THC Bomb & WW/Skunk - CFL Hood/Veg HPS/Flower

[AfricanGrower]

That slimy white foam is normal. I usually get a thin film start to form after 3 days of recirculation. I'm positive that what you see is just causedby the bennies.

As for the frequency of pH adjusting, I usually adjust pH during the 12 hours of dark, throughout a spread of a couple hours. Since I know my pH can hit the mid 7s if I start at 5.8, I adjust to 5.0, and by the end of the day's feeding, my oh end right at 6.7. That's very acceptable in my eyes.

 

[Skybound]

Do you feed at night? I believe it was your journal I jacked the feed times from. 3 times daily, 9am, 5pm, 1am. That's what I've been using for a couple weeks now. I increased to 2 minutes b/c of using only a spill hose, but now that I have a DIY halo, I think I can decrease back to 1 minute feedings? Perhaps I just don't understand what I'm supposed to recreate. Are we supposed to allow the roots and medium to dry out a bit to promote root growth? By Capn saying it's difficult to over water (within reason), I may have let that go to my head and feed too often and too much per feeding?

Also, I found a tote at wally's that has a broader footprint and will fit in the small area below my cabinet. Only problem is that it is made from clear/purple plastic. Being as though my res is external to the box and covered, it receives almost no direct light exposure save for when I turn on the closet light to check ph/PPM. Do you think I could use this to get a bigger res going? I have not let go of the idea that my extreme fluctuations may also be caused (in part) by the small size of my res. It can fit 3 gallons, but I only use 2 to prevent splash over. I do want to get into a bigger res, but the only one I can find that will work is clear. Any thoughts?

 

[bluefly43]

You might consider getting a clear bin and at least 3 cans of black plastic paint. It would probably take at least three coats of paint. I made my cloner out of an ice cream container and painting it--worked great

 

[AfricanGrower]

>>>Do you feed at night? I believe it was your journal I jacked the feed times from. 3 times daily, 9am, 5pm, 1am.

No, only feed during the day, when water retention is at its smallest. My lights go on at 7AM, so does my first feeding. 4 hours later, another feeding at 11AM. Another 4 hours later, a feeding starts at 3PM.

>>>Are we supposed to allow the roots and medium to dry out a bit to promote root growth? By Capn saying it's difficult to over water (within reason), I may have let that go to my head and feed too often and too much per feeding?

In my opinion, I think that extended dry periods between waterings is best applied during the last third of a flowering cycle. Causing the plant to create new roots, in turn increasing the uptake of nutrients at each watering. At a young age, I feel that roots are still too fragile to handle excessive dry periods, as what happened with a bagseed of mine at the beginnings of the journal. Being able to flood the root mass as many times as possible, WHILE allowing optimal oxygen intake, WILL increase growth rate no matter what. We can see a clear examples of that in Aero & DWC.

>>>I do want to get into a bigger res, but the only one I can find that will work is clear. Any thoughts?

Only thing I can suggest is creating an external reservoir. I know you may think it would be almost impossible to keep inconspicuous, but you'd be surprised what simple sheets, books, and a picture frame can do.

 

[Skybound]

@AG, So you only feed twice daily, and no feeding in the wee hours? I think this plant is "old enough" to handle extended periods, how about you?

Happy Thanksgiving All!
I transplanted first thing this morning and corrected the res. I will not be looking in the closet at all today, so I wanted to get everything done first thing. I soaked the cubes in aerated water all night long with a transition feed mix (1part micro, 1part gro, 1part bloom) @ 500 PPM @ 5.7pH. The root mass to me appears to have developed really nicely in the lower half of the root ball with about half as much growth at the top half, which IMO is still good. Happy to be sporting those Capn Style blast white roots which has given me added assurances. I was thinking that these crazy pH fluctuations were likely caused by me adding too much sugary ingredients into the regimen and that was causing some problems. So I can at least see that the Heisenberg Tea is helping this plant endure my clumsy hands.

The nute burned leaves is confusing the heck out of me. Overall plant color looks pretty good, but the deteriorated leaves with no other signs of burn or deficiency is what really has me perplexed. Perhaps I have just crossed the threshold of "too much", but not too far past that? I will start building another res tomorrow. What I mean is that I will mix another and aerate it for minimum of 24 hours before introducing it to the system. If I can get the new batch to fluctuate like other batches have, I can then rule out everything outside of the res and further conclude that use of CaMg in a non organic solution is the likely culprit. As previously stated, I will decrease the amount of molasses I add to the tea from 3ml to 2.5ml. This drop might help smooth over the added sugars in my CaMg. Pics and once again, Happy Thanksgiving

 

[Blazer420]

I could be WAY OFF BASE here but I think that you may have an anaerobic bacteria growing somewhere. That foam sure looks like "sea foam" that is the protein waste of the ocean. You see it on beaches all the time because of the wave action super aerating the water and causing those proteins to be "washed" out of the water an on to the beach. While I have absolutely no way of knowing if a similar situation is going on in your res, my gut is telling me that's what's going on. The actions of that bacteria may also be what is playing with your PH.

But like I said, I could be completely full of crap and talking out of my sphincter.

B-

 

[B A R]

Happy Thanksgiving

 

[b.real]

she finally grew into the high ppm

the microbes in the sea can actually kill other harmful microbes like mrsa.

if you suspect an infection I would suggest some garlic spray.

 

[Blazer420]

she finally grew into the high ppm

the microbes in the sea can actually kill other harmful microbes like mrsa.

if you suspect an infection I would suggest some garlic spray.

Garlic works wonders! Added benefit of keeping those pesky vampires away too.

B-

 

[Skybound]

I mixed up 2 gallons of nutrient solution that metered out at 555 with a perfect ph of 5.8. I will continue to aerate through the night and check levels again tomorrow. Afterwards, I plan to completely remove the other res tank and just slide this one in it's place. I will clean the other res and prep it to catch run off. After a couple feedings, I will activate an air stone that I will jump onto the current air supply. Thankfully Capn sent me the materials I need to get that done. The air pump he gave me is nearly twice as strong as the one I had, so it can handle the extra air stone when the run off tank level gets high enough. In the box of goodies I also found a 1/4" shutoff valve with barb fittings and makes it good for air and water. I will accept if there is a small amount of air leakage, but it should keep most of the air focused on the res. I'm curious if an air vent would be helpful on the top of the res if I can assure there will be no contamination or anything?

Plant growth seems to have picked up again which suggests that the transplant was helpful. Height is 9" and 18" in girth. coloration appears to again have stabilized. Still not the Capn style rigid medium dark green leaves with the waxy look, but we're trying to get to that point. I really wanna steal a few cuttings, but I don't feel she is yet healthy enough to give good cuttings. Hopefully the next couple days gives me confidence.

Good night gang. Hope everyone had a slammin Thanksgiving!

 

[Blazer420]

Why is it that EVERY bottle of GO CalMag I have ever seen (including all of mine) is a big drippy mess?

Is it just me?

B-

 

[Skybound]

I've never read anything about use of garlic in a grow. Can someone share a brief overview of how to use it and why it should be used? I will go do some research to see what I find about it.

Update, 11/29 Week 04 (42)/VD28

I've been fairly busy this morning hopefully to remedy these res problems, or at very least reduce the negative impact on the grow in general. I took my top feed system apart and cleaned everything again. I notice quite a bit of slimy residues built up on everything the nutes were in contact with. I cleaned by first thoroughly rinsing with cold tap water, then hot. I then took a new sponge with some Dawn dish soap and lathered everything up nice, then hot rinsed. After the suds were gone, I added a little cold water with some 29% H2O2 and sloshed it around nice. B/c I misplaced my utility knife, I elected to use the same, but thoroughly cleaned res tank as it's already been cut for the pump's power chord. In the res tank I am using an air stone The Capn gave me, I think a 2" cylinder stone being fed with the air pump he gave me as well. So as it stands, I am using his air pump, air stone, pots, croutons and some hose/fittings. These pieces seem to be insignificant, but trust me, each was sorely needed, especially the croutons. I never really knew how little I had in those cloning cubes.

I also rescheduled feed times to go as follows;
6 AM Lights On
10 AM 1 minute feed
8 PM 1 minute feed
12 AM Lights Off
I hope this doesn't add stress, especially since I plan to flip to flower as soon as I can get a reflector for my 400w HPS constructed. If I am unable within the next 2 days, I will just swap the bulbs to all 2700k and begin the 12/12 hour light cycle with the CFLs. After I do get the HPS in there, if heat is not too severe, I plan to also supplement with CFLs to really add mass and density to buds as well as increase oil production. Everyone that I've seen use added side lighting for flower seems to harvest a very nice yield and appearance.

 

[Skybound]

Why is it that EVERY bottle of GO CalMag I have ever seen (including all of mine) is a big drippy mess?

Is it just me?

B-

For me, when I draw some into my syringe, there is always a drop or 2 that falls to the side. I should probably get some butter bowls with soapy water and rinse water to keep things cleaner.

 

[B A R]

I've never read anything about use of garlic in a grow. Can someone share a brief overview of how to use it and why it should be used? I will go do some research to see what I find about it.

Yeah, what Sky said.

 

[Blazer420]

Garlic has anti-bacterial properties in it. Extremely mild, but there none-the-less.

 

[Skybound]

Sounds very harmful to the bennies. If that be the case, I'll have to try that for another grow b/c I'm committed to using compost tea for at least the rest of this grow.

 

[Blazer420]

Sounds very harmful to the bennies. If that be the case, I'll have to try that for another grow b/c I'm committed to using compost tea for at least the rest of this grow.

There are arguments on both sides of that one - I fully admit. If you are going to use it, try very low concentrations. Maybe around 1 crusted clove steeped in 1 gal of water for about 12 hours.

B-

 

[b.real]

garlic doesn't kill good bugs, only the bad, unlike other "man made" antibiotics that kill good and bad. don't ask me how and/or why, ask god

I suspected that my acid/diesel had the mosaic virus so I cheese grated 1 raw clove in every watering and she looks healthy now. she doesn't have those nasty spotted blisters on her new growth anymore (thanks to kieftreefarms and mono) she is growing and controlling the virus (if it's even still there anymore) and it's not spreading to my snow whites.

Neptune's harvest sell garlic spray and hot pepper spray as their treatments for bugs and microbes.

 

[B A R]

Could garlic powder be used or even the juice from crushed garlic?

 

[Blazer420]

Could garlic powder be used or even the juice from crushed garlic?

personally I would go with fresh. Dunno why, but my gut tells me that during the drying process the good stuff might be lost.