Ganesha Says If There's Water Below, Things Will Grow! First SIP Grow

[Fenderbender]

So we're jumping on the SIP hype that's going around here as that all sounds very good, you basically fill a reservoir and let the plant sort things out.
So I bought a Elho Greensense Aqua Care pot which measures 38x39cm's and holds 39 liter of medium and 8 liters of water.
I has a floating stick to tell me the water level in the res. And it's setup like this.. water res, a main water channel, hydroton and then soil resting on top.

I've set it up like that only I've added a layer of hydroton on top to protect the top soil from light and evaporation a bit, and in the centre I dug in a duct connector which if first coated in mineral oil against rusting and I dug out the soil in and in that duct I made a little Bill284 style rooting zone with having a couple layers of soil & perlite alternating.
I washed the hydroton and soaked it in ph 6,3 water with rhizotonic for 48hrs. the perlite was activated by misting that solution over it.
The Light is a Mars Hydro SP-150 and the Nutrients will be Biocanna Rhizotonic, Vega & Flores.. and Canna Cal-Mag, I'm using distilled water with a couple cups of tap mixed in.
And the soil is Plagron Light-mix.

The strain is Barney's Farm Critical Kush.

The finished pot looks like this

I put the seed in a glass of water until it showed a root tip, then I placed it in the centre.
She broke ground after 48hrs

And here she is at day 6

 

[Fenderbender]

And here she is at day 18... pretty insane, exponential growth.. I've topwatered down once before new years, then I also filled the reservoir and haven't touched anything since.

 

[lootznbootz]

Looking good and looking forward to your results.
@Azimuth another example of starting in the SIP and no downtime?

 

[Azimuth]

And it's setup like this.. water res, a main water channel, hydroton and then soil resting on top.

And don't forget the air gap between the water and the soul which I think is the real secret behind these things.

Nice clean set-up, Fender.

 

[Azimuth]

Looking good and looking forward to your results.
@Azimuth another example of starting in the SIP and no downtime?

Yeah that looks pretty good for 3 weeks.

 

[Fenderbender]

Looking good and looking forward to your results.
@Azimuth another example of starting in the SIP and no downtime?

I'd say in general starting in the final medium and pot size is a faster transition but uppotting also has advantages.
I'd say if you want to create a sturdy plant for outdoors, go that route, create a strong rootball by doing it several times even. But inside for something that you want to harvest in a couple of months eeh..
I've also not babied this seed at all.. it came out of the soil straight under the 140watt light at 50cm, into a pretty low humidity area, although I did mist a lot in the beginning.
She also got the fan straight away and a vat of nutrients at 10 days old, I'm kinda thinking that might be the main drive here.. As here she was at 11 days and the picture in post 2 is a week later

 

[Fenderbender]

And the lights just came on.. which would make this day 19.. some action underneath

And the 4th layer of leaves look to be nine-fingered as she went 1--3 & 5 asymmetric- then 7 and now 9

 

[Bill284]

Looking good
Hope your having a nice day.
Take care.



#Vivosun #Love What You Grow
Bill284

 

[Fenderbender]

Today she's exactly 3 weeks.. again quite the difference from Monday #2
I hope this turns out alright as I do feel this is quite a bit of overdosing.. next week I should have introduced a nutrient res.. first 4 weeks should be doable with the light-mix and just water & rhizo
Ooh cute the cat is in it.. yeah if I leaver her 5 seconds alone with the plant it's gone, like Piranhas they will just leave the bones behind.
And I think I'm going to top after the next layer.. as that one is going left & right again so I'm going to choose those as main branches. But first well do nothing and let it grow some more.

 

[Fenderbender]

Despite the already humongous growth up until now I feel she's really taking off now.
It's gonna hurt as soon I'll be cutting off most of the work she's done.. except for two branches and a set of leaves.
I'm gonna wait until she's above the water meter though and split it there otherwise that's in between the branches.
I'm thinking about picking up some Biocanna boost as well.. As I think it's going to be quite the task keeping her fed.
The main stem is crazy thick and I even got side branches coming from the cotyledons.

 

[Fenderbender]

I was kinda hoping to go about it like this.. I've got a feeling I won't be able to place many.. as if the stem and branching continue to develop at the current rate those won't be twigs but branches with leaves that need some space. I'm wondering if I can grow 5 at least 1 ounce buds on each side as that would be golden for the surface area of the tent. I've cut more so I can fishbone more but I'm kinda hoping I don't have to.
And I want them under the light not smooshed up against the sides.
Last time I used the stretch to cover the surface area which worked out great but I feel I should set the plant structure and have the stretch only go upward.

 

[Fenderbender]

Although once I topped and pulled her sideways and she keeps growing like she does now there will be many branch offs every few cm's.. so I'll probably end up with a field of little ones..
But I haven't topped yet, if I wait long enough until I've got some serious branching can't I just pull out a few big euhm mini plants?
hmmm
It's been ages since I've topped, always LST the past years.

 

[Fenderbender]

Argh a cat got in!!!

Oh well I'm gonna strip all anyways..

 

[Bill284]

Argh a cat got in!!!

Oh well I'm gonna strip all anyways..

Doesn't look too bad.
Poor kitty just wanted a session.
Just minor leaf damage, she will bounce back.
Keep that zip closed next time.
Hope everything else is going well.
Take care.




#Vivosun #Love What You Grow
Bill284

 

[Fenderbender]

Starting week 5 today.. she's finally above the water level.
I've cut off the top. Now I wait a bit until I have something I can guide and then I will strip the rest.

 

[Fenderbender]

Okay I messed up.. I didn't follow my topping plan as the branches already on there were just too lush and I didn't want to cut them off ... so now it's just wild.

 

[greenjeans]

Better tie that tent down!!!!

 

[Fenderbender]

Better tie that tent down!!!!

Not going to lie, I am a bit worried.. I do not have the space for the growth it's showing.
I'm kinda thinking of flipping tomorrow at week 6 so the stretch fills out the rest.

 

[bluter]

Not going to lie, I am a bit worried.. I do no have the space for the growth it's showing.
I'm kinda thinking of flipping tomorrow at week 6 so the stretch fills out the rest.

40L is a big sip. i noticed most are directed at a standard 20L or 5gal pot.

 

[Fenderbender]

40L is a big sip. i noticed most are directed at a standard 20L or 5gal pot.

It is... I dunno why I went for the biggest one I could find.. probably because it would also perfectly fit my monstera if this doesn't work out.
I'm already thinking, get two smaller versions, side by side, with the growth this shows I can veg and flip within weeks and have the net full in no time.