UC4

[LordGenin]

Hi All! New to Thcfarmer
I have done a few Soil grows never have done hydro. I am looking forward to this but am very skeptical. I don't want to fail.
Trying to get my mind right before i spend the money to get this UC system just the basic one for trail and error and leaning.
I know i will need a chiller. Other then that i don't know what i will need for success.
Also wondering if possible to pick up a Used UC system from anywhere would anyone know.
Should i try ebb and flow before i try UC ?
Just would like a rundown in where to go is UC the next best move.

 

[Papa]

welcome to the farm LordGenin (btw, we have an "introduce yourself" thread you should check in with). there are lots of threads pertaining to the UC system to check out. yes, i'd always run a chiller. other than that, normal grow room conditions apply. one of my favorite passages in the UC literature is this: "The Under Current is a high performance hydroponics system and should be complimented by a high performance growing environment. To get the best results, all aspects of the grow space should be optimized including: day and night temperatures, humidity, light levels, CO2 and air movement."
So, if you have your growing environment under control . . . and can follow directions . . . i think the UC is a great way to go.

 

[LordGenin]

Thanks for your reply Papa. Will do on the "Introduce yourself" . Thanks for the advice.

 

[Papa]

Thanks for the advice.

because this issue has recently come up with someone else, allow me to elaborate a bit.
i'm assuming that your prior experience with soil was indoor . . . and that you have resolved environmental issues related to the scale that you're planning. you're going to be using some lamps that generate heat . . . and you're going to need to provide cooling to compensate. you are going to want to be able to increase humidity and you are going to want some means of decreasing humidity. these are all issues that are part and parcel of indoor growing, no matter what style of grow you are doing. one of the nice things about your choice of the UC4 is that you can do that with relatively low wattage . . . so you can do your learning at much less expense than attempting to start off with a 10k grow.

another nice thing about the UC is that Current Culture offers a line of nutrients that work very well in rdwc . . . and their UC Roots additive is highly effective at helping you avoid the major pitfall of dwc . . . root issues.

please keep us updated on your plans.

 

[ttystikk]

Papa's advice is very sound. Especially for the first few runs, you will need to be there every day to check nutrient strength and pH, train and indirect everything for equipment malfunctions, odd settings doing weird things, or outright breakdown.

My two cents on cooling indoor spaces is to get a bigger chiller and then use it to do everything; UC, room and dehuey.