The BubbleHead Gang

MostlyCrazy

New Member
Mongo - I do not use any buffers. I deal with PH with PH down administered a little at a time until stablized.

Max,

I grow 3 or 4 plants in 6 gallons of water and I've done it 5 times so the answer is no.
 

MostlyCrazy

New Member
Roots do fill the tank late in flower (a good thing - means I did it right). In flower my plants use about 1 gallon a day. I top off with a gallon of nuted and PH adjusted water. In the last stages of flower the entire root mass from the 3-4 plants displaces about 1/2 gallon of water so at the end I actually have 5 1/2 gallons of water in the tank. It's not something I worry about.
 

gabrownzfan

Member


I have a question maybe someone can answer

Do you think it will work to use an ebb & flow set up, where you have a res and a separate container above where the plants are - instead of setting the timer let it run - so the upper container is always has water up to the overflow line (and always draining into the res) - and have an air bubbler on constantly to oxygenate the water (a bubbler in both the res and the upper container) - and the roots actually will grow in the water/solution?? I thought this would be the same as a bubbleponic system??

Does anybody have any opinions on this method???
Thanks in Advance
 

MostlyCrazy

New Member
Max,

The kit comes with 3 3/4" pots and they work well.

Gagrownxfan,

I'm setting up an e&f system for my next grow. The purpose of the e&f is to soak the roots for about 30 min off and 30 min on to maximize air absorbtion. I'm doing this as a test/comparision vs the bubbleponics so we'll see. What you are descibing is a remote bubbleponics and I'd rather have the roots in the res rather than relying on pumping the water through the system constantly. Not saying it wouldn't work. Might even try it after I get a little experience with the e&f.
 

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
Once again, great info Roseman!

I've got some tips and tricks for controlling reservoir temps...

First, insulating your res really helps stabilize the temps. Wrap mylar or insulation around it; I build my reservoirs out of ice coolers (attachment 1).

I used to put blue ice bags in the res if the temps started to rise, but I can no longer recommend putting ice in the root zone. During my last grow I did this, and the plant closest to where I put the ice definitely didn't like it; it ended up stunted and there was a bald spot in the root zone where the ice went. And as the root mass grows there's generally not enough room to stick ice bottles in the res anyways.

If you want to use ice to cool the res you might want to try the following ideas:

1. I jury-rigged some quart and half-gallon jugs using drip line and a drip-line shut-off valve (attachment 2). What I do is freeze them overnight and then stick the line in a hole on top of the res in the morning (attachment 3). This serves a few purposes: 1) provides a slow flow of cold water to the res throughout the day, so the roots aren't shocked by a rapid change in temperature; 2) keeps the res topped off; and 3) serves as a ghetto A/C for the grow area. The main disadvantage is condensation; I have to keep a rag under the jug to soak up water.

2. I built a semi-recirculating DWC for my latest grow (water pump is on a timer). Basically, I have a separate reservoir that is connected to my plant reservoirs via plumbing and a pump. I'm doing this for several reasons: 1) one thing I hate about DWC is that you generally have to lift the lid to do any maintenance in the res - a separate res allows you to easily do maintenance without disturbing the plant reservoirs; 2) I'm planning on doing a ScrOG - once the plants are in the screen lifting the lids becomes problematic; 4) more water means that things like temperature, ph, and nutrient concentration are more stable; and 3) if I need to cool the reservoirs I can put ice in the shared res without worrying about the roots. The main disadvantages are complexity, size of system, and more nute usage.

Some other ideas:

1. Put your air pump in a cool area. It seems like most people put their pump on top of the reservoir under the lights. If it is hot where you put the pump, then you're going to be pumping hot air into the res. I try to put mine outside the grow area if possible, or as close to the inlet as possible.

2. Direct some airflow from the inlet over the res using a fan.

3. If you use a humidifier like what Roseman recommends try directing the air from the outlet over the res using a fan. Acts kind of like a swamp cooler; I've found it lowers the temp over my res by about 5*.

4. Running a water pump continuously in the res will cause the temps to rise. I think I have a good idea how the stealth hydro system works, for instance, and I can certainly see the advantages of it during the early stages of growth. However, once the roots are in the water I'm not sure if running the pump continuously is necessary - maybe one of you users can help me out. If it was me, I would put the pump on a timer and run it kind of like an ebb and flow once the roots are in the water - like for 10 minutes 5 times a day - IDK.

Of course, like Roseman says, the best way is to keep your room temp down if you can. 75* is out of the question for me, it costs too much to keep my A/C running all day at 70*, especially since no one's home anyways. I keep my A/C at 80*, and my grow room at 85*.
Beautiful set up, great cooling ideas, I will save this post to share.
Thanks alot, +REP for you.
 

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
is it true that you need 5 gallons of water for each plant? i see alot of people useing 10 or 8 gallon tanks for 3 or 4 plants.
Man, there is a thread on this site of a dude growing a plant in a one ounce shot glass. All you have to do is keep the roots wet and in the dark.
i've seen lots of one gallon, 3 gallon and 5 gallon bucket grows here too.

Welcome to our thread, visit often here and here too:


Roseman's Closet-Grow Tutorial - Marijuana Growing
 

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
I have a question maybe someone can answer

Do you think it will work to use an ebb & flow set up, where you have a res and a separate container above where the plants are - instead of setting the timer let it run - so the upper container is always has water up to the overflow line (and always draining into the res) - and have an air bubbler on constantly to oxygenate the water (a bubbler in both the res and the upper container) - and the roots actually will grow in the water/solution?? I thought this would be the same as a bubbleponic system??

Does anybody have any opinions on this method???
Thanks in Advance

Yea, it will work.
Ebb and Flow, NFT, Aerogarden, Aeroponics, Drip, are all great ways to grow Hydroponically.
some are a lot of work, worry and watching.
Bubbleponics requires a lot less attention and work.
 

maxamus1

Well-Known Member
maybe i can get an answar here. can i keep a mother and 3 clones under a 2' t5 light? or do i need more?
 

gabrownzfan

Member
Mostly Crazy

oh - i must not have explained it good - the top container that the plants will be in is an ebb & flow setup - i have tops for the containers and have 6 - 3 3/4" holes cut in the top for net pots (3 3/4" net pots) - once the roots grow out of the net pots they will be constantly in the nutrient solution, with an air stone to oxygenate the water there and the water reservoir (2 stones) - so the water is always circulating, draining from the upper container to the main reservoir. i will adjust the ebb & flow drain to raise it at first to get the net pots wet, then lower it to the bottom of the net pots once the roots get through. Does that make sense???
 

Mongobud

Well-Known Member
avoid that Htgrozyme if you can, if ther eis no sickness to treat. it messes with the pH.
Hygrozyme? - Messes with pH

Oh man you're kidding me! Someone here told me it should stabilize my ph...I've been using it like crazy!

Should I Flush or change my res out? Or should I just stop using it?

I'm using FF Grow big, Big Bloom 1/2 strength of week one (In my second week)
also cal-mag at 1/2 strength and a drop of Superthrive per gallon

My roots are brown and my PH is jumping, what should I do?
 

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
Oh man you're kidding me! Someone here told me it should stabilize my ph...I've been using it like crazy!

Should I Flush or change my res out? Or should I just stop using it?

I'm using FF Grow big, Big Bloom 1/2 strength of week one (In my second week)
also cal-mag at 1/2 strength and a drop of Superthrive per gallon

My roots are brown and my PH is jumping, what should I do?
If I have a cough, I take cough syryup, but I don't take it to prevent a cough.

did ya read the info at the link?
Hygrozyme? - Messes with pH

use it if the roots are sick.
 
Top