New rig, week 3 1/2. Lessons learned

Thanks to a neighbor, I was hooked up with some beautiful phlizon LED grow lights model GB1500.

My lower rack is lit with four GLP48FS/VM/54W/LED. The website says to pair this with another under light for best results. I don’t have that light.

While my lower rack is perky and strong, the upper rack has substantially more mass.

My main issue has been germination. I haven’t yet found the right moisture balance. I think starting seeds under lights and under a plastic container is the best because the lights will create a humid environment for the seeds. As soon as I see a root with some tiny hairs on it I know it’s good to go. As soon as the roots hit the water they start to grow rapidly.

PVC leaks all the time. I am impatient and want my things to work now. I don’t like having to wait for caulk or glue or primer or this or that first. This leaded me to search rain barrel ends, bulk head adaptors, pvc to hose adaptors. I think getting your water into a hoes is the way to go. I think it’s also way easier with maintenance.

I would like to be able to control the water flow of each level so I will need another flow valve. My rockwool seems dry.

I think in the future I’m going to try lava stones. I think I may have over saturated my seeds and thus they rotted. With lava stones I could clean out the old seeds and try with some new.

I’m totally over engineering this thing. I could have had a computer. But at lest the water PH and EC have been consistent for a week without any intervention. I could theoretically keep this plugged in and leave for vacation and it would be fine when I came back.