I run a 5 tray Europnic E&F w/two 1000 w combo lights, 40 plants. My problem is the ceiling is only 6"3". The distance between the rockwool and the lens of the lights at it's highest point no more than 36". In SOG I just barely make it. My question is could I lower my flood tables? How low could I cut them? If the drain orafice of the trays are above the top of the resi (return orafice) wouldn't that be enough? I have a good 18" of wasted space under the trays. Dirt is not an option.
sticky, i don't know how the flood tables are supported, but sure you could lower them and still drain the tables, just connect and run the drain hose and secure it to the res! So long as the highest part of the drain hose is below the flood level, the end of the hose is below drained level in the ressy and no leaks in the pipe the sypon effect will keep you going! I got my plants 6 inches above the ressy top, i got too, the pumps won't lift the feed any higher!! Streaker
I wont gain more than 1" as the resi sits now. I'm wondering if I push the return hoses into the resi to within 1" of the bottom securing with some type of collars so they can't move, if I couldn't then drop my tables down to within 1-2" of the floor??? In theory I think that might work, I dunno if that can be done with the hoses looping around & stuff???? It kinda sucks having all this wasted potential %$#@*!+
Its all to do with the level of the liquid in the ressy then. That is the lowest point you will get and must obviously be lower than the table bottom for the table to drain. That depends on the ressy volume and area, some get away with 6 inch high res and 6 inches of cubes and some inch gap, giving 7-8 inches from floor to stem start. How about NFT? Less height I think.
Wasn't sure what NFT was but after investigating I think I'll pass on that one. What I'd really like to do is raise the ceiling. I could redesign the resi but whatafukinhassle! I'll stick with what I have now. As I’ve read I'm going to slam them with 12 almost immediately in a SOG. People say that as long as you use clones from mothers they don't have to have alternating nodes (because they already do) and if there's roots popping from the starter cubes they'll be into the RW in 48-72 hours? Hopefully that'll keep them short enough & managable. Thanks Streaker!
You know what, me and my main cat had a pal who bought one of them 1,000 watt cannons. Your raising the water, to lower the bridge! I would rather have 2-3-10 460watt sonAgros than ANY one 1,000. I can push my colas all up in there, and draw out MEGA resins. You get any where close like that with that microwave you got there, and you got a lil' gonesh cone. I grew in a small crawl space for years with a total of 5ft from floor to ceiling! (460) I trained my stuff to bend over slowly, till' it got to a 90 bend, at about 2ft max. I trimmed of all the low stuff, the plant treats all the top like a top cola. It was like a screenless scrog? they were real ugly. I had to shim em' up with twine etc. But I could get them colas RIGHT up (2-3") in there. At that point, I want them to stress. They are gonna die, anyway! when the get done, they look like they have been rolled in brown sugar, alot. See if you can get a good trade on that lazer. You'll be ahead three differnt ways. Your bill, WAY LESS heat, and you can stress em'. If you could hang that thing from a 10ft ceiling, you may get by fine. You still won't be able to cram em' in there, though! think about it. Good luck!
I hear ya! I do own a 430W Sunagro + another 400MH. Prior to the Radarranges I used 1000HPS & 400MH on a suncircle light mover. I saw much improvement when switching to the stationary microwaves. I rarely get burns as I also have to pinch & bend every 2 days. My colas do get within 1" of the lens without any burn but there is a concentrated hot-spot for each, it's ez to locate simply by placeing my hand under the light. This is no closet, it's an 11' X 14' room with 40 plants,just fuckin goddamn low ceilings! Prior to this I was always in soil. If I could just use all that wasted space under the tables. I'm trying to get my partner to knock out the ceiling & gain a few feet. With the mothers & the big room, the electric bill runs around $135 a month. That's $65 over regular so I personally pay for 1/2 of everything over the baseline of $65 = my cost of $40 a month. I still have much to learn about hydro, kinda a pain in the ass.
I never had one of them tracks. We know one guy who has one, I can't remember what his beef was, but he got pissed, and went back to stationary lamps. With that number of plants, it sound like your on the border of going small comercial class. The guy we know with the rail, is trying to go the same way (make a buck) he's also the guy with the 1,000 watt lamp He seems like he's had several problems going from the small/small operation, to a small/medium shop. So I guess your not alone out there trying to make that "step" who was it that said, "more money more problems"? some movie? a rap song? anyway, slow and carefull growth would seem to be prudent. Good luck!
