StRoostifer
Member
Morning Smokey! Hope you didn’t have any passed out hippies on your lawn this morning! 
Oldsmokey Goes Hydro
- Thread starter oldsmokey
- Start date
Stltoed
Well-Known Member
Morning Smokey! Hope you didn’t have any passed out hippies on your lawn this morning!
StRoostifer
Member
Cartman really cracked me up in that episode!
Stltoed
Well-Known Member
Good ol' CartmanCartman really cracked me up in that episode!
Stltoed
Well-Known Member
How's life Smokey... I hate Mondays
StRoostifer
Member
I just wanted to get back you on this. Just ordered a package deal on all three “teaming” books from Lowenfels! Thanks for the recommendations man! And they will be here tomorrow!So yesterday we were talking about Silica and all that... I wanted to share some books I've been reading (im on the last one now). I was following a dude named Jeff Lowenfels on youtube, before I realized he wrote 4 books, 3 on soil composition and plant function and one on auto flowering cannabis. The auto flower book " DIY Autoflowering Cannabis" is interesting, but there aren't really any huge break throughs, its pretty basic. Don't transplant, don't top... that sort of thing. I have no interest in autos, but I read the book.
The other three, " Teaming with Fungus" "Teaming with Microbes" and "Teaming with Nutrients" are absolutely amazing. He shows you how an organic soil plant requests food from bacteria and fungi and trades exudates for broken down/bioavailable elements. He teaches you how to build a soil and compost your kitchen scraps and yard waste for free plant food. He spends quite a bit of time on building the rhizosphere and mycorhizae. Turns out mycorhiza is very fragile and there are dos and don'ts that users need to be made aware of for a happy fungus. He diagrams how important these fungi are to almost all plants, that there are really only 2 species of the 1000s of types of myco. that pot farmers need to know.
While these three books cater to the organic purist farmer they give you the fundamental road map of a how a plant operates, from an atomic level in the soil through transportation. I enjoy learning about what we do and have spent a fair amount of time chasing down answers, but NOTHING has given me more than these three books, even as a self proclaimed hydro guy. They are about 700 pages all together and cost about $75 for the three. If you're a reader and have the time, these books are better than any book from Rosenthal or Cervantes. If you're really serious about growing these books are outstanding at breaking down the systems in and around a plant.
As for cannabis based books I like Jorge Cervantes for info on why my plant is droopy or changing colors. His Encyclopedia is a very well rounded explanation of most things regarding pot farming. But, it has something I haven't seen from any other author... he gives you a way to diagnose nutrient deficiencies and excesses not only by how the plant looks, but more importantly if the issue is from a mobile or immobile nutrient. This is huge. Instead of just saying "thats a Calcium deficiency" because of the wonky leaves, he shows you how to figure out which type of nutrient from its location. So simple, so effective. If you dont buy the first 4 books, this one may be up your alley.
I also have Ed Rosenthals "Marijuana Growers Handbook". Its the textbook for Oaksterdam University. This one isn't anything special to me. It has some good points, but its not the last word in detail, and doesn't hold a candle to Mr. Cervates' masterpiece. Ive always liked Mr. Rosenthal. His writing for High Times was required reading when there was no internet. Sensi has a strain named after him that I've always thought about growing, but its a regular seed, so I dont know if that will happen).
Well there you go. If you have a thirst for knowledge, and enjoy reading, here are a few worth looking into. I understand the "Teaming With" trilogy is a bit of a chore, but im confident you will learn a ton... so worth it.
- Thread starter
- #687
Good morning all
No passed out hippies on the front yard just a couple of rabbits. That's some funny shit got to love South park
No passed out hippies on the front yard just a couple of rabbits. That's some funny shit got to love South park
StRoostifer
Member
Those rabbits were passed out from shagging all night long!Good morning all
No passed out hippies on the front yard just a couple of rabbits. That's some funny shit got to love South park
Stltoed
Well-Known Member
You are gonna learn a ton. Glad to helpI just wanted to get back you on this. Just ordered a package deal on all three “teaming” books from Lowenfels! Thanks for the recommendations man! And they will be here tomorrow!
Stltoed
Well-Known Member
So I got a wild hair and decided to ask Smokey if I could pollute his amazing thread a little more than I have already. Today its all about pH.
So, what is pH... its the amount of hydrogen or hydroxide ions in a compound. It runs from 1 to 14 1 is very acidic, 14 is very basic (alkaline) with 7 being neutral. Tap water is around 7.5 usually. The most popular way pH changes in the rhizosphere is when a Hydrogen cation is exchanged for a nutrient cation, over time the pH goes down due to the concentration of Hydrogen ions goes down. This is a very rudimentary explanation of pH shifts, and its not the only way it happens.
I have 2 meters. A portable Milwaukee which works great, but is kinda slow. A slow meter... make doubly sure your meter is completely finished when taking a reading. This may include walking away for a while till its done 10 or 15 minutes maybe. I also have a very nice Hanna meter thats mounted to the wall with a probe that lives in my res. Its amazing, I used to really like it till I had to replace the probe for $175. But thats Hanna for you. A Bluelab in the same design would work just fine. Be sure to keep the probe tip wet. You should have storage solutiin, cleaning solution, and calibration solution (both pH and TDS) and know how to use them. Ive never had a "pen" style pH meter, so I can't speak on their care and feeding, but I assume they are similar. Use the storage solution If you plan on not using the unit for a couple weeks. Otherwise keep the little sponge in the cap wet. I use a piece if paper towel the little sponge skipped town. The party line is we should calibrate once a month, but i kinda know by now what to expect. I usually go till the meter is putting out unexpected numbers and something is obviously off. Just make sure you have sachets or bottles of calibration fluid to use whenever you need it... same with cleaning solution to be fair.
Measuring pH is kinda interesting The scale is logarithmic, like the Richter scale for earthquakes, so let's say your hydro water is at 6.0 7 is 10 times stronger, 8 is 100 times stronger, 9 is 1000 times etc. Like most everything in hydro, pH is critical, and should be held between 5.8 and 6.5 or so... a nutrient change will bring about pH shifts for a few day usually, but its no big deal (usually). Soil target pH is usually 5.5 and 6.5. The pH in soil can go sideways from using additives that are basic or acidic in nature. Or a soil that drains very poorly. Lime will bring pH down to a certain degree, but if your using a highly basic product don't just rely on lime to fix your pH. PH your nutrient solution before you add it. An example ..... you decide to use Silica, and run out to buy Gen Hydro's Armor Si. You mix it up and feed your plants not knowing that the pH in your mix is 11.5 (common with this product) your plant will survive it, and maybe over time the lime will bring it down. But its not a silver bullet. You just fed you plants something thats the same pH as ammonia.... 500,000 times stronger than you target pH thanks to the logarithmic scale. How long will it take for the lime in the soil to fix that? Faster than it takes to kill your mycorhizae? How long till you have MAJOR lockout problems you won't be able to fix in time to have a good harvest. I really dont know, but it can't be good for it. Your plant will survive , but what about the feeding next week, and the next, etc. And its not like you can just add more lime.. an excess of dolomite lime will roast your roots and cause a lockout situation. Sooner or later your soil will be dead as dog shit. No more photo of the month for you! Soil with a pH of 5.2 and below to 7.7 and above will start to make nutrient bioavailability a real problem. Know your pH.
To read pH in soil I usually use a small glass and my portable meter. I fill the glass quarter way with dirt... I usually dig down a bit if the roots allow. Then put about twice the water in the glass I did the soil. Stir it and let it sit over night and measure in the morning. My water is almost exactly 7.0 so I dont need to adjust it before I run the test. If yours is more or less acidic you may want to fix that first. This method isn't bulletproof, but its much more accurate than running a test on run off.
This is a chart showing the bioavailability of our favorite nutrients in relation to pH. This is for soil, theres another completely different one for hydro. I have a great version of the hydro chart but I put it in a safe place and I can't find it... sorry Smokey, ill try to get it to you.
So. You can see the elements as horizontal bars they are tapered at the ends signifying that they are less affective as the pH changes. PH is at the bottom of the chart. By gaining a solid knowledge this chart, you can make your nutrients feed in a certain direction. Meaning, you may want to run you pH a little more basic if you want to make it easier on the plant to get the NPK and C in the beginning, or if you have a nitrogen toxicity issue, run the nutrients a little more acidic till its over. Again this is only for soil. The hydro chart is a bit tighter and doesn't really allow for this.
I just want you guys, especially soil people to know that pH is a big deal. You can rely on lime to keep your rhizosphere pH solid in soil, and for the most part it will work fine. If your doing this then be sure to make your own soil so you know its capabilities. Lime is great, but it can be a problem too. As for hydro, if your dumb enough to try it you already know pH is important. May the phorce be with you!
So, what is pH... its the amount of hydrogen or hydroxide ions in a compound. It runs from 1 to 14 1 is very acidic, 14 is very basic (alkaline) with 7 being neutral. Tap water is around 7.5 usually. The most popular way pH changes in the rhizosphere is when a Hydrogen cation is exchanged for a nutrient cation, over time the pH goes down due to the concentration of Hydrogen ions goes down. This is a very rudimentary explanation of pH shifts, and its not the only way it happens.
I have 2 meters. A portable Milwaukee which works great, but is kinda slow. A slow meter... make doubly sure your meter is completely finished when taking a reading. This may include walking away for a while till its done 10 or 15 minutes maybe. I also have a very nice Hanna meter thats mounted to the wall with a probe that lives in my res. Its amazing, I used to really like it till I had to replace the probe for $175. But thats Hanna for you. A Bluelab in the same design would work just fine. Be sure to keep the probe tip wet. You should have storage solutiin, cleaning solution, and calibration solution (both pH and TDS) and know how to use them. Ive never had a "pen" style pH meter, so I can't speak on their care and feeding, but I assume they are similar. Use the storage solution If you plan on not using the unit for a couple weeks. Otherwise keep the little sponge in the cap wet. I use a piece if paper towel the little sponge skipped town. The party line is we should calibrate once a month, but i kinda know by now what to expect. I usually go till the meter is putting out unexpected numbers and something is obviously off. Just make sure you have sachets or bottles of calibration fluid to use whenever you need it... same with cleaning solution to be fair.
Measuring pH is kinda interesting The scale is logarithmic, like the Richter scale for earthquakes, so let's say your hydro water is at 6.0 7 is 10 times stronger, 8 is 100 times stronger, 9 is 1000 times etc. Like most everything in hydro, pH is critical, and should be held between 5.8 and 6.5 or so... a nutrient change will bring about pH shifts for a few day usually, but its no big deal (usually). Soil target pH is usually 5.5 and 6.5. The pH in soil can go sideways from using additives that are basic or acidic in nature. Or a soil that drains very poorly. Lime will bring pH down to a certain degree, but if your using a highly basic product don't just rely on lime to fix your pH. PH your nutrient solution before you add it. An example ..... you decide to use Silica, and run out to buy Gen Hydro's Armor Si. You mix it up and feed your plants not knowing that the pH in your mix is 11.5 (common with this product) your plant will survive it, and maybe over time the lime will bring it down. But its not a silver bullet. You just fed you plants something thats the same pH as ammonia.... 500,000 times stronger than you target pH thanks to the logarithmic scale. How long will it take for the lime in the soil to fix that? Faster than it takes to kill your mycorhizae? How long till you have MAJOR lockout problems you won't be able to fix in time to have a good harvest. I really dont know, but it can't be good for it. Your plant will survive , but what about the feeding next week, and the next, etc. And its not like you can just add more lime.. an excess of dolomite lime will roast your roots and cause a lockout situation. Sooner or later your soil will be dead as dog shit. No more photo of the month for you! Soil with a pH of 5.2 and below to 7.7 and above will start to make nutrient bioavailability a real problem. Know your pH.
To read pH in soil I usually use a small glass and my portable meter. I fill the glass quarter way with dirt... I usually dig down a bit if the roots allow. Then put about twice the water in the glass I did the soil. Stir it and let it sit over night and measure in the morning. My water is almost exactly 7.0 so I dont need to adjust it before I run the test. If yours is more or less acidic you may want to fix that first. This method isn't bulletproof, but its much more accurate than running a test on run off.
So. You can see the elements as horizontal bars they are tapered at the ends signifying that they are less affective as the pH changes. PH is at the bottom of the chart. By gaining a solid knowledge this chart, you can make your nutrients feed in a certain direction. Meaning, you may want to run you pH a little more basic if you want to make it easier on the plant to get the NPK and C in the beginning, or if you have a nitrogen toxicity issue, run the nutrients a little more acidic till its over. Again this is only for soil. The hydro chart is a bit tighter and doesn't really allow for this.
I just want you guys, especially soil people to know that pH is a big deal. You can rely on lime to keep your rhizosphere pH solid in soil, and for the most part it will work fine. If your doing this then be sure to make your own soil so you know its capabilities. Lime is great, but it can be a problem too. As for hydro, if your dumb enough to try it you already know pH is important. May the phorce be with you!
Stltoed
Well-Known Member
I gotta take a nap after that one...
- Thread starter
- #692
Nice Wright up.
Stltoed
Well-Known Member
Oh good, glad you like it.
Dankman_420
Well-Known Member
Like a true mad scientist 
Hows everyone doing today. Im ready for the weekend already. Haha
Hows everyone doing today. Im ready for the weekend already. Haha
Stltoed
Well-Known Member
I'm not mad, a little pissy maybe, but not madLike a true mad scientist
Hows everyone doing today. Im ready for the weekend already. Haha
I'm gonna swim back to Catalina
- Thread starter
- #696
Here in Canada next weekend is Thanksgiving. No big family get together this year.
Dankman_420
Well-Known Member
My in-laws are Canadian. They are a fun bunch
Stltoed
Well-Known Member
I love Thanksgiving... thankful I dont have to see my family.
Does Canada have turkey like the US? Maybe a little poutine?
Dankman_420
Well-Known Member
This reminds me of the in-laws. Haha