More lighting = generally easier time managing appropriate DLI on both an 18/6 and a 12/12 (for flowering photos). The 350R is incredibly high quality light. You may not need to supplement - you’ll be able to flower a 3x5 area fine. But I am always looking for ways to improve and have more than I need so I can dial it back - I’d rather be overpowered and undersupply.
I don’t remember how many plants you’re aiming to grow. 3?
You can pick up the 350R refurbished for a little less.
Thanks Gray, light was already ordered/shipped. Besides I like the 3 year warranty with the new vs 1 year w/the reman… Chiller is onsite but awaiting parts as it doesn’t have a 3/4" fitting (it’s 5/8") but I have recommended one to the seller. I have also discovered the greenish/blue in the res is chlorophyll not algae or root rot (thank God). Hopefully the chiller and light will resolve the issue.
Good morning ya’all! Just an fyi to update my chiller project, so here it is. After many un-needed (but returnable) purchases I was able to take a 1/3hp poafamx chiller and splice it to support 3 separate/individual reservoirs using 3/4" black and 1/2" black (as recommended) vinyl tubing and 2-3/4" to 3-1/2" close ended manifolds (1-in, 1-out) w/3 vivosun adjustable pressure pumps, clamps (APEX/SHARKBITE crimper and collars not necessary). The hardest part was adjusting the pumps to get a steady water level in all 3 buckets. Time consuming but not impossible (hell I did it)! The chiller is programmed to 68deg but was 69 because the res lids were off. Works like a champ! All the tubing, power cords are in a notch under the lid so the pH can be checked (daily) w/o a major hassle. Next project/next week is upgrading the light to the hlg 350R
Glad to hear from you - I was just wondering about your grow last night. I’m out of likes but glad to see it’s progressing well!
Plants are scrawny (light and temp issues) except for stretch whose loving being on vege… I lost 1 set of roots on my biggest plant because of the frozen 1gall cooling method, hopefully they’ll grow back. I’m anxious to see how they progress once the light is upgraded. I’ll keep you posted.
Without a doubt. As long as there are roots in the system to grow, they’ll grow.
Thanks. I don’t do likes etc but appreciate the thought! btw don’t forget the zip ties!
My 1/3hp chiller w/the 2 fan exhaust, throws off a lot of heat in the room, not the grow room . I have to turn on the ceiling exhaust when I do my pH check I too will not worry about heat in the winter.
How’s the system coming along?
You have alot going on…
I can’t really even understand what I’m seeing…
This needs to be set up alot easier than you have it now…
Too complicated for your expected outcome…
Let’s make this easier…
Tons of pics of your system… 
We get you on point…
I wish I could still share pic’s again… stupid phone and sight…
Or maybe just my stupid phone…
Organics is the way to go you want to get ur self a coco peat mix hp pro mix and get worm castings and bat guano and volcanic rock dust fertilizer and superworm frass and u can also get organic compost mix these in ur soil to give ur plants enough food for a month or two and then top dress with super worm frass and worm castings and bat guano
Hi guys and lady(?)! Thanks for the notes. peach u wanted pics so here they are: I installed a 1/3hp chiller(#5) because the temp in the res was too warm.
how big is the ring? If you had to choose between 2" cylinder or (?)" ring airstones, which would give you the most air? I need to max my res aeration in each res the 5w pumps w/2 outlets and white air stones aren’t seeming to get it done
Water temp needs to be 68°.
Air pump governs how much air - crappy airstones leak more air into large bubbles but that’s not really all that common.
I use 2x 4” air stone discs per 5 gallon bucket.
I have 2 air pumps with 8 connections each, so I rigged up a split where each air stone gets 2 air connections from my pump. 4 stones takes up 8 outlets. It produces massive bubbles.
I have a series of other air stones from the cylinders to the balls to some aeration tubing, but the easy answer is they all perform similarly if you give them 2 air connections each.
Changing temp to 68d, seems like a major draw for 3 res’?
That’s why I suggest having one large res outside of the system and interconnecting your buckets to the res. The chiller only has to work to chill the large res. More energy at first but less over time.
My chiller kicks on once every 2-3 hrs and goes for 15 to 30 min depending on the room temp.
Space does not allow for a larger res. I think this will work. The chiller kicks on about every 8-10 minutes but only for a few minutes at a time. The res temp is 68-69 (uncalibrated) the grow and room is now 78 light off and 80 light on. Being a 1/3hp at 79 gall/hr to chill 10.5 gall this machine is a beast! btw “bubbles” ( my largest plant) is dying, her roots never came back.
OK Gray, Peach and Tezz. I’ve upgraded the light, turned the light down to 20% power, water in res too warm so I bought a chiller set to 68, am using cal/mag 1/8 dose, using full dose GRO 2-1-6 NPK and pH balanced daily and my plants have yellow leaves, even “stretch”. The leaves turn yellow and have researched to eliminate the problem w/o success.
pH bal check, needs nitrogen check, needs potassium check, needs cal/mag check, I’m at my end here HELP!
Why only 1/8 dose?
Okay I need a lot of things in terms of info.
What kind of light? What power level and height from plants?
Ambient temperature of the air right by the stems of your plants? Also humidity.
What is the PPMs of the water in the res?
What is the PH of the water in the res?
Walk me thru your order of operations when adding water and nutrients
Where is your water sourced from (city water, well water, a filtration system?)
What is the water level in relation to the bottom of the pots?
What size air pump at what strength and what kind of stones are you using with it?
Anything else I should know about the setup, feel free to include.
They look heat stressed seriously. Also like they are not up taking nutrients very effectively.
Why only 1/8 dose? This was your initial recommendation when I started cal/mag on or about 7/28
Okay I need a lot of things in terms of info.
What kind of light? What power level and height from plants? HLG- 350R on initial setup was set to 1/2 power for 1 week and is now at 1/5 power. Light is 15" from the ceiling, 24" from the top of the 12" canopy (36" to top of res) per instructions on rightbud website.
Ambient temperature of the air right by the stems of your plants? Also humidity. 74d 38% with light on. Note that these temps are atypical with the room door and the house windows open because outdoor temperatures are falling. Humidity outdoors at this writing is unusually low and normally runs 50-60%. These are not the temps when the a/c is running in the summer (and until the last few days) in the early fall.
What is the PPMs of the water in the res? 514ppm after adding nutes
What is the PH of the water in the res? 5.8-6.0 checked daily
Walk me thru your order of operations when adding water and nutrients
Water level tends to remain constant and I don’t have to add water until res change. Once every 10 days I change the res and add nutes. 1/8 cal/mag, full hydro, full gro 2-1-6 (no more FF bloom). pH is checked daily to maintain 5.8-6.0 range. I only add nutes with the res change every 10 days.
Where is your water sourced from (city water, well water, a filtration system?) filtered from vending machines from walmart and the local ice house, same company, doubt that it’s r/o but potable. well water is undrinkable (liquid iron). I just had the well water tested but it didn’t break it down by mineral(s).
What is the water level in relation to the bottom of the pots? 2" below the mesh pot. roughly 3.5gallons in a 5gall bucket.
What size air pump at what strength and what kind of stones are you using with it? a vivo adjustable flow rate 800 gph air pump for the chiller 5w dual outlet with 1" white air stones for aeration.
Anything else I should know about the setup, feel free to include. No bugs. Roots are green from chlorophyll. 4" inline fan/ducting going in on 24/7, 4" inline fan w/charcoal filter going out of the grow on 16 hour timer w/the light. 16" fan (oscillation turned off because of the new light) turned on 3-5 hours/day.
They look heat stressed seriously. Also like they are not up taking nutrients very effectively. I tend to agree and suspect insufficient aeration is part of the problem. Maybe I need to add nutes more than once every 10 days? I noticed in the last few days new leaves on top of the “Kate” (AK) and “Stretch” (BBG) canopy are coming in green but don’t know how long they’ll stay that way. “Bubbles”(BBG) lost her root system when I used frozen 1 gall jugs to cool the res before getting the chiller. How can I use “Bubbles” cola, I hate to waste it?
