Maer's 540W Advanced LED — G13/Haze - DIY 4" PVC Revised StevehmaNFT Grow

Re: Maer's 540W Advanced LED – G13/Haze - DIY 4" PVC Revised StevehmaNFT Grow

Day 10 12/12

4.9 pH
1260 ppm
1.76 EC
65 Res Temp

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Here are some pics to show the recovery:

5:12pm yesterday
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7:25pm today
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I adjusted the pH to 4.9 and and hour and 15 minutes later it was 6.4.. so I added another teaspoon of citric acid. I also added another teaspoon of peroxide today to bring the levels to 30ppm of peroxide. I added 40ml of micro to add in depleted micros (Iron, Magnesium). The plants are sucking up iron and making new chlorophyll, the green is coming back all over.

Some updated regular pics of the girls:

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Re: Maer's 540W Advanced LED – G13/Haze - DIY 4" PVC Revised StevehmaNFT Grow

I looked back and I guess I didnt mention I ordered and received the stainless wort chiller, a gallon of Oxy Blast! (10% H2O2), a gallon of Silica Blast, and an adjustable solenoid for my icebox loop.
 
Re: Maer's 540W Advanced LED – G13/Haze - DIY 4" PVC Revised StevehmaNFT Grow

Day 11 12/12

4.9 pH
1209 ppm
1.69 EC
65 nute res temp

I am struggling to keep my pH down.. It keeps rising to about 6.5 - 6.8. These readings were taken about 45 minutes after adding 1 teaspoon of pH down. That was the second time today I added pH down.

Everything else seems well, the plants are recovering and growing. I will need to give them a trim to even them out pretty soon, I think day 21 is best time??

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Does anyone know how to post an animated GIF? I have an animation of the recovery and growth that is pretty cool.

Temps:

TempHIDGraph5.jpg
 
Re: Maer's 540W Advanced LED – G13/Haze - DIY 4" PVC Revised StevehmaNFT Grow

This is a test, this is only a test. If this had been a real post, this would work. This is only a test.

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Nice, IT WORKED!
 
Re: Maer's 540W Advanced LED – G13/Haze - DIY 4" PVC Revised StevehmaNFT Grow

Cool. I used to get that window blind effect with my mag ballasts, my digitals don't do it.
 
budlydoright said:
Cool. I used to get that window blind effect with my mag ballasts, my digitals don't do it.
Click to expand...

I think that is two things. First auto white balance trying to deal with the light bright show (pretty well actually). Second just compensating for the sheer brightness, it is mounted facing the DS400... inches from the light... not quiet under it though mounted halfway on the wood between the DS400 and EF180.


Right there actually:

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I never pointed it out before but that is my CO2 line on the wall to the left.
 
Re: Maer's 540W Advanced LED – G13/Haze - DIY 4" PVC Revised StevehmaNFT Grow

I have had to add 4.5 teaspoons of ph down (citric acid) over the course of 3 doses today to stay in range. It keeps rising to 6.9 and I don't know why! I dosed the tank with peroxide to kill anything that may have grown, I rinsed twice with fresh water (tap) pumped through the system for a minute or two before the res change... if there was anything it should be dead.... Don't decaying things lower pH?
 
Re: Maer's 540W Advanced LED – G13/Haze - DIY 4" PVC Revised StevehmaNFT Grow

What nutrients are you using? I was using the dry nutes that came with my DWC BP system, as well as their ph dn. I was having massive swings. Having switched to AN the swings are far more gradual. I also stopped adjusting it the last week or so on small swings and it seems to come back down. I have let it hit 6.8 and not adjusted, and seen it go down to 6.1. There will be some swings with peroxide in use too I think. My opinion only, but I think peroxide use contributed to my swings.

I could be wrong, but I made the switch to AN Sensi Grow based on the suggestion from the author of the DWC tutorial telling me I would see far fewer swings. Lest we forget in his tutorial he used the SH nutes from the system, and gets lots of support from them. So for him to say he's seeing less swing with AN nutes, in my eyes, he's probably not blowing smoke up my arse. So far, I'm happy I switched.
 
Just got back from a weekend out of town, catching up on all of the journals. That animated gif looks pretty cool. I need to get a webcam hooked up into my spaces too. I'd like to be able to check in on them while I'm out.

I don't know why you're having such a high pH swing? Have you calibrated your pH meter? It is perplexing to say the least. We are running almost identical systems and mine is always in the 5.8-6.1 range without doing anything. I can feel your frustration.

What variables are there? I know the nutes are solid, I've been using CES for over a year and never have an issue. Are you using RO or tap water? I have to use RO because my tap is around 450ppm. Are you aerating your res? Not sure if it would affect pH, but I am aerating mine. The only other factors are light, air, CO2 (none of which should be an issue).

Has the revised cooling system been working now? It sounds like you've done quite a bit of upgrading over the past week (and investing). I am guessing this is a "test run" for a larger system, if not, it may be one of the most expensive square foot gardens in the world--up there with a NASA budget.

Glad to see the girls are starting to take of for you now. Are you going to top them before 12/12?
 
Re: Maer's 540W Advanced LED – G13/Haze - DIY 4" PVC Revised StevehmaNFT Grow

@ Bassman59 - I am using the full CES line, the only other thing I added to the res is H2O2

@ SteveHman - Get a webcam with no IR LEDs, the trendnet ones even let you shut the status LED off, so it is good for the grow room.

I am using RO, 9 ppm (need to change filter). I aerate the RO res and the nute res with a luft pump and 4ft bubble curtain each. The nute res gets a lot of air from the return, tons actually.

Unfortunately I flipped them right before I poisoned them, so they are day 11-12 right now in 12/12. Most are showing pistils now.

This is a test run in that I am always looking for an easier way. I will replace this system with one that is flood proof after this run. I plan to incorporate solenoids so if power is lost the valves close by themselves. I am also planning to get 2 x DS 300 to cover the closet, with those I can make my light box almost half the size and then put them on a mover.

@ McMuffinFace - Thanks Bro!
 
Re: Maer's 540W Advanced LED – G13/Haze - DIY 4" PVC Revised StevehmaNFT Grow

Maer,
Why the light box? I presume to keep it same height easy? My thought on that is such could be done far simpler linking them in a manner that wouldnt retain as much heat. I'm sure the box retains some amount of heat. Just curious.
 
Bassman59 said:
Maer,
Why the light box? I presume to keep it same height easy? My thought on that is such could be done far simpler linking them in a manner that wouldnt retain as much heat. I'm sure the box retains some amount of heat. Just curious.
Click to expand...

I have a fan pulling air through, when I shoved a temp sensor into the box, next to the 400 it read about 95deg. That is the air temp coming out of the light so there is no heat buildup in the box. The fan I am using now is a 6" duct booster type, I have an 6" inlinr centrifugal I plant to install this week. One thing it will do is push air over the chiller, the other is force more air through the box.

The main reason for the box is Sealed Grow Environment (SGE), for the purpose of CO2 enrichment and environmental control. So the air passes through the box and none of it touches the grow space. In the closet is a HEPA, CO2, water cooled A/C, and dehumidifier. So that all rounds out everything the plants need, correct temp, humidity, CO2, and circulation from the fans below the tubes and above the light box (4" centrifugal driving the "IceBox").

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HEPA On top of the box, water cooled A/C to the top right, DH to the left.
 
Re: Maer's 540W Advanced LED – G13/Haze - DIY 4" PVC Revised StevehmaNFT Grow

I took a plant out today to try to find the source of my pH problems. I purposely took out the smallest plant in case I killed it. The roots were fairly tangled with the neighboring plants but I did get it out without snapping anything I felt.

There was some root rot near the top, the long roots were healthy but I know enough to know this is bad. The week of high temps and stress from copper has taken its toll, this started in the cloner the troll pointed it out actually. I dosed the tank with H2O2 again and removed the elbow. This makes the system a true NFT and the anaerobic Pythium is now exposed to air. I may flood the tubes again to treat with 100ppm H2O2 for a couple hours, this is supposed to kill the bacteria outright and will cause some stress, then I will run the system with no elbow for a week and recheck the roots.

The only good thing is that I think I have found the source of my pH issues, with the root rot at least unable to breed and not in the nutrient solution it should no longer effect the pH so much.

I plan to sterilize the cloner and start some clones tomorrow as a backup.
 
Re: Maer's 540W Advanced LED – G13/Haze - DIY 4" PVC Revised StevehmaNFT Grow

Sorry for the lack of updates the last couple days. I have been in the trenches so to speak battling root rot and researching.

Taking the elbow off was probably not the best idea, the roots are more tangled today then when I checked them before that.

The shock dose of H2O2 may also have been misguided, I think it burned some root matter and gave the fungus opportunity to spread. Again this reasoning is that I checked the roots the other day and there was root rot around the crown, but the long roots were white and crispy.

I re checked the roots today and it looked like a bad batch of ramen, all brown and shitty. I would take a pic but I have a hard time holding the camera, plant, and crying at the same time.

Citric acid may also be a problem, it is a weak acid but the conjugate acid (the part left over when the acid is gone - HX is the acid H is consumed neutralizing base and bringing down pH and X - the conjugate is left) can be food for any living thing... You would think for the plant right? Well maybe not, after a google search I have found several threads with people having issues with citric acid and saying their res smells funny, and later having problems with root rot, stem rot, etc.

Another problem may be my res was too sealed, some sources are saying air running over the surface keeps anaerobic organisms from starting (root rot although 6 different types) are all fungus, anaerobic. I thought the luft pump would be enough.

I hope my saviors are on the way. First is DM Zone, although previously at some point it may have been copper sulfate, now it is some form of chloramine (chlorine and ammonia's bastard son) which is more and more what is used in our water.

Second is phosphoric acid, it is a much more effective acid as it is triprotic (3 H to give up), it has a mild anti microbial effect, and the phosphorus left over can be used by the plant.

More to come.
 
Re: Maer's 540W Advanced LED – G13/Haze - DIY 4" PVC Revised StevehmaNFT Grow

Sounds like your hands are full. I have had success with hygrozyme and H2O2 in small doses when I had a small problem--cleared it right up. I also try to stay away from any thing that may be "organic" in the system and aerate heavily. Some say aeration isn't necessary, but I'm going with what has worked for me so far over the past few grows.

I hope it all gets under control quickly, I want to see a gpw+ out of the system.
 
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