First grow with Baby Bloomer and 250 hps in closet.

[gitarzan]

Hello I'm new to this board and want to introduce myself. I've been lurking for a long time and I want to give back to the community here, by sharing all of my fuck ups and successes on my first attempt.My set up sofar is;

American Hydro Baby Bloomer
Hydroton
250 watt HPS light/ballast
Cornucopia Nutes

My closet is about 3x3x6 and pretty small. I was thinking of building a cabinet for ventilation, but I think now I'll just line the closet with foil wrapping paper, buy a new door and put a blower in it through a homemade carbon filter. I'm going to run a fan straight through, between the canopy and light.

I was thinking of doing five small plants, flowering as early as possible, due to space.

Here are my questions.
Does anyone know of a good flood and drain schedule for this type of unit?
How many plants would you grow?
Could I do all of the Ventilation through my new door by blowing fresh air into the bottom and pulling exhaust throught the blower/scrubber thing?
Is there a better strategy for me with the gear I already have?

Thanks to anyone who can help me. I promise to return the favor by posting my results and what I'm learning to help others.

[turtle420]

Here are my questions.
Does anyone know of a good flood and drain schedule for this type of unit?
How many plants would you grow?
Could I do all of the Ventilation through my new door by blowing fresh air into the bottom and pulling exhaust throught the blower/scrubber thing?
Is there a better strategy for me with the gear I already have?
Hello gitarzan,
:)

Schedule for the flood and drain... don't know.
How many plants? I'd grow around 6-8.
Ventilation: You've got the idea... fresh air at the bottom, hot out through the top. Will it work? Dude, I've learned that this growing thing is trial, error, experimentation, more trial... etc. Got for it. Try it. Then tweak it here and there to see how it does.

Better strategy...
Well, you could do a SoG or a SCRoG. Maybe build a cool tube so you could get your lights as close as possible... you'd have to buy a fart fan for that.

Are you going to grow the plants, then 12/12 and remove females? Or are they feminized seeds? Or are they clones from a known female?

Best,

-turtle420 :cool:
.

[gitarzan]

Thanks Turtle, I'm going to use clones. I'm thinking of not training them too much, because I have a gut feeling that it is healthier in the end not to. I'll do a SOG and just prune them strategically and hope nature works. I'm probably going to go with five small plants.

My question with ventilation is can it work with all of the fans and vents on one side of the room? I'm thinking of installing all of the intake and exhaust on my new door, so I don't have to fuck up my closet with holes. I don't plan on living there forever. I'm hoping that by blowing are in from the bottom of the door I can get enought air across the room so I'm not just pulling air up the door.

I just had an idea while typing this.

I'm going raise everying up a couple of inches by putting everything on top off a piece of plywood with a couple of 2x4s underneath. I'll cut a vent in the bottom of the door and have the plywood stick out a little past the door. I'll make the "new floor" stop before reaching the back of the closet, making that the intake vent, and light trap in one!

It could work, no?

Thanks again for responding. This is one of the only outlets for discussion I have, cause I don't want to tell loved ones about this "hypothetical" experiment do I?

[Zandor]

Welcome to the forum. I look forward to reading your threads.

[gitarzan]

Thanks Zandor, I'm kind of blown away, because Ive read posts from both you and Turtle for quite a while and consider it quite an honor to have your attention. I hope to be a thoughtful student.

[gitarzan]

I had an even easier idea and realize how easy it is to make something of nothing. I'll just run that drier type vent tubing to the back from the front door. No extra plywood just a couple of big round holes.

[turtle420]

I had an even easier idea and realize how easy it is to make something of nothing. I'll just run that drier type vent tubing to the back from the front door. No extra plywood just a couple of big round holes.
:) That's the way it goes my friend!

You think about the "issues" of your grow for some time during the day... bouncing ideas around inside your head... until... AHA! There it is... :)

Keep it up bro,

-turtle420 :cool:
.

[Sativagrowin]

Dryer ducting is what I use my friend. You answered your question before i could post. Another good thing to get is a "Y" fitting for the intake fan. Then you can run two small pieces of ducting to opposite sides of the closet. The "Y" fittings cost about $5 or $6

In this pic you can see that I have partitioned the closet into two areas. All my equipment is on one side and the intake and exhaust are at the top and bottom. (well I guess you cant see the exhaust fan but just imagine another fan just like that one bolted to the ceiling. lol) I have a "Y" to distribute the intake air all over the grow room. It's also helpful because you will need to direct the air as the plants grow. Sometimes foliage gets so thick that it blocks the air flow.

Laterz

[gitarzan]

Thanks, I'm going to use the y fitting idea. As for intake I'm going to go passive. The only reason I wanted to use an intake fan was because I was concerned with getting fresh air to the bottom and back of my space. Using Dryer Ducting I can cut intake vents in the same wall as my exhaust and just run the ducts to the back. I can aim fresh air that way as well.

I'm still thinking about building a floor with space underneath for venting. It may help keep my reservoir cool if I vent cool air under it. I'm still leaning towards dryer ducting for the simplicity of it.

[Sativagrowin]

I guess I would've went with an fan for the intake and a passive exhaust. I don't know why but the thought of blowing cold air over the plants and forcing hot air out makes more sense to me. I could be wrong. Anyways I wish you luck and home depot has the Y fittings if you need em but they only go to 6", I believe. I could be wrong there too. lol

Laterz

[gitarzan]

I read that blowing air out and creating negative pressure in the box is good for the plants. I think that blowing the hot air out may be more effective as well, if the closet is fairly airtight, because you'll be pulling in fresh air at close to the same rate as you're blowing it out.

On the other hand, blowing cool air in, and putting it where you want it sounds pretty good and if you're forcing the hot air out the top...the same principle in reverse.

I'm not sure if one is better than the other. I can say I've read alot about passive intakes.

[turtle420]

I read that blowing air out and creating negative pressure in the box is good for the plants. I think that blowing the hot air out may be more effective as well, if the closet is fairly airtight, because you'll be pulling in fresh air at close to the same rate as you're blowing it out.

On the other hand, blowing cool air in, and putting it where you want it sounds pretty good and if you're forcing the hot air out the top...the same principle in reverse.

I'm not sure if one is better than the other. I can say I've read alot about passive intakes.
I think it'd be best to have a fan exhausting air at a higher CFM than the fan used for the intake... if one is used.

One of the positives about having a "negative pressure" inside the grow area is, that when you're flowering, you don't have any "skunky odor smell leaks". If there is a leak in the grow cabinet/area, it will have air sucking IN.

My opinion... :)

-turtle420 :cool:
.

[gitarzan]

I'm also going to try and stick one bubbler under there. I already had most of the stuff(air pumps and stones, buckets, air tubing), so I went to the hydro shop and got 6" net pots and some more hydroton. I also got some of the Hydrofarm ph up and down. Does anyone have any experience with their stuff.

For nutes I have Conucopia Plus "x" and Essential acids. I was thinking of gettin some GH floranova cuase I heard it was simple. I'd like to see if the Cornucopia is as great as the guy who sold it to me said it was.

[gitarzan]

Thanks for the advice. This place rocks! I think if my exhaust fan is nice and powerful an intake fan will be redundant.

[Zandor]

hey sativa I see from your picture you are also using CO². Are you also bringing in fresh air and taking out the exhaust when the co² is running?

Do you run hotter temperatures when the CO² is on?

What timing cycle are you using?

[Zandor]

Zero static air pressure is better then negative pressure.

Exhaust should be on a heat controller to only run when the temperature raises above X deg and turn off is the temperature is down.
As for air intake if you use a dryer vent pipe and a can you can make holes so the air exists the back and side of the closet to create a circle of air. The idea of air flow is to exchange the air from the underside of the leafs and gently move the stems around so they gain strength and girth. Thus improving the nutrient uptake for the whole plant.

More nutrient uptake more & larger buds.



I read that blowing air out and creating negative pressure in the box is good for the plants. I think that blowing the hot air out may be more effective as well, if the closet is fairly airtight, because you'll be pulling in fresh air at close to the same rate as you're blowing it out.

On the other hand, blowing cool air in, and putting it where you want it sounds pretty good and if you're forcing the hot air out the top...the same principle in reverse.

I'm not sure if one is better than the other. I can say I've read alot about passive intakes.

[gitarzan]

That's the first time I've heard that, but again it makes sense to me. Negative pressure seems unnatural. I'm definately going to run the exhaust off of a timer. I am going to throw an oscillating fan in there, blowing up at the canopy all the time to give the plants some resistance and promote sturdy stems.

[gitarzan]

I started clearing out all the stuff from the closet today. I'm a slob. I think this hobby will give me some incentive to be neat and clean. Now here's my new question.

In the room with the closet I sometimes get small moths,beetles and the like(through the front door of my house I think). Should I bomb the room and closet and if so, with what? Or can I just do a good ol fashioned clean up,vacuum and wash the walls of the closet with Mr Clean?

Again, thanks for all the helpful info.

[gitarzan]

I have some 4 4" airstones,8 1' airstones, a bunch of airhose, 5 5gallon buckets with lids,4 dual airpumps from wallmart pet section, 4 6" netpots and hydroton. Could anyone give me a decent set up idea. I was going to make four seperate bubblers with four seperate airpumps and have an extra bucket for changing stuff.

Am I on the right track?

I'm only going to use two of these as a test against ebb and flow.

Ideas?

[Zandor]

Or you can make a DWC setup with those air stones.

Nothing wrong with a good bug bomb if your plants are not in the room. If they are then you need to have the proper bug bomb one that will not harm your plants.

After you bug bomb the room you need to wash down the walls, floor everything. The problem is eggs most cycles are 3-5 day's or more depending on what you are trying to kill. They can come back if you don't deal with eggs.
Just something to think about.

[gitarzan]

I was wondering if I should use the 1" or 4" airstones or 2 per pump etc... The room is still in the setting up phase, I've got most of the gear I need. Right now I'm prepping the space. I'm still scoping out potential clones or seeds, so right now I'm just putting a system together. It'll be starting soon though. I'll keep you posted.

I'm leaning towards some Bubblegum, because that's what might be available to me. Anyone have any experience with this strain?

[gitarzan]

I'm trying a germination experiment with some old genetic material I found in my desk. I'm not going to use any of the seedlings unless they seem superior,as it goes against my plan. Just want to see what I can do. I'm using some rockwool cubes soaked in water overnight with a propagation dome a heating pad. wish me luck. it's been a couple of days and none so far...

[gitarzan]

Yeeaay! I'm a daddy of at least two tomato plants. I'm a proper propegator! Now I feel like smoking a cigar!

[mrabrego]

I felt like a father when i found out which of my plants were girls.

[gitarzan]

yes indeed, well here's the update. One of the seedlings came through the rockwool upside down so I gently, plucked it out of the rockwool and put it back right side up. I hope it makes it. I put the two sprouts under my light. If they make it hell yeah! if not, no worries as I was planning on using some clones.

There seems to be life coming from some of the other rockwool cubes as well. They were from the back of my drawer! I half expected them to do nothing. I can't wait to have delicious veggies!

[BkSkillz]

i hope you do know that they sprout seed part up

[gitarzan]

yup. I got one with the husk still on the top which I GENTLY removed, and the other one had the husk in the bottom with the ass sticking out. I GENTLY took it out and reverted it so that the little round greenish/yellow leaves would be up. They've been under the lights all night and don't look any worse for the wear so far.... I added a small touch of the nutrient solution at about an eight strenght and just give 'em a little at a time. I'm hand watering them until they get some roots and then I'll have to really get ph and tds pens and power up the ebb and flow.

[gitarzan]

They're overwatered. Oh well. I'll try and not water for a while or just ditch'em for something better.

[gitarzan]

Ditched em. Propagation techniques were sucky to say the least. I'm going to take a break for a while cause I'm moving. I won't have the time to get anything finished. Oh well. Maybe one day.