?'s about the Under Current system

[H4H]

Hey all I have a few ?'s about the under current systems that you guys/gals are using. I have been looking at getting one for quite some time and have been doing some research and drooling over pics and what not but I am still a bit unclear on some things. so here goes
1. How often do you need to change your res out with this type of system. I am currently using AN and they say to change water weekly.
2. At what ppm's are you running your nutes?
3. I have an 8x8x8 room with 2k watts under Raptor hoods for flower I typically veg for 6-8 weeks what type of rough estimate could I be looking at as far as yeild per plant? I know that is a bit of a noob ? but I am trying to decide if this is the system for me or if I should go with like a Stinkbud Aero/NFT type system.
I am trying to maximize my yeild/sq.ft. with what I have to work with.
Thanks in Advance
H4H

 

[RMCG]

1. 2-3 weeks, some go longer.
2. 1/3 - 1/2 strength.
3. Up to you to decide.

 

[H4H]

Oh and one more ? what medium works best? I am currently using the 4" rockwool cubes could I place thm in the net pot with some hydroton and call it good or do something else?
RCMG Thanks for the response

 

[RMCG]

Oh and one more ? what medium works best? I am currently using the 4" rockwool cubes could I place thm in the net pot with some hydroton and call it good or do something else?
RCMG Thanks for the response

4" cubes might keep things too wet, depending on water levels. I use RW starter cubes just fine.

Hydroton, STG Hail and DynaRok seem to the norm.

 

[killakron]

the big advantage of the undercurrent is the low plant count without a long veg time. The general rule however is its easier with more plants per square foot, to achieve high yield for beginners. now once you have a system dialed with trees it'll probably kick more ass. This system is your best compromise for easy trees that are consistent and fast. that said, a good rule of thumb for this system, if you dont know much about how your plant grows and its maximum yield with quality nugs, is 4 plants per light, so for you 8 plant system will perform well, much like a sea of green but the plants will just be beefier. Now with that you also gotta realize your maximum yield per plant maximum yield. with 2 1000 lights you will be aiming for a max of around 4 #'s on a first round. say you know your strain is capable of growing 2 #'s each easily, you can run just 2 plants and cut your plant number down to 1/4. any decent strain in this system should be capable of 1/2# per plant so 4 per light is also a maximum or "seacurrent" that being sea of green in an undercurrent.

 

[killakron]

oh and comparing to aero i'd say no brainer, its 2011, though i would build my own UC. you can get larger containers making for larger resivoir per plant, thus being more stable. and i find almost all strains love a veg ec of 1-1.1 and flower ec of 1.2 max1.3

 

[deacon1503]

4" cubes might keep things too wet, depending on water levels. I use RW starter cubes just fine.

Hydroton, STG Hail and DynaRok seem to the norm.

Try to stay away from dyna-rok. There tends to be alot of smaller stones in the mix that can slip through the nets. Plus, as u reuse them and clean them, they will breakdown and leave u with a course sand-like crap. Stick with the hydroton.

 

[killakron]

and your veg time should be much less than 6-8 weeks. depending on plants per light, with 4 per light somewhere around 2.5 weeks with 1 per light somewhere around 3.5 weeks with vigerous growth. a big mistake many make though is overgrown garden in this thing, i find it increases the plants growth veg/flower ratio by about 50% or so. IE if your plant normally doubles in height from 12" to 24" they'll go to 30" so if your growing to 4'6" tall, and they double normally let them get about 1'10" then flip and they explode. hope this helps man, and remember these numbers are for vigerous growth. good luck

 

[H4H]

WOW thanks for all of the info everyone. Killakron I am currently looking at getting the UC8XL which would place 4 plants /light in my room. I am currently running a top feed system in Dutch Leach trays. This is my first grow ever and I only did it b/c it was more cost effective in the beginning. After this harvest I am looking to upgrade and the UC looks like the way to go for me as I need to keep my plant count down and maximize yield. I am growing for my sister who has MS but this also helps keep bills current while work is slow.

 

[RMCG]

Try to stay away from dyna-rok. There tends to be alot of smaller stones in the mix that can slip through the nets. Plus, as u reuse them and clean them, they will breakdown and leave u with a course sand-like crap. Stick with the hydroton.

Good thoughts.

I have an 'over abundance' of hydroton and am considering not reusing it any more and just chucking it each time. Waiting to see how the Hail works for people, esp plant stability-wise, as it seems ideal to just toss it.

 

[grow_dat_nasty]

1- some people only change between flower and veg, UCC says no sooner than 21 days, I myself do between veg and bloom and when I switch my flower booster(bud ignitor, big bud, overdrive) or if I think the plants need to be flushed.

2- depends on envirement, strain, wk # your in, and skill level. Start out 1/3 or close to 1/2 stregth and go from there, its alot less than any other growing style.

3-Depends on alot of different factors but up to 2-3 p's per light but don't mean that's what your gonna get, could be alot less or a lil more, this is the range if you have everything dialed in.

4- I use hydroten in rockwool starter cubes, 4" might be kinda big but seen it done before just got to keep water levels lower than the bottom them, they make a good place to crown feed bennies into also.

I would choose the UC anyday over any kind of system, but I would stay away from Advance Base nutes as the ph is too unstable using with this system.

 

[Kipper]

Does anyone know how far apart I should space 1000 watt lights above an Under Current 12XL13? Their website sais it fits six lights, but it looks more like three if I space them every four feet. If I follow their suggestion, would it still be possible to get as much yeilds as if I spaced it every four feet? I would really like to hear from someone whom has experimented with this, I don't want to guess too much!

 

[Bobby Smith]

3-Depends on alot of different factors but up to 2-3 p's per light but don't mean that's what your gonna get, could be alot less or a lil more, this is the range if you have everything dialed in.

I can't recall seeing anyone get to 2lbs/light (much less 3/light) - who has so far? I know Ben didn't, did Jack?

Not saying it hasn't happened, I just don't recall seeing it - got a link?

BTW, your grow is looking great :)

 

[deacon1503]

I can't recall seeing anyone get to 2lbs/light (much less 3/light) - who has so far? I know Ben didn't, did Jack?

Not saying it hasn't happened, I just don't recall seeing it - got a link?

BTW, your grow is looking great :)

Jack mentioned he got 2.5 only on a few plants, but not on all of them in the vert room. It would be hard to tell for sure w/o final numbers from Jack, but im sure its close to 2 per for an average.

 

[UCMENOW]

GPW is best with 4 plants per 1000 watt........vert seems to get you less per watt but more per plant.

2+ a light is what this system is all about. 4X 1/2 lb plants per lamp and your their, this is why over head horizontal over 4 plants rocks the house.

 

[grow_dat_nasty]

if your getting a gram per watt then that's a easy 2#s, I'm saying in horizontal for those numbers using 4 plants per 1000w is only half pie a plant to get 2ps, I could do that in soil even, done it before with 2 plants tho it was a longer veg process, people should have no problem in the UC, vertical would be harder to get these results since the plant number would be alot less but yea Jack got 2.5 off 1 plant in vert so defantly possible both vert and horizontal and he also said he'll get 3 per light this new round. Idk I'll get a g per w ratio in my vert grow but I'll get danm close I'm sure, we'll see tho, I'm sure I could with higher yielding strains for sure.

 

[bluewaves]

hmmm 1/2 p per mini trees wit 4 under 1k....hmmm looks like im on the way there!

 

[cmantis]

I will be running the UCDB24XL13 and I see they recommend 6 1k lights. I was thinking of running 10 do you think this would be beneficial or is it just a waste?

 

[redwhiteblue]

I will be running the UCDB24XL13 and I see they recommend 6 1k lights. I was thinking of running 10 do you think this would be beneficial or is it just a waste?

Heat is the issue you must address.