Nick Hardy & Co Graduation: Coco Co2 High EC: Grown in Thailand: Perpetual

[NickHardy]

Good Morning.
Then it dawns on me, it's in your sig.
That's not a sip that's Oscar the grouchs house.
Sans the basement.
How do you clean inside once it's full?
If you have too?
Palm trees is what you will end up with.
It'll be massive. hehe.
When will it flower?




#VIVOSUN #Love What You Grow
Bill284

Missed you there Bill!

I’m putting in the drain valve but also I have some Dutch Pro “Keep It Clean” for irrigation systems, mix it in with your nutes each time. So a bit of that. Plus some flushes with some H2o2 perhaps?

The weather generally changes for the dry season first week of November that’s 3 months of veg. On the balcony ots going on for veg there’s a street light on the corner of the building. Its not going to flower there - its very bright LED street lamp. So I guess harvest in January? I’ll flip it by moving balcony to one that won’t get light at night and let the slightly shorter days do the rest?

Might split it off from this journal. I need something eligible for JOTM next year

Nick making ever slower progress,

 

[Danishoes21]

I have a giant blue link but @Danishoes21 - where in the world are you?

Its 8:30am here and 29c (85c) 80% Rh indoors in the shade with a ceiling fan on. Outside its hotter. It just doesn’t go below that ever. I’d anticipate temperatures of closing 40-45 degrees celsius minimum in a black sealed container left in the sun for a few days let alone a few weeks.

I reckon that would super charge it.

I 100% now need a thermometer on a 1m cable. I have two but they’re both wall mounted. I can also get an approximation by draining the res of a little and using a handheld thermometer.

But with out requiring a more complicated structural design I need a central column anyway so may as well double up as a wick.

I have a lot of holes to drill today, its got to be airpot style as well…

Nick

Hi Nick,

I am on the 49th parallel. On subject of the “SIP” with a reservoir access I concluded that I had too much air gap that pruned very efficiently the roots at bottom of the pot exactly where it meets the reservoir water line.
I had condensation inside for the most part of June and July out hottest months.
My roots analysis showed a less amount of tap roots development and more secondary “feeder” root mass than my other Auto in a grow bag that had very long dry periods.
My SIP had never a dry period as there was always water in the reservoir but the top of the pot remained very dry at all times.
I suspect I couldn’t achieve a proper sealed chamber holding the reservoir and creating enough of a vacuum for the roots to wonder down the res and set foot like a DWC res would.

I might have underestimated the power of the perlite and the wicking effect. I used maple sticks that didn’t seem to retain enough liquid to provide the proper humidity gradient for the root not to be air prune. I did discover that I had no root rot despite running only my teas with high organic material. I may further inquiry on my design and the potential use of coco as a variable to the medium.
I don’t think I was far from the sweet spot as the overall plant looked decent, grew healthy and flowered with out a problem.

That’s as much as I can say about my non standard “SIP”. I may consider another run with a better design.

 

[Jon]

Was in the posh seats just a couple of cans of Sprite - they don’t even sell nachos in Thai cinemas

Movie was ridiculous but it was a me time thing. Dark room movie and no background noise. Was nice. In basically an airline first class sleeping pod bang middle of the screen couldn’t see or hear another person. Bliss.

Anyway - to answer @Azimuth ‘s question. Anything much smaller than this I wouldn’t bother with a bridge here. The low temperature here at night is 25c’s. In a black bucket the water temps get way higher. Evaporation will jump the gap easy - then the roots will jump the air gap anyway I reckon.

But supporting the upper layer given the size is an issue so added a wick thing.

Those two puppies come in at 30cm/12” high. I’m going to cover the Marioesque side entrance with some mesh I bought and fill it with perlite and magic rocks. After I’ve glued it here:

Then I need to cut two holes to fit these:

A valve for the bottom should I ever want to drain the res. i can think of a couple of reasons that might be useful. Movement, root issues. The res I calculate to be 48 litres/12+ gallons. That’s quite a lot. The T bit has a short length of 1/2” pipe to glue in and it will be a slightly more aggressive overflow than the previous that offended some peoples sensibility looking as they do a bit like a male appendage. This looks more like an angry nose pierced lunatic.

Its going to be a Hulkberry going in there. I have such a beautiful one I pulled from the Solo grow. Either that whole or a clone from it.


On top of the Marioland pipe there’s the bottom of a 15G Airpot and a layer of the mesh. Above that a layer of perlite and some maygic rocks and then the soil and all the other amendments bat shit, worm shit, frass, bokashi probably some potting soil and and coco to fill it all. Layered up. The medium is going to be 127L or 33 Gallons. That’s quite a lot.

I definitely need to fill it up stairs or I’ll never be able to carry it

Oh the feed pipe you’ve seen before. Definitely want a float for that.

There you go - just a bit of drilling and gluing and its done.

Nick

Let no one say you mess around. You do not. Very impressive. @Azimuth, is this going to work?

 

[Jon]

Missed you there Bill!

I’m putting in the drain valve but also I have some Dutch Pro “Keep It Clean” for irrigation systems, mix it in with your nutes each time. So a bit of that. Plus some flushes with some H2o2 perhaps?

The weather generally changes for the dry season first week of November that’s 3 months of veg. On the balcony ots going on for veg there’s a street light on the corner of the building. Its not going to flower there - its very bright LED street lamp. So I guess harvest in January? I’ll flip it by moving balcony to one that won’t get light at night and let the slightly shorter days do the rest?

Might split it off from this journal. I need something eligible for JOTM next year

Nick making ever slower progress,

This potential behemoth definitely deserves her own journal.

 

[NickHardy]

This potential behemoth definitely deserves her own journal.

Yeah I think so. Potentially a change happening to the names of this journal and the Solo one from a suggestion from Rob. When they’re done I’ll create the other one for the Hulk. Did some work before lunch on the SIP. Construction will finish today. Solo tent irrigation and AC work this morning.

Nick

 

[Azimuth]

Let no one say you mess around. You do not. Very impressive. @Azimuth, is this going to work?

I'm just hoping he video's the move when he changes locations for flower after that long a veg period. Going to be epic.

 

[NickHardy]

I'm just hoping he video's the move when he changes locations for flower after that long a veg period. Going to be epic.

I just need a decent trolley jack

Those were the days. Azi, eh?

I got a photo of a trolley jack deleted for being off topic - def getting one in as part of a video.



Nick

 

[Absorber]

I just need a decent trolley jack

Those were the days. Azi, eh?

I got a photo of a trolley jack deleted for being off topic - def getting one in as part of a video.



Nick

I sens a trolley jack gif coming

 

[NickHardy]

Girls in veg coming along. A week at least. Plus still no builders - the Curious Case of The Missing 500g OG Kush too. Like really. Original builders here next week. The room just needs an hour to finish. I should also get the replacement light board/section for the broken Mars FC6500 from the last grow.

Happy stuff though. SIP is complete.

I have a new strain coming just for this. From a sponsor farm, there’s a shop just up the road in the main party town that has them - my mate ordered us today so they should be with us by Monday to pop immediately. We’ll get her up to a decent 12-18” before planting our chosen one. Had a tactics training meeting with my farmer mate today

We actually talked quite a bit about growing today. Which is rare, normally I just get the odd nugget of wisdom. It was really cool. But it began and ended with one of the fiest bits of advice he ever gave me, “If you’re not sure why the plant has a problem pull it all back and flush with something mild. Watch and wait.”

Solid advice. I’d sort of forgotten it. It was vis. A Tropicana Poison in a solo - I can’t mess it up it comes from a clone of one of his plants that I have as a mother

So next steps mix up some soil I guess, drop the plant in, fill the res and check back in 2 months?

Seems about right.

The SIP has a drainage valve for flushing, cleaning, lightening for transport. Feeder pipe and overflow are obvious and familiar.

Then I have a Perlite Filled Periscope Aqua Super Mario Edition. Its part wick part structural. The grate has to support 50+ kilos of soil and rock I think. Then a rough grate and a finer mesh on top of that. Roots will still get through I think. Hopefully it slows them down a bit.

So planting in here is probably 3 weeks out. Really excited about the strain.

Nick & Co

 

[Azimuth]

That is one serious SIP container. I'm looking forward to this one.

 

[InTheShed]

I've read the whole thing and looked at all the pictures and have no idea how this water/soil transfer in this SIP operates! Water sits in a res with a central tube filled with perlite that never makes contact with the soil above?

 

[NickHardy]

Honestly I think it would survive with zero contact. Just evaporation - albeit a smaller scale - the solos SIPs have zero direct contact with the res.

The perlite column will be in direct contact. There is the big holed thick grate and some finer mesh but there will be some amount of direct perlite contact between the two zones. But the roots will jump the gap after a week or two tops anyway.

I think that if I fill it with medium and the res with water and leave it there for a day or two before I up pot the sun on the medium will start the water flowing upwards to wet the whole pot all on its own. Rising damp a home owners curse.

If it doesn’t work I’m going to have to hire a crane (again) for cannabis related reasons.

Nick

 

[Absorber]

If it doesn’t work I’m going to have to hire a crane (again) for cannabis related reasons.

Luckily you have 2 winches ,you better put this mammoth sip on wheels .

 

[NickHardy]

3 winches…

Its going to be fine… my advent candle design or Hanukkah menorah type training just across the single plane will make transport easy

 

[Absorber]

my advent candle design or Hanukkah menorah type training just across the single plane will make transport easy

 

[NickHardy]

Mexican on a bicycle…

 

[InTheShed]

Honestly I think it would survive with zero contact. Just evaporation

Zero contact? Evaporation in an environment that is rarely under 70% RH? Sounds daft to me!

The perlite column will be in direct contact. There is the big holed thick grate and some finer mesh but there will be some amount of direct perlite contact between the two zones

So you will be cutting a hole in the divot plate so the soil contacts the perlite? Pics before fill please!

I think that if I fill it with medium and the res with water and leave it there for a day or two before I up pot the sun on the medium will start the water flowing upwards to wet the whole pot all on its own.

I sure hope your test works out before planting (dry soil/full res/GO!), and that the res can moisten the soil pretty quickly given how fast a plant that size will drink in full flower.

But the roots will jump the gap after a week or two tops anyway.

Are you thinking you will end up with a res full of roots and not much in the soil above like my SWICK? I thought the idea of a SIP was that the roots aren't drinking directly from the res.

 

[NickHardy]

Zero contact? Evaporation in an environment that is rarely under 70% RH? Sounds daft to me!

The res humidity is pretty much its own little world. But the medium layer is also evaporating off to the wider environment. This will exert a pull effect.i don't know - maybe you need to feel the air here on your skin. I can see that water evaporating in the dark! Azi mentioned someone using the evaporation method and said not great. But I think here with the 24/7 temps and my wick I’ll have plenty. More worried about intake to the wick to be honest.

So you will be cutting a hole in the divot plate so the soil contacts the perlite? Pics before fill please!

If it tests ok then I won’t. Its either cut the foot out or cut the whole wicking pipe circle out. Well most of it - its very much a structural feature as well!

I sure hope your test works out before planting (dry soil/full res/GO!), and that the res can moisten the soil pretty quickly given how fast a plant that size will drink in full flower.

Plan is mix the medium moist and put it in. Fill the res the. Give say 20L more in from the top. About 20% the 84L volume. Then pop in the plant from about a one gallon pot. Good 12-15” of growth on it already.

Are you thinking you will end up with a res full of roots and not much in the soil above like my SWICK? I thought the idea of a SIP was that the roots aren't drinking directly from the res.

I think its unavoidable. I was more of the opinion “Isn’t that great” but particularly in soil I think it may be sub optimal.

Both coco and soil it could lead to blockage and with so much water down there disease I dunno. Just seems a bit ick down there. But in soil your roots are wanting their nutes from the soil not the liquid so much. So there you’re potentially losing out on goodness.

Thats why I have the finer mesh as well to minimise it.

 

[Wastei]

Zero contact? Evaporation in an environment that is rarely under 70% RH? Sounds daft to me!

So you will be cutting a hole in the divot plate so the soil contacts the perlite? Pics before fill please!

I sure hope your test works out before planting (dry soil/full res/GO!), and that the res can moisten the soil pretty quickly given how fast a plant that size will drink in full flower.

Are you thinking you will end up with a res full of roots and not much in the soil above like my SWICK? I thought the idea of a SIP was that the roots aren't drinking directly from the res.

Reminds me of the old Flo-Gro 500 system that are pretty underrated and I've always wanted to try to scale up that system and way of growing.

A mix between coir and DWC. We modded these small systems back in the day and replaced the bottoms with a 65 liter / 17 gallon one instead of 2.5 gallon / 10 liters and I accidentally created the same environment in veg with my Kali mist recently who suddenly had roots all over going down and drinking straight from the runoff tray with an air gap between the bottom of the pot and the water level.

 

[NickHardy]

I think its just like that.

But previously I’ve only used coco and liquid nutes so I want to make sure I’m also getting root growth all over - air holes even on the sides to draw their nutes from the soil as well. Hence heavier mesh than normal and the wick.

Seeds arrive tomorrow. Plenty of time to fine tune before one lucky lady ends up in her palace.

Nick