Good catch on the cal/mag def. coming on!
Bruce Banner Marries A Watermelon - SIP Grow
- Thread starter Ke0ncp
- Start date
Something to keep in mind (especially since you're already well above the MC numbers I use for flower) is that high levels of potassium can lock out calcium.
JiggiLotus
Well-Known Member
Looks like my ADHD route throughout the day lolSomething to keep in mind (especially since you're already well above the MC numbers I use for flower) is that high levels of potassium can lock out calcium.
- Thread starter
- #124
Good heads up there. I will have to do some reading on that.
Last thing I want to do is to push to far / over complicate the grow.
I’m going to keep an eye on it and maybe ease back down to the 4.5-5g/gal of MC and just add in the cal/mag.
That chart makes my head hurt though hahaha. I will have to read about that.
Last thing I want to do is to push to far / over complicate the grow.
I’m going to keep an eye on it and maybe ease back down to the 4.5-5g/gal of MC and just add in the cal/mag.
That chart makes my head hurt though hahaha. I will have to read about that.
- Thread starter
- #125
Day 26 and Day 16 of veg:
Seems like they are doing ok. Noticing some yellowing / spotting but nothing major. Will watch and see if the addition of the cal/mag stops it on the new growth.
I premixed tomorrow’s feeding today and backed the MC down to 4.5g/gal and a full dose of cal/mag which brings the water to 759ppm. So right in the middle of the recommended zone. Will probably ride that wave for a while provided it seems effective
Seems like they are doing ok. Noticing some yellowing / spotting but nothing major. Will watch and see if the addition of the cal/mag stops it on the new growth.
I premixed tomorrow’s feeding today and backed the MC down to 4.5g/gal and a full dose of cal/mag which brings the water to 759ppm. So right in the middle of the recommended zone. Will probably ride that wave for a while provided it seems effective
They're looking nice!
Did you start adding calmag because you saw either deficiency? As I recall most of the newer versions of MC have plenty of Ca in them, and as you can see in that chart, excess Ca can lock out Mg.
Is that Greenleaf's ppm zone you're referring to? Remember that total ppm doesn't tell you anything about what makes up those ppm!
- Thread starter
- #127
Yeah I was noticing what looked like a cal/mag def.
The ppm zone I was talking about was from doing some reading on the web. But there is a good chance I am not fully understanding what makes up the ppm then as I was assuming was water ppm + additions to get to 700 - 800 ppm during veg.
The original instructions for MC were to bump the amount by .25 or .5 grams/gallon if you saw any deficiency rather than add another product. And I never get over 4.5g/gal in veg, which can last 100 days.
And I don't recommend using other folks ppm numbers unless you're using their nutes at the same ratios under similar conditions.
Wastei
Well-Known Member
I've always struggled with low pH with MC without adding any buffers like potassium silicate and/or bicarbonate and I think this might be the culprit. It all depends on the water source and what's already in it.
Soil doesn't need any pH adjustment to the input water. The pH of the soil determines the plant's health, not the pH of the water.
Wastei
Well-Known Member
That's very broad speaking without any data to work with? I think one doesn't have to exclude the other? Without any soil tests it sounds like you're only shooting in the dark?
How do you even define soil? Is it only real compost and super soils without any inerts, outdoor indoor? I think you should read, follow and treat for plant symptoms, not blindly following set rules.
Soil buffers pH. It's not a set rule, it's a scientific fact. Within 60 minutes the pH of your water will be the pH of the soil. It's why the two methods of pH testing soil (slurry and pour-through) are the industry standard for finding out if your soil pH is correct, whether in a field or in pots as small as plant flats at the nursery.
If your soil pH is off, it needs to be corrected, and that's not done by raising or lowering the pH of the water. It's done by acidifying or basifying the soil.
Wastei
Well-Known Member
Yes soil buffers pH, you should read up on what's in said soil and that's the point I try to put forward. You can't say soil buffers pH without knowing what's in it. Is it naturally very acidic or alkaline? Soil is a very broad term and to treat local problems you may have to include things like gypsum and lime to make native soil feasible for growing Cannabis.
Yeah sure "soil buffers pH", your job is to know where that is and if that's the optimal and how and if you need to treat it with amendments. How do you think super soils keep pH stable if not from their inputs? Mykos have no brain thinking like, guys we need to reach pH 6.5.
If you want to discuss soil science that's different conversation for a different thread. But raising or lowering the pH of your water will not fix soil that is not in the correct pH range for cannabis (~6.3-6.8). And the pH of Ke0ncp's MC water has no effect on the health of his plants. There is no need for him to change the pH of his MC solution.
Testing soil pH can done to determine if there is a pH problem. If there is, you need to correct it by either making the soil more acidic or more basic. That is not done by changing the pH of the water you use to water your plants with.
- Thread starter
- #135
Day 27 and Day 17 of veg:
They are drinking a lot! Filled their reservoirs this morning and then had to make another gallon of water for them this afternoon. Stuck to 4.5g/gal and no Bushdoctor. They are looking pretty good at the moment. A little oddly shaped and some funny shaped leaves but that’s not going to make a lick of difference on the quality of the bud
Not long until flip now. I think I’m going to stick with the March 1st flip date as that watermelon is already looking to be a bit big.
They are drinking a lot! Filled their reservoirs this morning and then had to make another gallon of water for them this afternoon. Stuck to 4.5g/gal and no Bushdoctor. They are looking pretty good at the moment. A little oddly shaped and some funny shaped leaves but that’s not going to make a lick of difference on the quality of the bud
Not long until flip now. I think I’m going to stick with the March 1st flip date as that watermelon is already looking to be a bit big.
Always a great sign when they're sucking up the water!
- Thread starter
- #137
Day 28 and Day 18 of veg
Still SIP’n… don’t have to feed them today but most certainly will first thing in the am. No new signs of any deficiency, or not that I can tell at least. Everyone seems pretty happy and growing.
Haven’t really been successful at leveling the canopy between the 3 plants. I might stick the watermelon back in the corner as best I can and just turn it everyday, which I already turn all of them daily anyway.
Just a few more days until flip.
Still SIP’n… don’t have to feed them today but most certainly will first thing in the am. No new signs of any deficiency, or not that I can tell at least. Everyone seems pretty happy and growing.
Haven’t really been successful at leveling the canopy between the 3 plants. I might stick the watermelon back in the corner as best I can and just turn it everyday, which I already turn all of them daily anyway.
Just a few more days until flip.
Don't forget you can use risers for leveling the canopy as well!
- Thread starter
- #139
We’ll shit…….. that thought never even crossed my mind!! I’m going to to that right now!!
- Thread starter
- #140
Day 30 and Day 20 of veg:
Ok here we are at day 30! I’m still thinking tomorrow is flip day.
Fed them again this morning but did not fill the reservoirs. Going to make them work a little to get their water as by the end of the day the leaves are full and droopy. They are about as perky as they get in the photos below.
My controller finally came in and it was pretty fun to set that up and watch. I can see pretty big swings in VPD when the humidity drops, so I ordered a humidifier with a larger basin so that I can last 24 hours or more.
Also time to replace the carbon in the filters as they are no longer as effective in keeping aroma down haha.
Edit: I forgot to mention I raised the banner a bit to match the canopy height of the WG. This weekend I will work out getting them all to the same canopy level.
Ok here we are at day 30! I’m still thinking tomorrow is flip day.
Fed them again this morning but did not fill the reservoirs. Going to make them work a little to get their water as by the end of the day the leaves are full and droopy. They are about as perky as they get in the photos below.
My controller finally came in and it was pretty fun to set that up and watch. I can see pretty big swings in VPD when the humidity drops, so I ordered a humidifier with a larger basin so that I can last 24 hours or more.
Also time to replace the carbon in the filters as they are no longer as effective in keeping aroma down haha.
Edit: I forgot to mention I raised the banner a bit to match the canopy height of the WG. This weekend I will work out getting them all to the same canopy level.