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Thanks, skunky for that info. I'm running a system ala Nimby from overgrow. I replaced the bubblers with a pond pump. Very little noise coming from my containers now. To add the bio part I just threw in a few lava rocks into my containers. Seems to take care of the algae. I tried the waterfall set up and needed some thing even quieter. I do llike the sound of water splashing.
Gen, did you just throw the rocks in from the bag so they were dirty a little? I've heard you can just go outside and get a couple rocks and this works...So you are saying I could put some unwashed lava rock in my control res. and it would help with algea in my buckets? This would work with my system?Quote:
Originally Posted by Gen
-sD
Skunky, do you live where there are lava rocks outside? If so then yes. I have reused these rocks a few times. The first time I washed them, there is some sediment that comes from the rocks. So if you get them from outside, rinse them off the first time. The lava rocks work because you're creating a porous surface for the good bacteria to live in. Ponds are kept clean with filters and the filters can be made of anything plastic or nylon. I saw pictures of a pond filter made with a large bucket filled with green kitchen scrubbies. Next time you're at Home Depot look at the pond stuff.
On overgrow, someone threw algae into his system, just to prove that the beneficial bacteria would take care of the algae. It did.
Gen, you can buy lava rock at any home improvement store...I'm going to take back what I said earlier about not needing the airpumps and stones...I think this made a small algea problem very bad since I'm not running any kind of beneficial bact. like a stream to take care of the algea. It's also very important to have water temps around or below 70 degrees...and take into consideration that your pumps are blowing the hot air from your room into your buckets if the pumps are inside the room. That is why it is also fairly important to keep temps in room as low as possible as well. I've learned a lot more since going to this recirc. system, but I think next round will be MUCH better...and will be all ONE strain...White Rhino...also with a recirc system such as mine, if one plant gets algea or disease, they all get it, so just keep this in mind...the system, room and res's need to be VERY clean and maintained clean (which isn't hard to do) for the system to work well...it's def. not for the lazy until you get it super dialed in.
-sD
Your right skunky, I got my lava rock at home depot. I just threw the lava rocks in my reservoir and use a pond pump. Wave action. I have a pond set up outside in full sun and I haven't had any problems with algae yet. I'm only growing white widow and there are alot of differences in height. I'm going to try growing clones from the same plant and see if I can get them to grow the same height.
http://growfaq.marijuana.com/
Here are the overgrow faqs...finally found them...enjoy.
-sD
damn skunky, I'm jealous of your knowledge! lol, i know nothing about growing. keep up the awesome work, hope everything keeps going well.
Thanks Droopy....Quote:
Originally Posted by DroopyJones420
Hey everyone, sorry about the leave of absence, I've been totally redoing everything in my room.
There is a lot to report...First off, I'd like to begin my retracting my earlier hopes in not needing air pumps for each bucket in a recirc. system. This leads to low DO (dissolved oxygen) contents which kills plants by disease and algea. Another thing I figured out...today, actually, is that my Milwaukee Ph Meter hasn't been functioning correctly since purchase about 4 months ago. I'm pretty sure it's broken now, but if I would have calibrated when I got it, I think I would have been better off. Anyway, I was putting lots of PH down into my nutes, which as I look back, was probably all my problems. I bet it was running in the 4-5 range more than not and probably lower, but I had no idea. This, now that I look back, caused very slow growth, and deficiencies of almost every major nutrient. I mean, just for example, my meter would read my tap water at 7.5 when really I find out it is around 6.2 to begin with...that right there is a detrimental swing. Anyway, I'm glad I finally found my main issue.
Another huge problem I had was that I put no lid on my control res and light was just permitted to enter whenever, as well as not having my buckets lightproofed. When I cleaned out the pump filter on a res change day, it was COMPLETELY blocked with algae and slimyness. This, in turn was just re-distributing the bad stuff all throughtout the system. This can be avoided by key lightproofing and keeping res temps acceptable, 62-75. Needless to say I had to chop eveything salvagable immediately and tear the whole system down.
Now that I know these key points, I think my next attempt will be much more successfull as I really never even gave myself a chance this run. Oh well, I am thinking positive. Some new pics soon!
-sD
Skunky, that's where the lava rocks come in. They take care of of the algae. Put a few rocks in your reservoir for the good bacteria to live in. I grow outside and don't light proof my boxes. I haven't had any algae.
Gen, yeah, it was beyond the point of fixing by the time I realized what had happened. It's because the pump in the res. runs hot, so it's perfect conditions with just a minimal amount of light. There are two approaches as I see or a combination of the two. The only problem with using Lava Rocks for good bacteria is that when you change the system out, you will lose a lot of these bacterial colonies. The best solution, imho, when growing indoors, is to lightproof everything and keep the res temps in the adequate range. But, the bottom line is, algea CAN'T grow without light, so make that your first priority.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gen
I've been dreaming lately about the pump issue as well and regardless of whether my res it lightproof totally now or not, I want that big pump out of there. So, I have come up with a new recirc system, with a new infamous way to auto-top your control res with just a pump. Everything I have planned about this system makes its better and more efficient than the last.
Here's how it goes:
I have reduced the # of buckets in the system to 4. I have covered each bucket with aluminum foil, head to toe and all are bitch black under a 1000 watt hps. I have also made a new 10gal control res (sterilite, dark grey) and drilled 4 1/2" holes, one for each bucket in the system. Last time, I only had one hole, where all the buckets drained too...this will make the system drain 4 times faster while doing res. changes and keep the nute mix a lot more stable throughout the entire system. I Also made 3 holes above the the waterline and 1 WHERE YOU WANT THE WATERLINE in the control res. 3 up top, one for the incoming auto-topper res water (waterfall action), one for the outgoing pump feeding the system and one for the pump wire to the wall. The hole at the waterline will feed down a tube to another "catch" res, if you will, that then in turn pumps that water back up to the auto-topping res, which sits ontop of the "catcher" res, which sits right beside the control res on the floor. [SEE DIAGRAM PIC] - This is my new, auto-topping system which keeps the waterlevel exactly where you want it for up to 2 weeks, depending on the size of the AT res and CATCH res. (however, they should be the same size as if the top did flood to the bottom, the catcher res could hold plenty so it wouldn't overflow.) I light proofed every res with aluminum foil. Now, this new setup requires two pumps. A smaller gph pump for the control res, like say 100 for a 4 bucket system. Then you want a larger pump for the catch res as it will need to pump the same amount of water up back up to the AT res as the AT res is losing to the control res. Just a matter of simple math. It's kinda like a double recirc. system which in turn will circulate new nutes to the system ALL the time! Also, each bucket has a 60gal airpump min. now, which also deters fungus, algea and disease....Whereas if you have enough air in the water, they simply can not grow, another key principle.
I'm stoked to have come up with this system all on my own. If their are any questions you have, feel free to ask. I will probably do a thread on the auto-topping system alone as I think it is a easy, cheap alternative to things like toilet floats and drip drivin ideas as all you need is a pump from the pet store.