Grow Tent Beginnings

LOL..it IS difficult to look at .I did think it was algae, but then doubted it because the water flow was clean.

[Sher]

The Mr. Stacky was used outdoors for flowers this past summer.

I cleaned it up, put it in the grow tent, and turned it into a mixed greens gardens.

I ordered the parts to convert it to an automatic watering system, and they should be here Monday.

[fldave]

Your new tent setup is looking great Sher01!  That Mr. Stacky is probably the most efficient use of the limited tent floor space that you can get with all of those big grow pots within the footprint of a 5 gallon bucket.  If heat continues to be a problem for you I am sure that the company that makes the tent can tell you how many cfm of exhaust air flow is needed to maintain an acceptable internal temperature rise over external temperature for a given amount of power dissipation (watts used for lighting, pumping, etc) and cubic-feet of space inside the tent.  There might even be some graphs or tables for this to be found online.

[Sher]

Thank you, fldave . The plant colors are so much healthier and more vibrant than the picture shows. And they are growing like crazy! I really love the Mr. Stacky!  I am using a 50/50 mix of perlite and coco coir in it, so no worries about fungus gnats. I am chomping at the bit to get the hydro setup automated when I get the parts Monday.

Through trial and error, I got the temperature to a max of 81 or 82. Then I added the little humidifier that keeps the humidity high enough that the plants are handling the temperature well.

My biggest problem is that the rain tower (not in above picture) was leaking at the seams, due to my loosening the plant pipes while trying to tug the tower off the stand. That caused ugly streaks of algae to run along the sides. So I have it apart tonight soaking in bleach water. I plan to marine epoxy all the seams and reassemble it after everything is cured. I also got some spray teflon to spray the very bottom of the tower and the collar it fits into so less tugging will be required the next time I change the nutrients.

In the meantime, the tomato and pepper plants that were in it are suspended in a bucket of nutrients to hold them over.

I appreciate your interest in my efforts.

[Sher]

The bok choy is going crazy! I keep picking leaves and it just keeps getting bigger and adding more leaves. I have a big bag in the refrigerator, too.

Tonight I plan to fix some Southerrn style -- chopped stalks sauteed in butter with onions and seasoning salt with ribbons of wilted leaves. Hubby's favorite veggie.

Will add a picture of the rain tower once I transplant lettuce seedlings into it.

[Shawn]

That is HUGE

Whaaaaaaaaaaat?!!!

[fldave]

That is awesome!  Now you have me wondering where I can put a Mr Stacky under a grow light in my house. 

[Sher]

The 50/50 blend of coco coir and perlite is what really makes the difference.

I had flowers in soil in it outside last yesr with so-so results.

I am also using MasterBlend nutrients in it because that's what my sister in north Florida is growing 18" tall Kratky romaine in.

and the Chard!!

[Sher]

Nov 27, 2020 21:32:31 GMT -5 @cornne said:

and the Chard!!

You are going to give me a swelled head! 

Thank you, Corinne.