Should be some monsters by the sounds of it.
Pink's New Grow Room: Perpetual Fun and Games
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- #62
Pinktiger777
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Hydroponics Nutrients and Additives Discussion
Good morning from the Ozarks capital of weed! Yes, I'm feeling pretty good this morning after a bowl of my last grow.
LOL
Today I want to talk about additives to nutrients in hydroponics.
I've been evaluating my nutrients and trying to see if I could make wiser choices and save a little money and time.
I've been using General Hydroponics combination nutrient line, Flora Grow, Flora Bloom and Flora Micro.
And a host of other bottles - Rapid Start, Flora Nectar, Flora Blend, Armor Si, Floralicious and Floralicious Bloom, Cal Mag, Diamond Nectar, Koolbloom dry and liquid (not at the same time), and maybe some other stuff too.
I don't really find it necessary to flush at the end, so I don't add a salt-clearing solution.
GH has a two-part regimen, and I'm going to try it in my smaller tent and see how it works with no additional additives.
If any of you have experience in hydro with the Flora Duo nutrients, please let me know.
From first glance, it seems you won't really save money unless you forego additives and supplements, because the two bottles cost about the same as the combo nutes.
And then I got to thinking, well, if I don't need any supplements, maybe they are both the same?
OK, so basically I'm going to use these for the mother tent. I'll be posting more on this after I begin the experiment.
Good morning from the Ozarks capital of weed! Yes, I'm feeling pretty good this morning after a bowl of my last grow.
LOL
Today I want to talk about additives to nutrients in hydroponics.
I've been evaluating my nutrients and trying to see if I could make wiser choices and save a little money and time.
I've been using General Hydroponics combination nutrient line, Flora Grow, Flora Bloom and Flora Micro.
And a host of other bottles - Rapid Start, Flora Nectar, Flora Blend, Armor Si, Floralicious and Floralicious Bloom, Cal Mag, Diamond Nectar, Koolbloom dry and liquid (not at the same time), and maybe some other stuff too.
I don't really find it necessary to flush at the end, so I don't add a salt-clearing solution.
GH has a two-part regimen, and I'm going to try it in my smaller tent and see how it works with no additional additives.
If any of you have experience in hydro with the Flora Duo nutrients, please let me know.
From first glance, it seems you won't really save money unless you forego additives and supplements, because the two bottles cost about the same as the combo nutes.
And then I got to thinking, well, if I don't need any supplements, maybe they are both the same?
OK, so basically I'm going to use these for the mother tent. I'll be posting more on this after I begin the experiment.
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- #63
Pinktiger777
Well-Known Member
This grow began vegging in the new tent on August 1. Today it is about 10 days from going 12/12. Here's a picture after two weeks of veg:
And these were taken an hour ago:
And these were taken an hour ago:
Always crowded at your house!
If you want to see what your nutes are doing what for you, you should make a spreadsheet that lists what's in them and what they add to your grow at the quantities the recommend. After all, they're all just NPK and micronutrients in different amounts.
I use a spreadsheet from FelipeBlu which makes it easy to track, and you can add your own nute lines if he hasn't included them in his. If you're interested, PM me and I'll see if I can find the link from a few years back.
If you want to see what your nutes are doing what for you, you should make a spreadsheet that lists what's in them and what they add to your grow at the quantities the recommend. After all, they're all just NPK and micronutrients in different amounts.
I use a spreadsheet from FelipeBlu which makes it easy to track, and you can add your own nute lines if he hasn't included them in his. If you're interested, PM me and I'll see if I can find the link from a few years back.
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- #65
Pinktiger777
Well-Known Member
Weekly Update
Three tents is a lot of tents. I'm just getting used to working it all efficiently. Generally I go down after breakfast and examine the water levels and measure the PH, check the TDS and figure the VPD. Reader, I'm not trying to throw you; there is another thing I just learned about from another member, @Pennywise, after only four years. LOL. Here's that thread with a discussion of VPD and a chart: VPD Discussion. More about that later. I have a new device, also, a new meter: Wiztech Digital PH Meter with ATC: 3 in 1 PH TDS Temp - High Accuracy. I love this thing. I paid almost $40 for it, but it is a one-stop shop for measuring PH, TDS, PPM, water temp (I know, right?). Every day I mark down all my measurements in a journal I printed out with the calendar on big squares. I've been keeping this record for nearly four years now. I also write down the water level and the air temp and humidity over the last 24 hours (a range) and now. I take a good look at everything and make sure the lights are correctly dimmed/not dimmed, water level is sufficient and at the correct PH and nutrient level, and ventilation fans and exhaust fans are operating properly. I'm thinking of creating another chart to track checking of the equipment and systems and write down issues as they occur. I'm afraid if I don't wzzite this down, I won't remember it correctly. Three tents, you know...
Issues and Problems this Past Week
This was week one of having all tents operating in the new space. We moved the two smaller tents into the room; we had to dismantle one before moving, and we like to never got it back on the frame. But we did. I'm so grateful to this site and to the people who respond quickly to anything they perceive I need to fix. Here are the two major issues that came up this week:
Three tents is a lot of tents. I'm just getting used to working it all efficiently. Generally I go down after breakfast and examine the water levels and measure the PH, check the TDS and figure the VPD. Reader, I'm not trying to throw you; there is another thing I just learned about from another member, @Pennywise, after only four years. LOL. Here's that thread with a discussion of VPD and a chart: VPD Discussion. More about that later. I have a new device, also, a new meter: Wiztech Digital PH Meter with ATC: 3 in 1 PH TDS Temp - High Accuracy. I love this thing. I paid almost $40 for it, but it is a one-stop shop for measuring PH, TDS, PPM, water temp (I know, right?). Every day I mark down all my measurements in a journal I printed out with the calendar on big squares. I've been keeping this record for nearly four years now. I also write down the water level and the air temp and humidity over the last 24 hours (a range) and now. I take a good look at everything and make sure the lights are correctly dimmed/not dimmed, water level is sufficient and at the correct PH and nutrient level, and ventilation fans and exhaust fans are operating properly. I'm thinking of creating another chart to track checking of the equipment and systems and write down issues as they occur. I'm afraid if I don't wzzite this down, I won't remember it correctly. Three tents, you know...
Issues and Problems this Past Week
This was week one of having all tents operating in the new space. We moved the two smaller tents into the room; we had to dismantle one before moving, and we like to never got it back on the frame. But we did. I'm so grateful to this site and to the people who respond quickly to anything they perceive I need to fix. Here are the two major issues that came up this week:
- This one starts out bad, and then changes to good. For some reason, it never occurred to me that I needed a way to move the heated and humid air from the large tent (5 x 50) to outside. I soon realized I needed to fix this, when the room temperature soared to the 90s and the humidity was in the 80s. I'm surprised it didn't rain. The room is partially underground and is in the basement. The walls are concrete block. Thank goodness we have a window. My talented husband devised an exhaust that is airtight and goes out the window. The temperature is now the same as the rest of the house (73). Humidity is in the 50s. And this is interesting - I now have negative pressure when I open the door, and have to almost force it closed.
- I prepared five fabric pots for transplanting the seedlings that are now getting larger in the nursery tent. One was ready to transplant yesterday. The others must wait a couple of days. The nursery tent also housed the two seedlings I started last week, Expert Gorilla Glue and Mazari Grape. I used coco coir in the pots and didn't buffer them first with cal mag. @InTheShed and @Pennywise, thank you. So I got those buffered and ready and then changed the water up so I could begin planting the Moms. Here's Harlequinn, all by itself in the Mom tent, followed by a picture of a seedling: Expert Gorilla Glue. The last photo in this montage is the nursery tent with the clones, seedlings all being nursed. LOL
Husbands do come in handy sometimes 
I'm sure Harley won't be lonely for long!
I'm sure Harley won't be lonely for long!
You’ll have a wealth of info recorded, maybe a book down the road.
- Thread starter
- #68
Pinktiger777
Well-Known Member
Well, in the update I forgot to mention that today I cleared out a bunch of fan leaves that had no true purpose in life, and applied LST techniques to the branches so they will be of uniform height. I also rearranged branches so they could rise above the net. So much foliage! I love it. Tomorrow I won't be able to see what I did today, because all the lower branches I brought to the top will be facing the sun and look like they'd been there for years.
Here's a before and after:
Here's a before and after:
Nice set up I also run ebb flow . Will pull a chair on this one
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- #70
Pinktiger777
Well-Known Member
GH has those, also. I really know very little about nutrients. When I get a little time, I’ll look into it. Thank you!
And yet you're using so many!
If you want to compare other nutrients to what you're currently doing, a spreadsheet is the easiest way. For example, here is MegaCrop at 5.5g/gallon:
If I wanted to try to mirror that with another nutrient line, I would use the worksheets from that line and change the numbers to try to get close to the N and K values at least, and see what the other elements looked like. Here is the Dyna-Grow two part system:
That gives me a lot more phosphorus than I need, a lot less Cal-Mag than MegaCrop provides, but a heck of a lot more silica. And so on.
Mega crop works great on a table
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- #73
Pinktiger777
Well-Known Member
Yes, I need to study all this. Thanks.And yet you're using so many!
If you want to compare other nutrients to what you're currently doing, a spreadsheet is the easiest way. For example, here is MegaCrop at 5.5g/gallon:
If I wanted to try to mirror that with another nutrient line, I would use the worksheets from that line and change the numbers to try to get close to the N and K values at least, and see what the other elements looked like. Here is the Dyna-Grow two part system:
That gives me a lot more phosphorus than I need, a lot less Cal-Mag than MegaCrop provides, but a heck of a lot more silica. And so on.
- Thread starter
- #74
Pinktiger777
Well-Known Member
I’m afraid it would be a dull book!
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- #75
Pinktiger777
Well-Known Member
Update Redux
I'm shocked. Not really, but I am surprised.
These plants are proving what I have known for most of my life, and keep forgetting: the size of the pot and the grow space is directly proportional to how big the plant gets.
I have a 5 X 5 tent and five gallon pots. Six of them. The fan leaves, some of them, are the size of dinner plates. The stems are respectively large, the circumference of a silver dollar. An old silver dollar.
One of the new plants that I'm growing is Expert Haze from Expert Seeds (breeder). This line purports to grow more compact than the original haze, but keeping the original benefits. And it does seem to stay smaller than the Blue Dream to its right or the Peppermint Kush on its left.
In the following pictures, the Expert Haze is in the center. Because of the scrog, it is difficult to pin down which plant is which. Sorry.
I am also growing an Expert Gorilla Glue for the Mother Tent. Like the haze plant, it is supposed to finish quicker and stay smaller. I'm planning to do three strains in each tent and to have two plants of each strain. I'm matching the grow and flower times as much as possible so they will all finish together or thereabouts. I'm already dreading the trimming (LOL not really, I love trimming, but it will be time consuming).
Another thing about the big tent is the size of the reservoir. 70 gallons. And the plants use water proportionately as the plants in the mother tent, which at peak will be a gallon a day. So every day these plants use 7 - 10 gallons. Glad I have a hose from outdoors that I can bring in. I'm not going to pack it in the room with one-gallon containers like I did for the smaller tent.
The water temperature in my reservoirs is staying at 72-74 degrees Fahrenheit. I assume this is OK. Water temp has not been an issue for me until the winter, and this year I'm going to get me a couple of those aquarium heaters to put in the reservoirs and see how that does. The basement is cool all year around.
I'm shocked. Not really, but I am surprised.
These plants are proving what I have known for most of my life, and keep forgetting: the size of the pot and the grow space is directly proportional to how big the plant gets.
I have a 5 X 5 tent and five gallon pots. Six of them. The fan leaves, some of them, are the size of dinner plates. The stems are respectively large, the circumference of a silver dollar. An old silver dollar.
One of the new plants that I'm growing is Expert Haze from Expert Seeds (breeder). This line purports to grow more compact than the original haze, but keeping the original benefits. And it does seem to stay smaller than the Blue Dream to its right or the Peppermint Kush on its left.
In the following pictures, the Expert Haze is in the center. Because of the scrog, it is difficult to pin down which plant is which. Sorry.
I am also growing an Expert Gorilla Glue for the Mother Tent. Like the haze plant, it is supposed to finish quicker and stay smaller. I'm planning to do three strains in each tent and to have two plants of each strain. I'm matching the grow and flower times as much as possible so they will all finish together or thereabouts. I'm already dreading the trimming (LOL not really, I love trimming, but it will be time consuming).
Another thing about the big tent is the size of the reservoir. 70 gallons. And the plants use water proportionately as the plants in the mother tent, which at peak will be a gallon a day. So every day these plants use 7 - 10 gallons. Glad I have a hose from outdoors that I can bring in. I'm not going to pack it in the room with one-gallon containers like I did for the smaller tent.
The water temperature in my reservoirs is staying at 72-74 degrees Fahrenheit. I assume this is OK. Water temp has not been an issue for me until the winter, and this year I'm going to get me a couple of those aquarium heaters to put in the reservoirs and see how that does. The basement is cool all year around.
Elevated Lighting Company
Well-Known Member
Looking great! I will tag along and follow. Any questions along the way just tag me in.
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- #77
Pinktiger777
Well-Known Member
Update (Late)
Hi all - Sorry that I'm two days late posting my update, but it's been busy here.
I am going to flip the switch on Sunday the 20th. I could do it today, but this weekend I will put transition levels of nutrients in the reservoir when I change the water. Every week is not necessary; two weeks are perfect timing.
This report is organized from each tent:
Mom Tent
Crazy growth going on, and I'm impressed so far with the one-part nutrient I'm trying here, Flora Nova, which comes in "grow" and "bloom."
The growth is amazingly fast.
Here it is about four days ago, followed by this morning's shot, and ending with a photo I took yesterday of the whole tent.
I have four Moms planted here from seed: The center plant is Harlequin, a CBD 2:1 THC plant for my daughter. The teeny one (I added a closeup) is Expert Gorilla Glue. Fire OG and Skywalker Triangle Kush are the other ones. I'm also preparing a fifth variety for the Mom tent, Mazari Grape. The MG is a favorite of ours; it is wonderful for sleep and also contains a hefty percentage of CBD. Excellent medical plant for me. It's hard to find those seeds right now, as they are out of stock with my seed company; I had three, but the first one didn't pop, so I'm trying a second one.
Here is a picture or two of my setup again for those not familiar with my new grow space:
Flowering Tent
The plants are touching the top net now, except for the smaller ones in the back of the tent. Those have ample space to grow, and I'm hoping that the stretch will be OK for all the plants. I may have to do some LST-ing if they grow too tall in the front. The light I have from @Budget LED is warmer than the LEDs in the other tents, but I've been running it at full blast since the beginning. This is something I will get experienced at, I hope; but for now, all is fine here. These pictures begin a few days ago, ending with most recent from this morning (except the back picture at the end, which is two or three days ago.
The plants in the nursery are doing OK also. But I failed to take a recent pic this morning. Sorry!
OK, that's the update for now. See you later and stay safe, y'all.
Hi all - Sorry that I'm two days late posting my update, but it's been busy here.
I am going to flip the switch on Sunday the 20th. I could do it today, but this weekend I will put transition levels of nutrients in the reservoir when I change the water. Every week is not necessary; two weeks are perfect timing.
This report is organized from each tent:
Mom Tent
Crazy growth going on, and I'm impressed so far with the one-part nutrient I'm trying here, Flora Nova, which comes in "grow" and "bloom."
The growth is amazingly fast.
Here it is about four days ago, followed by this morning's shot, and ending with a photo I took yesterday of the whole tent.
I have four Moms planted here from seed: The center plant is Harlequin, a CBD 2:1 THC plant for my daughter. The teeny one (I added a closeup) is Expert Gorilla Glue. Fire OG and Skywalker Triangle Kush are the other ones. I'm also preparing a fifth variety for the Mom tent, Mazari Grape. The MG is a favorite of ours; it is wonderful for sleep and also contains a hefty percentage of CBD. Excellent medical plant for me. It's hard to find those seeds right now, as they are out of stock with my seed company; I had three, but the first one didn't pop, so I'm trying a second one.
Here is a picture or two of my setup again for those not familiar with my new grow space:
Flowering Tent
The plants are touching the top net now, except for the smaller ones in the back of the tent. Those have ample space to grow, and I'm hoping that the stretch will be OK for all the plants. I may have to do some LST-ing if they grow too tall in the front. The light I have from @Budget LED is warmer than the LEDs in the other tents, but I've been running it at full blast since the beginning. This is something I will get experienced at, I hope; but for now, all is fine here. These pictures begin a few days ago, ending with most recent from this morning (except the back picture at the end, which is two or three days ago.
The plants in the nursery are doing OK also. But I failed to take a recent pic this morning. Sorry!
OK, that's the update for now. See you later and stay safe, y'all.
Love the huge leaves on the Harley! Did you spray something on the Expert GG? It looks like there's white stuff on it.
- Thread starter
- #79
Pinktiger777
Well-Known Member
No, that’s light reflecting. I use a flash on the pictures,and in the blurple tent I also put it through photoshop for color correction and adjusting the curves.
- Thread starter
- #80
Pinktiger777
Well-Known Member
Update on Everything
The big tent is very crowded, but not overcrowded. I flipped it this weekend, on Friday, so it has now three days of 12/12. The stretch is on.
The growth in these plants is expected, but it still boggles my mind how fast it grows. Yesterday I did some defoliation below the first net, and as well as I could, removed dead and dying leaves and trimmed out the underbrush. Now they look like lollipop plants. LOL.
The Mom tent is coming along well. The Harlequinn is predominating over the canopy, but the other plants (Fire OG and Skywalker Triangle Kush) are also getting big. Baby Expert Gorilla Glue is coming along great. I'm still waiting on Mazari Grape to show its head above the coco, but I'm not giving up yet.
The big tent is very crowded, but not overcrowded. I flipped it this weekend, on Friday, so it has now three days of 12/12. The stretch is on.
The growth in these plants is expected, but it still boggles my mind how fast it grows. Yesterday I did some defoliation below the first net, and as well as I could, removed dead and dying leaves and trimmed out the underbrush. Now they look like lollipop plants. LOL.
The Mom tent is coming along well. The Harlequinn is predominating over the canopy, but the other plants (Fire OG and Skywalker Triangle Kush) are also getting big. Baby Expert Gorilla Glue is coming along great. I'm still waiting on Mazari Grape to show its head above the coco, but I'm not giving up yet.