Movable Vertical racks grow journal

ZAQ

Member
HELL YES WHAT YOU THINK MATTERS! So post what you think. This is a small UFO I made to play with. I'm going to try all type of things. This for me is a toy I need 3 zip a month. At this time I am using 6" net pots with lava rock .The racks can be made for what ever side pot you want.I plan to use the movable Vertical racks so I can use the sun on nice days. If I have to move fast can put in box's and the stand come apart fast. As You know the black pots will crack after a time so I hope the rack help with that. and can put 4 sets of rack on a pole to move that will save time when moving For light will be using a 400 hps and a 250 mhl. will be growing Gdp it take 12 weeks to do it thing When I get my clones built up will start flowering under Cfl for 2 weeks then move to the rack then to a finishing set up HYDROSUN has said that I should go with a 600 and going to try that down the road. some thing am playing with are $5.oo ea 40 mi timers. a $6.25 light mover and what ever come to mind.
 

ZAQ

Member
The first few pic. have plants that where in a S.O.G. grow that i tore down to build this UFO. and the dog puled most out and broke them Had them on the grown. I do my trimming then pull the plant out to dry.This picture has NO plants grown in this UFO.rack014.jpg.rack027.jpg.rack029.jpg
 

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TheOrganic

Well-Known Member
Cool Idea! Gonna be checking this out. Lava rock? is that hydro then I should know this but I'm a stubborn dirtbagger.
 

ZAQ

Member
TheOrganic .To day I wish I was in drit fighing the pump head. Got a cheep HF pump it lift stop at 4'2" and I need 4'6
Vein It seam now is the time to buy It better than paying rent
 

TheOrganic

Well-Known Member
Damn that sucks. You will get it down. I will try hydro soon enough because of a buddy that's gonna give me his Dwc bucket but I think making my own might be better. I have a 500gph mighty pump and a cheap 250gph so I guess I need to read up on that cause I think I would just run sprayers inside with pump in a 5gal bucket. And make my own drain tube blah blah.
I wish I could move plants in and out nothing like some sun grown nugs there's just something about it.
 

bubbabear

Member
Dude! What a great idea! Thanks man. I've been fooling around with what to use for a rack for months. I didnt really like most of the ones I've seen. They either use expensive materials, some of which are hard to find locally (I live in the middle of nowhere,) or they suffer from numerous practical flaws. "Moveable" is essential. When there's 2 lamps hanging in the middle, you cant get to the plants on the opposite side without moving things. Even if your using horizontal it helps to drag a tray out away from the lamp where you can access everything. I've designed pvc racks on castors, wooden frames, all kinds of shit trying to figure out how to do this. I'm subscribed and will be watching closely. Ive got a pile of parts here im agonizing over room designs with. I've already started twice and took everything back down when I didnt like it! :) Sorry i havent read all the comments yet I need to do that before i start asking quesitons.
 

bubbabear

Member
ok here are my thoughts.

1/ Like the use of metal structural - its commonly available and easy to work with.

2/ how the heck did you roll that pipe? do you have tube rolls? what are those rings and how did you fabricate them?

3/ I think I'd have made each rack detached, on castors so it can be rolled around and the distance to the lamps can be precisely controlled. (no rings)

4/ I would mount a detachable curved screen to the rack that begins about 6" above the lowest shelf and ends a foot or two above the tallest,
offset (side elevation view) to provide a gap between the shelves and screen of about 8" minimum

Then each rack can move independently for precise adjustment, or rolling from one room to another, or up a ramp of a rental truck/trailer in an emergency. As the plants grow, you may want to pull them back, and you cant do that if they are a fixed distance from the light column
 

ZAQ

Member
I have Had a few ask how I rolled the EMT. go get 1/2 " LOOK FOR THE WELDED SEAM It will Be a guide To keep flat .there 120 in long BUT you can add to it ( REMEMBER YOU CAN MAKE it 6 are 8 SIDE TO You will save on the 22.5 fittings)
Get a tire and find some pipe to fit over the ends ( the longer the pipe lease work) have some one are thing hold one end and work it slowly down the length back and forth the rings that hold AT THIS TIME are shower curtain rings YOU HAVE TO WATCH THE TAB THAT IT DOSE NOT BREAK
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If making round pie is 3.14 X dim.
 

bubbabear

Member
interesting. While looking around for metal structural components today I found this Bosch site that has a lot of cool stuff. I know you probably dont need anything like this, but it has me thinking. One of the bigger expenses seems to always be fittings. It doesn't seem like a lot when you are buying one or two, but when you need 80? I'm going to explore these components some. Thats an interesting way to hold your pots. Where does the water runff drop too? I was thinking you could add a short u channel struct/crossmember under each, open side up and drill holes to plumb drains.
 

ideit

Well-Known Member
Is that a light on the floor? Undersides of leaves don't take in a lot of light, might want to reconsider placement.
 

ZAQ

Member
I been ask how I water this space ship . I am using AT This time ( Will set up 4 drains and tanks so I can do side by sides) . I use a HF pump ,1/2' black pipe ring on the bottom ,as not to pick up heat 1/4 open drip line to the top pot then it drains down to the next and next........ Hold the 1/4 in line with 1" clips . there a 1/4" line per rack .
Made a fast and cheap drain table cut some plywood added some 1X4 to the sides . THEN on I side left a 8" gap and cut the side of the 1x4 down to a taper . put 4 layers of $1.00 store pant tarp over it the taper gap is the drain . IT drains back to the tank it just dumps in WHEN WORK ON THIS TABLE SET UP PUT A SMALL MAT ARE WHAT EVER SO IF YOU DROP THE RACK WONT CUT A HOLE IN THE TRAP
Is that a light on the floor?
IDEIT that ligh was so I could see how far the plants would be from the ligh
 

ZAQ

Member
These are the last picture of my experiment
Some of the thing I will Change
Move the pot holder's in to the frame fuhrer so I can run Reflexion flat to shade pot move legs to out side.
Things I like about this over a heath inspired set up NO $3.49 Y pots 3.48 x72 =$ 251 cost for 72 > $ 12.00 clips they get more air in the roots
can move plants can pull racks out for small places can take the racks out and and put on a table to work on plants can set up different drains to do side by side. .It is the cost to set up that I like the best
I been thinking going bigger where I work at they use a 1000 light set up for a 160 days and trash them but all I need is 3 plants a week you can make this what ever side you want. Cheep ass drain table the 1/2 green plat are to make run off go where you want... View attachment 2094352
 
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