4x4 Tent - Blue Hash and A-Train

smokingrubber

Well-Known Member
I changed the res yesterday (10 days between changes) but it took all evening to refill. RO water 6.40ph. After I added the nutes 4.50ph.

Ph is at 4.90 in the morning (7 hours later). Also, the morning temp in the tent is around 62-65f degrees. 50-55 RH. It gets up to 75f by mid day. How bad is that? I dont have any PH-UP yet. Im headed to the hydro store in a few minutes. Ive always had to use PH-DOWN. Figures. 1210ppm

Should I use the Growtek Silicosis & SM-90 on every res change? Or every other?
 

Bob Smith

Well-Known Member
I changed the res yesterday (10 days between changes) but it took all evening to refill. RO water 6.40ph. After I added the nutes 4.50ph.

Ph is at 4.90 in the morning (7 hours later). Also, the morning temp in the tent is around 62-65f degrees. 50-55 RH. It gets up to 75f by mid day. How bad is that? I dont have any PH-UP yet. Im headed to the hydro store in a few minutes. Ive always had to use PH-DOWN. Figures. 1210ppm

Should I use the Growtek Silicosis & SM-90 on every res change? Or every other?
Have you callibrated your pH meter lately?

RO water should be right around 7.0, +/-.15 at the most.

Sounds like you need some calibration solution (although picking up some pH Up can't hurt).

And are you running your light 24/0? And does your light have its own air-cooling fan, or is there one fan that cools the light and also exhausts the tent?

Either way, I'd get a thermostat like this:

http://www.luxproducts.com/thermostats/win100.htm

I just got one and I love it - had the same problem, sometimes the ambient temp in my garage is so low that I don't need to run the fan cooling the light, so this thermostat shuts it off to keep heat inside the tent.

Especially if your exhaust fan(s) are always running, that'll at least keep the temps ~70 for you.

Regarding the SM-90, I have some but have never opened it - I'm saving it for when I (hopefully never) really need it, as I feel that feeding low "preventative" doses will just harden off the mites (or whatever else I'm trying to kill).

I basically use H2O2 (35%) as my preventative in my rez, kills everything.
 

smokingrubber

Well-Known Member
SM-90 doesnt say it kills mites. It claims (on the bottle) to be a plant/hydro lubricant. I was under the impression it DID kill pests, but thats not what the bottle claims.

Running the light 18/6. Yes, thats a good idea on the plug. Currently, it's one fan sucking air through both. The renovation will include the thermos. Thanks.

I calibrated the ph meter a week ago. I didnt see much float in the ph this week. Couldnt hurt to check it though you're right.
 

Bob Smith

Well-Known Member
SM-90 doesnt say it kills mites. It claims (on the bottle) to be a plant/hydro lubricant. I was under the impression it DID kill pests, but thats not what the bottle claims.
Your impression is correct - the "SM" is short for spider mites - it may do other things as well, but it was designed and marketed (at first) to kill insects (mites, specifically), and I'm saving it for that use.

http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=NEGSM9032&eq=&Tp=
 

smokingrubber

Well-Known Member
Hmmm good lookup. Glad I bought it :) I will continue to add it to the res, but the foliar spray requires too much ratio imo. I will save that for as needed.
 

smokingrubber

Well-Known Member
I drove 20 miles to the hydro store and 20 miles back. Lovely day btw. When I returned, the ph was at 5.00, I decided to add the Silicosis and SM-90.

80ml SM-90
100ml Silicosis

This spiked the ph up to 7.50 and it dropped ads the water circulated. 5 minutes later the ph is 6.3 and falling. I drove all that way for nothing :( Plants look happy today though.
 

Bob Smith

Well-Known Member
It's about time someone came up with a fan that varried its speed based on temperature. Can Fan has done it. http://www.horticulturesource.com/product_info.php?products_id=7789

Gotta get me one of those. Had my eye (the good one) set on a Vortex till I saw that feature! :hump:
I've seen that in some grow mags I read - the issues for me is that:

1) They only come in 240V as of right now
2) They are moronically expensive - I could get a $70 6" inline (425CFM) and hook up my $35 thermostat to it for less then 1/3 of the price.

I wouldn't waste your money on that, honestly.
 

smokingrubber

Well-Known Member
1. Ive got 240v so no big deal for me. Glad to get it off my overloaded 15amp 110 actually.

2. About 100 more than I wanted to spend, but this way provides high and low instead of on and off. Im thinking of it for my primary carbon filter exhaust. For the light exhaust I was going to use a cheap 150cfm duct fan for $50.
 

Bob Smith

Well-Known Member
1. Ive got 240v so no big deal for me. Glad to get it off my overloaded 15amp 110 actually.

2. About 100 more than I wanted to spend, but this way provides high and low instead of on and off. Im thinking of it for my primary carbon filter exhaust. For the light exhaust I was going to use a cheap 150cfm duct fan for $50.
I realize it's "only" $100 more then you wanted to spend, but I can vouch for these fans:

http://www.businesslights.com/valueline-inch-435-cfm-centrifugal-inline-fan-p-2045.html

Work great, and just imagine what you can buy/upgrade with the money you save.

$300 goes a long way.
 

smokingrubber

Well-Known Member
I saw roots from 2 of the GranDaddyPurp clones. I I put 4 of them into 4" rockwool and potted them in the tent. I expect them to stall a few days, then grab hold of the light and go. We'll see. They're small. They were cut 2 weeks ago and theyre going into 1000w @ 1230ppm. Ive got my fingers crossed.



Merry Christmas everyone. Thanks for following my journal.
 

smokingrubber

Well-Known Member
Massive growth today it seems. Even the babies don't seem unhappy. They're not taking off yet, but they're getting comfortable and they'll be making moves in a few days.

Look how much everything has started to fill in though. Its a good thing they'll have the new tent to expand into in 4 or 5 days.




 
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