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canaguy27
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I have a JBJ commercial titanium chiller. At .5hp is does fine with 10 1k lights. paid $1100 for it
Thanks RMCG - that all makes sense. I am running 15 600w lights total.. they are flip-flopping back and forth every 12 hours between 7 and 8 lights.
Ben or anyone else on this thread:
Although the chill king products seem to be top of the line and work for what they are intended for.. it seems like there are way too many parts to the system that makes it way expensive and less effecient.
How I understand chill king systems to work:
In a separate coolant reservior (not the nutrient reservior or "epicenter"), water (or water mixed with antifreeze) is pumped through a chiller and back to the coolant reservior. From the same coolant reservior, another pump sends the "chilled" coolant through stainless steel tubing that is coiled in the nutrient reservior or "epicenter" thus finally transfering the heat out of the nutrient reservoir and back to the the coolant reservior where it is then "chilled" again. This does seem to work.. however, the following would seem way simpler and more efficient to me:
Just get a condenser pump (like the type used on any refrigorator) and run the closed loop through stainless steel lines. (this does require a refridgerant technition to pull a vacuum and weld the lines). This system has far less moving parts and thus far less points for potential faliure. It will achieve the same thing (cooling the nutrient water without it touching anything except stainless steel tubing)
I believe that the chill king system (along with other similar systems) are desiged this way so anyone can intall a custum water cooling system without needing a permited technition to pull a vaccuum and essentially install the system. any joe grower can run a regular water pump and attach to stainless steel tubing... but it really seems stupid (for lack of a better term) to get another reservior (that may need to be refilled and replenished), two more pumps (that may fail or clog over time), all to achieve the same thing. also, it is less efficient to cool two reserviors.. every step in the chain you will have some loss... the more steps the more loss.
Any thoughts on this matter are encouraged - I cant seem to think of any other reasons to use the chill king system over a simple condenser unit other than ease of installation.
I am currently designing a condensor unit to run straight into my "epicenter" with stainless steel tubing. It is a vacuum sealed closed loop refridgeration system to cool my UC water (with a thermostat shut off.. of course) Any reasons why I should not do this are greatly appreciated.
Also.. can anyone tell me why the 3/8" stainless steel tubing from Hydro Innovations is $150 for 20', while you can get 50' of 3/8" stainless steel tubing from grainger for $66?
Right on, thanks! A friend of Family is a friend of mine. Your comments and questions are welcome anytime.
Thanks! Me too!
Thank you! I really do appreciate all of the compliments.
Yes, I mix my nutes for the week in the inductor tanks, as they are my top off tanks. I use a step ladder to reach the top of the tanks and mix them using a stirring stick.
This entire thread is a masterpiece and I hope to have half the success you have had here. Thank you a hundred times for sharing your expertise and I hope to post threads like this one day when I grow up :fighting0003: Until then, I'll keep reading your threads and praying to every god, goddess devil and demon on and off the planet for 1 gpw.
Three questions:
Instead of a stirring stick, would you ever consider using an unattached submersible pump to stir those massive induction tanks?
Do you foliar feed and if so what, where and when?
How do you prefer to protect against the borg (spotted or red)?
Your humbled student and subber,
m
This entire thread is a masterpiece and I hope to have half the success you have had here. Thank you a hundred times for sharing your expertise and I hope to post threads like this one day when I grow up :fighting0003: Until then, I'll keep reading your threads and praying to every god, goddess devil and demon on and off the planet for 1 gpw.
Three questions:
Instead of a stirring stick, would you ever consider using an unattached submersible pump to stir those massive induction tanks?
Do you foliar feed and if so what, where and when?
How do you prefer to protect against the borg (spotted or red)?
Your humbled student and subber,
m
Ben,
We are doing our first grow and using House & Garden (following feeding chart)/undercurrent. 8 x 12 x 8 room with 2kw dual arc/w cooled hoods.
They were in cloner for 13 days. (We were still finishing up the rooms, ducting, filling 2 8gal - 8 bucket systems with a 200gpd RO)
Our first week in undercurrent just of nutes, just ended and ppm didn't change. The plants look fantastic. Are we supposed to drain to compensate for the new PPM's? We went ahead and just added more nutes and our ppm is 1960-2030 currently. We got over an inch of growth last night and not sure if we should drain/top it off. The strain is Cheesus. There is no sign of any damage/stress in the leaves. No curling or discoloration. We are checking them every 30-45 mins to make sure, although I figure if there is a problem, the damage is already done.
My only experience is growing tomatoes/peppers/cucumbers.
How do you/have you compensate(d) in the beginning?
Thanks,
Dave
1960-2030 PPM in your first week?!?!... First week of what?.. Veg?.. Bloom?.... That is way to high of PPM to have in week one, no matter whether you are in veg. or bloom. I didn't have my PPMs up around 2000 until my root systems on my plants were well established. I think I mentioned that I wouldn't recommend running such high PPM in the Under Current as I didn't think it was beneficial for the plants. I would recommend draining your system and flushing your plants with R/O water for 12- 24 hours. After flushing I would bring the PPM between 600-700 and increase your PPM by 100 to 150 each week. When doing add backs with nutrients be sure to add them one at a time and that each one is evenly diluted throughout the system before adding the next. bd
Thanks Mud Man. I appreciate the compliment.... Whats the reputation remark about?