Three types of hydro in a small tent on one airpump?

Keesje

Well-Known Member
At the same time I am really annoyed at the two "extra" clones I have. I took them out of the tent when I started the scrog - no room. I put them in 1/2 gal DIY cheapo hempy buckets filled with perlite, and then stuck them in my bathtub. I mostly ignore them other than an occasional feeding. The lighting is very week in there (maybe 50-60 watts) but it is on almost 24/7. Other than that, they are on their own.

The humbling, ego busting part of it is - they are doing great!!! They are growing a lot slower than their sisters in the tent, but the darn things look happy and healthy as the ones in the tent!

It is very discouraging to discover that the two plants growing under the worst conditions and in the cheapest possible "hydro" system, with the least amount of effort - are doing just about as well as the ones you spend hours and hours a day tending in an expensive, complicated hydro system.
That is why I now look for a simple, monkey proof system.
All the years of expanding my system with gadgets... just more things that can go wrong.
And also - as you stated above - the outcome is not much better.
 

Larry3215

Well-Known Member
The fun is in finding ways to get things more simple, less work, tweaking, exploring new territories.
And still have a great result.
Ok, I can agree with that, but I need my man toys, gadgets, and gizmos to play with or I get grumpy and bored :D
 

Cold$moke

Well-Known Member
That is why I now look for a simple, monkey proof system.
All the years of expanding my system with gadgets... just more things that can go wrong.
And also - as you stated above - the outcome is not much better.
I find my self doing the same :)
But the ends have to justify the means

As in i will quit rdwc for something simpler if it doesnt lose much in overall yeilds
Testing testing testing haha
 

Keesje

Well-Known Member
Coldsmoke,
I noticed that you also read KLX's topic.
Isn't it just amazing how simple a system can be?
In my head I was developing a system similar to his, and then one day I found his topic.
Eyeopener.
 

Cold$moke

Well-Known Member
Agreed, i like klx's set up

Im building my new setup now as im switching gears to running seeds to find breeding stock.

After the breeding is done they will be converted to run clones.

I love rdwc
But kiss is good and CHEAP plus no more constant humm from circ pumps ect ect
 

Larry3215

Well-Known Member
If you want that, then try Arduino.
Enough things to be busy for the rest of your life.
I love the hardware aspects of Arduino, and have done quite a bit with it in my RC flying hobby over the years, including some custom prgramming. But, it turns out I am not cut out to do programming - at least not very good programming. I am much more a hardware guy than a software guy it seems.
 

Larry3215

Well-Known Member
Agreed, i like klx's set up

Im building my new setup now as im switching gears to running seeds to find breeding stock.

After the breeding is done they will be converted to run clones.

I love rdwc
But kiss is good and CHEAP plus no more constant humm from circ pumps ect ect
So..... when are we going to get to see some pics of this new mystery system??????? Inquiring minds, etc etc :)

Also, I cant imagine anything simpler than hempy buckets filled with perlite and fed with Mega Crop and a dash of CalMag :)
 

Dreddd

Well-Known Member
klx setup is impressively simple and produces amazing results, probably the biggest plus with that system is the cleanup, so quick and easy, the only reason im even gonna give the meniscus membrane a shot is because of the claim that its a recirculating system with no change in PH or EC, sounds like magic but i wont know for sure until i try it..
 

Keesje

Well-Known Member
the only reason im even gonna give the meniscus membrane a shot is because of the claim that its a recirculating system with no change in PH or EC, sounds like magic but i wont know for sure until i try it..
I can already tell you now, without even trying the membrane system, that these claims are false.
Change in pH and EC have only for a small part to do with a system, but just as much with roots, water and lot's of other reasons.
 

Keesje

Well-Known Member
Is that in response to my comment about hempy buckets being the simplest system? If so, the klx thing is not even in the same ball park as far as being as simple as hempy buckets.
Have you seen the pics where he cleans up his system after a run?
No medium is always less work as a medium
 

Dreddd

Well-Known Member
I can already tell you now, without even trying the membrane system, that these claims are false.
Change in pH and EC have only for a small part to do with a system, but just as much with roots, water and lot's of other reasons.
Thats part of the reasoning as to why the PH/EC wont change, the membrane system supposedly keeps the roots from coming in direct contact with the bulk of the nutrient solution, the only contact with the solution they have is what they uptake via the wicking process of the system, while its a recirculating system, when it comes to contact with the solution it behaves more like a drain to waste drip system just without any waste..

as soon as i get some ripstop fabric i'll give this a go. :?
 

Larry3215

Well-Known Member
Have you seen the pics where he cleans up his system after a run?
No medium is always less work as a medium
Im not sure I agree with that. Clean up of a hempy bucket could be as easy as tossing the whole thing in the trash. At worst, you toss the medium and rinse the bucket, which would be equal to what klx does. The small expense of medium would be offset by the much cheaper setup costs.

Setup and operation are far easier, simpler and cheaper with a hempy - especially if you hand water.

I can already tell you now, without even trying the membrane system, that these claims are false.
Change in pH and EC have only for a small part to do with a system, but just as much with roots, water and lot's of other reasons.
There isnt a lot of data out there, but the few reports I have found, from dedicated hydro people, all agree - it works as advertised. :)

I cant test that in my system because all three totes run off the same rez.
 

Larry3215

Well-Known Member
Another minor up-date - no big changes and zero problems.

The Membrane plant continues to have the most roots and the largest buds. The E/F plant is still in last place as far as bud size, but its catching up. The NFT plant is still in second place.

All three look to be roughly the same over all size and all have great color.

The scrog screen is starting to fill up nicely, but its been a bit of a challenge working with these babies. Turns out its harder to fill a screen with fewer plants at the start. Plus, they are growing much faster and with much longer branches than my last, mostly indica, grow.

The E/F is on the far left, NFT in the center, Membrane on the right side. Some of the branches from the the Membrane plant on the right side stretch almost to the center of the E/F plant and vice versa. The NFT in the center has branches going to the far right and left. The smaller/shorter branches are starting to work their way up to the screen now too. Other than some trimming, Im going to just let them stretch for a few days and see how it goes.

0522180115.jpg 0521180954a.jpg 0521180955.jpg 0521180955a.jpg
 

Larry3215

Well-Known Member
Well crap. I jinxed myself by saying I had zero problems!!

My EC/PH meter took a dump this morning and I had to mail it off for warranty repair today. Its likely to be at least a 1 week turn around, so no meter for the next week at least. I can test PH with drops and get close enough I think. Im not that worried about the EC. I finally got it to a good point I think, so all I should need to do is add more at the mix ratio Im using now - I hope. The system went 5 days with no problem, so I think I will be ok.

The second problem is that the roots have managed to get through the silk screen Im using to protect the drain line in the NFT tote. I need to peal back the fabric for a better look later, bit I dont think they are growing through the silk screen. I think they have found a break/opening somewhere along the line where I sealed it to the tote sides/bottom.
 
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