The Nug Machine... Round 3

fishdeth said:

So, we had some company yesterday afternoon, so no transplant.... Thank goodness !!!
When I removed the air stone from the lower res, there was a hole in the top rim of the tub and I just pushed a little lump of plumbers putty in the hole.
I get up and check the system as it has been running all nite.
CRAP !!!!!
Everything is milky with a white residue on it.... couldn't even see in thru the "fish" window.
A little piece of the putty must have fell out of the hole into the res and spent the entire nite mixing with the soup.
I immediately drained the system and am having a cup of coffee then get started scrubbing and cleaning and refilling and remixing...... SHEESH !
At least the plants are safe & sound in the AG.....

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Hey fish, I am happy to see the name fish window is sticking, good thing you're company was there, at least you caught the problem early
Does the cdm have to run on 220 volt?, I can't run 220 to my grow box location not without serious construction and expense

My ballast runs on 220, but I think that there is a ballast or 2 out there that will power the lamp with a 110 source.

EVERYTHING has been totally dismantled, sterilized and put back together.
The only thing I couldn't clean out to my satisfaction was the 5 ft hose that brings the soup from the pump up to the plants.
So I ran to the LHS and picked up a new piece of that.
System re-filled and ANOTHER fresh batch of nutes are in and mixing.
Transplant this afternoon.

Well, they are in their new home and settled in.
System performance: Excellent !
Gotta see about changing the current somehow in the root tub.
I just checked the PH and when I was about to put the "PH Down" in the drain, I had to remove the roots from the drain first.
Maybe a screen or something?

I say we give you the throphie now,,, no really nice and clean man, you did it again, major upgrades ,,, let the show begin

GoldLeaf is ready to be topped to 4, and AK is ready for the first topping, but I think I will let them settle in at least a day.
I checked the temp of the soup this evening after being on autopilot all day and the temp was just below 70*F.
NICE ! I wasn't expecting it to get that cold.
I actually set the thermostat up 2 degrees and will monitor the soup temp.
I would like to regulate the grow chamber a little warmer to get the soup right at or below 75*

I just recorded the temps in the grow area for 45 minutes. (sitting here at my desk with my remote weather station.)
Just getting a feel for the on - off times with the A/C.

The temp in the shed was 98*


The temp of the SOUP was 74 when I started.

Grow area:
3:44... 79.5
3:49... 86.0
3:54... 80.2
3:59... 85.8
4:05... 79.3
4:15... 79.8
4:20... 85.4... snuck a swat in right here... LoL
4:25... 79.8
4:30... 85.4

So... we have a fairly consistent temperature range, swinging every 5 minutes between 80 - 86 degrees and very freakin sunny !

And the SOUP just checked at 75 degrees .

I think I have it dialed in pretty good right now.
PH is at 5.7 and PPM's around 1200

Giddyfreakinup !

Well, I went to look last evening and decided that there was NO transplant shock, so I cut the bitches...

When I checked the soup temps at 8 AM, it was 71*.
What's that word I'm looking for....?
Oh yea.... PERFECT !!!
With res temps like that, I really wouldn't need to add beneficial bacteria, but I will anyhow as it has many advantages.
I bought some Sub Culture M and Sub Culture B.
One is bene bacteria and one is bene fungi.
Haven't added them just yet.

From the GH website...

""Root inoculants and protectors
General Hydroponics has developed two cutting edge root innoculants, SubCulture-M and SubCulutre-B. SubCulture-M is a blend of mycorrhiza that is dusted on roots during transplant. SubCulture-B is a blend of cultured bacteria that can be used in hydroponic reservoirs and in soils. Both products allow your plants to develop a symbiotic relationship with the media and nutrients, and serve to increase your plants immunity to disease and also will promote huge increase in yields.""

Well,
I added the SubCulture M&B.
One is a white powder, 1/2tsp/5 gal
One is an almost black powder 2tsp/5 gal
I have a 10 gallon system, but only put in the amounts for 5.
Read several places that it packs a punch.
Waiting now to see some results.
One result is NOT seeing anything.......... thru the "Fish window"
With my normal mix, I couldn't see any roots, but with a bright flashlight, I could see the drain, and from that make out the clarity of the soup.
Now..... NADA !
Was a cool thought tho !

Oh, BTW, last eve late I was checking the lower res area to be sure all was dry and I held my hand up to the light trap and it appeared that NO light was coming out.
I turned off the shed lights and checked again and there is a TINY bit, but not even enough to read a business card held right up to the opening.
When I painted the inside black, all I had was GLOSS.
Had I sprayed flat black, I bet ZERO light would escape..... FYI

Good progress.

OK.....
Just did the final (I think) topping on the GLF and the second topping on the AK47
Roots happy siting in 71* soup.
Good progression !
Oh yea, I broke out the UVB bulb as you can see.
Soon I'll get the supplemental CO2 started as well.

shot bro how long you looking to veg for?

Bshbloke said:

shot bro how long you looking to veg for?

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Well, the mainlining process takes a couple weeks extra on the veg.
But I am done training the GLF and one more topping on the AK47 and then all the work is done.
All I have to do now is keep the plants alive, pH'd and fed till the end.... with some arranging of the nugs as they approach the light.
As opposed to a SCROG where you are constantly arranging the branches.

As soon as the 8 mains on each plant are around a foot tall, I will initiate 12/12 lighting and start making pretty flowers !

I noticed whenever I checked the roots, they were wound up in a spiral.
Also the current would steer them away from the Fish window so you couldn't see them.
I did a res wash & change this morning and changed the soup drop from the "T" I had in before to a straight in and down between the plants.... we shall see !

Yesterday I got another dual air pump 8l/m and a big round air stone and a bag of worm castings.
Just got done mixing all the ingredients and am brewing an EWC tea.
I didn't like adding the powdered ingredients directly to the res, so adding some tea, about a cup a week or so should be much more potent and really stretch my ingredients much farther.
It has to brew for 48 hours.

A tea in a hydro, very interesting, speaking of hydro I have decided to go with you on the next grow with a hydro set up

Tim Fox said:

A tea in a hydro, very interesting, speaking of hydro I have decided to go with you on the next grow with a hydro set up

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YES !
I'll help you all you want/need !
GOOD soil is great.... but explosive growth in hydro when you get it right !

I cleaned off the 8 fan leaves that were on the sides of each of the new colas.
Now just the 8 main tops.
They're big enough to support themselves.
Still have the 4 fans on the AK, just to help power her along a bit.

System performance: Optimal !