>>I can afford the res, and someday it may run two rooms
So can I, but I still prefer to run the $10 res, and spend the $129 on my family or other fun $hit.
Ok. It sounds like you are taking this technique in a totally different direction. 6 per tray won't even fit in the tray, unless you're using tiny pots. You are still thinking "DIRT". Drop that train of thought. These will be monsters.
If you run 2 trays, 6 per tray, all from of one res, you will need 12 in flower, 12 in veg. If your limit is 24, that gives you no room for extras or strain hunting. You could produce the same yield with 2 per tray, or at the most, 4 per tray, like sling is dabbling with. 2 per tray would yield an easy 20 zips per tray, every 2 months. Then you would have 4 in flower, 4 in veg at any given time. So if you have a plant count of 12, you will still have 4 to play with.
I would not run both trays from one res. It will be too difficult to drain both trays to one res, and feed both trays with one res. Leaks, gravity problems, etc. And, it will be impossible to run more than one strain efficiently, as some strains you will want to run longer, or at a higher PPM. I would use a separate $10 res for each tray. Most importantly, if you use one res for both trays, then you can't do a perpetual grow like sling and I do. There is no way possible you can trim 12 plants, and then reload your trays in a timely manner. It will waste too much time in between harvests, which translates to lost
donations. When a tray is done, you will want to pull the plants off it, set them in another room, reload the tray that day, then go back and trim. Thereby, not missing a single day of flower room real estate.
3x3 will also make it harder to do the 4x4 scrog like sling is doing. I would consider 4x4 trays.
If you're using 1/4 hose, go all the way up to the plants with the 1/2", and then tap in to the 1/2" with the 1/4", to feed each plant. As sky was saying, the 1/4" puts too much back pressure on the pump. You won't be able to push water up a 1/4" hose. That hose sling is using (I forget what it's called) works well.
Sorry man, I don't mean to throw a wrench into your plans. I want you to be set up for success. You're a popular guy around here and if you set it up correctly, a lot of people will follow you. I think of every set up as a "business", not just a "hobby". If it's just a "hobby" to you, go for it. If you're serious about an efficient system, take another look at how sling has his perpetual grow set up.
I'm out!
