Contemplating Setting Up A Uc8xl13 System

[mrsmarybrown]

Hello fellow Farmers,

I have been a dirt farmer and breeder now since the end of the Vietnam War. Outdoor Guerrilla growing in the summer months and a breeding program indoors, for the winter. So I am no stranger to growing indoors in dirt but have no experience with hydroponics. As we were always breeding for seed we did not consider any variables to increase yield for medicine, we only grew indoors in 5 gal buckets with one 1K light for 2 plants, just to produce seeds/strains. When we tried growing in a similar fashion but focusing on indoor medicine, and yield, we could hardly get to a high enough yield to even just pay for the utilities, but the system works fabulous for breeding.

I am contemplating setting up either an 8 site or possibly a 12 site, UCXL13 system at 30" centres with 4 overhead 1K lights, for growing medicine and would greatly appreciate some input. I have a spare bedroom that is 9'x19' with an 8' ceiling. I can run a maximum of 4 x 1K lights so I can not take full advantage of the room size at this point. What size of system would give me the best output and yield to run as mentioned? I run open, positive/negative pressure rooms to carbon scrub exiting air and bring lots of fresh air in (no air conditioning). We use enclosed glass tube horizontal shrouds that use 8" ducts and fan vented to the outside.

I would be running well water that is UV filtered and a 1/2hp chiller in a separate room. Will this water be clean enough to run UC? Should I go sterile or not? What type of yields could I expect? Should I go UC as a first timer or not? What size fits best? Whats my best option? Will 4 lights be enough for 8 plants, or even 12 plants? And any other good questions you farmers can come up with.

Thanks for your time and consideration All!

POWER to the FLOWER! Grow on fellow Farmers!

 

[Bombnes]

When I started growing I began with a UC system and wish that i had started somewhere easier ebb and flo or a wick system. If you are a clean freak like me you shouldn't have any issue running the UC. As to yield, well first go was about 2oz per plant and that went up on the second run to 3.5oz per. I still use UC in my system today so it's worth trying.

 

[All4freedumb]

Imho the UC is a very easy way to grow if you keep it simple. Most peoples mistakes come from trying to Use prior hydro techniques in the UC. The UC is like other hydro methods it's just that the plants are able to take up everything and anything 24hrs a day. With your plants having everything readily available it takes much less salts to achieve the same results. Pushing salts, boosters and additives are most peoples downfalls. Start off slow and keep a steady pace. Don't try to push anything until you have a run or two under your belt with the same strain and then go over your notes and see at what weeks your girls ate more and when they were settled in. Then you can follow your notes and bump the ec up during the weeks you know they like to eat. I would suggest running your top off with straight ph'd ro until you know how much your girls like to be pushed. A huge benefit to this is that you can watch your ec drop in your system and when it drops .4 or so you can add back some A&B into your system to bring your ec back to where you started that week. The weeks that needed heavy add backs are the weeks your girls want to be fed. Notes notes notes....
I think if you KISS your way along you would rock dwc. I think a switch from dirt to UC is ideal for getting your roots wet. Other hydro methods have taught people to push their plants and in the UC that can cause issues fast. My only concern and it's a big one in my eyes is your well water. I have seen issue after issue with dwc and well water. I would definitely get your water tested and see exactly what you are starting with. Maybe even try a test since most people, I've noticed, see issues not long after they get roots swimming. You can make a couple bucket system easy with 5 gal buckets and 1 in pvc. No need to worry about clogging up 1 in lines with roots cause its a test and if that happens then they pass. All u would need is a use of a chiller to cool your test buckets. I have put air stones in a 5 gal and changed water once a day and have had good results, a little more work and water daily buy nothing to build. Best of luck to you and please share your journey....

 

[mrsmarybrown]

Imho the UC is a very easy way to grow if you keep it simple. Most peoples mistakes come from trying to Use prior hydro techniques in the UC. The UC is like other hydro methods it's just that the plants are able to take up everything and anything 24hrs a day. With your plants having everything readily available it takes much less salts to achieve the same results. Pushing salts, boosters and additives are most peoples downfalls. Start off slow and keep a steady pace. Don't try to push anything until you have a run or two under your belt with the same strain and then go over your notes and see at what weeks your girls ate more and when they were settled in. Then you can follow your notes and bump the ec up during the weeks you know they like to eat. I would suggest running your top off with straight ph'd ro until you know how much your girls like to be pushed. A huge benefit to this is that you can watch your ec drop in your system and when it drops .4 or so you can add back some A&B into your system to bring your ec back to where you started that week. The weeks that needed heavy add backs are the weeks your girls want to be fed. Notes notes notes....
I think if you KISS your way along you would rock dwc. I think a switch from dirt to UC is ideal for getting your roots wet. Other hydro methods have taught people to push their plants and in the UC that can cause issues fast. My only concern and it's a big one in my eyes is your well water. I have seen issue after issue with dwc and well water. I would definitely get your water tested and see exactly what you are starting with. Maybe even try a test since most people, I've noticed, see issues not long after they get roots swimming. You can make a couple bucket system easy with 5 gal buckets and 1 in pvc. No need to worry about clogging up 1 in lines with roots cause its a test and if that happens then they pass. All u would need is a use of a chiller to cool your test buckets. I have put air stones in a 5 gal and changed water once a day and have had good results, a little more work and water daily buy nothing to build. Best of luck to you and please share your journey....

In trying to design this system, I have so far came up with the following plan to sterilize my well water the best way possible. I just do not know if this will be enough to utilize a UC system.

I plan to set up a 100 gal/day RO system, followed by a UV filter prior to new water being added to my reservoir. I then plan on adding a separate UV filter inline in the active UC system for a 2nd continual clean. What's everyone's thoughts on this procedure?

 

[mrsmarybrown]

When I started growing I began with a UC system and wish that i had started somewhere easier ebb and flo or a wick system. If you are a clean freak like me you shouldn't have any issue running the UC. As to yield, well first go was about 2oz per plant and that went up on the second run to 3.5oz per. I still use UC in my system today so it's worth trying.

Really, ONLY 3.5/per? Ouch! That's what we get running soil in 5 gallon buckets.

 

[trippinballz]

Seems you have a good amount of uptake/knowledge goin on re this system. I'm just gonna ramble a bit like I always do if that's OK....

Not wanting to start "the" debate, but after tasting soil grown pot for so long you may be a bit disappointed by the switch. Don't get me wrong....hydro makes good pot...and the UC was fun to play with and yielded like CRAZY for me... (I sucked at it and still exceeded 8 oz per plant with a strain that was never known for density/weight) but in the end I missed my soil/guano/mad scientist fun and got tired of watchin ph/etc.

My sky high Over/under/sideways/down DIY thread may still exist here. Dunno. If I were gonna do it again I'd for sure UV the fuck out of it (pardon moi' french). I had 2 epic fails.... my own fault..for sure....but either way there were some kinda lean months in there playing catch up/waiting for that yummy soil grow to kick back in...LOL. The UC served a purpose/met (commercial) needs for awhile there but I sure wasn't focused on headstash when I was runnin' it.

Others will disagree. Some folks just kill it with these things. Then again...they also sell it all!

best of luck whatever you decide to do...

 

[mrsmarybrown]

Seems you have a good amount of uptake/knowledge goin on re this system. I'm just gonna ramble a bit like I always do if that's OK....

Not wanting to start "the" debate, but after tasting soil grown pot for so long you may be a bit disappointed by the switch. Don't get me wrong....hydro makes good pot...and the UC was fun to play with and yielded like CRAZY for me... (I sucked at it and still exceeded 8 oz per plant with a strain that was never known for density/weight) but in the end I missed my soil/guano/mad scientist fun and got tired of watchin ph/etc.

My sky high Over/under/sideways/down DIY thread may still exist here. Dunno. If I were gonna do it again I'd for sure UV the fuck out of it (pardon moi' french). I had 2 epic fails.... my own fault..for sure....but either way there were some kinda lean months in there playing catch up/waiting for that yummy soil grow to kick back in...LOL. The UC served a purpose/met (commercial) needs for awhile there but I sure wasn't focused on headstash when I was runnin' it.

Others will disagree. Some folks just kill it with these things. Then again...they also sell it all!

best of luck whatever you decide to do...

Thanks for the input trippenballZ! Found your old thread and read it all. Very informative and gives me lots to consider, it confirmed much of the info I found pertinent in my research so far. I plan on taking it slowly and doing a thorough job if I decide to go that way. Just put a wack of sprouts into soil for this winters breeding season, so I will have a few months to decide and build. I am sure I will come up with a few questions prior to that but I will keep searching out the forums. I do believe I will go with the professional CC's UC system to start so I can focus on pertinent details and not worry about my own DIY design and associated downfalls.

Thanks Again!

 

[FooDoo]

I'd spend the money on getting ac and co2 in the room and going open hoods/bare bulbs with reflectors. Environment is way way way more important than the medium in which you grow

 

[mrsmarybrown]

Our room is already set up and has been running with soil for years. The room is sealed and we use negative/positive air flow to keep whatever is in the room, in the room and to control the environment, we have a high rate of fresh air at all times and the room is kept in a negative pressure state. We use air cooled tube reflectors that are vented to the outside. Due to our airflow and northern location we have no problem with keeping the environmental temps down. The setup is not favorable for the use of co2.

 

[FooDoo]

That's all fine and dandy, however my suggestion still holds true

Good luck and happy holidays

 

[LittleDabbie]

Just dropping by to wish the best of luck! :D

 

[mrsmarybrown]

The change over from soil to RWDC, has been put on hold and wont happen now, until spring, as I'm busy setting up a new explosion proof extraction room, and am waiting impatiently upon the arrival of some new extraction equipment (cls) and some vac ovens and chambers to complete the set up. So that leaves me the winter to finesse the details of our RWDC setup and get everything ready to switch over, once this winters breeding projects are complete.

 

[mrsmarybrown]

I'd spend the money on getting ac and co2 in the room and going open hoods/bare bulbs with reflectors. Environment is way way way more important than the medium in which you grow

I am considering changing our air cooled reflectors and going to bare bulbs.

 

[FooDoo]

That's kind of my first step in my low tech room. I have a 10x20 with 8k using magnetic ballasts on 120 volts . air cooled hoods that vent outside to environment. Intake is a can fan with dust shroom. Exhaust is a slightly more powerful can fan that scrubs. This also has negative pressure to help with heat and smell.

I then just recently setup a 10x10 with ac and co2. Digital ballasts on 240 , and open bulbs in adjust a wing.

Ran the same clone with the same nutrients in identical under currents, and the low tech room looks absolutely nothing like the room.with co2.

If words have little.meaning to you and picture proof would be better at convincing you I'm not the average idiot spewing diarrhea on the farm, here's pics https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/opinions-on-new-feeding-schedule.65147/

Bottom of page 1 shows my entire low tech room and harvest. Towards page 3 shows the high tech room, same clone. Almost the last post has a side by side nug comparison.

 

[FooDoo]

With all that being said, your room sounds exactly like my 10x20. And let me just say, they are both crap and there's no way your growing top shelf in there because I'm not growing top shelf in mine.

If I were in your shoes , I'd worry about getting your room on point and keep rocking soil.. Once the rooms perfect, then fiddle with the rest

 

[mrsmarybrown]

That's kind of my first step in my low tech room. I have a 10x20 with 8k using magnetic ballasts on 120 volts . air cooled hoods that vent outside to environment. Intake is a can fan with dust shroom. Exhaust is a slightly more powerful can fan that scrubs. This also has negative pressure to help with heat and smell.

I then just recently setup a 10x10 with ac and co2. Digital ballasts on 240 , and open bulbs in adjust a wing.

Ran the same clone with the same nutrients in identical under currents, and the low tech room looks absolutely nothing like the room.with co2.

If words have little.meaning to you and picture proof would be better at convincing you I'm not the average idiot spewing diarrhea on the farm, here's pics https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/opinions-on-new-feeding-schedule.65147/

Bottom of page 1 shows my entire low tech room and harvest. Towards page 3 shows the high tech room, same clone. Almost the last post has a side by side nug comparison.

Yep, your 10x20 sounds almost exactly like mine, FooDoo. We do use 1000w digitals. And yes our finished product is less than Ideal and certainly not the top notch that we are looking for. We've been running the same set up with soil for 6 years now. Just have never dialed her in.

Took a quick look at your thread and I remember reading it, I will have to go back over it again in detail. Thank you for your input. I see the room photo on post #20, last post on page 1, is that the low tech room with the co2, it looks like the 10x20? I could not really find another good photo of your other or 10x20 room for comparison, I am a little blind at times. lol. I did see your bud photo comparison. Amazing.

I will definitely have to go over your thread again in detail. So apparently the only real differences are the air movement and AC, leaving time for co2 injection, and removing the the cool tubes for light intensity. Is that about right? I must admit I have never paid much attention to co2 issues because of the design of our room so I know very little about it.

How often and for what periods are you injecting co2 throughout the day? How many c02 tanks would a 10x20 room use in a month. At times when not using c02 would I revert back to our original air exchange ritual at different times of the day? At what point do you start using co2, at flip or later?

So what type of medium are you rocking at present FD? Your input is greatly appreciated.

 

[FooDoo]

I see the room photo on post #20, last post on page 1, is that the low tech room with the co2, it looks like the 10x20?

Last post on the first page is my lowtech room that's like yours. It does not have co2. And it is indeed a 10x20.

So apparently the only real differences are the air movement and AC, leaving time for co2 injection, and removing the the cool tubes for light intensity. Is that about right?

To upgrade my low tech room to match the 10x10 I would need :

Upgrade ballasts, rewire electrical for 240 volts, remove glass from hoods or replace hoods with reflectors, remove intake and exhaust, seal the room, add fans to swirl all the air around ,add co2, and add an air conditioner.

How often and for what periods are you injecting co2 throughout the day? How many c02 tanks would a 10x20 room use in a month. At times when not using c02 would I revert back to our original air exchange ritual at different times of the day? At what point do you start using co2, at flip or later?

There is always co2 running when lights are on. I have a co2 controller that constantly reads the amount in the air. Its set points are 900 and 1100. So when the ppm reaches 1100 it turns off the tank. Once the plants breath in that co2 and it drops to 900 ,tank turns back on until the room reaches 1100 again. I have a timer that turns the controller off 45 mins before the lights turn off so the girls can get the co2 very low. Once lights are off, girls exhale co2 back into the room anyway. So you'll have to tinker with how your room behaves . one 35 pound tank lasted me an entire run in a 10x10 and there's prob still two days worth left in it. A 50 pound tank should last an entire grow in a 10x20. I run co2 from start of veg till harvest. I plan to get a more precise controller so I can drop co2 levels during late flower when they don't need as much. I NEVER exchange air in the room.

So what type of medium are you rocking at present FD? Your input is greatly appreciated.

I'm using growstone, those rocks made out of recycled glass

 

[mrsmarybrown]

Last post on the first page is my lowtech room that's like yours. It does not have co2. And it is indeed a 10x20.


To upgrade my low tech room to match the 10x10 I would need :

Upgrade ballasts, rewire electrical for 240 volts, remove glass from hoods or replace hoods with reflectors, remove intake and exhaust, seal the room, add fans to swirl all the air around ,add co2, and add an air conditioner.



There is always co2 running when lights are on. I have a co2 controller that constantly reads the amount in the air. Its set points are 900 and 1100. So when the ppm reaches 1100 it turns off the tank. Once the plants breath in that co2 and it drops to 900 ,tank turns back on until the room reaches 1100 again. I have a timer that turns the controller off 45 mins before the lights turn off so the girls can get the co2 very low. Once lights are off, girls exhale co2 back into the room anyway. So you'll have to tinker with how your room behaves . one 35 pound tank lasted me an entire run in a 10x10 and there's prob still two days worth left in it. A 50 pound tank should last an entire grow in a 10x20. I run co2 from start of veg till harvest. I plan to get a more precise controller so I can drop co2 levels during late flower when they don't need as much. I NEVER exchange air in the room.



I'm using growstone, those rocks made out of recycled glass

That's excellent info FD, thank you. You have explained in a nut shell, my many nagging questions about c02, that I have never taken the time to delve into or explored. My eyes have been opened and I will be exploring all options prior to switch over in the spring. That's why I started planning early this fall so that I had lots of time and the winter to research and explore all options. Incorporating c02 seems like a more economical and practical solution than the expense of setting up a new RWDC system. It sounds like good advise to maybe take one more stab at soil and try to dial in the room with c02 before making any other changes into RWDC or such.

What do you do about smell, with out an active air scrubber in the ventilation system? What about room humidity, does the AC take care of that? What type of watering system are you using with the growstones and what size of containers?

 

[FooDoo]

I'll reply in a few hours. I haven't slept yet and the suns already up so imma medicate and crawl into bed ;]