Hey Bobby,
Im just checking in to see how you are doing......
Hope your project is moving along faster than mine.
Give us an update on what you have been up to......
Indefinately.......
Thanks for checking in, bro - I'm still around, been traveling a lot (I must lead the league in traveling for an unemployed guy) and doing holiday type shit.
Still dealing with some
EZ Clone issues (temp fluctuations, totally my fault), but I THINK I've gotten them figured out by this point (they won't be totally figured out until everything is setup and my temp is fully regulated, which is/was really the "issue"), so (fingers crossed) shooting to have plants in there (the PD) by the 15th.
Set up and wired the vertitube a couple of days ago and took readings - the results I posted in another thread but I'll repost at the bottom of this post if anyone's interested.
Also getting some float valves delivered today, because I've decided to change the water delivery (really, the return and not the delivery) system in the PD - getting rid of the return pump and catch basin (too much opportunity for algae to grow, too much electricity usage, too much chance for flooding from debris clogging the pump, etc.)
So:
1) I'm going to put rubber endcaps on the ends of the structure where they drain into the "catch basin".
2) Going to insert 3/4" E&F fittings (or two 1/2" barbs/grommets on each endcap, not sure yet - that would be a total of four return lines) into each endcap (drilled, obviously) and make sure they're waterproof
3) Going to run 3/4" tubing to a 27 gallon strong box (aka "MPB") which will be filled up to about 8" with solution (guessing about 15 gallon's worth) - this will be my "main" reservoir, housing the cool coil, having the chiller and pump running to it, the 1/6HP will be pumping out of here, etc.
4) Going to install a float valve into that MPB which will automatically top it off from the current 64 gallon reservoir (Brute Trashcan) I have.
I like this new setup for all the reasons mentioned above (simpler, less algae, less electric) as well as the fact that this system is kind of a hybrid between a large recirculating reservoir (which would need to be fully changed every two weeks, wasting 64 gallons of water) and a drain to waste, where pH/PPM fluctuation and waste are minimized.
With this new setup, I may use my R/O filter (wasn't planning on it) and auto-top off my top-off reservoir, so I can take two week vacations and not have to worry about my plants drying out.
Anyhow, here's the post from another thread about the readings I took with my light meter:
Took readings from 18" from the BULB (16" from the cooltube) from all four directions off of each bulb (at 90 degree angles, but directly perpendicular to the middle of the bulb), with four bulbs, for 16 total measurements.
^^^If this explanation is confusing, lemme know.
The bulbs (working from top to bottom) are dual arc, super hps, dual arc, and super hps (all used for <1 hour total).
The dual arcs put out 61K lumens and the HPS 90K, tested and verified bare bulbed with my light meter a week or two ago.
Location One (from top to bottom):
2340
3930
4050
3920
Location Two (same top to bottom):
2520
3770
3930
3840
Location Three:
2560
4210
3370
3850
Location Four:
2480
3650
3560
3810
Average:
Top Bulb (DA) - 2475
Second Bulb (HPS) - 3890
Third Bulb (DA) - 3727.5
Bottom Bulb (HPS) - 3855
Conclusion - without a doubt, swapping out the top dual arc for an HPS (and possibly the other dual arc as well, still undecided on that) - I just can't justify that amount of light loss for the top-most plants, regardless of how much better the spectrum may be - I'm not sure my canopy will even get to 18" from the bulbs (it prolly will, but it could stay in the low 20s easily as well), and 2500 foot candles ain't cutting it for me - I'll take 3500 foot candles and a shitty spectrum all day in that situation.
P.S. - don't forget to wear your welding goggles when dealing with vertical bulbs, people.
EDIT: I guess I could swap the top two bulbs and have the dual arcs in the middle and the HPS on the outsides - methinks that would give me the most even canopy lighting (as even bulbs will certainly favor the middle) as well as giving me a better chance to see the true "effect" of the dual arc spectrum on the plants in the middle vs. the plants on the perimeter when both sets are receiving a comparable number of footcandles..........thoughts?