Help me design the best value Hydro Grow Room

[Kinyan_ob_WakanTakan]

This thread is to get experience and opinions on a semi-auto Hydro grow room, from equipment recommendations to "don't forget"s.

Ok. So I'm starting this off to get opinions from the masters (No trolls). I am moving form a outdoor SIP system that I've been successful at for years due the expansion and urbanization of my rural farm.

I am going to break this up into large elements to help with thoughts and questions.


Building:
- I am pouring the foundation this week, in which will be a dedicated 8' x 10' x 8' tall grow room. The room will be completely sealed and light proof with a plywood floor that I will probably epoxy (thoughts?).
- all outlets will be 20amp breaker with 12/2 wiring.

Hydro Set up:
- DIY current culture setup (see pic) with 4 planters (13 gallon containers) in a 30-32" Center to center, one entrance reservoir and a separate top off reservoir.

Equipment:
- Lights im looking at.
a) Science LED Raging Kush 2.0 (I love the fact I can customize lighting based on strain and get the most of my girls)
b) HLG Scorpion Diablo (Big power and great spectrum)

- Intake
a) I want to have an intake large enough to deal with the Exhaust CFM along with what is the best setup, heap filter, fan, silencer, etc?
b) Fan? Size?
c) Hepa Filter to stop contagions and contaminants.
d) Silencer?
e) Intake vent that is bug and light proof?

- Exhaust.
a) My measurements and taking into account the stress on the system with silencers, etc to need somewhere between 530-800 CFM
b) AC Infinity 8" inline exhaust gets good ratings and looks good plus has the 800 cfm. Thoughts?
c) Exhaust filter I'm looking at is the can-lite carbon filter in 8"x24".
d) need a good recommendation on a silencer that WORKS

- Fans:
a) Looking at 2 tornado wall mount fans

- Air:
a) Looking at the Air Force air pump with an 8 spot manifold

- Water:
a) I will be using tap water
b) What is the best water pump to be silent and move 70 gallons of water? How often does the water need to recirculate

- Control:
a) I have a bluely PH controller connect that I want to continue using
b) What is a great all around system controller for lights, fan, etc?

I know I am missing a bunch so lay it on or give me some advice on the above.

 

[Kinyan_ob_WakanTakan]

Pics

 

[PK1]

@tobh ran a RDWC system and based on his comments the air stones aren't needed. The water will have plenty of oxygen since its travelling.
His system also was slightly different. here is his completed journal
https://www.thcfarmer.com/threads/tobh-goes-swimming-dutch-style.121976/

 

[tobh]

@tobh ran a RDWC system and based on his comments the air stones aren't needed. The water will have plenty of oxygen since its travelling.
His system also was slightly different. here is his completed journal
https://www.thcfarmer.com/threads/tobh-goes-swimming-dutch-style.121976/

^^^ not RDWC, that was a Dutch Bucket system. I run a venturi pump for aerating my solution, but I don't even do that anymore given it's unnecessary with enough h2o2.

 

[Moe.Red]

^^^ not RDWC, that was a Dutch Bucket system. I run a venturi pump for aerating my solution, but I don't even do that anymore given it's unnecessary with enough h2o2.

Surprised you run sterile.

OP I’ll be back when I have a keyboard but I saw no pics or anything. I’m on cell but normally can see pics fine. Can someone let me know if they are seeing everything?

 

[tobh]

Surprised you run sterile.

OP I’ll be back when I have a keyboard but I saw no pics or anything. I’m on cell but normally can see pics fine. Can someone let me know if they are seeing everything?

the OP posted links to PDFs. I won't click them. Other users should proceed with caution as PDFs are a prime vector for spreading malware.

 

[Moe.Red]

Thanks @tobh.

@Kinyan_ob_WakanTakan

Need help editing that post with pics rather than pdf?

 

[PK1]

Thanks @tobh.

@Kinyan_ob_WakanTakan

Need help editing that post with pics rather than pdf?

the last sentence of his 1st post has two pdf attachments that shows his design

 

[PK1]

lol, i guess i didn't read all the posts.

 

[Moe.Red]

OK Tobh made me nervous enough to log in on PC and I see the attachments now.

I don't wanna open them either.

You got help waiting, but please take down the PDFs and save them as a screen shot and try again as JPEG.

 

[Moe.Red]

the last sentence of his 1st post has two pdf attachments that shows his design

Did you open them?

Is this really @PK1 typing now or did the virus take over?

 

[PK1]

Did you open them?

Is this really @PK1 typing now or did the virus take over?

its legit files. lol, read the extension of the file. it says .pdf

 

[Moe.Red]

its legit files. lol, read the extension of the file. it says .pdf

Totally right, virus files all end in .virus. But wait, telling me the files are legit is exactly what a virus would say....

OP you coming back?

 

[PK1]

Totally right, virus files all end in .virus. But wait, telling me the files are legit is exactly what a virus would say....

OP you coming back?

virus doesn't talk, it just killz. weren't you around in 2021. also, if it was virus then the entire THC website would be down as thats where the file got uploaded 1st and not your pc. Get with the technology young man

 

[Kinyan_ob_WakanTakan]

Oh im here.
Ok so im not exactly sure how to upload them as pics instead of as a PDF since I hit "upload pics". Let me see what I can do there.

 

[Kinyan_ob_WakanTakan]

Not going to lie, the fact that someone thought I was doing some kind of hacking was kind of exhilarating....

Do these work? I took screenshots of the PDF

 

[tobh]

didn't think you were hacking, but i've worked in infosec and won't touch PDF documents from untrusted/unknown sources. too many nasty things can be embedded in them (and no, the server running the farm wouldn't be pwned, that would require the server parses and executes whatever executable was embedded in the PDF -- no file server i've ever worked on would do that before running the file through a virus scan).

also just wanted to make sure anyone seeing this thread would walk away a little smarter on the internet hygiene topic as well :) no harm no foul OP.

 

[Kinyan_ob_WakanTakan]

didn't think you were hacking, but i've worked in infosec and won't touch PDF documents from untrusted/unknown sources. too many nasty things can be embedded in them (and no, the server running the farm wouldn't be pwned, that would require the server parses and executes whatever executable was embedded in the PDF -- no file server i've ever worked on would do that before running the file through a virus scan).

also just wanted to make sure anyone seeing this thread would walk away a little smarter on the internet hygiene topic as well :) no harm no foul OP.

I got ya. Any chance you can take a look at my other post in "Hydro" and give me your opinion on root rot? I am about to start @Aqua Man 's enzyme regimen, but don't want to shock the girls if I don't need to.

I know the plants are crammed in there and its gonna be a nightmare for me, but I've seen and watched a couple of your builds before (like your dutch) and I know you've experienced this and might have some insight for me.....

 

[Kinyan_ob_WakanTakan]

Also let me add this since I didn't explicitly state it above.

My SIP (Self irrigating Planter) was awesome because once I had the soil properly amended and PH'd then all I had to do was top off the water every 4-6 days depending on heat. My outdoor SIP just isn't feasible anymore unfortunately so I am trying to look at a system I can bring indoors with the same "minimal" oversight.

I do have some resources and can spend some money, but im not sure this RWDC is the way to go with the root rot and nutrient issues that I didn't have with a SIP.

Anyone else in this situation or could point me to a thread? Ive done a ton of searching but just am not seeing exactly what im looking for or what someone else has experienced and solved.

 

[tobh]

sterile rdwc would provide you the automation and ease factor you're looking for. it's a learning curve though, a big curve.

honestly, the easiest method i've found yet is rockwool unislabs. you can also automate it to the hilt so your maintenance is top plants twice in veg, strip right before flower then right around day 21 flower, then let it ride. only maintenance is maintaining the res, and you won't run into the same kind of root rot issues. i've never liked DWC, it's always been too labor intensive for me personally. gives hydro a terrible name. undercurrent rdwc is the best imo, but requires space to really reap the benefits it offers, and it can be a beast to get dialed. rockwool is just stupid easy. dare i say, easier than coco even. and it's sooooooooooo clean.