Head first into Hydroponics. A beginner's story.

[GrumpAzz]

Hello and welcome. I've begun my journey into the life of sustainably smoking. From what I can tell, I have all of what I need to start my first RDWC grow. Virgin run down a double black diamond.

I've never grown before but I've always entertained the idea. My partner and I consume close to an ounce a week, so, ideally, I'd like to eventually produce a pound or so per harvest. I don't quite have the space for a perpetual grow and I feel like that should come after some experience, anyway. My initial expectations are to simply grow and harvest a healthy and beautiful plant.

I've aquired a handful of seeds from various strains. I couldn't help myself when I found the $2 menu on NASC. Of the four strains I purchased, this is the one I'll be starting with...

I went with the SpiderFarmer SE5000. It was affordable and seems to pack a punch. I grabbed one of their light controllers and a 5x5 tent. I went with AC Infinty for the fan because I liked the Controller 69. I bought three of their UIS controller outlets, also. Heater? Humidifier? A spare for reasons?

I'll be plumbing in my pumps and totes tomorrow. The plant will be grown in a 14 gallon tote fed from another 14 gallon with a 32 gallon tote for the top-off resevoir. Whether or not I'm capable, I intend to LST and grow this sucker as horizontal as possible and SCROG it to fill a 3x3 area, giving me a foot of working space all around. With the 5x5 tent, I can take the light to the top, whether or not the fan ends up inside or out. That should allow for some stretch if things get out of hand. I've got a few SCROG rack ideas rolling around, not sure what I'll do when the time comes.

Here's all of what I've got minus a bottle of GH Ripen and a bottle of Hygrozyme. I still don't know if I'll use all the additives on the first run, but I got them just in case. There's a lot there so I'll pass on making a list. I'd be more than happy to answers any questions if there's something you don't recognize or something you don't see that I might need.

I'm green here so gimme a break. I do love to learn and improve so I'm optimistic. I know that I'm in the presence of Kings, so I look forward to all the levels of advice and discussion to come.

Thanks for making it this far. I'll keep you all updated as the build progresses.

 

[SweetLeafGrow]

Looking forward to watching you succeed in RDWC. I am just finding my stride with hydro and loving it. I will be riding along with you and giving any help I can, but still learning myself here. I am just getting ready to harvest my 2nd rdwc grow and just got my 3rd put into flower. Loving it so much, I'm expanding to a 4 site system for the next run, new diary coming for that soon!

Looks like you're off to a great start. Looking forward to seeing your system when you get it all built.

One piece of advice. GENETICS. Get the best you can @Trustfall.

 

[GrumpAzz]

One piece of advice. GENETICS. Get the best you can @Trustfall.

I wouldn't mind dropping some serious cash on dope genetics after I've shown some success. $2 seeds will serve as the perfect fodder along the way.

 

[GrumpAzz]

Water is flowing. I have a few leaks to attend to, one being the connections on the pump. Hopefully that's an easy fix.

 

[GrumpAzz]

 

[GrumpAzz]

I'll get everything strapped up and secured once I have all the kinks worked out. I think the leaks are under control. They just needed a little elbow grease. I was a little worried as I hadn't finished the line going outside. Without that, I have no way to drain the system. Crisis averted.

 

[GrumpAzz]

Yesterday was a pretty big day. A lot of progress was made. Light controller and the AC controller 69 were installed. Fan and filter hung. Plumbing has been running for nearly 24 hours now.

Today's goal is to get my circuits ran and my exterior penetrations taken care of. I still need to vent the exhast outside and run my system drain out as well. I've saved most of the crawlspace work for today so I can hopefully just make one trip down there.

 

[GrumpAzz]

 

[GrumpAzz]

Lid temperature with the light at 10% ~30 inches up. It's been in the sealed "closet" with the tent unzipped. I'll be adding a vent to the wall and a small window A/C feeding the small area where the closet intake will be located. I built my grow room in the far side of the house where the central A/C can't keep up. Summer temps can easily get in the 80's back here.

I think I might move the exhaust fan above the tent. I mounted it pretty late and pretty stoned last night and I'm not sold on the results. Seems like the higher the intake is located, the better and it should be moved to the roof of the tent instead. I'll keep you posted.

 

[GrumpAzz]

One leak is still giving me trouble. The bulkhead from the top-off resevoir has a tiny drip leak. I gotta get my drain taken care of so the res can be pumped outside. I'm not pailing water. Not down for that.

 

[GrumpAzz]

I'm not sold on the SpiderFarmer light controller and may spring for the adapter so my AC controller can take over. The SF controller is much less customizable. As far as I can tell, you can only set the time, brightness and lighting schedules. It also seems like some tech from the 90's and cost a bit more than AC's.

 

[Cool_Beans]

Cool! I am on board this train. I just got a system running using the controller 69 with all that stuff. Works great so far. I put my spider farmer light on it w the adapter as well. For early veg I found it much easier to maintain temps and rh by having it cycle the exhaust vs auto or always on low speed. Good luck!

 

[GrumpAzz]

Cool! I am on board this train. I just got a system running using the controller 69 with all that stuff. Works great so far. I put my spider farmer light on it w the adapter as well. For early veg I found it much easier to maintain temps and rh by having it cycle the exhaust vs auto or always on low speed. Good luck!

Thanks man. Much appreciated.

Intial thoughts were on saving an output on the 69 for something else, just in case. I knew the second thoughts were gonna hit hard lmao.

I've been watching your thread as well. Very clean work and some solid looking product.

 

[chemistry]

I wouldn't run a hydro system with out an enzyme in the water, so if Hygrozyme is the zyme for your line, then I would bag it.

 

[GrumpAzz]

I wouldn't run a hydro system with out an enzyme in the water, so if Hygrozyme is the zyme for your line, then I would bag it.

I've got Southern Ag's fungicide and the Hygrozyme is on it's way. I'm probably 2 weeks out from starting a seed. Getting the system set up and running first. Get my pen's and meters calibrated, then I'll run nutes in the system for a weeks or so so I can get a feel for ph adjustments and such.

 

[GrumpAzz]

Very little progress today. Took my daughter to the Granparent's for lunch and napped the afternoon away. I did get my fan mounted up to the ceiling of the tent, but that's it.

My pump drains when the power shuts off and won't prime itself. I've been using my little shopvac to suck the air out but that seems ridiculous. Would mounting the pump below the water level solve this issue? I'm no plumber, just a simple electrician.

 

[GrumpAzz]

My air pump is hella loud so it may just end up here. I tried everything but hanging it.

 

[Cool_Beans]

Very little progress today. Took my daughter to the Granparent's for lunch and napped the afternoon away. I did get my fan mounted up to the ceiling of the tent, but that's it.View attachment 1330384
My pump drains when the power shuts off and won't prime itself. I've been using my little shopvac to suck the air out but that seems ridiculous. Would mounting the pump below the water level solve this issue? I'm no plumber, just a simple electrician.

How do you have it installed now?

 

[GrumpAzz]

How do you have it installed now?

That's right above the recirculating resevoir, below the top-off. It's got two inlets (the lower res and the top-off) and three outlets (plant res, lower res, outside). It drain's back into the lower resevoir when it loses power. It kicks back on automatically, but won't prime itself.

 

[Cool_Beans]

Ok I see. Out of curiosity, what is the purpose of the top-off plumbed into the pump vs gravity feed into the res?

I ask because if it's a a convenience thing and not vital to normal operation you could try unhooking the inlet hose and submerging the pump instead w the outlet hose left the way it is. Hook the inlet hose back up as needed.