Bluter's Happy Home For Hilarious Hempsters

[Mr. Krip]

active hydro is anything requiring mechanical components to move feed / water, whether recirc or drain to waste

Exactly, think pumps, bubblers & sprayers.

Passive hydro relies on the capillary action of the medium and the roots to deliver the nutrients to the plants. The hempy bucket has a hole in the side about 1"-2" up from the bottom which creates a very small "res" that filled with the perlite (and/or coco, vermiculite, etc.). Once the roots hit the res in the hempy, the plant thinks it found some natural underground spring and the growth is crazy.

I grew hempy exclusively when I was running a SOG in 2L soda bottles and I've done a few in larger hempy buckets. I've also done quite a bit of DWC, which is where I started. They're both forms of hydro, but very different in terms of the need to maintain a res.

These days, I'm all organic in soil but all of those methods, and others, can produce great meds!

 

[Wastei]

active hydro is anything requiring mechanical components to move feed / water, whether recirc or drain to waste.

the coco grow with the spaghetti lines would be considered active.

edit : i ran mostly recirc and active from early 80's through mid 90's, and switched to an hp promix / sunshine #4 soil type for the next 20yrs.

If you're been at it for that long its seems a little odd that you seem to have missed out on the different buffering and cation exchange agents in hydro and how they're supposed to be used?

The drawback to running hempy or coco is it ties you to the grow. i'm leaving for shows tonight which means my pops will have to feed the plants once while i'm gone, and maybe mix the next feed. i just hand him the recipe.

You mean you don't have any pumps, line feeds or timers hanging around after running hydro for 40+ years?

Cheers!

 

[NickHardy]

A bit of a left-field question maybe,

@bkuter you must have grown HPS and CMH double ended eith your longevity growing?

I just bought a couple of 1000w HPS full kits and a pair of CMH 315 (Minimum order was 2x) but cost me like a mid range 450w LED. $490.

My old school farmers gave me a hardocre dreasing down on every facet of our growing (even as they smoked my weed at & Co’s birthday)

50 years experience between the two.

Tomd me I have to grow HPS once at keast.

So I am.

You mist have? Any advice?

Nick

 

[Mr. Krip]

A bit of a left-field question maybe,

@bkuter you must have grown HPS and CMH double ended eith your longevity growing?

I just bought a couple of 1000w HPS full kits and a pair of CMH 315 (Minimum order was 2x) but cost me like a mid range 450w LED. $490.

My old school farmers gave me a hardocre dreasing down on every facet of our growing (even as they smoked my weed at & Co’s birthday)

50 years experience between the two.

Tomd me I have to grow HPS once at keast.

So I am.

You mist have? Any advice?

Nick

Yeah, get some extra bulbs and a larger exhaust fan!

I'm not, in any way, trashing HPS. You'll flower some great meds with HPS but it does run hot and the bulbs do burn out from time-to-time (and can be expensive to replace!).

 

[Chuckeye]

Interesting discussion folks, thanks !

I'm contemplating trying hempy on my next grow (which is imminent)

Three x 4 gallon pails.

First pail all perlite.

Second pail, perlite bottom filled with roughly half and half perlite and ProMix HP.

Third pail, perlite bottom filled with roughly half and half perlite and coco coir.

Fourth bag, 5 gallon fabric bag with my usual ProMix HP.

Thoughts ?

Cheers

 

[NickHardy]

Yeah, get some extra bulbs and a larger exhaust fan!

I'm not, in any way, trashing HPS. You'll flower some great meds with HPS but it does run hot and the bulbs do burn out from time-to-time (and can be expensive to replace!).

Totally. But for one grow (18 solo pots for fun) its meant to be about the learning.

I could have paid $500 on one average LED.

Ended up with 4 lights. - enough to do two 4x4’s - its not the main grow. Just a fun project to learn. See what I learn!

I have a couple of spare 6” inlines plus rhe one already in there and a manifold running direct from a Split AC with two 6” pipes. To go high and recycle air flow whilst circulating air because lacing them with C02

Nick

 

[Mr. Krip]

Totally. But for one grow (18 solo pots for fun) its meant to be about the learning.

I could have paid $500 on one average LED.

Ended up with 4 lights. - enough to do two 4x4’s - its not the main grow. Just a fun project to learn. See what I learn!

Nick

Like I said, I'm not trashing HPS. It's probably the best light to be flowering with. Much better penetration into the canopy than LED's (so, keep 'em raised higher to avoid stress). They're just more expensive to run and can be tougher to control temps due to the heat output. You won't be disappointed in terms of bud quality!

 

[NickHardy]

Just excited to try and yep but a passion project. What you say is what they say.

Try it once eh?

Nick

 

[Mr. Krip]

Ended up with 4 lights. - enough to do two 4x4’s

BTW, one 600W HPS is enough for a 4'x4' tent. You're well suited with 1 KW in a 4'x4' so you have enough for four tents, or two tents with a spare for each!

 

[NickHardy]

The old schools wanted me to have two 600w and a 315 CMH in a 4x4

I think 1x HPS 1000W and 1x 315 probably covers it!

They’re only solos

 

[bluter]

If you're been at it for that long its seems a little odd that you seem to have missed out on the different buffering and cation exchange agents in hydro and how they're supposed to be used?

know all about it. it's not relevant to this method. it's all in balance due to the short feed cycles.

You mean you don't have any pumps, line feeds or timers hanging around after running hydro for 40+ years?

i gave them all away. i went for simplicity and a very direct method. all that gear gets cumbersome after moving as many times as i have.

Interesting discussion folks, thanks !

I'm contemplating trying hempy on my next grow (which is imminent)

Three x 4 gallon pails.

First pail all perlite.

4 gallon is massive for a hempy. unless you go outdoor. you probably won't have the space to accommodate that indoor.

Second pail, perlite bottom filled with roughly half and half perlite and ProMix HP.

overly complicated and will have probably have issues. it won't stay separated. if you wanna go with promix do a sips.

I could have paid $500 on one average LED.

Ended up with 4 lights. - enough to do two 4x4’s - its not the main grow. Just a fun project to learn. See what I learn!

your hid will cost more in power over one grow than i spent on the lights i built in total. not to mention i'll be saving that plus for every subsequent grow.

The old schools wanted me to have two 600w and a 315 CMH in a 4x4

I think 1x HPS 1000W and 1x 315 probably covers it!

They’re only solos

two 600's are greater than the sum of their parts. it will produce better and chew less power cost than the 1000 and 315.

it's a dying tech. the bulbs are soon to be discontinued. there's only one shop now who has them local. if you're getting your lights from a local shop, i know why they are keen on dumping them on you.

 

[Danishoes21]

Great information thanks for sharing.

 

[Chuckeye]

4 gallon is massive for a hempy. unless you go outdoor. you probably won't have the space to accommodate that indoor.

Massive ? I'm currently using four 5 gallon fabric bags in a roughly 5' x 5' x 8' high area...

Are the plants going to be that much bigger in hempy ?

overly complicated and will have probably have issues. it won't stay separated.

How is it going to separate ? The medium is packed into the bucket and bottom fed

I was thinking the addition of ProMix HP would help both with wicking action, moisture retention and possibly more roots higher up the pail ?

And still allow me to get away without phing my well water....

Never used just perlite before and have some misgivings...

if you wanna go with promix do a sips.

Great idea, thanks for the push !

That was down the road but not now, he, he...

Sorry to disappoint the DIY'ers out there but Lee Valley has the 3 pc GroBucket inserts for $50.

Three pails for $15 and done !

I live on an acreage and driving to town and sourcing all the materials in small enough quantities to make (up to) four SIP's just isn't worth the hassle to me....

Cheers

 

[bluter]

Massive ? I'm currently using four 5 gallon fabric bags in a roughly 5' x 5' x 8' high area...

the basic size for a hempy is 2L. my large buckets are 5L. 1L in hempy = 1gal soil in production.

How is it going to separate ? The medium is packed into the bucket and bottom fed

hempy is top feed. and it's piles looser than you are thinking. what you are describing is a basic sips recipe. it will work in that set up.

others have tried coco and coco/promix in a hempy approach. it can work, but not as simple, easy, or successful generally than a straight perlite hempy.

I was thinking the addition of ProMix HP would help both with wicking action, moisture retention and possibly more roots higher up the pail ?

perlite wicks better than promix, that's why it is used as the air gap material in sips.

And still allow me to get away without phing my well water....

ph will matter in sips over the long term. a buffered media like promix helps. i follow ph in hempy as it runs on hydro rules.

Never used just perlite before and have some misgivings...

it's a little weird at first.

Sorry to disappoint the DIY'ers out there but Lee Valley has the 3 pc GroBucket inserts for $50.

one advantage to hempy is it's simply a bucket and a hole lol
the dollar store is your friend.

 

[Chuckeye]

the basic size for a hempy is 2L. my large buckets are 5L. 1L in hempy = 1gal soil in production.

Geez, that's only a little bigger than my watering can

How about a 8L pail ?

Am I going to be able to grow 3' - 4' plants in that small of a container ? Must be watering twice a day ?

hempy is top feed. and it's piles looser than you are thinking. what you are describing is a basic sips recipe. it will work in that set up.

I misspoke but I may be confusing hempy with SIP.

The plan was to cover the top of the perlite with landscape fabric and small stones to control perlite's tendency to "float" !

others have tried coco and coco/promix in a hempy approach. it can work, but not as simple, easy, or successful generally than a straight perlite hempy.

Except for the size of the pail perhaps ? Larger pail would allow for additions ?

perlite wicks better than promix, that's why it is used as the air gap material in sips.

Gotcha ! Backwards from what I assumed !

ph will matter in sips over the long term. a buffered media like promix helps. i follow ph in hempy as it runs on hydro rules.

I could go back to using my acid, if I have to, I guess

Planned on using MC or GH Maxi series....

it's a little weird at first.

Not that dissimilar than fabric bags, you're still watering to waste, eh ?

one advantage to hempy is it's simply a bucket and a hole lol
the dollar store is your friend.

Hay, you're talking to a big spender here, new buckets are $4
Thanks so much @bluter !

Cheers

 

[NickHardy]

Hay, you're talking to a big spender here, new buckets are $4
Thanks so much @bluter !

Nick

 

[bluter]

How about a 8L pail ?

Am I going to be able to grow 3' - 4' plants in that small of a container ?

normally stick to one bucket per plant for hempy. you can do larger planters, i built a sips style outdoor garden with large totes, and i have seen large tote hempys.

the trouble with multiple plants in one container revolves around having to deal with a problem plant - there is always one, or having a plant that struggles and brings the others down with a pest or disease etc.

a few growers have done outdoor hempy's in totes, generally only 1 plant though, as you'll wind up with 8 - 10 footers that will need the whole tote for root room.

Must be watering twice a day ?

i've never fed a hempy more than once a day. some of the larger indoor and the outdoor tote size will require multiple feedings in flower.

hempy is one of the few systems you can water / feed on a set schedule. i run a 3 - 2 - 1 schedule moving from seedling through flower.

I misspoke but I may be confusing hempy with SIP.

the two are very similar. sips is essentially a dirt hempy.

both carry a small bottom fed res, but hempy doesn't need the baskets at the bottom of the grow pot or feeding tube to work, and the air gap happens naturally.

The plan was to cover the top of the perlite with landscape fabric and small stones to control perlite's tendency to "float" !

it's more the soil will wash down to the res in a top water approach.

Except for the size of the pail perhaps ? Larger pail would allow for additions ?

hempy works the exact same no matter the size of container.

Planned on using MC or GH Maxi series....

i run MC. you'd be surprised how many hempy growers do. the nute is pretty well built for it, and there is not a simpler / cheaper system anywhere.

Not that dissimilar than fabric bags, you're still watering to waste, eh ?

sips, hempy, and coco are all drain to waste passive hydro styles.

Hay, you're talking to a big spender here, new buckets are $4

lol

 

[Chuckeye]

normally stick to one bucket per plant for hempy. you can do larger planters, i built a sips style outdoor garden with large totes, and i have seen large tote hempys.

the trouble with multiple plants in one container revolves around having to deal with a problem plant - there is always one, or having a plant that struggles and brings the others down with a pest or disease etc.

a few growers have done outdoor hempy's in totes, generally only 1 plant though, as you'll wind up with 8 - 10 footers that will need the whole tote for root room.

To be clear, I meant one plant three to four feet high (with topping and training) per pot !

What is not clear is how big a pot ? Is 5 gallons excessive ?

Thanks for taking the time @bluter !

Cheers

 

[Azimuth]

Is 5 gallons excessive ?

For a Hempy? Lol. Outdoors? No. Anywhere else? Probably.

 

[Chuckeye]

For a Hempy? Lol. Outdoors? No. Anywhere else? Probably.

Indoors, ~ 5' x 5' x 8' high enclosure, 600w MH/HPS !

Cheers