To begin with... Long ago I took into consideration a point Roseman made in his Tutorial; the fact that roots love air.
So, I incorporated an ebb and flow concept within one of my first grows. I simply had the main reservoir below my Deep Water Culture arrays. I left about two inches of water depth in each array (container/chamber) and simply added a timer to the H2O pump. The pump , when active, would fill the arrays and then drain from the arrays back down into the Main Reservoir. It works fantastically well !
CURRENTLY...
I've been helping a friend by the name of Calvin; a friend you'd like to take to the wood shed often, mind you. All I will say is this:
"The wise man learns from his mistakes. But the Wiser man learns from the mistakes of others".
I've had to let him learn from his own mistakes; mistakes that I, later, had to come in and correct. (Hence , the many trips to the wood shed for him. lol) But friends are friends even when dealing with their short sighted construction/grow set up designs.
Which is another point Roseman made in his tutorial; a point that should not be over looked in the slightest degree.
"If you think College is expensive... try stupidity!"
How true!!
There is alot to share but for now...
Calvins plants are huge! 4 plants in a hybrid Deep Water Culture Ebb and Flow with a 24, 4 foot, 3K, 3Lum light system with 8 more 35 watt flor tubes being installed today above his garden. The plants are 48 inches high and 6 feet wide and are 4 feet deep. They also have buds all over the place. They are around 90 days old. ( I'm still amazed that they've done so well - even when he's done so many things backwards.)
Anyhow, I gave him 6 new starts and shared with him an idea. He likes the idea (which scares me a bit.)
It deals with the plants growing under a 32" x 7' foot pane of glass. The glass allowes each plant to grow about 1 foot high. Then they hit the glass and grow horizontally. Each one can be trained to grow in the direction you want by simply moving them in the horizontal direction you'd like them to grow.
When it becomes time to toss them into flower- you remove the glass and replace with Chicken Wire. The bud zones/internods will now be able to grown vertically through the wire with all the main plant mass and secondary branches remaining beneath the 'screen'.
It's kind of like the screen of green method with a difference; using the glass to hold them down until you are ready to take them toward bloom/harvest.
Just wondering what your thoughts may be on this experimental grow design.
The lighting, BTW is directly above the glass with 4 tubes beneath as well. (A Light Sandwich so to speak. )
The 38" x 7' glass will be in two panes (38" x 42") . I might just go with 2, 4x4 panes.
Also. Being that I will be doing my hybrid grows outdoors soon I added another twist to a bunch of my individual containers in the arrays. I have put river stones in each individual grow vessel. The reason for this is plant stability while growing.
What once was just 'air' in the containers are now filled with 1 inch river rock. The air is still there along with 2 inches of water in the bottom which has air stones that provide a positive supply of fresh air to the entire root structure.
Pictures to follow on the current an previous grows. Justine (my gal) has my camera with her in CA. It has all the old pictures in it.
Peace to one and all.
Justin
PS!
I'm a proud Deep Water Culture and am so very, very grateful for all the care provided by all Deep Water Culture from the start.
Roseman and Mostly Crazy are to be honored for their pioneering spirits and leadership.
Thank you both, as well as, all the other Deep Water Culture that help people grow in Bubbles!!
So, I incorporated an ebb and flow concept within one of my first grows. I simply had the main reservoir below my Deep Water Culture arrays. I left about two inches of water depth in each array (container/chamber) and simply added a timer to the H2O pump. The pump , when active, would fill the arrays and then drain from the arrays back down into the Main Reservoir. It works fantastically well !
CURRENTLY...
I've been helping a friend by the name of Calvin; a friend you'd like to take to the wood shed often, mind you. All I will say is this:
"The wise man learns from his mistakes. But the Wiser man learns from the mistakes of others".
I've had to let him learn from his own mistakes; mistakes that I, later, had to come in and correct. (Hence , the many trips to the wood shed for him. lol) But friends are friends even when dealing with their short sighted construction/grow set up designs.
Which is another point Roseman made in his tutorial; a point that should not be over looked in the slightest degree.
"If you think College is expensive... try stupidity!"
How true!!
There is alot to share but for now...
Calvins plants are huge! 4 plants in a hybrid Deep Water Culture Ebb and Flow with a 24, 4 foot, 3K, 3Lum light system with 8 more 35 watt flor tubes being installed today above his garden. The plants are 48 inches high and 6 feet wide and are 4 feet deep. They also have buds all over the place. They are around 90 days old. ( I'm still amazed that they've done so well - even when he's done so many things backwards.)
Anyhow, I gave him 6 new starts and shared with him an idea. He likes the idea (which scares me a bit.)
It deals with the plants growing under a 32" x 7' foot pane of glass. The glass allowes each plant to grow about 1 foot high. Then they hit the glass and grow horizontally. Each one can be trained to grow in the direction you want by simply moving them in the horizontal direction you'd like them to grow.
When it becomes time to toss them into flower- you remove the glass and replace with Chicken Wire. The bud zones/internods will now be able to grown vertically through the wire with all the main plant mass and secondary branches remaining beneath the 'screen'.
It's kind of like the screen of green method with a difference; using the glass to hold them down until you are ready to take them toward bloom/harvest.
Just wondering what your thoughts may be on this experimental grow design.
The lighting, BTW is directly above the glass with 4 tubes beneath as well. (A Light Sandwich so to speak. )
The 38" x 7' glass will be in two panes (38" x 42") . I might just go with 2, 4x4 panes.
Also. Being that I will be doing my hybrid grows outdoors soon I added another twist to a bunch of my individual containers in the arrays. I have put river stones in each individual grow vessel. The reason for this is plant stability while growing.
What once was just 'air' in the containers are now filled with 1 inch river rock. The air is still there along with 2 inches of water in the bottom which has air stones that provide a positive supply of fresh air to the entire root structure.
Pictures to follow on the current an previous grows. Justine (my gal) has my camera with her in CA. It has all the old pictures in it.
Peace to one and all.
Justin
PS!
I'm a proud Deep Water Culture and am so very, very grateful for all the care provided by all Deep Water Culture from the start.
Roseman and Mostly Crazy are to be honored for their pioneering spirits and leadership.
Thank you both, as well as, all the other Deep Water Culture that help people grow in Bubbles!!
It's FRIDAY, 
