Bout to Blow Up the Basement
- Thread starter HottyToddy
- Start date
legallyflying
Well-Known Member
I think he meant AC hoods
They do get rid heat but they are also a pain in the ass with all the ducting and fans and access to change the bulbs.
They are also IMPOSSIBLE to deal without taping them shut. So if you run co2 it's just pulling it out of the room
I'll try to post a picture later. Going camping
I mentioned the cage from the ceiling as that way you can duck under the screen, stand in the middle of it and train all the plants. (And burn your back on the bulb. Lol).
They do get rid heat but they are also a pain in the ass with all the ducting and fans and access to change the bulbs.
They are also IMPOSSIBLE to deal without taping them shut. So if you run co2 it's just pulling it out of the room
I'll try to post a picture later. Going camping
I mentioned the cage from the ceiling as that way you can duck under the screen, stand in the middle of it and train all the plants. (And burn your back on the bulb. Lol).
Red1966
Well-Known Member
I just assumed that you taped up hoods as a matter of routine, tho my blockbuster six seems leak free. My other hoods leaked like all hell. I don't think I can fit my fat ass into a 16" space without burning myself all to hell. I'll just pull the plants back from the outside or do it after the lights have cooled down. Enjoy your camping adventure. Taking the family with you?I think he meant AC hoods
They do get rid heat but they are also a pain in the ass with all the ducting and fans and access to change the bulbs.
They are also IMPOSSIBLE to deal without taping them shut. So if you run co2 it's just pulling it out of the room
I'll try to post a picture later. Going camping
I mentioned the cage from the ceiling as that way you can duck under the screen, stand in the middle of it and train all the plants. (And burn your back on the bulb. Lol).
Last edited:
HottyToddy
Active Member
Ok, so I've been in Spain for 10 days attending my best friends wedding so I'm just now getting back to work. Thanks for all of the input, first of all. A couple of quick responses:
@legallyflying :
Thanks for all the great info. To clarify, this is my first CGE setup, not my first ever setup. I've been a soil gardener for almost 6 years. I should've made it more clear about my experience. Second, I'll be running a RDWC system. The term "Bubble Buckets" (BB) was in appropriately used in the intro post. My understanding is that BB's are stand alone dwc buckets, not recirculating with a reservoir. I can't thank you enough for all the great pointers. I love your advice "to read", as I do this everyday & will never stop learning.
Thanks again!
legallyflying
Well-Known Member
My block busters are like that, I almost want to turn the fan on before opening the first one. What is kind of fun (I have two rows of 6 of them). Is to unscrew all the covers and then turn the fan off..then they go bang bang bang bang and all open 
.
HTD. If I had to give one word of advice to a new RDWC grower it would be RUN BENEFICIALS!!
Also, you would do well to head over to thcfarmer.com and check out their RDWC section. They have some VERY VERY knowledgable people over there who are absolutely killing it (and they also lack the flocks of newbs offering up bad advice).
My other bit of advice would be to get the plants nice and strain before putting them in the DWC. I have plunked clones in there but weaker plants are just allot more susceptible to issues. Now I veg in one gallon pots full of 80% perlite and 20% coco and transfer them into 8" net pots and hit the gas.
Let me know how it goes. RDWC will absolutely blow your mind coming from soil. The plants grow sooo fucking fast, it's crazy shit!
Oh yeah..lastly..your going to want a top off tank of some kind with a hose and float valve in your RDWC Rez. The plants will absorb an dizzying amount of water per day once they get bigger. Like 2-3 gallons a day and nobody wants to be chained to their grow room.
. HTD. If I had to give one word of advice to a new RDWC grower it would be RUN BENEFICIALS!!
Also, you would do well to head over to thcfarmer.com and check out their RDWC section. They have some VERY VERY knowledgable people over there who are absolutely killing it (and they also lack the flocks of newbs offering up bad advice).
My other bit of advice would be to get the plants nice and strain before putting them in the DWC. I have plunked clones in there but weaker plants are just allot more susceptible to issues. Now I veg in one gallon pots full of 80% perlite and 20% coco and transfer them into 8" net pots and hit the gas.
Let me know how it goes. RDWC will absolutely blow your mind coming from soil. The plants grow sooo fucking fast, it's crazy shit!
Oh yeah..lastly..your going to want a top off tank of some kind with a hose and float valve in your RDWC Rez. The plants will absorb an dizzying amount of water per day once they get bigger. Like 2-3 gallons a day and nobody wants to be chained to their grow room.
HottyToddy
Active Member
My block busters are like that, I almost want to turn the fan on before opening the first one. What is kind of fun (I have two rows of 6 of them). Is to unscrew all the covers and then turn the fan off..then they go bang bang bang bang and all open
HTD. If I had to give one word of advice to a new RDWC grower it would be RUN BENEFICIALS!!
Also, you would do well to head over to thcfarmer.com and check out their RDWC section. They have some VERY VERY knowledgable people over there who are absolutely killing it (and they also lack the flocks of newbs offering up bad advice).
My other bit of advice would be to get the plants nice and strain before putting them in the DWC. I have plunked clones in there but weaker plants are just allot more susceptible to issues. Now I veg in one gallon pots full of 80% perlite and 20% coco and transfer them into 8" net pots and hit the gas.
Let me know how it goes. RDWC will absolutely blow your mind coming from soil. The plants grow sooo fucking fast, it's crazy shit!
Oh yeah..lastly..your going to want a top off tank of some kind with a hose and float valve in your RDWC Rez. The plants will absorb an dizzying amount of water per day once they get bigger. Like 2-3 gallons a day and nobody wants to be chained to their grow room.
Thanks for all the great tips & pointers @legallyflying
I'm super excited about this RDWC project. I'm using H&G Aquaflakes 2-part line with most of their additives. When you mentioned "run bennies", are you referring to their drip clean, amino, multi-zen, or roots excelurator?
Or, do I need to get something in addition to these additives. I've read you have to add bennies to RDWC & was under the impression H&G full line was all I needed, in addition to Cal/Mag since I'll be using RO water.
Thanks!
HottyToddy
Active Member
Samples from House & Garden are in. They hooked up Aqua A & B & all the additives, except "Magic Green." No worries, though! I was going to use a different Foliar anyway this run. I've heard there are better foliars out there so any suggestions is appreciated. H & G were really timely & all I had to do was fill out a card & pay for shipping.
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
Lots of good advice here, mixed with some that's a bit out of date.
First, magnetic ballasts may not be the ultimate in efficiency, but they make up for it in reliability and versatility. Whoever said you can't hang one on the wall was incorrect.
And there's more; it turns out that the 860W CDM lamps that put out such an amazing quality of spectrum (CRI =92!) ONLY run on old school magnetic thouies- set for MH bulbs, of all things. So much for 'magnetics are ready for the scrap heap.'
About them CDM lamps, gets all ya need to know;
http://advancedtechlighting.com/cdmea860.htm
Look at that spectrum graph and tell me that's not a revolution in HID lighting!
On to RDWC; I use it, I love it. Yes, it needs to be chilled, but the same chiller can also chill the rest of your op- and do it for less money than a minisplit ever thought possible. Your minisplit saves on up front cost FOR AC ONLY; don't forget to add more to buy a dehuey and yet more to buy a water chiller- when instead just setting up a bigger one in the first place is much more efficient.
In MY engineering book, efficiency can be used two ways; either use fewer resources for the same results... or get more results from the same resources. I've found that water cooling lets the grower step on the gas in their op a lot more than AC does.
Vertical growing means hood manufacturers are looking over their shoulders. Don't buy them, vertical is stunningly better. If you want to run 2x600W, do it this way; get five foot fencing and install two sections, each 6'3" long, and connect them end to end. This will give you a cylinder five feet tall and four feet in diameter, which is much better for that wattage than just 15" radius.
I use dry nutrient salts for results as good or better than anything from a water bottle. STUPID CHEAP too, especially when compared to H&G, lol
Snaps knows his shit. So do most of these guys. I only contradict their advice when my own experience runs strongly counter to theirs.
Agreed on bennies- aka beneficial bacteria, etc- in your RDWC. Crown feed and foliar spray with it, too. This is not a substitute for chilling your RDWC water to 66f.
Low EC is a good thing. Keep pH in the mid fives for veg; it should only see 6.0 it higher after week 6 of bloom.
I wasn't impressed with The Head Case Farm; I WAS one of their original RDWC/vertical growers- and they threw me out because they got jealous! -and I wouldn't buy their seeds.
First, magnetic ballasts may not be the ultimate in efficiency, but they make up for it in reliability and versatility. Whoever said you can't hang one on the wall was incorrect.
And there's more; it turns out that the 860W CDM lamps that put out such an amazing quality of spectrum (CRI =92!) ONLY run on old school magnetic thouies- set for MH bulbs, of all things. So much for 'magnetics are ready for the scrap heap.'
About them CDM lamps, gets all ya need to know;
http://advancedtechlighting.com/cdmea860.htm
Look at that spectrum graph and tell me that's not a revolution in HID lighting!
On to RDWC; I use it, I love it. Yes, it needs to be chilled, but the same chiller can also chill the rest of your op- and do it for less money than a minisplit ever thought possible. Your minisplit saves on up front cost FOR AC ONLY; don't forget to add more to buy a dehuey and yet more to buy a water chiller- when instead just setting up a bigger one in the first place is much more efficient.
In MY engineering book, efficiency can be used two ways; either use fewer resources for the same results... or get more results from the same resources. I've found that water cooling lets the grower step on the gas in their op a lot more than AC does.
Vertical growing means hood manufacturers are looking over their shoulders. Don't buy them, vertical is stunningly better. If you want to run 2x600W, do it this way; get five foot fencing and install two sections, each 6'3" long, and connect them end to end. This will give you a cylinder five feet tall and four feet in diameter, which is much better for that wattage than just 15" radius.
I use dry nutrient salts for results as good or better than anything from a water bottle. STUPID CHEAP too, especially when compared to H&G, lol
Snaps knows his shit. So do most of these guys. I only contradict their advice when my own experience runs strongly counter to theirs.
Agreed on bennies- aka beneficial bacteria, etc- in your RDWC. Crown feed and foliar spray with it, too. This is not a substitute for chilling your RDWC water to 66f.
Low EC is a good thing. Keep pH in the mid fives for veg; it should only see 6.0 it higher after week 6 of bloom.
I wasn't impressed with The Head Case Farm; I WAS one of their original RDWC/vertical growers- and they threw me out because they got jealous! -and I wouldn't buy their seeds.
Red1966
Well-Known Member
Wouldn't a 4' diameter cage be too large? In horizontal, I run 600w at 16" from the canopy. I'm setting up a 2 X 600w vertical grow right now. The lights are in a 48" long x 6" dia. cooltube. My tent is only 54" wide, so a 48" diameter cage would only leave 3" of space between the cage and the side of the tent.
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
That's the tips of the buds, right? The rest of the plant is much further away. That space between 16" and 24" I'd where you want as much of the plant as possible, that whole zone is going to provide ideal lighting.
Red1966
Well-Known Member
It's 15"R right now, but can be expanded or contracted easily. That gives me 15" to 27" (two long sides of tent) or 12" wide space for the plants, at the two long sides of the tent, there is more room at the short sides.
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
Nice! The adjustability gives you all the necessary options. From here, just let the plants tell you what they want.
legallyflying
Well-Known Member
Sooo. Did the basement get blown up? Or did someone just run out of weed and decide it was time to go back to work at McDonald's ?
doubletake
Well-Known Member
Nice man that all makes perfect sense holy shit about the magnum xxl I wanted them so bad but I'll stick to my block busters