Just ordered a bunch of Govee wifi sensors and smart outlets. Will definitely need them for my next grow when I have 5 separate RDWC reservoirs to monitor. Got the gateway hub that allows for 30 sensors so I can add more sensors any time. Many of the sensors don't need a hub, but I read they can still connect to one and I would prefer to do that to have all the info in one location. Don't want to connect to individual sensors, just the one hub.
Also been ordering the parts I will need for my next grow. 10x 7-gallon buckets. 10x bulkheads and 5x union fittings to connect each pair of buckets. 10x plant caddies to make them mobile. Limited mobility due to hoses and power cables, but mobile enough to rotate the plant for easy trimming and monitoring. 100 feet of PVC to make screens to attach to each mobile unit.
I really think I will be happy with this setup for a long time. At least until laws change and more plants are allowed.
Temperature is going back up for a week. I was really enjoying the highs of 65-70 and lows of 45-55. It made it so easy to keep my closet temp at 73f-76f. Temperature got into low 80s last night. Nothing to worry about, but would still prefer the lower temps. Will be running my AC during the peak temps and then turning it off to use my window fan at night. So annoying having to do this, but will save me the energy costs.
Nothing new going on with the plants, except the smell is getting stronger. Will take more pics in 12 hours, at the end of this dark cycle. Will also get more trichome videos of plant 1 as it gets closer and closer to harvest time.
Govee smart outlets showed up. Instantly installed one to monitor the total power usage of the closet. 126W during the dark cycle and 531W during the light cycle. So the 3 lights are actually using 135W each. I am currently running a 11/13 cycle, so power usage for a day is 7.5kWh, which costs $1.20 at $0.16 per kWh.
My future grows will have 2 additional lights and 4 additional water pumps, possibly 9 additional water pumps if I make my own water chiller out of a mini fridge. Also plan to upgrade my exhaust fan, but its power usage is roughly the same as my current one. May end up using them both and adding another exhaust duct. Time to calculate total cost of my future grows.
2x Lights = 270W
4x Water Pumps = 32W
Duct Fan = 30W
My RO water only costs the price of filter replacement which is about $60 per year on average to produce about 1100 gallons. 2 grows a year, so water cost is roughly $30 per grow (I also use the water for cooking and drinking, but that can be included here as an over estimate).
Water Total: $30
Nutrient cost is a bit more difficult to judge, but I have been keeping track of ml usage for this current grow. Expected to use about $9 in nutrients (calculated to be $7.63), bennies (guessing $0.20), and PH Up/Down (guessing $2), so round it up to $10. I expect the next grow to use double this, so $20 for nutrient costs.
Nutrient Total: $20
Total cost per grow: $403.10
Might as well round that up to a nice even $500 to account for other random expenses. 2 grows per year, so $1000 per year. I am expecting 20-30oz per year which is about $4k-$6k worth of flower. $3k to $5k of net savings per year.
I smoke closer to the 20oz mark per year, so anything extra will just go in my rainy day stash as well as shared with family and friends.
Govee refrigerator thermometers are in place and being used to monitor water temp. Now just need to wait for the hub and hygrometers to show up. They also have a new CO2 monitor apparently and I may order one of those as well.
It is so much more convenient seeing the temps on my phone. Will setup alerts once I get the hub and connect the thermometer to it.
Sorry, no trichome videos, I fell asleep and woke up too late to get videos before the lights went on. Videos with the lights on cannot be trusted and I can't interrupt the middle of the night cycle, so I have to do the videos within the 15 minutes before or after the light cycle.
Also no group shot. Since the plants are no longer increasing in height there is no point in continuing to monitor it daily. I will post group shots on defoliation days.
Plant 1 is definitely getting close. Plant 2 buds are fattening up. The others are slowly getting bigger too. The smell is getting stronger and stronger, especially when I first open the closet door after the night cycle ends.
Had to add a safety gate to keep my cat out of the closet. It was cute at first, but he keeps looking for stuff to lick in there and I don't want him getting sick.
Starting with drilling the 1" holes at the bottom of the buckets to test out the bulkheads and union fittings.
Unfortunately, my 1" drill bit almost ruined the first bucket. It was not a perfect circle. Thankfully the rubber washers still covered the entire hole. I have a 1-1/8" hole saw bit will definitely make a better hole, but I would prefer a 1" hole saw bit instead. I thought the hole saw set I have would have a 1" bit, but either I lost it or it never came with one. I will wait to do more until I have a better bit.
All buds getting fatter on all plants. Plant 3 fattening up the slowest though. Plant 4 suddenly has a cola that got real fat. Plant 2 has some foxtailing going on. Not worried about it all, in fact I like the look of it.
Also got a housefly infestation going on here. They mostly stay in the kitchen, but 1 or 2 manage to make there way to the closet. Setup a bunch of DIY traps around the house and killed about 30 with a fly swatter. Recent increase in temperature and rain must have spawned a ton of these bastids! Can't wait for the temps to drop again!!
Also got a housefly infestation going on here. They mostly stay in the kitchen, but 1 or 2 manage to make there way to the closet. Setup a bunch of DIY traps around the house and killed about 30 with a fly swatter. Recent increase in temperature and rain must have spawned a ton of these bastids! Can't wait for the temps to drop again!!
Still murdering houseflies! Although now the killing has come to a halt since I misplaced my fly swatter.
Got some equipment being delivered today for the new grow setup. A small wire rack to organize my nutrients and testing equipment. The hole saw needed to finish cutting the buckets. Net pot lids for the buckets. Got the lids that come with the removable 6" net pot since after reading tons of reviews I learned the net pots only last half a dozen grows or so before needing to be replaced. The net pot lids are about $5 each, but the 6" net pots are less than $1 each. Still unsure what I will fill the net pots with. I want something reusable. Also have a 4 pack of shears coming, in anticipation for my short stay in trim jail.
Trichome videos will be posted late tonight, just before the lights go back on. Unless I fall asleep again. Setting an alarm now.
Really good looking plant 1 and #2 has some time so you can ease into the trimming. Can't wait to see your new bucket system you'd better get a bowl trimmer now LOL. Good for you for thinking of your cat and heading it away from the danger zone. Don't forget another bottle of ISO to clean them shears with LOL have fun!!
Really good looking plant 1 and #2 has some time so you can ease into the trimming. Can't wait to see your new bucket system you'd better get a bowl trimmer now LOL. Good for you for thinking of your cat and heading it away from the danger zone. Don't forget another bottle of ISO to clean them shears with LOL have fun!!
Yeah, 2 through 4 have at least a week or more to go after plant 1 is harvested. Trimming shouldn't be too bad this grow, especially when not harvesting all at once. I hope I have enough ISO, about 20oz or so left in the bottle. Next grow should be different, hehe.
My cat has been grumpy now. Laying by the gate, haha.
Trichome videos, and even screenshots of the trichomes in focus, are available in another thread. I don't want to double post everything as there were a lot of uploads.