X Marks the Spot - XLR8's Big Bang Auto Hydro Grow 2011

[Xlr8]

Hey Xlr8 hope everything's good and you didn't overdo it the other day buddy. Slow and easy....

Thanks buddy - I ate the elephant one bite at a time, and I've swallowed it without choking.

I'm real interested in the results of all your research bro and things for the link to the hoods.

I love my 400 but of course wish I had a 600 now and I've heard great things about them but haven't really looked into it.

Don't know if it's feasible for you but I like the one big light in the middle with cfl's on the perimeter for extra lighting as needed strategy and it seems to be working well for me.

Wait! I really think a light mover will solve all your problems

Nice idea on the mover - really great suggestion, but I'm thinking of keeping it simple and going with side by side 400's. Especially after following along with your light mover escapade! I'm staying fluid on all this until I make the purchase (probably in the next week or two) though. I appreciate you thinking outside of the box for me on this!

 

[Xlr8]

Going with the 600w not bad at all, That'll be awesome too if you go bigger, you can use like two 600's instead of 1000. I like the idea of a 600 now! haha

I think either way would work good, but I like the coverage and a few other things of the 400's, though the penetration and intensity of the 600 is better no doubt. It's a tough call!

 

[Xlr8]

Glad you're feeling better my friend! It's amazing how some good motivation and positive thoughts can make you feel. It's like our minds are telling our bodies, "Knock it off!...we got shit to do!"

The owner of the shop I go to uses those Adjust-a-wings AND super-spreaders and loves them! He said you get a LOT of light coverage with them and with that much surface area it acts like a giant heat sink. He's using 1000W HPS bulbs and a few fans without any issues.

Thanks on the health part - you're so right that it seems like my mind said "Knock it off!... we got shit to do!" I had that very same thought more than once this past week.

Really appreciate the feedback on the Adjust a Wings. I'm almost positive I'm going to try them. I've heard mostly great things about them, and I think half of the employees at the grow shop near me are using them, too. They give the same feedback as what you heard, too. Definitely intriguing!

 

[Xlr8]

Xlr8, I had the adjustawing reflector with 400w HPS in my grow space/tent...the temps were out of control, i had a 4 inch vortex fan in there running, and a 8 inch oscillating fan to try and kep it regulated...grrrrrr...never could get it dialed in.
I moved to a sun systems super sun reflector with 4 inch flanges and glass bulb cover, and a digital ballast, and now pull air thru it with the 4 inch vortex inline fan, psssshh what a difference, temps never get higher than high 70's low 80's in there now, i wish i would have got my current setup from the beginning i only wish i had went with a 600/digital ballast, but i'm going straight to a 1000 soon

Let us all know how the adjusta wing works for you!!! maybe it was user error in my case , i just could never get the temps under control, maybe i just needed a bigger exhaust fan, any suggestions are welcome!
kind regards,

Well, you've got me worried some on the Adjust a Wing's, Nap, but I'm probably going to give them a shot... I've reviewed my configuration pretty extensively with a couple of people who've used them and they THINK it should work. BUT, you've got a pretty similar set-up to mine, and I'm a bit worried that I'm going to get too hot. I'll keep you posted as to what I learn/experience if I go that way. Thanks a ton for weighing in and sharing what you've experienced.

 

[Xlr8]

XLR8! BRO! I feel like a big ass, I've been loaded with subbed threads for a few months, around 20!...And for some reason I thought yours was one of them. I finally decided to clear my subbed threads folder, as it has occurred to me that I'm missing valuable info by being spread so thin...Plus it's hard to keep up with it all, and seems like I dont have enough time. But I'm in for this one bro, you've always been good company, and I love that yours is a very small setup like mine(Well, yours is way nicer than mine but small nonetheless).....Or WAS small anyway!! Congrats on the upgrade operation bud!! It's really cool watching these poor man's grows, and tiny-spaced stealth grows, and getting to know good folks, and then seeing them improve, and get upgrades and so on....Damn thats alot of ands!!

Sorry to ramble, I've had 2 snickerdoodles!!

Anyway, glad you're feeling better, hope it lasts brother! (Funny how doing stuff that hurts can make us feel better) I'll be around from now on!

Welcome Quix! glad to have you here. I know what you mean about subscribed threads. It can take me hours to keep up with them all, and sometimes I just don't have hours. (Or minutes, lately!) I'm just thrilled that you're here. Normally, I'm a bit more timely with updates, but man have I been busy!

 

[Xlr8]

WOO HOO! I've finished building the new room, and it turned out great - exactly as planned. That never happens for me! This was the first time I've done something like this start to finish. I'm pretty handy, but I've never framed walls, etc., before. Really went to plan, and it's nice and sturdy. Did I mention I'm thrilled to be done?!?

The fun part is what's next -- shopping! Now that I've got the space built out, I can start filling it. Woo hoo for the fun part.

The Big Bang was vegging along nicely, but I've been very inattentive lately as I've been so busy building the new room. Yesterday she was a little droopy, and I'm not sure why as her environment has been pretty ideal. I'm confused some but I'm putting her back in the Mothership tonight, and I'm more confident in being able to get things on track there.

I should have some pictures to post later tonight or tomorrow morning. Sorry I've been so absent the last few days, but it's sooo nice having all the construction done. Yawwwwwwnnnnn.....

 

[Aaron Quix]

WOO HOO! I've finished building the new room, and it turned out great - exactly as planned. That never happens for me! This was the first time I've done something like this start to finish. I'm pretty handy, but I've never framed walls, etc., before. Really went to plan, and it's nice and sturdy. Did I mention I'm thrilled to be done?!?

The fun part is what's next -- shopping! Now that I've got the space built out, I can start filling it. Woo hoo for the fun part.

The Big Bang was vegging along nicely, but I've been very inattentive lately as I've been so busy building the new room. Yesterday she was a little droopy, and I'm not sure why as her environment has been pretty ideal. I'm confused some but I'm putting her back in the Mothership tonight, and I'm more confident in being able to get things on track there.

I should have some pictures to post later tonight or tomorrow morning. Sorry I've been so absent the last few days, but it's sooo nice having all the construction done. Yawwwwwwnnnnn.....

Congrats brother...

 

[Xlr8]

Holy moly! I just NOW saw that I was nominated for MOTM by w1sest (thanks brother!!) I was about to start voting in the contest, and saw my name there -- I was shocked!!

Thanks a whole ton, w1sest! Just to be nominated is so completely awesome that I'm beside myself. I'm thrilled and honored my friend, and I'm so sorry for just now noticing! You've made my day!

 

[Xlr8]

Grow Update - Big Bang Auto, Day 21 from seed:

I've been so busy with building the new room and remodeling my grow area, that I've been really bad about looking in on her, and it shows. Something happened over the last 2 days that has caused 2 of the oldest leaves to turn yellow and start dying. A couple of the roots look a little slimy to me, and I'm nervous they might have somehow got infected with pythium when I moved them to the other room in my homemade bubble tubs. They went from really happy, to looking a bit wilty quick, and the earliest leaves looked bad enough that I plucked them, which I hate doing this early on. Maybe I'm just over reacting. Argh.

Gave them a good dose in the res of DM Zone, so maybe that'll help. Oh, and moving them back to the Mothership might help too. I'm soaking my homemade bubble tub in hot bleachy water for a little bit, then going to scrub, rinse, dry before I use it again.

Here are a couple of pictures from 2 days ago (camera battery needed to be charged tonight). Things looked good/better than today:

From May 12:

Roots, also May 12:

Hopefully, she'll perk back up. Next post I'll have a couple of pics of the new room...

 

[Xlr8]

Here's a couple of pictures of the new room. It's a square room about 6' x 6', but one corner is angled and has the door on it - as you walk in. It made more sense due to the fact that I wanted to make it good size, but not super intrusive on the space that it's in. It seems like the camera lens makes things look a little fish-eyed, but I can assure you the walls, door, etc., are plumb, level and straight.

It's not huge, but it'll be big enough to keep the Mothership in there as a Veg box, and add the GL80L tent for bloom. There's ducting in there that I can tap into if needed for air conditioning, and I've got a pretty good plan for exhausting warm air from the tent into a crawl space outside of the room and area that the tent is in...

View from inside, looking back at door (the shelves are filled now but weren't in the picture yet):

I'm just so glad this part is done!

 

[Xlr8]

Congrats brother...

Thanks Quix!

 

[George Parker]

Bro, congrats on finishing up the room, looks you know your way around the power tools.

I bet you feel damn good right now eh?. Now you get to do some shopping you're gonna love doing.

That little girl doesn't look too bad my friend. I'm sure you can have her perked up in no time. How are the res temps doing right now?

I'm very happy for you (and a bit jealous of that room ) and glad things are going well... BIG congrats on the nomination, you definitely deserve it.

 

[George Parker]

Here's a couple of pictures of the new room. It's a square room about 6' x 6', but one corner is angled and has the door on it - as you walk in. It made more sense due to the fact that I wanted to make it good size, but not super intrusive on the space that it's in. It seems like the camera lens makes things look a little fish-eyed, but I can assure you the walls, door, etc., are plumb, level and straight.

It's not huge, but it'll be big enough to keep the Mothership in there as a Veg box, and add the GL80L tent for bloom. There's ducting in there that I can tap into if needed for air conditioning, and I've got a pretty good plan for exhausting warm air from the tent into a crawl space outside of the room and area that the tent is in...

View from inside, looking back at door (the shelves are filled now but weren't in the picture yet):

I'm just so glad this part is done!

This is a post that needs to be seen again!

 

[Xlr8]

Bro, congrats on finishing up the room, looks you know your way around the power tools.

I bet you feel damn good right now eh?. Now you get to do some shopping you're gonna love doing.

That little girl doesn't look too bad my friend. I'm sure you can have her perked up in no time. How are the res temps doing right now?

I'm very happy for you (and a bit jealous of that room ) and glad things are going well... BIG congrats on the nomination, you definitely deserve it.

Thanks so much Dime - I DO feel good, (to say the least!) It seemed so daunting, but I just kept thinking "One step at a time...". I used to be really handy, but my health has made everything so much tougher. I sold thousands of dollars worth of tools a couple of years ago due to moving and a lack of space for it all. I had a MAN shop at my last house, I was equipped to build almost anything. Still have a fair amount of tools, but not nearly what I used to have. It felt good to dig some of 'em out for this, though I kept thinking how much easier it would have been if I'd have had some of the stuff I sold.

Now to go shopping!

Yeah, on the seedling, the res temps were maybe 70f - should have been fine. I don't get it...might have had water sitting in net pots? argh.

Thanks on the nomination, congrats to you too! I'm just flat honored to be nominated - just wish it wasn't the same month as other really deserving people such as yourself.

This is a post that needs to be seen again!

Thanks man, you rock!

 

[Crower619]

god damn big upgrade for sure XL cant wait to see this ooowweee lol good work brother

 

[Xlr8]

god damn big upgrade for sure XL cant wait to see this ooowweee lol good work brother

Crower!

 

[OldMedMan]

Hey congratulations xlr8 !

You got it built and your still alive! Looks good too!

I love going shopping, especially when I have a purpose.

Will try to get the lights in mine in the next 2 days. We are getting close.

 

[Xlr8]

Hey congratulations xlr8 !

You got it built and your still alive! Looks good too!

I love going shopping, especially when I have a purpose.

Will try to get the lights in mine in the next 2 days. We are getting close.

Awesome, I can't WAIT to see the Matterhorn lit up inside. Still alive, but starting to feel it a little. Overall, I feel great considering how much time I spent on that little project!

 

[Mr. Krip]

Hey, XLR8, the new setup looks awesome!

I can't wait to see that room filled up!

 

[Xlr8]

Hey, XLR8, the new setup looks awesome!

I can't wait to see that room filled up!

Thanks Mr. K - me too!