Need Your Grow Questions Answered? Come On In!

[kirsten]

Thank you Mr. Grower

I forgot to ask one more thing...

 

How often did you change the reservoir?

 

The GO line is the same company as the Lucas Formula, so I was hoping to avoid some of the annoying reservoir changes, but I figured I should probably do every two weeks to be safe, especially since it seems like wierd things are more likely to grow in there in the summer.

Excellent advice on the temp but it gets hard with the hot lights in the summer.We have a portable AC but its still a challenge.

Thanks again.I'm getting the buckets ready and I love the General Organics line (priced right too)so your advice has been priceless.

[lilman]

I grow in a 4x4 tent with an air cooled 600...I wanted to add some supplemental lighting to the area behind the base of the bulb and i was thinking of a small LED panel because heat is a HUGE issue for me. I am really only lacking right behind the base of the bulb so i would put it in the middle..as long as i got a decent 1x1 coverage i would be happy. Also i refuse to spend more then $300 at the most as i am already getting a little better then 1gram per watt but I want a new toy...I have 4 T5s ready to go if i cant find a decent LED for a reasonable price...this is for bloom only..i know thats obvious but you just know somebody would ask...

 

Thanx folks Lilman

Edited May 8, 2011 by lilman

[1337Gr33n]

I wanted to ask you, BG, or any one else with extensive experience with DWC systems. Does the DWC system cause plants to develop into a harvest ready state faster than their soil counterparts? Also, do you use molasses at all during the DWC grow? At flush? are most strains better off with a 10 day flush in DWC, as opposed to a 7 day flush? i had heard 7 was enough for DWC. but then i think i saw BG post that he uses a solid 10 day flush.

[Nix]

I grow in a 4x4 tent with an air cooled 600...I wanted to add some supplemental lighting to the area behind the base of the bulb and i was thinking of a small LED panel because heat is a HUGE issue for me. I am really only lacking right behind the base of the bulb so i would put it in the middle..as long as i got a decent 1x1 coverage i would be happy. Also i refuse to spend more then $300 at the most as i am already getting a little better then 1gram per watt but I want a new toy...I have 4 T5s ready to go if i cant find a decent LED for a reasonable price...this is for bloom only..i know thats obvious but you just know somebody would ask...

 

Thanx folks Lilman

 

How about 4 ft fluorescents? I use them in my veg room with great success. You can get a 4 ft T12 ballast for around $10. As for bulbs I highly recommend the plant and aquarium variety that are available from both GE (Lowes) and Philips (Home Depot). I did a side by side comparison with the plant and aquarium vs. warm and cool standard fluorescents and there was a very noticeable advantage to the plant and aquarium. The Philips brand has a nice purple hue to them and the GE brand gives off a more standard white glow. The plant and aquarium bulbs will cost you around $10 per bulb as opposed to around $2 for a regular bulb. Well worth it IMO. So for $60 you could light each side of your grow. Maybe try one and see if it makes a difference. You can get them in the 2 ft size as well. Just make sure with fluoros that you get them close the plants. They give off virtually no heat.

Edited May 9, 2011 by Nix

[Nix]

I wanted to ask you, BG, or any one else with extensive experience with DWC systems. Does the DWC system cause plants to develop into a harvest ready state faster than their soil counterparts? Also, do you use molasses at all during the DWC grow? At flush? are most strains better off with a 10 day flush in DWC, as opposed to a 7 day flush? i had heard 7 was enough for DWC. but then i think i saw BG post that he uses a solid 10 day flush.

 

I don't have enough experience to answer your second question, but as for the first one... your plants flowering time is a matter of genetics. No amount of light or nutrients can change that. But what you can do is speed up vegetative time and get them into flower faster. Plants grow faster in a hydroponic solution so in that sense you can harvest faster. That's why sea of green is so effective, there is almost no vegetative time. As soon as plant grow roots it is flowered. If you want a fast flowering plant, go with an indica.

[Royal Smoke]

Thank you Mr. Grower

I forgot to ask one more thing...

 

How often did you change the reservoir?

 

The GO line is the same company as the Lucas Formula, so I was hoping to avoid some of the annoying reservoir changes, but I figured I should probably do every two weeks to be safe, especially since it seems like wierd things are more likely to grow in there in the summer.

Excellent advice on the temp but it gets hard with the hot lights in the summer.We have a portable AC but its still a challenge.

Thanks again.I'm getting the buckets ready and I love the General Organics line (priced right too)so your advice has been priceless.

 

Hey Kirstin, start saving your empty 2 liter bottles!

 

You fill them with water and freeze them and they become 'giant ice cubes' to cool off your reservoir....

 

I think bubble grower says he flushes and changes nutes right before he switches to flower. Then he tries to do one 4 weeks in. And lastly the water flush for the final 10 days...

 

If you get yourself a ph meter and ppm meter, you will never be worried about when it's time to flush....

Edited May 9, 2011 by Royal Smoke

[Nix]

I have a question for those running a RDWC (recirculating or undercurrent deep water culture). How long does it take for your systems to mix the nutrients or top offs thoroughly? I put a few drops of blue pond dye in my system this weekend so I would know for sure. I put the drops in my last bucket (8 bucket system, 1 brain) and it took almost an entire day for the dye to show up in brain bucket at the other end of the line. My pump is set at a very low setting so the current is more like a faucet barely turned on. I'm afraid that turning the pump on too high will flood the system. So far I have not had a problem with the slow circulation other than a few burned leaves on those plants closest to the control bucket. If I flushed and restarted with all the nutes in the brain though I'm a little afraid I would get some burn. Still at 33 gallons in the system I think there is enough buffer to keep it under control but I'm just curious if anyone has a had a circulation issue that was dangerous to the plants. Besides the slight burn the only other issue I had was that pH adjustments take an entire day, but again besides maybe some slight stress on the first few plants in the line, I see no permanent damage.

[Nix]

Did you think the General Organics line worked well with DWC?

 

I thought that if you grow organic hydro you needed a biofilter in the system like in an aquarium. Does anyone here use one?

 

http://www.generalhydroponics.com/blog/2009/01/27/diy-bio-filter/

[JimD]

Nix...I was just thinking about adding an aquarium filter last night! the worry is, while it might remove particulates and gunk, it could grow nitrifying (they eat nitrogen) bacteria. Great for fish, bad for plants.

I have a question... When taking clones, is it best to cut the stem to where it is soft and fleshy, or are the woodier branches better?

Edited May 10, 2011 by JimD

[Nix]

Nix...I was just thinking about adding an aquarium filter last night! the worry is, while it might remove particulates and gunk, it could grow nitrifying (they eat nitrogen) bacteria. Great for fish, bad for plants.

I have a question... When taking clones, is it best to cut the stem to where it is soft and fleshy, or are the woodier branches better?

 

Organic hydro is really complex. I think I will stick with chemicals for now. Myself and my patients use vaporizers so I don't think all that work would benefit me.

 

As for the clones you should take them where the stems are soft and new. Woody stems can work, too but have a lower success rate.

[Nix]

I like the woodier branches. I've noticed that strains with softer branches are less likely to root and more likely to rot. On the woodier branches, I take a clean razor and gently run it across wherever I want root. Gently peel any leaf matter from the area you want to root. I use aeroponics for cloning. It works almost 100% of the time. Thanks, Bb

 

Agreed about using an aerocloner. It took me a while to finally build one and I wish I had done it much earlier. You could probably toss an dead leaf in there and get roots! Kidding but it works that <almost> that well.

[engineered_excellence]

Problem during veg with bubble totes and Lucas method.

 

I posted on here a little while back that I was having a problem with a nutrient deficiency during veg. It appeared to be a calcium and magnesium deficiency. I flushed the plants, and refilled with full strength GH nutes, 0-8-10, and 1/2 tsp per gallon of CalMag plus. After a couple days the plants kind of looked better, but the new growth was still a little twisted. I put them in flower anyways because I needed to make room for my next set of clones in veg. Keep in mind that during this time my PPM was right on the mark, and my PH was steady at 5.8 and I am using RO water. So it has been almost a month for those plants in flower and they look good, took right off and flowers are forming nicely.

 

Now, for the last couple weeks, I have had the same signs of deficiency from my new set of clones in veg. I have them in 10 gallon totes, two plants per tote. I am vegging them under fluorescent tubes, 6 bulbs, 40 watts a piece. 50/50 cool/warm. I have come to the conclusion that it is not an issue with pH or nutrient strength, because everything is right on, so my next thought is that it has something to do with my meager fluorescent lighting and/or the amount of bubbles. In my flower room I have a 1000watt HPS and 45 lpm commercial air pump running my totes, and in the veg room, I only have the $10 walmart 60 gallon aquarium pump running each tote. Could this be my issue? I have the totes set up with two of the cylindrical one inch air stones, one under each net pot.. are these small stones sufficient? I used these stones because I saw that BG used them in his bubble bucket build thread and they were on clearance at meijer. Another variable between my flower set up and my veg set up is that my totes in veg are individual, and my totes in flower are linked in series to a reservoir, the reservoir has a small pump discharging to the last tote in the series, so its circulating. Like most, my funds are tight so I am looking for the best possible bang for my buck as far as upgrades or solutions to my problem.

 

Should I invest in a new commercial air pump for veg room? Or t-5 or HID lighting for veg room? Or set up my veg totes in series to be RDWC? Eventually I want to do all these things, but it can't all happen right now due to lack of funds. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any help, and I plan on posting some pics as soon as I get home... still at work..lol.

[Nix]

Problem during veg with bubble totes and Lucas method.

 

I posted on here a little while back that I was having a problem with a nutrient deficiency during veg. It appeared to be a calcium and magnesium deficiency. I flushed the plants, and refilled with full strength GH nutes, 0-8-10, and 1/2 tsp per gallon of CalMag plus. After a couple days the plants kind of looked better, but the new growth was still a little twisted. I put them in flower anyways because I needed to make room for my next set of clones in veg. Keep in mind that during this time my PPM was right on the mark, and my PH was steady at 5.8 and I am using RO water. So it has been almost a month for those plants in flower and they look good, took right off and flowers are forming nicely.

 

Now, for the last couple weeks, I have had the same signs of deficiency from my new set of clones in veg. I have them in 10 gallon totes, two plants per tote. I am vegging them under fluorescent tubes, 6 bulbs, 40 watts a piece. 50/50 cool/warm. I have come to the conclusion that it is not an issue with pH or nutrient strength, because everything is right on, so my next thought is that it has something to do with my meager fluorescent lighting and/or the amount of bubbles. In my flower room I have a 1000watt HPS and 45 lpm commercial air pump running my totes, and in the veg room, I only have the $10 walmart 60 gallon aquarium pump running each tote. Could this be my issue? I have the totes set up with two of the cylindrical one inch air stones, one under each net pot.. are these small stones sufficient? I used these stones because I saw that BG used them in his bubble bucket build thread and they were on clearance at meijer. Another variable between my flower set up and my veg set up is that my totes in veg are individual, and my totes in flower are linked in series to a reservoir, the reservoir has a small pump discharging to the last tote in the series, so its circulating. Like most, my funds are tight so I am looking for the best possible bang for my buck as far as upgrades or solutions to my problem.

 

Should I invest in a new commercial air pump for veg room? Or t-5 or HID lighting for veg room? Or set up my veg totes in series to be RDWC? Eventually I want to do all these things, but it can't all happen right now due to lack of funds. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any help, and I plan on posting some pics as soon as I get home... still at work..lol.

 

I'm curious to see what your signs of deficiency are. Could you possibly be over-fertilizing?

[ToadInCan]

Problem during veg with bubble totes and Lucas method.

 

I posted on here a little while back that I was having a problem with a nutrient deficiency during veg. It appeared to be a calcium and magnesium deficiency. I flushed the plants, and refilled with full strength GH nutes, 0-8-10, and 1/2 tsp per gallon of CalMag plus. After a couple days the plants kind of looked better, but the new growth was still a little twisted. I put them in flower anyways because I needed to make room for my next set of clones in veg. Keep in mind that during this time my PPM was right on the mark, and my PH was steady at 5.8 and I am using RO water. So it has been almost a month for those plants in flower and they look good, took right off and flowers are forming nicely.

 

Now, for the last couple weeks, I have had the same signs of deficiency from my new set of clones in veg. I have them in 10 gallon totes, two plants per tote. I am vegging them under fluorescent tubes, 6 bulbs, 40 watts a piece. 50/50 cool/warm. I have come to the conclusion that it is not an issue with pH or nutrient strength, because everything is right on, so my next thought is that it has something to do with my meager fluorescent lighting and/or the amount of bubbles. In my flower room I have a 1000watt HPS and 45 lpm commercial air pump running my totes, and in the veg room, I only have the $10 walmart 60 gallon aquarium pump running each tote. Could this be my issue? I have the totes set up with two of the cylindrical one inch air stones, one under each net pot.. are these small stones sufficient? I used these stones because I saw that BG used them in his bubble bucket build thread and they were on clearance at meijer. Another variable between my flower set up and my veg set up is that my totes in veg are individual, and my totes in flower are linked in series to a reservoir, the reservoir has a small pump discharging to the last tote in the series, so its circulating. Like most, my funds are tight so I am looking for the best possible bang for my buck as far as upgrades or solutions to my problem.

 

Should I invest in a new commercial air pump for veg room? Or t-5 or HID lighting for veg room? Or set up my veg totes in series to be RDWC? Eventually I want to do all these things, but it can't all happen right now due to lack of funds. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any help, and I plan on posting some pics as soon as I get home... still at work..lol.

 

Hi e_e. I'm just curious if that was a typo about your veg nutes. The Lucas formula calls for 5 Micro /10 Bloom in veg, and 8/16 in flower. Another thing I recently learned from a fellow bubbletote grower is that light penetrating the totes will effect the plant growth. The microbes that photosynthesize in your solution will colonize at an alarming rate, and adversely effect the plant. I haven't had this problem, but he had to cover his lids with black visqueen. The plant growth improved within a couple days.I like lots of bubbles, and the commercial pumps work great and give you room to expand the operation without buying a whole bunch of little pumps. Also, IMHO, T-5 and MH work much better than T-12 or CF. If you've got the money, I don't think you'll be disappointed with the investment.

[Nix]

Also, IMHO, T-5 and MH work much better than T-12 or CF. If you've got the money, I don't think you'll be disappointed with the investment.

 

That's true, however I use T12's in my veg room with DWC and the plants grow like mad. I don't think the lighting would be his problem but the pics will reveal more.

[ToadInCan]

That's true, however I use T12's in my veg room with DWC and the plants grow like mad. I don't think the lighting would be his problem but the pics will reveal more.

 

 

I'm using T12's also Nix, but I've seen the difference in a friends grow. I have no problem getting a nicely vegged plant up to two feet or more in three to four weeks under T12 lights. But compared to the shrubs he's getting with T5 and 400W MH, well... that's gonna be where I spend my money next. I think HTG has a nice 400W MH for about a hundred bucks. I read an article in High Times awhile back, something like "It's all about the veg". I've come to believe it's true.

[Royal Smoke]

Hi e_e. I'm just curious if that was a typo about your veg nutes. The Lucas formula calls for 5 Micro /10 Bloom in veg, and 8/16 in flower.

 

You sure about that? I use 8/16 throughout both cycles.

 

I think the 5/10 your talking about is if you are using T5's in Veg. If you are using MH, use the 8/16

 

 

I don't feel like going and digging up the Lucas thread, but I haven't had any issues the way I'm doing it......

Edited May 11, 2011 by Royal Smoke

[ToadInCan]

Maybe it's changed? Here's what I've been working with...

 

 

 

THE LUCAS METHOD

 

the "Lucas Method" is very simple, cheap, and it obviously works as is evident in the pics in this thread. we only need 2 kinds of nutes. General Hydroponic Flora Micro and General Hydroponic Flora Bloom.

 

 

here is the formula:

 

VEG: 5ml of Micro and 10ml of Bloom per gallon of water. (5-10) IF VEGGING UNDER CFL LIGHTS

VEG: 8ml of Micro and 16ml of Bloom per gallon of water. (8-16) IF VEGGING UNDER HID LAMPS

FLOWER: 8ml Micro and 16ml of bloom per gallon of water. (8-16)

 

 

there are a couple different methods on backfilling whatever the plants drink/what evaporates. i recommend backfilling with full strength nutes/water as needed to maintain the proper water level in the bucket/tote, and then doing two rez changes throughout the cycle. once at the switch to flower, and once after about 3-4 weeks of flower.

 

 

---and here is a "normal" schedule for a plant:

 

seedling/clone/veg 2-4 weeks. 8-16 nutes. 1/2 strength for first few days for seedlings. 5-10 nutes under flourescent lights

when it is time to flip the lights to 12/12 i dump everything and flush. flush=just plain ph'd water for 24-48 hours.

then they get new water after the flush and continue with 8-16 nutes

after a month i try to flush once again

then back to 8-16 nutes

 

 

after 6 weeks of flower, depending on the strain and how much longer it will need to finish, i have to make a decision. i "final flush" for a week minimum so if i am growing a 7-8 week strain i will go into final flush now. if it is a 8-12 week strain i will go back to 8-16 nutes for as long as needed and then into final flush for the last week or so.

 

 

also, another couple freebie tips. when adding the nutes, add the micro to the water first, and then the bloom. NEVER mix the 2 nutes together and then add the combination to water. this WILL promote lock-out.

 

after adding both nutes (separately of course) STIR/SHAKE WELL!! can't say it enough. make sure you have it all mixed up real good. don't rely on your bubbles to do the mixing for you.

 

the flora micro will stain carpet/clothes if not tended to right away

 

assuming you are starting with r.o. water (ph7) the nutes will drop the ph to a perfect 5.5-6.0. i RARELY have to add ph down to maintain proper levels. at any rate, do whatever needs to be done to maintain a 5.5-6.0ph level. and i keep my water temps at 68-70 degrees.

 

also, for 99 cents ANYWHERE in the kitchen department. (target-walmart) this is my best friend. the turkey baster. perfect for measuring nutes out.

[ToadInCan]

My bad! I see it is different for MH. Thanks Royal! When I get the new lights I'll adjust my recipe.

[Royal Smoke]

No problemo.....

 

The only reason I noticed, is because I've been doing it wrong myself.

 

 

I actually pulled the MH out of the Veg and put the light into the flower room with HPS (switchable ballast) and I've been vegging with just the T5 until I get more funds.

 

I still use the same 8/16 and didn't lower it to the 5/10. It's too much work mixing up two separate batches of nutes!!!

 

 

I haven't seen any issues though. Might as well play it safe though and do as Lucas says.......lol

Edited May 11, 2011 by Royal Smoke

[ToadInCan]

Next Question...

 

 

 

I had a moth in my veg space a week or so ago. Just a tiny little thing, fluttering around slowly. I grabbed it out of the air and disposed of it. Today I found curled up leaves, and the stem to the leaves is blistered. I've removed them all, and split the stems open expecting to find larve. Nothing there! Is anyone familiar with this? Two plants effected out of twelve. I've already sprayed for bugs, but just wondered what else it might be.

[engineered_excellence]

Hi e_e. I'm just curious if that was a typo about your veg nutes. The Lucas formula calls for 5 Micro /10 Bloom in veg, and 8/16 in flower. Another thing I recently learned from a fellow bubbletote grower is that light penetrating the totes will effect the plant growth. The microbes that photosynthesize in your solution will colonize at an alarming rate, and adversely effect the plant. I haven't had this problem, but he had to cover his lids with black visqueen. The plant growth improved within a couple days.I like lots of bubbles, and the commercial pumps work great and give you room to expand the operation without buying a whole bunch of little pumps. Also, IMHO, T-5 and MH work much better than T-12 or CF. If you've got the money, I don't think you'll be disappointed with the investment.

 

 

Yes, that was a typo with the nutes, and I have gone between the 0-5-10 and 0-8-16, I initially started of at half strength of 0-5-10, so 2.5/5 for the freshly rooted clones, things looked great, good growth for first week, then moved to 0-5-10, they weren't drinking much so I didn't really need to fill it much but I back filled when needed with 0-8-16, but really things were just going down hill after that first week or so of good growth.

 

Here are some pics of my sick girls:

 

Edited May 12, 2011 by engineered_excellence

[Nix]

Yes, that was a typo with the nutes, and I have gone between the 0-5-10 and 0-8-16, I initially started of at half strength of 0-5-10, so 2.5/5 for the freshly rooted clones, things looked great, good growth for first week, then moved to 0-5-10, they weren't drinking much so I didn't really need to fill it much but I back filled when needed with 0-8-16, but really things were just going down hill after that first week or so of good growth.

 

Here are some pics of my sick girls:

 

 

Looks like nute burn to me.

[Nix]

Outdoor grow question:

 

I'm starting my first green house grow and would appreciate any tips about timing. I've had some clones sitting in a window for two weeks to get them used to the sun schedule and to my horror last night I saw that they had started flowering.

 

I immediately put them back under lights where they will have to stay for at least two weeks to revert back to veg. Hopefully they're not permanently screwed up.

 

So my question is, when can I put my plants outside? I thought I had enough sun right now to keep them in a vegetative state so they can grow big, but I was wrong. Is June 1 good enough? Currently in Michigan (May 12) the sun is up for 14.5 hours. How is this not enough? Could it be that because my plants were in a window that they were not getting enough sun to keep them in veg? When in the green house (not built yet) they will be getting full sun all day long. Thanks!

Edited May 12, 2011 by Nix

[engineered_excellence]

Looks like nute burn to me.

 

Ya, I am just not so sure about it being nute burn. I have been using the 0-5-10, and RoyalSmoke said above that he uses 0-8-16 with fluorescent... although they are t-5's compared to my lower wattage bulbs, he said he hasn't had a problem. I had some nute burn in a plant that I had in soil,testing out the limits of how much nutes she would take and the effect nute burn had, just the tips of the leaves turned a little yellow. Also, when comparing my photos to the photos of plant problems in the self diagnose link posted by bubblegrower, my first two pictures look like the calcium deficiency, with the yellowish/brownish/reddish spots... and my last picture looks like a magnesium deficiency with the greener veins and the slight yellowing/lightening of the leaf btw the veins.

 

As far as the lighting being a possible problem, I have a mother plant and two clones in soil under the same lighting and they look great. The reason I initially thought it was a problem, is because of the difference in the lucas formula for vegging under fluoros, I figured that maybe my fluoros weren't putting out enough light for the dwc growing compared to soil growing.

 

I read somewhere else on here someone saying that as long as there's enough bubbles and the pH is withing range, the plants should grow just fine, and to skip the walmart pumps and go straight to the commercial. But i have also seen success with the small walmart pumps, so I dunno.

 

Could it be that the strain I am growing is not well suited for hydro? I have noticed that my root mass is smaller than some I have seen on here.

 

And speaking of the strain I am growing.. It was a single seed I held on to that was in a bag of some really good stuff I got a few years back. I am almost sure it was some commercially grown bud, but it was good. I planted it in a 5 gallon smart pot, It turned out to be female, took a bunch of clones off her, tried out air-layering, and decided to put her in flower at about 60 days veg. It is an excellent looking plant, very tight node spacing, strong stems, not woody, kind of fuzzy and hollow. I am actually wondering if anyone can help me identify what I am dealing with here.... pure indica? indica/sativa hybrid? Pics below....

 

unknown strain Main cola.. 40 days

 

unknown strain secondary colas... 40 days

 

unknown strain Lower buds.. 40 days

 

unknown strain Whole plant 50 days( the plant in the rear is dinafem sweet deep grapefruit and the plants to the right are the clones of the unknown)