ebb and flow reservoir size
- Thread starter ForcedInduction
- Start date
ForcedInduction
Active Member
hahaha yeah i'm using 1 70w hps and about 300w of cfl
GypsyBush
Well-Known Member
I know EXACTLY how you feel...
I was running 2x 70HPS, 1x 100w MH and about 200w worth of CFLs the day my 600w arrived...
Here's my first grow..
ForcedInduction
Active Member
i've seen those pics several times 
didn't you do it in the nightstand in a hotel room? how the hell did you get away with that?
didn't you do it in the nightstand in a hotel room? how the hell did you get away with that?
ForcedInduction
Active Member
ha ha i bet it did! you must have been in that hotel room for a long ass time!
so if i'm going to use 2 liter bottles don't i need to block out the light?
also the standing water in the tray, won't it grow algae sitting in the light? could i solve that problem with an airstone?
so if i'm going to use 2 liter bottles don't i need to block out the light?
also the standing water in the tray, won't it grow algae sitting in the light? could i solve that problem with an airstone?
GypsyBush
Well-Known Member
light and water will give life.. even of the water is aerated...
You will have to clean your tray often...
OR you can cut plastic squares and cover every pot... cardboard works too...
I used panda film... so it reflects light back up too...
Ideally you need to black out the pots.. but if you are going to cover them... you can probably get by with not ...
Xare doesn't do anything to his...
https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/210779-400-watt-2-liter-hempy.html
You will have to clean your tray often...
OR you can cut plastic squares and cover every pot... cardboard works too...
I used panda film... so it reflects light back up too...
Ideally you need to black out the pots.. but if you are going to cover them... you can probably get by with not ...
Xare doesn't do anything to his...
https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/210779-400-watt-2-liter-hempy.html
ForcedInduction
Active Member
............I tried the buckets a couple of ways. A single big hole for draining or a bunch of smaller holes.
I think I like the latter best.
A bit of green algae was growing near the bottom of the two liter because light could penetrate through.
So for the next batch ive spray painted the bottom of the bucket black.
I made the holes with a heated steel rod. And I cut the top of the 2 liter off.
It was nice to see what the rez was doing for this first batch, but ive got the watering schedule figured out now.
ForcedInduction
Active Member
i wish i knew that before i ordered my shit last night! i gotta find some locally i guess.... i'm gonna miss having a full tray of hydroton 
i love that shit
i love that shitForcedInduction
Active Member
keep the res topped off with water,
add nutes to the res on a regular basis, weekly is often enough, to bring the TDS back up to normal levels of a new res.
during water addbacks, TDS will fall, and pH will rise
after nute addbacks, TDS will rise, and pH will fall
if the res is not draw down more than 10% of its volume between refils, the pH wont go too low, and the TDS wont go too high, between reservoir topp offs
add nutes to the res on a regular basis, weekly is often enough, to bring the TDS back up to normal levels of a new res.
during water addbacks, TDS will fall, and pH will rise
after nute addbacks, TDS will rise, and pH will fall
if the res is not draw down more than 10% of its volume between refils, the pH wont go too low, and the TDS wont go too high, between reservoir topp offs
ForcedInduction
Active Member
with 6" pots in ebb flow, you can use as many as fit the tray, though I would opt for half as many. for a 400w light, I recommend a 20 gallon res. 6 gallons may be fine, if you keep it topped off.
The concern with res size, is that as water is used up, nutes get stronger, and pH drops. You can use any res size, as long as TDS does not get too high, and pH does not get too low.
the other issue is that if you flood your table to a 3" depth, that could use 4.5 gallons, so the concern would be to make sure the pump is still under water in the remaining gallon and a half... now if you dont top up the res, and it drops by a gallon a day, which is possible with a 400w, you need to make sure your pump does not run dry.
(these quotes are all from the "ask lucas" thread)
The concern with res size, is that as water is used up, nutes get stronger, and pH drops. You can use any res size, as long as TDS does not get too high, and pH does not get too low.
the other issue is that if you flood your table to a 3" depth, that could use 4.5 gallons, so the concern would be to make sure the pump is still under water in the remaining gallon and a half... now if you dont top up the res, and it drops by a gallon a day, which is possible with a 400w, you need to make sure your pump does not run dry.
(these quotes are all from the "ask lucas" thread)
NewGrowth
Well-Known Member
What kind of PPM meter is he using? X500 and x700 are just ways to read the meter if he is talking about a truncheon. No conversion just read the scale on the meter and multiply by 500 or 700 depending on the scale you are reading.NG will get back to me and I will let you know...
I gave him this link so he may just pop in here...
He really knows his shit...
It's just a way to convert an EC to PPM, they are both the same measurement though.
Does that answer your question?
ForcedInduction
Active Member
yes i'm using a trucheon, i'm just wondering which scale i should be reading, X500 or X700
thanks
GypsyBush
Well-Known Member
I totally agree...
but the bigger the res.. the more stable it is...
...
a really smalle res requires adjustments everyday... a really big one once a week...
but he is right... you could get by with the exact amount of water required to flood your tray... but what a pain in the ass...
ForcedInduction
Active Member
yeah you would have to constantly monitor it lol
NewGrowth
Well-Known Member
It does not matter which scale you read the final PPM reading will come out the same. I prefer the 500 scale because I hardly ever run really high PPM to have to read the 700 scale.
GypsyBush
Well-Known Member
ForcedInduction
Active Member
i'm confused... so basically i should only be looking at everything to the right of the lights?
NewGrowth
Well-Known Member
I does not really matter, they both give you the same answer its just up to you if you want to read in EC or PPM. Either PPM scale will give you the same PPM number.
It might be easier to simplify it and just take your readings in EC. Do you have a picture of your meter, is it the bluelab?