Grump's Mother-plant Grow 🌿

[GrumpAzz]

Hey folks.. welcome.

I've been wanting to figure out a way to keep a few mother's in a hydro system and I'm gonna give this setup a try.
View attachment Snapchat-1368926755.mp4
It's a 2-inch manifold with a Danner pump recirculating a 400ppm/5.9pH solution. 14 gallon resevoir that's only got around 7-8 gallons in it.

3x3 Spiderfarmer tent with an SF5000 (I think) using passive airflow with a lower vent opened and an open access hole on top. Simple analog meter for temp/rH.

8 strains
Redbeards:
Blue Cheese, Mr. Sour Pantz, Thorsberry

Growers Choice:
Bubba Kush, Stinky Pink

Greenpoint:
Midnight Snack, MotorPunch

@B2ACG
Indigo Sapphire


This is a trial run and I expect some hurdles. For instance... priming my pump was a pain in the ass without any forethought. Ended up using a 1000ml syringe. That and dialing in the 2-inch discharge valve for the right water level took some time. Hard to hit that sweet spot.

Looking to learn the ups and downs before investing in a two room buildout.

Either way... I'm excited to get a run at perpetual growing. Clones will stay in veg for a week or two tops.

Hope you guys enjoy the ride &

 

[GrumpAzz]

Moving right along..

 

[Observer]

Can see video of it flowing, net cup out?

It's pumping/Recirculating up from the res and to the back side?

 

[Observer]

Moving right along..
View attachment 117064

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet

 

[GrumpAzz]

Can see video of it flowing, net cup out?

It's pumping/Recirculating up from the res and to the back side?

View attachment Snapchat-812060188.mp4

 

[Observer]

View attachment 117065

Pretty unique of a system, I'm sure it can work for a longterm scale balanced out the root systems and clones, can defiitely prune the root system keep it clean and going Perpetually through proper care and pruning for moms.

Whats your time frame idea for moms in this system? 2-6 months?

I think I get it but still confused, how does that back end work?

And it's still "shooting" or pushing water up from the reservoir and to the back side of the pipes?

 

[GrumpAzz]

Pretty unique of a system, I'm sure it can work for a longterm scale balanced out the root systems and clones, can defiitely prune the root system keep it clean and going Perpetually through proper care and pruning for moms.

Yeah just a little trial and error project to weed out all the issues before I build a couple permanent rooms.

Whats your time frame idea for moms in this system? 2-6 months?

I really can't say for sure, but at least 2 months, hopefully more. With root pruning and some training, I'd expect to get nearly 4 months out of them.

I plan to always have clones of each mother going, just in case I lose one. Also, several clones from one of them for my next run.

If they last a whole flower cycle, I'll be pleased, but I'm willing to bet they'll last at least 3-4 months before I'm out of space.

I think I get it but still confused, how does that back end work?

And it's still "shooting" or pushing water up from the reservoir and to the back side of the pipes?

Yeah it's got the pump sitting outside the resevoir with the intake piped into the bottom of the res and the discharge piped into a 90 on the manifold. It flows passed all the plants and drains back into the res through that 2 inch line. I put a valve there that I can use to fine tune the water level running through the manifold.

It seems to be working pretty well and it'll likely take a long time before another batch of nutes needs to be mixed.

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I may also reduce this setup to just 4 mothers to leave me 4 open holes to grow out the next run's clones.

 

[Bandit420]

I'm on Team Stinky Pink for this one!
I've always enjoyed NFT systems and have some experience with what y6ou're doing here. Is this basically a DIY of the GH Aeroflow system?
My strawberry tower is pretty much the same thing, just vertical.

You'll get long ropes of roots that may travel all the way down to the rez if they can but will definitely go where the water flows and eventually all tangle up together. The plants when bigger may also want to lift up out of the system and fall over so eventually some sort of way to hold the net cups down will probably be needed.

 

[GrumpAzz]

I'm on Team Stinky Pink for this one!

Yessir. Stinky Pink will be the next run and it's the second best looking seedling in the tent.

Is this basically a DIY of the GH Aeroflow system?
My strawberry tower is pretty much the same thing, just vertical.

Looks like it. Basically the dame thing but DIY and a bit cheaper. I went this route because I already had everything but the Tees.

You'll get long ropes of roots that may travel all the way down to the rez if they can but will definitely go where the water flows and eventually all tangle up together.

Root pruning is on the horizon. Some of them buggers have roots more than a foot long and already teasing the next plant in line.

The plants when bigger may also want to lift up out of the system and fall over so eventually some sort of way to hold the net cups down will probably be needed.

Ooohh.. hadn't thought of this one.

Hopefully I can keep that from happening. If not, I may end up with a high turnover rate. Maybe a little extra trimming and training can keep them in check for a while.

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I'm thinking this system is gonna get dropped down to 4 mothers and 4 sites for my next run's clones. With 4, I might be able to keep mothers until I run their clones, only replacing 1 at a time with it's clone. That would mean each mother would need to last 3 or 4 runs before it's cloned and replaced.

If mothers become a pain in the ass, this system has already proven itself to be a great starter system for seedlings.