Dr.Seeds Prescribes The Widow & The Alien ️️

[MrSauga]

If I haven't said it before @farside05 thanks for the sheets and the fact you can do all that number crunching for us. It's much appreciated.

 

[farside05]

If I haven't said it before @farside05 thanks for the sheets and the fact you can do all that number crunching for us. It's much appreciated.

You're welcome. I don't mind. Its kinda my thing and where I think I can help the most.

 

[SQl2kGuy]

I've decided to say that I am "recharging the soil", instead of "flushing the soil" to avoid confusion.

And based on the document you provided, it makes perfect sense to not do full final flushes on cannabis. It's nice that the Fox Farm Gringo Rasta Soil Feeding Schedule recommends feeding nutes after the final flush, so I will just follow that for now.

Have you guys republished these findings? I know there will be resistance, but it is important to correct old outdated practices.

The conclusion says it all doesn't it :

FLUSHING NUTRIENTS FROM GROWTH MEDIA

The practice of flushing is a current common industry practice but there is no
evidence in published literature of its effectiveness in reducing nutrient concentrations within
the bud or even whether or not this is a desirable result. After testing the nutrient
concentrations from each treatment from three separate experiments, there were no
significant differences in nutrient levels between any treatments within each experiment. This
result showed that the intended purpose of flushing to reduce nutrient concentrations within
the bud has no effect. These data show that for the last two weeks of the flower cycle for
cannabis, it was possible to use no fertilizer water for irrigation with no significant impact on
yield while saving input costs on fertilizer.​

I did some more reading and found out that mixing synthetic nutes with organic soil gets quite complicated.

Here's the the end snippet from the article by blueskyorganics:

Is it worth testing organic soil for PPM?

Good question. Due to the complex nature of organic soil, EC readings will be too inaccurate to determine whether the appropriate amount of nutrients are present in the soil. To determine if organic soil is well-balanced for your growing system, you’ll need to carefully monitor pH, watch the plant for signs of nutrient deficiency or imbalance, and learn from experience. If you have the resources, you can send a soil or plant matter sample to a lab for analysis. Alternatively, you could always rely on our simple four-step process for growing flavorful and potent organic cannabis.​

So basically, I was trying to follow a feeding/run-off measurement regime for inorganic soils ... which just can't work for my organic soil unless I am doing soil analysis ... which is definitely out of scope.

I'll just keep tracking feed/run-off data points ... watch for plant issues ... and recharge the soil about every 4 weeks as recommended in the schedule.

Perhaps it is time to start experimenting and learning with coco, tap water and not pHing the feed solution.

 

[SQl2kGuy]

Hey everyone ... I'd like to keep moving forward with learning and trying new things ... so I could use some more feedback when you have the time.

Personally, I like the idea of complementing organic soil with synthetic nutes ... and since I've already purchased them, I'm kinda locked in.

Moreover, I am really interested in trying @InTheShed 's recommendation to not pH my feed solutions ... and would also like to try feeding using tap water.

My concern is that the tap water here is over 400 ppm ... should I really be thinking about getting an RO system?

​

Or maybe just letting the tap water sit out for 24 hours before using it might be okay?

I'll try the tap water/no pH/FFOF on the Chemdawg grow ... one plant to start off with seems appropriate.

Any potential pitfalls I might be overlooking?

 

[InTheShed]

400 seems pretty high, but ideally you would know what makes up that 400 number. Does your water company put out an annual water report that details what's in it? LADWP does this every year.

 

[SQl2kGuy]

400 seems pretty high, but ideally you would know what makes up that 400 number. Does your water company put out an annual water report that details what's in it? LADWP does this every year.

Yes ... our water treatment facility puts out a similar report. I looked at it about a month ago ... but I honestly had no idea what items/values I should be concerned with.

For us, it may actually make sense to get an RO system, since we can use it for drinking and watering the plants. I'm tired of buying distilled water ... and since I've made it to harvest ... and really enjoy growing and journaling ... I'm in this for the long haul now. So an RO system is really a long-term investment.

 

[InTheShed]

RO systems produce a lot of "waste" water, so if water use is a concern you should find a way to use it elsewhere, like for watering the lawn or garden plants. Also, using RO water usually makes it necessary to add cal-mag to your nutes.

 

[SQl2kGuy]

Alright ... I'm going to go germinate that Chemdawg seed now so I can be in your gang

I think I'm gonna get this airbrushed on the back of my jacket ...

​

Actually, maybe it might not be so difficult to get that image put on a T-Shirt ... that would be a good memory ... and great for 420 events

​

 

[SQl2kGuy]

RO systems produce a lot of "waste" water, so if water use is a concern you should find a way to use it elsewhere, like for watering the lawn or garden plants. Also, using RO water usually makes it necessary to add cal-mag to your nutes.

Thanks, ... great feedback ... I will investigate the waste issue ... but we can always use it in out garden outside.

And calmag ... I use that every feed ... it's like a base nute for me.

 

[InTheShed]

If you've been using distilled to water your plants then the amounts should be the same.

 

[SQl2kGuy]

Cool ... I just starting using this smilie as a signature ... ... not sure what it means ... but I like it!



See ... way cool bro ... as my nephew says ... lol

Alright, we still have chores and gardening tonight ... ttyl

 

[MrSauga]

I recall @nobodyhere has some tricks up his sleeve with RO systems and waste water. Maybe I'm wrong. Since math is not my best subject, I may be 65% correct on this. Sorry if I tagged the wrong guy nobody!

 

[nobodyhere]

If your at 400ppm, you prob have pretty hard water.

I am about 50ppm from the sink. Double that if it's a drought.

If your water report shows excess co2, that will eat through the carbon on the ro unit monthly.

A cistern might be easier for chlorine free water for plants. This is what I normally use, I have about 300 gallons of tanks hooked up to the roof. It can be done for 50 bucks with a cheap plastic tank and pvc.

I use RO for fish tanks and actually run the waste line to the cistern. The waste water coming off an ro unit has already been through carbon and is chlorine free, it just has about 2x the ppm of the input water because it is flushing the crap from the ro line. I use 2 carbon, 2 ro, 2 di blocks with a pre filter to make 0ppm water.

Don't give 0ppm water to your plants. Not ever once. The shit is pretty caustic. Cleans windows well. It's also called reagent water.

If you have hard water without co2, you will beat up cheap prefilters.

I don't drink this water, it tastes like ass. It's great for icecubes for scotch because they don't melt as quick, but if you don't drink fast your scotch will taste bad. Your not going to want a bottle and line under the sink.

I sanitize my unit every 6 months.

 

[MrSauga]

Hey @farside05
maybe you can double check my N load now that I have done some weighing. The Calmag Pro comes in at 6 grams /tsp and works out to 546ppm in 4L of water. My MC is at 5.8 grams and has 768ppm /4L as well. I'm going to do some more checks on the ppm/tsp of the MC but for now it's what I go by.
I end up with around 239ppm on the N load. Seems high but it's working.

 

[SQl2kGuy]

If your at 400ppm, you prob have pretty hard water.

I am about 50ppm from the sink. Double that if it's a drought.

If your water report shows excess co2, that will eat through the carbon on the ro unit monthly.

A cistern might be easier for chlorine free water for plants. This is what I normally use, I have about 300 gallons of tanks hooked up to the roof. It can be done for 50 bucks with a cheap plastic tank and pvc.

I use RO for fish tanks and actually run the waste line to the cistern. The waste water coming off an ro unit has already been through carbon and is chlorine free, it just has about 2x the ppm of the input water because it is flushing the crap from the ro line. I use 2 carbon, 2 ro, 2 di blocks with a pre filter to make 0ppm water.

Don't give 0ppm water to your plants. Not ever once. The shit is pretty caustic. Cleans windows well. It's also called reagent water.

If you have hard water without co2, you will beat up cheap prefilters.

I don't drink this water, it tastes like ass. It's great for icecubes for scotch because they don't melt as quick, but if you don't drink fast your scotch will taste bad. Your not going to want a bottle and line under the sink.

I sanitize my unit every 6 months.

Thanks @nobodyhere ... I will look into this more tomorrow and likely get back to you with a few questions when you get the time.

Done! ... No bottle of Scotch and siphon line under the sink ... ​

Have a nice night ...

 

[nobodyhere]

Thanks @nobodyhere ... I will look into this more tomorrow and likely get back to you with a few questions when you get the time.

Done! ... No bottle of Scotch and siphon line under the sink ... ​

Have a nice night ...

FWIW, I use a T line after the sink cut off it has a 1/4 turn on off and a push connect....made by john guest in the us. I am sure @Preston9mm can vouch for their fittings. I leave filters under the sink, cause there far from fang-sway or however it's spelled.

My output water (good) goes into a 10 gallon foodsafe containers, waste goes to cistern outside, mix with roof water for yard and weed plants.

 

[Bean 7175]

No, in fact several of my grows have been with MC and FFOF. The old version will require you add more Ca and Mg so get yourself a bottle of Calmag.

I'm not so sure about that Shed. When I had the old formula back in 2018 the calculator info was exactly the same as today's. No change. They added more Ca and increased the potassium, phophorous and magnesium. I only add Calmag to compensate.

Yup

Thank you MrSauga.

No, in fact several of my grows have been with MC and FFOF. The old version will require you add more Ca and Mg so get yourself a bottle of Calmag.

I'm not so sure about that Shed. When I had the old formula back in 2018 the calculator info was exactly the same as today's. No change. They added more Ca and increased the potassium, phophorous and magnesium. I only add Calmag to compensate.

Yup

Thank you, MrSauga. I'll have to learn the in's and out's in using MC.

 

[Dutchman1990]

@Bean 7175
It’s not to difficult and you will love MC!! It’s been the easiest nute line I’ve used to date and I’m not looking back haha!

 

[Bean 7175]

@Bean 7175
It’s not to difficult and you will love MC!! It’s been the easiest nute line I’ve used to date and I’m not looking back haha!

@Dutchman, Thank you, I'm looking forward in trying MC.

 

[JCTJ]

Glad to see another awesome grow Sauga. Keeping me busy catching up on grow journals here since I haven't been around much since April.