Revamping grow area

DarkWizard021

DarkWizard021

Well-Known Member
The past few years I have been playing with aero/hydro hybrid systems, all diy builds. I have had decent yields with various strains, but still haven't found my sweet spot with the new setups. Last week I had my first bad experience, I had 2 c99 (my favorite strain) whither and die in a 8 hour window while I was at work. So I decided to revamp a few things.

My rez/tubs are diy, and not true aero.
My rez sits under my root chamber with a drain connection between allowing water to drain back into rez. The rez I painted white (sterilite totes 8.75 gal) with a black tote (hdx 30 gal) on top as root chamber. 350gph submersible pump supplies water to a pvc "h" pipe with sprinkler heads with 4 sites in tote lid. I painted the top of the hdx lids with white paint to help reflect light and heat away from root chamber. I have 2 rooms setup in a 12x6x12 storage building, one for flower with a 400w hps/mh light with a wing reflector, and one for veg/clone with a 125w(supposed to be 400w equivalent) cfl with reflector. Last fall my grow performed fairly well, had to put a heater in the shed for the cold, but my last grow I'm fairly certain heat in my rez and root chamber got me. The floor in the building is concrete and due to wall plug locations I have to keep my ballast in the grow room.

I just broke everything down and cleaned it thoroughly, putting it back in to run again. I need a cheap rez cooler for the flowering room, but the way my tubs are made I see no good way to run a water chiller. I work 8 to 14 hour days so ice bottles are not a option. I need help finishing off this setup to get a perpetual grow going. Input and ideas, as well as constructive criticism is welcome.

I can upload some pics if that will help as well here shortly.
 
cindysid

cindysid

Well-Known Member
I would switch it all over to soil and skip the hydro bs. Without a chiller you are going to continue to have problems.
 
xmatox

xmatox

Well-Known Member
DarkWizard021 said:
The past few years I have been playing with aero/hydro hybrid systems, all diy builds. I have had decent yields with various strains, but still haven't found my sweet spot with the new setups. Last week I had my first bad experience, I had 2 c99 (my favorite strain) whither and die in a 8 hour window while I was at work. So I decided to revamp a few things.

My rez/tubs are diy, and not true aero.
My rez sits under my root chamber with a drain connection between allowing water to drain back into rez. The rez I painted white (sterilite totes 8.75 gal) with a black tote (hdx 30 gal) on top as root chamber. 350gph submersible pump supplies water to a pvc "h" pipe with sprinkler heads with 4 sites in tote lid. I painted the top of the hdx lids with white paint to help reflect light and heat away from root chamber. I have 2 rooms setup in a 12x6x12 storage building, one for flower with a 400w hps/mh light with a wing reflector, and one for veg/clone with a 125w(supposed to be 400w equivalent) cfl with reflector. Last fall my grow performed fairly well, had to put a heater in the shed for the cold, but my last grow I'm fairly certain heat in my rez and root chamber got me. The floor in the building is concrete and due to wall plug locations I have to keep my ballast in the grow room.

I just broke everything down and cleaned it thoroughly, putting it back in to run again. I need a cheap rez cooler for the flowering room, but the way my tubs are made I see no good way to run a water chiller. I work 8 to 14 hour days so ice bottles are not a option. I need help finishing off this setup to get a perpetual grow going. Input and ideas, as well as constructive criticism is welcome.

I can upload some pics if that will help as well here shortly.
Click to expand...
If you are in hydro and don't have a chiller, you may want to either get one, or reconsider growing in hydro. Why grow that way if you are not going to do it right? If you aren't going to be able to be around all day, having the equipment to manage your grow while your gone is key. You can get a chiller or there's always switching things up. You can have a top drip system and grow in grow blocks. You can do a top drip for soil and coco too, but less bug issues with grow blocks than soil/coco. Try and also get yourself a water temp reader, so you know when there is an issue with your water temps. Here is a link of one.
https://techinstrument.com/products/a150q-min-max-digital-thermometer-with-high-low-alarm?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=11447391745&gclid=Cj0KEQjwmri_BRCZpaHkuIH75_IBEiQAIG0rIfppygUaLMIUrulo3IDYQQdseTPXM86ePbpmvwd7LssaAs1J8P8HAQ
 
DarkWizard021

DarkWizard021

Well-Known Member
My ppm meter reads water temperature also. As for going all soil, been there, had great results, time to try a new way to grow. I am working on a diy chiller now, so hopefully it will make that big difference. When I feel comfortable with this setup I will go to scrog and then others just to expand my knowledge on it. You never know when you may have to change your methods or even find a new method to share with people. I knew everything I needed to grow the way I am growing now, just looking to improve it from all of the growers on RIU. This community is the best of the best as far as I am concerned. Thank everyone who has added input I very much appreciate it.
 
H

Highpotummyes

Member
DarkWizard021 said:
My ppm meter reads water temperature also. As for going all soil, been there, had great results, time to try a new way to grow. I am working on a diy chiller now, so hopefully it will make that big difference. When I feel comfortable with this setup I will go to scrog and then others just to expand my knowledge on it. You never know when you may have to change your methods or even find a new method to share with people.
Click to expand...
Haven't gotten to try a hydro run but ive heard 65f degrees is the zone with most oxygen where above 75 can induce pyrea. What temps/rh%? Does your shed have ac? I'm all for trying new methods, have you tried true organic? How does your hydro taste/yield/potentcy compare to soil? Is it possible a power outage or something else kept your water from pumping timely? You said it wilted so id guess that over water temp issues
 
Shroominnm

Shroominnm

Well-Known Member
DarkWizard021 said:
The past few years I have been playing with aero/hydro hybrid systems, all diy builds. I have had decent yields with various strains, but still haven't found my sweet spot with the new setups. Last week I had my first bad experience, I had 2 c99 (my favorite strain) whither and die in a 8 hour window while I was at work. So I decided to revamp a few things.

My rez/tubs are diy, and not true aero.
My rez sits under my root chamber with a drain connection between allowing water to drain back into rez. The rez I painted white (sterilite totes 8.75 gal) with a black tote (hdx 30 gal) on top as root chamber. 350gph submersible pump supplies water to a pvc "h" pipe with sprinkler heads with 4 sites in tote lid. I painted the top of the hdx lids with white paint to help reflect light and heat away from root chamber. I have 2 rooms setup in a 12x6x12 storage building, one for flower with a 400w hps/mh light with a wing reflector, and one for veg/clone with a 125w(supposed to be 400w equivalent) cfl with reflector. Last fall my grow performed fairly well, had to put a heater in the shed for the cold, but my last grow I'm fairly certain heat in my rez and root chamber got me. The floor in the building is concrete and due to wall plug locations I have to keep my ballast in the grow room.

I just broke everything down and cleaned it thoroughly, putting it back in to run again. I need a cheap rez cooler for the flowering room, but the way my tubs are made I see no good way to run a water chiller. I work 8 to 14 hour days so ice bottles are not a option. I need help finishing off this setup to get a perpetual grow going. Input and ideas, as well as constructive criticism is welcome.

I can upload some pics if that will help as well here shortly.
Click to expand...

I was in the same position a couple years ago, having problems with res temp reaching ambient temp.. i spent the 300$ on a 1/4 h chiller and it was the best thing i ever did.
As far as chilling multiple reservoirs, i ordered a power steering pump cooler (mini radiator) with 1/2 inch connections and run my water from resevoir A, through the water chiller, then through the power steering radiator which is submerged in resevoir B, and then out where it dumps back into res A.
This kept my res temps at 68-70 when i was struggling with heat from lights.
You can chill more than 2 resevoirs this way also..
I was chilling about 20-25 gallons per resevoir at the time. And resevoir B always stayed within 2 degrees of res A.
I could dump an extra 10 gallons in at the time, raise the lights some, and go to cali for a week and come back to beauties..
The chiller def helped w that.
Ill post some pics of my set up, just got it running in the new room, along with co2..
Dump the $ on a chiller, dont go back to soil!

Hope this helps
 
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