Little hardware help with my system

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Helile

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Hey,(note im planning on constructing the system it hasnt been bought or assembled yet)
I am new to this site and to growing in general, so any help would be greatly appriciated. Heres what I'm planning on, feel free to give me suggestions, workaround, tips, etc.
I can run either this areoponics system http://www.sea-of-green.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=22_28&products_id=234
which looks pretty solid but i was also looking at something like this http://www.sea-of-green.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=22_23&products_id=211 I wasn't sure if these would work considering the plants need some room to grow but mine are only going to get about 3 ft tall so i was hoping that these systems would work.
My idea is to grow around 4 plants around 3 ft tall. I live in an area where my op needs to be low key so having the plants any bigger poses more risk to me.
The next part of my system is going to be the lights. I'm going to use a 400 Watt MH light for the vegetation stage and a 400 Watt HPS light for flowering. This is the MH light http://www.sea-of-green.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=61_64_78&products_id=179 and this is the HPS light http://www.sea-of-green.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=61_64_79&products_id=189
I know that i must purchase a ballast to mount these lights but I'm really not sure if there are inexpensive ones out there or whatnot. I am also going to use a reflector over the light.
I'm going to be using hydroton pellets for my growing media http://www.sea-of-green.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=35_39&products_id=33
I'm not sure which nutrients i should use but Ive been looking and it seems that this Flora Nova Bloom http://www.sea-of-green.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=41_42&products_id=426 is a good product to use. I'm also not sure about mixing the nutrients into the water, how much, how often, etc. I'm not sure about the hydroponic cycles, how many hours the plant needs to be saturated and than how long the system needs to be off and restarted. Like i said i am very knew and i would really appreciate it if you could say yea your going in the right direction or no this is what you should do.
I was thinking about using some bathroom fans for my ventilation system, which can be found at home depot for about 13 bucks. Its called NuTone
50 CFM, 4.0 Sones Wall/Ceiling Mount Fan I'm going to buy 2 and place the intake at the bottom and the out take out of the top or my grow box. I wasn't sure if i should buy a grow environment, something like this http://www.sea-of-green.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=22_88&products_id=470 but i was also looking at saving the money for that and making a 3 ft by 3 ft by 5 ft wooden box with white sheets or something on the inside as a reflector.
I'm not sure on what the temperature of the grow box needs to be or how to climatically control the box.
I'm getting a clone from a friend, really good buds.I'm planning on taking the cutling and putting it in some rooting formula to allow it to grow, I'm putting the cutling in a greenhouse like environment which will be misted twice a day for around 7 days to 2 weeks of rooting or until the roots are noticeable.I'm going to put the plants on a 24/7 light cycle until flowering. I'm hoping that in the vegetative stage the plant will grow around 1 1/2 ft. At this time i will turn the plants on a 12 /12 light cycle for flowering. I'm planning on the plants being around 3 ft tall maybe a little more. The strand Ive got will take around 8 weeks according to my friend who just harvested 6 plants and got around 12 ounces. I have about around 800$ to contribute to this system. This grow is for personal use only. Any suggestions, tips, workarounds, shortcuts, links resources anything would be greatly appreciated. If you need any more information please feel free to ask.
Thanks
Helile
 
Well, I'll just throw in my two cents. The systems you are looking at are fine, but are ideally made to flower rooted clones in. I believe everyone should build their own system just so they have an understanding of how their system works... completely. That way you can also get exactly what you want... system type, dimensions, materials used.

I just built myself a DWC system specifically to flower rooted clones in and the air pump cost more than 2/3 of the total cost which was around $30. Check the DIY forum because there are a lot of cool things in there... and you could also google how to build a DWC system or any other system.

Definitely read up on everything you can about pros and cons with systems. There are a lot of things out there on peoples person experiences with dif. systems. Also, if there is a hydro shop around you, you may want to talk to them about ferts becuase the fert you picked out can not be used by itself... it just one piece to a line of a few ferts that work together... Let us know what you need help on and where you think you are heading ;)
 
Thanks for that link on the growers guide. I learned alot of stuff that i dident know before. Now onto my hydro system. Ive been looking around for a system to either purchase or build, but the systems i posted aren't very good for growing. I would really like the system to be automated so if someone could give me some guidance on either a good system to buy from www.sea-of-green.com or a good way to construct a system i would be greatly appreciative. The clone is in the healing stage atm waiting for me to get my system up and running. Again any suggestions or tips please feel free to post.
 
Helile said:
Thanks for that link on the growers guide. I learned alot of stuff that i dident know before. Now onto my hydro system. Ive been looking around for a system to either purchase or build, but the systems i posted aren't very good for growing. I would really like the system to be automated so if someone could give me some guidance on either a good system to buy from www.sea-of-green.com or a good way to construct a system i would be greatly appreciative. The clone is in the healing stage atm waiting for me to get my system up and running. Again any suggestions or tips please feel free to post.

They are all basically "automated" but none are automatic... you will still need to tend to the plants often.
Dwc is what you want for one plant...
 
For a DWC system do you think it would be better to purchase one or build one. To be honest im not much of a handy man, so id rather buy the right thing instead of learning the hard way. I found a pretty nice site with alot of different information. Check this site out http://www.weedfarmer.com/cannabis/hydrosystems_guide.php
Also, the hydroponics store that i have to work with is at www.sea-of-green.com Now of course there are other places to purchase hydroponic stuff but this store is one of the only one in my area so it would be easier to simply go to the store with a list and come home to start construction.
Thanks for the help so far guys!!
 
Here are some pics of the system I just built. Sorry about 6 different veg states going on in there but I am trying to decide how I want to build my mother's this weekend. AAAAAnyways. Super easy to build. All I used was a drill, 13/16 inch bit, 1/4" bit, 3" bit and some spray paint. i painted the outside of the container with multiple coats so no light can shine through. I put 3" net pots in the lids' holes (very close becuase I'm flowering clones and all it's going to be is one cola), ran 1/4" piping for the air pump through the sides of the container, and built the same set up that general hydroponics uses to drain their system. That's it! It took me a whole 45 minutes from start to finish.

The sky is the limit with this as well... You can connect a bunch of different containers together, put only one plant per container, set up auto fill systems (please share if anyone has done that)... This is only one way of many as I'm sure you're aware of, but I like it because there really is nothing to break... If the air pump dies it's not an emergency... But if your water pump dies in an ebb and flow system or drip system you can be screwed in a matter of hours.

DSCN0576.JPG


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DSCN0579.JPG
 
Wow nice system you got going there and it took 45 mins damn!! I think im going to run down to walmart and get some supplies but i was wondering if im missing anything. Im thinking about getting a 4 gallon reservoir, and an air pump, tubing. I think thats all i need to really design the system as i feel that if i bought the parts listed above i can create the same design as http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/product.php?xProd=48&xSec=24 If this is a good idea to build or if im missing anything please let me know. Once i know what i need construction of the system will be underway.
Thanks guys!!
 
The more bubbles the better. When my system is full of clones there most likely will be 2 of the $20 air pumps at walmart in there. How many plants did you want to get going in that 4 gal. res? and you said you only wanted them 2' tall?
 
Im looking at growing 4 plants. Im getting a clone from a friend, and its ready to come on over i just need to build my system. For some reason i couldn't find air pumps at walmart online. I would like my plants to be no bigger than 3 to 4 ft tall. They aren't going to be to big but big enough for my first grow.
Thanks
 
The pumps are located by the fish. It's made by tetra? I've never grown plants that tall before but I'm sure there should be enough space. I hear most people like to flower around 16" and then they double or even triple in size. Have fun and if you have any questions just ask!:farm: :ccc:
 
Do you think you could give me a runover of what im going to need at the store. I know i will need 2 20$ pumps, tubing, reservoir and thats it right...? Im not much of a handy man to tell the truth so any help would be great.
thanks
 
Helilie, just a thought, but everything I've read says that for first time grows soil is the best medium. It seems to me like you are spending a lot of time getting your hydro system going when you need to get your cabinet going. Once the cuttings are getting roots, you are going to need light and ventilation for them. For your ventilation you need a lot more then a bathroom fan. You can buy inline exhaust fans that move a lot more air. I have a 6" fan that moves 440 cfm. If you are going to use HID lights you will definately need good ventilation as they generate alot of heat. I would really suggest you get your grow box set up and do your first grow in dirt. Then after you have a grow under your belt and your grow room is set up solid, you will be more ready for a hydroponic grow. Just my 2 cents.
 
That is everything I got a Walmart. I got the Blue tubing, elbow piece and connector from my hydro store. Theyorker is right about you needing to put time into your grow room... If you don't want to worry about heat as much you can use many different lights. There are soooooo many options. And I'll tell you now that you may not like what you do the first time and you may change it completely for the second grow. Be serious with this first grow but I don't recommend dropping a lot of cash yet into it. ah, I'm just rambling.
 
Ok so i went down to the hydroponic store and bought a ebb and flow system what will fit about 8 plants(I can get them around 4 ft a piece). I am using hydrotone as my growing media. I am using a 400 watt HPS bulb with a nice sunsystem reflector. I am using some nice 3 combo nutrients for the water system. Im getting a clone from a friend which will be put in rockwool and set in a moist greenhouse like environment. When roots have sprout i will be placing it into the hydro system and allow 1 week of straight water to the plant. After that week i will start adding the nutrients to the water accordingly. I was wondering how much nutrients i put in per gallon or if thats even how its measured....? I was also wondering if there is any inexpensive way to keep the smell down in the grow room. The room is about 5 ft by 8 ft by 8 ft. Its not a very big area but 4 plants of some bomb will smell up the place. Im probably getting the clone tomorrow banking that i finish the covering around the grow system. I need to vacuum and bleach the walls to make sure everything is good. I will post pictures of the room and will probably start a growing jour once i get the clone.
 
First, you should try to get 5 clones. Just to speed up the process by a month or so. You can make the most vigorous of those clones your mother and at the same time be vegging your other four clones for flower. Secondly, for your clones, for a higher survival rate you need a few products from your hydro store. I use two things. One being Olivia's cloning gel. That one is kinda pricey but any rooting hormone will work just fine. The second product I just started using is Jumpstart made by Advanced Nutrients. It is AMAZING. I saw tons of new growth before I ever saw one root. It really sped up the rooting process big time. Best stuff ever!

Every fertilizer has directions on it somewhere. Start very slow with them. The rule of thumb is to start at 1/4 of the full dose. Run that and slowly start upping the nutes. I would wait until you start seeing a deficiency of some sort before you ump the nutes too much.

Stench of reefer plants is a tough one to get rid of. The most effective way would be to drop a few hundred bucks on an extraction system with a carbon filter. On the upside though, the plants don't really start smell till the third week or so of flowering.... So you have some time to think about your design. Other than that there really isn't anything else that could cover up 4 4' tall plants.

Hoped this helped man. Good luck with the ebb and flow I've heard many good things about the systems.:bong1:
 
Thanks ALOT DL!!! Youve really helped me alot! I went to the store and got olivias cloning gel, and unfortunately they dont have the Jumpstart nutrients at that specific hydro store. Im going to start posting pictures of my grow room and i think im getting that clone later on today. Getting 5 clones would be hard because the guy that has them lives about 40 mins from me and risking 5 clones isnt up to me. Again thanks for the help DL and im hoping to keep you posted on the growth and overall system.
 
Hey anytime man. That's what it's all about here. :) Definitely keep us post and maybe even start a grow journal if you want. That way you can have a record for yourself too. GL!:bong2:
 

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