40+ lbs with 12 Plants in 2 Rooms on a Flip

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Renfro

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I really like this hanging bulb idea inbetween 2 aisles. But it would be nice if it was an LED option just to keep electricity costs low.

What do you guys recommend?
Oh, as to recommendations, well you can't go wrong with a SE HPS. Know that most metal halide lamps won't work if used in the vertical position so they are out. You want a lamp thats universal or vertical (base up). For smaller areas you could use a 315 CMH with an adapter to fit a mogul base (e39/e40) socket. You can get the bare bulb vertical socket / cord / hanger as well (no reflector).
 

newbplantgrower420

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I did that in the last round, by the time the plants were into flowering you couldn't see the LED's, they were lost down in the mass of plant lol. Did they help? Maybe a little but they also made for some chlorosis when they would lay against a nugget. I wouldn't recommend using them in that manner.

A HID works better for this application since it takes up little space and pumps intense light in all directions. An LED in the middle of an aisle would need to be double sided and it would take up a lot more area. In my application a LED for side lighting would be best used on the end of a row where it's only facing one direction and walking space doesn't matter so much.
Got 3 4x8s side by side with 2 aisles that are ~ 15 inches each. I dont even use them until I chop down honestly. Might as well add some lighting in there.

What sidelighting do you recommend in there? 1000w SE, 600w or CMH? Its only 15ish inches I just gotta organize it alittle better once I add it so the plants dont burn.
 

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Renfro

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Got 3 4x8s side by side with 2 aisles that are ~ 15 inches each. I dont even use them until I chop down honestly. Might as well add some lighting in there.

What sidelighting do you recommend in there? 1000w SE, 600w or CMH? Its only 15ish inches I just gotta organize it alittle better once I add it so the plants dont burn.
My aisles are a lot wider, how many inches do you have between them? Perhaps a double sided strip light driven softly would work that close to the plants. To really benefit from side lighting you have to be growing taller plants. The inner stuff on mine has to get lolipopped, only what makes it to light stays.
 

newbplantgrower420

Well-Known Member
~15 inches. I was hoping having to lollipop less because of the sidelighting penetrating through. Theyre really lanky this time I had some issues in veg. The cages are 42inch theyre well above it.

But usually I try to keep it ~45inches including the hugo.
 

Renfro

Well-Known Member
~15 inches.
It looks like the plants filled that space though, like there is 15 inches between the plants you have?

My aisles are 45 inches wide (between trellis rigs) and the plants / rows are 8 feet apart from trunk to trunk. The plants end up growing out through the sides of the trellis, some strains a lot and others much less, you have to force those strains. Strains like OCD x M15 or Gorilla Glue will grow out a foot or more on each side of the 45 inch aisle, leaving me like 2 feet or less between the plants for those vertical lights, other strains I might have 3 feet.
 

Renfro

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I should add the trellis rigs are 5 feet tall as well. So 4x8x5 foot frames for the trellis. To really get any benefit from the wide aisles, I need tall plants to provide enough side canopy to make up for the canopy lost by the aisle. If I have say 2.5 feet of vertical side canopy I make more lit plant this way and I use less plants (thats the goal, stay in a plant count but grow a lot of weed).
 

jonnynobody

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There are few people I have seen on this forum (or any other for that matter) with the motivation and know how to do what you have accomplished in your grow room, and your efforts are an inspiration to indoor gardeners everywhere. I'm going to work through all the pages of your journal over the next couple of days. I hope to implement some of your ideas into my flower room in an effort to make daily maintenance easier and produce higher yields. I really like the idea of using the flora series in the big jugs with pumps. It's quick and efficient. Plus a nice bulk discount savings buying the big containers.

I'm apprehensive to ask any questions yet, because I'm sure you've covered an immense amount of detail in the 86 pages this thread has accumulated :)

One of the biggest problems I'm facing right now is that watering day is consuming nearly 2.5 hours every other day with mixing, watering, and cleanup. I'd love to automate the process in some fashion. I'm currently running 19 hempy buckets in drain to waste. I don't mind running the pump and water wand from the reservoir. The real time sucker and pain in the butt is having to use a kerosene transfer pump (cheap and very effective) to drain each saucer after the watering process is done. If I could just manage the waste water run off that would make life a lot easier.

What kind of system might you suggest to make this work easier? I'm all ears. I love the hempy buckets for their simplicity. If I could just find a way to manage the waste water more effectively I could solve my labor and time management problem. I'm not a good critical thinker :)
 

Renfro

Well-Known Member
There are few people I have seen on this forum (or any other for that matter) with the motivation and know how to do what you have accomplished in your grow room, and your efforts are an inspiration to indoor gardeners everywhere. I'm going to work through all the pages of your journal over the next couple of days. I hope to implement some of your ideas into my flower room in an effort to make daily maintenance easier and produce higher yields. I really like the idea of using the flora series in the big jugs with pumps. It's quick and efficient. Plus you get a huge bulk discount savings buying the big containers.

I'm apprehensive to ask any questions yet, because I'm sure you've covered an immense amount of detail in the 86 pages this thread has accumulated :)

One of the biggest problems I'm facing right now is that watering day is consuming nearly 2.5 hours every other day with mixing, watering, and cleanup. I'd love to automate the process in some fashion. I'm currently running 19 hempy buckets in drain to waste. I don't mind running the pump and water wand from the reservoir. The real time sucker and pain in the butt is having to use a kerosene transfer pump (cheap and very effective) to drain each saucer after the watering process is done. If I could just manage the waste water run off that would make life a lot easier.

What kind of system might you suggest to make this work easier? I'm all ears. I love the hempy buckets for their simplicity. If I could just find a way to manage the waste water more effectively I could solve my labor and time management problem. I'm not a good critical thinker :)
I don't have to mess with waste water, it all goes to a floor drain. I wouldn't grow without a floor drain. It takes me about 15 minutes per day per flowering room to mix nutes and water.
 

jonnynobody

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I don't have to mess with waste water, it all goes to a floor drain. I wouldn't grow without a floor drain. It takes me about 15 minutes per day per flowering room to mix nutes and water.
If you saw my watering process you'd have a good laugh. It gets done, but let's just say I'm having some growing pains :)
 

Renfro

Well-Known Member
I'm having some growing pains
I see what you did there lol.

If I didn't have a floor drain I would get the jack hammer out and make a sump pit. Done it before back in Missouri. Drop the plastic sump tank in the hole, fill around with concrete to make it look like the home was built that way. Put a sump pump in there and plumb all my plants waste to the pit.
 

jonnynobody

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I see what you did there lol.

If I didn't have a floor drain I would get the jack hammer out and make a sump pit. Done it before back in Missouri. Drop the plastic sump tank in the hole, fill around with concrete to make it look like the home was built that way. Put a sump pump in there and plumb all my plants waste to the pit.
I never would have thought to do anything creative like that. Crafty and effective. That's a great long term solution. Something tells me your phone rings often for a lot of those "how do you think I should do this" type of questions. The world needs more MacGyver's like you dude. I don't smoke joints too often these days. I prefer my bong. It's the quickest and most effective path to being stoned. Today is different though. I've got 84 more pages to work through here, and I promised the wife I wouldn't work on any repair projects today. Time to get rolling and reading :)
 

Gwhiliker

Well-Known Member
Might I add that flood trays and buckets might be an option as well* as this is what I'm doing to prevent my leech line getting algae. But listen to ren over all
 

jonnynobody

Well-Known Member
Might I add that flood trays and buckets might be an option as well* as this is what I'm doing to prevent my leech line getting algae. But listen to ren over all
Your mention of flood tables got my brain juices flowing a bit. I don't really have the vertical height in the flower room to raise the plants very much. However, If I placed those big trays (can't think of the proper term) on my floor or even a few rectangular kiddie pools to set the buckets inside of I could let the run off drain into those. I could run a garden hose to my floor drain, attach it to a pump, and I could drop the pump in each tray / pool after my water cycle to evacuate the waste. Man I really think this is my solution. Grow trays (as many as are needed to cover the bucket foot print), garden hose, and pump. I've got everything except the grow trays. I think that's the simplest and cheapest path to working this little situation out. Hell I could even do the same in my tent nurseries. 5'x5' trays in the bottom and no more saucers. Just let it drain to the floor and pump the floor tray. The hardest part for me right now is reaching into very awkward positions to pump the water out of each saucer. If I could just drop my pump in an easy to access spot my life becomes a lot easier, and provide a great deal of back pain relief. Getting old sucks :)

Edit: Found these https://hydrobuilder.com/hydroponics/hydroponic-grow-trays-and-stands/grow-trays-1317/active-aqua-flood-table-premium-white.html One 4'x8' would cover 2 rows from end to end. I have 4 rows, so 2 of these would cover my flower room for under $500. Convincing the wife will be the hardest part. It just has to be done though. I mention the word jack hammer and my growing privileges may be revoked :)
 
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Gwhiliker

Well-Known Member
Your mention of flood tables got my brain juices flowing a bit. I don't really have the vertical height in the flower room to raise the plants very much. However, If I placed those big trays (can't think of the proper term) on my floor or even a few rectangular kiddie pools to set the buckets inside of I could let the run off drain into those. I could run a garden hose to my floor drain, attach it to a pump, and I could drop the pump in each tray / pool after my water cycle to evacuate the waste. Man I really think this is my solution. Grow trays (as many as are needed to cover the bucket foot print), garden hose, and pump. I've got everything except the grow trays. I think that's the simplest and cheapest path to working this little situation out. Hell I could even do the same in my tent nurseries. 5'x5' trays in the bottom and no more saucers. Just let it drain to the floor and pump the floor tray. The hardest part for me right now is reaching into very awkward positions to pump the water out of each saucer. If I could just drop my pump in an easy to access spot my life becomes a lot easier, and provide a great deal of back pain relief. Getting old sucks :)

Edit: Found these https://hydrobuilder.com/hydroponics/hydroponic-grow-trays-and-stands/grow-trays-1317/active-aqua-flood-table-premium-white.html One 4'x8' would cover 2 rows from end to end. I have 4 rows, so 2 of these would cover my flower room for under $500. Convincing the wife will be the hardest part. It just has to be done though. I mention the word jack hammer and my growing privileges may be revoked :)
5x5s are a nightmare, you have no options. Drop down to 4 foot and the world is yours when it comes to flood trays, I'm currently ordering 3 5x5 end pieces and 3 5x5 drain ends for 3 5x10 tables but the tray for my 4x8 is right at the damn grow shop
 
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Cabrone

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I feed them every watering (daily) PPM is at 1200 - 1250 when in flower.

Thanks for the positive remarks folks. I'll be sure to keep updating.
I know this is an old post, but would you please clarify if this is an elemental ppm or an ec meter on the 500 scale? My limited experience tells me that's not elemental ppm?
 

jonnynobody

Well-Known Member
5x5s are a nightmare, you have no options. Drop down to 4 foot and the world is yours when it comes to flood trays, I'm currently ordering 3 5x5 end pieces and 3 5x5 drain ends for 3 5x10 tables but the tray for my 4x8 is right at the damn grow shop
This may be a silly question, but I have no experience with these trays. Can I block the drain hole so the water just pools in the table? I'm hoping to use them as oversized saucers as long as I can plug the hole. Draining 2 trays is light years easier than draining 19 saucers. Most of which are very difficult to get to. I think I will be able to use a 4'x4' in my nursery tents which should fit the buckets nearly perfect. They trays don't necessarily have to go edge to edge. Just far enough so the bucket sits in the tray. Losing 6" on each side adds up to the 12" reduction. In my head it seems like it will work perfect.
 

Gwhiliker

Well-Known Member
This may be a silly question, but I have no experience with these trays. Can I block the drain hole so the water just pools in the table? I'm hoping to use them as oversized saucers as long as I can plug the hole. Draining 2 trays is light years easier than draining 19 saucers. Most of which are very difficult to get to.
Anything's possible with the right amount of joints
 

jonnynobody

Well-Known Member
I run a pan in my tent and just suck up the run off with a shop vac.
Shit I like that man. I like that a lot actually. I never even thought about using a shop vac. The rigid I've got even has a drain hole in the bottom of the vac. That will actually work perfect for my nursery tents. I can pickup another dedicated vac just for that purpose. The hose is nice and long with great reach versus my kerosene transfer pump which is only about 2' long, and I have to use 1 hand to hold the pump vertically. Your way for clearing the water in the tents is simple and efficient. The hose on my rigid vac is at least 6' long. I can already feel the back pain relief :) Good looking out dude. And I might even use this as an option for clearing the water in my flower room due to the long reach of the hose. It's just too easy. Why not, right?
 
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