1000w Multi-tent aeroponics setup with mothers, tons of questions!

A

annierox

Member
I am preparing to start my third grow and introducing a lot of new variables and therefor have a lot of questions. I have done a ton of reading but have had a hard time answering a lot of my questions or finding similar set ups.

Here is a diagram I made to show what I have/have in mind. I forgot to include stand alone fans, I will have a small clip fan, and a tower fan in the large tent, and another floor standing fan in the mother tent.


List form:
DR90 3x3 Split Tent
DR120 4x4 Tent
1000W Dimmable Ballast
XXXL Air Cooled Reflector
MH/HPS Bulbs
8" Inline fan
Rainforest 66 Aeroponics System
General Hydroponics Nutrients 3 pack
Meters
Pellet medium
125Watt CFL w/Reflector
2' two bulb t12 with "Grow spectrum" bulbs
Cloning dome
Soon: buckets for mother probably something like 5 gal dwc's
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My previous grows were single tent soil grows from seed to finish. I'm hoping to introduce cloning, mother plants, and aeroponics all in one go.

My theoretical plans:
I will first get my seeds and start them in the cloning tray in the left tent. Once they have popped through the rock wool cubes I will move them into the rainforest setup into the large tent. After they have reached 1' in height I will choose a mother and put the rest into flowing. A few weeks before harvest I will take 5 clones from my mother plan and begin preparing them for my next grow. Every 2-3 grows I will replace my mother and only take 4 plants into flowering. Once growing is complete I will hang my plants inside of my large tent with my light lowered to the floor. Once drying is complete I will move the clones I previously started into the aeroponics system.

My questions:

Any major flaws in my plans?

Will my mother tent stay cool enough with passive air from the floor standing fan.

Can you keep clones in a cloning tray like I have pictured?

Will the clones grow too quickly while I wait on my crop, if so how do I manage this?

I have been told to replace my resivore every 7-14 days, do I simply dispose of anything left inside there?

Will I need airstones for my resivore

Can I use a fish tank pump to empty and fill my resivor through the top.

Does my main tent ventilation look ok? My last grows I used something similar and it seemed to have been ok

When measuring PH and ppm do I just measure the liquid in my resivor? Some kind of runoff? or both the resivore mixture and the water before adding nutrients?

At what age do I pick out and move my mother?

Do I even need mothers? Could I take my clones directly from my growing plans, keep them until I finish my current grow and then repeat?

I will be working out of a barn, using outdoor air. Should I be worried about bugs? Also when temperatures get warm in the summer what will be my best options for keeping my setup cool enough? Same for the winter (Mid western temps, ~90 degree max, 10 degree low)

I am thinking SCROG is the way to go in order to make sure the aeroponic system can support the size of the plans, however I am not sure if SCROG or SOG would be a better choice for this, the system I have has optional replacements to do more, smaller, pots.

I'm having a hard time finding a solid answer, when using scrog do you or do you not want to trim off everything below the screen?

And lastly some genetics recommendations would be great! Indica dominant strains is what I would like, as they treat my ailments best.

I know that is a lot of questions, any and all input is greatly appreciated.
 
tooteefrootee

tooteefrootee

Well-Known Member
annierox said:
I am preparing to start my third grow and introducing a lot of new variables and therefor have a lot of questions. I have done a ton of reading but have had a hard time answering a lot of my questions or finding similar set ups.

Here is a diagram I made to show what I have/have in mind. I forgot to include stand alone fans, I will have a small clip fan, and a tower fan in the large tent, and another floor standing fan in the mother tent.


List form:
DR90 3x3 Split Tent
DR120 4x4 Tent
1000W Dimmable Ballast
XXXL Air Cooled Reflector
MH/HPS Bulbs
8" Inline fan
Rainforest 66 Aeroponics System
General Hydroponics Nutrients 3 pack
Meters
Pellet medium
125Watt CFL w/Reflector
2' two bulb t12 with "Grow spectrum" bulbs
Cloning dome
Soon: buckets for mother probably something like 5 gal dwc's
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My previous grows were single tent soil grows from seed to finish. I'm hoping to introduce cloning, mother plants, and aeroponics all in one go.

My theoretical plans:
I will first get my seeds and start them in the cloning tray in the left tent. Once they have popped through the rock wool cubes I will move them into the rainforest setup into the large tent. After they have reached 1' in height I will choose a mother and put the rest into flowing. A few weeks before harvest I will take 5 clones from my mother plan and begin preparing them for my next grow. Every 2-3 grows I will replace my mother and only take 4 plants into flowering. Once growing is complete I will hang my plants inside of my large tent with my light lowered to the floor. Once drying is complete I will move the clones I previously started into the aeroponics system.

My questions:

Any major flaws in my plans?- try to keep a same mother, rotate them less otherwise nice small setup in thought

Will my mother tent stay cool enough with passive air from the floor standing fan.- you still need some kind of air replacement consider a vent and fan for mother tent, it will be cool enough cause you are using a cfl in there

Can you keep clones in a cloning tray like I have pictured? yes, clones are quite resillient just keep em watered/fed/moist(lightly fed) and when they go in the aero they will take off good

Will the clones grow too quickly while I wait on my crop, if so how do I manage this?- maybe its all timing.. just realize that aero crops can finish as soon as 55 to 60 days depending on strain/breeders advice. so knowing that you can expect 60 day crops you will have to time it to your needs. clones are resillient, readyness times if clones are cut and propogated properly is about 14 days.

I have been told to replace my resivore every 7-14 days, do I simply dispose of anything left inside there? yes. replace is the word. a fresh res=happy plants and roots. keep the res clean and changed regularly

Will I need airstones for my resivore - i would and i do

Can I use a fish tank pump to empty and fill my resivor through the top. - pumps are cheap bro, like 20 bucks for 254 gph

Does my main tent ventilation look ok? My last grows I used something similar and it seemed to have been ok - as long as your reflector is cool, you just need a reasonable amount of room air exchange. consider an environmental controller and controlling your environment. you'll be glad you did...

When measuring PH and ppm do I just measure the liquid in my resivor? Some kind of runoff? or both the resivore mixture and the water before adding nutrients? you need to constantly know the ppm's,temp, and ph in the res your plants feed from. and you want to measure everything you put in then measure it again. you cant measure too much bro in aero or hydro

At what age do I pick out and move my mother? - don't really understand what you are asking here....

Do I even need mothers? Could I take my clones directly from my growing plans, keep them until I finish my current grow and then repeat? never clone from a plant in flower, not reccomended. keep a mother bro...

I will be working out of a barn, using outdoor air. Should I be worried about bugs? Also when temperatures get warm in the summer what will be my best options for keeping my setup cool enough? Same for the winter (Mid western temps, ~90 degree max, 10 degree low) you better get a chiller on that res then, over 72 degrees and your screwed

I am thinking SCROG is the way to go in order to make sure the aeroponic system can support the size of the plans, however I am not sure if SCROG or SOG would be a better choice for this, the system I have has optional replacements to do more, smaller, pots. - scrog bro, the screens help and add support

I'm having a hard time finding a solid answer, when using scrog do you or do you not want to trim off everything below the screen? - yep, everything below...

And lastly some genetics recommendations would be great! Indica dominant strains is what I would like, as they treat my ailments best. - look for high cbd strains for pain relief or medical strains

I know that is a lot of questions, any and all input is greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
- no problem bro!
 
phlopalopagus

phlopalopagus

Well-Known Member
Ill answer iwo of these bro lol. First I would take a cutting from each of your seedling the first time and mark them as you will not know anything about them till there done. Like stretch,vigor,harvest time,cloning speed, flavor, potency,smell,taste,and weight. Second I dont keep mothers here is why most indica's and hybrids take about 65 days on average so if you take cuttings the day you go into flower it will go something like this. 14 days to clone and that leaves 49 days in veg. If I tried to veg for 49 days my plant would be 3 feet tall and 3 feet across before I even get into flower and once I hit 21 days It would fill the entire tent. That's bad if you want to grow more then one. I have five here is how I do it. I take cutting the day I move into flower then fully cloned in 14 100% survival rate. I veg till they are to big and cramping each other(about 30 days) then I give them a huge hair cut cutting the plant down to less then half and then cut the half the roots off. I have done this with over 100 strain's and never shocked one (makes me laugh when I see people be careful with MJ lol) What happens is like in a air pot the plant shoots out new roots from the stalk. If you do this alot it will be a huge round ball of roots the size of a basket ball. The plant wont grow anymore till the roots catch back up(about 3 days) but when they do its like a rocket. I know you will be to scerd to try it with all of them as I was too. One thing for sure is you will not need a mother as you can see I have to slow them down. My plants finish about 5 feet in a 5 gallon dwc system and I Have a hard time zipping the tent when im done.
 
phlopalopagus

phlopalopagus

Well-Known Member
If you want to keep some mothers cause you can or just want to cool just take cutting 30 days before you can load again as this is more then enough time.
 
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