Need help with growroom setup

[grasshopper]

Hello all,
Well I am ready for my first indoor grow, but I need help. I have a closet that has an 8 foot ceiling, 8 foot length, and I only have about 2 feet deep. So I have a long closet with not much depth. I first thought I should go soil but after reading through the forum I think I will be going hydro. I have read about the waterfarms and think that would be a good idea because of the depth of the closet and the simplicity of the system. I also think a 400 watt hps would be ideal for the closet size. I dont want to get carried away my first time so I am trying to keep it small yet very effective. I would like to get at least 6 ounces a harvest. I will also be closing off about 3 feet of the closet for my clones. So I guess what im asking is what would be the best setup for the size closet I am working with. Right now I just have an open mind full of ideas with no real direction. I dont like to just go jumping into something that I dont have properly laid out first. So to all you knowledgeable MP members please lend a hand to this first time grower. THANX!

 

[widowmaker]

I have almost the exact size closet you have, check out my journal, i grow hydro dwc.

 

[snuggles]

On of my closets is the same exact dimensions and I had 2 aerorails in there at one point. I also have some Waterfarms, they are pretty decent IMO.

Look under DIY aerorails on the forum.

 

[grasshopper]

So how hard is it to make a diy setup? Do you think I should choose that over the waterfarms?

 

[snuggles]

Not at all, just another option and what I used cause I like them LOL. 12 plants short vegetation period and put a screen above them and you would do great. I only have 3 Waterfarms so that's why I went with the rails, they are easier IMO for my situation.

 

[Growdude]

My closet is very close to your size, i dont block any of it off but its 6 feet wide.

I use waterfarms, checkout my grow journals.

 

[snuggles]

I think the biggest trick is how to use the space with a light efficiently, it's fine width wise but leangth it might cover half. Some one might know better than me though, I had 2 400s in there and it was ventilated well.

Growdude should be able to help you, he does a good job...and he's the smo king LOL.

 

[grasshopper]

Snuggles how much yield do you get from the three waterfarms? I just found out diy means do it yourself (lol)!! Thought that was the name of some hydro way to grow. that was funny, but hey im learning thanks to you all.

 

[snuggles]

Under a 400 you should be able to get the 6 you are looking for with the right strain and some practice. I would ask Growdude what he gets, and for some advice, he's the man with the plan for the Waterfarms, and he helped some other guy recently. Can't recall the guys name but he is doing a journal.

LOL Yes DIY means exactly what you just found out, it's OK we all started somewhere...right? No I use the DIY aerorails in my rooms, hang them on walls, lay them on sawhorses etc. They are just waht I prefer over other methods of hydro. I also have about 20 of them so I use them LOL.

 

[grasshopper]

Snuggles if your right behind me pass the damn joint already! ha ha Thank you so much for helping me. I am now going to go look at the aerorails right now.

 

[snuggles]

Another option for you to look into is DWC, this is very basic DIY. 5 gallon paint bucket, airstone, airpump, net pot, a medium and some nutes. Similar to Waterfarms but without the drip. Also I build the aero kittylitter buckets too. Same concept as the rails on I use 4 misters in those plastic kitty litter buckets...kinda like waterfarms too LOL. Are we confusing you yet? Do some reading on different hydro types and then ask some questions. Not to deter you from Waterfarms though, if you have the cash get them if that's what you want. You can PM me too if you need specific help, I am around pretty often.

 

[CasualGrower]

Yea, DWC is VERY simple and cheap to start )... Check out my latest journal.

 

[grasshopper]

Im not sure if I quite understand how the waterfarm works but I will give it a try and you all let me know if im on the right path. The pump is submerged in the water and it carries water up that tube on the side and it comes out the ring that is sitting on top of the medium and controlled by the timer you have it hooked too. I have seen the mention of a (air stone) that is a good addition to the waterfarm but I dont really understand how that works. Is the air stone on a timer? or does it just run 24 hours to supply oxygen to the water. How do you administer nutes? Do you just measure what you need and dump it into the water? One more question sorry, Is there some kind of test kit to let you know when you need to add more nutes. Thanks a million everyone!

 

[Timmyjg6]

You got the point, the air stone oxagenizis the water and you only need it on when your water pump is on... And with neuts you just mix it in your resivouar and you change your rez every week. You slowly add moor and moor neuts to your rez. Also you need to purchase a PPM meter to see how much neuts are in your rez and a PH meter to check your ph in your rez..

 

[grasshopper]

Timmy thanks alot bro. So every week you said I need to change my rez. Does that mean I have to take my plant out and dump the water and fill it back up, Or is there some kind of drain plug to let the water out? And why am I doing this? every week I empty the rez, ph my water,add my nutes and presto! or maybe not you let me know.

 

[Growdude]

Im not sure if I quite understand how the waterfarm works but I will give it a try and you all let me know if im on the right path. The pump is submerged in the water and it carries water up that tube on the side and it comes out the ring that is sitting on top of the medium and controlled by the timer you have it hooked too. I have seen the mention of a (air stone) that is a good addition to the waterfarm but I dont really understand how that works. Is the air stone on a timer? or does it just run 24 hours to supply oxygen to the water. How do you administer nutes? Do you just measure what you need and dump it into the water? One more question sorry, Is there some kind of test kit to let you know when you need to add more nutes. Thanks a million everyone!

The pump is not submerged, its just an air pump.
Air is pumped down a tube into the nutes where it splits like a Y .
There it forces the nutes up and out the drip ring.

The tube on the side is only a sight gauge to see the nute level.

Also airstones are not needed at all with this setup as the air pump is all thats needed.

Waterfarms rock!

 

[Timmyjg6]

Wow never knew that about water farms...

 

[snuggles]

hxxp://www.generalhydroponics.com/genhydro_US/instructions/GH_WaterFarm_instructions.pdf

replace the xx with tt

 

[grasshopper]

Snuggles that is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much. Great diagram I think it should be submitted to the info section as well.