DIY Closet DWC Grow - First grow ever - Page 3

jigfresh · #21 01-29-2009, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tronica

Good luck with this grow. I almost went with a DWC scrog in 42g res for my new setup so I'll be watching this.

Thanks bro.

Today was exciting, disappointing, and a bit overwhelming. I got my big delivery. Included was: Air pump, air stones, hydroton, 4" to 6" venting, MH conversion lamp, HPS son agro lamp, lamp socket, heavy duty timer, 6" net pots, DM advance nutes grow a+b, flower a+b, and GH ph up & down. The receipt says $435.16 incl tax and shipping.

My fan, fan controller, and ballast are on backorder, and were actually shipped just today. Delivery should be Feb 4.

So, I'm a dumb ass for a couple reasons. For one my air pump said it had a 1/4" id (which it does), it also came with a four way splitter. Now, if we all stop to think about things here we could deduce measurements for the splitter. If the pump has a 1/4" entrance do we imagine the 4 exits to be the same size OR smaller than the inlet. Smaller makes sense, why would you split a flow 4 ways, hoping to maintain a good flow, and keep the diameters the same. You wouldn't. So the exits are smaller than 1/4", but (due to lack of foresight) my setup has 4 - 1/4" hoses, and 4 - 1/4" air stones. I'm not really sure what to do now. Get new smaller hose and stones, get an additional pump and get 2 way splitters, split the pump I have 4 ways. I don't know. What really sucks about the whole thing is this: I was originally going to get the larger air pump available from the site I ordered mine from. However, I wanted to have the 1/4" id stuff and the pump had a 3/8" id. And I bet the splitter that came with that would have worked perfectly for me, and I would have had more air.

I don't feel that stupid about the air pump. It's not the dumbest thing you can do. Dumbest thing you can do describes my next mistake. I actually made it a couple weeks ago, but realized today. When I was drilling the holes on the side of my reservoir, I wanted them as high as possible. But when I was about to drill I decided I would drill them below the level of the handles on the side of the rubbermaid. This was with the idea of wrapping the tubes around and having it look 'clean'. STUPID.

I cut a hole in the top of my rubbermaid, laid a net pot in and, you guess it, the holes were below the level of the bottom of the net pot.

So, I have to get a new rubbermaid and drill some new holes. Tape it up again. However it is not a total loss. I was thinking I would need an extra rubbermaid, just like mine, for when I change the water and clean things, I can replace the working one with the extra, just as a holder or table. You know what I mean?

Next steps are to make a new rez, figure out what to do with the pump situation, work on building the reflectors, cut holes in my closet door/ roof.

Oh, in case you wondered I ordered my stuff from http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/

I also included a picture of two of our cats. The white is a girl and black a boy. They are boyfriend and girlfriend. It's cute, they cuddle and bathe each other all the time.

jigfresh · #22 01-29-2009, 09:29 PM

Today I was spending more time reading about scrog's. I have read a few times that the idea is to train your plant to have a cola per square of screen.

I got 233 - 2" x 2" holes to fill.

This is going to be fun.

threepete23 · #23 01-30-2009, 01:11 AM

Hey there, I am in a similar situation as you. Same size closet for growing, same size lights, same DWC method, 6 sites in the lid.

I understand the screen in the tub, making sure the roots dont get tangled. but why do you not want them tangled?

jigfresh · #24 01-30-2009, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by threepete23

Hey there, I am in a similar situation as you. Same size closet for growing, same size lights, same DWC method, 6 sites in the lid.

I understand the screen in the tub, making sure the roots dont get tangled. but why do you not want them tangled?

This being my very first grow, I'm not sure. But I can tell you I've read about people complaining their roots were tangled and how sometimes they have had to separate them at much danger to the health of the plant.

My guess is that if everything goes perfectly with a grow tangled roots might not cause a problem. Imagine (god forbid) one of your 6 dies. Now you have to remove it meaning you eiter trim the roots away of it's healthy neighbors, or you leave dead roots tangled with healthy ones. Not to mention having dead material in your resivoir.

I could also imagine (god forbid) the lid of the rubbermaid getting messed up somehow (like craking under weight, or getting a hole burned through???, i don't know) any how, there would be no way of getting the lid off the other plants and then getting them into a new lid without cutting the roots.

Those are my guess'. Try asking the dwc forum. I bet you would get an actual answer.

Power to the DWCers.

threepete23 · #25 01-30-2009, 12:39 PM

That makes complete sense, I think im going to place those dividers in on my next resi change.

This is my first grow too!

jigfresh · #26 02-01-2009, 02:50 AM

I'm up watching the aussie open final. I'm not a tennis fan, but I am a sports fan and Federer v Nadal is classic. People say their last match was the best tennis match ever.

I've been working on my setup. Pics below. I cut the 6 holes in the top. I traced the bottom of a net pot, cut that out, then slowly cut the hole bigger, checking each time with the net pot. When I got it the size I wanted and pretty round, I traced it on a paper. I cut that out and used it to draw the circles for the other 5. I used a drill to make the little holes, then used a jigsaw to cut the big holes.

One cool thing is that there was a junction box in the closet. I had an extra gfci outlet around so I installed it. I'm going to attach the power strip to the wall. Just in case there is ever a spill I'm going to keep all power cords off the floor.

I've also been working on my light. I found glass from a cabinet that was in my house when we moved in. We got rid of it the first week we were here, but I decided to keep the doors for something. I'm glad I did. I'll upgrade my glass for next grow.

I cut the sheet metal down to size drilled little holes for the wire to go through. I strung 2 wires across to hold the glass. I also cut out the sides, but haven't fit the ducting to them yet. I made duct connectors by cutting out long rectangles of sheet metal and curling it around to make it round, then rivet.

I poured the hydroton in the pots to make sure I had enough, I was a little worried, but I have more than enough. I don't know if I needed too, but I rinsed it until the water was clear.

I also put my thermometer and ph/ppm meter on the wall. I'm going to calibrate it closer to when I get my RO filter. I'm going to make a little cover/ shade for the meters, so they don't bake under the light (before the plants hog it all).

About the cost estimate, I'm going with $1500 now. If it get's to $2000 I'm going to be seriously bummed.

My grow room is starting to look like a grow room.

Hulk Nugs · #27 02-01-2009, 02:58 PM

looking good man, im on for the ride make room for me

are you just going to have a flower/veg room or are they seperate rooms ? keep the pics comming

jigfresh · #28 02-01-2009, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hulk Nugs

looking good man, im on for the ride make room for me

are you just going to have a flower/veg room or are they seperate rooms ? keep the pics comming

I got a front row spot just for you.

Because of money, I'm going to veg and flower in the same spot. I have a conversion MH bulb, and an HPS for now. After my first harvest I'm planning on getting a MH light and another DWC setup, fans... for mothers and clones. I'm hoping to put all that in the top half of the closet.

I'm going to see how this grow goes. Depending on how high I have to raise the light, that's where I can put the platform/ divider for the veg space.

Also, I am going to set up a cabinet or something somewhere else in the house to germinate seeds.

I've also been working the past couple days. My light is almost done. I had to run to ace to get some bolts and stuff. It is so nice to get everything you need and only pay $3.50. I used a strong tie to attach the socket to the light, and hang the whole thing with. I used a hacksaw to cut the slot in the metal to push the tie through. I drilled some holes in the tie and reflector. There are two bolts holding the tie to the reflector, then two eyelet bolts going through the tie and reflector for the chain to attach to. I also drilled a couple holes for the socket wires to go through. I used the metal tape to make sure there were zero air leaks.

I think that's it.

Hulk Nugs · #29 02-01-2009, 08:39 PM

very nice man ........... i was going to go get a cooltube or somthing like that ......at first i wanted to do what you did and just install my own glass in what i have but i was like aww fuk it just got buy the cooltube....but now i see yours i just gotta do it ......it will save me a shit load of money i can do somthing ealse with ........looking good man keep it up..........oh yea shit your in bigbear lucky fuk wish i lived up in the mountians im down in oc you got the mountians i got the beach

jigfresh · #30 02-02-2009, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hulk Nugs

very nice man ........... i was going to go get a cooltube or somthing like that ......at first i wanted to do what you did and just install my own glass in what i have but i was like aww fuk it just got buy the cooltube....but now i see yours i just gotta do it ......it will save me a shit load of money i can do somthing ealse with ........looking good man keep it up..........oh yea shit your in bigbear lucky fuk wish i lived up in the mountians im down in oc you got the mountians i got the beach

dude, go for it. Make your own light. Just make sure it's good

If you need any advise or anything let me know. Nothing helps you learn what to do and not do like trying. I've not worked with sheet metal too much, but it's sorta like fabric, just a lot more stiff. Plus drilling and riveting is slower than a sewing machine. I bet industrial companies have 'sewing machine' riveters. That would be a bad ass machine. Have you ever seen that show on discovery called "How it's made". Good shit, makes you think you can make anything with some work and a lot of tools.

Anyhow, I get my fan for the light on Friday, so that is when I can tell you how effective the air cooling aspect works.

The mountains are great. Lots of animals and trees. Plus I live in a house I'm paying mortgage on (not possible in oc/ la). However, things You can feel good about are: not having to wake up an hour early to remove ice from the 30 steps that lead down to the car for the wife. Unfreezing water pipes for 30 mins. when it's 20 outside and really windy. Waking up at 7am for 3 weeks as the forestry dept thinned out the forest (im spoiled I don't have to get up early). And I know there are parts of oc that aren't the best, but I bet my neighborhood is much more white trash than anything you got. It really sucks living so close to so many rednecks. I'm not trying to say I'm all that and shit, but I don't get in drag out fights in the middle of the street, I don't pass out drunk in my driveway, don't sell drugs out of the house, don't steal firewood....

Mountains nice. Great even sometimes, but not all they are cracked up to be.

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