Setting up dtw coco 2.5x5 tent

medidedicated

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Not as easy to setup as I planned to, no space for bucket inside tent. So just gonna put it outside, have a tray higher than other to fountain into the next one which drains through a hose going through a duct port to the condensate bucket.

Just to get it over with and just worry about setting up the manifold which appears to be able to fit in there as planned. Needs two cinder blocks per tray if I dont want it to be unsteady. That makes it not fit the bucket.
 

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medidedicated

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It actually wasnt too hard to figure out, about to buy everything and see if my idea works. Turns out the store has eveything needed and was just pending my action.

So the trays can sit a bit further apart than I thought, enough to join them with a 3 way fitting and use a nipple to make it drain safely down into bucket without wicking, not sure if the nipple is needed to prevent that but it will prevent the pump getting dripped over which says not to get wet.

Cut the bucket a little so it sits in between cinderblocks but off to one side more so the nipple hangs to the side of bucket beside the pump.

I can even setup the manifold today. I am processing coco for two mothers ready to plant any day now. One could plant today. The rest is self explanitory. So pump inside the tent to save space and better access.

Going to have sprinkler risers on a conduit clamp on a block of wood because I just dont see how it will keep itself up alone. Yall say it can but I bump into stuff a lot. Fat and clumsy.
 

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medidedicated

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Livin in ease central! My idea the other day went into effect just now. No longer having aches when reservoir runs low knowing I have a big ol job to do refilling it.

Use pump with head on it to drain to .8”, then I can tip it over to dump the rest in bucket which I just toss into drain tub. I asked manufacture if thats ok they said yes, just dont move it with a lot of water in it as it can drag into a splinter and poke through with those pressures.

Pucture resistant but not proof. But I will take that over the risks with things not meant to hold that much weight over time.

I over tightened the spout so it cracked but they are sending new one since unusual. It says “as tight as you can” but be weary it can crack. No leaks from spout knowing that now but the cracked ring did leak a bit due to failing, so make it tight but not literally as tight as you can.

Just turn pump half way down or use 400gph pump in a bucket full to brim in the tub. Tubing from there all the way to reservoir. Just sit back and make sure to turn off in time.

Then roll it up and put away. That is my new routine and review of these reservoirs. Very happy with them. This is much easier and currently seeing if its faster, so far it is. I can see how far up I can turn the pump to speed up process but cannot exceed flow of water going into bucket from the tub.

Used to take 45 mins to an hr if someone walks into bathroom to use it BUT like I said, I have the idea of two extention cords to hang outside of bathroom so I can emergancy shut off water. Welp, sitting back typing all this, 16 mins in and the reservoir is at 45/55 gallons. Woohoo! Ease central!

I went from that to filling a trash bin on dolly to lug to reservoir and repeat. 20 gal at a time, filling trash bin five gal at a time so 12 times. Waiting to unload inbetween.

Edit It is loaded, dosing nutes right now but pretty much done, about 30 mins vs 1hr. I dont think that includes emptying reservoir prior but that was like 5 mins. I spent time getting the setup ready for first time at that so perhaps I could do this even faster but one things for sure, this is a lot easier.

If I had to pick something to pick on with new setup is that the hose is 40ft so need to bleed out water but was fine just rolling it up anf forcing it out that way. Thats not a big deal. I can multi task way better with this.
 

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medidedicated

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Son of a gun. Was half way setting up to find my pump came broken so just stuck not sure what the heck to do. Trying get ahold of store but need a pump asap. This is just great. Past 30 days so might be out 150$.
 

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medidedicated

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Yea probably out 120$. Any suggestions on a reliable pump? I thought I had the best you could get just about. Reading the reviews finally mostly good but concerning bad reviews. If this fails I am screwed but maybe I will catch it on time and the tent water tray will hold up.

The one I have working is great, didnt think anything of it. Going to try talking to manufacture, amazon only covers 30 days. Amazon hung up on me. Tried what I could, if vendor not do anything then whatever.

My fault but lesson learned, check things soon as you get it, duh. Still though, a reputable seller would work with 60 days return.

Pretty upset but whatever about it by now. People had theirs 15 years and counting. Probably going to just get another one.

Edit I was suggested what to do, if it works, wtf lol. Genius. I clearly have the result of the same action lmao.
 
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medidedicated

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Woo! Just need add a tube and pump to feed from main reservoir to veg tent. Runoff systems working great, bought a new condensate pump. Switched it out.

Made the tubing make a siphon to make condensate pump run better. Duck tape sucks, need get me gorilla tape but this should hold for a while, taped it in all directions.

The 1/4” tubing just looking at it is soo much more flexible. Got tees that are angled so wont kink thats for sure. Just need hook them up to plants. Need find a thinner drill bit and make holes. Mylar over surface with holes works like a floraflex plate, might do that too.

Its all coming together! Having a lot of fun, wish it lasted longer, almost done. I do have the flower tent to setup 8 trays and manifolds similar to this setup.

Setting up is so easy and never knew local home improvement stores have soo much dtw items and super cheap for obvious reasons vs amazon. Really enjoy walking through there now.
 

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medidedicated

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Ive been throwing twice as concentrated doses pool shock every time I dump drain resivoir so it stays clean no slime. Its next to vent and in winter is blowing heat so it got slimy quick with no treatment.
 

medidedicated

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I see this all the time but don’t know what it is. The tips of leafs are yellow and the very tip eventually curls and dries out but juuuuust the very tip. What is that? Its on both plants. Youd think nute burn but its on even the most expert growers plants too as if its just a minor quirk.

1.1EC including tap water ec which is .5. Fed 4 times a day ph drift from 5.8 to 6.2. Wave maker so its aerated.
 

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medidedicated

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Reminds me, I at one point in this thread said my hanna groline was dying out. Just for the record, I did get a new one for back up while I use this one till its dead which its still running strong. It just had a glitch moment but its a beat up meter. Took much abuse.

So plus one for hanna making meters last over one year which is hard to do for a meter.
 

medidedicated

Well-Known Member
After more research I just see that its beginning of nute burn. Do yall agree? My first guess is my drain reservoir is a tad bit less full suddenly but I watched the feed in action to find it fed enough, maybe could use a tiny bit more but hmm. Ive seen it not progress or maybe its just me but I thought I seen it stay like that rest of grow.
 

medidedicated

Well-Known Member
Bumpin this here. So RO water with .5 nutes and ph up. Why is it now from 5.8 to 6.3? What do you do to lower ph as you shouldnt use ph down. Usually tap water goes up in ph I thought RO goes down in ph and recently heard about it not having ions.

I was using drinking water filtered to ro quality then re mineralized and has a high ph so I just use ph down but that water cannot be used for this, its drinking water and costly.

I heard ro water messes with cation sites but my tap water is .5 ec. How do you do seedlings and clones? More wondering about clones, seedlings can handle a lot.

I think I heard plain tap is ok if it has calmg in it but they say no plain water in coco. Is 1.1 ec too much for fresh clones? When would you up to 1.0 if not?

I have a pot of coco left over to be used in a week or two, how would you maintain it until then? Is ok to just run nutes through it as normal and flush prior to planting?
 
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Thundercat

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My clones started getting a veg feed as soon as they got potted. It was around 500 ppm if I remember correctly. They got that feed for 2 weeks then straight into flower at about 700-800 ppm most of the time. I only had a couple plants over the years that wanted to get fed more then that.
 

medidedicated

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I have a light proof louver for dark rooms, all kinds of things I could do but gave up on that and wrote it off to equivelant to moon light. With a full canopy its dark enough to block light.

Any light proofing will just obstruct air flow which can ruin a crop if its a full house like mine. My rh is partly low due to the season, last year was humid, this years dry.

I otherwise was on thin ice of rh rising to 55. Need to lighten up during summers/springs. and maybe go harder like now in winter/fall.
 

medidedicated

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So the flow isnt good. 400gph on full blast and manifold turn on max flow. Leaks at every joint of the manifold and tubing to hold it up. Pvc cement ? Weather proof gorilla cement? What do I do for more powwer through halos. Not sure whats goin on here.

I though this would work better but so far its just as bad as my make shift setup. Which is working well…
 

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medidedicated

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Ok its not game over yet, its called pipe thread sealant and a big blue moster guy pops up. Ok so theres that. But then I have crappy flow in drippers. The stakes are AWESOME how they click in place, no need to ziptie or anything to fasten.

The drill bit either being new or smaller or both, it was easy to drill holes in one shot. But how can I get full pressure like I should have? Not all holes have water flowing out.
 

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
Change your 8 way orbit manifold to one that is "full flow". Those adjustable ones are too restrictive IMO.

EDIT: Probably better to add a T with a couple elbows, and put two of the free flowing 4 way ones on instead of the bigger 8 port you have. It's likely your bottle neck.
 
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