Akisunni Indoor Cold & Hot Grow Zones

[akisunni]

This build is going to to use 2 Grow Spaces. 1st is designed to be a Hot grow zone. 2nd a Cold grow zone.


Grow Monitoring Tech: Each grow space will be outfitted with a RasPi NoIR linux based field server with Ethernet connection to a 5 megapixal grow cam with an Arduino based ambient temp/Humidity/soil PH/Soil Moisture level monitoring, streaming data to a remote server via private API for remote based monitoring.



This solution is working, including real time 25 frame NoIR video in 640*480 but is currently reporting info spread between both builds at the moment. I will be rolling out monitoring of both grow spaces in real time with in a week or so.

Grow Space 1:

Grow Size: 2'x2'x4' = 16 cubic feet
Grow Container: 2 x 15 Gallon containers with 50 holes between layers for water flow to bottom
Grow Medium: 8 Gallons of M.G. potting soil (Wont do it again, too late now)
Grow CO2 Boost: 1 Gal of H2O + 6 cups sugar + 2 cups raw cane + Yeast w/water bubbler
Grow CO2 Strategy: Container is half empty to capture falling CO2 and saturate lower foliage
Grow Lights: 2 x 60 watt Incandescent + 1 x CFL Natural Light
Grow Plant: Blue Maui Clone from dispensary


Under construction: 2nd Grow Space using cold based technology currently waiting on additional LEDs

Grow Space 2: Stand up Deep Freeze being converted to a cool LED based grow space.


Grow Size: 2'x2'x5' = 20 cubic feet
Grow Container: 2 x 15 Gallon containers with 50 holes between layers for water flow to bottom
Grow Medium: Soil to be purchased, Unknown at this point.
Grow CO2 Boost: 1 Gal of H2O + 6 cups sugar + 2 cups raw cane + Yeast w/water bubbler
Grow CO2 Strategy: Container is half empty to capture falling CO2 and saturate lower foliage
Grow Lights: 2 complete sets of each 2x150 = 300 LEDs in red shift, 2x150= 300 LEDs in Blue shift
Grow Plant(s): 2 clones 1x Blue Dream (?) from dispensary & 1 x Stinky pete(?) have currently been replanted into 8 inch medium term growth pots until their grow space is finished in 2-3 weeks.



The idea for grow space #2 is to have 300 cheap RBG LEDs focused on each of the 4 primary wave lengths plants use for their growth. The design uses 1,200 extremely cheap LEDs and a tired stand up deep freeze to build a cool temp grow space.

Each plant will have real time digital soil moisture monitoring with an auto watering based on targeted soil moisture results to be built. All parts to build it have been purchased but AC relay control mechanism.

At the point the deep freeze is ready, one of the two smaller clones will get a full sized 15 gallon build, while the other will move to a 5 gallon and stay in the same grow space until I start the flowering of the second build spot, at that point, I expect to build a third grow spot for it.

My end strategy is to have a new crop every 30 days, with possible regeneration of mature plants via regrowth of bud strategy generating a second crop from each full sized plant the next month.


Grow Strategy: I am using a CO2 boosted, 24x0 light strategy for the early growth period. I am trying to train the plant in the first "Hot" grow space to spread out and expand into the whole space. I am using an approach to maximize the individual plant size and growth by removing any competition for the lady.

Each plant will get its own complete grow space with full usage of the light, nutrients & CO2. Each grow spot will include full remote monitoring of ambient conditions such as temp/humidity plus soil moisture monitoring, and in time CO2 monitoring / boosting via tanks if needed.

 

[Equanimity]

High technology and weed. two of my favourite things. I'm in.
Is the grow cam infra red?

 

[akisunni]

Thank you, its a first build for me. If you don't count those two college era attempts at growing sticks...

The Raspberry Pi Linux board can have a standard or a NoIR (Near Blue IR) spectrum camera attached. So yes this version is a Near Blue IR native cam. The whiter the plant leave the happier the process, or so I believe. lol.

These are $15 clones from the dispensary, for learning how to grow... I expect I will make every mistake, some of them twice before I even get a crop landed. I have ordered a Metric asston of cheap LEDs to see how well a plant can grow if you blast it with RBG LEDs tuned to different wave length.

 

[akisunni]

Grow Space 1 now has real time monitoring of ambient conditions like Temp/Humidity plus Soil Moisture levels. Current conditions are around 90 degrees, with a humidity of 34% at the plant height in the grow space. The below is taken from a screen snap shot of my grow page.



Soil Moisture score is an analog score that goes from 0 to 1023 based on the amount of electricity between two probes. A score of 1023 is basically muddy water. The soil is dry around a reading of 300 or so. I will be trying to keep the plant in the range between 400 and 800 with it currently reading in the mid 900's.

The CO2 engine has been getting too cold at night, once I removed it from the grow space. I am currently working on a blanket to wrap around the engine so it generates CO2 in faster volumes.

This is still extremely raw looking, I will be tucking the wires out of sight and cleaning up the grow space in the coming days, however the electronics behind monitoring the grow space is now online and streaming data to the API.

 

[Garage Grower]

I'm gonna watch this - if nothing else, just to see how (or if) the hot box grows given your primary lighting is incandescent grow lights

Good luck

 

[akisunni]

Tonight's updated pictures. Both plants appear to have survived the repotting process from last week when I brought them home from the dispensary. These have been in the grow space for about 5 days on average now. They have a heavy diet of CO2, water, and 24/0 lighting.

The soil moisture readings are reporting that I have over watered the primary bed. It will be a week or more before its next water cycling.




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[akisunni]

Today's update. Starting to see issues with one of the plants.
Grow conditions are: Temps in 70-100 degrees, Humidity between 30-85% with mist added
PH: 6.5 with the potted plant, 6.1 in the large container. The 6.4 reading in the big container was from the potted plant, and the sensor had not cycled its last result yet.

I could use some advice on the yellow leaves, and thoughts about starting the flower stage soon.

 

[akisunni]

Quick update.

I have swapped out a 60 watt Incandescent for a Mongo 4 tube in one 105 watt CFL 5500 used in professional photography that I forget I had a pair of. Current lighting is now 1 x 23 watt 6500 CFL, 1 x 105 watt 5500 and 1 x 60 watt incandescent. I may swap out the 23 watt CFL for the spare 105 Watt CFL if the plants perk up some more from the extra lighting.

The yellow leaves issue appears to have been a lack of nutrients. I have given both plants a mix between some higher growth rate stuff with a 14-3-3 and some fish emulsions which is 5-1-1. Since I started them on nutrients they have perked up a bit, in fact out side of possibly heat burning one leaf, the plants haven't even shed any since to two yellow ones.. Here are two quick photos of them from the top Cameras.

Over all the plants are really healthy.

Current grow conditions are:
Temp: 80ish
Humidity: 30% when I am not actively adding mist
CO2: Boosted
Soil: 50% wet
PH: 6.5ish

 

[akisunni]

Made changes to the lights, time to update.

The grow space was supposed to be the hot zone, only I have actually been struggling to keep it Hot, since local ambent temps dropped out of the high 90's locally, the grow space has stayed in the 70's. I have changed out lights to increase lumens.

I added 10 meters of LED RBG and set them to Deepest Red auto setting and have placed them inside the grow space to help raise the temps. Night temps outside are in the 50's at night.

Lights:

24/0

2 x 105 watt 5500 CFL Studio Lights
1 X 80 watts Incandescent grow light.
1 X 75 watts RBG LED strip with 300 Red leds active in the 625 nm range

Total Lumens Estimated: 12,000




Nutrients:

1 X a week 14,8,4
2 X a week 5,1,1
1 X a week clean water

Currently training the plants

 

[akisunni]

Quick update #II

I found a 65 watt 2700 CFL in my garage tonight and used it to replace the last incandescent. We have retired the 800 lumens bulbs for 3900 and 5500 lumens CFL replacements.

Lighting Now

2 x 105 Watt 5500 CFL Studio Lights 5-6000 lumens each
1 X 65 Watt 2700 CFL Shop Light 3900 Lumens
1 X 75 watts X 300 LEDs in Deep Red mode about 1000 lumens

Total Lumens: 15,900

I wont be doing the cold area this build. I have started to move the LEDs from its build to the Hot build, to add heat and lumens in targeted light spectrum's.

Question to any one reading this. Would you switch out a 5500 lumen 5500 CFL for a 3900 lumen second 2700 CFL to increase the red shift during flowering? I have never flowered a plant, and dont know if the shift to red would require giving up more lumens in blue vs just cutting hours. Any comments welcomed.

 

[Garage Grower]

Question to any one reading this. Would you switch out a 5500 lumen 5500 CFL for a 3900 lumen second 2700 CFL to increase the red shift during flowering? I have never flowered a plant, and dont know if the shift to red would require giving up more lumens in blue vs just cutting hours. Any comments welcomed.

I would leave your current CFLs alone and just get an additional lamp socket (or a Y-splitter) and ADD the 2700 bulb

 

[akisunni]

Garage Grower,

I agree. Thank you for your comments. If anyone has any advice, please share. I am getting ready to flower for the first time, and I have zero knowledge in what I should be doing next, from a practical point of view.

I am going to build a second grow spot, started on it today. It appears the cold grow zone burned out, so now its just an air tight grow space.

1st to clarify, all watts below are in REAL watts. So a quoted 105 watt CFL is a 300 watt equiv or better. These are in 3900-6000 lumens each range.

I think I will rewire the current grow box this weekend, and give it 3+ real (100+ watts each) CFL Studio level lights in both Flower and Grow boxes. I am not sold on LEDs yet. Any suggestions on them? I will prob keep Grow active at all times, and just move one plant per cycle to Flower area. I have been shocked with how quickly the plants have grown with the new 2700 and 5500 lights. In fact. I will be upgrading the 2700 from 65 watt CFL to 105 to 120 watt CFL 2700 for veg mode.

Here are two pic's taken from built in cam views at top.

 

[akisunni]

Its been a month since I put the orginal 2 plants under the grow lights. I ended upgrading to 2 x 105 watt 5500 CFLs and 1 X 55 watt 2700 CFL. The second plant has been moved to a different location. The following photos is one plant (and a small basil plant in corner)

The plant is obviously pretty happy. I am going switching from 24/0 to 12/12 this weekend, with the first new day of light being Monday. This way it has a 36 hour dark shock, before a return of lights. I will move the LED red shift lights back into the space, and swap in another 3900 lumens of 2700 CFL to help augment the bud growth side.

For a first grow, I am pretty happy with how lush the plant in the pictures is after only 30 days of growlight and CO2 augmentation. The plant is now tied so each growth area has room to stretch. Is there anything I should be doing at the switch over to 12/12?

 

[Richard Richardson]

I would advise moving your smaller light towards the center and maybe hanging one of the big ones horizontal, if possible with a cheap reflector to maximize light coverage of the canopy.

 

[akisunni]

I would advise moving your smaller light towards the center and maybe hanging one of the big ones horizontal, if possible with a cheap reflector to maximize light coverage of the canopy.

Thanks, I will try to move 2 X 65 watt 2700 lamps there, added the red shift LEDs and try to get one of the 105 watt 5500's horizontal. I will need the space to allow the plants to stretch.

Looking forward to sharing some Bud Porn soon.

 

[akisunni]

When I started this grow, I purchased 3 clones about the same size, but of different strains from my local dispensary. Its been about 5 weeks now.

This update contains the first of my Bud Porn, a new event for this grower. In my prier two attempts in college I killed or stretched or abandoned the prier attempts. This is the first grow to make it to real bud.

1st Plant) Was planted in a 5 gal container and put outside to face what is left of the California Fall Sunlight.

2nd Plant) was replanted in a small 8 inch container but never repotted. It shared the indoor grow space until a week ago when it was moved outside.

3rd Plant) was replanted into a 15 gal container, has had max indoor love. Its turning into a bush currently.

The plant indoors is starting to get really bushy

 

[akisunni]

Plant 1 & 2 outside are both coming along slowly, Plant 3 the last girl indoors is getting bushy now.

Lights currently are

2 x 105 watt 5500, 1 x 65 watt 2700, 75 watt LED Red shift only lighting. I have on order 3x55 watt 2700, going to pull a 105 watt 5500, and plug in another 2700 there as the plant shifts. Currently a week or so into the new 12/12 schedule.

Setting up a new 24/0 grow space with 1x105 watt 5500 I am pulling out of here, plus 2 x 65 watt 2700 for it. I will also add a 1 x 65 watt 6500 for that grow space to round out its spectrum. I am going to put some new small clones from the dispensary in there. They should have time in there to be prepped for replacement into the current grow space when its empty.

Starting to think I want 4 grow spaces. 1 x 24/0, and 3 finish spaces with 1 plant in each one to max out the space. Harvest 1 - 2 plants per month, every month.

and some sideways ones

 

[akisunni]

24/0 grow space is finally working. Currently in test mode. Its holding about 75 degrees with 50% Humidity with 3 new clones off the Big Plant. Clones are on top shelf, out of direct CFL lighting, but with lots of indirect. This is my first attempt at cloning, so we will see if I figured out the whole cut, dip in dry powder, place in good clean water with a soaked moss environment for rooting.

Hopefully one of these takes, as I really want to keep a clone of the current big plant. Its just loves to grow. I want to keep alive its strain. If they don't, I may harvest the top 3rd of plant, and give it a ton of N and switch it back to 24/0 until I get a good clone off of it.

My wife doesn't smoke, but is considering starting up editable. We can get my card renewed while she gets hers. This would allow me to have a couple of Mom plants for clones. I like the idea of grafting a couple of fav strains onto a couple of Mom plants giving some redundancy to favorite plants flavors.

If anyone reads this, any one else running multi strains grafted to one Mom plant?

 

[akisunni]

I did a quick trim of the fan leaves that were blocking the top of the canopy area. This is to allow the new growth spots access to more of the lights above. This is the first time I have ever chopped leaves off the plant for any reason outside of cloning above. This plant grew so healthy, it basically never dropped any old leaves it just kept growing.

I still am waiting for the extra 3 x 65 (real)watt 2700 temp with 3,900 lumes per bulbs to arrive. There is one of them in the box currently.

This is the view from the Top Down. This image captures only about 60% of the plant.

Current lighting is: 2 x 105 watt 5500 lamps with about 6000 lumes each plus 1 x 65 watt 2700 with 3900 lumes. The plant is currently getting about 15-16,000 lumes. I would like to try and have that around 20,000 lumes for the primary flower growth stage.

 

[akisunni]

The new growth spots have started to grow their first small white hairs. Here are two pictures from the top view. One is from the door toward back of space. The other is back of space looking towards the door. Total grow space is 16 cubic feet, of which 4 ft are grow or floor space, and 4 ft has lights dangling at top. Its the middle 8 square feet where the plant is growing.

The plant is healthy and appears to be happy. I have started to take a high resolution picture every hour via one of the cameras. The goal is to combine them into a short movie of the buds growing at the rate of one 24 frames per second, it will be a 60 sec movie of them growing, unless I zap the dark frames and then it would be a pure 30 seconds of bud growth. I will prob do both.