Hobo's NEW hydroponics grow! - GreenPassion.org - Dedicated to Medicinal Cannabis Cultivation and Education

Hobo · #1 (**permalink**) 05-10-2009, 12:54 AM

Hobo's Super Terrific Fun Time Happy Hour Hydroponics Extravaganza!!!

Ok, after a few years of growing hydro, and making my own hydro setups... i have fabricated a new design with a few important points in mind that i had to realize by trial and error over the years. Those being...

- Sturdier Connections
- Light proofing the reservoir/basin
- Not keeping the basin off the ground soo much to allow more vertical growth
- Using a combination of air and net baskets with rocks as medium.
- Allowing easier access to the reservoir to be adjusted/topped off/replaced.
- A new light stress training technique

So how is it set up?
It's an Ebb and Flow... with a twist. I have my clones propgated in 1.5" rockwool cubes that are surrounded in a mix of clay pebbles and pond rocks* (to add weight and sturdier support*) inside 5" plastic net baskets. These baskets are suspended by a cover over the planter basin, which is a plastic underbed storage container. The twist is that when the timer triggers the pump to pump water into the elevated basin (about 1.5 feet) it also triggers an air pump to turn on while the air STONE is placed in the bottom of the planter basin.. which effectively turns the ebb and flow into a DWC system for the flood period. NEATO HUH?

How do i build one of these??
Oh well it just so happens i made a tutorial on this great forum last year...
How to make an Ebb and Flow Hydroponics system

What is this LST technique you speak of?
Well i've always had to tie my plants down when they got too big. But it concerned me because i would have to do one drastic, or a few rather drastic bends to do this, which ended up stressing the plant out a bit and stifled its growth a bit.

So upon working with my new job in a tomato greenhouse, i was intrigued by the method this farmer used to grow his tomato plants. Strings were hung down to the base of the plant at a slight angle, and as the plant grows you attach a clip to the string around the stalk of the plant... to guide it along like a vine.

So why not with my babies, who are always short of height... no pun intended... except at a more extreme angle. about 50-45 degrees. This will completely open up the inside of the basin, and all the plants creating a sort of stadium effect, not wasting any light around the top sides of the hoods. And all the chutes will grow straight up allowing for a maximum light footprint.. i am fairly confidant this is the best method to grow in my space with my setup.

Whatchya growin Hobo??
I have all clones of;
1 Ice (my specialty and my longest running strain)
7 Northern Lights
2 of what i call Don... a special breed made by a pro veteren breeder i know

What Equipment are you using??
- 400 w HPS hortilux
- 400 w MH hortilux super bulb
- 7200 BTU Air conditioner
- 250 cfm + 6" carbon air filter
- And an assortment of oscilating fans/pumps/timers

What Nutrients do you use?
- Future Garden Liquid Earth 3 part
- Bcuzz root Stimulator
- Future Garden Accelerator (kelp and humic extract)
- Carbo Load (during flowering ::crosses fingers::

IT HAS BEGUN!!!
Feel free to post Comments and or questions...
Pics coming soon...

Hobo · #2 (**permalink**) 05-10-2009, 01:32 AM

OK now SEE what im talking about... still have to string up the other side, but you get the idea.

Reservoir... right near the room door.. easy access.

Lights far off the young clones. and filtered air circulating directly on the lights.

Areal shot of basin planter with strings. I will soon cover that with white visquine plastic.

Profile shot of planter basin with carbon filter in shot. I use a mix of pond rocks and hydroton to propagate in the net baskets. I need more weight to support these plants which will eventually have to be bent and guided up the string. the strings are hooked on to the baskets, and tied up to a respective hook on the ceiling.

EC/PPM/PH/Temp meter and air pump conveniently mounted near/on reservoir.

Crinkled Mylar... need more around the room... non crinkled lol

justplainbill · #3 (**permalink**) 05-10-2009, 01:48 AM

The name Hobo's super terrific etc is great and thanx for the pics.
Welcome back.

justanotherbozo · #4 (**permalink**) 05-10-2009, 07:52 AM

mornin' bro, just me pullin' up a chair.

Hobo · #5 (**permalink**) 05-10-2009, 09:55 AM

Really?? no one is intrigued by the strings? or the ebband flow/dwc method... fine be that way lol.

caerulipes · #6 (**permalink**) 05-10-2009, 11:50 AM

Are you "grapevining" these (to coin a term) as your new LST method?

I saw something like that done outdoors once. An acquaintance had his plants against the south-facing wall of his house, and LST'd them into a trellis - it was like an incredibly tall, vertical ScRoG.

Hobo · #7 (**permalink**) 05-10-2009, 01:02 PM

You could call it that. I believe this will maximize the light footprint for my 2 400 watters.

Quote:

Originally Posted by caerulipes

Are you "grapevining" these (to coin a term) as your new LST method?

I saw something like that done outdoors once. An acquaintance had his plants against the south-facing wall of his house, and LST'd them into a trellis - it was like an incredibly tall, vertical ScRoG.

Hatch · #8 (**permalink**) 05-10-2009, 02:18 PM

You Have Been Running With The Tomatoe Grow's, & It Look's Like It's Rubbing Off, HEHEHE So If I Understand Right, You Are going To Train Them Up The String?,, Like A Tomatoe Vine.

Well, Can't wait To See More.

caerulipes · #9 (**permalink**) 05-10-2009, 08:07 PM

Interesting idea - same principle as a stadium SoG in terms of growing around the curvature of the light?

land of the free · #10 (**permalink**) 05-10-2009, 08:22 PM

Nice ideas...can't wait to see them on the vine.

Hobo · #11 (**permalink**) 05-10-2009, 10:53 PM

That's exactly the principle behind this, and where the idea stemmed from.

Quote:

Originally Posted by caerulipes

Interesting idea - same principle as a stadium SoG in terms of growing around the curvature of the light?

Hobo · #12 (**permalink**) 05-11-2009, 12:48 AM

Ok week 1, all clones put in place, with roots outgrowing the small rockwool cubes.

Feeding Schedule
I have started them off on a 5 time a day flood and drain cycle, the smaller cubes will dry out faster and therefore need to be watered more often, until the root system spreads more throughout the medium.

Light Schedule
I have my 400w MH and 400w HPS on 18 hours a day. On at 5 pm off at 11am. I prefer to have my lights off in the hottest hours of the day, because it gets hotttt in my attic.

Nutrient Regiment
I am using Future Gardens liquid earth 3 part nutrient formulas, also with a bit of BCUZZ root stimulator to get them started off right, and a touch of kelp and humic extract, giving me a grand total of 550 ppm of disolved solids in my nutrient solution. It is important to start young clones and especially young seedlings off with a solution diluted at least half of your max feeding.

pH
Already assuming i soaked my cubes in a ph down solution, which i did, i have my pH leveled off around 5.8. Cannabis can absorb the optimal amount of all its primary, secondary and trace elements at a fairly lower pH than that which is used for soil growing. If you notice your plants are showing signs of a particular nutrient deficency, and you are using proper proportions of your 3 part formula, this could be a result of lock up from a ph imbalance.

Air Flow
The room is sealed off and air conditioned with a 7200 btu air conditioner. Which also helps to control humidity, a blower and carbon filter circulates air, as well as a large oscilating fan, which run 24/7. The AC is linked to a thermastat, but is is on most of the time, cause like i said, it gets hot up there.

PEACE!

sonnet420 · #13 (**permalink**) 05-11-2009, 01:04 AM

I think this is a nice little setup and i can't wait to see the results!! I think i might implement something like this in the near future.

CoNtRoVeRsIaL · #14 (**permalink**) 05-11-2009, 01:16 AM

looks good man,

welcome back to the site,

Interested to see the progress

Hobo · #15 (**permalink**) 05-21-2009, 10:51 PM

ok some are taking off nicely, others... not so much i might have to whack the tops off the taller ones and do some pruning around the sides till the others catch up, i want them all to be a semi uniform size.

I have a window mount AC in the enclosed area, with a rigged up system to catch the water run off from the unit. I also rigged my carbon filter outside the room near where the hot air exausts from the AC unit, to suck the air up and out of the attic window outside.

I have mylar on the cover, and all the strings up, and some of the plant clipped on with mini zipties.

hydroculture · #16 (**permalink**) 05-23-2009, 11:17 AM

Very nice setup. Always believed in the idea of ebb and flow with an "aeration device"! Already pulled up a chair

Hobo · #17 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009, 10:46 AM

right on, yea i could technically keep the pump constanly on as it basically becomes a DWC while its flooded.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hydroculture

Very nice setup. Always believed in the idea of ebb and flow with an "aeration device"! Already pulled up a chair

Zigzagman · #18 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009, 11:08 AM

Looking good Hobo. Saw a real similar grow and the grower had problems as the summer temps rose. I don't see a fresh air makeup or a dedicated heat exhaust system in you grow room. The a/c helps with a bit with humidity but, I think you'll need a direct vent as temps rise. Good luck with it and peace.

Hobo · #19 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009, 11:22 AM

Well the AC pushes a good amount of air out of the space, and i have passive intake (small holes around the framed in section). outside the framed in section i have cross ventilation through the attic, and a carbon filter/blower right behind the AC exhaust, pushing the air outside out of the attic around the grow area.

Do you think i will get by with that.. if not i also have some spare bathroom vents on hand that i should think about rigging up.

We have had some 85 degree days here already, and the grow room stayed a beautiful 76. I think the positioning of the AC makes it more of a dedicated light cooler, as opposed to an area air conditioner. It blows the cool air directly on/over the hot lights. and keeping the lights OFF during peak sun hours helps keep the overall high temp controlled. right now i have the AC on a timer, in relation to the lights/time of day... but i should just keep it on a thermostat, so i dont have to guess.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zigzagman

Looking good Hobo. Saw a real similar grow and the grower had problems as the summer temps rose. I don't see a fresh air makeup or a dedicated heat exhaust system in you grow room. The a/c helps with a bit with humidity but, I think you'll need a direct vent as temps rise. Good luck with it and peace.

Hobo · #20 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009, 11:26 AM

actually i think my biggest problem right now, is that that area is only enclosed with 1 layer of visquine... i really need to make a trip to home dept and get me some insulation.. to keep the hot air out and cool air in