1st Grow, Fogponics + Cinderella 99

Hey everyone, I'm starting a grow and figured I'd share the experiences from this ambitious endeavor.

When I planning this op efficiency was the highest priority. While researching different growing methods I stumbled on fogponics as an option. The benefits look pretty clear and provided I've designed the system right, it should be fairly low maintenance.

I'll be using a 400w MH/HPS ballast with MH on 18/6 for veg and HPS 12/12 for flowering.

Germ/Cloning chamber, 1.5" rockwool cubes, 2" net pots, 2" neoprene disks on order.

Going with Joey Weed's Cinderella 99 F2 due to it's high potency, good yield, and short flowering time. Space constraints will determine how long in veg but I'm estimating 3-4 wks at this point.

My rough layout will be 1 square pail for a main res, a PC fan to exhaust the fog via 2" tubing into the lid of the grow chamber. I need to find an endcap that can divert the fog 4 ways along the horizontal axis to evenly distribute fog to the root zone. Gravity will pull the fog through the root zone to the bottom where a pump will recirculate the solution back to the main res. I'll have a carb hole in the main res opposite the pc fan to control humidity, temps and keep the system oxygenated, I know the right dia for this intake will be trial and error, thinking about covering this hole with air filter material to control CFM by adding/removing layers.

I'm shooting for a 2'x2'x3' sized grow chamber so I may have a lot of training on my hands if i get 10/10 ladies... we'll see. With fog as the delivery method I'm thinking 10 root systems could easily thrive in a 12 cu ft space, but again... we'll see

Anyways, with everything still en route it's all up in the air, just wanted to get some of these ideas out in tangible form.

I have been using fogponics for cloning and your idea is fascinating. It is a huge undertaking and I commend you for it. You don't have to convince me of the benefits of fogponics as I am a true believer in the benefits. When I use it for cloning I am using plain water. Do the nutrients carry along in the fog?

Still fleshing out the design while waiting on materials... ditching recirculation altogether. The grow chamber should not be gathering condensation, if it is then something is wrong. Instead I think I'll put a mesh screen, maybe 80 microns or so that can be situated right below the tap roots to gently keep the fog in the butter zone. An exhaust fan on a timer in the bottom of the grow chamber can bring fresh air in periodically and help keep the chamber from going 'stale'.

So I can monitor root development and air/fog flow I decided on putting big plexi windows on 3 sides of the chamber, and constructing shades out of fabric and mylar film framed by a magnetic strip to prevent light leaks. Also a small plexi window somewhere I can mount an LED flashlight from the outside.

More to come...

Well, more research seems to discourage fog only, also many elements in my design are better left to subsequent grows so another revamp... I like the fencepost aero design, so I'm mirroring SB's design and adding the fogger at the end to collect fog in the aero/nft res.

Thanks for the support LT, yes nutes get nebulized by the fogger but they must be completely soluable and most organic suppliments are likely destroyed by the transducer, ill be using the GH Flora series most likely.

Right now I intend to see how far fog will take me and have the aero installed and ready if needed. Also considering a second fogger for foliar feeding to see if fog to root zone + regular foliar feeding works.

Always wondered about the nutrients nebulizing. I have used the Flora nova from GH. Good sturdy nutes.

Mailman came bearing gifts today, I was worried about the fogger I ordered because it didn't specify a Teflon coated disc, but it appears to have one. I don't know what others were doing to have heat problems from these units but I think a 3 gal res will stay cool from air intake.



PS. I forgot to put it in the title, but everyone is welcome to post on my journal. I'd certainly welcome any advice on my maiden grow.

Currently fretting over the veg period. It'll likely run 28 days of veg before sexing, I don't want problems with root entanglement if I have to remove boys... I'm hoping the fog can support the veg of 8 plants, the rootballs should stay compact on fog only if it feeds them sufficently.

StinkBud's plans call for 2 4x4x60 vinyl posts 5 sites per post. I'll be using 2 5x5x48 posts 4 sites each. I see FIM and supercropping in my future to control height with that much veg.

That looks like my fogger. I had to play with the submersion level some to find the optimum level, but it is working great at the level I am using.

I'll have to play with it when I have the container I will have it in. Got shipping confirmation from HD so that's on the way, lamp and misc supplies should be in by friday, system building should start tomorrow hopefully. Anyone know of a good hydro supply based in the northeast? The wait on ground shipping cross country from Cali is absurd.

You got my interest.

Welcome aboard matey! Did a walk through at Lowe's, Ill post a parts list tomorrow when I get em.

Building started last night, I'll post pics after I work on it some tonight.

Stuff I did last night:

Used a broken office chair for the base. Saved on PVC and now the whole setup rolls, swivels, and goes up and down! Mounted a 1/2"x2'x2' birch board to put the tracks on.

The work today. Spent most of the 2 hours I was working on the damn lamp mount. Discovered the ceiling is concrete slab, my 7.2v drill couldn't hack it. Got lucky and jammed 2 screws in the gap between slabs. Not ideal but more then sturdy enough to hold the reflector.

1st rail almost done, on a budget so no hole saw, 1 1/2" paddle bit on the pot holes and Ill be boring them out by hand. 2nd pic shows where the manifold for the sprayjets is going. I strayed from the design a bit and put the manifold near the top where the jets will spray down, opening up the root chamber that much more.

More seeds popped, as of right now 6/8 are rooting and the other 2 look ready to sprout anytime now. I wasn't digging the humidome too much, so I took a container and made a seedling chamber with input for the fogger. Also moved em under the lights to start 18/6.

Doesn't look too polished I know, but my drill died while using the hole saw I bought today on the rails and is recharging.

Oh yeah, on the left is a spare PSU shorted to power on when plugged in for the case fan I'm using.

Day 4 from seed:

1 has lost it's seedcover! 3 more probably will by the end of the day. All 8 have popped. I started running the fogger intermittantly to keep the seedling(s) from drying out.

Day 14:

Haven't updated this journal in a while. The system is built now, lost 5 seedlings to lack of water when moving them to collars. Switched to 15/15 cycle of the fogger and the sprayers and using fogger res for nutes with the main res straight tap water. Currently 40ml/gal H2O2 in both res and 6ml Micro 18ml Bloom 12ml Grow in the 3gal fogger.

Day 15:

#4 and 5 moved to collars, added 2L water with 5ml M 15ml B 3ml G to fogger res, pH now 5.7.

Looks like it is coming along nicely!

I cant wait to see how this turns out...currently im germing some c99xSSHxgrapefruit seeds