Pineapple Express Purple LA Simple is as simple does

[workinit]

Hi guys,
I have had a couple discussions recently about the need to PH your water/solution when growing in a buffered medium. There is research that implies that adjusting PH is not necessary when using a water source with an alkalinity less than 100 ppm when growing in a buffered medium. My water source qualifies so I am not going to PH anything from start to finish. I'm doing this more as a science project than anything else. Just trying to keep them green and healthy from start to finish.

I will be growing two pineapple express phenos along with a purple LA. They were in dixie cups until two days ago and have been topped once. I had to keep them in the cups an extra week so they were a bit rough. Seem to be perking up just fine. Will be growing 8 clones per 20 gallon tub filled with Promix HP straight out of the bag. Nutrients will be Blue Planet 2 part.

 

[Mr.Moniker]

I never Ph my soil and have never had a problem with ANY plant of any kind. If your water is drinkable, it's fine for soil (which is the only buffered medium I can think of).

And I have a G13 pineapple express running now, smells WICKED, great plant, and she's a nutrient WHORE

 

[workinit]

I never Ph my soil and have never had a problem with ANY plant of any kind. If your water is drinkable, it's fine for soil (which is the only buffered medium I can think of).

And I have a G13 pineapple express running now, smells WICKED, great plant, and she's a nutrient WHORE

I was under the impression that soiless mixes like promix which are mostly peat are buffered with lime. I think I read somewhere promix comes out of the bag with a PH around 5.5, but I could be wrong.

 

[Mr.Moniker]

I thought you ment a buffered medium as in one that will buffer your plants from your nutes. I.e if you add to much liquid nutrient (ppm to high or not pHed) to soil,the soil acts like a buffer and will help to keep your plants from burning up. Whereas hydro and soiless mediums have almost NO buffering action in that way, so ppm and pH are of a lot higher importance.

I believe what your more or less trying to get at is that if you have soiless medium, amended with lime or coffee grounds or what have you, do you need to use pHed water? I'd say yes. Simply because lime and coffee grounds and such are used in your mix to raise and lower pH in highly amended soil. But because soiless mixes aren't "alive" like soil is, it can't fix itself if pH starts going up or down. Realistically, soiless mixes work almost the same as hydro does in respect to how you run nutrients and ppm and pH

 

[daybreaker]

Anyone know what cocos buffer is?

 

[Mr.Moniker]

You can buffer coco using amendments or using liquid pH up/down in your water, the same way you do with soil. Just do a search on how to raise or lower pH

 

[daybreaker]

You can buffer coco using amendments or using liquid pH up/down in your water, the same way you do with soil. Just do a search on how to raise or lower pH

What im wondering is ,is there a buffer used in coco mixes and what it is?Ima look on the package might be there.thnks

 

[workinit]

What im wondering is ,is there a buffer used in coco mixes and what it is?Ima look on the package might be there.thnks

Promix makes a buffered coco mix. Promix hp cc.

 

[workinit]

Everything seems to be going fine. I haven't fed or watered them since transplant. They shouldn't need food for 10 to 15 days. Up to this point I haven't PH'd anything. THey are going 12/12 tonight.

 

[workinit]

Day 7 of 12/12.

Watered 2 days ago with half RO and half tap. Should put alkalinity around 35 ppm and total ppm of 75. Up to this point I have completely ignored PH. No problems yet!

Two lonely DNA Purple LA







G13 Pineapple Express Pheno 1




Pineapple Express Pheno 2




Group Shot

 

[workinit]

Just a quick update. The plants seem to be thriving. I have stayed away from mineral salts due to the fear of overfeeding and PH issues but at this point my fears seem to be unjustified. I have ran the pineapple express twice before and they have never looked this good. The stalks are a color of green I have not seen before. Super sturdy. There appears to be zero stretch at this point. I'm not sure if this is due to nutrients, environment or something else. I am flowering under a Solis Tek 6K that might be what's causing the lack of stretch.

Here are the ladies:


Pheno 1



Super tight nodes



Pheno 2



The Purple LA

 

[workinit]

At this point I think I'm going declare that PH'ing your solution/water is bullshit(so long as your medium is PH buffered) . I haven't addresed PH at any point and the girls are thriving. I AM paying attention to the alkalinity of my water and keeping it under 40 ppm. I have also been doing some research into Osmosis and how it works. The information I have read has really opened my eyes and made me rethink everything I thought I knew. The short version is that if you want healthy plants from start to finish you must keep your ppm's in your medium less than ppm's in root and plant cells. Once this threshold is breached transpiration slows/stops and water is then drawn from your plants into the medium in an attempt to balance osmotic pressure as opposed to being drawn into the plant. It's good stuff and I recommend everyone check it out. The following pic is 14 days 12/12. These were fed about 15 days ago at .5EC or abot 500 ppm on the 442 scale, or better put about 25 ml of total nutrient into 40 gallons of Promix HP. They show zero signs of problems and I'm not going to feed again until they let me know they are hungry. Trying to keep excess salts to a minimum. I know I could "flush" but I am trying to avoid it.

 

[workinit]

Was playing with my camera today.

 

[workinit]

They seem to be moving along nicely. No issues as of yet and were on day 21 of 12/12. The PE pheno on the left has much more sativa influence. Thinner leaves and stretches a bit more.



I'm really liking the look of the Purple LA. If she turns out well I think I'll do a full run of her next round.

 

[Mr.Moniker]

What kind of smells are you getting out of your PE? I have 3 at day 57 flower, and I have one VERY piney pheno, while the other 2 are more of a sweet smelling plant with only hints of pine.

Very nice shaped buds though, it's a very uniform plant, and the thrics are ridiculous. Is this your first run with the PE??

 

[workinit]

Thank you for the very kind comments. Both pheno's I have are more sweet smelling. The more sativa pheno does have a slight piney scent. This is my second go with the PE. First time was organic and it went okay but could have been better. They coming along much faster this time around.

 

[workinit]

Time to feed. She is asking for N.