World Of Hempy
- Thread starter Moebius
- Start date
ISK
Well-Known Member
the answer to your question is within the thread....just got to read it all
ISK
Well-Known Member
agree...there was a guy that used clear bottles and swore that algae was never an issue
Thanks everyone.
I don't like to trim either
. I generally ruff trim them ( bummer still ) and hang to dry and then buck the flower off the stem and just start curing in turkey bags before it goes to it's next home for final trim. I don't do the final trimming most of the time. I just don't get any trim to play with but we got that covered 
. Those are actually vendor pics of my flower. I can't take pics that good with the tools I have . LOL 
gr865
Well-Known Member
Ahhhhhh, I love the smell of WW in the morning!Light up for page 420
gr865
Well-Known Member
Ok talked to some "experts" and here is what I was told.
They ask all the right questions.
What is the ratio of Perlite to Coco? 65/35
What brand of coco am I using? GH CocoTek
Type and ratio of nutes and additives? Flora Micro, 6ml/gal, FloraBloom, 9ml/gal. GH CaliMagic 3ml/gal
pH going in and rinsate coming out? 5.9 to 6.1, 4.9 to 5.2
ppm going in and coming out? ~ 600 ppm in and 550 to 600 out
Finally, what is my water source? Rainwater, 6.8 to 7.1 pH, <10 ppm
Their answer and suggestion.
The rainwater is too clean, like RO water, it won't hold the Cal/mag charge and the reason I am constantly chasing the pH.
They suggest I add 2 to 5 ml of Silica to the rain water. The order of mixing is still the same but adding the Silica last.
So Micro, Bloom, Cal/Mag, and Silica.
Any comments, I would not have though about the rainwater being to clean.
GR
They ask all the right questions.
What is the ratio of Perlite to Coco? 65/35
What brand of coco am I using? GH CocoTek
Type and ratio of nutes and additives? Flora Micro, 6ml/gal, FloraBloom, 9ml/gal. GH CaliMagic 3ml/gal
pH going in and rinsate coming out? 5.9 to 6.1, 4.9 to 5.2
ppm going in and coming out? ~ 600 ppm in and 550 to 600 out
Finally, what is my water source? Rainwater, 6.8 to 7.1 pH, <10 ppm
Their answer and suggestion.
The rainwater is too clean, like RO water, it won't hold the Cal/mag charge and the reason I am constantly chasing the pH.
They suggest I add 2 to 5 ml of Silica to the rain water. The order of mixing is still the same but adding the Silica last.
So Micro, Bloom, Cal/Mag, and Silica.
Any comments, I would not have though about the rainwater being to clean.
GR
greatbranch
Well-Known Member
While I think the spots are from Cal/Mg issues, I think this holding a "charge" is hooey. Rainwater being close to RO water I can buy. Cal/Mg is added for flavor in some water, and it makes sense that it isn't present in the rainwater. You have an imbalance in the Cal/Mg for sure, but nothing horrible. Your plants are growing slowly, because they have yet to hit the res. The roots are only about 8 inches down judging by the size of your plants. I don't know that I would be watering so frequently just yet. Maybe do it locally on a smaller scale than flooding those 5 gallon buckets for a couple of weeks. I am no "expert". I use tap water and I don't check my runoff. Your PH is fine. They'll bounce back in a couple of weeks. If you flood them with Cal/Mg over a few leaf spots while your roots are stretching, you are headed for lockout faster than you think. The plants will adapt, but if you keep changing every variable, they can't? Any of these "experts" ever ask you your water temperature or how big a sample you are checking, or if you pull your sample at the same point in volume displacement? If you're going to obsess over PH, you have to go all the way, my friend. For what it's worth, I came back to the hempy bucket, because I didn't want to use my PH meter anymore. You are stressing ME out!
I seriously think they will be fine and the large amount of coco to root ratio (because of size) means that the roots are losing in the tug of war over Cal/Mg for the time being. Just when you think you've got the recipe down for prepping the coco, the next strain you run will need more or less Cal/Mg and make you question yourself again. And if you run REALLY temperamental strains, the combination won't work, the chelated elements will be a problem, etc. There will be a time for panic. This isn't it.greatbranch
Well-Known Member
PH is important, but not as important as if you were running DWC. They are not soaking in it continually. I guess I wasn't clear. GR's rainwater PH is fine in my opinion. It is the runoff measurement that I think is a waste of time (no offense, GR). While it can tell you if they are eating and/or drinking, so many things change that it doesn't provide CLEAR evidence of enough to worry with it. The silica may help @gr865, but I have never used it, and know nothing about it. I hope I didn't come off as an ass - I was just trying to say you are so detail oriented about what you are putting IN your bucket, the runoff just is what it is, and it's not going to provide you anything you don't already know.
Ace Yonder
Well-Known Member
I could be wrong, just speaking from personal experience, but adding Silica last is a bad idea. Silica needs to be the first thing added to the water, otherwise it will bond with other minerals (Like cal/mag) instead of the water, and will form this cloudy, jelly, pulpy, substance that will float on top of the water making it and whatever it bound itself to pretty useless. For this reason, adding Silica last can actually cause cal lockout. Adding Silica first prevents this, causing it to instead bond with the water.
gr865
Well-Known Member
While I think the spots are from Cal/Mg issues, I think this holding a "charge" is hooey. Rainwater being close to RO water I can buy. Cal/Mg is added for flavor in some water, and it makes sense that it isn't present in the rainwater. You have an imbalance in the Cal/Mg for sure, but nothing horrible. Your plants are growing slowly, because they have yet to hit the res. The roots are only about 8 inches down judging by the size of your plants. I don't know that I would be watering so frequently just yet. Maybe do it locally on a smaller scale than flooding those 5 gallon buckets for a couple of weeks. I am no "expert". I use tap water and I don't check my runoff. Your PH is fine. They'll bounce back in a couple of weeks. If you flood them with Cal/Mg over a few leaf spots while your roots are stretching, you are headed for lockout faster than you think. The plants will adapt, but if you keep changing every variable, they can't? Any of these "experts" ever ask you your water temperature or how big a sample you are checking, or if you pull your sample at the same point in volume displacement? If you're going to obsess over PH, you have to go all the way, my friend. For what it's worth, I came back to the hempy bucket, because I didn't want to use my PH meter anymore. You are stressing ME out!
GB.
They did not ask but I did tell them my water temps. The plants were started in the 2 gal buckets as seed on the 12/23 and sprouted on 12/27, The roots reached the rez on or around the 7th, had a burst of growth and then I added the Coir cap and that is when I started having problem. They had seem to stop growing so I assumed it was lockout. Then I removed the coir layer and they seem to be responding. But again if the rez is full of nutes/water that has a pH of 5.2 or below that can't be good for the plant.
But I agree I am stressing way to much over this, and stressing you out also
, it is just a fucking weed anyway. It's OK, you are a ass, but I am too, so peace my friend. Just going to load a bowl and go open my cabinet and smile for a bit.GR
here's some food for thought.
I wish I never put vermiculite in my perlite > I think it all collects in the Rez and turns to mud. Same thing when you rinse out your perlite after a grow. I have been rinsing out the Verm and throwing away the build up of it when cleaning the perlite.
Ever thought about somehow fastening screen to the inside of your bucket right above the overflow hole to keep medium out of the Rez. ?
They make some type of system that uses two buckets , one rez bucket and one medium bucket ? I think I seen these at the hydro store.
I wish I never put vermiculite in my perlite > I think it all collects in the Rez and turns to mud. Same thing when you rinse out your perlite after a grow. I have been rinsing out the Verm and throwing away the build up of it when cleaning the perlite.
Ever thought about somehow fastening screen to the inside of your bucket right above the overflow hole to keep medium out of the Rez. ?
They make some type of system that uses two buckets , one rez bucket and one medium bucket ? I think I seen these at the hydro store.
Sire Killem All
Well-Known Member
my attempt at going hempy
greatbranch
Well-Known Member
All good, GR. And you are right about the roots sitting in the 5.2 PH res for a LONG period of time. It shouldn't be there for very long, because with the addition of perlite, it really shouldn't even be a gallon, and SHOULD be taken up by the plant in a couple-few days. If you were in lockout, then that explains it. This grass is probably more forgiving than the grass you are accustomed to. I couldn't grow a putting green if my life depended on it.