Volume 2 | Issue 10
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B e s id e s s t a c k in g u p s o m e r e a ll y c o ol grow photos you c a n c li c k a nd c h e c ko u t in t h e p r o c e s s, there are som e g o o d g r o w t ip s y o u m ig h t p ic k u p a lo ng t h e w a y .. . T h is is a r e a l c r o p , t h a t r u ns in t o t he s a m e k in d s o f c h a ll e ng e s t h a t y o u rs m a y t o o .. s e e w h a t h a p p e ns :)
G r o w T r ia l s
Buy ALL of This ?
CHOOSE
OR THE oNE AND ONLY
WISELY www.rocknutrients.com
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Volume 2 | Issue 10
CONTents
EXCLUSIVE SUPER-PRO HYDROPONICS GROWING TIPS.
28 8 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 10 CONTRIBUTORS MOTHER PLANTS 24 Momma knows best. AMERICAN HYDROPONICS 28 From out of the back yard to on top of the world.
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SURFING FOR DEALS 32 Hopping hydro on the world wide web consider the options... carefully.
VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 10
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CONTents HYDRO SCRIPTS 12 So a guy walks into a hydro store...
Volume 2 | Issue 10
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HYBRID CROP LIGHTING 14 Less power, better light quality
for healthier harvest.
BIKSA’S GROWROOM 16 Vertical hydroponics. GROWING YOUR OWN 18 CATASTROPHES The lighter side of cultivating disaster. PEPPER OVERLOAD 20 Managing the glut with hot
pepper sauce.
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36 MEGA PURIFICATION 36 More water, less waste with
HyperLogic RO.
MODERN PLANT 38 EXTRACTIONS
Botanicals for health and beauty.
SMARTER PHOTOPERIODS 40 Gas lantern crop lighting
schedule explained.
AEROPONIC PROPAGATION 42 Best aero media shoot-out (part II)
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GEAR 46 The straight dope: Expert gear reviews.
E B I R C S B U S M O C . E N I E Z T I O S W R E N G . R U O W T U W O W CHECK
from the EDITOR
THE PERFECT 10
Volume 2 | Issue 10
GROZINE IS NOW COOKING WITH FIRE BY ERIK BIKSA
The face of global agriculture is a rapidly evolving-and essential-part of the platform that supports our global population. While it’s no secret that the challenge to support a growing number of people with diminishing resources is increasing, the reality of the situation is creating opportunities for positive changes including a shift (or circle back) to an increasing number of people wanting to grow a portion of their own or community’s food and other botanical based needs, like medicines. The hydroponics concepts and growing methods of today offer sustainable and transferable technologies to meet this need. In general, thinking out of the Mono-Cultured-Industrial-Ag TRAP, is a step a lot of people if not having already taken, are contemplating strongly. The effects of the toxic environment that has been cultivated through areas of the planet via reckless industrial agricultural practices are getting too loud to be ignored-something must change. There ARE practical solutions that YOU can be a part of-and maybe even find yourself financially self reliant in the process of doing so. The refining of hydroponics growing technologies through the years coupled with increasing popularity and acceptance means that it’s easier and more accessible to start growing crops for independence both financially and practically. In this, what we hope is our “Perfect Ten” Edition to coincide with the release of our ALL NEW updated-daily in depth hydroponics website www.grozine.com, we explore some real world possibilities that are available right now. For example, there are crop extractions and preparations for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. What about crop processing for devel-
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oping your own food lines? Want to pull out all the stops and go full time-there’s always operating your own specialized hydroponics greenhouse, without needing a whole lot of space or power to pull it off and make a fair profit, given an edge in the local food market place. It would be impossible to ignore the great new look to the edition itself or the eye-popping original art on the cover. Special thanks to Jase Graphics and Death By Drawing for their awesome work. All of this combined, helps us mark Grozine’s One Year Anniversary-we sincerely hope that you will deem this a Perfect Ten. Also a HUGE and heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed, in so many ways, to help make this possible over the last year-we’ve come a long ways-and there’s plenty more to cover. For growers, by growers. Peace, Erik Biksa Editor erikbiksa@grozine.com
CONTRIbutors JEFF EDWARDS Writer
SCOTT THOMPSON-MONTAGUE
JORDAN GARTENHAUS Writer
Writer Jeff has been a fixture in the hobby hydroponic industry since 1988. Prior to joining, he was the Assistant Director at NORML. Jeff went on to found and operate Home Harvest Garden Supply as a retail and ecommerce concern for the next 24 years. He is a founding and current board member of the Progressive Gardening Trade Association, formerly known as the Hydroponic Merchants Association. After a short period doing consulting and web development work, he has more recently been working with Rock Nutrients as their marketing manager. He is seriously against typos and works tirelessly to raise the bar. You can reach Jeff at jeff@gardeningadvantage.com
CASEY JONES FRASER Writer Casey is an obsessed gardener. He grows veggies, herbs, and flowers with both traditional and hydroponic methods. His years of botanical experiences have taken him everywhere from Jamaica to Northern California on a quest for more knowledge. You can read his articles in various hydroponics magazines, or visit his retail shop: Garden Grove Organics in the Northern Kentucky region of Greater Cincinnati. www.gardengroveorganics.com
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Deeply rooted in the growing industry I find myself constantly seeking out new and improved ways to constantly better my ever expanding life in the gardening community. Good food (home grown), friends, and adventures are what make my days complete. When I’m not cloning or gardening I can be found relaxing in nature with my dogs, trying a new recipe or pondering ways to enrich my life and the lives of those who I care about. Being able to contribute and help others are the nutrients my soul thrives on. Keep it green! scott@ezclone.com
BRANDON PILLON Writer Growing with a love of nature, and curious mind, I was always asking why and how. After high school I worked for a few years. But wanting to itch my inquisitive mind I enrolled in the millwright program at the local college to learn how machines work and how to build, and repair them. I graduated with honors, but I graduated into a recession and a non-existent job market. So I decided to ride out the recession by re-enrolling in the horticulture program at the local college, to turn my past time into a career. I enjoyed learning the science and technology behind growing. Contact me at bpillon01@yahoo.ca
Jordan is one of those people that always tries to figure out how or why things work the way they do. To that end he earned a BS in mechanical engineering, but shortly after graduating, he realized his time spent in school created more questions about everything around him than answers. In an effort to prevent from overwhelming himself, he now focuses just on making gardens as fruitful as is scientifically possible. He spends a lot of his time optimizing grow spaces to make the most of the resources available, and also strongly advocates quality automation systems. He would since he co-owns a company that designs and sells their own automation equipment, but despite the conflict of interest he actually does provide excellent insight into the “how” and “why” of gardening. If you want to reach him. www.grohaus-automation.com
lb Writer lb is a hard working member of the hydroponics industry that likes to share his knowledge-and ability for achieving extraordinairy yields with his fellow megawattage minded horticulturalists. He’s always working on improving crops, or if your prefer: taking clones 2 zones! lbezzy365@icloud.com
JASON HARYNUK
CHRIS BULLOCK
Art Director (www.jasegraphics.com)
Illustrator (www.deathbydrawing.com)
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Hydro Scripts SO A GUY WALKS INTO A HYDRO STORE... BY CASEY JONES FRASER W W W. G A R D E N G R O V E O R G A N I C S . C O M
CUSTOMER: So you know that Dual Ended lighting system you sold me? It’s definitely brighter than my old 1000w HPS system. CJF: I keep hearing that around the shop. There are also a couple of vertically mounted hoods that are increasing brightness as well. And these systems use the same amount of electricity as older models. You get a bigger yield without increasing in your power bill. CUSTOMER: Exactly! I want to switch all four of my lights to Dual Ended fixtures. But how much coverage can I really get from these new lights? CJF: Both the Dual Ended and the newstyle Vertically Mounted reflectors put off a square-ish footprint. If you are used to a 4’x4’ garden with your old light, you can most likely grow in a 5’x5’ space with one of these new fixtures.
CJF: There are several options. Obviously, you can grow potted plants with soil or soilless mix. The pots can easily be moved around on the floor of your grow room for regular maintenance. I prefer soilless beds over pots, so I would build a matching pair of beds that measure 5‘x2.5’ each. With the beds on wheels, you can pull them apart to walk in between the gardens. CUSTOMER: You know me, Bro, I’m a hydro guy. I’m not going back to that dirt mess. How am I going to Flood & Drain? CJF: There are some killer bucket style Ebb & Flow systems. Check this one out. You have this 55 gal barrel as your reservoir, sitting off to the side. Then all of these buckets are connected together with tubing. The systems floods each individual bucket without the need for a tray. And you can step in between your plants this way. You can buy the whole kit, or just get this controller module, and DIY your own buckets and barrels.
WOW! THAT’S LIKE 50% MORE GARDEN SPACE!
CUSTOMER: Wow! That’s like 50% more garden space! Do you have a 5’x5’ flood tray in stock? CJF: Sorry, that’s a rare bird. A lot of growers just build thier own with lumber and a pond liner. But keep in mind, you can’t safely reach into the center of a 5x5 tray. It’s too big. You’ll most likely injure your back, and you’ll probably knock plants around trying to reach past them. I’ve actually tried to garden a 5x5 bed. Injuries to myself and my plants were unavoidable.
CUSTOMER: Damn, dude, that’s perfect! I’ll have to figure out if I want the controller bucket or the whole system. I’d like to save a few bucks, but I want the best, so I’ll probably get the kit. CJF: Well, if you really want the best hydro system for that space, check out the Under Current systems from Current Culture. These are quite possibly the most productive hydro systems I’ve seen, and they can be configured with plenty of space to step in between the buckets.
CUSTOMER: So how can I grow in that space without hurting myself or my babies? I’ve got to be able to prune away lower CUSTOMER: Yeah, those are dope! But first things first. Ring growth, check for mites, stake up heavy branches... You know me up for three more dual ended lights. I’ll be in next week to the deal. pick out a hydro system, after this harvest comes down!
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HYBRID CROP LIGHTING
LESS POWER, BETTER LIGHT QUALITY FOR HEALTHIER HARVESTS Bridging “What’s Good” about growing indoors with efficiency and production gains from natural sunlight in controlled greenhouse conditions helps bring more returns to a growing investment. Using Inda-Gro’s ADR Controller to consistently meet a crop’s ideal Daily Light Integrals (DLI) is a working technology available to growers looking to maximize artificial light use efficiency in a greenhouse setting. With the ADR Controller, how much extra light your crop needs (if any) based on the daily light levels received will automatically be supplemented with your artificial lighting. No more expensive guessing. The ADR Controller is designed to be easily installed and ready to use. By adding the ADR Controller to the *Main Sensor and Panel Controller you increase your digital control options for greenhouse supplemental lighting systems with these features: This compact and powerful controller will eliminate the unnecessary expense of running supplemental greenhouse lights when there is adequate sunlight. • Easy to setup and requires no special training. • Graphical User Interface Display allows simple setup and navigation • Use standalone touchscreen or connects over Ethernet or WiFi with any browser • Manual or automatic control of all greenhouse lights. • Set user defined photoperiod. • Set user defined Moles/Day values that once met, will not allow supplemental greenhouse lights to come on for the rest of that photoperiod. • Historical Data Log tracks daily, weekly, monthly totals. • Displays real time accumulated Moles/Day values. • Displays real time sunlight intensity in μMoles
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Main Sensor Screen – Manual & Test Override of programmed settings
Set Threshold On/Off Sesitivity Photoperiod and Target DLI
Use the ADR Controller for complete control of the Energy Efficient Pro-420-PAR Series Induction Grow Lights
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VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 10
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GROWING YOUR OWN CATASTROPHES THE LIGHTER SIDE OF CULTIVATING DISASTER BY ERIK BIKSA
As almost anybody who has grown for any length of time can attest to, beneath the surface of every happy and successful grow is some type of minor, and at times comical, catastrophe waiting to happen. In the grand scheme of the Universe, having your crop “go south”, so to speak, isn’t likely to cause many major ripples. However to you, as a dedicated grower, it can mean an awful lot. Considering the potential impact on others from your mishaps through your endeavours is an important thought also. A lot of the time, mishaps are completely preventable. But “It” happens, and here’s a few accounts of such Hydro Horrors...and on the bright side, statistically, you are more likely to slip and fall in your bathroom.
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NOT SO MODEST MOUSE A number of high end digital ballasts were professionally installed for indoor gardening. The install was located in a central corridor that also ran duct work and plumbing to different section at the growing facility. Included was a small diameter 1/4” hose to carry RO filtered water to a reservoir in the central area. Long story short-the grower discovered that the lights were not on at their usual time, as the grower came back to mix nutrients into a larger reservoir they had been filling. A funny smell was in the air, the circuit breaker for the lighting had been tripped, and the floor was slightly wet....WTF? A pin hole sized leak was discovered in the 1/4” flex tubing that carried the RO filtered water under low pressure. This tiny squirting leak (later determined to be the work of a thirsty mouse running on top of a duct pipe) had through the laws of chaos, become perfectly aimed at the wall of ballasts. A light spray had manged to splash into several units, tripping the breaker and permanently faulting a good dollar in almost brand new digital lighting technology. “One in a million shot.”
WHAT’S THAT SMELL? Usually excited to check on progress, the grower didn’t waste any time getting out of their snow clothes and headed straight to the growing area. Following, the grower was intently inspecting their plants up close in their indoor winter growing garden and began to notice a funny smell-was it something synthetic-or was that HAIR they smelled? Strange...YOWZA!!! As soon as they lifted their head to glance around they became aware of the fact their hat was melting and on almost on fire! It turns out, the bulky toque (winter hat) they wore had come into contact with a very hot larger wattage grow light-and there it stayed as they stopped to inspect some plants in an area. They actually smelt it before they felt it! Do YOU have a growing disaster you heard of that you might like to share? Email erikbiksa@grozine.com. If we use it, we’ll send you one of our Gift Packs.
"WAS IT SOMETHING SYNTHETIC-OR WAS THAT HAIR THEY SMELLED?"
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PEPPER OVERLOAD MANAGING THE GLUT WITH HOT PEPPER SAUCE BY MR PLANT GEEK FOLLOW MY GROWING RELATED ANTICS ON INSTAGRAM @MRPLANTGEEK
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It’s easy to get carried away in spring planting hundreds of seeds, thinking you need 85 tomato plants, 4,000 onions and a stupid amount of superhot chili plants to feed a family of 3. It’s just so hard to chuck away plants you have nurtured from a tiny seed to lush leaves and stems! So even after bombarding your friends with more plants than they need, you end up with a huge glut of late summer produce that you struggle to eat before those decomposing microbes take hold. There are only so many tomatoes one family can eat, let alone weekly kilos of hot chilies. Ok, tomatoes are just about tolerable fried for breakfast, but superhot chilies rarely belong on the breakfast table.
WHAT DO I DO? MAKE HOT PEPPER SAUCE!
BASE VEGGIES – ABOUT 400G/14OZ
This all started when I decided to grow peach habaneros hydroponically. Chilies, given the right conditions, are extremely productive and relatively easy to grow. They are not fussy about their nutrient requirements, and can do very well even when nutrient levels run high or pH swings out. Actually, once established they are kind of indestructible. On my first go I grew just one peach habanero in a NFT Gro-Tank. I was quite amazed to be harvesting half a kilo per week in peak production off a 3ft x 3ft x 7ft beast! Since that season, I have been totally hooked on chili growing, and now allocate over 90% of my greenhouse to them.
This can be anything really, and combinations work really well. Things like tomatoes, carrots, butternut squash, Sweet peppers, more garlic, mango etc. 400g/14oz is approximate total, so for a combo you may choose 250g/9oz tomatoes, 150g/5oz roasted red pepper for example. The base vegetables can be added raw or pre-cooked; it’s totally up to you.
HOT SAUCE RECIPE Over the years this basic recipe guide has put me in good stead for making sure every last tomato and onion go to a spicy bottled heaven instead of ending up on the compost heap. It was passed onto me by a fellow spice loving gardener, and it gives me great pleasure to broadcast this info out to other urban gardeners, hydro heads and dirt lovers worldwide. Preface: this recipe is for you to mess with! Follow the first part, but be sure to mess about with the others. From my own experience, it’s pretty hard to go wrong.
Always use roughly:
CHILIES! VITAL INGREDIENT! In this batch size I use about 50g /1.8oz of habaneros for a nice, hot, yet edible level of heat. I just de-stalk them, weigh out the pods, and then blitz in a food processor. I use habanero chilies as a bench mark which has a heat index around 300,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), so if you know your super hot ghost chilies, for example, are around 1,000,000 SHU... use a third of the weight for similar heat. OR, if your lame ass Cayenne chilies are 30,000, multiply the amount you use by 10. Hot water – use enough for desired consistency, I use just enough to simmer the base veg which varies depending on the veggies water content. This can be anything from none at all to 480ml/2 cups. All this above makes me 700ml-1L/2535oz of hot sauce.
Method: 1. Sauté the onions and garlic in the oil until soft and very lightly browned. 2. Add the base veg with enough water to cook them in. 3. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the veg is cooked. 4. Add the citrus juice, vinegar, salt and the blitzed chilies. 5. Let the mixture simmer for 5-10 minutes. 6. Blend the mixture with a hand held liquidizer or put in a blender until it’s a smooth soup like puree. 7. You can strain the puree through a sieve or
•
Onions – 200g/ 7oz
leave it how it is. For a more consistent tex-
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Garlic – 20g/0.7oz
ture sieve it, and you also get some useable
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Cider or white wine vinegar – 120ml/ ½ cup
tasty paste in the sieve as a by-product.
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Salt – a large pinch
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Olive oil – 3 teaspoons
Ingredients to play around with: Lime/ lemon/grapefruit/orange juice – 50-100ml/3-6 tablespoons (sometimes a bit of zest can be good too)
8. Put into sterile jars/bottles, seal with a lid and your done!
I hope this guide to making hot sauce does you well; it’s certainly kept my cupboards stocked year round with a variety of saucy goodness.
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rgro.com
R E H T O M S T N A L P ST BY lb
E B S W O N K A M M O M
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Hello all and welcome to another edition of Grozine. Thanks for reading and joining us in our cyber journey. Glad you decided to Geek-Out with me for another dope edition of the lb. Journal. For all you growers out there with hours logged in the grow room, I’m sure you came to realize your only as good as your genetic stock. One of the main setbacks for growers these days is attaining a top quality genetic. Acquiring plants that have been certified “True Stock” tends to be a difficult and costly process. This is because experienced growers usually are less sharing with these types of plants because of there desired “WORTH” so attaining these plants usually comes with a hefty price tag tied with them. Let’s say over the years you are one of the lucky few that has attained certain genetics that are truly special and could not be found again. It is in your best interest to keep these genetics thriving as mothers in your veg room for as long as possible so they can be utilized for your growing stock. Being that you would not be able to attain, again, from another source if something happened to them. In a sense, you are forced to keep them in production in a vegetative state. This leaves you with plants that are at different stages (sizes) and perform differently with growth rate. You have all different types of growth patterns ranging from short squat, to tall lanky and everything in-between. It’s a real drag to have to make multiple different nutrient mixes to properly cater to all your genetics specific requirements every time you need to water. I have learned over the years the best way to handle this situations is to group the plants into 3 different groups and feed accordingly to each one. Short squat,tall lanky and hybrid. In a no nonsense approach a grower could just use my first schedule for Short Squat plants which is similar to a 20-20-20 feed formula and will be able to keep all genetics growing well. If the grower wants to fine tune things then they can alter the amounts of the three part nutrient ratios in effort of dialling in specific genetics needs. If you are unfamiliar with altering ratios using a 3-part nutrient line then here i have provided a simple feed schedule that works very well for each growth pattern. I like to break my feed schedule into three groups as follow:
*All Mothers and Veg stock grown on Rockwool cubes
SHORT SQUAT VEG: Pro Tekt silica-5ml/g Cal mag-5ml/g FloraMicro-5ml/g FloraGro-5ml/g floraBloom- 5ml/g Sweet-5ml/g Root Excellerator-1ml/g HYGROZYME-5ml/gal Total ppm 1000-1250 pH 5.6
HYBRID VEG: APTUS Fasilitor- 5ml/g APTUS StartBoost-10ml/g Heavy 16 Veg A+B-8ml/g (each A+B) Cal mag-5ml/g Sweet- 5ml/g Heavy Roots-1ml/gal Heavy Fire 1ml/g (1-2 times in veg cycle/1time a week with mothers) Total ppm 900-1150 pH 5.7 *The Triacontanol in this product helps build stem calliper for strong thick branches which are needed for flower support late in bloom with these varieties
TALL LANKY VEG: APTUS Fasilitor- 5ml/g APTUS StartBoos-10ml/g Cal mag-5ml/g Sweet-5ml/g SuperNutrients SVA/SVB-10ml/g (each A&B) HYGROZYME-5ml/g SEAGREEN (Primordial solution)-3ml/g Total ppm 750-1000 pH 5.8 *All mothers are grown in 4inch Rockwool cubes which are then set into 10gal pots full of cruton cubes (1/2inch Rockwool mini cubes). This allows each mother months of growth without need of transplanting multiple times.
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Rockwool media is easily adaptable to automated watering set ups such as flood trays and has many perks such as being light weight, sterile and easy to discard. (which is nice when you grow a lot of plants) Mothers are kept for 3 to 4 months in 10gal pots before switched out and re propagated into same size container. Each genetic stock (mother) is propagated off until set amount of cuts are attained. Then the mother is simply maintained and preserved as back stock. (For Example 200 cuts propagated for 10 lights, 20plants per light) once set amount of cuts needed to fill run are propagated up, then that set of
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ROCKWOOL MEDIA IS EASILY ADAPTABLE TO AUTOMATED WATERING SET UPS SUCH AS FLOOD TRAYS cuts are transplanted onto 6 inch Rockwool Hugo cubes and grown out for two weeks. Before they’re flipped into bloom the plants are topped so there is another set ready for the next Grow. The
next set of cuts are going to go though the same process, root out, veg into 6 inch Hugos for 2 weeks then topped before they transfer into bloom. Most cuts take two weeks from day they enter dome and cube till rooted. Then another two weeks VEG in a 6inch Hugo before the plant is ready to enter bloom. Setting up a timing schedule is key with proper maintenance of mothers and making sure plants are ready when rooms are. Hope this information helps in your growing process and allows you to get that much closer at obtaining you green goals. As always turning clones to zones, thanks for tuning in.
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AMERICAN HY
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YDROPONICS
TO ON TOP OF THE WORLD
BY ERIK BIKSA
PLUS: EXCLUSIVE SUPER-PRO HYDROPONICS GROWING TIPS.
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American Hydroponics is one of the most widely recognized (and liked) names in home and market garden hydroponics in America. Whether as part of the trend setting waves of roof top hydroponics gardens emerging from such thriving urban centres such as New York City (i.e. Gotham Greens NY), or as part of a school curriculum so kids can learn some life skills that continue to give back for a life time, American Hydroponics has made a lasting mark. Gotham Greens
The journey started some time ago in Northern California from what may be the first full time hydroponics supply store in North America called Water Planet (which still operates in present day). Savvy home and market gardening enthusiasts were discovering the power of hydroponics in growing crops bigger, stronger and faster. Previous, this technology was reserved for the likes of NASA scientists or institutional researchers-very little of the knowledge had practical applications for the home grower due to a gap between the knowhow and technology that was easy to set up and operate. While clearly hydroponics has grown in leaps and bounds since American Hydroponics inception in 1984, in part with thanks to the perseverance and dedication of folks like Michael Christian who helped found the company and is the current day acting President, their unwavering focus in bringing sustainable hydroponics growing technologies to people across the globe remains the same. Today, hydroponics for home growing and market gardening is widely accepted; a “house hold” term.
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One of the things that really distinguishes American Hydroponics apart from the hydro companies of present day, is the path they stayed as others shifted their focus when hydroponics began to catch on in earnest in North America during the late 1980s and early 90s. Most of the early entrants established themselves as manufactures and suppliers to small scale indoor growers, for example the first generation of folks to hang up an HID lamp (or even fluorescent shop lights) in a closet, spare room or basement. While this was a golden opportunity many had been waiting for, the vision of American Hydroponics saw this as a limited market, and in the words of Michael “kind of boring” due to the wink, wink, hush, hush “ me too” product culture of the time. Instead, going against the grain of the times, they continued their development, refinement and broadened the practical applications of their growing systems and technologies so that they could be adapted by individuals or companies looking to supply a market with fresh grown hydroponic produce, versus strictly the home salad bowl. Hydroponics as many have found, is an exciting opportunity and a great way to break free from the regular grind and do something independently that supports and helps a local community while offering some the opportunity to gain some level of finical independence in doing so. If you aren’t already familiar with the company and what they do in terms of hydroponics, these guys are widely recognized world class EXPERTS in NFT cropping systems, especially in greenhouse environments. For some more
background and loads of great hydroponic images, check out their Facebook Page and www.amhydro.com. In speaking with Michael, he gladly revealed some very hard-earned secrets and tips to hydroponics growing success. Check it, exclusively from Grozine. He was also quick to point out the great work Eric has done with their greenhouse building projects for over a decade, including pioneer urban roof-top hydroponics projects.
FAVOURITE VARIETIES FOR HYDROPONIC GROWING VIA NFT CHANNELS: Bib Lettuce: Rex Cos (Romaine): Rick Swann Frilly Red (AND baby lettuce if you are smart and cut the core): Salanova Preferred Cultivation Method: Greenhouse and NFT based finishing with staged transplant production. Achieving up to 24 Crop turns per year*. For example, this equates to harvesting 3400 mature plants per week from a 30’ X 132’ Freestanding Greenhouse equipped with American Hydroponics exclusive NFT system. It IS entirely possible for a single, dedicated person to operate at this rate, with an average input of about 40 labour hours per week, potentially netting up to $95,000 USD per Year, dependent on local market conditions and factors, naturally. For contrast, some of the most productive soil growing systems in the most favorable climates may achieve up to FIVE versus American Hydroponics benchmark of TWENTY FOUR crop turn-arounds per year.
"FOR CONTRAST, SOME OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE SOIL GROWING SYSTEMS IN THE MOST FAVORABLE CLIMATES MAY ACHIEVE UP TO FIVE VERSUS AMERICAN HYDROPONICS BENCHMARK OF TWENTY FOUR CROP TURN-AROUNDS PER YEAR.”
Skeptical? An American Hydroponics client based in Indiana, USA was able to amortize the operation (break-even after investment costs) in an impressive 16 months. Besides careful environmental control, to quote Michael: “Ninety-five percent of the success comes from the system”. The NFT systems American Hydroponics offers have been developed and refined for decades-as have the management techniques. Here is some technical growing gold on the systems, and do note, there is a lot of genius in simplicity (what’s behind it all is complex). • 12 foot run is standard • high rate of nutrient flow • shallow nutrient depth • insulated delivery and collection manifolds • high density polyethylene construction-NO PVC • exclusive collection and delivery systems For nutrients, formulations are customized for the type of crop, growing conditions and seasons—all of course, based on water quality available. Nutrient solution management is critical-while large reservoirs can be forgiving careful attention has gone into the system’s ability to maintain stable EC, pH and Dissolved Oxygen conditions for optimal, trouble free cropping. With fast crop turnarounds and accelerated growth, the need for pest and disease controls may be avoided by simple prevention and optimal growing conditions. This yields a higher level of quality on the harvest and a strong marketing edge, as no pesticides, chemical or organic, were applied to the crop. The greenhouse design, construction and management is another subject all together-maintaining a healthy cropping environment is always any growers key to success, and American Hydroponics has volumes here too, so be sure to visit them and see for yourself what can be cultivated from your back yard or rooftop-possibly to the tune of profits!
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SURFING F
OR DEALS
HOPPIN G CONSID HYDRO ON THE ER THE WORLD O WIDE W PTIONS BY J EFF … EB CAREFU EDW ARD LLY S
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Options abound today on the internet when shopping for hydroponic and indoor gardening equipment and supplies. You can base your online purchasing decisions on many different levels, including price, quality, reputation, even personality. You can even find certain items online that you’ll never see in a retail store. In this piece, we’ll bring you up to speed on the various online options for hydro and indoor garden gear and what you can expect to find! CRAIGSLIST Craigslist is the granddaddy of local online “classified” advertising, and depending on your location, you can find lots of new and used hydroponic and lighting equipment listed for sale. The amount and quality of selection varies wildly by location, with hundreds of hydroponic and grow light related listings in major cities of progressive states like Colorado and California; to perhaps a dozen or two listings in the larger East Coast cities. Local hydroponic stores will often publish listings alongside individuals selling their used or homemade equipment. You can also find established hydroponic retailers buying and selling used equipment on Craigslist. When shopping from individuals on Craigslist, and even some businesses, know your pricing… some individuals are asking for close to retail for seriously used equipment…pricing you could probably get for new if you bought a large enough package. But there are some incredibly good buys that come along once in a while with what appears to be almost new equipment being sold for less than wholesale. Unfortunately, when you purchase from an individual in this manner, you may not get the manufacturer’s warranty protection, but with a reputable company you may. Be sure to ask. One area that Craigslist may be particularly useful is for people sourcing 30 and 55 gallon
“CRAIGSLIST MAY BE PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR PEOPLE SOURCING 30 AND 55 GALLON DRUMS OR BARRELS TO USE FOR NUTRIENT RESERVOIRS AS THESE ARE SUPER EXPENSIVE TO SHIP” drums or barrels to use for nutrient reservoirs as these are super expensive to ship and are best sourced locally. It is also a great resource when searching for bulk soils and amendments. There is lots of homemade equipment being offered on Craigslist. If it is electrical in nature, be very careful. If the item causes your house to burn down, and it’s not UL or ETL or CSA Listed, your insurance company may not pay the claim, not to mention you won’t have a house. I won’t stress enough the need to approach Craigslist ads with great caution for a variety of reasons, first and foremost however, should be personal safety. Read and follow their guidelines for a safe transaction before posting or replying to ANY Craigslist ad. No personal hydroponic or indoor gardening advice is offered here.
EBAY Everyone knows that Ebay is the original and still king of auction sites, and most folks shopping online will at least give a cursory look to see what kind of deals are available on the type of product they are shopping for. Ebay is the home for DIY hydroponicists…with lots of plans for homemade hydroponic systems for sale. There are actually some pretty good plans available to build systems with parts that can be sourced primarily from hardware stores, with the key word being “primarily”, as there is almost always something else you’ll need from a dedicated hydroponic shop. And some of the plans being sold aren’t worth the disk space they’ll occupy once you download them. Fortunately, VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 10
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you can generally ascertain the good from ponic or indoor gardening advice is offered the bad through their marketing presenhere. tation. Ebay is also the place for home built AMAZON.COM | hydroponics, where you can buy a comOVERSTOCK.COM pletely finished DIY system (probably Amazon.com has historically sold a few using plans purchased on Ebay), already select hydroponic related items that have DIY’ed. Many work as advertised, and I’m a mainstream appeal directly to consumsure probably just as many don’t. When ers on their website, such as propagation it comes to home built, just remember its heat mats, fluorescent light kits, etc. As “EBAY IS ALSO home tested. a result of the success of these offerings, THE PLACE FOR Apparently, it is also the place to clear they now also sell virtually every hydroHOME BUILT out early generation LED “grow lights” for ponic and indoor gardening item you can a fraction of what they were selling for a find in a retail store, in many cases with HYDROPONICS, few short months ago, yet the exaggerated WHERE YOU CAN free shipping. Behind the scenes, though, claims remain. As far as more traditional it’s not really Amazon offering the item that BUY A grow lights go, Ebay seems to be domiAmazon appears to be offering, but even COMPLETELY nated by somewhat sketchy companies or those appearances are being more mudFINISHED DIY DBA’s that feature just a few items for sale, died as time goes on. with no replacement parts and limited, if any, Amazon “partners” with scores of SYSTEM” options. You will also find plenty of home companies that sell hydroponic products, built lighting controllers and No Name lights; just know that including established brick and mortar hydroponic shops, the same caveats outlined in Craigslist apply here. not so established brick and mortar hydroponic shops, There are some legitimate hydroponic retailers who main- online only retailers, even manufacturers. In the old days, tain Ebay shops, where they discount and clear out scratch these individual entities would ship your order, but with and dent items, overstocks, etc. Most of the reputable ones Amazon’s push towards warehousing and shipping services, will have a complete and separate website though where you today your hydroponic supplies ordered from Amazon may can always find their full offerings. in fact be coming from an Amazon.com warehouse. The As with CL, pricing is all over the board. You can still bid on thing to remember is that these “services” don’t come free items, and there are lots of bidders, or you can take advan- to the seller. tage of the plethora of Buy It Now options. Lots of FREE Amazon.com pricing can vary wildly, from a very competiSHIPPING offers can be found, however, that can be negated tive price (especially factoring in free shipping), to a price that if bidding goes above a certain amount. No personal hydro- is off the charts crazy I way overpaid for this shit. Keep in mind 34
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though, that Amazon.com takes a cut for all of these services it provides to the seller, so either the seller raises the price to maintain the margin, or operates on very low margins through the Amazon channel. No hydroponic or indoor gardening advice is offered. Overstock.com seems to have taken a cue from Amazon. com and is now offering a fair amount of hydroponic equipment and supplies sold by 3rd party vendors. Again, pricing is suspect in many cases, as significant fees are charged by Overstock for their fulfillment and website services. No hydroponic or indoor gardening advice is offered here.
SEARS | HOME DEPOT | OTHER BIG BOX STORES Sears.com, HomeDepot.com, and other big box stores have been selling a limited amount of hydroponic equipment sporadically on their websites over the past few years. As with most of the previously mentioned sources of hydroponic supplies, you many get a good “starter” unit or find a basic set-up to get you started growing. You may even save a few bucks. But remember, no hydroponic or indoor gardening advice is offered here. When you need a hard-to-find part, a replacement pump or bulb, or just want to step up your growing game… you’re not going to find a resource like a well-established hydroponic store website.
HYDRO STORE WEBSITE Most every reputable hydroponic and/or indoor gardening retail store will have a robust ecommerce website where you should be able to purchase darn near anything they have in their store, including a vast array of vital replacement parts and accessories. The great thing about dealing with hydro shop websites, is the hydro shop generally runs the website, and since they deal with their inventory day in and day out, they are generally more familiar with what works and what doesn’t, in more ways than one. What ships well, what doesn’t; what withstands temperature extremes, what doesn’t; what’s best for your particular growing environment, and what isn’t. Et cetera. The service and experience that you will receive when shopping through an established store’s ecommerce website should be worth a few dollars more. But woe is unto thee who prejudges the brick and mortar stores pricing, because in many cases today, the established grow stores are offering the best deals online and even in their stores. Things change rapidly on the web. Many stores have broken down the international barriers and will now ship internationally. Others accept bitcoin for payment or have begun accepting mail in trade-ins. Of course, one of the best advantages of dealing with an established company on the web is when problems with your order occur. Have an issue or a question about installation or assembly? Call the store.
“RETAIL HYDRO STORES ARE ALL ABOUT SERVICE. THEY ARE YOUR PERSONAL CONCIERGE WHEN IT COMES TO HELPING YOU SUCCEED“ Tracking down a Craiglist or Ebay seller may be tricky if the bulb that came with your order doesn’t work. I dare anyone to (try to) call Amazon.com to find out why that last washer in your hydro system won’t fit in the drilled hole, much less Overstock. And one can only imagine the answers you’d get at the big box store if you telephoned to ask which nutrient is best for peppers in an NFT system. So while your choices for purchasing hydroponic equipment and supplies are virtually endless now on the web, it pays to be vigilant when shopping. Avoid the impulse buy; thoroughly research the product and the price. Is that price really for a brand name engineered horticultural quality lamp? Or a no-name knock-off with questionable manufacturing qualities that is claiming to be similar to the high quality lamp? Where ever you shop online, it is imperative to read the fine print. But why bother with that hassle? Retail hydro stores are all about service. They are your personal concierge when it comes to helping you succeed in the garden; at least they ought to be. When you look at the big picture, dealing with established brick and mortar hydroponic and indoor gardening firms with updated, comprehensive ecommerce platforms are really your best bet for price, performance, service, time, and peace of mind when shopping online. The proprietors of these businesses have literally dedicated their lives to your success and will most assuredly treat you fairly and with the respect you deserve. VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 10
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MEGA PURIFICATION MORE WATER, LESS WASTE WITH HYPERLOGIC RO BY ERIK BIKSA
Did you know that much of North America, including some of the biggest agricultural producing regions, is in a state of drought? In the State of California, it happens to be the driest year in recorded history. Now consider that there are more people than ever needing water, in the same amount of land-with less natural resources to draw from. Obviously, water is a critical factor in the life and death of any garden, big or small. Using hydroponics and indoor growing methods, water quality is of very great significance. To promote better nutrient uptake, healthier micro-biology and harvests that are not laden with contaminants from common tap water sources, many growers look to Reverse Osmosis (RO) Filtration as the logical solution. Grozine caught up with Rich Gellert, President of HydroLogic Purification Systems over the phone to get the scoop on the emerging generations of HyperLogic Water Purification Systems.
WHAT IS HYPERLOGIC WATER PURIFICATION? It’s a “smart” technology that is ideal for growers or anybody with serious water purification needs-for example, starting at 2,000 Gallons per day. Now before you move on and say “I don’t need that much”, one of the keen things about this water purification system that over time, it may be cost effective for smaller scale applications. And that is through the SERIOUS reduction of “waste” water generated by the Reverse Osmosis filtration process. Most growers using Reverse Osmosis water filtration systems are accustomed to having waste water ratios for 3 to 4 times the amount of purified water they collect. The HyperLogic System REVERSES this ratio, minimizing the amount of waste water that needs to be collected and managed. Logistically, this is a great feat, not only for the bottom line of the grower, but also of local water
use, where watering restrictions are likely going to be a reality in many parts of North America this coming growing season. Another feature that is well thoughtout is the scalability of the HyperLogic unit. Standard water processed is 2000 US Gallons per day, however by simply adding more filters onto the same HyperLogic microprocessor-controlled system, you can go to 4,000; 6,000 and up to 8,000 US Gallons per day and back again with relative ease. Rich tells us he’s been spending his waking hours on even further refinements, with HyperLogic set to launch. Some of the features include membrane and filter monitors that will stop the flow and provide indications (possibly by WiFi) when limits are exceeded, making it easy to maintain and monitor optimal water quality consistently. With available water supplies decreasing, the need for more efficient water purification is growing, especially where consumption is high, there is an increasingly important need to be met. HyperLogic makes sense, lots of it. While you can’t expect large scale purification to cost peanuts, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that this technology is also accompanied by an intelligent price tag.
FOR MORE INFO, CHECK OUT THE
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MODERN PLANT EXTRACTIONS BOTANICALS FOR HEALTH AND BEAUTY BY JORDAN GARTENHAUS
Planted too much this year? Well, if you’ve got lot’s of leftovers from your harvest then you might consider using it to make assorted extractions. That is, capturing the essence of a plant that makes it special or unique. People have been making extracts for thousands of years, and you’ll be pleased to know that it really isn’t that difficult or expensive to do. And, depending on the variety of plant, the extract can be used in a multitude of applications. You can use extracted capsaicin from hot peppers to make your own topical creams for muscle aches. You can use potent extracts from vanilla beans, lemons, or peppermint in your favorite recipes. You can extract oil from avocados to make a healthy, high-temperature cooking oil. Or, you can extract the essence of your favorite flowers like lavender and make your own fragrances. The options are endless and it can be a lot of fun bottling what are arguably the most desirable elements of your harvest each year. Here’s how you can get started.
The method you’ll use to extract essential oils from your crops will depend on what it is that you’re looking to concentrate, and how much you’d like to invest in equipment. For instance, if you’re growing a citrus crop like lemons, oranges, or tangerines, you can simply press the fragrant oils out of the peels (which is often only considered suitable for composting anyway). Using a press as opposed to other methods involving heat will help retain some of the desirable volatile components that would otherwise be lost. 38
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through decanting). This method can be a little more challenging since you’ll need to buy some specialized equipment and because temperature regulation is key. Too much heat can destroy some of the delicate compounds you’re after. But this is a relatively simple, time-tested method for making great extractions, and you can find a plethora of “how-to” guides online.
Steeping
Steeping plant material like dried peppers in organic solvents such as ethanol is another easy way to make extractions. Like making a cup of tea using a tea bag, you can soak the plant material in a vessel of alcohol for several hours and over time any miscible compounds will eventually dissolve. After a few hours you can use a strainer or other filter to separate the liquid from the plant material and then simply let the alcohol evaporate away. The remaining “stuff” you’ll be left with is a mixture of oils, resins, and waxes extracted from the plant. A common method for extracting less accessible essential oils (Cedarwood oil for instance) is through a steam distiller. A steam distiller forces steam through plant material in order to liberate and subsequently vaporize the oils within. Once the oil becomes a vapor, it clings to the water vapor and is channeled into a collection vessel where the oil and water may be separated (most easily achieved
now the fluid diffuses through matter like a gas, and dissolves solutes like a liquid solvent would. But unlike liquid organic solvents such as ethanol, supercritical fluids can’t exist at room temperature and pressure. So once the supercritical fluid soaks up all of the essential oils, simply bringing the supercritical fluid back to normal environmental conditions will evaporate all of the remaining
AN EXTRACTION METHOD THAT'S GAINING IN POPULARITY OF LATE IS THE SUPERCRITICAL FLUID EXTRACTION METHOD An extraction method that’s gaining in popularity of late is the supercritical fluid extraction method. We all know that matter most commonly exists in three states depending on the ambient temperature and pressure: Solid, liquid, or gas. Well, it just so happens if you were to keep increasing the temperature and pressure beyond what’s called the “critical-point” (hence, the “super” in “supercritical”) the matter takes on characteristics that are not definitively liquid or gaseous, but a little bit of both. This is advantageous for extractions because
Steam Distilling
extractant, and leave behind only the plant byproducts. Most often people use carbon dioxide (CO2) for Supercritical fluid extractions. That’s because CO2 is widely available, inexpensive, and is completely non-toxic. However, this isn’t meant to imply that supercritical extractions are inherently safe either. Supercritical CO2 requires a tremendous amount of pressure, and if your extraction apparatus is poorly designed and/or assembled, then you risk serious injury. So if you go down this route for extractions make sure you’re building or buying a quality product. Making your own quality extracts can be really rewarding, if not immensely enjoyable. You can enhance or put a fun twist on your favorite recipes, make homemade medicines, or design your own fragrances. The applications are seemingly endless, so give it a shot sometime you have a free afternoon and see what kind of concoctions you can come up with.
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r e t r s a d m o i S per o t o h P G N I T H IG L P O CR D N E R N E I T A AN PL L X E S N E A L G U LLO D I E P SCH ON ND RA B : BY
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LIGHT CYCLE
For this article I would like to cover the gas lantern lighting schedule. I was first introduced to this subject when I started in the horticulture program at my local college, as a way to keep their Poinsettia crop growing vegetative in the greenhouse when the days start to get short in the fall. They do this lighting schedule to time the crop for the holiday season, while using as little hydro (power) to get this result. Short-day flowering plants like Poinsettias only need 13 hours of light a day to stay growing vegetative. Basically the gas lantern
lighting schedule works like this, expose your plants to 12 hours uninterrupted light, followed by 5.5 hours of dark, then 1 hour of light, and again 5.5 hours of dark. That adds up to 24 hours, so in one day you saved yourself 5 hours of hydro and the wear on your equipment. With the 1 hour light on period between the dark cycles, the plants are tricked into staying in the growth stage. So you most likely are wondering about the plants growth response, to this 12-1 lighting schedule. At first it looked like the
Lights (On/Off)
Duration
12 hrs
5.5 hrs
1 hr
5.5 hrs
plants would lag behind previous crops. By day 14 the plants were looking a lot bushier, with more flowering sites. The plants also looked healthy and happy, benefiting from the added 5 hours of off time a day with accelerated growth. So now this brings up the flowering cycle. Most growers like to flower short day flowering plants with 12 hours light, and 12 hours dark. That is an industry standard that you will find in any growing book. I was once a firm believer in 12-12, but after a lot of research I discovered a flowering technique that better mimic the harvest sun. So here I go, start with 11 hours on, and 13 off; doing so for 2 weeks. For the following 2 weeks, go with 10.5 hours on, and 13.5 off. Continue reducing the time
the light is on by a half hour every two weeks. If you have a flowering period that is longer than 8 weeks, stop reducing the on time when you hit 9 hours of light a day. By copying the ways of the harvest sun cycle, you will get happy plants that grow bigger and yield more! That is something that every grower wants. So to recap, by using a 12-1 light cycle for veg, and mimicking the harvest sun, you can potentially yield more and at the same time, save up to 50% on your hydro bill, with less wear on your equipment, which of course makes it last longer. So go ahead save yourself some cash on your bills, and help reduce your carbon footprint at the same time, experiment with the Gas Lantern Lighting Schedule!
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AEROPONIC PROPAGATION BEST AERO MEDIA SHOOT-OUT (PART II)
SCOT T THOMPSON-MONTAGUE EZ CLONE SYSTEMS
Finding new ways to reuse and repurpose out dated equipment is fun in itself, but figuring out the best recipe for success is a whole another game. So we’ve discovered that starting seeds aeroponically in an EZ-CLONE is not only possible, but very EZ to do and less time consuming then the traditional way. Plus, germinating seeds aeroponically lends itself to transplanting into a variety of mediums and systems. But, before we get too ahead of ourselves with transplanting, let’s take a look at some of the acceptable mediums that can be used to start seeds aeroponically. For the first go around I tested rock-
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wool, Jiffy pellets, Jiffy Performa, Sure To Grow and a control using no medium... well, a cloning collar. Rockwool is a common medium for propagation in the hydroponic world. Made from heated minerals, this manmade medium works wonders. It is often recommend that growers buffer your rockwool prior to use as it is naturally high in pH. Well, I took caution and threw it to the wind. I did not pre-treat my rockwool for this test. Instead, like always, I simply pH adjusted my nutrient solution in my reservoir and kept an eye on the pH of my reservoir. Worked like a charm!
The next media I used were Jiffy products. Jiffy pellets are compressed peat moss pellets that expand when wet. Jiffy pellets are common for both the indoor gardening community as well as more mainstream uses. While this seemingly idealistic substrate works wonders in a tray and dome, the water retention was not suitable for the spray times I was running. While further exploration into adequate cycle times might improve the success, it is not recommended. The loose peat moss, once wet, had a way of making its way into the reservoir and potentially clogging the misters which could lead to a whole system failure. Another medium from Jiffy I tested was Jiffy Preforma plugs. These plugs are specifically design not to fall apart and are advertised as being well suited for use in an automated solution. While I have had great success with the preforma plugs, I think they remained too wet in this application. However, they did hold together nicely
and had little debris which is good news for the misters. Sure To Grow seemed to be a likely fit as I used the Clipper Clone pucks which are designed to be compatible with an EZ-CLONE system. This medium had the least performance. Water retention was too high and there was little wicking effect. Once the seeds were placed in the medium the spraying from below was not enough to keep the medium adequately moist. I would then supplement with a top water to help even out the moisture. This turned into a game that I must not be too good at as my success rate was dismal. What if no mediums were used? By placing seeds strategically towards the bottom of the cloning collar I was hoping enough moisture would wick up into the collars to initiate the germination process. Let’s just say I recommend you get your seeds as close as possible. This way worked well and had a great success rate, but there were
“ROCKWOOL TOOK FIRST PLACE IN THIS ROUND WITH AN OUTSTANDING 100% SUCCESS RATE.” some expected drawbacks. The first being you had to monitor your seedlings progress. I was hoping to be able to remove the seedlings from the collar and have a seedling clone if you will. Once the cloning collar was removed all that was left was plant! This means my options were limitless; I could go into any medium with new genetics. This is awesome for attempting to eliminate pests. There is no medium for them to hide in! So what are my final thoughts you ask? Rockwool took first place in this round with an outstanding 100% success rate.
Not only does rockwool retain a solid amount of water, the air to water ratio always seemed fine. Another plus for rockwool is that very little debris comes off, especially if you presoaked. The Jiffy pellets and Preforma plugs I believe could be dialed in more and probably be very successful. If Jiffy is your choice I would strongly suggest a good filter for your pump. Pantyhose make a great filter that is cheap and easily discarded. The Sure To Grow medium when used for aeroponic seed germination were the least successful. I would recommend saving this product for another application. Cloning collars worked very well but require a close eye depending on the end goals for that seeding. I really like the fact that I am not bound by a medium and am not wasting anything or contributing to the landfills. It also gives me peace of mind that my medium is not contaminated. But, that may be why I am such an aero freak! Keep it green
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GEAR THE STRAIGHT DOPE: EXPERT GEAR REVIEWS BY ERIK BIKSA
ADDISON HVAC WW Series www.addison-hvac.com A MACHINE WITH GUTS There are quite a few makes and models of water-cooled air conditioning units. Typically, water-cooling air conditioning is regarded as special equipment, as it is less widely used in commercial HVAC applications. For example you are more likely to find one of these units cooling computer server banks than you are cooling your local restaurant. The “special-Ops” of air-conditioning because the heat exchange is via water-no hot air to exchange anywhere it flows and gets scrubbed away more easily and efficiently via water. Simply, they go where other ACs can’t. They aren’t cheap compared to window bangers too. Our review unit is so small they don’t even make it anymore (WW 18)-it’s about half of what Addison’s newest smallest model does.
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This particular on was built in Texas and easily handles about 4KW of HID Indoor Garden Lighting. Straight up, this is one tough machine, and it gets the highest accolades. The shaded pole blower in the air handler runs 24/7 and has for years-totally trouble free. When the need for cooling kicks in, the condenser has never hesitated or complained. This unit has been in and out of service for almost a decade with just a little maintenance, and some pretty rough moves. Cooling runnings for years and years. If Addison’s other machines perform only half as good as this one, consider it a great buy. Bravo.
OSTBERG INLINE GROW ROOM FANS 8” Model www.ostberg.com
CULTURED SOLUTIONS Bloom A&B Base Nutrients www.cch2o.com Current Culture are considered an authority on hydroponics growing, especially with their line of Under Current re-circulating hydroponics systems. Cultured Solutions is a plant nutrient system of growing popularity developed by Current Culture to meet the needs of growers looking for highly pure and chemically stable hydroponics crop fertilizers. While it’s no surprise that their nutrients perform exceptionally well, with a noteworthy stable pH and clean looking root zone through until harvest, soilless growers using coco, rockwool and even peat based mixes are also enjoying the sturdy plant development and consistent yields of high quality due to the exceptionally low Ammonium content in their formulations. If you use two-part crop base nutrients and want something with flexibility, you’ll be impressed with Cultured Solutions Bloom A&B base nutrient. If you grow in DWC this is THE line to use, and be to check out their UC Roots with any kind of nutrient in DWC.
A Grow Room fan has a lot riding on it; and there are a wide variety of applications where indoor growers are counting on air moving through duct work, air cooled lighting or carbon filters. As far as indoor growing standards go, an Eight Inch Diameter Inline centrifugal duct fan is standard operating procedure. Rumor has it, that the guy from Ostberg and a guy from another major inline fan manufacturer (in common use with hydroponics) were once friends, or at least contemporaries and there is debate with who came up with it first; in short, today they are rivals. So it’s safe to say that Ostberg is regarded as one of the original seeds, so to speak. Smooth, quiet and reliable operation-running continuous or fan speed control (no more than 30% speed reduction for optimal) are what we have seen for years on these factory, hand balanced fans from Sweden. Great for where noise and vibration are of importance-keep stacking as many in the same diameter duct work as you need to meet your needs; this works with good quality inline centrifugal fans only. Could move a little more air-we wouldn’t mind sacrificing more air for a few more watts power draw.
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Model CFC1 The Crossfire MultiCO2 system uses Dual Wavelength NDIR CO2 sensor technology for precision CO2 measurements. Dual Wavelength technology minimizes calibration requirements. The CFC1 controller incorporates light and temperature sensors. The light sensor, if enabled, will shut off CO2 control when lights are off. CO2 control is also shut off if the temperature exceeds a user settable value. The controller has 2 5A fused relays with LEDs to control CO2 generators or valves.
Model CFC1 with remote CFS sensor The Crossfire CFS CO2 sensor with 25 feet of cable may be plugged into the CFC1 controller at any time without any further setup. The CFS CO2 sensor also includes a light and temperature sensor. Together, the CFC1 controller and CFS remote CO2 sensor provide an affordable dual zone CO2 monitoring and control system
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