first grow DYI bubble, few planning questions.

mori1

Member
So I am planning on building my own bubbleponic using rosemans guide, I am planning on buying 5 fem White widows from a trusted site.
I am growing in the back of a storage closet my grow space will be about 3x2 or 3x3 if I need it, the room total is about 6x12ft. I am looking at building a make shift room with some shelfs already in there, or buying a premade one for convenience. After germination I was planing on using 6 42 watt cfl lights with y adaptors to start the grow. And suppliment the entire grow aswell? But for my main light I was planning on using HTG supply mh/hps 400watt.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-400-watt-HPS-MH-GROW-LIGHT-SODIUM-HALIDE-Hydroponic_W0QQitemZ390111521385QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5ad4756a69

I am concerned with the heat, Our apartment runs about 68-72 at the moment, and I will be able to use a fan or two to circulate air, Will this be enough to keep the heat down.

Then a couple of bubbleponic questions, when cleaning the system do you remove the plant and scrub the tub? Or just drain the water and replace it. with 5 plants I was planning on using a 20g tub with 3.5inch cups. For nutes I was looking at Fox farms, but havent done a whole lot of research on nutes just yet.

Thanks
 

ACGrower

Member
Well lets see how I can help, your regional climate will determine the heat issues. See I grew in my closet, same relative size dimensions one summer, in the south. Needless to say I was fighting high temps and humidity the whole way. But what doesnt kill you and your plants only makes you stronger. So lets say the more fans you have in there and the easier you can get fresh air, the better.

Anyways with the whole cleaning of the system, lets just say that you cant have that thing clean enough. I try to clean at least once a week. There have been times where I actually cleaned twice a week in these systems, however you dont wanna waste your nutes right. The only way I was actually able to clean twice a week is that I was running a particularly nute sensitive strain and it got a little burnt, but I was quick and flushed and only had ph'ed water for a week and they sprang back beautifully.

Anyways, Always take it out and clean the whole thing, because sometimes your pumps and tubing can get a little slimy or whatever, and if I can add some of my own advice, try to feel what your plants want and need to be happy.
I know it sounds like some hippy nonsense, but if you feel like your plants arent happy and healthy, then they probably arent.
 

mori1

Member
when you clean it do you just take the lid off and prob it up on something, the scrub the pumps, and resivoir? Also i am really worrying about the PH, all the reviews make it sound hard, i have a backround with 2 orgo chem, 2 bio, and 2 gen chem all with labs so is it really that hard?
 

ACGrower

Member
Well if your going to grow DWC at all you need to invest in a PH pen, 70-80 bucks but its completely worth it in the end. and the way I planned it is that I bought an extra tub/reservoir and I leave it empty so when I clean I just puck it up and set it in the other tub and go about scrubbing. At this point in time I like to let the roots get some air and i go about scrubbing and checking all my airstones with regular tap water etc etc.

Then I just fill it back up, nute it, ph it, good to go
 

mori1

Member
Since this is my first grow im a little hesitant as to spend another 80 on a pen, since im already at about $400 with the light,seeds, nutes, bubble, and some material to build a shelf. Will ph strips do a fine job till I harvest and can spend money on another? Also will that 400watt mh/hps produce good yields with a few supplimental cfls in a small space?
 

ACGrower

Member
your 400 will produce fine yields my friend, my first grow was with a 400, and if you dont have the money for a pen then get the strips. But eventually you will need a pen, trust me. I was in your shoes once, really tight on money and needed a way to get goin, but just remember that the more you put into equipment the more it will pay you back in the long run
 

ol hippy

Well-Known Member
Moril, I got a Hanna ppm meter for about 24 dollars the ph I just use either a liquid or just strips. You may need an exhaust fan to keep things cool especially with the 4oo they do produce some heat...If heats too much of a problem stick with cfls for the whole grow just get more !! and of both spectrums 6500 and 2700k. Good luck , don't worry it's easy...
 
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