Cannibal
New Member
High All!
New (well, mostly) grower here. I've grown in soil before with good results, but bad luck (Florida 2004 hurricane season was a bugger!). This is my first attempt with a hydro system and I must say, I'm very excited. I am the caregiver for my girlfriend here in Colorado.
We purchased 3 clones from a local dispensary. Two of our girls are the well known AK47 strain (65% Sativa/35% Indica) and the other one is a Mango strain of unknown percentages. The Mango clone came in dirt, so her name is "Dirty Girl"; she's on the far right in the video below. The other two will be named after showing their own personality.
We are using a top-drip hydro system with a recycling reservoir. The reservoir is a 20 gal. tub that we have spray painted (outside) flat black. Inside the reservoir are two 5" airstones and a 140gph submersible pump. The pump feeds a 1/2" irrigation hose, from which 1/4" spaghetti drip lines feed the pots (2 lines per pot). The pots are Bato Buckets (Dutch Buckets) that sit above the reservoir on a PVC (Schedule 40) stand. They are black and measure 10x12x9. The back of the Bato Buckets drain into the back PVC rail and the solution then drains back into the reservoir.
I'm using a medium of coco coir, perlite, and expanded clay. The expanded clay covers the top couple of inches to prevent the feeding cycle from disturbing the coco coir and perlite, as well as to provide support for my young ladies. The coco coir and perlite mixture is approximately 60/40.
For light, we are using only a 400w HPS with a XtraSun reflector. This first grow will use the HPS for veg as well as flower. The next grow, we will be using a florescent set-up for the veg stage, but funds are limited and I felt the HPS was the best 'first investment'. I've been told that it will work fine. Guess we'll find out. It is running 24/7 currently and is about 2' above the girls.
The grow room is 12x8x8 with flat white painted walls. It is in the basement with a small window. The window should make setting up a ventilation system a breeze. There is also immediate access to the house's plumbing right around the corner. I'll be installing a faucet in the grow room because I'm already tired of lugging 5 gal buckets of water up and down the stairs. With the light on, the temp around the plants hovers between 70-75F. Lights off is closer to 60F. Is this a good range, or should I put a radiant heat space heater in the room? There is no central heat in this room, but the door is left open at all times. Of course, this is Colorado so when somebody says the word "humidity", people go in search of a dictionary. We don't have humidity here. The grow room hovers right around 30%. I've got a small humidifier that I will be putting in the room tonight, which will be the end of the girls' first 24 hours at their new home.
Tap water is a bit high on the ph scale (around 7.5 or 8). I am sooooo getting a digital ph meter. Trying to match colors is just a PITA for someone with a red/green deficiency in their color vision; that would be me. When I mixed the nute solution and adjusted the ph, I'm pretty sure I nailed it on the first try with the addition of the acid; my ph tester was a nice yellow with just a hint of green tint.
The submersible pump is on a mechanical timer set to run for 15 minutes, 3 times a day. Is that enough? I know the coco coir holds moisture very well, so I'm not that concerned. Just wanted to verify.
We are currently using Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Grow. Since last night was the first night in the system and I'm sure they're stressed from the whole thing, I'm using it at half strength. Is this a good thing? When should I move up to full strength?
I tried taking some pictures last night, but the HPS seems to cause havoc with the lens. I shot some video which is slightly better, but the horizontal black lines are still there and it caused the picture to be very jumpy. Any suggestions? I want to share the beauty with everyone, but seem to be having problems.
Any and ALL advice is very, very welcome. I've got a brown thumb, there is just no doubt about it. I'm hoping that since I'm not dealing with dirt (it's brown you know) I'll be a better gardener. Only time will tell the tale I suppose, but I've sure been doing a bunch of reading this time around. Before, I just stuck plants in the dirt, watered them, and hoped for the best. I was very dismayed to discover that my nutrient solution was an ugly brown color, but I refuse to allow my brown thumb access to my psyche.
Thanks in advance for the assist!
Cannibal
New (well, mostly) grower here. I've grown in soil before with good results, but bad luck (Florida 2004 hurricane season was a bugger!). This is my first attempt with a hydro system and I must say, I'm very excited. I am the caregiver for my girlfriend here in Colorado.
We purchased 3 clones from a local dispensary. Two of our girls are the well known AK47 strain (65% Sativa/35% Indica) and the other one is a Mango strain of unknown percentages. The Mango clone came in dirt, so her name is "Dirty Girl"; she's on the far right in the video below. The other two will be named after showing their own personality.
We are using a top-drip hydro system with a recycling reservoir. The reservoir is a 20 gal. tub that we have spray painted (outside) flat black. Inside the reservoir are two 5" airstones and a 140gph submersible pump. The pump feeds a 1/2" irrigation hose, from which 1/4" spaghetti drip lines feed the pots (2 lines per pot). The pots are Bato Buckets (Dutch Buckets) that sit above the reservoir on a PVC (Schedule 40) stand. They are black and measure 10x12x9. The back of the Bato Buckets drain into the back PVC rail and the solution then drains back into the reservoir.
I'm using a medium of coco coir, perlite, and expanded clay. The expanded clay covers the top couple of inches to prevent the feeding cycle from disturbing the coco coir and perlite, as well as to provide support for my young ladies. The coco coir and perlite mixture is approximately 60/40.
For light, we are using only a 400w HPS with a XtraSun reflector. This first grow will use the HPS for veg as well as flower. The next grow, we will be using a florescent set-up for the veg stage, but funds are limited and I felt the HPS was the best 'first investment'. I've been told that it will work fine. Guess we'll find out. It is running 24/7 currently and is about 2' above the girls.
The grow room is 12x8x8 with flat white painted walls. It is in the basement with a small window. The window should make setting up a ventilation system a breeze. There is also immediate access to the house's plumbing right around the corner. I'll be installing a faucet in the grow room because I'm already tired of lugging 5 gal buckets of water up and down the stairs. With the light on, the temp around the plants hovers between 70-75F. Lights off is closer to 60F. Is this a good range, or should I put a radiant heat space heater in the room? There is no central heat in this room, but the door is left open at all times. Of course, this is Colorado so when somebody says the word "humidity", people go in search of a dictionary. We don't have humidity here. The grow room hovers right around 30%. I've got a small humidifier that I will be putting in the room tonight, which will be the end of the girls' first 24 hours at their new home.
Tap water is a bit high on the ph scale (around 7.5 or 8). I am sooooo getting a digital ph meter. Trying to match colors is just a PITA for someone with a red/green deficiency in their color vision; that would be me. When I mixed the nute solution and adjusted the ph, I'm pretty sure I nailed it on the first try with the addition of the acid; my ph tester was a nice yellow with just a hint of green tint.
The submersible pump is on a mechanical timer set to run for 15 minutes, 3 times a day. Is that enough? I know the coco coir holds moisture very well, so I'm not that concerned. Just wanted to verify.
We are currently using Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Grow. Since last night was the first night in the system and I'm sure they're stressed from the whole thing, I'm using it at half strength. Is this a good thing? When should I move up to full strength?
I tried taking some pictures last night, but the HPS seems to cause havoc with the lens. I shot some video which is slightly better, but the horizontal black lines are still there and it caused the picture to be very jumpy. Any suggestions? I want to share the beauty with everyone, but seem to be having problems.
Any and ALL advice is very, very welcome. I've got a brown thumb, there is just no doubt about it. I'm hoping that since I'm not dealing with dirt (it's brown you know) I'll be a better gardener. Only time will tell the tale I suppose, but I've sure been doing a bunch of reading this time around. Before, I just stuck plants in the dirt, watered them, and hoped for the best. I was very dismayed to discover that my nutrient solution was an ugly brown color, but I refuse to allow my brown thumb access to my psyche.
Thanks in advance for the assist!
Cannibal
Cannibal, Ton of great details, Videos and Heavy Metal music. It is a party going on here. Great start to a exciting grow Buddy! 
