New grower wanting feedback/advice on current setup <3

Not a big deal, but a carbon filter is more effective when pulling air through rather than pushing air out. The carbon filter will also last longer since the pre-filter is useless as configured in the pic.
The prefilter is lining the inside of the carbon filter, instead of being on the outside in this arrangement. Do you think that is a useless implementation of it?
 

Billy the Mountain

Well-Known Member
The prefilter is lining the inside of the carbon filter, instead of being on the outside in this arrangement. Do you think that is a useless implementation of it?
I'd be concerned that adding prefilter material to the inside would just further restrict airflow, but have never tried it myself.
The filter will work either way, it's just that there's MUCH more surface area on the outside of the 'donut' vs. the inside.
 

livinthadream

Well-Known Member
So my setup has seen an upgrade and I wanted to share and get any feedback from you guys to see if it all looks ok. I have piped in the carbon filter and inline fan from the top so there is only one bend. There isn't a lower hole to keep open but i have opened one of the flaps on the side with the mesh so presumably there will be a good airflow across the majority of the tent. Ambient tempature in the grow room is around 72 so hoping this works ok?

At the top of the tent I have a small fan on one side, I will get another for the opposite side and position it lower. The tent is now 2x4x5. So a little more room on the height and plenty of room for two girls to grow comfortable side by side!

As for the Spider Farmer SF2000, so many confilicting thoughts on intensity and height. For now I have it at 70cm height and intensity just under 60 percent. Most reference I find is it run it at 70-75% intensity at seedling stage but that seems quite high as my PPFD is close to 350 at the top of the plants with the intensity/height I have it set at.

Feedback welcome. Thanks for your support guys. For the love of buds <3

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Looks good...not sure if you have a fan inside for air circulation but definitely need one of those...if not two. I agree with the other guys about the carbon filter...you could just mount the filter inside and have the fan out...also ideally you want to vent your air into a different room or even outside...but if you really can't it will work

As far as the light goes I wouldn't go above 40 until you go into flower...I also keep my light high during veg, you really need to just watch your plants and see how they are responding
Gotta remember to try to keep your plants in check to don't let them get to big/tall the tent will fill up faster then you think
Posted some pics of my 2x4
I vent mine thru my 3x3
 

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I'd be concerned that adding prefilter material to the inside would just further restrict airflow, but have never tried it myself.
The filter will work either way, it's just that there's MUCH more surface area on the outside of the 'donut' vs. the inside.
The tent is staying warmer a lot more now also, less need for heating the room to keep the tent within optimal growth temperature range and im in north germany, so the ambient temperature is not exactly warm, I am just wondering why its noticeable hotter in the bigger tent, would it be because the pipe is now piped in from the top, or to do with the change of light from a cheap Fecida 100w to the Spider Farmer SF2000.

Im just trying to ascertain if the air flow and the setup' through the top is working efficiently because the tent staying hotter could also be a sign of poorer airflow. Im not so technically minded to figure out practical things, my mind is weird like that.
 
Looks good...not sure if you have a fan inside for air circulation but definitely need one of those...if not two. I agree with the other guys about the carbon filter...you could just mount the filter inside and have the fan out...also ideally you want to vent your air into a different room or even outside...but if you really can't it will work

As far as the light goes I wouldn't go above 40 until you go into flower...I also keep my light high during veg, you really need to just watch your plants and see how they are responding
Gotta remember to try to keep your plants in check to don't let them get to big/tall the tent will fill up faster then you think
Posted some pics of my 2x4
I vent mine thru my 3x3
I have a fan clipped at the top of the tent a small four inch desk fan, it cant oscillate so it blows in one stream towards the plants, I thought it may cool the SF2000 light as well. I have another fan being delivered to blow lower to plant level on the other side, it is just a cheap USB chargeable one, but thinking it should do the job considering there is air flow through and a fan at the top already
 
Was just wondering how far off you guys think I am until I start with the Nutes? Biobizz Biogrow to be precise. Would perhaps push a quarter dose to start with and raise gently over time, does that make sense?

The ladies are standing proudly nine days old.
 

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livinthadream

Well-Known Member
Was just wondering how far off you guys think I am until I start with the Nutes? Biobizz Biogrow to be precise. Would perhaps push a quarter dose to start with and raise gently over time, does that make sense?

The ladies are standing proudly nine days old.
Looks like you could start a light feeding yes
 
Looks like you could start a light feeding yes
I shall start on the next feed then and see how they respond. Also, in my water for four days I have been putting some of the water which black lentils were soaked in, I read it promoted root growth as a natural root stimulator, the ppm is about 650 of the water ive been using - that being said I think they look healthy, and i also readwater should be up to 200 or 250 for seedlings, so just wondering if I should be using it or not or whether it shouldnt be a consideration?
 

joesoap2013

Well-Known Member
To early for the biobizz I'd say man just give the pots a good plain watering let the soil feed do all the work for them
I used at grow as well its good stuff but wouldn't give them it when they are that size
 
To early for the biobizz I'd say man just give the pots a good plain watering let the soil feed do all the work for them
I used at grow as well its good stuff but wouldn't give them it when they are that size
Arghhh I gave them a small 1/8th dose today but was only planning on giving every second feed, will see in the next days how that went. Hope they are ok with it. Probably now I'm guessing would be the absolute earliest to feed a little. I started today also just very gently wiggling the main stem, idea being that maybe next week or the week after they will be a little more flexible and ready when I do a little LST with a pipeclesner or two.
 
Much water ya giving them when your feeding them ?
I have been going gentle previous like 75-100ml, but today i gave about 200ml for the first time, there was a little but of run off after but not much. Probably would wait till the day after tomorrow to give more water but judging it like when the top inch of the soil is pretty dry I will feed. Does that sound ok to you?
 
The girls are coming on nicely. 16 days old today since sprouting. If anything they look like they could be a bit short. Maybe 10/11 centimetres. I gave a trace of nutes the water before last but nothing substantial. I think tomorrow if the soils are dry enough I will give 1/4 dose (relative to product recommendation for photos) of the Biobizz Grow. I made some calcium which could be given from roasting eggshells and then leaving them in vineger and straining them. I dont really know if it is worth to add it or if it can do more harm than good, and theres probably no way to know how much calcium is in the solution i created. Has anyone any thoughts on this? or would offer any advice on a nute schedule moving forward (with Biobizz try pack) and also how much approximately water these size plants will drink.
 

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Fishmon

Well-Known Member
Hi all, I’m new to growing and just started my first grow despite being a casual user for over two decades! very exciting but it is not without trepidation! I have been reading about growing online but often there is widely differing information so I am here for help and to engage with the community <3

LIGHTING: I have assembled and have setup at home a budget grow as I am a light user and couldn’t afford to spare a fortune on the kit but that being said after reading snippets around the internet I am considering upgrading the full spectrum LED light as I am not sure how good the one I have in my setup is going to be for flower, It is a Fecida 100w Full Spectrum LED Grow light

Amazon reference link: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/FECiDA-Dimmable-Spectrum-Growing-Function/dp/B08G7Y1STZ?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1

When I look at the specs and the heat map for my Fecida light, it is comparable to two seemingly well regarded LED lights for small grows, the Mars Hydro TS1000 and Spider Farmer SF1000. (If I am understanding the details correctly)

Also the ViparSpectra 150w XS1500 seems like a great light. Maybe that extra power will really help the yield at the end of the grow and I should just spend more now up front as I do plan on doing perhaps 3 grows per year.

What I am wondering is should I upgrade now before the plants get too big to a different light or has anyone had a positive experience with such a light? Maybe I could stick with it and see what happens and post the results here?

TENT AND STRAIN: As I have limited room and I am a light user of this beautiful plant. My thought was to get a small tent and grow two autoflowering indicas at a time (strains that grow max 90cms high.) For that purpose I have a 2x2 tent (60x60cms). The height is only 120cms but I fitted a Vevor inline duct fan and vivosun carbon filter outside the tent and piped it in, so I have the whole height inside to put my light up to ceiling level if possible when required later in the cycle.

Both plants I have started growing are Blueberry Auto and are currently five days old as seen in the pics.

EQUIPMENT AND SOIL: I am using 11 litre cloth pots and inside I have used Biobizz Light Mix in both. Plus in one pot I have added half a packet of a Zamnesia Fertiliser called Monster Bud Mix https://www.zamnesia.com/6114-monster-bud-mix.html

I also have the Biobizz try pack for the other pot and potentially for both pots. Inside is Bio Grow, Bio Bloom and Top Max. I plan to start slow maybe give 1/4 or 1/2 measures and increase from there. Maybe I won’t add these to the pot with the Amnesia Monster Buds Mix Fertilizer as I would be wary of Nutrient burn. That being said I understand the BioBizz Light soil I am using doesn’t have much in it, so maybe adding some of the three BioBizz bottles would be worth it.

My Fecida LED light is about 36cm above the seedlings running at somewhere between 40 and 50 percent intensity. Getting PPFD reading of around 250-300 at plant level.

TEMP/HUMIDITY CONDITIONS: I am keeping at the moment the temperature between 71F (21c) + 78F (25c) and I have a small humidifier running most of the time which usually stays around 80%RH. I have a small desk fan at the top blowing down to give a little air movement on the seedlings.

WATERING: I am PH balancing my water with a drop or two of white vinegar as it is alkaline about 7.4 - The vinegar takes it down and I settle for about PH 6.0.
I am watering the soil around them every few days, and I have also been misting the plants leaves three times a day. I soaked some black lentils and use the water for watering since a few days as I read that it can be beneficial to grow strong roots.


Any thoughts or comments regarding my newbie situation would be super appreciated. It is both an exciting and hugely connective experience for me nurturing these plants and growing with them. And I hope anyone reading this will share in my excitement at the beginning of one of many journeys with these gorgeous girls!

James
Not much headroom to work with. As mentioned by others, blowing into the filter will work. Until it doesn't. Especially using tap water in a mist humidifier. Minerals will come out of solution as water evaporates and will clog the carbon granules. Like feeding talcum powder into it. I ruined 2 filters this way. Worked great until tent temps began creeping up then suddenly went out of sight as airflow dwindled to near zero. All in a matter of a few days. If mounting inside isn't an option, another option would be to eliminate the filter from the equation entirely until the stank requires it later in flower. By then, adding humidity would be greatly reduced or totally unnecessary. This would help to extend the longevity of the filter if your current configuration is non-negotiable. A sturdy cardboard box can make a mount for the fan by cutting out the correct diameter to accept the fan flange and a few louvers to allow air to freely pass out. Then just set the fan into it until the stench requires the box to be changed out for the filter. This would greatly increase the lifespan of the filter. Then whenever the day comes for a tent upgrade, go for more height and have the headroom to draw air through the pre-filter sock and filter the air before fan.
 
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Not much headroom to work with. As mentioned by others, blowing into the filter will work. Until it doesn't. Especially using tap water in a mist humidifier. Minerals will come out of solution as water evaporates and will clog the carbon granules. Like feeding talcum powder into it. I ruined 2 filters this way. If mounting inside isn't an option, another option would be to disconnect it until the stank requires it later in flower. By then, adding humidity would be greatly reduced or totally unnecessary. A sturdy cardboard box can make a mount for the fan by cutting out the correct diameter to accept the fan flange and a few louvers to allow air to freely pass out. Then just set the fan into it until the stench requires the box to be changed out for the filter. Then whenever the day comes for a tent upgrade, go for more height and have the headroom to draw air through the pre-filter sock and filter the air before fan.
Great advice thanks. I actually upgraded to a 2x4x5 tent and got rid of the other one! I realised it was just too tiny to really even nurture a small grow. that being said the fan is still on the outside as i wanted to keep the full height to allow for light flexibility. The humidifier was only for seedling stage now i am using a dehumidifier and it hovers around the 65RH mark. Hopefully I haven't done too much damage to the filter or carbon given that I only did it for a few weeks (i have the prefilter also lining the inside of the carbon filter). With my new light the SF2000 the tent stays at around 74F without the need for additional heating, im happy with my setup now it seems to work as far as I can tell being a beginner. That being said when flowering happens and the smell comes, im not sure how effective the filter will be from the outside. I guess I should just wait and see. If it really would be much better inside I am happy to adjust the setup. accordingly. Pics below of the external filter and the new tent set up.
 

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Fishmon

Well-Known Member
Here's my latest ghetto set up. 2x4x5. Needed another tent fast and cheap and this one fit the bill nicely. Sporting a 6" filter inside and fan outside. 6" is overkill but already had it so that's what she got. This would afford adequate headroom for an auto imo or a photo as long as they are trained to minimize height. Another space saver is to get creative with the light hanging hardware to shorten it. For some reason light manufacturers tend to send hanging cables that are 3 or 4 times longer than necessary. It's possible to gain an extra foot or so of headroom for lighting this way. I've used coat hangars bent into a shallow A shape to keep things centered up to and including crimping my own cables. If any light manufacturers are lurking, shorten yer friggin hanging hardware.
 

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Your setup looks great, thanks for sharing. I could mimic your set up if it is more efficient. I have seen the inljne fan connected on the inside also beside the filter, is there a reason you put it outside, because it is six inch perhaps? Do you think it is worth me changing everything now or should I give it a go for this grow and adjust between grows if for some reason my current setup is inadequate when I get to flower?

Here's my latest ghetto set up. 2x4x5. Needed another tent fast and cheap and this one fit the bill nicely. Sporting a 6" filter inside and fan outside. 6" is overkill but already had it so that's what she got. This would afford adequate headroom for an auto imo or a photo as long as they are trained to minimize height. Another space saver is to get creative with the light hanging hardware to shorten it. For some reason light manufacturers tend to send hanging cables that are 3 or 4 times longer than necessary. It's possible to gain an extra foot or so of headroom for lighting this way. I've used coat hangars bent into a shallow A shape to keep things centered up to and including crimping my own cables. If any light manufacturers are lurking, shorten yer friggin hanging hardware.
 

Fishmon

Well-Known Member
Your setup looks great, thanks for sharing. I could mimic your set up if it is more efficient. I have seen the inljne fan connected on the inside also beside the filter, is there a reason you put it outside, because it is six inch perhaps? Do you think it is worth me changing everything now or should I give it a go for this grow and adjust between grows if for some reason my current setup is inadequate when I get to flower?
Just less work than installing inside and a little less overhead clutter. The 180 turn in the duct certainly adds restriction but not a problem. Your set-up will work fine the way it is, although more prone to reduced filter life over time. There are many ways to skin a cat.The main objective is stressing the overall benefit of sucking air through it and the sock vs pushing the air through it, that is as long as headroom allows. I've had to pull and wash the sock in my 4x4 twice in about the last 6-8 months due to diminishing airflow and increasing temps.
 
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