awesome thanks! I just got back from the stores, and have everything i need to fix my setup, I'm even going to have a separate reservoir to make for easier maintenance and changing. I Bought Basket Pots, to allow the roots to spread but I plan on putting them on a few inches apart, but I dont think that I will be transplanting them again so should I be worried about roots tangling if transplanting will not be an issue? The only issue I can think of is when I sex them, and remove the males, I may have a problem.......... I'm going to give it a shot anyway, more tips are always obliged. Thanks I will post pics of my new setup asap

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alright... so we have a little bit of an issue with the light situation...

first 3 to 4 foot plants is way to big for 150w lights... if you are planning on growing that big you might as well get a 600w light or 1000w light, expand the set up a little, and have more plants... if you want a couple 18'', maybe 24" plants, that you will train a little, then 150w is ok... so that is something you will have to decide...

with hydro root space isnt such an issue.. since they are flooded when fed the plant wont ever have to worry about nutes or water.. so you can have a smaller pot size and still get larger plants.. but i would recommend at least a 2 gallon pot... 3 gallons is about as big as you need to go....

now... i guess im a little confused on what sort of hydro set up you are going with... or at least what you mean by "I see people using pots and placing them in the tray table, as apposed to just plopping in hydroton and putting them in there.".. i ate a couple special treats i made yesterday and today.. so im a little off.. so i'm prolly just reading more into it than i should.. but if you could explain what you mean by that or word it differently for me i am sure i can give you an answer...

regardless of how you do it you want to make sure that all, or almost all of the nute solution is drained either back into the reservoir or wherever you drain to waste...

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Thanks for posting. I had a few of the same questions for my grow as well

Hmm... I see. Ok well I'm still in the process of getting my new setup going. Im putting a lid over the baskets to keep the root area dark (almost like an aero ponics setup, but with much more hydroton, some also in the tray. I understand how it can be confusing... Give me a little while until I finish setting up, Ill post some pictures to show you what I mean, if there are any issues after that, Ill deal with them accordingly! I am also thinking that another light is going to be necessary. I'm a bit worried about my electric bill, but I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem... right?

For that matter, I purchased this stuff on a debit or credit card at a hydro store, I'm not the paranoid type, but should I be concerned hah?

anyway, Ill post pics as soon as I have them. This lid is a pain in the ass to cut with a saw.

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Advice is welcome

i've been thinking about possible answers or meanings to your question about leaving pots in the thing...

anyways.. i have two answers so far.. so here they are.. the first thing i think you are talking about are big flood trays/tables.. in which large (5"x5" or even 6"x6" http://www.wormsway.com/detail.aspx?...sku=PB375&AC=1 ) rock wool cubes is usually used as a medium.... nute solutions flood the trays and then drain.. either back into a reservoir or drain to waste... these are good for clone setups since rockwool cubes dont offer a ton of root space... but can support a straight to flower 12/12 clone very easily...

these tables can also utilize a drip system as well..

either work great... both take adjusting for watering schedules... both can have similar concerns tho...

again rockwool can lower ph.. and takes a while to level out.. you can soak these cubes in ph'd water for 24 hours to help avoid this... but if that cant happen you may need to adjust the ph a few times over the first few days to a week...

having exposed area to light can promote algae growth... using a chemical nute with a little hydrogen peroxide in it will not only kill all bacteria and fungus but will also add some oxygen to the water.... a good ventilation system will help also....


the other system i have come up with is an aeroponics system in which the plants are suspend and grow in the "air" or a dwc system where the roots are grown in highly oxygenated water... either of these can be done it tiny 3" net pots...

in an aero system the roots are suspended in air and are sprayed with a nutrient solution.. either constantly or on a timed schedule such as 1 min on 4 min off..

in a dwc system roots are suspended in a nutrient solution that is highly oxygenated via an airstone or air pump...

both take almost no medium.. and look like there can be no medium at all depending how pics are taken... but i could still be wrong.. and probably am.. but figured i'd give it a shot..

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try to pay with cash... the less of a trail the better.. make the stop at an atm if you need too..

and you can get another light if you want.. but again, if you are going to do it you might as well go for a 600w hps with a digital ballast... its the most ecomonical way and will maximize your lighting and the way your money is invested...

i run 2500w's 24/0 for veg and it only adds about 25 to 30 on my elec bill... its not a lot of light at all and nothing to be worried about.. especially if you run an 18/6 for veg..

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Hey Simpson, Thanks for the posts! You were pretty much dead on with the DWC system... I guess. I thought I was still doing Ebb and Flow, but I know nothing. I built this entire setup today and just finished, I snapped some photos to go along. Take a look and let me know what you think. Im hoping the reflectors will maximize my 150W HPS for now. I suppose they dont need to be too big, I'm just looking for a successful first grow. In any case, I have a seperate resevoir now so it will be a little easier for maintanence, and PH measurments. Its an 8 Gallon res... I switched to GH 3 Step system. I put 7tsp in for 8 gallons of water of each of the three nutes. Thats what the guy at the store told me to do any how. Oh and plus root Stimpulator. The plants had a tough day today getting transplanted and all... They are looking a little droopy, hopefully they will rebound. Im planning on covering the bottom half of the table with black ducktape as to keep light out and allow the roots to expand. Also I am planning to flood about 4 inches into the tray for 15 min once a day (when the lights come one). This should touch most of the rockwool cubes if not 1/2 way up, than at least 1/4 way. Does this sound reasonable? Perhaps two times a day as the plants get larger, but I imagine that leaving the lid on the tray is going to keep it very very moist in there. Hopefully I am on the right track, I put a ton of work into this new setup, let me know what you think? Thanks man.

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My First Grow:
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Advice is welcome

awesome thread dude...answered man Q's i had aswell...i would appreciate some "plumbing" pics of ur tank... pics of where ur inlets/outlets are etc...

also what timings are u using on ur flood? i ask because i want to go ebb n' flow and i've read everything from twice daily to 15mins every 4 hrs, etc...

keep up the great updates man...peace

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Alrighty... So I woke up this morning, and there are two plants that are severely drooped , actually one of them is my biggest and best . I imagine it is the cause of root damage in transplant... A few of the plants were already rooted pretty well in the old box, prior to transplanting, so when I moved them I dont think it worked very well for them... the other plants look the same as they did last night. The only thing is... I read somewhere that if the veins in the plants are raised like in pic 4 of my last post, it means they are trying to get rid of moisture, so they are being over watered. Is that true or do they look this way becuase they are brand new leaves? In any case, I'm upset that two of them are not doing well at all, (if not already dying) but I'm happy that the rest of them are looking ok. Some leaves are pointing down, does that mean that i am over nuting? Like I said I switched to the GH 3 Part system, so there is a lot of measuring going on, but I have precised measuring shot glasses with tsp on them, and my measurements were exact!...

Oh,EXploit, I will try to post some photos of the pluming parts, but I used a hose from my pump into at netted fitting that keeps it from plashing everywhere, it fills the box about 4 Inches for 15 min ONCE a day (for now... I may switch to twice a day after I study how the plants are reacting to the new system.) The overflow valve is actually a laudry hose I bought at walmart that has a rubber end to it so it helps seal the hole up. Then I took some Loctite Epoxy underwater cement/glue and worked it in real good around the cracks... there are still TINY TINY leaks but I can deal with it for now. Oh an my air pump goes right into a check valve, then splits to two hoses where there are two 12 inch, bubble stones at the bottom of my res. Any other questions just ask, I check the thread pretty often, so I will be glad to help.

Sooo... this day is off to a pretty shity start, two of my babies are dying and I'm not sure if my new system works well... I guess its a wait and see. If anyone has any advice just let me know!

Dapps420

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My First Grow:
http://www.rollitup.org/hydroponics-...ow-system.html
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Im not sure but I may have a problem with my flooding amount... It doesnt seem like the Rockwool is getting thouroughly soaked when the water comes around... What level of moisture should I be looking for in the rockwool? My take floods to about 1/4 up the RW, but I'm not sure if thats enough, I can't flood anymore cuz its a ten gallon res and I'm already up to ten gallons. So my only other option is to lower the rockwool into the net pots so it can get deeper into the tray to get more water... Any suggestions?

__________________
My First Grow:
http://www.rollitup.org/hydroponics-...ow-system.html
Advice is welcome