Xlr8's Hydroponic Adventures & Photos From The Garden - 2012

[Xlr8]

Wikipedia Charas for the full definition. Most are hand made.

Hi OMM!

Thanks, I did that - sounds cool, but terribly inefficient. I could see doing it for the cultural experience/connection though. Been tough for me to get on here last few days. Hope things are well for you.

 

[Xlr8]

What you describe is basically what the "Water Farm" system does (by Hydro Farm: WaterFarm Controller Kit -Terra Cotta (Kit of 8 Farms & Controller) ). They circulate the solution constantly with one air pump and then there is the top feed drip rings which are operated by another air pump. I applied the top ring drippers (called Hydro halo, 3 sizes: 6/8/12": Hydro Halo Water Ring 9") to my flood and drain buckets (C.A.P. ebb and gro) and use this for about 2-3 weeks to get the roots more established and down into the circulating water. The buckets get almost filled then drain down to about 1-1/2" at rest.

Yes, I actually did a DIY that used one pump with 2 outlets to both aerate and pump water up the column waterfarm style similar to how Hash Hound does, and it worked really well. I was going to make it all myself, but I bought a waterfarm plumbing kit for 12$ or something, and it was well worth it.

Neat idea on the halos for early veg! So far I've either hand watered, or sometimes I do early veg with small homemade DWC tub, then put them net cup and all into the Flo n Gro pots.

I don't wait too long before just letting the floods work. I only flood once/twice a day in earlier veg, then kick it up when roots are abundant, and especially in flower.

 

[Xlr8]

gas lantern routine is this
12 hours on
5.5 hours off
1 hour on
5.5 hours off
using this method it tricks the plant into stretching as it thinks its coming into flower, but by giving it the 1 hour light during the 12 hour dark period it stops it flowering and keeps the plants growing like crazy, i had better growth results with the clones than i did when i used seeds, it took the seeds a couple of weeks to benefit from the glr schedule, hope thats some help to you

Nice description, and much more succinct than mine!

 

[Xlr8]

Thank you donpaul... I gotta' at last try this. My curiosity gets the best of me and I figure I got nothing to loose except some clones...

It worked fine when I did it, but I like vegging 24/0 now mostly for convenience and the way I have things set up (I also have a tiny space for veg).

How does this light schedule help bud output, if the 1 hour of light in the middle of the cycle stops flowering?

Kind regards

Good question - it doesn't (help bud output normally).

The 12-1 technique (Gas Lantern Routine) is traditionally for vegging non auto plants only. You would want to have a light cycle like 12/12 for regular seeds to flower (or a diminishing daylight cycle, mimicking nature, that has at least 12 hours of uninterrupted daylight). This is all geared toward regular non-auto seeds, but I was wondering how auto flower plants would perform in the GLR veg light schedule while flowering...

 

[Xlr8]

XL,

A separate question,

I know that carbon filters remove the smell from the grow room. Do they also work if you want to have a smoke/vaporize room? Will it also take the burnt/vapor smell out of the air, for stealth?

Hope all is well buddy.

Kind regards

I haven't tried it with smoke, but I'll bet it would help a ton. Maybe someone else has tried it?

From what I've experienced, vaporizers don't seem to leave any lingering smells (unless they get too hot and also slightly burn the bud). This is another big reason I almost exclusively vape now - it's virtually odorless unless you blow it right at someone. There is still the smell of the unsmoked/vaped cannabis a little bit, but vaping is so much stealthier IMO. Personally, i don't think a carbon filter wouldn't even be needed with a vape unless you really want to cover your bases thoroughly.

 

[Xlr8]

Just a drive thru, where's the bud porn? That gas light routine was done to keep plants from flowering when daylight hours are short. Wish I wood've done that this year with my outdoor crop. Helps when you are taking plants froma nice bright tent. then placing them outside in the shorter day of the outside world. Plant tend to start floweringing the shorter spring time light, if you put them outside when they are damn near full grown. I had afew that had to go thru the reveg again this year. If I wood've gotten them use to the shorter days but useing that 'Gas light' routine they woodn't have flowered out.
Everyone has a method that seems to work for them as far as germination. Least I'm talking about peoples that have been growing for awhile. I'll stick with my method. It's been growing for me for damn near 35 years. But I have found afew plants lately that where not what they suppose to be, Fem Seeds being male. LOL, the first time I ordered seeds online, I'll not say who but I ordered Auto Flowering. What I got I'll never know, cept it wasn't a Auto Flowerer. I had gotten 10 seeds and NONE was auto. I wrote them they claimed everything from I wasn't useing enough light to the nert's I fed them. I was under a 400 watt in a 2X4 tent. Whats to little light then? Oh well they did correct the problem but only if I ordered more seed. Very rarely but happens. I just had that Bubba plant flip over to a male. There are afew varibles that can affect a plants sex. Things like nitrogen levels, kind of lights, ect ect.
Well my friend I'll be peeking back in looking for some great pic of some great pot. Mom's said I should've learned to read, but I still skim for pic's. Till then Keepem Green

Hi my friend! I just put some bud porn up a couple of days ago, but things have been moving fast here again lately. Not OMM fast, but fast enough for me! I'll get some more up soon. Your thread may be my favorite bud porn site of all time - your outdoor garden is truly spectacular especially (though you grow some beauties inside too).

Great points about GLR and how it could have maybe helped you outside. I hadn't even thought of that for outside-bound plants...

I'll quit trying to sell you on rooters for your seeds. Your right, lots of different methods that work.

Lots of great info in your post - good stuff about environment causing males, (like nitrogen), too. I don't think those things typically tip the scales a ton though do they? You've grown many more of these gals than I, so I value your tips/experience a ton.

 

[Xlr8]

Thanks!

I think a good stone or diffuser would mix it fine. However, I do draw my return from as low as possible just to keep a definite top down flow. You simply have to make an external 'hump' in your return line set at the level you want inside your chambers. That way if you have a water pump failure and your reservoir is remote and/or lower than the chambers, you don't get a flood and you don't empty the chambers. They stay at your set level, bubbling away until you discover your water pump failed. Another thing to consider is if you are going to be away from your grow for more than, oh, maybe 2 days, twin air pumps would be a good idea. I use one to aerate the reservoir(s) and one to aerate the chambers. If the water pump fails, I'm covered. If an air pump fails there is another in the system. If two things fail.... God didn't want me doing it!

Hi Heirloom, in my proposed set-up, I would have a flood overflow drain fitting to regulate the water level. Similar to your hump, in effect. Remote res, top drip, elevated overflow drain to maintain max water level that is consistent. Bubble diffuser disc in the plant chamber for circulation and aeration. In theory, the effect should be similar to the DIY waterfarm/DWC unit I made, but with a remote reservoir that is easier to keep cool and maintain a healthy nute mix in.

I would probably run airlines to both the res, and the plant site. Separate pumps is probably a smart safeguard, I agree. Though they might survive quite a while with no air due to circulation from top drip and overflow splashing back to reservoir. I imagine a fairly aggressive drip or top flow at some point after root development.

Mostly, I threw it out there to get others thinking and experimenting. Thanks for helping flesh out some details.

 

[SurfBuddy]

Why wouldn't this work? Here's a hydro system that I think would grow monster plants (soil growers, you can choose to avoid reading this if you are bored by such contraptions!):

I'm considering making a combo "top drip" x DWC hydro unit for fun, too. My thinking is, a tote with a botanicare flood fitting/risers keeping the DWC water level consistant, while a top dripper periodically waters from the top down. The drippers are pulling from a secondary res that is recirculated through the flood risers in the unit that contains the plant. (the main reservoir is below, and gravity will be what returns the overflow to the main res underneath through the flood fitting).

Don't know if I explained that properly, but when the drippers water from the top, the excess they add to the unit will drain back through the flood fitting to the reservoir, which is in turn feeding the drippers, etc. With this, there would only be the drain through the flood risers, to maintain an ideal nutrient level in the "local" reservoir at all times. This would be connected to a main reservoir that feeds the drippers, and accepts the overflow through the flood risers. (There is no flooding with this, the flood riser is just for maintaining a consistant elevated level for the DWC portion of this, while still giving the ability to top drip and recirculate somewhat).

Just throwing this out there for inspiration, or for someone to shoot holes in before I try it myself for fun... I have a friend that grows with a combo top drip, dwc in buckets much like the one I did the Big Bang Auto in. He's done some comparisons to just the DWC bucket and is getting much better results with the drip added. Obviously, the Big Bang Auto was a good yielder, so this got me thinking... love any feedback/thoughts. I'm not sure when I'll get around to this, but thought I'd throw it out there.

I actually ended up with exactly this in my first grow attempt (see link in sig) I had a couple of risers in the drain to keep the water level high in a 14 gal tub, with drippers fed from the lower res (that had frozen bottles for temp), and airstones in both.

I had major pH problems. I'm sure it was because I had no Idea what I was doing, that I was using GH nutes (which I have since heard are hard to keep in pH check), had pythium, too many plants for the size of the rez, because there were too many plants, the middle ones were sitting in the res, the feed drip was too fast, and I think it stunted my plants severely, and I also had light getting into the res. Those are actually the same ones I just harvested though after moving them to 2L's. I actually had two top DWC's with one bottom res for both

I may re try this but am gunshy because of the issues I had with pH, although now I have switched to BPN, so may not have those problems, plus at least I know something instead of nothing

Kool Xl... I read briefly about this, I think. Goes something like this? (Question, not fact). 12 on, 1 off, 5.5 on, 5.5 off or something crazy like that. I always have me ears bent for anything new or different from my familiar ideas and experience, but this one takes the cake! Supposed to trick the plant into thinking it grew 2 days in one 24 hr. period, but I'm a bit skeptical. Please, if you or anyone finds more on this, please post. I'm always looking to get this plant to do better, grow faster and yield more and better. Aren't we all?

12/12 had a nice blog entry about GLR and Diminishing Light Schedule. I use it and dig it. GLR seemed to work wonders within days of switching to it.

 

[Heirloom]

Wow, you certainly spend some time on your replies! You are welcome. The engineering of the systems is just as fun as anything in this hobby. I love it.

What ever you decide to do I'm sure awesome nugs will follow!

 

[Deege420]

X, buddy, pal. awesome, cool, rad. totally plus reps I still gots lots of catching up to do! :X

 

[NorCaliwood]

Hey Xlr. Seen what ya said over at mine and just wanted to say that if you can live with what you have in the way of meds, it's a constant flow. You don't even feel the meds if they are introduced in the spine. Besides the 'hocky puck' witch is on the money in away of describing the unit. 2/3rds of the unit its sticking out. Well mine is. It sticks out from right below my rib line on my right side. Hey if oral meds aren't cutting it, this thing can be raised to whatever level needed. Given you HAVE a doctor that's not scared to use pain meds, alot of them' out there. They give a sore back more meds than a serious 'real' pain. I've had my share of them. Oh another thing about the pump, doctors. Doctors retire, more, you move, them things, can be hard to 'find' a doctor that will take other's pumps. The cream of the pump for them is the install. Maintance, well it's a piece of cake. Simple office vists. 15 minutes to empty, refill, and reprogram. Last's up to 3 months depends on what % they use and speed of drip' Hey talk about high text dripper system. OH BTW there is a site called pumpsters.com somewhere. It's a chat type room with some real people. They have a 'good doctor' list or like pump friendly doctors. I had trouble finding a doctor acouple places I lived. Oh well good meds tonite. I understand what ya mean dude alot of methods for everything out there. I had a friend many moons ago who kind of took me under wing a got me into growing when I was a kid, like 16 years old. He said alot of things and over the years of reading everything, as we pot growers tend to do, read, reread, and read again, I seen things he had talked about. To me thats kind of like a cosigner. But all us peoples reading it's a wealth of info. But still, it's a weed. And whatever works for ya, that's the right way. Trust me I use to start all my starts in peat pellets. But rooters you can believe I have a bag in the office. I perfer then over that little areo cloner I have. 6 days and clones just the other day of my cripits 100% success with the root riots. The square ones. But I have both. You'll have to watch one day when I fire up my buck rodgers sysytem. Them dutch leach trays with drippers. I always loved the look of them units. Rockwool slabs. My first attemp ended up in the trash can. Plants got outta hand fast, and poor planing. One day. Well just babbling here hope some of that crap I wrote helps alittle Keepem Green

 

[Xlr8]

I actually ended up with exactly this in my first grow attempt (see link in sig) I had a couple of risers in the drain to keep the water level high in a 14 gal tub, with drippers fed from the lower res (that had frozen bottles for temp), and airstones in both.

I had major pH problems. I'm sure it was because I had no Idea what I was doing, that I was using GH nutes (which I have since heard are hard to keep in pH check), had pythium, too many plants for the size of the rez, because there were too many plants, the middle ones were sitting in the res, the feed drip was too fast, and I think it stunted my plants severely, and I also had light getting into the res. Those are actually the same ones I just harvested though after moving them to 2L's. I actually had two top DWC's with one bottom res for both

I may re try this but am gunshy because of the issues I had with pH, although now I have switched to BPN, so may not have those problems, plus at least I know something instead of nothing


12/12 had a nice blog entry about GLR and Diminishing Light Schedule. I use it and dig it. GLR seemed to work wonders within days of switching to it.

Cool - thanks for sharing that! I thought you were using something similar. Light getting to your reservoir, by itself can cause pretty dramatic PH swings at times. As can pithium, etc. Definitely something you'd need to dial in good, and I think limiting the irrigation until roots are well established is key with a set-up like this.

+rep for sharing details and pics of your setup.

 

[Xlr8]

Wow, you certainly spend some time on your replies! You are welcome. The engineering of the systems is just as fun as anything in this hobby. I love it.

What ever you decide to do I'm sure awesome nugs will follow!

I really want to give as much as I get here, it's important to me. I try to model my behavior here, and how I respond to others after my good friend OMM, a truly kind and helpful man if I've ever known one.

Honestly, i don't plan on (ar this point anyway) making one of those hydro setups i mentioned with the drippers/dwc. I do plan on making a little ebb and flow set up soon for a few hydro moms. The top drip/dwc As I imagined it with a flood drain fitting, etc., was just another idea that was floating around in my head that didn't fit my current needs, but might inspire someone else... to try, or modify, (or share their experience with if they'd tried something similar). I love the feedback from you and Surf buddy, for example.

No matter what, awesome nugs are always the goal!!

 

[Xlr8]

X, buddy, pal. awesome, cool, rad. totally plus reps I still gots lots of catching up to do! :X

Thanks Deege! I was just drooling over your Angel Hearts, and laughing over JamestheGreens foot porn comment in your journal.

Folks, Deege has a very nice garden, and cool vids in his journal of it. He even had a good shot of his belly in one of them!!

 

[Xlr8]

Hey Xlr. Seen what ya said over at mine and just wanted to say that if you can live with what you have in the way of meds, it's a constant flow. You don't even feel the meds if they are introduced in the spine. Besides the 'hocky puck' witch is on the money in away of describing the unit. 2/3rds of the unit its sticking out. Well mine is. It sticks out from right below my rib line on my right side. Hey if oral meds aren't cutting it, this thing can be raised to whatever level needed. Given you HAVE a doctor that's not scared to use pain meds, alot of them' out there. They give a sore back more meds than a serious 'real' pain. I've had my share of them. Oh another thing about the pump, doctors. Doctors retire, more, you move, them things, can be hard to 'find' a doctor that will take other's pumps. The cream of the pump for them is the install. Maintance, well it's a piece of cake. Simple office vists. 15 minutes to empty, refill, and reprogram. Last's up to 3 months depends on what % they use and speed of drip' Hey talk about high text dripper system. OH BTW there is a site called pumpsters.com somewhere. It's a chat type room with some real people. They have a 'good doctor' list or like pump friendly doctors. I had trouble finding a doctor acouple places I lived. Oh well good meds tonite. I understand what ya mean dude alot of methods for everything out there. I had a friend many moons ago who kind of took me under wing a got me into growing when I was a kid, like 16 years old. He said alot of things and over the years of reading everything, as we pot growers tend to do, read, reread, and read again, I seen things he had talked about. To me thats kind of like a cosigner. But all us peoples reading it's a wealth of info. But still, it's a weed. And whatever works for ya, that's the right way. Trust me I use to start all my starts in peat pellets. But rooters you can believe I have a bag in the office. I perfer then over that little areo cloner I have. 6 days and clones just the other day of my cripits 100% success with the root riots. The square ones. But I have both. You'll have to watch one day when I fire up my buck rodgers sysytem. Them dutch leach trays with drippers. I always loved the look of them units. Rockwool slabs. My first attemp ended up in the trash can. Plants got outta hand fast, and poor planing. One day. Well just babbling here hope some of that crap I wrote helps alittle Keepem Green

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience with the pain pump stuff. There was a bunch there I hadn't thought of as far as different drs and different pumps, etc. Super helpful to me, honestly. Not many people understand this stuff im going through quite as well as it sounds like you do (as far as pain management for this type & level of pain). I guess I'll have to decide whether to continue pain meds as is, or I half expect them to really push this pump on me at some point - they keep hinting that way lately. Sigh, I miss not having all this pain and all the probs that go with it and dealing with it.

I feel so worn out by all the damned dr stuff these days. They wanted to do more surgery, but I've lost most of the last 2 summers to surgery. Not this one! You know how it goes with spine surgeries - might help, might make things worse. So far I don't have a good track record of success with surgery, so another doesn't sound too appealing at the moment. Definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results. I'm taking a break from the insanity!

Seriously brother, thanks for all your insight. I really want to see your Buck Rogers Dutch trays in action eventually - I don't know if I've ever seen you use that yet? You always have some cool grow toys my friend!

 

[Xlr8]

Pics tomorrow!

I screwed up in such a stupid way. I forgot to properly label all of the clones I recently took from my new crosses. I took them so I could start to "weed" out males by flowering them. But I only labeled them by strain and didn't delineate which clone came from which plant since there is 2 of every strain. Doh! I am so pissed at myself. I may move forward anyway in case both of a strain are either male or female. Could still have some value. Sigh. I know i can just take more soon, but i was trying to time things for next flower run, which I'll have to rethink now. Damn damn damn. What was I... smoking...? ....Oh yeah.

 

[OldMedMan]

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience with the pain pump stuff. There was a bunch there I hadn't thought of as far as different drs and different pumps, etc. Super helpful to me, honestly. Not many people understand this stuff im going through quite as well as it sounds like you do (as far as pain management for this type & level of pain). I guess I'll have to decide whether to continue pain meds as is, or I half expect them to really push this pump on me at some point - they keep hinting that way lately. Sigh, I miss not having all this pain and all the probs that go with it and dealing with it.

I feel so worn out by all the damned dr stuff these days. They wanted to do more surgery, but I've lost most of the last 2 summers to surgery. Not this one! You know how it goes with spine surgeries - might help, might make things worse. So far I don't have a good track record of success with surgery, so another doesn't sound too appealing at the moment. Definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results. I'm taking a break from the insanity!

Seriously brother, thanks for all your insight. I really want to see your Buck Rogers Dutch trays in action eventually - I don't know if I've ever seen you use that yet? You always have some cool grow toys my friend!

Hi X, my Buddy. Thanks for the nice words before. As you know I've known Norcaliwood for years. What ever you do, go back and read some of his older journals before you get a pump. It will give you better idea of what its like.

Not saying you will ever get one, but it would at least you would be prepared.

X, I don't do know how you do it. It sounds worse than any of the pain I've faced after my surgeries.
All I can think of is that you love growing and smoking so much you battle through anyway. Much respect old Friend.

I think you left my journal last night, just in time. I went to sleep and folks got a bit crazy. It's pretty funny reading now. Finally put up some pictures....Hope you take a look. 420 sure is fun at times.

 

[Xlr8]

Pictures as promised! Day 47 bloom

The Super Lemon Hazes are very much sativa dominant, and don't have much in the way of bulk to the flowers, but they sure are frosty! Both the Chocolope and the Deadhead are starting to fatten up nicely. The Chocolope is recovering nicely from the bit of a burn she got.

Hope you are all well!



Super Lemon Haze

Super Lemon Haze

Super Lemon Haze

Deadhead OG

Chocolope

Chocolope

Chocolope

Deadhead OG tops

Deadhead OG and Choclope Tops

 

[Xlr8]

Hi X, my Buddy. Thanks for the nice words before. As you know I've known Norcaliwood for years. What ever you do, go back and read some of his older journals before you get a pump. It will give you better idea of what its like.

Not saying you will ever get one, but it would at least you would be prepared.

X, I don't do know how you do it. It sounds worse than any of the pain I've faced after my surgeries.
All I can think of is that you love growing and smoking so much you battle through anyway. Much respect old Friend.

I think you left my journal last night, just in time. I went to sleep and folks got a bit crazy. It's pretty funny reading now. Finally put up some pictures....Hope you take a look. 420 sure is fun at times.

Your pics look great! Really will be fun to see how those LED's do for you.

I really wish there was something more they can do that could fix things for me so I didn't have the ongoing heavy pain stuff. But, I just have to grin and bear it the best I can. No other choice. I get really mad at myself sometimes for complaining too much. I'm sure a lot of people are worse off than me. The last week has been really rough, though, and I find that's when I fall off the "no complaining" wagon. Just gets a bit overwhelming.

Norcaliwood has been a great help and source for advice on the pumps. I'll have to read his older journals too, as you suggested.

Sounds like something crazy went down in your journal?!

 

[jandre2k3]

Why wouldn't this work? Here's a hydro system that I think would grow monster plants (soil growers, you can choose to avoid reading this if you are bored by such contraptions!):

I'm considering making a combo "top drip" x DWC hydro unit for fun, too. My thinking is, a tote with a botanicare flood fitting/risers keeping the DWC water level consistant, while a top dripper periodically waters from the top down. The drippers are pulling from a secondary res that is recirculated through the flood risers in the unit that contains the plant. (the main reservoir is below, and gravity will be what returns the overflow to the main res underneath through the flood fitting).

Don't know if I explained that properly, but when the drippers water from the top, the excess they add to the unit will drain back through the flood fitting to the reservoir, which is in turn feeding the drippers, etc. With this, there would only be the drain through the flood risers, to maintain an ideal nutrient level in the "local" reservoir at all times. This would be connected to a main reservoir that feeds the drippers, and accepts the overflow through the flood risers. (There is no flooding with this, the flood riser is just for maintaining a consistant elevated level for the DWC portion of this, while still giving the ability to top drip and recirculate somewhat).

Just throwing this out there for inspiration, or for someone to shoot holes in before I try it myself for fun... I have a friend that grows with a combo top drip, dwc in buckets much like the one I did the Big Bang Auto in. He's done some comparisons to just the DWC bucket and is getting much better results with the drip added. Obviously, the Big Bang Auto was a good yielder, so this got me thinking... love any feedback/thoughts. I'm not sure when I'll get around to this, but thought I'd throw it out there.

EXACTLY what I have done in my Vegetative area. Maternity Ward up-top (Adjustable light), K-8 Veg space, and Neonatal Care (clones) in the bottom. Nutes run in the top 4x/day, drain to K-8, and then down to the reservoir under the clones.


There is a constant 1/4" of water in the bin for K-8 veg bin that is completely changed out 4x/day because of the volume that enters from the top from the 6 drip emitters in the Maternity Ward for 15 minutes. Hehe, even the slight "waterfall" sound is a welcome unintended effect from filling from above. Kinda sounds like a tabletop water fountain.