FieldEffect's Attempt to Grow Indoors

They do seem to enjoy your thumb too. Looking good here.

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Thanks funky!

Yesterday I got the MegaGarden together on its elevated platform. There is a removeable piece of support foam that tilts the entire assembly by an inch to drain the dregs of the reservoir. It barely fits in the tent there’s about 1" of clearance around all sides. I ordered some silicone tubing to connect the pump to the fill/drain fitting, that way I can get in there to check on things by lifting the flood table and having noodly-enough tubing that it’s not a PITA to reconnect. It’s fucking tight. Everything in this tent is tight. The location of the reservoir drain sets the rotation of the reservoir, which happens to also mean the pump has to be in a difficult location, therefore all the flood/drain hardware will also be less easy to access. A little extra tubing length so I can lift the flood table and peek in will likely be a big benefit.

Overall, it’s all coming together in what I think will be a really nice, functional setup. It occurred to me when I opened the flower chamber that the ventilation system actually does a great job. The seedling side, closed up, vents to the flower chamber. Those things smell like weed already. I hadn’t noticed because usually when I’m working on them there’s a negative pressure in the veg area. Glad I heeded the advice of @Fuel and @Coda and got rid of all the clothing items. Come flower time it’s going to be ridiculous.

I never posted pics of what the finalized exhaust system looks like. Here it is. Pardon the mess of cables was trying to get the Controller 69 doing some other things yesterday let’s just say that endeavor ended in annoyance.

It goes through the ceiling, and in the attic is just aluminum dryer flex hose sideways about 10’ to a roof vent. I put some bends almost like a plumbing trap to keep water and stuff from coming down my exhaust tube.

Speaking of draining, I’ve been observing salt residue on the seedling rooting cubes. I thought about this yesterday, decided to drill holes in one of the trays and use two stacked together so I can fertigate to a more significant amount of runoff. Foam spacers in the lower tray, the one at the far side is slightly taller than the near side so the tray will slant slightly (~1/8" over the 20" tray).

Took the tray out to clean things up a bit and relocate the the new tray with drilled drain holes only in one side. If I ever need to flush the blocks all the drainage will be in a controlled area on the left side of the tray so I can put it over a bus tray and run gallons through it without getting water everywhere.

The Runtz x Sour Bubbles are growing well.

I raised the light a few inches to slightly reduce the intensity. @MissinBissin I think there’s certainly a limit to the “illuminate without mercy” concept and I have a knack of finding it. I browsed Digikey for some red or warm white LED strips to supplement my red spectrum. The node spacing just seems ridiculously short. Again, I took a reasonable goal probably too far. I wanted chunky seedlings, and I got them I guess :rofl:

The clones I took 3 days ago are perking up :sunglasses:

This picture shows the whole state of affairs, they don’t look fantastic but better than yesterday or the day prior. I think the lower light level probably helped (100 umol/m2/s)

I’ll bottom-feed those 4 older ones tomorrow morning. I’ll have to pop the plugs out so we’ll see if there is any root action going on.

That’s all for today. I’m sure there will be plenty of pics of the flower flood-drain setup as I’m getting those going probably next weekend if these clones take. I’m happy the tent is prepared, generally the plants are in good health. Rather enjoying the process of thinking through the little details and implementing them sooner rather than later, especially in such a small space. I’d hate to be futzing with most of this stuff with bigger plants in the tent.

Hope you all have a lovely Sunday. I plan to smoke Panama x Malawi cobb from last season’s harvest and reside mostly on the couch :rofl:

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Nice weed burritos :burrito::drooling_face:

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Idk how Alexa interfaces with your AC controller, but I’m a huge fan (hahaha) of Vornado air circulators and this is a pretty unique product they just came out with that wall (or pole!) mounts and is smart controllable:

After getting a case full of these for my last job that had a kitchen full of dead fans, I’m sold on these as my new tent fans as I replace my existing Vivosun (soldiers! Three years old and still running loudly but running after a few rebuilds) and Monkey Fan (eh seems cheap for the money) and Walmart Pelonis oscillating desk fans (honestly incredible fans for $15-20, they never die or make noise they just run forever):

These are super easy to clean and very rugged and powerful, absolutely love them.

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I was looking for a “horizontal” fan the other day. Found nothing. Something like how people sometimes hang a tower fan on it’s side. I want something designed for that. A horizontal sheet of wind.

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I agree with you totally @FieldEffect, these are Just Kids…

Illuminate without Mercy, when they’re ready. Your building an incredible set-up there my Friend.

Thanks for sharing all the Deets

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I’ve thought the exact same thing and want to strap a cheap tower fan to a board with some eyelets and hang it from rope ratchets over my lights pointed down

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@Dirt_Wizard I like the Atom 2W AE fan. It seems to be about 5" in diameter and may be a good fit in the corner of the flood table. Not IN the flood table obviously but above the corner I can’t use. Hmm… I’m googling around trying to figure out how big exactly it is.

That EXO5 looks sweet but would occupy considerable real estate in my miniature space.

@Nitt that’s an interesting concept as well. Just above the light, I could do something like that opposite my carbon filter

@Not-Notjosh they’re more like reverse chimichangas - reverse in that they are burritos that fry ME :rofl:

@MissinBissin I’m trying! It’s a good outlet for my creative/engineering energy, and thoroughly enjoyable. Climbing around in the attic was about the only part that was decidedly NOT enjoyable, fiberglass and shredded paper insulation with a respirator.

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I’m seeing that growing is not just an activity, its way more than that.

I’m finding it has so many variables and options, with so many Academic and Physical prompts, maintaining any Crop keeps your mind busy and your body moving.

I’m calling it a Sport now @FieldEffect

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I’ve had those tower fans in the past, and they barely lasted long in their proper orientation. I don’t think they last long hung horizontally.
I thought about putting a box (cardboard) together that might allow an inline fan to connect to it, blow air into it, and then have a long slot (or multiple holes) along the long side of the box that would allow that air out in more of a “curtain”. Maybe someone with 3d printer skill could try something out (or I could with tape and shit, haha).

I think maybe a “window” fan that is horizontal might work. Most are junk though, I think.

Edit: @Dirt_Wizard https://www.amazon.ca/Vornado-TRANSOM-Control-Reversible-Resistant/dp/B08R6FCMD3/ref=pb_allspark_purchase_sims_desktop_d_sccl_1_5/131-7636140-8280341?pd_rd_w=DXIEc&content-id=amzn1.sym.54c7acab-cc12-45da-b2e6-608a341dece2&pf_rd_p=54c7acab-cc12-45da-b2e6-608a341dece2&pf_rd_r=6QEGW8KE5VTP57MDADKZ&pd_rd_wg=aspj8&pd_rd_r=f885eb9a-3e0c-4150-bf6a-1dd0de06cda2&pd_rd_i=B08R6FCMD3&psc=1

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Oh yeah not suggesting that for your little tent! Nice for the house or garage, but the Atom is way smaller.

Ace Hardware has the dimensions as:

  • Fan Height: 19.3 inch
  • Fan Length: 7.27 inch (I assume this is the distance of the front edge from the wall)
  • Fan Width: 5.86 inch

@Nitt that thing is pretty sweet! Might be overkill for my 4x4 but that’s exactly what I want for when I make a grow box/room more like 5x8’

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I have come across this in my searches: Axis Airbar Fan

@Dirt_Wizard Vornado also makes the ATOM 1, which is 5" diameter and 10" tall. The ATOM 2 seems to be 6" diameter and about 18" tall.

@MissinBissin my last hobby (competive RC sailplanes) used be called a sport as well :rofl: I’ll be sure to let my doctor know I’ve started engaging in more “sports” than before

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Here’s my budget setup. Not oscillating just bounce wind off the side of tent.

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Another thing I’ve seen people do that makes a lot of sense is to just hang one of those low profile window fans in a tent in the middle as a circulator, I have a few of those in the basement…

This is the indestructible Walmart fan I was referring to, these live on the floors of my tents under the canopy and get dirty and wet all the time but never an issue:

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Thanks for that @Dirt_Wizard, I’ve just tossed one out yesterday… I’m off to Walmart Bro !!
Pelonis it is

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Fantastic stuff @FieldEffect
Have you spent any time working with Drones?
That’s a tech that is endless right now, way beyond recreation.

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I can basically tell a bad fan (traditional style with blades) just from the blade style. Comfortmate makes the best fan blade of the “consumer/residential” oscillating fans I’ve ever encountered, and it’s not even close. Amazing air movement. The controls are very nice too, four speeds, including an eco that still moves air far, just not violently, and it silent. Other nice features too.
Costco canada has it come and go, for $65 cad.

I just found this as well:

Check that out, it’s on amazon as well.

Nice with the axix air bar @FieldEffect. @Dirt_Wizard Those window fans are pretty low quality. It’s just two standard fan blades next to each other anyways, haha.

https://www.amazon.ca/Sharper-Image-Reversible-Exhaust-Resistant/dp/B08R5N3SXZ/?encoding=UTF8&ref=pd_wlh

The axis air bar one is supposed to come in 4 or 5 different lengths too.

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Your week is well fulfilled i see ^^ I was suspecting some funk at one point due to the exotism (for me), but it look like your instinct work well to generate this ecosystem. Plants never lie. Let me compensate this frustration (joking).

I read the whole page, and the papers, and I found what i usually found in the breeding departement in our community : contextual misinterpretation, ignoring the practical end of the chain (us ^^). It keep people away from many things, in the name of the science, without taking in count that science is also a shark tank just like any domain. Our biggest technological jumps as humanity always come from scientifically controversy and the shock of opposites scientific demonstrations.

It’s voluntary arrogant (i’m 40+ ^^), but i’m sure you get this way the “between the lines” trick that keep me moving along the traps. Can’t comment the three docs, it will end in an infinite wall of text.

You already know why i’m watching the expression of these ones, not that i’m also watching the BB / SPG compounds inside ^^.

And you do good, but it’s not about energy but hormones. Tips of the root system and the apical shoot is where the auxin war is happening. At the difference that in the apical side, the plant need a lot more activity in cell divisions. It create an adverse condition for fast rooting. Context again.

There is only two persons i met that understood it the right way. The first is the rare “in production” that never had any problem with her motherplants and the stability of their genetic output. The second is very concerned about genetic preservation and advanced programs, i will beat his ass at one point if he forget this fundamental knowledge.

And your plants will grow faster if this fan wasn’t stimulating their transpiration. Not joking. At the condition that put your efforts and thinking in the passive circulation start-to-end. I know it’s a bitchy statement, but worth the ride i promise.

Micro-grow have an advantage that all others have not : the ease to let the plants create their own micro climate and their o²/co² bubbles day/night cycles.

Let me find a couple of old photos to illustrate …


Context again ^^

And i’m glad we keep you safe.

I quote directly to this portion to make a link with your EC’s considerations. The (light) limit is simply the genetic.

If your lights are a leverage to produce genetics at the direct next step, absolutely, the “illuminate-without-mercy” is an important pivot point. Seedlings and freshly cut clones included. To be close to natural expressions (sun grown), you almost have to make it lethal indoor (so an evolutive leverage). Whatever the tech used.

If your lights are a leverage to produce weed with a genetic on which you don’t have the hand, the miss is totally right.

I’ve already talked about context right ? :cowboy_hat_face:

I’ve a mental trick that old farts know well : the light / nutrients symbiose. At the time we cultivated with candles (lol) and flowered with neons (some don’t really divorced with it ^^), any actual nutrient’s line will just fry the plants at decent dosage.

Trust always the solar panels anyway. They are actually velvet, not shiny, not “blueish”, and don’t show any sign of hunger. And their texture are the best EC meter of the universe, since ever.

Think more about the day of the photoperiod switch, it’s where you have to plan a drastic change i term of food and it have to be prepared just before. The hormonal balance change totally, like Mr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

You’re in veg, so you have more margin to test the genetic with tools. You can test the limit of the genetic in using “the big one” as guinea pig.

Make a sprayer with the intended level minus 25%, then foliar feed it. One single time is enough and foliar feeding is like intravenous, within 48 hours you will know if it’s legitimate or not to push the DNA in its limits by it’s growth/texture/color.

It’s a factor 10 between 5 and 6, 6 being the coco coir sweet spot (it’s an organic material with chemical decomposition below it). Rockwool can’t be degraded by acids at this level. The drift is totally ok.

Now, look at your plants. They don’t look like to lack of N and specially need to be acidified. The CEC (which is an hydrogen whore) look pretty much active too.

And the most important : zero trace of PH burn anywhere.

Contex … ok i stop it, the knife is enough sharpened lol

I’m a big fan of DWC filled by a shit ton of airstones. Be warned, it affect the PH (it increase it) and require a solid KH

The condensation occur in your attic (after the insulation and by cold weather only), not at this point (if I understand well the sentence). Your duct being not insulated, it’s cooled in the attic and make a degressive loopback. No worry.

Harvest it with a stainless steel stuff to have a little amount of powder. Then … spit on it lol
If it instantly melt, it’s not salts.

Pure white showed it’s superiority in LED over enriched red, at least it’s what i read on the plants with known genetics in all LED grow logs i saw. I’ve no explanation, with neons it’s the opposite. My flo bulbs are red as fuck at the point to can’t veg with it.

God you even do COBbing ^^ I always failed it.

Can’t wait to see your flowers. And damn, sorry for the wall i’ve not resisted. I know i should stay away from commenting growlogs, but sometimes i can’t resist sorry for this ^^

Best vibes

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lol. I have this dual Honeywell setup going on because my rotating grill fan recently died. I hooked them up to my intermittent timer, so it’s sort of osculating.

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I’ve been eagerly awaiting this seeing you “replying” for the last hour. It’ll take me a while to digest but no apologies :sunglasses:

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