# The Shire



## benamucc (Mar 4, 2011)

Welcome to the shire!  This is where most of my growing will be going on these days.  Took a long time to build the space out.  

It's about 5ft x 10ft x 6.5ft = 325 cuft wrapped in plastic, and then insulated on the outside.  I'm going to paint the walls, and use plastic on the floor.  

I've got one end wall set up with a bench for the veg area, and storage will be underneath.  I'll use plastic, and velcro to "wall off" the veg area.  I'll be using 6 x 48" floros until I can afford a T5 upgrade.  

I'm running two Honey clones in a DWC bucket for giggles.  I'm really not interested in the strain at all, but wanted to get some "seat time" in on hydro before the Tahoe OG run.  

I have two clones of blueberry, and one of AK47 I took from the Global Locker.  They're in coco and in 2" net cups until I see some roots, and then I'll be putting them into the Aero veg container.  (I just LIKE the dome, and heated mat vs. straight into the aero.  Debate it if you like, but this is MY HOUSE    )  

I'll be running short plants in the NFT system for flowering, and will have 3 rows of 4 ; 2" net cups per 396 GPH pump and 15gal reservoir. Each set of 12 plants will be under an air cooled XXL hood, and dimmable 600w ballast.   I'll be running the FF 6 part, and using GH Ph +/-, and FLoraKleen clearing solution.  

I had some water issues this morning, which turned into BIG issues, so we'll get back to that later, but I'm running well water to a big well water filter, then into a sand filter, then a smaller sediment filter, finally to this Hydro Logic sediment, and Carbon unit.  Does about 60ppm when everything is working.  (I lost my pressure tank, and someone bypassed the sand filter, so my storage tank is NASTY 560ppm.  I'm going to have to drain it go inside, sanitize etc  prolly 6hour job tomorrow? Ask me if I'm happy about that...I dare you...I'll pollinate your flower room !!!!)

Temps are about 63 right now, but that's after it being 82 two days ago.  Have yet to get a proper exhaust fan, but should have one shortly.  Not too worried about it yet.  Passive fresh air intake for the time being, but eventually it will be a 6" intake with duct booster fan and 8-10" exhaust w/ carbon filter.  Hold on to your haaaatttt!!!  

PS Roots are from one of the Global Buckets in the locker. 

More later...


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## slowmo77 (Mar 4, 2011)

sounds like a nice room. i bet you can't wait to see it full of buds


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## nova564t (Mar 4, 2011)

Hey ben, do you think the altitude has any effect on MJ growing?


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## benamucc (Mar 4, 2011)

According to Cervantes Bible it does, but I'm not sure.  I don't have any experience growing anywhere else than "up high"!!


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## TheKlonedRanger (Mar 4, 2011)

I like it!  I've been working hard on making a small veg area in my garage where I grow all my veggies. I've just added a small room on the side of that box and am in the process of adding a shelf and lights. It'll be nice to have a separate place so I can keep the tent just for flower.


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## 4u2sm0ke (Mar 4, 2011)

Grabing a seet in the corner..Mojo for the Grow buddy
:48:


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## nouvellechef (Mar 4, 2011)

Make sure you run that room and have it completely finished, all the toys, before you pop the Cali Connect beans. If your spending that much on genetics, which is good, you want to give them the best chance to live. Summer is coming, you need to price that in too. Dont skimp on enviroment. Pay for it in the end. GL


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## AluminumMonster (Mar 4, 2011)

Hi benamucc, if you dont mind i would like a seat up front please? I just got a 10pack of the tahoe's last week and i'm germinating this weekend. I'm glad that someone else is growing these at the same time as me. The growroom looks good bud. I'm subscribing right now!


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## CasualGrower (Mar 4, 2011)

Looks like it is gonna be a BEAUT!!!....  I am in!!!!


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## benamucc (Mar 4, 2011)

nouvellechef said:
			
		

> Make sure you run that room and have it completely finished, all the toys, before you pop the Cali Connect beans. If your spending that much on genetics, which is good, you want to give them the best chance to live. Summer is coming, you need to price that in too. Dont skimp on enviroment. Pay for it in the end. GL




Great advice NC!!  I hope some of our less experienced growers on the forum take this wisdom.  I wish someone had told me that before I blew through my first Nirvana order!!  This is another reason I want to run a few plants through the system first.  Figure I'll have plenty of time while vegging for a mommy.  

I'm looking into cooling right now, but I'm good for a while.  I'll be keeping the room as sealed as possible, and running light cooling in one wall and out another, with digital ballasts.  I hope to keep the room nice and sealed, to eventually play with CO2 :hubba: 

Might sling some paint tonight when the little lady goes to work.  This grow is completely underground, and it takes alot longer to get stuff together when you're flying solo.  Glad I have my good friends here to help me motivated and forward thinking!!  

I've got a team lined up for the water tomorrow.  Maybe I'll post some pics of the filter system and storage tank if I feel ambitious after frigging around with plumbing all day.  grrr....


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## benamucc (Mar 8, 2011)

WOW...No pictures...but...I think I'm back up and running with the water.  

I might have a break in my line, but I think I'll be ok until spring.  

Well to 10micron to 5 micron to potassium softener to 2500 gal storage tank to 5micron to charcoal.  

PPM @ 450 right now, but I haven't tested my RO yet, and I'm not sure if the softener is good or bad for things?    since FoxFarm needs 640-800 I added 3 gal worth of nute to a 5 gal bucket, and it's reading 575PPM and balanced down to 5.7pH.  

i'm beat...going to the couch see you all tomorrow !!!


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## AluminumMonster (Mar 8, 2011)

ben, glad to hear ya got your water problem fixed, even if its temporary. keep us posted.


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## Cali*Style (Mar 8, 2011)

That's rough on the water, hope everything works itself out with out to much hassle.  Looks like it will be a fun journal as well, I will pull a bucket if you don't mind. Happy growing and lot's of MOJO!!

Cali:fly:


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## AluminumMonster (Mar 13, 2011)

Ben, hows the water situation? Have'nt heard from ya in a while and i thought i would stop in to see how you're doing. Hope all is well... A.M.


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## benamucc (Mar 16, 2011)

Thanks AlumM.  Water is ok, but I have other problems.  (Other than spending too much Money at the Winter Music Conference in Miami over the last weekend.  PS that's my "doctor's note" if the boss asks  

Temps are warming up in the mountains, and I'm seeing 85-92 degrees day time temps in my attic type area.  Going to need A/C no doubt about it.  Killed two of the plants while I was away, but the "freak" of the group grew into the floro's.  Freak!  


So, I'm thinking window type unit, but wanted to hear everyone's thoughts, and experiences with individual A/C units.  I don't want to run any coils outside, b/c that kinda ruins the stealth!  

See you all around the playground!!


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## maineharvest (Mar 16, 2011)

Do you need an ac unit or do you think just a nice ventilation system would work?  Do your lights have enclosed or open reflectors?  

Its still in the 30s outside of my house.


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## benamucc (Mar 17, 2011)

Light cooling draws thru the room (exterior to exterior) and the room is sealed with a 6"'intake and 8"'exhaust. I'm going to try to lower intake temps tomorrow. The fans are on a timer so the elec spike isn't as bad.  I would like to add co2 eventually which will play into the timers also. 

I still think I'll be running Ac. So that's why I'm wondering if anyone has used it?


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## AluminumMonster (Mar 17, 2011)

Hey ben, i use a $99 a/c from walmart and it works great.  It is a little pricey to run all summer, like $50-$80 a month extra, but when you have several thousand invested already thats really not that much. My grow should be done around mid-end june, so i'll set up my a/c for the warmer temps, after that i'll wait until temps drop below 50 degrees again. Also, if you're gunna connect ducting to the a/c unit, be sure its the insulated ducting, otherwise you'll get a lot of condensation build up and it tends to drip all over the place, and can cause mold growth.  Good Luck, A.M.


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## benamucc (Mar 17, 2011)

thanks AM!  I was looking into those type of models.  the fujitsu types are like $4500!!!  I can't quite pull that.  Hoping there is a super quiet model out there!  

Stay tuned....


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## 4u2sm0ke (Mar 17, 2011)

:ciao:  *benn*...i use a portable ac unit here come the end of my season..the Shed gets way to hot  around june  and needs help cooling....I have all my lights and heat/ac  on temp controllers...you say you have yours on timmers???  what type?..just on for few off for few?....like my buddy *novelchef *said..enviorment is Key

here:48:  take a break my friend


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## 4u2sm0ke (Mar 17, 2011)

> Hoping there is a super quiet model out there!



build a box useing 2" styrofoam...noise problem fixed:aok:


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## benamucc (Mar 17, 2011)

:yeahthat:  done and done!  (with a drain pan in the bottom of course)


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## 4u2sm0ke (Mar 17, 2011)

:48:


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## benamucc (Mar 25, 2011)

wow...thanks for the break my friend!  shire is got me on the ropes so to speak.  i'm going to put some time in on it this evening, but think that i have adequately killed every "test" plant I had in there.  even the big freak!!  

i'm checking in every other day, and it just doesn't seem to be enough.  i'm not sure that i like my PH testing method either, which has been a dropper dye type test kit.  just too vague for my liking, so i think i'll be looking into a hanna and some calibration solution... 

i went from where i thought was a little high PH, and added a very small amount of PH down.  after 48 hours the plant was fried, and ph was somewhere around 5!!  i didn't think that the hydro was going to be such a balancing game?  since i've invested soo much into this space being hydro (and for other practicallity reasons i cannot discuss) i need to stay hydro.  

i'm getting my water in at high ph, and using general hydro to balance down.  ppms coming in are around 400's, and i'm using a very light FF hydro to bring it into the low 600ppm range.  

temps in the bucket are about 65.  soo...  

what do you all think?  i'll try to post some pics later when i can be stelthy in my visit.  saftey first right??  

i think that calls for a "safety meeting"?!  :48:


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## Roddy (Mar 25, 2011)

Stay safe and good luck, my friend...dialing it in can be frustrating! Glad I went soil lol Have a rip of this :bong2: and give it some more thought!!


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## benamucc (Mar 25, 2011)

soil is no problem these days.  loving my global buckets in the locker.  that's automatic 3 day work week on those things.  piece o' nug er cake w/e...

pass that thing :bong2:  daddy's going for a beer too!


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## nouvellechef (Mar 25, 2011)

Imagine if you used that money for a ph tester and instead bought organic ammendments? No more checking PH. Very simple, very lo cost, very effective.


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## benamucc (Mar 25, 2011)

ahhh so into the great debate we go. 

what do you like?  

:banana:  loving BPM right now...Barbara Striesand....ooooooOOOOOooooOOOO


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## 4u2sm0ke (Mar 25, 2011)

:ciao: ben..:48:

yeah the temps I think should be a bit higher ..not sure how much..but Im sure a Hydro pro will chime in...May I suggest a heater for the Water..fish tanks use diffrent size and read peeps use them...

safety meeting....No sticking fingers in Mogule:giggle:..and allways....take care and be safe..


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## Budders Keeper (Mar 25, 2011)

Sounds like you're jumpin through all the right hoops. Exciting stuff, getting a new show set up. Green luck to you!


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## benamucc (Mar 25, 2011)

haha...thanks for you.  i'm honestly at a loss for what the res temps are going to do once i fire up the 600. (and eventually the 1000 i was just "gifted")  i know the hydro store guy keeps giving me the water cooler pre-sale.  hoping my a/c unit is going to negate that purchase.  

i'm just trying to figure out...well whatever it is i seem to be missing (which is more plants to test with!!)  i'm really not excited to pop the $$ Tahoe seeds $$ and then feed them into an untested system.  i DO have some humbolt Bagseeds from a SUPER dank elbow in maine 2 summers back, (split 15 of them that we could find) but i was hoping to save those as i think i'll get something atomic out of em still.  

what do ya'll think? this shire is kinda supposed to be a run for the people by the people...of this forum...which is why i went through the whole process of having the forum select the strain that will ultimately dominate this space.  

cause i llUUUVVV you folks!!


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## benamucc (Mar 25, 2011)

Well then...here's the report.  I'm pretty sure I know what's going on :chuck:  

It is probably advised to balance Ph AFTER (A-F-T-E-R) mixing nutes, not before?  :doh: 

RO water (too slow for what I'll be doing in the shire, but goes into the global buckets) = 232ppm @ 7ph

10micron/charcoal filter = 445ppm @ 8ph 

Bucket = 614 ppm w/ nutes...now...wait for it.... 9ph :doh: 

Room is 60min - 77deg max.  

Vegging now on 6 40w 48" flouros, but soon putting in another "gifted" t5 setup.  

So after these pictures, the camera died, but I hacked off all the dry crispyness, and there are actually hints that the fiesty thing still has some life.  FFFRRREEEAAAKKKK!!!! Roots actually look much improved after a flush today with florokleen for 4 hours.  

well then...do you all think i should drop some seeds, or go beg for a clone somewhere??


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## blackwind (Mar 25, 2011)

As long as your temp is dialed in as well as you say it is, I'd go for it. Pop them babies. 

*edit* oops, wait a minute I just saw the 9ph thing. you probably want that resolved before you put anything alive in it.


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## AluminumMonster (Mar 26, 2011)

Ben, get those tahoe's going!


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## 4u2sm0ke (Mar 26, 2011)

yeah....:hitchair:  where did ya read that ya PH befor nutes..:rofl:  sorry my friend that one had me :giggle:...as for a clone versis a seed...clone we know is female..seed will take 6 weeks just to see if its female...Im with the other memmber and ...Drop those Tahoes man:lama:


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## benamucc (Mar 26, 2011)

:rofl:  yes...i thought of ALMOST everything. hahahaha  

so...off to the "safe deposit box" for the Tahoe's it is!  i just dropped 5 coco pellets in some water, and have the seed heater mat plugged in. (say that 5 times fast)

:banana:  we like to party...we, we, we like to party!


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## 4u2sm0ke (Mar 26, 2011)

Party on Dude!!!!
:48:

:headbang2: :headbang: :headbang:


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## Roddy (Mar 26, 2011)

:yay: :bong: :bong2: :48:


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## benamucc (Mar 27, 2011)

Seeds are floating as of this morning. I must admit im a little nervous. 

Cold and snow again. Temps 62 in the room. 

Ph back up to 7 already   added some more down. Is this normal to have to ph every day or every other day?


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## AluminumMonster (Mar 27, 2011)

I had that happen to me when i was dwc'ing. I called A.N. and they said it was caused by the plants feeding and was normal. I usually adjusted the ph every other day. I'm sure some one with a little more hydro experience will chime in though. Good luck. A.M.


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## benamucc (Mar 28, 2011)

Seeds all cracked in 24hrs, and one had a baby tail.  All in peat plugs right now.  

Ph low this morning after being balanced yesterday from the 7.  

idk whats going on, but it's no fun...what am i missing?  i'm about to bail on this hydro thing in leau of time...

???  :48:


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## fruity86 (Mar 29, 2011)

hey ben i adjust my PH every day even if it's only from 5.6 to 5.8 
are you letting the nute's batch settle for a couple days ? most nute's now have stablizers in them and need a couple day to steady out on there own before PH'ing 
let's say i make the batch on monday i let it settle for 2 day's before PH'ing and when i do PH i only PH abit at a time, wait 8 hour's PH again till i get it right, i also read that you rez temp was low i think the sweet spot is 68 so your not that low i have done grow's in the low 60's and had no problem's my AK grow is 63 right now


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## benamucc (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks fruity. Inwas hoping that this setup would allow me to visit every other day. I'm still reconsidering the hydro thing especially after hearing that. 

Im probably still going to play around with it, but for now I'll probably just use the global bucket setup I've been using in my locker. Thanks again!  

The show must go on!!


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## AluminumMonster (Mar 29, 2011)

Hey Ben, this might be a dumb question but whats a global bucket?


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## fruity86 (Mar 29, 2011)

ben i can leave mine for 4 maybe 5 day's before it's to far out of the range if you plant's are getting the right amount of nute's the PH shouldnt change that much , from my past grow's i belive when the PH  goes down the plant's are useing N, this is where i build the EC up with more N 
when i set veg nute's up after the PH has settled the Ph is alway's high 
and bloom nute's PH is allway's low once you find out what you plant's need it should all settle out learn that strain everything else is a walk in the park


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## benamucc (Mar 29, 2011)

No dumb questions. Check out the "global locker" thread I update once in a while or YouTube global buckets. 

Simply stated it's like an earth box. Simpler...it's a passive hydro system that relies on capillary action. There are two buckets. Top has soil, bottom has water/Nutes. The top bucket has a hole in it and a perforated cup that soaks in the water. As the plant needs water the capillary action draws water from the res up into the soil. Or in my case the roots go wild and grow into the res. 

My plants are super psyched. Just can't let the water level drop below the cup. I check em about every other day and water about every third with a gallon each at this point. It's so automatic and easy to water. 

Hope that answered ok. Super early here. Waiting for my coffee to finish then out to plow. We got nailed yesterday. I say 16"+ but what do I know?!


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## benamucc (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks fruity. I'm frustrated with it but won't give up. Just need to work on the "sure thing". I would be REALlY upset if I lost an awesome tahoe mother to inexperience. But if I can experiment with some clones it will be better.


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## AluminumMonster (Mar 29, 2011)

Good luck plowing. Go make that money.  The blizzard the midwest had back in feb. kept me plowing for 45 hours straight.  I personally love plowing.

Thanks for the response as well. i'll go to youtube and check it out.


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## 4u2sm0ke (May 6, 2011)

:ciao:

Hows it going *ben*?

:48:


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## benamucc (Jan 14, 2012)

Resurrection!! This grow above never went down.  A number of reasons why it failed.  Started again in the fall.  Changed the setup a bit, and I hate to disappoint, but at this time no plans to post pics of the new space.  Lets just say it's "dialed".  Everything short of CO2, which I'm not interested in spending the time on right now.  

Lots of long stories about the seeds, clones startup etc.  but for another time.

Been HHAAARRRDDD at work the past week. Harvested 2 monsters.  Bout 11 gallons of water every 2 days for the entire space. 4 harvests "in flower".  You do the math.  Ph from the well water has spiked in the past week. Balanced in a resevoir, but still running Global Buckets and Earth Boxes.  LLOOVVEE me that passive hydro and FF nutes.  

Did a maintenance floramite spray today on the entire space.  I have 3-4 more weeks before next chop, so IMO plenty of time to rinse with the superwellres water.  (The RO version I drink is DANK.  IJS) 

Lots of strains in the pipe line, including the Cali Connection Tahoe OG kush that was voted on last March?  IDK been a while since I've been here, finger hash in the bong...excuses excuses :stoned:


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## PuffinNugs (Jan 15, 2012)

benamucc said:
			
		

> PPM @ 450 right now, but I haven't tested my RO yet, and I'm not sure if the softener is good or bad for things?    since FoxFarm needs 640-800 I added 3 gal worth of nute to a 5 gal bucket, and it's reading 575PPM and balanced down to 5.7pH.


 
the water softner is a great thing. i use the potassium chloride also and i notice a improvement in plant health with it.


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