# Nft



## bejohnst (Oct 8, 2006)

Hey guys, well i'm going to switch over to a hydro setup next semester. My grow room is 4' x 3.2'x6'. Right now i'm in soil and just about to flower. I was thinking about a NFT system because it seems like its pretty easy to maintain. I like the idea of only one reservoir making it easy to change out solutions. My question is how many plants will I be able to grow? Right now I have 20 in soil and would like to acheive something close to that number in hydro. I'm lookiing for any informational links you guys might have on NFT setups: building plans, operation guides basically any little tid bit i can read up on. Also would like to hear your input on this idea. Thanks a lot guys!

Some questions I already have:

Does this sytem use net pots to hold the roots or do they just roam free in the gully? If I have multiple gullys will I need multiple water pumps as well? Thanks all!


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## KADE (Oct 8, 2006)

bejohnst said:
			
		

> Some questions I already have:
> 
> Does this sytem use net pots to hold the roots or do they just roam free in the gully? If I have multiple gullys will I need multiple water pumps as well? Thanks all!


 
I'm not one that specifically uses a nft system.. however I kinda have a crossbred hydro thing goin on... drip, aero, nft, and dwc when they get a lil older... I have 25 plants in 40"x40" spaced 8" apart from centers I believe.
Normally you'd want net pots... better then having ur plants fall into the piping. 
You can use several pumps or just use one. Everytime u split off to another 1/2 inch line u'll need a bigger pump tho. So you might think on just having one line feeding all of them. Also depends how high you are pumping. You can never have too big of a pump.. if it pumps too much u can have a bleedoff valve installed easy enough.  (I run a 790gph for my 25 plants)


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## Stoney Bud (Oct 8, 2006)

bejohnst said:
			
		

> Hey guys, well i'm going to switch over to a hydro setup next semester. My grow room is 4' x 3.2'x6'. I was thinking about a NFT system because it seems like its pretty easy to maintain. Does this sytem use net pots to hold the roots or do they just roam free in the gully? If I have multiple gullys will I need multiple water pumps as well? Thanks all!


 
Hey bejohnst, you may want to rethink using NFT inside. It's kind of a dangerous type of Hydro to do indoors. NFT is used primarily for outdoor/greenhouse setups that have thousands of plants.

For an indoor grow, Ebb and Flow is the easiest method and the most inexpensive type of hydro to operate. It also has the least risk to your house and the plants.

How many plants you grow is entirely dependant on the area and how large you're going to let them grow.

You have 12.8 square feet of area. How much actual plant space do you have for height after the pots, lights and heat margin from the lights is figured in?


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## bejohnst (Oct 8, 2006)

Ok I have a question on an Ebb and FLow system. How hard is it to change out the resivoir? DO you have to take the whole tub out or can you rig something up to pump it out? 


For Space I have a total height of 6' 4" The light is 10" and I give about 1' to 1.5' for a buffer between the lights and the plants. So basically i have about 4 to 4.5' of useable grow space. Now this does not include the resivoir so after measuring a tub i have (10 gallon) I have 3 to 3.5' of plant height to work with. My veg time is limited since I'm a college grower and this goes on during the fall and spring semesters.


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## CWB (Oct 8, 2006)

bejohnst said:
			
		

> Ok I have a question on an Ebb and FLow system. How hard is it to change out the resivoir? DO you have to take the whole tub out or can you rig something up to pump it out?


 
An ebb and flow system can be designed with an outlet to pump out the water, A couple of PVC valves and some garden hose will work. If the outlet on the reservoir is low enough you will get almost all the water out. A shop vacuum can be used for any residual.

I did this, the only problem was in the summer, I was dumping onto dried grass. In the middle of this field of brown, was a patch of bright green lush grass. It was a little hard to expalin.


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## bejohnst (Oct 8, 2006)

CWB said:
			
		

> An ebb and flow system can be designed with an outlet to pump out the water, A couple of PVC valves and some garden hose will work. If the outlet on the reservoir is low enough you will get almost all the water out. A shop vacuum can be used for any residual.
> 
> I did this, the only problem was in the summer, I was dumping onto dried grass. In the middle of this field of brown, was a patch of bright green lush grass. It was a little hard to expalin.


 

hahah i'll keep that in mind when i'm disposing of the wasted water. Luckily I live on the 1st floor apt and there is a bush right over the wall that will be my target.

What size containers do most people set up an ebb and flow system in? 10 gallon tub with a lid or bigger or smaller?


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## CWB (Oct 8, 2006)

For the size of system you're talking about, I'd follow Stoney's system over in the DIY forum. Just add a T, a couple of valves and some garden hose in the line between the reservoir and the growing tubs if you want to pump outside. His system only requires changing the water/nutes in between crops.


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## Stoney Bud (Oct 8, 2006)

Thanks CWB. It is kind of handy. It's taken me more than 20 years to develop this system to exactly what I describe in the DIY area.

When changing from veg to flower, you can just start putting the flowering nutes into the reservoir to top it off. As you add more each day, it slowly brings the nutrients into the total flowering solution.

I've put a lot of thought into what this system does. Try it, you'll like it!


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## bejohnst (Oct 8, 2006)

Thanks guys I've read over Stoney's grow and that looks like the way I'll be going. In a few weeks i'll start to gather parts and hopefully by december have everything set up for January then next grow starts.


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## Stoney Bud (Oct 8, 2006)

bejohnst said:
			
		

> Thanks guys I've read over Stoney's grow and that looks like the way I'll be going. In a few weeks i'll start to gather parts and hopefully by december have everything set up for January then next grow starts.


 
Good luck to you man! Let me know anything you don't understand. My instructions aren't the best in the world....


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## CWB (Oct 8, 2006)

Stoney;

   I did have one question about your system. Why are the grow tubs so large? I understand the 14" depth of course, but 18" x 24" seemed a little large. Does each tub contain more than one plant?


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