Grow Mediums Stirponics system gets here Friday!

[SpiderMonkey]

Hello Friends,

OK, I am still very new to this and figured after a couple soil grows that hydro would be a better fit. I enjoyed the soil grows and all, but like the idea of not dealing with soil. So to get my feet wet, I went with a Stirponics system with drip irrigation added. I can always upgrade later if I really get into it, or just find that my current setup needs it.

I already have a PPM and PH meter from Bluelabs and 25 lbs of MegaCrop. The system will be setup in a 4x4 tent with GrowersChoice ROI-e680s at 50%. I use rapid rooter plugs to germ and have had no problems getting them to pop. Water will be RO and PH’ed to 5.8 after MegaCrop is added.

Anything else I should get to make life easier? I will start a daily grow diary to document what I am doing. Hopefully, everyone can help to keep me from making too many rookie mistakes.

Thank you to all the stickies in this section! I have read, and greatly appreciate, the knowledge sharing here!

 

[Delps8]

Well, I'll poke my nose in here. Always good to see another grower using hydro.

Below is the skeleton of the data that I publish when I start a grow. I've removed the specifics of my grow except for the "Goodies" section since you were asking about things that make life easier. I've spent quite some time and a fair amount of money to create an environment and the processes that I can use to grow weed in my 2' x 4' tent.

Answers to the questions below are really helpful. You might find value in them on an historical basis and, if you run into problems and vector in other growers, it will give them an easy-to-read synopsis of the grow environment.

"Rapid Rooters" - absolutely.

Strain -
Number of Plants -
Growth Stage -

Germination start -
First sprouted -
Into the res -

Water source -
Indoor or Outdoor -
Grow Type - hydro

Tent -
Reservoir Size -
Reservoir Temperature -

Watering schedule -

Nutes -

Hydro Setup -

Lighting:


Tent Climate:
Temperature -
RH -
pH -

Pests -

Goodies:
Active Aqua water chiller (1/10 hp)
Whynter 14k portable Active
Waykar 4500 sq. ft. dehumidifier

Kasa Smart strips
Inkbird RH controller ("Wetbird")
Inkbird Temperature controller ("Hotbird")

Pets Pioneer Reptile Humidifier Digital - humidifies reptiles and cannabis tents
700 watt oil-filled heater

PulseOne sensor
Bluelab pH, EC, and temperature monitor
BlueLab Grower's Kit with EC pen + TDS pen
Apogee MQ-500 quantum meter

Trupow 1/10HP 330GPH electric pump for res swaps
Good Ideas Imp-L50-TC Impressions Palm Rain Barrel (50 gallon cistern) for RO
HydroLogic 150 GPD RO unit

 

[SpiderMonkey]

A water chiller is definitely on the short list. I am hopping my basement is cool enough. If not, the the chiller will become a priority.

 

[Delps8]

If you can keep your res at 68°, that's great, if not a water chiller is a good way to protect against root rot. Even with my res at 68°, I use HydroGuard. To keep the bad guys at bay, you can either use "bennies" (beneficial bacteria such as HydroGuard or Orca) or you can go "sterile" which means using H2O2 or Clorox (?). I use HydroGuard, the main reason being that I add 2 few CC per gallon and I don't have to refresh it. I think that you have to refresh the chemicals that you use if you're running sterile but I don't recall. There are nine parameters that we need to control in the grow environment so my approach has been to find what works for each of those parameters and then move on so I've found things that work for me but there are alternatives, many alternatives in some cases.

I'm psyched that you're using the set up from PA Hydro. If I had a bigger tent, I'd probably use their stuff. I'm in a 2' x 4' and, even with a shoe horn, I just don't have the room. :-(

 

[Simplicio]

I grow using "lazy hydro."

10 gal plant vessel with float valve, (and airstones) hooked up to a large storage tank, to keep plant vessel fluid levels constant.
Each plant vessel contains about 6 or 7 gal of fluid.

Have never used a water chiller (and am completely unaware of grow vessel fluid temps), but do use clorox sparingly when replenishing storage tanks.

No reservoir changes ever, but an average of 1 quart is removed from plant vessels daily to provide fresh nutes.

A water filtration system hooked up to a basement water outlet, and into a large storage tank, to provide RO water to plants and humidifiers.

Govee device to monitor basement tent conditions from upstairs.
Amazon product

Top fill, ultrasonic humidifiers keep humidity in the upper 60s, so that the Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) chart can be followed for optimal growth.
Amazon product
I use small fans to blow fog from humidifiers thru upper tent vents into tents.

Heaters are plugged into Inkbird temperature controllers, and blow into tents from the outside thru 4 or 6 inch ducts passing thru upper tent portholes.
Amazon product

Light meter.
Amazon product
But any brand is probably fine.

ppm and pH meters, and suitable calibration/alteration fluids.
Amazon product
I have the expensive BlueLab ppm meter.

Suitable measuring cups.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004NEWBBU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C0N8098/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

No topping or pruning, except to provide better access to plant vessels.

This lazy method works well.
The main challenge is getting food and light right for a lot of different auto strains.
There is a delicate interplay between food and light.

 

[Delps8]

I grow using "lazy hydro."

10 gal plant vessel with float valve, (and airstones) hooked up to a large storage tank, to keep plant vessel fluid levels constant.
Each plant vessel contains about 6 or 7 gal of fluid.

Have never used a water chiller (and am completely unaware of grow vessel fluid temps), but do use clorox sparingly when replenishing storage tanks.

No reservoir changes ever, but an average of 1 quart is removed from plant vessels daily to provide fresh nutes.

A water filtration system hooked up to a basement water outlet, and into a large storage tank, to provide RO water to plants and humidifiers.

Govee device to monitor basement tent conditions from upstairs.
Amazon product

Top fill, ultrasonic humidifiers keep humidity in the upper 60s, so that the Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) chart can be followed for optimal growth.
Amazon product
I use small fans to blow fog from humidifiers thru upper tent vents into tents.

Heaters are plugged into Inkbird temperature controllers, and blow into tents from the outside thru 4 or 6 inch ducts passing thru upper tent portholes.
Amazon product

Light meter.
Amazon product
But any brand is probably fine.

ppm and pH meters, and suitable calibration/alteration fluids.
Amazon product
I have the expensive BlueLab ppm meter.

Suitable measuring cups.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004NEWBBU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C0N8098/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

No topping or pruning, except to provide better access to plant vessels.

This lazy method works well.
The main challenge is getting food and light right for a lot of different auto strains.
There is a delicate interplay between food and light.

That's a good list.

I've thought of compiling a list, as well, but then I'd see just how much $$ I've managed to pour into that little 2'x 4' tent.

"A boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money."