BC Northern Lights The Producer

[tommy2koolt2k]

Hello I am new to the site and just had a couple of questions about hydroponic systems. I heard that BC Northern Lights was the best System that was out there. I was wondering if anyone thought this system was the way to go. How stealth is this system does it smell at all can the lights be seen. How much electricity does the system take up is my power bill going to be huge. How much does the system cost and how big is the system. Could it fit in a regular doorway or is it huge. Also how much more money would i have to put into it is there alot of extra things i need to buy. I would have to buy. I am sorry for all the question but I am new to this and just wondering. Thank you Tommy

 

[Ms.Fox]

The producer is anything but stealth. It's way louder than what bc says. If you have the carbon filter it will help the smell out. The system itself doesn't use too much electricity. I had the bloombox and my bf had the producer. We both had them running at the same time and saw an increase of about $40-$50 per month. Yes, it will fit into a regular doorway. If you buy directly from bc, they provide everything you need. I bought mine used and had to put some money into it, but well worth it since I spent only $1000 all together instead of $3500 which is about what they are new.

 

[T-BON]

Hi Tommy I saw your post and thought I would share some info with you. The BC products are good I have used for many years. There is a company in California that makes simaliar products with better quality and lighting with a much nicer price tag. They are fully automated grow boxes with options like digital PH calibration and monitoring, set it and forget technology. If your intrested in checking them out let me know and I will get all the info. Good luck

 

[KushMann]

Hey, just wondering what box you went with. I'm in the process of buying the BCNL Bloombox and wondering if it's really wroth it. Any info will help. Thanks!!

 

[numnah]

i would like to know what company you are talking about: )

 

[Foghorn]

I have a bloombox, and I love it! Ya you can get something that does a similar job for less money. But if I lived by that motto I'd be driving a geo metro. That's not my style. The biggest thing I can see ppl being diapoointed in is the noise. Because there is some. Most if it can be eliminated by replacing the stock air pump with a quite running aquarium pump. Mine actually pushes more air now and the pump is whisper quite. This will cut total noise by half approximately. The fans, and bubbles makes some noise, but not much. It's mostly the air pump. The water pumps only come on a few minutes a day.

If space and ease of use are a concern, this a good buy. You have to have some money, so sorry all you metro drivers that can't afford to step up. But don't hate on the guy in a Mercedes and say he's a fool for not roiling a sub compact like you. Or like most ppl talking about how they COULD build their own, not even be going anywhere. Just sitting at the bus stop.

All that said, much respect to the DIY cab guys. Iv seen some really cool boxes on this site. But I'd still rather just stroke a check and wait for it to show up at my door with a years worth of supply's.

 

[Cybud]

I own a bloombox and grow clones. If I had to do it again I'd choose the producer as you don't need the veg side of the BB if you're going to grow clones. Plus it gives you more room for more girls. The whole noise issue is overblown, just replace the air pump with a quietier aquarium pump. My only issue is the height challenge. You have to be very selective about what you grow and you need to top your plants to train them to bush out. I raised mine by 10" by making a 2x10 box frame for it to sit on, makes it much easier to get access to your garden.....me being an old bugger with a bad back. I've been running mine non stop for 1.5 years and I'm still on the same Carbon filter supplied with it and I have one more that came with it. No smell at all. It's not perfect, but it's very easy to use. I get 3-5ozs a cycle.

 

[Silverweb]

Hello I am new to the site and just had a couple of questions about hydroponic systems. I heard that BC Northern Lights was the best System that was out there. I was wondering if anyone thought this system was the way to go. How stealth is this system does it smell at all can the lights be seen. How much electricity does the system take up is my power bill going to be huge. How much does the system cost and how big is the system. Could it fit in a regular doorway or is it huge. Also how much more money would i have to put into it is there alot of extra things i need to buy. I would have to buy. I am sorry for all the question but I am new to this and just wondering. Thank you Tommy

Hello tommy,

I am new to the forum as well , but have been using the producer for three years. Firstly it does grow very good pot. But stealth?
It is the size of a large restaurant display case but will fit through a regular door. Anybody who sees it is sure to ask what it is! It comes with a carbon filter but in full flower does not do the job. Anyone familiar with the smell will recognize it so mine is kept in my grow room, out of sight. The extra power is about $50/month at my rates.

It comes ready to grow if you buy the package from BC northern lights.
The Producer V3.0 Hydroponic Grow Box
Just add seeds and water.
Keep in mind your max height is about 3 1/2 feet. so seed selection is critical.
Oh, one more thing . It is almost light proof, but a slight glow can be seen in a darkened room, from the back.
hope this helps
Cheers!

 

[mlburns69]

Hi Tommy I saw your post and thought I would share some info with you. The BC products are good I have used for many years. There is a company in California that makes simaliar products with better quality and lighting with a much nicer price tag. They are fully automated grow boxes with options like digital PH calibration and monitoring, set it and forget technology. If your intrested in checking them out let me know and I will get all the info. Good luck

I saw you old post and was curious about the CA company thanks for the info
mlburns69

 

[mlburns69]

please tell me more about the CA company

 

[Onkruid]

Sure, this an old thread, but being a lover of the Producer I just couldn't walk by without leaving a few favorable comments.

I've been growing in a BCNL Producer for several years and have yet to experience a problem or failure. The lightest harvest was 15oz which occurred before it's environment was totally dialed in, which is ESSENTIAL with these units. Now the average is 1.2 elbows/cycle with minimal fussing.

Here's a link to a well conceived Producer grow setup: BCNL PRODUCER JOURNAL

There are references in that journal with respect to temperature and environment which are well worth the time to read if you're using or considering a Producer.

For whatever reason(s), there are those that insist that the Producer runs too hot, which is simply not true.
Imagine that your Producer, or any grow box for that matter is just a small grow room. With that in mind, would you not provide appropriate ventilation for your grow room? Of course you would... It's absolutely essential. Why then would you not approach a grow box similarly? You wouldn't. Plan the ventilation into your growing scheme as you would anywhere. It's a small expense that will pay enormous dividends.

Proper intake and exhaust planning should be calculated and provided for by the time you receive your machine. THEN, and only THEN, is it plug and play. Get that in your head and the machine will more than live up to it's name.

Small growing tips:

Use Mychorhizial fungi along with beneficial bacteria in your res. They WILL make your life easier and your product better.

Maintain your res temp. Upper 60°'s to lower 70°'s. Keep the air temp 75° to 85°... Toward the higher end if using C02. In achieving or striving to achieve these temps you will more practically appreciate the need for appropriate ventilation as referred to above. If you've successfully planned for and executed a proper ventilation configuration you're ahead of the game.

Place a circulation fan in the cabinet. I installed a 6" fan in the upper left. It also disperses the CO2 more effectively as that's where it's output is located.

Give your plants a break. Rather than go from week to week with the scheduled res changes, give your plants a breather by running 1-2 days of plain pH'ed water before your weekly res change. The plants love it and clearly show their appreciation in renewed vigor upon the resumption of nutrients.

Select your strains wisely. I grow sativas, indicas, and hybrids in the box. When I know I'm going to be dealing with a taller, more vertically assertive strain, I top or FIM early. First week of veg with a well established (rooted) plant is fine.

At day 21, I remove all lower growth except for the top 4 nodes. This might appear harsh and unnatural to a newer grower when in fact it WILL provide you with larger, denser, and more uniform bud in the end. It will also simplify your harvest and drastically improve lower ventilation, thereby significantly reducing the chances of acquiring an insect or pathogenic obstacle.

Although I start with aeroponically cultivated clones with a minimum of 6" roots and tend to go 12/12 after only one week of veg, you should NEVER BE HESITANT to flip the switch early. It's far better to have shorter, fuller plants than tall unruly ones that WILL challenge you to keep them from hitting the roof.
Each strain and phenotype vary and there is no way to predict if a plant will grow too tall. There is no substitute for experience here. With each passing grow you will realize what works best for you. In the meantime, do yourself a large favor and choose to grow up rather than down. Meaning it's better to plan a shorter plant than to deal with a too-tall one... In a cabinet.

For my money, time, and needs, the Producer has been utterly perfect. In fact, it has been so prolific that I haven't even been tempted to grow in any other of the many wonderful ways possible.
-Onkruid

 

[kdubz329]

For my money, time, and needs, the Producer has been utterly perfect. In fact, it has been so prolific that I haven't even been tempted to grow in any other of the many wonderful ways possible.
-Onkruid

Hi! I am new to the site and looking for someone to answer some questions I have about my bloombox. If you have time, can you please message me? Thank you!

 

[Onkruid]

Hi kdubz329, Glad to help any way I can. What's going on?

 

[MitchellB]

Hi kdubz329, Glad to help any way I can. What's going on?

Hi Guys,

I'm new to the forum and I have to admit I joined for this thread. Onkruid, you seem to be the author of the most recent post on here and I could use some advice. I have a bloom box and it is LOUD. It's the air pump obviously, and I've noticed a few posters have said that they swapped their pumps out. Wondering if anyone can recommend a pump that will be just as powerful (if not more), but waaayyy quieter and also fit the footprint so i don't have to add more holes?

 

[Onkruid]

Hello and welcome MitchellB!

Apologies for the late reply.

Yeah, those pumps can be a little loud. What may be a quick-fix is already at hand for you though. I've found that when my pump tends to purr a bit much, that removing the access panel and adjusting the tightness of the mounting screws of the pump itself can quiet things down considerably. As the pump is mounted with 4 bolts/nuts using a small length of silicone tubing for vibration damping, simply adjusting the tension upon them by turning the screws in or out will address the issue to varying degrees. The result may or may not be to your preference depending upon your need for quiet.

In my case the sound hasn't been so great as to be a major problem. For others I realize this may not be so. In those instances it may actually be necessary to look at alternative air supply sources. I may be able to save you a little time here as I've looked into this fairly extensively in the event I may have needed to address the issue further. What I found to be the simplest and most cost effective solution are "Air Force Pro Linear Pumps". You can find them easily with a simple search. Although a tad pricey, their volume, sound level, reliability, and reputation make them an excellent choice. While I cannot attest to mounting one within the same or similar existing footprint, they do meet all other desired criteria. Further, I'm sure the manufacturer or a distributer will find you you being furnished with a mounting template upon request.

In the event the pump may not fit within the cabinet confines, it would require very little toil to run one externally and still benefit from their well-reputed low sound levels. In addition, if you're from the school that believes the stock pumps are underpowered, you could easily overcome that with an Air Force pump of greater volume.

For me the little tweaks worked and the fix cost nothing. I wish the same for you.

Please do follow up with your findings so we can all learn from your experience.

Best to you.


ps. I absolutely love and admire that quote of yours.

 

[MitchellB]

Onkruid, thanks so much for getting back to me! I took your advice and tinkered with the screws and nuts a little but it didn't seem to do much. I was going to ask your opinion on if you thought it was just the aluminum itself and the echoing that comes with putting anything that vibrates in a chamber. Therefore; no matter how quiet the pump, the vibration in an echo chamber is the ultimate culprit?

Ultimately, the noise day to day is of little concern to me. But I'm thinking down the road; family dinners where a relative may find their way to the basement and ask about the humming coming from behind my locked "office". I did ponder the idea of buying an additional pump, mounting it to the wall near the unit and installing it alongside the stock Eco pump with some sort of a Y and a manifold. That way if I needed it to hush for a few hours I could just bypass the Eco and use the alternate.

The other idea was to flip the clock; although it doesn't alleviate my pump concerns, it does seem like a positive in regards to my visitor concerns as it shuts off the light fans which seem to make up some of the noise. But being 2 weeks into 12 and 12 I'm not so sure what would be the best time of day to do it.

Onkruid thanks so much for getting back to me and I eagerly await your opinion on the exterior mounting of an alternate pump!

PS; In your opinion; with a Bloombox, (24L flower res/ 11L veg tub) what is the minimum size air pump I can get away with to effectively run the system?

 

[MitchellB]

It's the pump.

 

[Onkruid]

Thank you kindly MitchellB.

Really good points you bring up. I like your thinking on the noise source/cause, as I also believe the enclosed space (as there would be in any cabinet) does somewhat amplify internal noise if only by resonance. In any case, it can increase the level while also amplifying the vibration. On vibration, I believe BCNL could have looked at mounting the pump perhaps a bit differently with the use of a thin mat of high density foam as an underlayment. This wouldn't negatively impact cooling but should further reduce both vibration and sound level. I say should as I haven't tried it myself, but with what I think is a decent modicum of experience in the the area of sound abatement... It should appreciably reduce unwanted noise. If using an isolation mat, proper use of wider flat washers would be necessary for appropriate fitment. In addition if you should try this, it's worth noting that further isolative advantage could be gained by adding UV resistant rubber or high density foam washers beneath the mounting surface. Just be certain to use nylon inserted lock-nuts as normal ones WILL back out due to vibration.

Your thinking on the external pump seems sound to me, although the use of a "Y" junction would cause undesirable backflow to the primary pump. Therein, I'd think a check valve or independent run of air line would suffice.

Offsetting the clock as you mentioned is an excellent stop-gap measure that would go a long way toward allaying your "daytime" concerns. As for the volume of air needed for your res size, I think the one that's in there is more than adequate as the same pump serves my Producers' 9 galllon/34 liter res just fine. If anything, your system has nice overkill in this area.

One item we hadn't looked at yet is pump health. The "O2 Commercial Air Pump" in our units are diaphragmatic and can, although not too normally, require maintenance in the form of diaphragm replacement. The parts are widely available and inexpensive.

In the event of that components demise or failure you would experience somewhat of a "knocking" or harsh sound emanating directly from the pump body. Might even feel it a bit too. While I'm not suggesting failure it is afoot, it can be ruled out by addressing it's mounting or even better by comparison to a known-good one if you have that luxury. On that... Having a back up would not only serve as a comparison... It would also cover you on a rainy day should you ever experience a pump failure.

As for the minimum air flow required for your volume, I'm not the best source for that question as BCNL already had it calculated. However, I'm certain that answer exists in this forum.

One final note on airstones. This may not apply to you as much as I (as I use both beneficial fungii and bacteria), but my airstones get loaded up pretty heavily with slime during 12/12 and it really reduces flow significantly. Every other week I'll give them a quick wipe with a sterile brush to dislodge the slime. It only takes a minute and once done airflow is restored completely. In 6 years I've never experienced a negative consequence to this task.

We're getting closer to your solution. You can count on me to see it though with you. Have fun!

 

[Onkruid]

Just saw that you determined a bad pump. Glad you you got a handle on it!

 

[MitchellB]

My pump is an EcoPlus Commercial Air Pump 1, which I thought was a piston system?