SIP Club - Getting Hydro/Coco Results In A Soil Based Medium

[NickHardy]

Phew! East Coast US - not me! Plenty of them out there though.

I’ve had a stalling, root afflicted SIP post up pot from a Solo SWICK. I tried bring it through top watering but to no avail as they say. So on the spur of the moment and tipped it out the pot (I “up potted” to a Solo SIP I should add - I don’t have frisbees for hands ) and found pretty mich what I was expecting. Basically the lowest half inch of coco had separated out from the upper bit plus too much perlite above the “grate” they have above the air gap.

I just broke off the bottom section entirely. Added a thin fresh layer pf perlite and added a fresh layer of coco avec @DYNOMYCO on top of that then reseated the now flushed with H2o2 treated water remaining root ball back in the SIP. From about 5mm down from the top there are roots to the edges. I’m hopeful that in a couple of days the roots will have passed down through the fresh coco layer to the grate.

Or, you know, it dies quicker. Killing a plant in a SIP, the shame!

Pic below. She’s a Hulkberry from
RQS - AKA Bruce Banner #4

Below that her two SIP Sisters Blueberry and Royal Gorilla AKA Gorilla Glue #4 the Airpot GG#4 is slowly catch up - background right.

Nick

 

[BeezLuiz]

Time for a quick little update on my SIP project. Here's what it looked like on transplant day 53 days ago.

20230603_084853.jpg

• BeezLuiz
• Jun 3, 2023

Sensi Cheese at 47 days from sprout. Planted into Earthbox.

And here it is today:

20230726_075444.jpg

• BeezLuiz
• Jul 26, 2023

Sensi Cheese 53 days after going into SIP.

Sensi Cheese is now 100 days from sprout, and has been living in the SIP for 53 days now. It's drinking about 4 gallons of water/nutrients every day and growing about an inch each day! It's now 64 inches high as of this morning. I topped it twice and applied LST, but now I wish I had topped it at least one more time. It's just now showing signs of going into flower, so too late for that.
The trunk is pretty dang thick right now. My son says I should make a bong out of it after harvest.

20230726_073742.jpg

• BeezLuiz
• Jul 26, 2023

Trunk of Sensi Cheese.

20230726_165938.jpg

• BeezLuiz
• Jul 26, 2023

Sensi Cheese in the evening sun.

 

[Bode]

Highya Beez,

Gorgeous lady!! SIPs really put on the biomass! Love the look of the Sensi Cheese. Now all she has to do is fill out all the budsites! She's going to be a producer!! Happy Smokin

 

[StoneOtter]

Time for a quick little update on my SIP project. Here's what it looked like on transplant day 53 days ago.

20230603_084853.jpg

• BeezLuiz
• Jun 3, 2023

Sensi Cheese at 47 days from sprout. Planted into Earthbox.

And here it is today:

20230726_075444.jpg

• BeezLuiz
• Jul 26, 2023

Sensi Cheese 53 days after going into SIP.

Sensi Cheese is now 100 days from sprout, and has been living in the SIP for 53 days now. It's drinking about 4 gallons of water/nutrients every day and growing about an inch each day! It's now 64 inches high as of this morning. I topped it twice and applied LST, but now I wish I had topped it at least one more time. It's just now showing signs of going into flower, so too late for that.
The trunk is pretty dang thick right now. My son says I should make a bong out of it after harvest.

20230726_073742.jpg

• BeezLuiz
• Jul 26, 2023

Trunk of Sensi Cheese.

20230726_165938.jpg

• BeezLuiz
• Jul 26, 2023

Sensi Cheese in the evening sun.

Wow! She's massively beautiful!

 

[GratefulBud]

Time for a quick little update on my SIP project. Here's what it looked like on transplant day 53 days ago.

20230603_084853.jpg

• BeezLuiz
• Jun 3, 2023

Sensi Cheese at 47 days from sprout. Planted into Earthbox.

And here it is today:

20230726_075444.jpg

• BeezLuiz
• Jul 26, 2023

Sensi Cheese 53 days after going into SIP.

Sensi Cheese is now 100 days from sprout, and has been living in the SIP for 53 days now. It's drinking about 4 gallons of water/nutrients every day and growing about an inch each day! It's now 64 inches high as of this morning. I topped it twice and applied LST, but now I wish I had topped it at least one more time. It's just now showing signs of going into flower, so too late for that.
The trunk is pretty dang thick right now. My son says I should make a bong out of it after harvest.

20230726_073742.jpg

• BeezLuiz
• Jul 26, 2023

Trunk of Sensi Cheese.

20230726_165938.jpg

• BeezLuiz
• Jul 26, 2023

Sensi Cheese in the evening sun.

Holy Macaroni she is HUGE!

 

[GratefulBud]

Hello fellow sippers!
I have an issue I need your expertise with.

Two days ago I noticed one of my SIPs was not drinking as much as usual. This was after I did not respond immediately to her demand to be fed. She looked a little more droopy than usual. I thought no biggie, just top off the res and she will be good.

Yesterday she was again not drinking as much as the other. I went to water this morning at 6am and the Gorilla was bone dry but the OG had plenty of water. I topped her off but she only took half a gallon. The Gorilla took one gallon.

When I got back from a meeting the Gorilla looked fine - her res was bone dry again (she's still drinking a lot), but the OG res was still half full based on my stick indicator, and she was droopy. Uh-oh.

OG 7.27.23

• GratefulBud
• Jul 27, 2023

Gorilla 7.27.23

• GratefulBud
• Jul 27, 2023

I'm thinking she lost her wick.

So I watered lightly on the top and then drenched just around the main stem in the center of the bucket until the res overflowed. I'm thinking (hoping) this will jump start the wicking action again. Not sure what to do if she stops drinking. May have the same issue @InTheShed encountered.

OG water 7.27.23

• GratefulBud
• Jul 27, 2023

It has been over 100˚F here every day for the past week. I've been watering about one gallon each twice per day. The OG suddenly slowed way down while her twin - the Gorilla OG - keeps chugging the water.

Any thoughts on how to get her drinking again?

 

[Bode]

If she's not wicking up the water, you can always continue to water from the top. Might try some mulch. I'm not sure how the roots are liking being above ground in that heat. Could be she's not a tropic origin. Which do you pick. Happy Smokin'

 

[Azimuth]

Hey GB, interesting issue you're having. Tell us what your mix is again? If it's peat moss you may have your answer.

I ran a test (Here) between peat moss, leaf mold, and coco to test their ability to both rehydrate and hold water. Coco rehydrated the best, and the CSPM was a complete failure once it went bone dry.

Bode's thoughts are good ones regarding mulching and the issues you'll have outdoors in that heat. Top watering with a surfactant like aloe or yucca, etc., can help rehydrate whatever your base mix is made from.

Unless it's coco, then I got nothin'.

 

[TwelveCoffee]

@Azimuth can you use miracle grow soil for the SIP containers or should I just stick with pro mix HP?

 

[Azimuth]

@Azimuth can you use miracle grow soil for the SIP containers or should I just stick with pro mix HP?

The MG soil typically has slow release fertilizers in it which will screw up your grow down the line. Best to stick with Pro Mix.

 

[TwelveCoffee]

The MG soil typically has slow release fertilizers in it which will screw up your grow down the line. Best to stick with Pro Mix.

Thank you kindly! Hopefully Canadian tire has some deals on for their reward system if you stack the coupons you end up getting half your money back

 

[GratefulBud]

If she's not wicking up the water, you can always continue to water from the top. Might try some mulch. I'm not sure how the roots are liking being above ground in that heat. Could be she's not a tropic origin. Which do you pick. Happy Smokin'

I'm thinking I let her dry out too much in this heat and she told me to fek off. LOL!
Probably just lost the wicking action and I need to get it started it again.

Hey GB, interesting issue you're having. Tell us what your mix is again? If it's peat moss you may have your answer.

I ran a test (Here) between peat moss, leaf mold, and coco to test their ability to both rehydrate and hold water. Coco rehydrated the best, and the CSPM was a complete failure once it went bone dry.

Bode's thoughts are good ones regarding mulching and the issues you'll have outdoors in that heat. Top watering with a surfactant like aloe or yucca, etc., can help rehydrate whatever your base mix is made from.

Unless it's coco, then I got nothin'.

I'm new to this grow style and it tweaked me a bit.

Just checked and she looks fine at the moment so I'll update here in a day or two on what the issue was (or I'll be posting more woes if she continues to fret).

Thanks!

 

[RedskinnedRhino]

Hello fellow sippers!
I have an issue I need your expertise with.

Two days ago I noticed one of my SIPs was not drinking as much as usual. This was after I did not respond immediately to her demand to be fed. She looked a little more droopy than usual. I thought no biggie, just top off the res and she will be good.

Yesterday she was again not drinking as much as the other. I went to water this morning at 6am and the Gorilla was bone dry but the OG had plenty of water. I topped her off but she only took half a gallon. The Gorilla took one gallon.

When I got back from a meeting the Gorilla looked fine - her res was bone dry again (she's still drinking a lot), but the OG res was still half full based on my stick indicator, and she was droopy. Uh-oh.

OG 7.27.23

• GratefulBud
• Jul 27, 2023

Gorilla 7.27.23

• GratefulBud
• Jul 27, 2023

I'm thinking she lost her wick.

So I watered lightly on the top and then drenched just around the main stem in the center of the bucket until the res overflowed. I'm thinking (hoping) this will jump start the wicking action again. Not sure what to do if she stops drinking. May have the same issue @InTheShed encountered.

OG water 7.27.23

• GratefulBud
• Jul 27, 2023

It has been over 100˚F here every day for the past week. I've been watering about one gallon each twice per day. The OG suddenly slowed way down while her twin - the Gorilla OG - keeps chugging the water.

Any thoughts on how to get her drinking again?

You might try an enzyme addition to your reservoir. It's helped me reel a couple plants back in that were having root issues. Helps to eat up the dead and dying roots.

 

[GratefulBud]

You might try an enzyme addition to your reservoir. It's helped me reel a couple plants back in that were having root issues. Helps to eat up the dead and dying roots.

Interesting.
I'll look into that.

 

[Pondwater]

You might try an enzyme addition to your reservoir. It's helped me reel a couple plants back in that were having root issues. Helps to eat up the dead and dying roots.

Enzymes in the res hmm that sounds like it can’t go too rancid lol if it digests the matter it can’t mould ,I use em1 in my res

 

[GratefulBud]

You might try an enzyme addition to your reservoir. It's helped me reel a couple plants back in that were having root issues. Helps to eat up the dead and dying roots.

Enzymes in the res hmm that sounds like it can’t go too rancid lol if it digests the matter it can’t mould ,I use em1 in my res

I still have an issue.
What specific enzymes?
Would it be bad to put some Dynomyco in a cup of water then pour that into the res?

 

[GratefulBud]

So this morning the Gorilla looks just fine.

Gorilla 7.28.23

• GratefulBud
• Jul 28, 2023

But the OG looks slightly droopy again.

OG droopy 7.28.23

• GratefulBud
• Jul 28, 2023

OG droop 7.28.23

• GratefulBud
• Jul 28, 2023

Both have about half full res.

Top view.

Overhead 7.28.23

• GratefulBud
• Jul 28, 2023

Not sure if she is just not happy about the heat, or my feeding routine, or what.
Soil is FF Ocean Forest.

Here is my SIP build so you can see the inner workings.
There is a plastic donut in the bottom of the bucket. I put half perlite / half soil in the center and lightly packed it down. Up until now it has worked really well at wicking water.

The other day I noticed nute burn on a few fan leaves. There are Grow Dots in the soil but I have been supplementing with a lite dose of FF Grow Big and Big Bloom. I've been giving them only water for 2-3 days now - about the same time she started to pout. Hmm . . . . .

 

[GratefulBud]

I took a pool toy air pump and blew air into the fill pipe. A bunch of water came out of the overflow. I wanted to see if there are any critters - did not see any. The water smelled musty but no rotten egg smell.

I moved her into the shade for today. Don’t think she is dying but clearly she is not happy. Bummer because it looks like she is finally going into flower. Not a good time for issues.

 

[Carcass]

Would it be bad to put some Dynomyco in a cup of water then pour that into the res?

I alternate between Real Growers Recharge and Dynomyco- I add half a teaspoon of one or the other to their feed every third watering, doesn't hurt a thing- although, I'm not sure if it helps anything either- I like to think it does..

I wanted to see if there are any critters - did not see any. The water smelled musty but no rotten egg smell.

The critters I've gotten in the rez are tiny little white wormy/larva things- I need a loupe to see them- they're that small..they're the reason I add Neem oil to the rez once a week or so...(3ml)

But, those wormy things don't seem to affect the plants at all- I still don't want them in there though...

Even without the critters, the rez stinks a bit- it stunk with my last plant also, didn't seem to hurt anything, so I don't worry about it...

 

[GratefulBud]

I alternate between Real Growers Recharge and Dynomyco- I add half a teaspoon of one or the other to their feed every third watering, doesn't hurt a thing- although, I'm not sure if it helps anything either- I like to think it does..

The critters I've gotten in the rez are tiny little white wormy/larva things- I need a loupe to see them- they're that small..they're the reason I add Neem oil to the rez once a week or so...(3ml)

But, those wormy things don't seem to affect the plants at all- I still don't want them in there though...

Even without the critters, the rez stinks a bit- it stunk with my last plant also, didn't seem to hurt anything, so I don't worry about it...

Thanks!
I’ll leave her in the shade today and see how that does.