Bluter's Happy Home For Hilarious Hempsters

[InTheShed]

what if I put 2" of perlite in the bottom of a 1G cloth pot of coco, then stood it in a 2" tray of water - would that work like a hempy/sip or what?

@InTheShed is running one right now.

I run FFHF over perlite in a bucket so the res is self-contained. With the number of roots I get in the perlite the bottom 12" of the pot is more like a tall hempy res.

I've only seen one bottom-watered coco grow (VetSmoke85) and it did not go well. He ended up having to top water to bring it to harvest.

 

[Roy Growin]

I run FFHF over perlite in a bucket so the res is self-contained. With the number of roots I get in the perlite the bottom 12" of the pot is more like a tall hempy res.

I've only seen one bottom-watered coco grow (VetSmoke85) and it did not go well. He ended up having to top water to bring it to harvest.

Vet is on his first coco run - are you sure he's trying water from bottom?
Not doubting you, but I don't remember him saying anything about that Shed
Most of my grows are bottom watered coco/perlite

 

[InTheShed]

Vet is on his first coco run - are you sure he's trying water from bottom?
Not doubting you, but I don't remember him saying anything about that Shed

He was running autopots as I recall, and he talks about his troubles here. I'm not saying it can't be done, just that I haven't seen it!

Most of my grows are bottom watered coco/perlite

If you're already running bottom-watered coco/perlite then I'm not sure I understand your questions to bluter. Is it just about adding 2" of perlite to what you're already doing?

 

[Roy Growin]

He was running autopots as I recall, and he talks about his troubles here. I'm not saying it can't be done, just that I haven't seen it!

If you're already running bottom-watered coco/perlite then I'm not sure I understand your questions to bluter. Is it just about adding 2" of perlite to what you're already doing?

This is what I am not understanding - what's the difference between sip/swick/hempy to just watering from the bottom?
It's all just using capillary by any other name, the bud still smells as sweet [sorry William]

 

[Wastei]

pretty sure what i am getting is a different issue. i'm using the original one part. the 2-part formula is the one that would cloud up, the single nute gets actual particulate like sand.

there were a number of folk here trying to get answers over the original one-part with no real answer. when green leaf tweaked the original one-part the first time they dropped all communication with everyone. they've actually gone over the one-part again since then.

the two issues were described differently.


edit : we probably got a different formulation. edta is banned in canada.

EDTA is banned in EU to. I get exactly the same sediment with the one part and 2 part formula and I have 3 different batches. It dissolves better if you mix it with warm water. I've sorted all the issues you've listed and posted possible solutions many times on here already. I've had extensive communication with Greenleaf years ago to get answers and sort these issues when I switched from running Dyna Gro which is pH stable like a rock!

MC one part.

They've changed formula so many times at this point but it does'nt really matter when your primary job as a grower is to understand what the nutrients mix actually contains and how the ingredients affects the medium? You have to run longer monitoring tests for days to check and get proper data regarding pH stability.

Cheers!

 

[InTheShed]

This is what I am not understanding - what's the difference between sip/swick/hempy to just watering from the bottom?
It's all just using capillary by any other name, the bud still smells as sweet [sorry William]

There are more things in roots and water than are dreamt of in my philosophy (sorry William)! As I mentioned, I don't see coco used in SIPs or SWICKs, but the difference is between your method and a SIP/SWICK/hempy would be air. In all three of those most of the roots are not sitting in water as they would be without an air gap. That is supposed to be the difference between root rot and not.

This may not apply to coco as it doesn't retain moisture like soil does. Does it provide as much capillary action as soil?

 

[Braddah Waiheesohai]

Hot water from my tap is from my well and is loaded with minerals. Some would say it's unusable with a ppm of ~500 but my plants don't mind at all and I've never had to add Cal/Mag and for the last two (?) grows no ph down

Hauling city water got old, in a hurry

Why ? Doesn't get any easier than turning on the tap !

Perhaps the reason I don't have any issues dissolving it is because from the start of using MC I was concerned about getting the correct ratio of powder to balls. I purchased an inexpensive coffee mill grinder and run the MC through that....

Living out of town most of my shopping is done on line, then go to town to pick it up.

Will check out the dollar store but the 5 gallon buckets have been purchased !

And I have plenty of styro

I'm quite happy with four legal plants per grow !


I think too big is a non issue. With each grow I've been getting more aggressive with training.

I (mostly) control the size of the plant.

Top above the fifth node, cut off the first and sometimes second nodes.

Train sideways until ~ 20" wide and flip shortly after. My tallest Sativa was just under 3 feet.

As to space, my 4' high enclosure can be expanded to 5' x 5' or larger, in a 10' x 10' x 8' high room.

I feel my "space" constraint is the efficient spread of light from my 42" parabolic reflector. At 5' wide that gives me 30" x 30" per plant and I turn them every day or so....

Cheers

I ran 4 in a 4x4 in 5 gallons: here

 

[Roy Growin]

There are more things in roots and water than are dreamt of in my philosophy (sorry William)! As I mentioned, I don't see coco used in SIPs or SWICKs, but the difference is between your method and a SIP/SWICK/hempy would be air. In all three of those most of the roots are not sitting in water as they would be without an air gap. That is supposed to be the difference between root rot and not.

This may not apply to coco as it doesn't retain moisture like soil does. Does it provide as much capillary action as soil?

Yes, the capillary action of coco is superior to any other medium afaik
If I stand a dry pot in 2" of water, the surface will become damp in 10 minutes in a 5L pot
If I over water it simply drains out because it is a loose medium and therefore full of air
This is why I don't see the difference

 

[InTheShed]

Yes, the capillary action of coco is superior to any other medium afaik
If I stand a dry pot in 2" of water, the surface will become damp in 10 minutes in a 5L pot

Oh thanks!

If I over water it simply drains out because it is a loose medium and therefore full of air
This is why I don't see the difference

It will drain out if it's not sitting in water. If it is sitting in water (without the airgap) won't you get rootrot in coco as well? I always heard coco as drain to waste rather than drain to sit in the tray!

 

[Roy Growin]

Oh thanks!

It will drain out if it's not sitting in water. If it is sitting in water (without the airgap) won't you get rootrot in coco as well? I always heard coco as drain to waste rather than drain to sit in the tray!

There is no need to drain to waste, it's a, well, it's a waste
I water from the bottom, just enough so the coco soaks it all up and you know if they need less/more
Sorry for the hijak bluter

 

[Melville Hobbes]

EDTA is banned in EU to. I get exactly the same sediment with the one part and 2 part formula and I have 3 different batches. It dissolves better if you mix it with warm water. I've sorted all the issues you've listed and posted possible solutions many times on here already. I've had extensive communication with Greenleaf years ago to get answers and sort these issues when I switched from running Dyna Gro which is pH stable like a rock!

MC one part.

They've changed formula so many times at this point but it does'nt really matter when your primary job as a grower is to understand what the nutrients mix actually contains and how the ingredients affects the medium? You have to run longer monitoring tests for days to check and get proper data regarding pH stability.

Cheers!

Neither of my batches of MC one part look like that.
One looks like this...

and the other looks the same, just with little balls about 1 to 2mm across.
The pic is version 3, and the one with the balls is version 2.
It's gotten a little clumpy as I've been using it, otherwise it's the texture of beach sand.

 

[KeithLemon]

I ran 4 in a 4x4 in 5 gallons: here

Very nice!

 

[bluter]

EDTA is banned in EU to. I get exactly the same sediment with the one part and 2 part formula and I have 3 different batches. It dissolves better if you mix it with warm water.

i used to premix with hot water warmed in the mic. after a while it stopped reducing the sediment so i gave it up and mix ahead. it dissolves better with time.

i'm running probably the earliest version. or maybe ruining lol...

i've noticed it will dissolve near complete if left for 12 or more hrs on it's own, and then adding calmag. it won't dissolve complete without the extra calmag, and there is usually a tiny bit of sediment left even with it.

it's something i've been meaning to ask you about actually.

I've sorted all the issues you've listed and posted possible solutions many times on here already.

shoulda been here when we had the massive MC thread going. got so big it got shut. most of the issues were recorded and solved back then.

I've had extensive communication with Greenleaf years ago to get answers and sort these issues when I switched from running Dyna Gro which is pH stable like a rock!

what makes you think MC isn't stable with ph?

it's literally the only problem i've never seen on it. hempy is sensitive to ph. MC has been rock solid the entire time i've run it in that regard.

loads of folk still don't bother to ph with MC in multiple media types. i do still ph though as it's old habit from active hydro.

They've changed formula so many times at this point but it does'nt really matter when your primary job as a grower is to understand what the nutrients mix actually contains and how the ingredients affects the medium?

i've gone back to monitoring ec on it. normally i feed by weight, but my ec numbers had me concerned on this run. i'm sure the stuff is just aging.

You have to run longer monitoring tests for days to check and get proper data regarding pH stability.

never run across anyone on the board who has trouble with ph in MC. how long has it been a problem for you ?

Neither of my batches of MC one part look like that.
One looks like this...

mine doesn't look much like either lol

 

[bluter]

this is the nute i'm dealing with this year.

goes by the stage name chunky MC ..
earlier in the year i used a blender to break it up.


gals keep rocketing up.

the smaller one has made it to the height of the timers now. i'm probably giving them more head room next feeding.
everyone has a good healthy green going up top.

they continue eating some of the lowers still.

it's not threatening anything higher up where the plant is building bud, but i'm still keeping a close watch.

i fed by EC this time. last feed was 10.5g MC in 10L RO with 6ml calmag and .25g BE to balance against the extra calmag. i was shooting for an EC between 1.5 - 1.55, wound up at 1.47, and left it there. if the plants look to cannibalize themselves i'll revert back to feeding by weight only.

i rolled the MC back from 11g as i wanted to add in a little calmag. it's hard to notice but i am just beginning to see the start of a pk ask. i'm making the base mix and amending it on the day i feed.

plants are concentrating everything up top. i may have to thin the interior out a little bit for circulation, and to force more building on the main stalks.

at present i'm probably just riding it as it is though. i won't lean heavier into the mix or the BE until the bud sites are a little more developed.

 

[Danishoes21]

I enjoy a good grow, ship is tight bro. don't see the hiccups and I'm starting to understand how you run hempys

 

[bluter]

I enjoy a good grow, ship is tight bro. don't see the hiccups and I'm starting to understand how you run hempys

it's quick when it gets going.

 

[Chuckeye]

this is the nute i'm dealing with this year.

goes by the stage name chunky MC ..
earlier in the year i used a blender to break it up.

Coffee burr grinder

The kind with a spinning blade do not work.....

Cheers

 

[bluter]

Coffee burr grinder

The kind with a spinning blade do not work.....

i got a black and decker blender that chops wood lol

 

[TwelveCoffee]

i got a black and decker blender that chops wood lol

Let’s see you do it with a angle grinder

 

[bluter]

Let’s see you do it with a angle grinder

i got one of them too if it comes to it. i love air tools