cheap HPA pump

Atomizer

Well-Known Member
Good quality mechanical relays will last for a year or so with hpa, you`re only looking at 500 cycles a day. You might get a couple of months out of them with AA.
 

LarsVegasNirvana

Well-Known Member
If you want to grow trees in aero you're going to need a 8 foot tall root chamber. It generally needs to be deeper than the plants are tall. That's why I do a v-scrog.
 

freddy42

Member
There are certifications for water-proofness. Search for IP-67 or IP-68.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Code

200 mesh is 74 microns. 50 microns would be even better.

I spent way too much on the arduino sensors, especially since I didn't need most of them. All you really need is an arduino to do the fixed spray timing, to turn the root cooling on and off, and to turn the humidifier on and off in the tent. Thats it. The most expensive part of that is a $30 humidity/temp sensor. The temp sensor for the root zone was like $1 and thats it. Just two sensors.

I will upload the arduino script to github or something once I get my grow log up and running.
I dont know why I shouldnt thinked about it earlier (ip water resistance ). so these two sensors + that solenoid valves and flow meter would be enough ? what would I need for the programmable light switch schedule and dimming ? Thank you very much for the tips I would look for those relays and I really appreciate that you would be uploading the whole script on github. @lars One more question, you mentioned that you are doing v scrog and that you need the chamber to be 8ft deep. If I decide to do sog + most importantly keep mothers in aero and would use root trellis, would less deeper root chamber be enough? Anybody got diy idea for root trellis? I only saw multiponics selling them, but the shipping is too high to my country, my idea is to substitue trellis with the sieve which is used when people are making plaster coating on the wall. I, I dont know how the thing is called, but usually its white, its also used as diy window mesh/screen and it should be maded from nylon. the only image of it what I found is this :
http://i00.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/1206321268/Nylon_Mosquito_Netting_Nylon_Mesh_Nylon_Window.jpg
 
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Atomizer

Well-Known Member
A fine mesh will encourage the roots to form a dense root mat at the top of the chamber. You just want a coarse (open) support structure to guide the roots where you want them to go. It can be as simple as cup hooks screwed into the underside of the chamber lid that you can hook the roots onto as they grow long enough to reach.
 
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freddy42

Member
@Atomizer So you put cup hooks there as a suport and roots on them so you lift them a little bit and spread them how you want, do you think that mat I posted is bad idea or not to fine mesh? Would you post a pic on how do you do it ? Thank you very much
 

Atomizer

Well-Known Member
Unless your growing tree`s, which need a long veg and place limits on the chamber height, there`s no need to trellis the roots.
 

freddy42

Member
I dont know why I shouldnt thinked about it earlier (ip water resistance ). so these two sensors + that solenoid valves and flow meter would be enough ? what would I need for the programmable light switch schedule and dimming ? Thank you very much for the tips I would look for those relays and I really appreciate that you would be uploading the whole script on github. @lars One more question, you mentioned that you are doing v scrog and that you need the chamber to be 8ft deep. If I decide to do sog + most importantly keep mothers in aero and would use root trellis, would less deeper root chamber be enough? Anybody got diy idea for root trellis? I only saw multiponics selling them, but the shipping is too high to my country, my idea is to substitue trellis with the sieve which is used when people are making plaster coating on the wall. I, I dont know how the thing is called, but usually its white, its also used as diy window mesh/screen and it should be maded from nylon. the only image of it what I found is this :
http://i00.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/1206321268/Nylon_Mosquito_Netting_Nylon_Mesh_Nylon_Window.jpg
I wanted to edit this post but it was not possible because I did it once before, it wont let me do that anymore.
I was checking out the some expresso machines, with that pump, It was pretty loud, probably not loud as chinese pumps but still I would want to minimize the noise as much as possible, do you think it would be possible to do that by adding pads from sorbothane or silicone ? and adding the whole pump to some kind of insulated box ?
Do I need the pressure relief valve incase pressure switch fails plus a pressure regulator ? anything more ?
Thank you
@LarsVegasNirvana
 

LarsVegasNirvana

Well-Known Member
I wanted to edit this post but it was not possible because I did it once before, it wont let me do that anymore.
I was checking out the some expresso machines, with that pump, It was pretty loud, probably not loud as chinese pumps but still I would want to minimize the noise as much as possible, do you think it would be possible to do that by adding pads from sorbothane or silicone ? and adding the whole pump to some kind of insulated box ?
Do I need the pressure relief valve incase pressure switch fails plus a pressure regulator ? anything more ?
Thank you
@LarsVegasNirvana
Yeah it makes noise, but like I said you want to be able to hear it. If it's not running, or if it's running constantly, you definitely want to know about that. Your best bet is probably to use some kind of rubber mounts to hold the pump, and then wrap the whole thing in soundproofing foam. All I use is a little piece of seat cushion foam and then I shove the pump, foam, and accumulator into a little plastic box.

I sleep in the same room as my grow and the pump never bothers me. Those chinese pumps are so loud you will be able to hear it outside your house halfway down the street. You'll see.
 

LarsVegasNirvana

Well-Known Member
I dont know why I shouldnt thinked about it earlier (ip water resistance ). so these two sensors + that solenoid valves and flow meter would be enough ? what would I need for the programmable light switch schedule and dimming ? Thank you very much for the tips I would look for those relays and I really appreciate that you would be uploading the whole script on github. @lars One more question, you mentioned that you are doing v scrog and that you need the chamber to be 8ft deep. If I decide to do sog + most importantly keep mothers in aero and would use root trellis, would less deeper root chamber be enough? Anybody got diy idea for root trellis? I only saw multiponics selling them, but the shipping is too high to my country, my idea is to substitue trellis with the sieve which is used when people are making plaster coating on the wall. I, I dont know how the thing is called, but usually its white, its also used as diy window mesh/screen and it should be maded from nylon. the only image of it what I found is this :
http://i00.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/1206321268/Nylon_Mosquito_Netting_Nylon_Mesh_Nylon_Window.jpg
Who said anything about a flow meter? They're too inaccurate to use for anything useful. I don't even know what you think you'd use it for.

For the dimming function you just change the output voltage of an analog output pin on the arduino and plug that into the driver instead of a potentiometer.

I didn't say I needed the chamber 8 feet deep. I said you would need that if you wanted to grow trees. My last chamber was 1 foot deep, and my new one is 2-3 feet deep.

My idea for a root trellis is to just hot-glue some really fine mesh (like for screen printing) at the bottom of the chamber, not the top. That way if any roots make it to the bottom they won't touch any pooling water and they will maintain root hairs instead of turning into DWC roots. I haven't tried it yet because I'm waiting to see if they even reach the bottom of this new design first.
 
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