shawnery
Well-Known Member
I've never introduced myself but lurked for quite a while. My name is Shawnery and I live in the Ca Bay Area. Been growing for maybe a year with 2 grows under my belt. Both grows had been bottom of the barrel rdwc systems with only 1/2" tubing. Got .85g per watt on my second grow of Gelato 33 and 41.
On to the question!
I've built a new system made out of eight 13 gallon HDX totes, 2" pvc, 1" return, 1000gph water pump, 2 60lph air pump, 4" air stones on each bucket, 6 spout fountain waterfall in epi center and a 1/4hp water chiller. Lights are Samsung f564b strip lights @ 3500k @ 1650w for bloom but only 250w for veg.
This go I wanted to try running a live bacteria system and brewed up some Bu's Biodynamic compost tea. After 48 I added 1 gallon for every 15 gallons. Today the the plants look healthy and perky and the water is colored but clear.
One thing I've read is the difficulty in getting beneficial bacteria to colonize in a hydroponic set up. What i did to combat this was make mini bio ball canisters that float in the epi underneath the fountain of water. I built them from 3" net cups with bio balls covered with a neoprene collar. Because of the collar they float at the surface.
I'm also wondering if I'm able to get the bacteria to colonize the bio balls would I then not have to keep adding compost tea weekly but feed the bacteria that is present with molasses or the like?
On to the question!
I've built a new system made out of eight 13 gallon HDX totes, 2" pvc, 1" return, 1000gph water pump, 2 60lph air pump, 4" air stones on each bucket, 6 spout fountain waterfall in epi center and a 1/4hp water chiller. Lights are Samsung f564b strip lights @ 3500k @ 1650w for bloom but only 250w for veg.
This go I wanted to try running a live bacteria system and brewed up some Bu's Biodynamic compost tea. After 48 I added 1 gallon for every 15 gallons. Today the the plants look healthy and perky and the water is colored but clear.
One thing I've read is the difficulty in getting beneficial bacteria to colonize in a hydroponic set up. What i did to combat this was make mini bio ball canisters that float in the epi underneath the fountain of water. I built them from 3" net cups with bio balls covered with a neoprene collar. Because of the collar they float at the surface.
I'm also wondering if I'm able to get the bacteria to colonize the bio balls would I then not have to keep adding compost tea weekly but feed the bacteria that is present with molasses or the like?
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