Minimum effort Growing - Tips on saving time - I got some. have u ??

bob2

Member
HI

I have grown for a time hydroponic indoor and over each cycle I learnt a lot (No cheap timers - Measuring things helps - and other gems). Hydro is the focus of this stuff but some of it applies to all.


Each time i setup a tent or room I have thought about making life simple when growing but often i spend more time than i would like on various jobs. Now my setup will be there for a few years so each time i find a way to minimise my time in looking after the farm is time for me to be doing something else. Scale-ability, If i can get one or two running like clockwork then I should be be to double up again with not much more effort if i'm in the mood.

So a few things came back again and again to haunt me so i thought i would give back a little as i mostly sponge off the site for tips....maybe on a basic level i should contribute so tips by section follow, but if you have some more....please mention them...

My work means i plan - Written plans, Risk management, lessons learnt, and thinking stuff through far too much !!!


WATER -

TAP - Seems silly but having a water supply near by that is accessible, with a hose that can turn off and on, not just at the tap but at the hose end is so handy. Dragging water 80 ft makes you feeling like Jack with no Jill. I would not consider doing a run unless that was in place now.

DRAIN - Where does the water go when you want rid of it ??? Down the drain. Jack and Jill in reverse. Is the drain safe and in the right place to take your waste

SINK - Often you need to wash something, so you need a sink or you spill more than you want on the floor.

ELECTRIC -

SOCKETS - You need more than you thought. No matter how many you have or think you need, Add more. Face the socket so they have space below and above them as I mounted them on some 6 Inch Wood once and my timers would not fit on(Planning FAIL). No Spurs on your electrics where possible.

PLACEMENT - Design your system where you can to have the electric as far from the water as possible. Many of my first attempts i saw water splashing so near my sockets I worried. No man wants to be found dead in a cannabis cupboard because no matter what you did in life - Mayor, CEO, you will be remembered as the dead cannabis cupboard man !! - Who wants to be remembered that way ??

WIRES - Tape them to the floor - Cable tie them - Allow enough spare to put them out of the way. DONT leave them in the way. They are little agents of satan that come out to kill you hopes and dreams

LIGHT - Have a light in the room / cupboard/ tent that ain't a grow light. I have been in the position so many times that i flick a HPS light off then...... PURE DARK. I'm holding something, but can't remember what is behind me. Oh that trip back is like being blind !!! - No probs, i will switch back on the HPS light.....no you will not. They will not turn straight back on, you have to wait for 5mins......So just stand there for 10 mins with a plant in your hand....Or fit a cheap battery light... Life saver

EQUIPMENT -

Buy decent stuff if you can. I went through timers, EC wands and fish tank heaters because i bought stuff from the cheapy shops- Even B&Q make shit timers. Timers are controlling your whole process(grasslin >>>/?? timers at £13 are just a cut above the ones in the DIY places. If one breaks and it's attached to your lights in flower....and you dont see that for a week...bad news that costs you in product !!! More than those timers x10 so why skimp. Wish i learnt that 10 years ago ... my cupboard of crap could testify to this ...

PH and EC monitors - Factory calibrated are alot less hassle than buying the ones you tip in fluid every TWO weeks. Who has the time ??? EC i found largely the same.

SEE the equipment - When you have timers, make sure you can see them. No point in having them hidden out the way. They are feedback items meaning you need to see what they are telling you. Keep them in time with each other then you see if one is running fast or stopped ....

Draws - You need a place to keep all the stuff for your room. On the floor just means you step on them(ME maybe but if your clumsy... Worth a £20 cheap cupboard. I broke £80 in fish tank heaters in one year !!

Oscillating fans - Get a decent one. I lost more bud from bad air circulation than the £50 i spent on a decent fan. I lost at least 80g to mold so it's false economy in the long term.

Tools - You need to fit a fan clip >? Screw driver and thats two floors away and 50ft to walk. Keep a basic set of tools in the area. I wasted more time finding things than if a
just bought a tool kit !! Foolish me

TOWELS - Water spills, why not take off a T-Shirt and mop it up. Been there when waters moving across the floor. You will pick up any spongy item. Old towels kept in the place come in handy, and save you hassle. Keep some paper towels too....

TAPE - The king of fixes - I just use it for everything. Tape my Keys to the door so i don't forget them. Tape ducts, tape holes, Tape gaps. Get the best stuff or it peels off.

FIRE - If your growing in your house then have a fire alarm in the room. I also have a cheap CO2 fire extinguisher mounted on the wall. Never used it, but I am messing around with plastic tents and white hot bulbs, why chance it.

WASTE


HAVE a Bin - Open bin you can throw leaves, bottles. Separate the rubbish into - Everyday stuff and STUFF NO ONE SHOULD SEE THIS. I burn my special waste in a incinerator bin so there is no trace. Best safe I think

HOOKS for plants - They help your little ones from falling over, ruining your day.

PAPER and PAD - Or better a white board - Record when you start each stage - Or forget and guess. If something takes 70 days you want to know roughly how close you are....Forgot so many times...... A "TO DO" list.... take a photo on your phone when leaving and pick up them things you realized you needed. Or go to the grow shop and just guess.....it never works out well for me....So, write it down

MICROSCOPE - Why guess when you can say for certain. I took the life of 100's of plants to early when they would have given me more. Now i can the type of high i want by seeing the triclomes colour and condition. It saves me wondering and thinking about all the time. £10 microscope does the job and now if i'm in doubt it takes me 5 mins to be sure. THIS MIGHT BE THE ONE ITEM THAT SAVED MY MIND FROM DOUBTING MY ACTIONS. So glad i did this.

BUY THE SAME - If one piece of equipment works well, stick to the same equipment if possible so you know what your dealing with. Example, FANS. I found one i like and now i have four. I know how they work and each time i hang one, i know what hooks or cable i need. Lighting hoods, same thing. I don't have to think if they fit I just know.

CAMERA - I use IP camera's in the room to see whats going on. No getting out of my seat to check the basics. Buy a Electric supply network connection or wireless Cam. Be careful cause the lights interfere with some Cams.

TORCH - Have the torch in your pocket. No point in having it if the lights go out and it's hanging on the door knob.....oh the times i've done that.... i now have a tool belt i put on when i enter the room that has all i need.....put it back before you leave or answer the door to the post man....with a plastic giant syringe in your belt.



CLEANING - Keep some stuff to clean up with. A bucket will double as a water catcher and bin / Thing to keep something off the ground upside down (saved my neck few times )

When i skimped, I got stung. The unexpected happens, and it happens more with cobbled together equipment so being prepared saves me time and money. After setting up 10 plus tents and rooms these basic things helped me learn to be better, but if a had a choice then i would start off better and miss out the lessons :)

CALCULATIONS

There is loads of information what airflow you need for any given space for fans. Use it, or buy a fan that might do the job and guess. If your wrong, then you got to buy again. Waste your time and money. Buy an item that will do the job then add 30%

Work out what current your drawing. Peace of mind to know your not overloading your electric supply.


Overall, a plan written down with a list of equipment, supplies, a journal to track my progress and correct my errors.

WHATS NEXT ???

Well i'm still learning - I want to implement more common "fixes" that save me time and effort. My Aim ??? To produce a system that will run itself for up to 2 Weeks without intervention. Less than 1 hour to refresh and check once setup. I'm not there yet but - Thats the goal

Looking at automatic Dosing machines for PH and Nutes, so any thoughts ???
Keeping extra spares
Computer based monitoring - Checking PH and EC with computer, and turning on fans remotely.


I hope these mistakes i made help you. If you have some, share with the group - Cheers for reading my waffle ...

J

 

Gibb

Member
Great thread. There's lots of stuff in here that will help new growers. I like the obvious suggestions, such as keep a trash bin in the room, pick up a big whiteboard for keeping track of schedules on the fly, get a microscope and something I think that is important when dealing with electrical stuff: Buy a smoke detector for your grow room. You don't want to burn your house down when all you want is to grow some damned plants! :)
 
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