Saving money and getting great results...yes pls.

[Alienwidow]

So i know that everyone out there is tired of spending money on everything under the sun that our "needy girlfriends" desire. This thread is to help everyone out that wants to save a buck here and there because lets face it, this isn't cheap. So if anybody out there has any tips on where to buy items for less, substitutions for expensive items or even cheap ones, or anything at all that can save a buck, please post away.

Im a fan of doing things right the first time so you don't have to do it twice which usually means spending the extra money on things that have a warranty, or will last but theres other stuff that can have corners cut to save a buck. I started thinking about posting this thread because of the high prices of those plastic plant markers. Damn things cost a fortune! for what! its a piece of plastic, wtf? The other thing I've considered is using epsom salts instead of calmag from the store. Well post away ya bunch a cheepos. Thanks.

 

[UncleBuck]

the local plant nurseries (and even sometimes grocery stores or home improvement stores) often give away containers or have recycling centers. take what containers you want, drop off those you don't.

instead of paying $0.75 x 24 for N1 containers at home depot, i went to the recycling center at the garden center and picked them. another $0.12 worth of bleach and lukewarm water later, i had all the containers i needed.

you can find large containers there as well, all for free sometimes.

 

[Growan]

Instead of horticultural perlite I bought chimney fill perlite from the builders merchants.
Here in Ireland perlite seems to be insanely expensive and mostly stocked in small bags.

It worked out about 80% cheaper for me given the local options.

 

[Alienwidow]

nice, if this works out i may be able to do a whole run for under fifty bucks if this keeps up.

 

[Growan]

Round here all the churches have 600w HPS lights illuminating the walls, like 10 or so per church.

Jus sayin...

 

[Cpappa27]

Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowes, and a lot of similar stores that sell gardening supplies will put bags of soil, perlite, fertilizer and sand or peat moss that are ripped or leaking out back and will sell them to you at a decent discount. I bought a couple bags of soil that were ripped and thrown aside at lowes at 50% off.

 

[RM3]

Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowes, and a lot of similar stores that sell gardening supplies will put bags of soil, perlite, fertilizer and sand or peat moss that are ripped or leaking out back and will sell them to you at a decent discount. I bought a couple bags of soil that were ripped and thrown aside at lowes at 50% off.

MJ loves bug ridden, wet/moldy soil

 

[Alienwidow]

so whats the deal with the epsom salts, they've always scared me. i mentally throw them in a category with bath salts, (i haven't tried either but they freak me out), so is there a recommended kind? anything to watch out for? and how much does it take to raise 55 gallon drums by 100ppm? this sounds really cheapo.....but it beats 35 bucks a gallon im sure.

 

[RM3]

so whats the deal with the epsom salts, they've always scared me. i mentally throw them in a category with bath salts, (i haven't tried either but they freak me out), so is there a recommended kind? anything to watch out for? and how much does it take to raise 55 gallon drums by 100ppm? this sounds really cheapo.....but it beats 35 bucks a gallon im sure.

Epsom Salt is Magnesium Sulfate, 4 lbs at wally world for $4

 

[vostok]

Everything about Cannabis is free​

Everything​

Only some think it will be better​

if they empty their wallets​

 

[Alienwidow]

Epsom Salt is Magnesium Sulfate, 4 lbs at wally world for $4

so i guess any will do the job. how well does it mix in? you ever find salt at the bottom of the rez?

 

[RM3]

so i guess any will do the job. how well does it mix in? you ever find salt at the bottom of the rez?

I grow in soil less, no rez. I dissolve it in a cup of hot water then mix it in, never had a problem

 

[Alienwidow]

Everything about Cannabis is free​

Everything​

Only some think it will be better​

if they empty their wallets​

how about ph down? you know where to get that shit free, or cheap?

 

[RM3]

how about ph down? you know where to get that shit free, or cheap?

I use apple cider vinegar for down

and DynaGro ProtK for up

 

[Alienwidow]

I use apple cider vinegar for down

and DynaGro ProtK for up

shut the front door! is everybody using this stuff?! am i just outta the loop here?

 

[alcohol]

vinegar is a very weak acid. It will only reduce pH very slowly.

 

[Alienwidow]

vinegar is a very weak acid. It will only reduce pH very slowly.

what does that mean? am i going to have to add a whole bottle per 55 gallon drum and wait a week? i was hoping for a more immediate solution to a climbing ph. is the acv a good solution?

 

[Cpappa27]

MJ loves bug ridden, wet/moldy soil

We're talking about saving money here that's all I was saying. Some people don't have the funds to go buy Fox farm at 3 times the cost of soil you would buy at those stores.

 

[Alienwidow]

@Nullis i was just reading a great thread you were part of a while back https://www.rollitup.org/t/additives-for-ph-control.846028/page-3
vinegar was mentioned as a ph down substitute. i was wondering your opinion on using this commonly owned cooking ingredient in getting great results on the cheap. happy new year.

 

[torontoke]

I use regular vinegar down and baking soda up.
Ph is easy to keep steady in dwc i found.