6 inch PVC aeroponics tube system

Hi Old Grower,

Well I am amazed the plants are still alive, been a little worried the leaves had a few very small brown spots on them, but since I have redone the nutes and raised it to 530ppm, ph6(ish) it seems good and they are expanding well, Funny you know I am starting to see how nice it is to grow, seriously chillin, Just to popover there and Check Nutes, Ph, Temps, I think I will have to take up smoking again as well, but then it really would cost me days.

OK Problems, trouble is I don't know any one that grows, and the local hydro shop, once you get of put it in a pot with mud they are lost. or at least they won't even consider offering advice.

Ok Well the design, I sort of stole and adapted, four 6" soil pipe tubes, in an l shape, giving about 20 meters of grow room, that will sit under 6 * 600watt dual spectrum hps lamps, utalising 3.5 inch net pots and a sprayer each side spacing about 12 inches apart so each plant will have a 12" space for growing, I can double space if more is required, but I have not got a clue how much space is needed? Help

Also two 40lph misters is this ok, I think I have sorted the pump ordered a 4500 lph, pump couple of inline filters and fingers crossed.

Currently I have from the first batch of seeds one big bud plant, 3 I killed in the germination process and one i dropped the lid of the propagator on it, then two days later, I started 5 White Widow, of which 2 germinated, and then a few days later 5 Jack Herer 4 germinated and a couple of days lated, 5 Money Makers all 5 germinated Yippie.

These are stuck in the Propagator until the tubes are complete, sort of running it like a DWC at the moment, The eldist and not the largest Big Bud is 30 days old today.

I also have currently 50 Critical+ Auto seeds, but have issiues that if I germinate them I understand they want 20/4 lighting, and how do i adjust the Lights as the others will want 18/6 for 3/4 weeks I guess(How long Help) then 12/12, so do i go for it and potentially leave the first lot with a major veg out or just wait a while, or even pop a few and see how the cryitical do under 12/12.

When do I put the current plants under the 600 HPS? they currently enjoy a 300w cls, and I did get what I think was leaf burn, but alas, I have two very sick plants that are well behind, and the others, doing great, do I leave these two to see if the get better, or route them out?

Ok Well you did say to ask, is the basic design ok, I have left a long run off in 6 inch pipe so the roots hopefully wont clog the system up.

and I was planning on a cycle for the tubes of 5 min on and 15 off, thoughts??

Using Canna Aqua products for recycling systems is this ok? or is there better, or cheaper, or both???

Thank you and please are these plants ok? My first babies, to an over proud father.

J

Sail, first off I would forget the autos completely. Complete waste of time indoors. Personally I would have started my seeds in soil and grown them up for cloning.
That way once you get clones and get to flower them will see if any one of them are what you want to continue with or keep looking thru seeds. The good news is
you can take the started plants you have and put them in soil. Once they start growing again top them to make them branch andbush out so you can clone them
for your system. You can use hydro nutrients in soil if you want I do.

Sounds like you have your pump ordered and should work. I know when i went to the top spray system I had to go bigger with my pump 2000 gph feeding 30 sprayers.

What size reservoirare you going to use??? I would use 40 gallon minimum.

As for timer I would not use one and just run constant, cycling these pumps shorten their life span. With a decent size res heat won't be much of a problem.

Make sure your tubes tilt slightly toward the drain end and do not have standing water in the tubes except what gets held up by roots.

As for nutrients I use Dutch master gold range flower a and b, Dutch master zone (sterlizer like bleach), DM silica, General hydro floralicious, and general hydro koolbloom (powder).
I will give you the use amounts when you need them if you want to use these but they work realy well.

As for ph run between 5.3 to 6.3. Let the ph flucuate and don't adjust unless the ph goes out of this range in your system.
As for ppm run 420-480 ppm. If you see the leaf tips yellowing (thats nute burn) lower ppm's.

My veg nutrients i use gh 3 part for my soil plants and vegging plants in my unit. ppm around 520-550 ph 5.3-6.3

Your unit spacing sounds good mine is a little tighter. I top my plants so I get 3 main shoots per plant. This increases
yield for most strains, and has the added benefit of keeping molding buds down because no huge main cola.

Typed out for now. Ask away if you need more info.

PS I would only start with one or max 2 strains to start until you know what you are doing.

Current strains CSG GdoggyP and OGR Wifi

Photos of current grow and previous 1 plant on hangar.

fuck ya man thats PIMP!!!^^^^^^^

OldGrower said:

PS I would only start with one or max 2 strains to start until you know what you are doing.

Current strains CSG GdoggyP and OGR Wifi

Photos of current grow and previous 1 plant on hangar.

Click to expand...

Old Grower - Many thanks, You have an great set-up, and it raises a few questions:

On the ends you seem to have another net pot in, it this for cleaning?

Also what is the flexible joint for in the middle?

What size tube are you using, and what size are the net pots?

I am worried that the roots will expand beyond the pots or that the support it provided will be insufficient.

You have netting or mesh over the grow area, is this for support or for srog, as the area that you cover seems too large to be able to man handle the plants too much?

What spacing are you running between the tubes, I was hopeing that if I off set the holes it would give a little more space, you mention I might be better with a larger space, how much, not drilled the holes yet, lol

Plants, I have reduced my ceiling height, clad it off 8 inches and fitted circulating fans above on a thermostat, keeps the external image better, but it does reduce the height and the tubes sit, 14-10 inches above the floor, and all these little bits reduced the height a bit, then th 500mm for light distance and te lights them selves, ok so not got the heighest space so was planning to tie up jack , which I believe is the tallest. I assume when it gets height too great I just tie the end over?

Like the idea of keeping the mothers in soil, and cloning from them, I was going to get Wilma pots for this but soil sounds better, have to buy some, can I get rid of the damn autos whilst mums are getting big enough to trim for cuttings. Will I get diease from the soil in the area and how do I make sure it is clean, yeah right, clean dirt, but you know what I mean.

On the photo of your tubes there is a thermometer on the left what is on the right?

Picked up the pump today, have to go and get larger fitting, 32mm bummer, looks like I will take two 20mm tubes up now. I hope it has some pressure says it has a 5 meter head?

Tank, I have purchased 3 * 200 litre barrels, I think that is about, 50 gal, I did wonder about running two, one to receive and the other to pump from, joined with a pipe, but it would mean you could treat the runoff as it came from the tanks and then it would mix the retreated nuts and ready to pump hopefully taking out any harsh effects, but wanted a dosing pump and meter for it, but don’t really understand about flushing out the nutes and when you need to.

Timer forgot for the pump for now, wanted two pumps and blend the misters so a bit from each that way if there was a pump problem, it would not kill the crop, I even wondered about running a little mix from top to bottom continuously, just to be safe, your thoughts please?

And now I have a spare timer for the auto light risers, yeahh.

The tanks are in a different room, so I have a heater in them, on a stat so, planning on about 24 c, maybe?

Tubes drop about 4 inches over the 12 (max) run, seems to flow ok, but the are small areas where the joins are that there is a little collection, how the hell do you clean these tubes after a grow?

Nutes, I have just picked up 15liters of canna, so I will burn this first, and get your suggestions purchased for the next phase, topping fim or multiple tops, tell me what to do please. And when do you do it,

PH I have kept it tight 6 to 6.1 drifted to 5.7 for the first time today, trimmed it back but I will let it run a little next time them. 5.3 - 6.3, I can do that.

Been raising the ppm slowly 550 in the dwc of the prop, am I pushing it?

OK Just reread your spacing bit again, tighter, easy how tight, obviously I can’t get the tubes any tight but the run spacing please 8 10 inches?

OK now for a new topic, ventilation. I was planning running a warm 4 inch duct in permantly and a 6 inch filtered out, into and a closed area/room, then have a 8 inch cold air in and a 12 inch filtered out, but these on a thermostat, that way if the heat rises , the 10 12 kich in and the temp should drop, but there is a constant flow but it does
not freeze the room out when the fans are down, the closed area where the 12 inch also vents into is dried and recirculated then shipped out, discretly.

Thanks for the plant suggestions, and I know you say only two at a time, but I already have 4, would more hurt, ok probably, have you tried, big bug, jack herer, money maker, or white widow? Should I scrap these and just buy as you suggested?

Jez did I type all that sorry, and thanks, feel like I am dump all my questions on you, great to be able to dump on someone that can help, the dog was getting sick of me, and the wife and kids know nothing, I try and keep it that way.

PS, well it is nice to see Thump Easy has extensive literary input, although relatively expansive. (I apologize for my ignorance but is this implied as supportive or derogatory)?

SA, yeah give the auto a try what can you lose.

The connector is not in the middle those are the end caps of my tubes. Mine are only 4 feet long.
Yes the last hole is for tube checks and maintenance. Also have a temp sprayer in it. My drains tend
to clog so i like to keep and eye on the drainage. The ends are called quik caps and yes my tubes
are 6 inch.

As for spacing 12 inch is ok. and offsetting you plants will work very well. My spacing in tube is 8 inches
center to center for plants and 13 inches center to center for tubes. But this is not a absolute to each his own.
Your drop sounds good on your tubes.

more to come spent 1 hr typing then lost it all gl

Your canna nutes should do well but I would at a minimum use the DM zone 50 ml per 40 gal.
As for water temp 22c-24c is good. If temps above 24c during summer use a little more zone.
Never add biotic crap to the nute solution. It will clog your sprayers plus the zone will probably kill
it anyway. The gh dry koolbloom is a good inexpensive ph boost in flower and gh floralicious is
a good additive for flavor enchancement (highly recommend both). Will advise when you need them
1st 2 weeks of flower just base nutes and zone.

Your dwc ppm's are good stay with it.

SA, my tubes are 6 inch and i use 3 inch net pots with 3 inch holes. They are a litte wobbly
in the 3 inch hole but really no problem, Just a little smaller hole would have been better
but all is good.

You want the roots to grow out of the net pots and into the tubes. Thats the point of the
grow style.
Be sure your sprayers are near the top of the tube spraying the pot and roots.

My grow area is not optimal but you have to make due with what you got. My grow area is
4x5.75 feet with three walls and yes it is a pain to reach back near the 4' back edge. When I
get my screen on impossble to reach rear. Made a 1m long reach stick (dowel rod with cup hook)
for messing with plant tops.

Yes I use a piece of metal fencing for support and spreading out branch tips no scrog. I
have plenty of head room and can grow 110cm plants easily.

Some pics, this is where I lost 1 hr of typing previously

The pics show the end of my tubes as discussed earlier.
Also pic of my reach rod.
Pic of a few of my mothers under floros.
another pic of cloner with clones and their roots.
Will be topping the clones and growing 3 tops per clone to about 12-14 inches then into system for flowering.
See the long white roots oh yeah. The net cups get a few squares cut out of them near the bottom edge
up the side and the roots are fed tru the hole leaving some to wrap aound the bottom edge of the
net pot the hydroton added on top. Rinse your hydroton to clean before using.

Well now I don't know what I have missed in ur questions.

Monocropping is better for a novice because different varieties grow diferently.
Speed of growth, stretch in flower, branching, etc.

Take detailed notes about each strain and individual plant, they all differ.
Also note any poblems and corrections if taken. Knowing how each plant grew will
be invaluable when you find those keeper plants. At what height did you flower them
at? How tall did they get at the end??? Were the nutes to high?? Bet you won't remember
at the end.

What ever I missed just ask again. GL

Yeah everything i have been talking about I first learned for stinkbud years ago and have modified to suit my needs.

My current nute regieme and documentation I learned from aerokrafter from a different site.

Want to get serious about documentation look at this.

Also shot of roots at day 14 flower.

For soil it may not have been clear ph around 6.7 ppm 550 of so. Also soil that is bagged like foxfarm ocean forest, etc.
should be fine, just add about 20 percent perlite to the mix. Be sure you have drainage holes in the bottom of the pots.
If large holes I just cover the inside bottom of the pot with a paper towel to keep soil mix from leaking out. By the time the
paper towel disentrigrates roots will hold soil in.

I just top my plants no fimming. So just to be clear I top to three branches then keep it to three nodes (branches)
per each top. Yeah everything looks small to start but you will have a jungle at the end.

Hi Old Grower,

I will have to apologise as I will probably be taking all steps and lead from you as we go through my first grow, I will try not to do your head in with a myriad of stupid questions, ok maybe after this lot, Thanks

Floralicious is I read an add for this today, looks like I will have to get some now!


“Rinse your hydroton to clean before using.” Is this a full bleach wash out, or a heavy water rinse, got a few line filters for the jets, hopefully it will be ok?


Help on timing please, when do I need to put them under HPS, and Money Maker is getting Big, Fast, My remaining Bid Bud, is a little smaller than I wanted, but he did have a hard start with a total incompetent idiot!

Nearly killed one, In the morning when I checked in and turned the unit off to take a sample of liquid for PH and Nute Testing, I forgot to restart it, whilst DWC all was ok, ish, one was well sick and withered, it’s roots that drop usually in the water, had got stuck raised on the spray bar, strange, all good and just one sick, I sprayed it and turned it all back on, I think she may recover, we will see.

Got a few leaves that are not great, I know I put a lot of them down to having the lamp too close previously, but now, all the new leaves are good, do I trim the damaged leaves off, part trim them , or just ignore it.

When to I top the plants, if you top them will it reduce the overall height? Fim Forgotten

As opposed to fencing I wondered about using large fishing net, as it may be easier to cut away from the plants, but then, at that stage who cares?

Rather than putting the first lot to mothers, would it be ok to put them to veg and take a bunch of clones from them, just that I would like to see some proceed through, and whilst not in a hurry, I would kinda like to see how they get on.

Not started the Autos Yet, I should have done but I want the pro clear to put them in after getting a few cm of roots. To germinate them, I was just going to pop them in rock wool and water, I tried soaking them in water and the paper towel trick, but thought maybe this time just start them up in the Rockwool and leave them alone, well until they show roots?

You have inspired me to start taking notes, I saw the program for doing it, but I have a few issues about leaving records, and now true crypt has problems.

You got some great roots, is that just in water or with nutes?

WHAT IS StinkBud? I keep hearing, does it refer to a site, a person, a methodology?

I did wonder about running two, one to receive and the other to pump from, joined with a pipe, but it would mean you could treat the runoff as it came from the tanks and then it would mix the retreated nuts and ready to pump hopefully taking out any harsh effects, Is this required or am I being fussy?

I have read about flushing occasionally for a day with water to help stop salt build-up, is this required? But don’t really understand about flushing out the nutes and when you need to.

I wondered about running a little mix from top to bottom continuously, just to be safe, your thoughts please?



OK now for a new topic, ventilation. I was planning running a warm 4 inch duct in permanently and a 6 inch filtered out, into and a closed area/room, then have a 8 inch cold air in and a 12 inch filtered out, but these on a thermostat, that way if the heat rises , the 10 12 inch in and the temp should drop, but there is a constant flow but it does not freeze the room out when the fans are down, the closed area where the 12 inch also vents into is dried and recirculated then shipped out, discreetly.

“Yes the last hole is for tube checks and maintenance.” Is this needed, I was hoping to just easy a net pot up if required, Should I fit an inspection access point? Whilst I can get the ends off easily, there is no way to get access to the tubes, hoping to feed an inspection camera down there if required?


You use a similar Propagator to me with the Neoprene collar, can we get 3.5 inch collars anywhere, and I thought it would be great for the tubes?

Ok That’s it for now, I use word now, as had the same problem as you, thrice, I think it is every time I load photos with text, still it happens, and thanks so much for your input, it is great to talk to someone that knows what he is on about.

Pictures of Plants, these plants are at day 34 from wetting the seeds, are they ok, when HPS required? 300 CLS still,

Thanks again, J

mogie said:

Good point. What type of pump would you recommend?

Click to expand...

A 600 gph pump will provide more than sufficient flow for 72 1/32 holes drilled in 1/2 pvc pipe to spray. I suppose it would feed near that number of sprayers.

MightyBuddha said:

I've seen a similar setup where the 1inch pvc runs within pvc fence posts and has 1/16th inch holes drilled between net pots. Supposedly this eliminates the clogging of the misting heads and also prevents leaks. I have been toying with which way to go...

Click to expand...

I put three 1/32 holes next to each pot. Never any clogging issues at all. Worked very well. Spray on

Al B. Fuct said:

Another thing which occurs to me is that I really like the ability in the flood system to easily move plants around. This is most important when I have to spray plants for powdery mildew, which still happens from time to time despite a dehumidifier, good air circulation via osc fans in each corner of the flowering area and more than sufficient air exchange capacity in intake and exhaust fans. It's convenient to be able to spin a plant around to make sure all of it gets throughly sprayed. Seems to me that the plant will have to be in a netpot with pellets to make 'portability' of individual plants even remotely possible. I'd still be concerned about damaging those roots which would be hanging freely from the netpot, unsupported by any media, while lifting and turning the plants around to spray them.

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Forget about removing the pots. The edges of the hole you drilled in the tubing will shear off big chunks of roots. I had to use zip ties to hold the pots down once the plants started pressing against the scrog screen.