flood tray is aluminum not steel. is that ok?

 

[GypsyBush]

I would line it with plastic...

I personally would not use metal... any metal...

There are so many plastic tubs that can be used as trays...

but that is just my opinion... wrong material...

I vote for the Botanicare white trays...

but you can even make your own...

I say go with plastic...

 

[GypsyBush]

Same to you. I'm laid up in a hospital right now bored to tears so I'm kinda just pushing this just so I can "Talk Shop" instead of wanting to just blow my brains out from the boredom.

I hear you brother...

I was there not too long ago...

The docs are still trying to make me walk right again...

Surgery #7 is already scheduled...

It's been a long ass 2 years...

So yeah.. I can sympathize ...

Best wished Brother...

I may try a larger res in the future, but thus far I dig my setup. It get's the job done for a little 600w setup.

That is all I have... 600 Watters... one over each 3x3 normally... right now 2 are over those 3 plants...

I only drop my ph about .2 each day. My ppm stays really stable, but I read the ppm to get it into the ideal range for what I'm growing.

If you had to go away for 2 weeks...

I had surgegry, I was home.. but there was no way in hell I could go down steps or up... to get into the op...

2 weeks unattended...

I did not need to top off... and my pH went from a "on purpose" low of 5.6 to a high of 6.3 in 14 days with at least 2 trays in heavy flower...

14 days at a .2 per day drop means.. a 2.8 difference...

that means even if you start at 5.6... you will be at 8.4 when you get home...

although chances are it will not climb that high... and just stop somewhere until things got really out of whack...

I know.. it's a far stretch.. but I did build my op while on a wheel chair and crutches...

I've definitely found that some plants are WAY different than others. For example, grow BB Blue Cheese in that 1400ppm res and see what happens (over fert like crazy).

ABSOLUTELY...

I run 7 strains... so I found a "happy medium" ..

but the poor BC Juicy Fruit... she barely survives the pre-set 1400ppm...

no burns.. just so much stress that the yield is pathetic... if tasty...

In fact I keep it around just cause it tastes so damn good..

but you are right.. this strain, and others would thrive in very different conditions than what I mentioned...

Yet I know that my WW would handle it just fine. BB Blue Cheese over 900 it's pretty unhappy.

I have an "old hippie clone".. a sative strain that likes 1600 and will take close to 2000 without too much fuss...

yet as I mentioned ..

Other strains would fry up and die...

So you are absolutely right there Brother..