Gator's Cage

[Propa Gator]

Re: Gators' Cage

Ooohhhh, I didn't know the poet was sharing!

Elsewhere I play, and share points of view
Here, I want to show something new
If this thing were offered, I wouldn't buy
My own ideas are what I build to try

 

[IrishBoy]

Re: Gators' Cage

very nice looking.. i was wondering do u worry about ur roots getting light in the coke bottles? couldn't you use big PVC pipes and cap them off and put a fitting to drain with? it would be allot more light proof

 

[Propa Gator]

Re: Gators' Cage

i was wondering do u worry about ur roots getting light in the green bottles?

Nope. The first photo is current, nearly done. Never been shaded

These four have been in the bottle two or three days, roots to the side all around:

And one more thing: my plants never get total darkness. Ever
Sloppy yes, I know but... It's a myth I know to be untrue.

The moon does shine on Sun-grown crops, doesn't it?

 

[IrishBoy]

Re: Gators' Cage

well thats cool, now you can see ur roots and how their doing

ive been told anything brighter then the moon will revert them, ive also been told the moon buts out a light spectrum that helps flowering i think its IR or something?

ive been told anything brighter then a candle indoors will mess with ur plants? IDK but never tried to test it.lol.

 

[Tmac12]

Re: Gators' Cage

Nice grow!!

Have you thought about growing something the kitty will like .... grass , catnip, that he can have and maul anytime he wants???

 

[Propa Gator]

Re: Gators' Cage

Nice grow!!

Have you thought about growing something the kitty will like .... grass , catnip, that he can have and maul anytime he wants???

Yes

 

[Propa Gator]

Re: Gators' Cage

Though I may stack two vertical 400 retros in my tent, penetration is deeper with bigger bulbs.
HPS does grow good weed despite a sorry spectrum.

If Phillips would just once consider my need, they would surely produce k watt CMHs.
I'll be buying two more 400s or a flip/flop before I buy a 1000. My grow room is small.
I want to grow trees, but need more space and power.

Real results trump theory; bigger is better.
She told me so, on her way out the door

I'll trade you flat out, my Hortilux 1 kW Enhanced Spectrum bulb [hardly used, was waaay too hot] AND my 1 kW switchable ballast, for a 400 W HPS ballast and a retrofit bulb, just pay separate shipping and handling. But wait, we'll also throw in a Snuggy AND a ShamWoW, just pay separate shipping and handling.

Maybe, if you keep the Snuggy AND the ShamWOW

 

[The Lurker]

Re: Gators' Cage

Cage match at the GatorDome...
Four Plants Enter...One Plant Leaves!

(The other 3 just produce Buds)
------

Speakin' of, that'd be a great name for a strain:

Master Blaster!

I want one crop from it, four max. I won't do another summer here.

Looking for greener pastures elsewhere next year? When's the lease up?

HPS does grow good weed despite a sorry spectrum.

If Phillips would just once consider my need, they would surely produce k watt CMHs.

Too bad about the CMH. I've got a 150W HPS collecting dust in storage somewhere, love to try a CMH in that as a secondary - except the retrofits only go down to 250.

Though I may stack two vertical 400 retros in my tent, penetration is deeper with bigger bulbs...

I'll be buying two more 400s or a flip/flop before I buy a 1000. My grow room is small.
I want to grow trees, but need more space and power.

Been thinkin' 'bout your theatre-in-the-round, Shakespeare. You got ~39" dia(mbic)-(penta)meter to that cage & the plants grow in from there, right? Still considerin' LEDs, or R U gonna go wit d CMHs? Wat's yer budgit lahk?

Have a couple ideas t'run b'ya PM-like, wit de LEDs, if yer stihl innerest'd...

Real results trump theory; bigger is better.
She told me so, on her way out the door

That the Ex? Sound like a peach. Some women're always chasin' $$$.

Problem is, those are usually the women lotta d guys're chasin', too...

-TL

 

[Propa Gator]

Re: Gators' Cage

We will be custom building some reflectors with 2' X 4' 98% reflective German aluminum sheets, with a mogul at each end and this fixture will put out 800 W with superior spectrum.

Bright and white!

GatorDome

Looking for greener pastures elsewhere next year? When's the lease up?

No lease, weekly rent. I'd like for all my neighbors to wear fur, feathers. scales or a carapace.
No, not a costume party

Been thinkin' 'bout your theatre-in-the-round, Shakespeare. You got ~39" dia(mbic)-(penta)meter to that cage & the plants grow in from there, right? Still considerin' LEDs, or R U gonna go wit d CMHs? Wat's yer budgit lahk?

No budget, no money, but that should change. Right now, I think a second stacked 400 CMH is more likely than a custom LED array for a top light. My nearly ripe GWS has had no top light, and looks good. Plus, with hopes to move in eight or nine months, investments must be minimal.

Problem is, those are usually the women lotta d guys're chasin', too...

Fall in love with a beautiful woman. How far? Can I get high down there?

 

[Setting Sun]

Re: Gators' Cage

the Gator Dome

I want season tickets.

coupla questions:

I know you can rotate the platform. Does this setup also allow you to rotate the soda bottles in their holes?

Are you top-watering, or bottom-watering and letting it drain out like an E&B?

Ok, three questions.

What did you decide to do with the OC?

I love the "lazy susan" idea, even for conventional lighting. It would make it so much easier to water and inspect my plants without having to remove them from the tents.

I have a couple of old ball-bearing TV turntables that would work great if I added a larger round platform.

I'd like to add some cedar to my tents to enhance borg control, so this might be a very good way to do it.

rock on Mr. Gator

 

[HorseBadoritz]

Re: Gators' Cage

PG, nice system, impressive in it's simplicity... the proverbial sticking the round peg in a square hole... well, close enough

 

[Propa Gator]

Re: Gators' Cage

well thats cool, now you can see ur roots and how their doing

ive been told anything brighter then the moon will revert them, ive also been told the moon buts out a light spectrum that helps flowering i think its IR or something?

ive been told anything brighter then a candle indoors will mess with ur plants? IDK but never tried to test it.lol.

I don't leak light intentionally, and
It's too dim to read under comfortably
Moonlight intensity is probably the key
Don't light a candle, wait till 'day' to see

PG, nice system, impressive in it's simplicity... the proverbial sticking the round peg in a square hole... well, close enough

It's not a Swiss watch, but I hope it keeps on ticking like a Timex.
With my cat on the job, it may take a licking.

I needed this job done three weeks ago. I've labored three full days on it in that time, to accomplish work I'd have finished in three hours when I was 30.
Still, it's good getting old; the alternative is not so hot.

the Gator Dome

I want season tickets.

With virtual backstage access, certainly!

I know you can rotate the platform. Does this setup also allow you to rotate the soda bottles in their holes?

Yes, the only thing holding them in there is gravity. Unless Gator Dome sucks.
I won't rotate them: I want one face only to the light. Time and energy wastes with re-orientation from turns. I welcome asymetrical, robust development. Symetricality is for celebrities; I just want big, heavy, frosty, stinky buds. And a lot of them

Are you top-watering, or bottom-watering and letting it drain out like an E&B?

Water To Waste is a top-down process: excess salts are flushed out daily.
I finally decided which drip emitters to buy, ordered and have recieved them:
All of them! No, not all, but three varieties: I will have satisfaction!
I had a dream last night: the solution to my need of a feed tank, where the pump will be. A smaller ring-wall with liner, inside the catch-basin! 10 gallons should be ample for a week, giving me time to rumble in my gator hole

What did you decide to do with the OC?

I may use it in the box that has my last run of GWS. With a feed pump submerged in a tank, plain water would be very nice, but...
I own bottles of nearly the full line of H&G. Stuff works for sure, which is one wheel I don't have to re-invent now. The four in a box on H&G will give me a baseline to compare with a twin grow, starting in a couple of weeks. Not simultaneous, but useful.

I love the "lazy susan" idea, even for conventional lighting. It would make it so much easier to water and inspect my plants without having to remove them from the tents.

I have a couple of old ball-bearing TV turntables that would work great if I added a larger round platform.

I'd like to add some cedar to my tents to enhance borg control, so this might be a very good way to do it.

An enemy of the borg is a friend to me.

 

[Propa Gator]

Re: Gators' Cage

Upgrades, more yet undone

 

[MountainHigh]

Re: Gators' Cage

What an amazing setup! From the mind of a poet...genius.

brother.

 

[Propa Gator]

Re: Gators' Cage

What an amazing setup! From the mind of a poet...genius.

Thx MH, not mutually exclusive.

I write verse like I built this cage
Re-do one part, then rearrange
Sneaking up on a goal in mind
Giggle surprised when a path I find

 

[Setting Sun]

Re: Gators' Cage

With virtual backstage access, certainly!

I'm really glad you decided to journal. I click on the link to this journal with the same kind of anticipation I would have when going to check out OBX's journals.

Sort of a "what is this mofo gonna be up to now thing", lol. But even with that expectation, you guys still surprise and fascinate me with your creative ideas and execution.

Yes, the only thing holding them in there is gravity. Unless Gator Dome sucks.
I won't rotate them: I want one face only to the light. Time and energy wastes with re-orientation from turns. I welcome asymetrical, robust development. Symetricality is for celebrities; I just want big, heavy, frosty, stinky buds. And a lot of them

Simetricality ain't just for celebrities, it's also for people with OCD .

I just want symmetrical big, heavy, frosty, stinky buds. I'm in recovery.

Water To Waste is a top-down process: excess salts are flushed out daily.
I finally decided which drip emitters to buy, ordered and have recieved them:
All of them! No, not all, but three varieties: I will have satisfaction!
I had a dream last night: the solution to my need of a feed tank, where the pump will be. A smaller ring-wall with liner, inside the catch-basin! 10 gallons should be ample for a week, giving me time to rumble in my gator hole

circles within circles,
rings within rings,
by moonlight I dream,
of my favorite things

I may use it in the box that has my last run of GWS. With a feed pump submerged in a tank, plain water would be very nice, but...
I own bottles of nearly the full line of H&G. Stuff works for sure, which is one wheel I don't have to re-invent now. The four in a box on H&G will give me a baseline to compare with a twin grow, starting in a couple of weeks. Not simultaneous, but useful.

Understood, and contrasting those two grows should be very interesting and useful.

An enemy of the borg is a friend to me.

one that smells good is a great friend indeed

 

[TorturedSoul]

Re: Gators' Cage

1st round went to my cat. He chewed up one of them when I wasn't looking.
I called him a tifling booger, and turned an intact side to the light.
He isn't deterred by that bright bulb in his face. Such an idiot!

Of course you'd never beat your cat. For one thing, you are a decent human being. For another... That just doesn't work with them. They don't associate pain punishment like other animals. But, aside from preventing possible future damage to your plants, cats like heat and do not seem to be afraid of (captive) fire/light. It is within the realm of possibility that el cato might one day brush up against your bulb if it finds its way into your cage - or swat at a moth that's near the bulb and end up pawing the thing. That would cause a great deal of pain to kitty. And while cat's paws are routinely dry... They have been known to spit in times of pain and anger. If kitty spits on that bulb, will it explode? If 354°F glass suddenly finds itself stuck in your walls, will your home burn down? So...

Put a small amount of white vinegar in a spray bottle and fill it with water. Spray feline when you catch him in the grow (cat's attention spans are like 2.5 seconds unless they're having fun or stalking). Cats' sense of smell is, like most hunting animals, well-developed. And while they seem to enjoy the smell of rotten tuna, stinky cat treats, and their own assholes, they do NOT enjoy the smell of vinegar, lol. Being sprayed (from a bottle or a squirt gun, not a hose) with a mild vinegar/water solution does not hurt them - but it annoys them to their last whisker. So much so that two or three times of being shot with the mix - remember, it only works if it is done as you catch them in the act - you can then place a few drops of pure white vinegar around your grow and they (generally) will smell it, associate the smell with the squirt (and the taste of it as they clean their fur), and vamoose. And as their sense of smell is better than ours, you don't need to develop a fondness for the smell yourself; just refresh it once a week or so.

If it helps, in addition to potentially saving the cat from being burned or becoming homeless (along with his 'Gator)... Consuming vinegar is actually a healthy thing - even for cats.

I know that this is off topic and will probably be moderated, but I have to say this. Tom Waits is a jerk. I almost got my skull busted [a lot of others did that night] by LA Sheriff because of a little tantrum that he threw at a private party [at the Troubadour of all places] for some punk rockers that I knew. He climbed on stage and assaulted the guitarist for "The Bags" during their set.

I read on the "Trashing of the Troubadour" page at AliceBag that he'd pissed Alice's boyfriend (Nickey Beat) off at an earlier point and that when The Bags played there, Nickey, who was playing drums, called Tom an asshole - over the mic, lol - just before they played. Also that after the show (and the bedlam) the bouncers wouldn't let the Bags leave until Tom and Nickey fought.

IDK, but it was interesting to read.
Trashing of the Troubadour

b, I've run side by side HPS v CMH 250s. The heat for either was in the ballast. If you run it in a hood, that's where you'll find more heat. I run bare bulb vertical, and I believe that I get more usable light with less waste heat.
That light set from Phillips sounds good, but their retrofit CMH is my fave. I am now setting up a 400w vertical CMH, the biggest they make. I'll use HPS when I can grow bigger. New 400w magnetic ballast, cord/socket set and HPS bulb is $120. CMH bulb is $52.

Irishboy, that plasma looks like a trick rig, but a lot of money. I had thought that a point source light would find its' best use in a vertical configuration, but they've mounted it for flat. 280w for $1080? I think my 250 CMH puts out more than 15k lumens, and in excellent spectrum. $170, and discard the extra HPS bulb.

I've wondered why they don't make CMH bulbs in higher wattages. Don't they use anything over 400-watt in "regular" industrial lighting situations? I know they make HID ballasts in much higher wattage (like... 1500-4000 watts?).

I've also wondered, in a start-to-finish grow between a 400-watt CMH setup and a 430-watt enhanced (with 430-watt ballast) setup, which would win. I've not used a CMH but I've (obviously) seen them in grow journals and the results were nice. Some time ago I used 430-watt HPS setups (cannot remember if it was a Planta-T or a Son Agro, been over 10 years and at the time I was pretty much... well, I was lucky to have not burned the house down - I did set it on fire, but that had nothing to do with growing lmao) and the difference between those and regular 400-watt HPS setups was, well, a lot - much tighter internodes, "stouter" plants, stems that were trunks, and better yields (a lot better than just having 30 extra watts would lead one to expect). So, while I don't even have a guess as to which setup would win, I would think it would be an interesting contest. They both, of course, would leave the standard 400-watt HPS in the dust.

I've got to say that your grow looks great (as usual).

 

[Propa Gator]

Re: Gators' Cage

I'm really glad you decided to journal. I click on the link to this journal with the same kind of anticipation I would have when going to check out OBX's journals.

Sort of a "what is this mofo gonna be up to now thing", lol. But even with that expectation, you guys still surprise and fascinate me with your creative ideas and execution.

Your journals keep me grounded in reality. I *really* need that, thanks.

circles within circles,
rings within rings,
by moonlight I dream,
of my favorite things

spin the crank, turn the wheel
run the road, enjoy the feel
replay facts, create the deal
eyes open, dreaming real

Not simultaneous, but useful.​

Understood, and contrasting those two grows should be very interesting and useful.

I am already sorry that I'm not 'dug in' with prills in this meter cage.
The pump for the drip line lives in the feed tank, but for how long with the salt?

Cage went inside, guarding the bulb. Fan mount needs an upgrade.
A tiny 11 watt pump fed these eight evenly, but slowly: 10 quarts in three hours. I over-watered for a reason, but looks like this rig can run one hour per day to do good. Pump was $5 at Harbor Freight, and I have others. 3 liters of coco gives me a cushion in case the pump breaks or an emitter clogs. One missed day won't hurt, but will give me a chance to see the problem if/when one happens.

Of course you'd never beat your cat. For one thing, you are a decent human being. For another... That just doesn't work with them. They don't associate pain punishment like other animals. But, aside from preventing possible future damage to your plants, cats like heat and do not seem to be afraid of (captive) fire/light. It is within the realm of possibility that el cato might one day brush up against your bulb if it finds its way into your cage - or swat at a moth that's near the bulb and end up pawing the thing. That would cause a great deal of pain to kitty. And while cat's paws are routinely dry... They have been known to spit in times of pain and anger. If kitty spits on that bulb, will it explode? If 354°F glass suddenly finds itself stuck in your walls, will your home burn down? So...

Put a small amount of white vinegar in a spray bottle and fill it with water. Spray feline when you catch him in the grow (cat's attention spans are like 2.5 seconds unless they're having fun or stalking). Cats' sense of smell is, like most hunting animals, well-developed. And while they seem to enjoy the smell of rotten tuna, stinky cat treats, and their own assholes, they do NOT enjoy the smell of vinegar, lol. Being sprayed (from a bottle or a squirt gun, not a hose) with a mild vinegar/water solution does not hurt them - but it annoys them to their last whisker. So much so that two or three times of being shot with the mix - remember, it only works if it is done as you catch them in the act - you can then place a few drops of pure white vinegar around your grow and they (generally) will smell it, associate the smell with the squirt (and the taste of it as they clean their fur), and vamoose. And as their sense of smell is better than ours, you don't need to develop a fondness for the smell yourself; just refresh it once a week or so.

If it helps, in addition to potentially saving the cat from being burned or becoming homeless (along with his 'Gator)... Consuming vinegar is actually a healthy thing - even for cats.

I've been know about and loving cats for what they are for a long time. Plain water squirted must be a horrible death ray, the way they skeedaddle when I touch the spray bottle, but not this cat. Never squirted, NEVER struck not even a flicked finger. He backs off if I tell him to, but I have to catch him. Or keep the grow doors closed.

I've wondered why they don't make CMH bulbs in higher wattages. Don't they use anything over 400-watt in "regular" industrial lighting situations? I know they make HID ballasts in much higher wattage (like... 1500-4000 watts?).

I've also wondered, in a start-to-finish grow between a 400-watt CMH setup and a 430-watt enhanced (with 430-watt ballast) setup, which would win. I've not used a CMH but I've (obviously) seen them in grow journals and the results were nice. Some time ago I used 430-watt HPS setups (cannot remember if it was a Planta-T or a Son Agro, been over 10 years and at the time I was pretty much... well, I was lucky to have not burned the house down - I did set it on fire, but that had nothing to do with growing lmao) and the difference between those and regular 400-watt HPS setups was, well, a lot - much tighter internodes, "stouter" plants, stems that were trunks, and better yields (a lot better than just having 30 extra watts would lead one to expect). So, while I don't even have a guess as to which setup would win, I would think it would be an interesting contest. They both, of course, would leave the standard 400-watt HPS in the dust.

I've got to say that your grow looks great (as usual).

CMH retros are open fixture rated, unlike other HIDs. If that super hot inner tube bursts, the hot ball will likely be contained by the super tough outer glass envelope. I think 400 watts maxed out that capacity. Bigger bulbs may have too much fire in there to handle.
I'll stick with CMH retros for now, but my justification is mostly subjective.

Thanks TS, for your interest and attention to detail.

 

[The Lurker]

Re: Gators' Cage

I'm really glad you decided to journal. I click on the link to this journal with the same kind of anticipation I would have when going to check out OBX's journals.

+1.

I am already sorry that I'm not 'dug in' with prills in this meter cage. The pump for the drip line lives in the feed tank, but for how long with the salt?

Was wondrin' 'bout that, myself...

Cage went inside, guarding the bulb...

Seen a few others do that too (dual-cage systems), seems like a good safety precaution for keeping the plants from getting too close. I suppose you can always tie/train to the inside of the cage if necessary, also - plants are certainly like a moth to a flame sometimes via phototropism. They won't stop until it hurts...

<Cue Michael Jackson's Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough>

I'll stick with CMH retros for now, but my justification is mostly subjective...

Seeing pictures of that room is simply mesmerising, with those verdant parishioners gathered around the radiance in quiet congress, circling the cathedral. Like our Forefathers worshipping that Bit-O-Honey in 2001:A Space Odyssey - or the Druids performing an ancient ritual during a long-ago summer solstice:
---

Celtic Clerics, at the dawn
Solemn Ceremony on the lawn
Rites with Reverence consummate the deed
Praying Plants don't go to seed



-TL

 

[Propa Gator]

Re: Gators' Cage

Seeing pictures of that room is simply mesmerising, with those verdant parishioners gathered around the radiance in quiet congress, circling the cathedral.

This, and verse!

Celtic Clerics, at the dawn
Solemn Ceremony on the lawn
Rites with Reverence consummate the deed
Praying Plants don't go to seed

I looked again, the rendering of green acolytes basking
Swelling slow, feeling the glow from their favorite diety
The photo is good show, but face in the tent not so very
That bad-boy bulb is serious, if you're not verdant be chary