Re: 2014 HeavyWeights Duke it out for the Silver Coin with Rock Nutrients
Hey look! A thread with 2 of my favorite growers!
Better late than never. This will be a fun one to watch.
I understand the GH clone had a head start, but ROCK needs to keep up, and it's not keeping up. I also understand that a one - one "side by side" is not as accurate as if I were to have 4 of each. But this is redic. GH is obviously kicking Rock's ass. Wait... is GH a sponsor here?
I keep wanting to try something besides my trusty GH FLora, but then I see this and ask myself why?
would even love a pic of your current set up s1ing. If you have one without plants in it, that would be amazing to be able to get a good idea of how its all set up
"Excuse me, can you please move all those damn plants so I can see your room!"
A fellow setup/gear geek. I always feel weird asking for pics without plants.
Fri. nights were for street racing and hanging out with your girl lol
Friday is "Date Night". Married 13 years as of 9/25
I'd like to test an idea: A day or two before its time to change out the reservoir, add the tea right to it. Im pretty sure the problem would be how many of the microbes (if not all of them) would be killed by the high concentrations of synthetics.
Good info here, LN and thanks for the post. The way I understand it, is the synthetic nutrients are hard on the beneficial microbes, and that's why we keep adding the microbes weekly. Even in DWC, I have been able to bring back roots, from plants that had root rot so bad, the tap root looked like a stick, by using the tea. This is after all other remedies failed. Of course, in DWC, the microbes have no choice but to be submerged in the synthetic nutrients, constantly. So we know the beneficials do live ok in the salty nutrients. It's important to note, when I did that, I had my PPM at 300, not 800.
That said, it only makes sense, that pouring the beneficial tea at the base of the stalk, will give you the best chance at fully inoculating the root zone. Beneficials will find their way into the reservoir, at which time, will then get circulated around again. For me, I've discontinued using air stones in my reservoirs (for capn style growing) so I'm not sure if they could survive down there anyway.
For sling, and anyone else using air in the reservoir, you could literally "brew" your tea, right in the reservoir if you wanted to. If you did this, I would use a little less molasses. But this would probably only work in veg were PPM is low. Again, in flower where PPM is higher, this would be much more difficult.
EDIT: As ronnie points out below, brewing tea in your res can cause PH swings. Also adding too much tea will do the same thing.
Thanks ronnie!
I know all these posts are old, but hey I don't get around as often as I like anymore
My understand is the bennies die due to lack of food. In hydro, you have all available nutrients. In soil, the nutrients are in the composting materials, so the bacteria are feeding on that. That's why we add sugar to the tea brew. I think they die in hydro, not due to anything related to synthetic nutrients. I think they just starve. I have tried the heisenberg tea, but it did not work well for me. I'm growing cannabis, not bacteria!
Now, I use Dutch Masters Gold Zone specifically to kill all bacteria, beneficial or otherwise.
I like gen hydro the best, and closely behind that is Dutch master. I like being able to call GH and getting someone on the phone right now and asking questions.
I emailed "rock nutrients" when I started this journal, and they STILL have not responded to my email.
To answer your "estimate" question, I just posted a blog entry similar to this, which might help you:
CapnStyle - Cost breakdown for initial costs, and recurring costs - Blogs - 420 Magazine ®
If you're going with the general hydroponics and want to get started cheaply, get the "go box" to start, and then buy the quarts after this.
I second the GH recommendation. Used them in the 90's and they worked awesome. I'm very happy I'm using them again 20 years later.
ssshhhh, just between us until I can get the new journal up... I got changes going on in my basement. Soon, I'll have TWO identical, side by side, bucket systems, so I'll be able to do a valid test of GH against the competition.
I've always wanted to take the slab, cut it into thirds and make a giant block and grow right into it!
In the 90's I tried a run (maybe 2 since I seem to recall dealing with the roots more than once) with the big slabs in trays. It worked, but I think the roots do better in a more granular type of media. Your crutons are probably the ideal if you want use rockwool.
No crushing. If the branch isn't flexible enough to bend it without crushing or hurting it, then move further out, away from the main stem, until you get to a part where it flexes easier.
I've seen others work the branch, to the point of crushing it slightly, and then there is a little kink (supercrop). What that does, is make the branch stay bent, so it won't pop up again. By tying it down, we don't have to disturb the plant and we don't put it into heal mode.
What you been up to, Shaft? Haven't seen you in awhile.
I'm a "crusher" I think. I like your goal of not forcing the plant to spend energy building supercrop knuckles. I still do it a lot out of laziness. I like to make my bends low too, so when the stems get stiff/woody I just apply the stress slow and steady. Sometimes I will squeeze/crush a little, but I find I can just flex the stem back and forth (yes I bend it the opposite direction too to weaken the stem a little) a lot and get it to start yielding more. It's definitely something you develop a feel for with practice. I think Capn already has the feel, I am just a little more vigorous.
After I've tied a branch down, I find I can usually untie it after a couple days and the plant will not rebound very much.
Capn, I gotta give you props for your journal style. It's like you're trying to create some sort of instructional material. I won't be surprised to see this style of growing continue to get more popular just because of how well you help others trying to emulate your methods. :Namste:
Sl1ng my friend, I feel your pain about making time to visit the
family. We don't feel slighted when RL keeps you too busy.
Props to you both. Your plants look great!
BTW, was there some sort of shipping involved with Sl1ng getting that clone?
