My Home Hydro Setup

[j.zeolite]

Hello everyone.
I want to share my hydro setup here. This is the second time I've run this system. It worked great the first time with tomatoes (roots pictured below), I'm running 3 strains of cannabis this time.

Automation
The lights and pump are on timers. I only have to replace the 1 gallon of water in the bucket every few weeks, or top off as needed. I'm experimenting to see how little water I can use to grow these 6 plants.

Hydro medium
I use zeolite in the system because its all-natural and keeps the coliforms and bacteria levels down in the water as it is pumped around and trickles through the net cups. I leave some in the trough and bucket also for the same reason.

Time & Light
I'll do about 8 weeks veg under 20/4 halogen lights, and 8 weeks bloom under 12/12 halogen + LED.

Nutrients
Heavy Sixteen Veg-A and Veg-B. Maybe some extra potassium and potash at the bloom stage.

These were from the tomatoes last time in this system:

We'll see what happens.

 

[DemonTrich]

Welcome
Looks like you used a 4x4 post for a vinyl privacy fence and caps. LOVE diy stuff. If I'm wrong, sorry

 

[j.zeolite]

Welcome
Looks like you used a 4x4 post for a vinyl privacy fence and caps. LOVE diy stuff. If I'm wrong, sorry

You are spot on. Yea I had the lights and got everything else at HomeDepot!

 

[DGP]

What is in the bottom of your reservoir bucket? Do you think you would benefit from an air stone in the reservoir? On my top feed system I use some airstones bur IDK if it is a big deal.

Anyway, very cool system. Compact and I like top feed systems cause the water is always moving. I use top feed for veg and UC for flower. I too love DIY designs like yours.

I just built an experimental NFT module for a food crop but it might that your system is pretty much similar in how it works. I have been thinking about using this style for small clones and seedlings to get them ready for their next stage of growth but your design is nice because it fits in a very small space.

Dee

 

[j.zeolite]

Thank you! I love DIY too. This is a really cool system you have. I like it. I wonder if the plants towards the bottom get less light because they are farther away? I'm going to have problems with spacing on mine, but I'll prune back when the buds come and see what I can do to make it work.

 

[DGP]

Thank you! I love DIY too. This is a really cool system you have. I like it. I wonder if the plants towards the bottom get less light because they are farther away? I'm going to have problems with spacing on mine, but I'll prune back when the buds come and see what I can do to make it work.

Yeah they do get less light near the bottom but that is why I am running plants in this system that don't demand a lot of light and are light feeders (I group the plants by their needs). I have been giving some thought to some rather unorthodox light panel configuration to even out the light intensity but we will see if that works out. With Quantum panels a person could play some games with brackets that sort of stair case the panels.....

Dee

 

[j.zeolite]

Yeah they do get less light near the bottom but that is why I am running plants in this system that don't demand a lot of light and are light feeders (I group the plants by their needs). I have been giving some thought to some rather unorthodox light panel configuration to even out the light intensity but we will see if that works out. With Quantum panels a person could play some games with brackets that sort of stair case the panels.....

Dee

What if you blasted them from the side with light?

 

[DGP]

What if you blasted them from the side with light?

Something like that or two tiers of light panels at an angle to the grow structure and one group lower than the other.....need to sketch it out.

Dee

 

[DemonTrich]

@DGP
Nice as set up for sure.

If you like, you can always use rope ratchets on the 4 corners, and manipulate the light to fill all the rows. It would need to be angled like the plant stand. More so above and angled down.

That's one of the cleanest DIY hydro setups I've seen!

I bet HD doesn't have a weekend DIY on that do they?
Lol

 

[DGP]

@DGP
Nice as set up for sure.

If you like, you can always use rope ratchets on the 4 corners, and manipulate the light to fill all the rows. It would need to be angled like the plant stand. More so above and angled down.

That's one of the cleanest DIY hydro setups I've seen!

I bet HD doesn't have a weekend DIY on that do they?
Lol

Its not really that original just an implementation of NFT. But I may just run out to the garden and tilt the light cause that will work just fine. If I build another tier facing this one I may just use two tilted or tiered fixtures. Anyway, back to the original programming.

Dee

 

[DGP]

@DGP
Nice as set up for sure.

If you like, you can always use rope ratchets on the 4 corners, and manipulate the light to fill all the rows. It would need to be angled like the plant stand. More so above and angled down.

That's one of the cleanest DIY hydro setups I've seen!

I bet HD doesn't have a weekend DIY on that do they?
Lol

How bout like this?:
BTW, this light is really bright for only 320 watts but the camera tries to "white balance and average the exposure out automatically. Love the Quantum boards!

 

[DemonTrich]

Lower it about 6" more, but keep same.angle. see if the light is spread more

 

[PhatNuggz]

OP, nft is a bad idea for cannabis because cannabis root system is bigger and will clog the fence