Hello all! I just started a run for Northern Light Autos and am trying them out in my new RDWC under current system. I am using two 27 gal commander totes connected at the bottom with 2” PVC that leads to an outside res made of a 5 gal commander bucket. There is a 600GPH pump that flows closer to 450GPH that pumps from the res to the two 360* spray bars at the tops of the large totes. I have a small aquarium pump in the res with two stones and another pump each for the two totes.
For lights I am running the bulk of my wattage from 3 150w high bay lights from Green light depot. These pull a true 150w at the wall and dim down with internal dimmer to about 120w. They are 4000k spectrum and I have grown with these very lights in other systems and have gotten results of up to 1.2 gram per watt performance from Veg to flower. As a test I am adding in addition to my 450w of 4000k light, two bars of Great value 2700k 15w LED bulbs with diffusers taken off. They pull closer to 14w power so I have an addition of about 165+w of light from them. But not knowing the chips that they use I am considering them a lower efficiency and just saying they are close to 150w of additional lighting.
my water was added and I added 10g potassium bicarbonate as ph buffer, ph down with 15g citric acid. Added 40g magnesium sulfate and 20g of calcium sulfate. An original ppm of 138. Ended at 286ppm after ph and slight nutrients added.
That ran for about 48 hours before seeds arrived. I also added 80ml of hydrogen peroxide to help sterilize the water. Seeds were soaked in res water over night 7/22. Placed in rockwool which was soaked in res water for the same time and put into the system with two clear take out containers over them to keep humidity up and filter out some of the light. My high bay lights are dimmed all the way down and only the 4 corner great value lights are on for about 415w of light and placed about 40 inches away from the plants.
RH about 58% +- 4%
Average Temp 76*F
PH started at 5.7
two days in and first signs of plants sprouting.
Day 4 I added 3.5 tsp citric acid to bring PH back down and added 60 ml of hydrogen peroxide. Also added 20g of Scott’s bloom booster to add some Phos to encourage root growth for an additional 30 ppm of nutrients total. We are now 5 days in and there are 3 healthy plants. The 4th in the back left is not sprouted. I uncovered a little rockwool and the seed has a small tail but has not stretched it out yet. I hope she is a late bloomer.