Help with new HYDRO setup...suggestions

[HyDrO ViSiOnZ]

Just like everyone else here I want to maximize my yield. I dont want to be always flowering a plant so the bigger the yield the more time i have where my room is running just mothers...Saves me money..
This is what i have. Please let me know what you would do if you were in my shoes.

I have a 3.5x3.5 x 7 tall grow tebt. Aircooled 300cfm hood, and a 3x3 table with 40 gal rez. Carbon filter and circ fan. Using latewoods recipe.

I have both a 1000w ballast and 600w ballast and hotilux bulbs for both of them. Which one do you think? when I run the 1000w my temps are 80-82 during the day and 70 at night. (plants dont seem to mind the heat) Havent run the 600 in this set up

How many plants? I was thinking of packing 18 in. I dont have alot of veg space because of my mothers. so all veg time will be done in the ez clone(about 1 week). I want to stay with hydroton as a grow medium.

Or ditch all that and pack my 4 waterfarms in.


I would like to get as close to a pound as possiable. That would last me 6months +!

Thank you all for you advice in advance. I have learned so much from reading this forum. Thanks again.

HyDrO ViSiOnZ Reviewed by HyDrO ViSiOnZ on 06-09-2008. Help with new HYDRO setup...suggestions Just like everyone else here I want to maximize my yield. I dont want to be always flowering a plant so the bigger the yield the more time i have where my room is running just mothers...Saves me money.. This is what i have. Please let me know what you would do if you were in my shoes. I have a 3.5x3.5 x 7 tall grow tebt. Aircooled 300cfm hood, and a 3x3 table with 40 gal rez. Carbon filter and circ fan. Using latewoods recipe. I have both a 1000w ballast and 600w ballast and hotilux Rating: 5

[elskeetro]

I'm no pro, but here's what i'd have to say to you based on my experiences:

18 plants in a 3.5 x 3.5 space is going to be WAY too over crowded unless it's a SOG. You say you are using latewood's recipe which i believe is meant for growing only a few plants, but growing them large and full. I know a guy who uses latewood's recipe (better than i do...) and his last harvest, he got 1/4 pound off each plant. He was only growing 4 plants, but he had plenty of space (roughly 8x8). I am currently growing 10 plants in a 3 x 5 area and it is incredibly frustrating trying to maneuver through the jungle. My top colas are nice, but there is very little light penetration down below.

Everything else sounds great to me. I would just suggest thinking about 2 or 3 flowering plants and giving them plenty of room.

just my twin Lincolns.

Skeet.

[the image reaper]

you need more airflow than what a 300cfm can handle ... my 250cfm duct fan (vented outside) doesn't even handle my little 400HPS ... seems like you can never have enough ventilation ... and, you are way off on your plant count ... with a good hydro grow, you can fill your cabinet with one plant ... my 2x4x8 has 2 hydrofarms, and that's too much plant, really ... :smokin:

[stinkyattic]

1 week veg time tops. 6" pots. SOG. Whichever light you can get in there and air-cool. 600 should be ample for that space; if you go higher, consider adding CO2. I recommend a 4x4 table if you can get one in there- the 40gal res will do it fine and it's a better size for a large light. Add ventilation- use one fan to cool the light and the other to vent the room. Or try venting the room THROUGH the air cooled hood. If it still runs hot, add CO2 (read the 'sealed room' thread) or another exhaust.

[HyDrO ViSiOnZ]

Stinky: How many plants do you think. Should i just pack as many as i can in 6" pots? I have both a 4 in inline and 6 inch inline. After reading all this im going to switch the 6in to exhuast my hood out of the room. the 4in will pull through the filter for room exhaust. I know the 600 is good but would notice a yield increase with the 1000?

I have a hydrofarm co2 kit new in the box from a couple years ago. How do i set the flow rating on it for my tent?

I tried for the biggest table i could fit. I went with the botanicare 3x3 because its 3x3 on the inside of the table. I have to squeez that baby in there. And ya i went 40 because ...well....you cant have to much water but you can have to little. and yes they will only have a week veg time. What do you think about single cola plants or just letting them go?

Thanks everyone so far, this is becoming clearer

[Weedhound]

Well I'm glad its clearer for you cause i'm clueless. Thank god folks like the Stinkster and IR are putting their two cents in. :thumbsup:

[HyDrO ViSiOnZ]

Basically i am asking this, If you had my tent, both a 600 and 1000, 4in inline and 6in inline. 3x3 table or 5 waterfarms what would you do . 600 or 1000, waterfarms or table, if table how many plants, some say 5-8 some say 13-20 some say 25....just looking for some positive feedback from experienced people. I have had to many trial and error grows, and i understand this will be one as well but i would love to get started on the right foot.

Thank you all

SMOKE ON!

[herbie the love bud]

The water farms will yield more than ebb and flow, and with less waste. That being said, the answer depends on your strategy. If you want a SOG, then tray is the way to go and cram them in there. Alternatively, if you are uncomfortable with that many plants, then use the water farms and grow up to 4 plants. They will be massive and potentially will yield the same as your SOG.

Try your 1000 W. If you can keep the water temp below 80 than you're golden. If not than switch to your 600. That is not really a compromise considering that MJ only needs 10K LUX in flower and at 3X you get that from a 600. (Make sure it's a 95K Lumens 600).

[HyDrO ViSiOnZ]

Just to keep everyone updated. This is what i did.
I put the 600 back in. Air cooling it with the 300cfm. Temps stay and 75 -80 with the lights on. After so many differnet responses and non really have any simularities i decided to do my own experiment. I built a light flip flop for my 600w light. I have two tents sitting next to eachother. Hut 1 will have 4 waterfarms. hut 2 will have a 3x3 table with a 40 gal rez. My plants are about 10 inchs tall. I am going to do 7 in white pots...roughly 10 inches....and 2 in gordon hugo blocks just to see if hydroton is that much better. I'll post pics if intrest is shown.


By the way i am going to veg the plants for the waterfarm for another week to get them bushy.

[elskeetro]

Good solution! get ready to see the waterfarms explode.

I'm assuming a light flip flop allows you to switch the position of the light over both tents.

i might suggest 2.5 things:

1.) get a light mover that will move it for you (i'm lazy) if you are using just the one light.

2.) add the 1000w over the other side so both tents are getting serious light.

2.5.) could this flip flop thing move 2 lights at once to share the 1000 and 600 with both sides? (might be over kill and unnecessary.)

sounds cool, definitely keep us posted.

good luck.
Skeet