WattSaver
Well-Known Member
There has been a lot of talk about what is the correct size for a hempy bucket, correct medium, watering etc.
Well heres my opinion based on my observations running hempy growing machines.
First what is hempy? It is a passive hydro system. What is a Passive Hydro? Its just that, no pumps, airstones, automated drain valves etc. Hempy is just a type of passive hydro.
How & Why does Passive Hydro (PH) Work? Well you need a rez that is small enough to be used up in a short enough period of time to not have the need to use recirculation, airstones, chillers, adjust ph during the life span of the rez, add H2O2 or other rez cleaners. Im not saying a little bleach or H2O2 wont help or shouldnt be used if needed, but conceptually & in a properly working bucket it isnt necessary.
Whats the right size for a hempy container? I personally believe that when your hempy machine is running at full capacity it should need to be watered every 1 to 2 days. So if you are looking for accelerated growth throughout all phases of growth youll have to change container sizes. If youre looking for big plants, starting in the final bucket size is not a wise idea.
Lets look at known winning size containers, they can show us the machine aspect of the bucket.
(I may refer to a thread members post as reference to some info)
2L when filled with medium has a height of 7 (18cm) to top of medium, with a hole 2 up from the bottom thats 5 to top of medium. Rooted clone with a couple inches of root that is buried ½ to 1inch above the roots, leaves a gap of only 2 to 2 ½ inches from root tip to rez.
2gal is only an inch more than the 2L at 8, but has a much larger dia. using jella as subject. Start in RR 1 ½ tall put in solo cup 3 ½ to 4 & vegged, transplanted into final 2gal bucket. So at transplant of RR into solo only 1 to 1 ½ roots to rez, then Solo to 2 gal the gap is 2 ½ to 3 roots to rez.
3.5gal Is 10 deep and the same diameter as a 5gal bucket. Using my grows, soil solo cup for clones or 2 pots for seed transplanted into 2 to 3 qt soil pots 4 ½ to 5 ½ deep for longer veg. Again 10 minus 2 hole = 8. So the gap from bottom of root core to of rez is 2 ½ to 3 ½. IMHO anything over 4 is too large a gap from root ball to rez, to achieve maximum production from your hempy machine.
5gal is 13 ½ deep from bottom to top of medium, so just add 3 ½ to the 3.5gal #s, and youll get 6 to 6 ½ gap, Ive tried this and IMO it took way to long to set roots and get after it. Im not saying it wont work its just another time factor you have to allow for in your grow schedule.
Whats the best medium? Im currently leaning towards coco. But there are many options. I started my study of Passive Hydro through news group threads written in the 90s, and the geometry was the same but the chosen medium was perlite to above the hole and a 50/50 mix of soil and perlite on up. So Ive never really had a problem with the use of soil in a hempy bucket. Ive done many mixes from all soil to straight perlite, the one thing I can say is that a 1 to 2 top cap layer of soil over perlite will improve the buckets performance.
Whats best for you? Your growing environment and growing style will be the ultimate deciding factors here. Moe has no head room, so 12/12 from clone will lead the growing style list, which works better with a smaller container, so the machine can start faster. Your veg space or lack thereof can be a huge factor in your choice. But youll never know whats best until you jump in and get your feet wet.
Happy Growing
Well heres my opinion based on my observations running hempy growing machines.
First what is hempy? It is a passive hydro system. What is a Passive Hydro? Its just that, no pumps, airstones, automated drain valves etc. Hempy is just a type of passive hydro.
How & Why does Passive Hydro (PH) Work? Well you need a rez that is small enough to be used up in a short enough period of time to not have the need to use recirculation, airstones, chillers, adjust ph during the life span of the rez, add H2O2 or other rez cleaners. Im not saying a little bleach or H2O2 wont help or shouldnt be used if needed, but conceptually & in a properly working bucket it isnt necessary.
Whats the right size for a hempy container? I personally believe that when your hempy machine is running at full capacity it should need to be watered every 1 to 2 days. So if you are looking for accelerated growth throughout all phases of growth youll have to change container sizes. If youre looking for big plants, starting in the final bucket size is not a wise idea.
Lets look at known winning size containers, they can show us the machine aspect of the bucket.
(I may refer to a thread members post as reference to some info)
2L when filled with medium has a height of 7 (18cm) to top of medium, with a hole 2 up from the bottom thats 5 to top of medium. Rooted clone with a couple inches of root that is buried ½ to 1inch above the roots, leaves a gap of only 2 to 2 ½ inches from root tip to rez.
2gal is only an inch more than the 2L at 8, but has a much larger dia. using jella as subject. Start in RR 1 ½ tall put in solo cup 3 ½ to 4 & vegged, transplanted into final 2gal bucket. So at transplant of RR into solo only 1 to 1 ½ roots to rez, then Solo to 2 gal the gap is 2 ½ to 3 roots to rez.
3.5gal Is 10 deep and the same diameter as a 5gal bucket. Using my grows, soil solo cup for clones or 2 pots for seed transplanted into 2 to 3 qt soil pots 4 ½ to 5 ½ deep for longer veg. Again 10 minus 2 hole = 8. So the gap from bottom of root core to of rez is 2 ½ to 3 ½. IMHO anything over 4 is too large a gap from root ball to rez, to achieve maximum production from your hempy machine.
5gal is 13 ½ deep from bottom to top of medium, so just add 3 ½ to the 3.5gal #s, and youll get 6 to 6 ½ gap, Ive tried this and IMO it took way to long to set roots and get after it. Im not saying it wont work its just another time factor you have to allow for in your grow schedule.
Whats the best medium? Im currently leaning towards coco. But there are many options. I started my study of Passive Hydro through news group threads written in the 90s, and the geometry was the same but the chosen medium was perlite to above the hole and a 50/50 mix of soil and perlite on up. So Ive never really had a problem with the use of soil in a hempy bucket. Ive done many mixes from all soil to straight perlite, the one thing I can say is that a 1 to 2 top cap layer of soil over perlite will improve the buckets performance.
Whats best for you? Your growing environment and growing style will be the ultimate deciding factors here. Moe has no head room, so 12/12 from clone will lead the growing style list, which works better with a smaller container, so the machine can start faster. Your veg space or lack thereof can be a huge factor in your choice. But youll never know whats best until you jump in and get your feet wet.
Happy Growing