Fridge Grow/Clone Box (with a twist)
- Thread starter fishdeth
- Start date
Abiqua
Well-Known Member
What is your intake situation like?
Are you not using the 600cfm fan still? That should knock that heat down like crazy. The fridge is only about 10-15 cu. ft overall.
I ended up making the hump of my mini fridge the exit of the intake which is now the entire bottom of the fridge. Really keeps cool air coming in.
Also because of the excellent insulation, I found I had to run my little 12v DC exhaust fan overnight, because the humidity gets out of control without it
Sure looks good!
Are you not using the 600cfm fan still? That should knock that heat down like crazy. The fridge is only about 10-15 cu. ft overall.
I ended up making the hump of my mini fridge the exit of the intake which is now the entire bottom of the fridge. Really keeps cool air coming in.
Also because of the excellent insulation, I found I had to run my little 12v DC exhaust fan overnight, because the humidity gets out of control without it
Sure looks good!
Abiqua
Well-Known Member
Generally the rule of thumb for adequate negative ventilation when sized to the appropriate fan:
Intake surface area [38+"] is double the exhaust surface area [19.6 sq. inches]
Your intake probably doesn't need to be opened that much though as, 6-10 complete room changes per minute with the intake/exhaust size, should almost always put you within 5 degree barring other huge factors.
That might only work out to only needing a 150-200cfm fan, even with the HPS>
So if you have a more powerful fan [which you do] you can either slow the air down by limiting the intake or using a volt controller/variac to slow it down.
Just a few thoughts, lots of ways to go with it. Should be fine. The heat from the back, may be the only problem, who knows
Intake surface area [38+"] is double the exhaust surface area [19.6 sq. inches]
Your intake probably doesn't need to be opened that much though as, 6-10 complete room changes per minute with the intake/exhaust size, should almost always put you within 5 degree barring other huge factors.
That might only work out to only needing a 150-200cfm fan, even with the HPS>
So if you have a more powerful fan [which you do] you can either slow the air down by limiting the intake or using a volt controller/variac to slow it down.
Just a few thoughts, lots of ways to go with it. Should be fine. The heat from the back, may be the only problem, who knows
fishdeth
Well-Known Member
I adjusted the (
feeding times to cover my whole 16 hour lights on.
I switched from every 2 hours to every 2.25 hours.
AND I increased the feeding time from 15 min to 30 min for each feeding.
After I did that, I figured I was up, so I just got done PH-ing a gallon of water and added it to the res.
PPMs were up to 1360 and the gallon brought that down to 775.
I believe I am having a fair amount of evaporation as well as the plants drinking.
So far, so good… fingers crossed !
feeding times to cover my whole 16 hour lights on.I switched from every 2 hours to every 2.25 hours.
AND I increased the feeding time from 15 min to 30 min for each feeding.
After I did that, I figured I was up, so I just got done PH-ing a gallon of water and added it to the res.
PPMs were up to 1360 and the gallon brought that down to 775.
I believe I am having a fair amount of evaporation as well as the plants drinking.
So far, so good… fingers crossed !
!
fishdeth
Well-Known Member
Yea, thanks.
I may still buy that tall 6" diameter clear glass vase and cut the end off like I have seen done online.
Just not sure if it will be worth the effort ??
fishdeth
Well-Known Member
Hey guys,
2 questions…
1 Should I be spraying or misting the leaves with anything???
2 I am having PH swings every day from 5.5 in the evening when I adjust it to 7 or so by the next day.
I rinsed and rinsed the GrowStone before using, and then some, but my tap water is about 7 to 7.5.
Could it be my tap water rinse that will just maybe eventually level out?
It was VERY stable in the AeroGarden, but that was top fed DWC.
???
2 questions…
1 Should I be spraying or misting the leaves with anything???
2 I am having PH swings every day from 5.5 in the evening when I adjust it to 7 or so by the next day.
I rinsed and rinsed the GrowStone before using, and then some, but my tap water is about 7 to 7.5.
Could it be my tap water rinse that will just maybe eventually level out?
It was VERY stable in the AeroGarden, but that was top fed DWC.
???
Abiqua
Well-Known Member
#1 imho, I don't spray anything especially in flower, although the 1st few weeks are generally ok before budset.
I used to, especially for mites, but I try and do all of my spraying in veg, if I can. But in veg,I do several homemade herbal bug sprays and an aloe vera soak/ spray at times too.
I am in the corner, that plants can thrive without being sprayed, that is not to say that I am against foliar spraying as certain things are more advantageous, to each their own
#2 I am a recycled soil grower, but have you checked your KH? If its low, something is being repeated in the pH swing. Are you adding cal/mag along with a bloom nute already with Cal or something alkaline?
I would suspect the KH of the nutes is low and the KH of the tap water is higher. Seems like it stabilized back to the tap water pH overnight. When the KH is low, alkanity is decreased, which is basically the buffering effect of pH rise/drop.
Usually when people have wild pH swings, the KH is low, because the buffering effect of pH change is very low.
Although you have a gradual swing, just after feeding? probably as the feed nutes become diluted? That's my guess.
Adding to something to increase the KH without significantly raising the GH is also a challenge at times, but in a pinch pH UP, might help.
You might just need to soften your tap water, a tad bit too. Ever do a TDS reading on the tap?
I used to, especially for mites, but I try and do all of my spraying in veg, if I can. But in veg,I do several homemade herbal bug sprays and an aloe vera soak/ spray at times too.
I am in the corner, that plants can thrive without being sprayed, that is not to say that I am against foliar spraying as certain things are more advantageous, to each their own
#2 I am a recycled soil grower, but have you checked your KH? If its low, something is being repeated in the pH swing. Are you adding cal/mag along with a bloom nute already with Cal or something alkaline?
I would suspect the KH of the nutes is low and the KH of the tap water is higher. Seems like it stabilized back to the tap water pH overnight. When the KH is low, alkanity is decreased, which is basically the buffering effect of pH rise/drop.
Usually when people have wild pH swings, the KH is low, because the buffering effect of pH change is very low.
Although you have a gradual swing, just after feeding? probably as the feed nutes become diluted? That's my guess.
Adding to something to increase the KH without significantly raising the GH is also a challenge at times, but in a pinch pH UP, might help.
You might just need to soften your tap water, a tad bit too. Ever do a TDS reading on the tap?
fishdeth
Well-Known Member
They are ! But that pic was taken with the flash ON to counter the HPS light spectrum.
They are very green and the branches are strong and stiff.
I am still using the weights to help LST but have to use more weight.
There are lots of new bud sites forming and even the leaves are very stiff.
I will change the nutes Sat or Sun and then flip to 12/12 !
Last edited:
Abiqua
Well-Known Member
In short it is the measure of carbonates and bicarbonates in solution. It measures the alkalinity of these two which is different than being alkaline in pH.
KH is tied heavily to the buffering capacity of pH long term.....KH = alkalinity hardness. Gh or general hardness [TDS, EC] measures a combination of ALL nondissolved ions in solution. Not all have a natural affinity for alkalinity [the ability to neutralize an acid] like carbonates though.
Gh can be independent of KH even with high levels as it might be missing carbonates but is heavy in Mag/Sul. Similarly you might have a high KH but a slight acidic pH. This is good, unless you want to raise or drop pH suddenly, because the buffering effect would be high
Certain things have higher levels of KH, baking soda has a good temporary KH but it neutralizes quickly and as a result lowers the KH eventually.
Other things like potassium hydroxide or ammonia which will oxidate to ammonium hydroxide? will raise pH while sustaining KH. That way, the pH change will stabilize and stick around, not just disappear like baking soda.
Sorry for the ramble. It is often misunderstood what each thing does, hopefully I didn't make it more so.....