Dialing in the tent

[Sir Digby Chicken Caesar]

Another day of playing with variables.
A bit pedantic, but its helping me understand how the whole system works. Got some improved numbers from the start so definitely worth the time.

Started with this:

AC 70F
Dropped down to a single 6" passive in w/ 100 micron filter
Still 86% exhaust
@24" 76-77F
@18" 76-77F
@12" 76-77F
@ 6" 77-78F

About a 1 degree uptick in temp compared to same conditions with the additional two filtered 12x6" flaps open... Seemed strange at first.

Next I ran same conditions as above, but with exhaust dropped to 68% power.

@24" 77-78F
@18" 77-78F
@12" 77-78F
@ 6" 78-79F

Not bad. Seems to make sense.

I then tried same as above, but opened a 2nd, but unfiltered, 6" port on opposite side of tent.

@24" 74-75F
@18" cycled between 74-75-76F

Around 2 degree drop off. Hmmm...
I stopped testing different heights (seeing the trend) and stuck with 18" from then on.

Next: Same as above, but with both 6" intakes unfiltered. (Wouldn't run it this way, but for reference).

@18" 73-74F.

Back to reality. Two filtered 6" passive ins.

@18" 75-76F. Nice.

Next: same as above, but exhaust brought down from 68 to 50% power.

@18" 76-77F
RH up to 36%. A few points up from previous average.

Seems the 100 micron filters have more impact on airflow that I thought. You can really feel the difference placing a hand in front of the filtered and unfiltered ducts. Might explain the lackluster results from the 12"x 6" filtered ports. With 100 micron laid over whatever the existing mesh size is...might have rendered them very inefficient? My guess. The U-shaped ducting want helping either I'm sure.

Anyway, I think I can chill on the testing. The process was enlightening and the numbers seem decent and stable. With increased circulation I feel I'll be in good shape.

Gonna do quick test again with MH tomorrow, though.

Thanks for all the input guys. Been super helpful. If I missed something shout it out.

[Farmer Geddon]

You seem good to go.

[Karsa]

Another day of playing with variables.
A bit pedantic, but its helping me understand how the whole system works. Got some improved numbers from the start so definitely worth the time.

Started with this:

AC 70F
Dropped down to a single 6" passive in w/ 100 micron filter
Still 86% exhaust
@24" 76-77F
@18" 76-77F
@12" 76-77F
@ 6" 77-78F

About a 1 degree uptick in temp compared to same conditions with the additional two filtered 12x6" flaps open... Seemed strange at first.

Next I ran same conditions as above, but with exhaust dropped to 68% power.

@24" 77-78F
@18" 77-78F
@12" 77-78F
@ 6" 78-79F

Not bad. Seems to make sense.

I then tried same as above, but opened a 2nd, but unfiltered, 6" port on opposite side of tent.

@24" 74-75F
@18" cycled between 74-75-76F

Around 2 degree drop off. Hmmm...
I stopped testing different heights (seeing the trend) and stuck with 18" from then on.

Next: Same as above, but with both 6" intakes unfiltered. (Wouldn't run it this way, but for reference).

@18" 73-74F.

Back to reality. Two filtered 6" passive ins.

@18" 75-76F. Nice.

Next: same as above, but exhaust brought down from 68 to 50% power.

@18" 76-77F
RH up to 36%. A few points up from previous average.

Seems the 100 micron filters have more impact on airflow that I thought. You can really feel the difference placing a hand in front of the filtered and unfiltered ducts. Might explain the lackluster results from the 12"x 6" filtered ports. With 100 micron laid over whatever the existing mesh size is...might have rendered them very inefficient? My guess. The U-shaped ducting want helping either I'm sure.

Anyway, I think I can chill on the testing. The process was enlightening and the numbers seem decent and stable. With increased circulation I feel I'll be in good shape.

Gonna do quick test again with MH tomorrow, though.

Thanks for all the input guys. Been super helpful. If I missed something shout it out.

Numbers like that you're laughing. RH should sit about 63-68% with those numbers. Assuming you have a humidifier that is. The pots will retain water so will be a source of slow vapour release, just do me a favour whack a damp towel in there hung up and check the rh after about 5-10 mins.




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[Sir Digby Chicken Caesar]

Numbers like that you're laughing. RH should sit about 63-68% with those numbers. Assuming you have a humidifier that is. The pots will retain water so will be a source of slow vapour release, just do me a favour whack a damp towel in there hung up and check the rh after about 5-10 mins.
Sent from my J8210 using Tapatalk

Tried the towel in a couple positions, with a fan on it.
Gained 4-6% RH. Doesn't seem practical to me, though. Didn't smell great either. Was worth a shot.

My only concerns with humidity are, keeping it in stable range during flower, and during the drying. Can't yet predict the room humidity into the coming months, but my guess is I might not need a dehumidifier for flower (got it anyway) but may actually keep the humidifier during drying if needed; want to do a 10 day dry if I get there. Anyway, cart before horse.

One thing I plan to change down the line is the ducting.
I'll be checking out the solid stuff.
Probably go to x2 7" passives since that's the max diameter.
Then 6" for the extraction.

I'm doing the MH retest today, and may try the humidifier out of the tent for a day, will note any changes.

Gotta expand, rinse, and buffer the coco in the next few days as well. Bathtub gonna look like chewbacca popped in for a rinse...

[Farmer Geddon]

I never worried about humidity when drying in the cellar. I didn't know that I was supposed to.

idk how the physics works but my bud would dry in an RH80% climate. It took ~14 days to dry, wet trimmed. There was a 6" rvk moving air outside, the cellar gets musky without that running 24/0. I was always on the lookout for mould late flower and snipped it out asap. Any rot I'd missed showed up during the wet trim. So nothing mouldy went into the drying baskets. I once left a data logger in a jar of burped bud and the humidity reading was close to what's recommended.

[Sir Digby Chicken Caesar]

I never worried about humidity when drying in the cellar. I didn't know that I was supposed to.

idk how the physics works but my bud would dry in an RH80% climate. It took ~14 days to dry, wet trimmed. There was a 6" rvk moving air outside, the cellar gets musky without that running 24/0. I was always on the lookout for mould late flower and snipped it out asap. Any rot I'd missed showed up during the wet trim. So nothing mouldy went into the drying baskets. I once left a data logger in a jar of burped bud and the humidity reading was close to what's recommended.

I figured 80%RH would be a death sentence.
Did you have any other fans in play?

Unless I build a little cab (likely) with some extraction, I'd be drying in the tent.

I think the drying climate I'm shooting for is no lower than 70 degrees at ~50% humidity. I dread the idea of bud dried too quickly more than losing some to rot. If the flavor is lost....major bummer.

Dig the wet trim idea as well. The less excess organic matter around the better, I would guess. And kill two birds doing mold patrol.

I'll be vigilant in checking for bud rot during flower, if I get there.
I've read about getting a feel by tapping with finger, and lightly pulling on the sugar leaves. Ive read that sugar leaves can sometimes show signs that mold is developing in the bud, but doubtful I'll be able to tell the difference between that and nute deficiency; could still give 'em a tug.

[Farmer Geddon]

There was also an 8" rvk and filter at ceiling height for odour control. No ducting, they were taped together as an air scrubber.

There's plenty of things worse than a bit of bud rot. 17.5 oz of nice bud + 0.5 oz of mould is better than 18 oz of bud you don't enjoy smoking.

They dry quicker if trimmed wet, might be too quick for you. Some use brown paper bags to stop them drying out too fast.

I haven't heard of pulling on the sugar leaves. If and when I encounter mould again, I'll test sugar leaves on all colas including the infected one to see what the difference is. Mould looks unlikely in my 7 sft cupboard, the 8" rvk is ott with airflow even slowed down to 40%. Probably 3 or 4 exchanges of air per minute. My 1st harvest dried in there was crispy in 3 days. Had to jar them up for 24 hours and then back in the hanging baskets but with the fan off for most of the time. Bugger all taste/flavour to it but it works.

[Sir Digby Chicken Caesar]

There was also an 8" rvk and filter at ceiling height for odour control. No ducting, they were taped together as an air scrubber.

There's plenty of things worse than a bit of bud rot. 17.5 oz of nice bud + 0.5 oz of mould is better than 18 oz of bud you don't enjoy smoking.

They dry quicker if trimmed wet, might be too quick for you. Some use brown paper bags to stop them drying out too fast.

I haven't heard of pulling on the sugar leaves. If and when I encounter mould again, I'll test sugar leaves on all colas including the infected one to see what the difference is. Mould looks unlikely in my 7 sft cupboard, the 8" rvk is ott with airflow even slowed down to 40%. Probably 3 or 4 exchanges of air per minute. My 1st harvest dried in there was crispy in 3 days. Had to jar them up for 24 hours and then back in the hanging baskets but with the fan off for most of the time. Bugger all taste/flavour to it but it works.

Appreciate the insight, Farmer.
I remember reading some of your posts on mold losses vs grow cost. Put things in perspective.

I'll try to find that post about the sugar leaf. I'm 80% sure it was by Face.

As an aside:

Ran the MH tests.
This MH heats the tent about 2 degrees hotter than the HPS. No biggie.
Also, the humidifier run outside the tent can get the room up to 60%; started with room RH of ~35%. However, it just wont filter in and build up in the tent, so humidifier will likely stay in the tent atleast for veg.

Probably gonna swap the 100 micron filters for 180 as well. Need to re-read up on that.

[Farmer Geddon]

Back in the stone age (stoned age?) the best filter was panty hose. (aka tights/stockings in the UK.)

[Sir Digby Chicken Caesar]

Right on. Ingenuity.

I think 200 micron screen should work for spider mites,
if the smallest of them are in fact around .3 mm.
Not 100% security, but why make it easy for 'em.

[Sir Digby Chicken Caesar]

.

Was going through my notes/caps and found this.



It's not the exact post I'm remembering, had a better close-up pic, but along the same lines.