DocBud's Next Medical Grow

[Doc Bud]

the plants are pretty healthy the one i was testing has a little nitrogen def i think but i did feed it with grow big 1/2 dose a few days ago and watered today just with water phd to around 6.5 and the run off was higher it does look better, i just wanted to dial in my water before i start flowering...but you say not to ph the water? r/o mixed with tap would be fine you think?

Sounds good...

The soil and nutes will buffer the pH really well as long as your TA is down around 60ish. The larger the container, the more buffering organic/inorganic matter.

As long as the TA is in range, there won't be a problem.

You could try hitting them with a light dose of Nitrogen before you flower. A pure amoniacal source of N would also lower your medium pH, as would some Ironite, or some other zinc/iron source.

But that may not be at all necessary, they'll probably be fine as long as you don't over-do the feeding.

Post some pics!

 

[wohlichen]

right on they are in 3 gal
i'll mix the r/o to bring the TA down and see how they like it
i'll see if i can post some pics down the line
and thanks again for the advice and journals to learn from

 

[Doc Bud]

I'm still awaiting one more strain to fill out the garden, but we've got some good things happening!
I am very happy with my soil blend! I've not given them any nutrients yet, no OC+, nothing. Just the soil.

The Pure Power plant has been topped twice and pruned twice and the plants are huge....I'll probably veg them out another 3 weeks, top them again, prune them, etc. I'm just waiting for the other plants and the new strain to catch up.

The Querkle is also growing really well.....very tight nodes, just starting to get adult looking leaves:

I'm surprised at how hot a soil seedlings can take if you start them in it.

for those who were wondering what the wick looks like at the bottom of the pots:

 

[CliffMohr]

Hey Doc, love reading your journals. Quick question...I know I read it somewhere but can't find it now...what's the TA range for OC+? Thanks

 

[Doc Bud]

hey H&W! Thanks for stopping by!

The healthy range of total alkalinity is pretty much the same for every type of nutrient, exceptions being sources of nitrogen that are mostly ammonia and urea, which tend to acidify the medium. Most of the nutes growers use aren't formulated like that, and OC+ is balanced between nitrate and ammoniacal forms of N.

So, if you can keep the TA between 40 and 80 you should be fine. The larger the pot, the higher TA it can handle.

For example, if you're growing in soil and OC+ in 5 gallon pots, you could probably get away with watering with TA of like 140....as long as you did an RO flush every 2 weeks or so.

In smaller pots, that might be a challenge.

In either case, keeping the range down to about 60 is ideal....think rainwater.

 

[CliffMohr]

hey H&W! Thanks for stopping by!

The healthy range of total alkalinity is pretty much the same for every type of nutrient, exceptions being sources of nitrogen that are mostly ammonia and urea, which tend to acidify the medium. Most of the nutes growers use aren't formulated like that, and OC+ is balanced between nitrate and ammoniacal forms of N.

So, if you can keep the TA between 40 and 80 you should be fine. The larger the pot, the higher TA it can handle.

For example, if you're growing in soil and OC+ in 5 gallon pots, you could probably get away with watering with TA of like 140....as long as you did an RO flush every 2 weeks or so.

In smaller pots, that might be a challenge.

In either case, keeping the range down to about 60 is ideal....think rainwater.

Thanks Doc, This is what my city's water report says:

"Alkalinity (mg/L)
Alkalinity in water is primarily a measure of the carbonate and bicarbonate ions dissolved from minerals in the rock that the water passes over. In our water, at pH levels of 7-8, it is almost all bicarbonate ions. Bicarbonate is not a regulated parameter and is not a health concern. At high levels, alkalinity can combine with calcium hardness to produce deposits of calcium carbonate. Moderate levels of alkalinity help minimize corrosion (very low alkalinity water tend to be more corrosive)."

The report states that the Alkalinity runs around 130 mg/L as CaCO3. How would you go about lowering that or should I not worry about it since you stated that I can get away with as high as 140? I will end up growing in 5 gal buckets.

 

[CliffMohr]

Sorry Doc that I'm taking over your journal, but there is another value in the report that says:

"Hardness
Water hardness is the result of dissolved minerals, usually calcium and magnesium. The River picks up these minerals as it flows over limestone rock. The River water is moderately hard, about 165 milligrams of calcium carbonate per litre (165 mg/L) on average. There are no health effects associated with calcium and magnesium minerals so there are no drinking water guidelines established for hardness".

The "total hardness" value runs around 175 mg/L as CaCO3. Please offer some advice. Thanks

 

[Marley15]

How did I miss this journal for nearly 3 weeks?!

Doc, looking good as always. The Third Dimension sounds awesome, can't wait to see it grow up. Already tons of great discussion in here. Subbed for the long run!

 

[wohlichen]

Sorry Doc that I'm taking over your journal, but there is another value in the report that says:

"Hardness
Water hardness is the result of dissolved minerals, usually calcium and magnesium. The River picks up these minerals as it flows over limestone rock. The River water is moderately hard, about 165 milligrams of calcium carbonate per litre (165 mg/L) on average. There are no health effects associated with calcium and magnesium minerals so there are no drinking water guidelines established for hardness".

The "total hardness" value runs around 175 mg/L as CaCO3. Please offer some advice. Thanks

sounds like we have similar water i ended up getting 6 gal of r/o for 2.50 from a machine at a local grocery store when i added my nutes(1tsp grow big and 1tbl big bloom) my ph was just under 7 and runoff was pretty much the same

 

[Doc Bud]

Sorry Doc that I'm taking over your journal, but there is another value in the report that says:

"Hardness
Water hardness is the result of dissolved minerals, usually calcium and magnesium. The River picks up these minerals as it flows over limestone rock. The River water is moderately hard, about 165 milligrams of calcium carbonate per litre (165 mg/L) on average. There are no health effects associated with calcium and magnesium minerals so there are no drinking water guidelines established for hardness".

The "total hardness" value runs around 175 mg/L as CaCO3. Please offer some advice. Thanks

there are two ways to decrease total alkalinity:

1.)mix with RO....start with 50/50 and retest. Adjust the ratio till you get it in range.

2.)use pH down.

You can also use a combination of the two. the problem with using pH down is you may have to go very low.....pH of 4 even, to get the TA in spec. You're much better off mixing with RO.

175 is too high. You've got to dilute that! Half RO should get it close, but you've to test it!

A decent quality pool test kit will suffice.

 

[CliffMohr]

there are two ways to decrease total alkalinity:

1.)mix with RO....start with 50/50 and retest. Adjust the ratio till you get it in range.

2.)use pH down.

You can also use a combination of the two. the problem with using pH down is you may have to go very low.....pH of 4 even, to get the TA in spec. You're much better off mixing with RO.

175 is too high. You've got to dilute that! Half RO should get it close, but you've to test it!

A decent quality pool test kit will suffice.

Thanks Doc,

I'm looking at installing a water softener system for the house. I've been thinking about it for a while now because of all the mineral buildup in all fixtures and such so this gives me another incentive to do so. They run a few bucks but it's better than going to the grocery store all the time to buy RO water and mixing it.

 

[CliffMohr]

sounds like we have similar water i ended up getting 6 gal of r/o for 2.50 from a machine at a local grocery store when i added my nutes(1tsp grow big and 1tbl big bloom) my ph was just under 7 and runoff was pretty much the same

From what I understand...if your water is as bad as mine, you have to mix your tap water with RO water for EVERY watering and not only for when you feed. (I might be wrong here, but I think I understand now). The high levels of Mag and Ca will "lock out" other elements and your girls will not be able to absorb all the minerals and nutrients they need.
I might be mistaken so if anybody can confirm my conclusion, I would really appreciate that.

 

[wohlichen]

thats how understand it mix with r/o every watering
thats fine for what i'm doing but if you had a lot going on i could see why you wouldn't want to do that

and i wanted to say thanks again doc bud for helping me figure this stuff out

 

[Setting Sun]

I've always liked to save the best for last, never ate desert first, and that's how things turned out with the Jack Herer I sampled, which by yet another remarkable coincidence, is also one of the strains on your last grow.

Jack Herer smoke report:

This is *clearly* a connoisseur strain, and the amount of work that went into selective breeding and genetics is not something subtle.

The buds are huge and solid. Beautiful light green and very sparkly. They have a strong fruity/floral aroma, the flavor is also intensely floral and fruity. The smoke expands nicely and the finish is smooth and tasty.

The effect is powerful, cerebral, comes on quickly, and gives me an intense feeling of overall well-being. No racing heart or anxiety, just a pure warm cerebral glow.

It's interesting to contrast the effect to Pure Power Plant, another strain I've smoked with a fairly pure cerebral effect.

Both of these strains have no ceiling that I've managed to hit or been willing to explore further . The more hits you take, the higher you get.

The difference between JH and PPP, however, is sort of like the difference in going from 0-60 in a Vette vs a Ferrari.

They both slam you back in the seat and get you to 60 about as fast, but PPP slams you with V8 rudeness and crudeness, whereas JH with silk-ripping V12 smoothness and refinement.
]
This JH bud is just outstanding.

Whoever grew it knocked it out of the park

 

[Doc Bud]

I've always liked to save the best for last, never ate desert first, and that's how things turned out with the Jack Herer I sampled, which by yet another remarkable coincidence, is also one of the strains on your last grow.

Jack Herer smoke report:

This is *clearly* a connoisseur strain, and the amount of work that went into selective breeding and genetics is not something subtle.

The buds are huge and solid. Beautiful light green and very sparkly. They have a strong fruity/floral aroma, the flavor is also intensely floral and fruity. The smoke expands nicely and the finish is smooth and tasty.

The effect is powerful, cerebral, comes on quickly, and gives me an intense feeling of overall well-being. No racing heart or anxiety, just a pure warm cerebral glow.

It's interesting to contrast the effect to Pure Power Plant, another strain I've smoked with a fairly pure cerebral effect.

Both of these strains have no ceiling that I've managed to hit or been willing to explore further . The more hits you take, the higher you get.

The difference between JH and PPP, however, is sort of like the difference in going from 0-60 in a Vette vs a Ferrari.

They both slam you back in the seat and get you to 60 about as fast, but PPP slams you with V8 rudeness and crudeness, whereas JH with silk-ripping V12 smoothness and refinement.
]
This JH bud is just outstanding.

Whoever grew it knocked it out of the park

Great smoke report, SS!

Do you, by pure chance, happen to know how that Jack Herer was grown?

Mine was done in soil, with OC+ as the nutrient source, supplemented with compost tea, molasses, some micro nutes and Snowstorm Ultra.

Oh.....as you know I'm growing PPP this time around. I'm hoping to tune and balance that V8 you speak of with the organic blend. So far, so good. Quite a strong smell and we're still vegging....nothing other than dirt and "stuff," in the soil, as outlined earlier in this journal.

I'll get some pics tonite. Growth rate is stupid. I'm going to need Bushmaster on these girls, 'cuz I'm going to veg for 2 more weeks most likely. They've been topped twice and pruned twice.....5-7 main colas per plant.....I'm thinking about 5 oz per plant the way it looks now.

 

[Doc Bud]

garden update:

Here are a few pics of some projects:

1.) We're fabbing up some pvc pot holders that allow for staking and better drainage with the wicks

2.) here's the garbage can of dirt composting. It gets hot and it sweats. This soil goes in the lower half of the pots, with regular potting soil in the upper half. This particular batch is A roots organic base.....I made another batch that was 2:1 FFOF and FF Lightwarrior.

3.)And here are the plants. shot taken just as the lights came on. They perk up quite a bit after an hour or so.


I'll be watering with Compost Tea tomorrow, and a dose of micronutes. Hopefully, I'll have the 3rd. Dimension cuts on Thursday. I'd like to be in Bloom in 2 weeks, otherwise the PPP is going to be too large. But those plants are going to produce! I am going to estimate 5oz per plant on the PPP.

The Querkle will be smaller, of course, and I'm going to try to get them all purpled up.

 

[Dexter4Morgan]

wow nice work

 

[Setting Sun]

lots of good stuff Doc!

I'll catch up tonight, but I have to know if your perfectionist partner is using a micrometer to cut PVC, because that would even make me look normal, lmao

 

[Doc Bud]

lots of good stuff Doc!

I'll catch up tonight, but I have to know if your perfectionist partner is using a micrometer to cut PVC, because that would even make me look normal, lmao

::

When I saw that I decided to not even ask! He was going to put caps on the PVC and then drill holes that would fit the stakes perfectly in the caps.....I showed him that you can just set the stakes inside the PVC tubes without caps and precision fittings and he just said, "OK."

We're actually turning into a very good team. I am pretty much free to grow plants, prune, figure out when to feed, formulate soil mixes, etc. He keeps all the gadgetry functioning, builds the projects, does most of the cleaning, etc. It's a gowing partnership where the sum is greater than the parts....and so far the product bears this out.

What's so cool is that I can make the temps and RH anything I want, any time I want, within a degree and give or take 3 pts on the RH. Unless it's 105 outside, we can cool the room down below 60 if we want to, etc.

The climate controls and the way all the stuff interacts is totally his doing.....the only way to do better is if we had a pro install commercial climate controls, and even then the result wouldn't be much better, if at all, not to mention the expense.

He also journals pretty much everything, so when we want to re-grow a strain we can look back and see how we did it the first time, etc.

We're gettin a handle on it!

 

[Barry Manilow]

Looking great Doc! I sure could use a partner like that.