Hyena's Never-Ending Adventures In Growing

Openmnd said:
Right now, I am running DWC (bucket air stone)
However, I would like to clone your setup....ETC.
;)
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Here are your questions and my answers are in red.

Right now, I am running DWC (bucket air stone)
However, I would like to clone your setup.
I see you changed your drippers in the buckets from project 21. (Why?)

The original setup used three (1/2" ID) tubes running off the main supply line from the reservoir, with holes cut into the tubes at each bucket, three to a tube. These tubes developed different flow rates into different buckets which could not be adjusted, plus they clogged occasionally with mineral buildup.

The new system is nine tubes running off the main line, each to a bucket, and each with an adjustable valve at the end. This system allows me to fine-tune the water flow to each bucket individually, so now each bucket gets the exact same amount of flow.

Do you have a link to similar drippers like your new ones on eBay / amazon?

They are just adjustable valves for 1/2" tubing available at Home Depot or any hydro store.

I haven't found something like (5-gal paint strainers) in any hardware stores that I have been in.
So again, is it like: 5 Gallon Elastic Opening Strainer Bags 24 Pieces
Are they reusable? Is the elastic "broken" by the water?

The 5-gal paint strainers are sold at Home Depot in the paint dept., They come in 2- or 3-packs. They are surprisingly strong, and they fit a large Dutch Bucket perfectly. I just put one in and fill the bottom 1/3 with Hydroton then the upper 2/3 with Perlite. The elastic is outside the bucket around the rim and doesn't get wet.

Last, what kind of water pump and pressure are you using?

Just a nice-sized garden fountain pump, sorry I don't recall the GPH but I remember putting one in and soon replacing it with a little bigger one. It's better to have more flow than less, but also staying within the pressure capacity of your tubing and fittings. Again, using the tubing delivery system I describe above allows you to easily adjust all flows to maximize whatever pressure you have.
I enjoy reading your epic grow adventure ;)

Thanks my friend!

Peace, Hyena
 
Hey Hyena, another question about your sweet rig if you don't mind. If I remember correctly you have the air stone running 24/7 and you pump for about 15 minutes every 8 hours. Has this been modified at all? How did you determine the timing?

Would you say the solution is draining below the clay pellets right after the pump shuts off and that the time is based on how long the perlite holds moisture for?

I love how the simplicity and elegance combines with minimal maintenance.
 
My answers are in red.

CheeseWedge said:
Hey Hyena, another question about your sweet rig if you don't mind. If I remember correctly you have the air stone running 24/7 and you pump for about 15 minutes every 8 hours. Has this been modified at all? How did you determine the timing?

Actually I have TWO good-sized air stones going in my reservoir 24/7...you can't have too much aeration! My schedule is simply to turn over the fluid in the bottom of each Dutch bucket completely three times a day, which I'm sure is accomplished by 3 15-minute runs.

Would you say the solution is draining below the clay pellets right after the pump shuts off and that the time is based on how long the perlite holds moisture for?

The perlite will hold moisture for a few days or more but the Dutch bucket holds a constant few inches of liquid at all times, and when the input raises the level it just siphons off, drawing from the bottom of the bucket automatically. So even if you water constantly for 15 minutes there's never more total water in the bucket because it drains as you fill.

I love how the simplicity and elegance combines with minimal maintenance.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Update to follow tomorrow morning...we have babies, lots of babies!!

Peace, Hyena
 
Happy Monday! Sorry I've been away but nothing major to report as I gave my ultimate cannabis-simplification-for-germination experiment time to work.

And it has!

First sprouts appeared about 5 days after planting the seeds. No soaking, nothing.

Here's where we are today: Meet the new girls!

20170910_135102.jpg
20170910_135025.jpg
20170910_135019.jpg


There are two healthy sprouts jumping out of each rooter plug in seven pots, and one in the eighth! The only dud seems to be the lone Holy Grail...came up but never was able to shuck the seed casing until too late and simply looks too teensy to live...but it still has two micro leaves so who knows?

My four Hyenas are the most robust but maybe because they are probably the freshest...who knows? The Jack Herrer and Blueberry looks nice, too, plus my three total Amnesia seedlings are looking good. If that Holy Grail makes it that will mean 18 out of 19 seeds popped, and all on the same schedule.

I will probably never use the nursery setup again! Probably...

The whole idea of a separate nursery is to cut down a finished grow in the main room, and immediately plant foot-tall plants with two feet of roots in their place. It's really complicated and the deal-breaker was the uncontrollable heat in summer. Now if I do two grows a year and take summer off I'm still going to be happy. Simply beginning like nature intended is kind of neat. And it works!

So we're off! Let the micro-Cannabis Cup begin! Let the final four of flowering femininity go forward! I'm putting my 3rd-generation Hyenas up against Jack Herrer, Blueberry, and Amnesia, under perfect conditions, and we'll just see what those buds look like by Christmas!

Ho Ho Ho! I'll be one stoned elf!

Peace, Hyena
 
Hyena Merica said:
Now if I do two grows a year and take summer off I'm still going to be happy. Simply beginning like nature intended is kind of neat. And it works!
Click to expand...

That's great to hear that you have success on 18/19 seeds. With the harvest you'll pull down 2 grows per year seems like plenty...plus who doesn't like summers off? I'm loving the laid back road to big yields!
 
Great work Hyena! Love howbu alway innovate things!! Is this the beggining to the new chapter?? So maybe u missed my question with everybody else asking away i understand but are you gonna grow both plants in one pot or seperate when they get lil older? So are you gonna switch to all LED's? Maybe run the LED in the summer and HPS in the winter. Either way happy for the update and look forward to the future in the secret attic!! I bet ur Hyenas do the best!! Still waiting for the seed project so i can pop some Hyenas!! M growing a strain bred by another 420 friend Jackalopes its Jack smack crossed with chocolope!! Just finished his other strain Thunderpaws which was jack smack crossed with critical kush! Thunderpaws was great cant wait to bloom these jacks and see what great flowers she produces!! Keep up the great work i will always b in the background lurking!!
 
Please say "Hi" to the new girls

Hyena Merica said:
Happy Monday! Sorry I've been away but nothing major to report as I gave my ultimate cannabis-simplification-for-germination experiment time to work.

And it has!

First sprouts appeared about 5 days after planting the seeds. No soaking, nothing.

Here's where we are today: Meet the new girls!

20170910_135102.jpg
20170910_135025.jpg
20170910_135019.jpg


There are two healthy sprouts jumping out of each rooter plug in seven pots, and one in the eighth! The only dud seems to be the lone Holy Grail...came up but never was able to shuck the seed casing until too late and simply looks too teensy to live...but it still has two micro leaves so who knows?

My four Hyenas are the most robust but maybe because they are probably the freshest...who knows? The Jack Herrer and Blueberry looks nice, too, plus my three total Amnesia seedlings are looking good. If that Holy Grail makes it that will mean 18 out of 19 seeds popped, and all on the same schedule.

I will probably never use the nursery setup again! Probably...

The whole idea of a separate nursery is to cut down a finished grow in the main room, and immediately plant foot-tall plants with two feet of roots in their place. It's really complicated and the deal-breaker was the uncontrollable heat in summer. Now if I do two grows a year and take summer off I'm still going to be happy. Simply beginning like nature intended is kind of neat. And it works!

So we're off! Let the micro-Cannabis Cup begin! Let the final four of flowering femininity go forward! I'm putting my 3rd-generation Hyenas up against Jack Herrer, Blueberry, and Amnesia, under perfect conditions, and we'll just see what those buds look like by Christmas!

Ho Ho Ho! I'll be one stoned elf!

Peace, Hyena
Click to expand...
 
SmokeSara said:
Please say "Hi" to the new girls
Click to expand...

HI SARA, thank you! Nice to hear from you!

Time to begin a new family! So excited!

Peace, Hyena
 
Hey Hyena,

Another beginner question if you don't mind: What are your thought on maximizing the root growth with this style?

In other words, from what I've read, starting in say 1/2 gallon pot you can keep the plant in until it's root bound; then move it to a 3 gal pot. The root ball will start at the top of the 3 gal in its old form and new roots will fill the lower section.

Do you think this is necessary in perlite with a top feed? I figure the perlite will wick moisture away from the feed stream and attract roots outward during the pump off times. A constant recirc would be more likely to attract roots only along the stream.

Just curious what you thought with all your experience.. .
 
CheeseWedge said:
Hey Hyena,

Another beginner question if you don't mind: What are your thought on maximizing the root growth with this style?

In other words, from what I've read, starting in say 1/2 gallon pot you can keep the plant in until it's root bound; then move it to a 3 gal pot. The root ball will start at the top of the 3 gal in its old form and new roots will fill the lower section.

Do you think this is necessary in perlite with a top feed? I figure the perlite will wick moisture away from the feed stream and attract roots outward during the pump off times. A constant recirc would be more likely to attract roots only along the stream.

Just curious what you thought with all your experience.. .
Click to expand...

ACTUALLY...I have found the Dutch Bucket method allows perfectly adequate nutrition without nearly the root development necessary to achieve similar results in soil.

The root "ball" ends up following the water flow through the medium, mine is single-point so there's basically a vertical root mass that goes top to bottom in the media and ultimately doesn't even take up 1/3 of it. It gets PLENTY of nutrients because it has a siphon down into the always-present fluid in the bottom 2 inches of the bucket. Keep it fresh by turning it over 3 times a day and you won't get any problems.

The smaller root structure is actually more efficient. It's easy to just pull up after harvest...I didn't even have to change the nets or medium this last time, just sifted around to remove any remaining chunks of organic material by hand...plus a little is no problem anyway just adds organics.

A Dutch Bucket is under 3 gallons, but it's more than enough to grow 8-ounce plants. You never have to transplant with this system.

Peace, Hyena
 
CheeseWedge said:
That's good to hear. You're getting some massive grows out of those Dutch buckets, I'm really liking this style of build.
Click to expand...

Yeah this build is tempting to adopt, no question, but I think its the grower more than the system lol. So I shall stick to simple soil for a while
 
pino0911 said:
Great work Hyena! Love howbu alway innovate things!! Is this the beggining to the new chapter??

Sorry I missed replying to your post bro...yes it is!

So maybe u missed my question with everybody else asking away i understand but are you gonna grow both plants in one pot or seperate when they get lil older?

I think I will let both go forward in each pot. There's easily enough nutrients, and room, for two!

So are you gonna switch to all LED's?

No, the MH is too valuable, I have to have at least a 400W going. Otherwise, yes.

Maybe run the LED in the summer and HPS in the winter. Either way happy for the update and look forward to the future in the secret attic!!

I bet ur Hyenas do the best!!

Me too!

Still waiting for the seed project so i can pop some Hyenas!!

Might be awhile...

M growing a strain bred by another 420 friend Jackalopes its Jack smack crossed with chocolope!! Just finished his other strain Thunderpaws which was jack smack crossed with critical kush! Thunderpaws was great cant wait to bloom these jacks and see what great flowers she produces!! Keep up the great work i will always b in the background lurking!!

Appreciate ya Pino. PM me about beans...
Click to expand...


Peace, Hyena
 
UrbanAchiever said:
Yeah this build is tempting to adopt, no question, but I think its the grower more than the system lol. So I shall stick to simple soil for a while
Click to expand...

Yer too kind bro...we grow and change. I was a soil grower until I wasn't. :scratchinghead:

Peace, Hyena
 
[/QUOTE] Dutch Bucket is under 3 gallons, but it's more than enough to grow 8-ounce plants. You never have to transplant with this system.

Peace, Hyena[/QUOTE]

If a Dutch Bucket is 3 and under, what are systems that use 4 gallon buckets? Does it change the classification if they are only using 2.5 gallons of water per bucket? Thanks HM.
 
Dutch Bucket is under 3 gallons, but it's more than enough to grow 8-ounce plants. You never have to transplant with this system.

Peace, Hyena[/QUOTE]

If a Dutch Bucket is 3 and under, what are systems that use 4 gallon buckets? Does it change the classification if they are only using 2.5 gallons of water per bucket? Thanks HM.[/QUOTE]

Not sure what you mean. I do know there are two sizes of Dutch buckets, one is larger and that's the one I use.

The size of the container isn't as important as how much nutrient exposure the roots can get. My setup feeds the root mass directly and very effectively so the root mass doesn't have to get huge to really deliver for the plant. Soil isn't nearly as efficient so it probably takes a 5 gallon bucket to support comparable growth.

Peace, Hyena
 
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