Who's Growing Tlo Style (the Rev)?

[Perception]

Awesome! Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, my water is chlorinated, but luckily no chloramine. So I always bubble for 24-36 hours before using. I have a 6 gallon bucket I use with an air stone. I bought the bucket from a home brewing store, and it came with spigot and everything. Pretty nice.

 

[goingtoguano]

Awesome! Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, my water is chlorinated, but luckily no chloramine. So I always bubble for 24-36 hours before using. I have a 6 gallon bucket I use with an air stone. I bought the bucket from a home brewing store, and it came with spigot and everything. Pretty nice.

Cool! I brew beer or, I used to brew beer before I picked up this hobby and don't have the time now. Here is a picture of my watering station next to the tent that I dump the RO water into and then use a quart bottle to water ( I kept the lights off for the picture and could barely see lol). I'll have to get another bottling bucket before making a beer again. With brewing, everything needs to be sterile and I've been running organic teas through this.

 

[CallmeTex]

Nice grow @Perception. Plants are looking mighty healthy. I bought Rev's book a couple years ago and started running RLO and have had real good results with it. I do a similar mix now with local ferts and get great results. Been running the same mix for going on 2 years. I like to add back peat, compost, worm castings, and perilite every whenever I need more bulk.

Couple tips:
-Use aluminum foil tape to cover any led displays (dehumidifier, A/C, C02 meter). This should help with any hermies. Go in there during a dark cycle to make sure there's no unwanted lights.
-If you're having fungus gnat problems mosquito dunks broken up into your soil mix works to stop them early.

Recycled mix in 10 gal

 

[CallmeTex]

Also the green head lamp if you have to go into your grow during the dark cycle. They're pretty cheap too.
https://www.amazon.com/Apollo-Horti...qid=1502486551&sr=8-7&keywords=green+headlamp

 

[goingtoguano]

Nice! Beautiful plant you have there, love the colors!
I think I might have to try those tomato cages on my next grow. Things are getting unwieldy.

I plan on recycling the mix as soon as I have enough used soil, no doubt.
I checked out your signature links, very nice!

 

[CallmeTex]

Nice! Beautiful plant you have there, love the colors!
I think I might have to try those tomato cages on my next grow. Things are getting unwieldy.

I plan on recycling the mix as soon as I have enough used soil, no doubt.
I checked out your signature links, very nice!

The tomato cages are great. Recycling soil is where its at too. It really is too easy, everyone should do it.

 

[Minitiger]

@goingtoguano From your first post in this thread, I see that you are using R/O water. I'm curious what kind of R/O filter you bought, and how you use it? ie: Does it take like an hour to fill a 5gal bucket, or do you just pour as needed and it's pretty fast? I'm just curious how the whole operation worked out.

Also, have you checked the ppm of your R/O water?

My tap water has low alkalinity... around ~45ppm (I have a meter), with a perfect 6:1 calcium/magnesium ration (per city's public water reports). I think I'm just going to run my tap water as-is, but am tossing the R/O idea around.

Dang, dude, that's pretty perfect tap water. I want to live where you live haha. My ppm WITH my RO filter (I actually use the same brand The Rev does, Pure Water Products, but I use the under-the-sink model, which is a little more expensive than the one he uses) are around 30-40. Without the RO, ppm's are 250.

It would take about three hours with the unit I use to fill a five gallon bucket, so I just kind of fill up a one gallon bucket here and there and dump that into my five gallon buckets. I don't mind letting my water sit around for a day or so. The reservoir of my RO actually empties after about two gallons and then takes about an hour to refill completely. It might take less time, I've never checked, I just usually wait about an hour to start using it again. But judging from what you said about your water, I'd say that an RO unit would be superfluous and maybe even detrimental, especially considering the cal/mag ratio of your tap water. I mean, if you got an RO unit, all that Ca/Mg would be leached out of the water and then you'd have to figure out a way to replace it (read: spend money). Just use your tap water, let's see what happens haha. I don't think chlorine will be an issue. And ordinarily I'd say,"Fuck the city! You can't trust them!" re: the Ca/Mg ratio, but if your ppm's are that low, then it sounds like your city can be trusted.

You don't have to tell me what city you're in, but what state do you live in, at least? It sounds like y'all have really good water there, which in my mind, anyway, reflects really well on the people who are running/living in said state. I'm super-curious.

 

[Perception]

@CallmeTex Thanks! Although the grow you see on here is all @goingtoguano 's production - so he gets all the props. I started this thread leading up to my grow which I plan to kick off in about 5 weeks. Focusing on outdoor right now, and also have travel plans in early September. Mixing up my first TLO soil tomorrow though!

You ever had any PH issues with adding peat moss? The Rev talks about being careful with it, as it lowers PH. Although from the looks of your crop, it must not be a problem!!!

@Minitiger I agree that I'm probably NOT going to R/O my water. I'm right on the cusp of where the Rev says to consider it, but given my good cal/mag ratio, I'll just give it a shot as is.

 

[Perception]

I'm running cages on my outdoor. I used the low, wide cages (I think they might be called Peony Cages) to help me keep my plants low and wide, so I could light deprive and force flower about 4 weeks early. Lots of plant ties under these two. I pull plastic over at 8:30pm, and remove at 7:30am ever night since August 1st. And it's working! Last year I didn't see pistils until like September 7th, but I started seeing them just a couple days ago on these plants. I started these plants a little late too, so not real big. Also teaching myself how to train the plants. |

 

[CallmeTex]

@CallmeTex Thanks! Although the grow you see on here is all @goingtoguano 's production - so he gets all the props. I started this thread leading up to my grow which I plan to kick off in about 5 weeks. Focusing on outdoor right now, and also have travel plans in early September. Mixing up my first TLO soil tomorrow though!

You ever had any PH issues with adding peat moss? The Rev talks about being careful with it, as it lowers PH. Although from the looks of your crop, it must not be a problem!!!

Okay, well both your grows are looking real nice. :smoking:
From my experience letting your full strength soil mix cook down a little longer is good. 8 weeks or more. You could make a small batch of half strength mix too if you're gonna start seeds in it. Something to think about.

As far as the low ph of peat, I'm sure it helps my grows, because my filtered tap water comes at around 8 ph. Pretty sure it counterbalances. The crushed oyster shell and gypsum help too. The base mix is a 1/3 compost as well.

 

[goingtoguano]

Okay, well both your grows are looking real nice. :smoking:
From my experience letting your full strength soil mix cook down a little longer is good. 8 weeks or more. You could make a small batch of half strength mix too if you're gonna start seeds in it. Something to think about.

As far as the low ph of peat, I'm sure it helps my grows, because my filtered tap water comes at around 8 ph. Pretty sure it counterbalances. The crushed oyster shell and gypsum help too. The base mix is a 1/3 compost as well.

My second batch of The Rev's soil is already like 3 months old so I like what your saying. I keep a thermometer in it and it only show like 3 degrees above room temperature now. It started out about 10 degrees above and has been slowly falling.

looksee what I snagged up yesterday;)

already sold out now

 

[Perception]

@CallmeTex I see you have 10 gal pot. Did you start with the smaller pots like Rev (2.5-3.5gal)? Just curious if you have any tips from experience on pot size with the TLO method.

 

[CallmeTex]

@CallmeTex I see you have 10 gal pot. Did you start with the smaller pots like Rev (2.5-3.5gal)? Just curious if you have any tips from experience on pot size with the TLO method.

I've done some smaller plants in 5.5 gallon pots and ended up with 80 gram plants, and with 10 gallon pots I'll get anywhere from 100-170 grams per plant. You can get some great plants doing smaller containers with spikes and layering. I just prefer larger plants with only soil and worm castings. With smaller plants you just end up with more plants per space.

The main thing when growing horizontally is that you have a full canopy in width and depth. Doing this you will utilize all of your photons and produce the most medicine per space. I keep around 18''-24'' of canopy depth and strip everything below that. You want good light down to your lowest buds. 2 feet wide plants with 2 feet of bud depth. 4 plants per 4x4 is what I'm running right now.

full canopy in a 4x4 space with 4 plants. you could do smaller plants and use 7 or 9 in a 4x4 space. This is just what I like.

 

[goingtoguano]

Week 7 of flower, TLO -The Rev style update:

Things still going good plant wise-not much time left now.
Buds are ripening and the trichomes are starting to turn amber.
Unfortunately, a family member is in hospice care here and in her last days with us-sad times. A lot of people coming and going here so I won't be harvesting anything right away. It doesn't matter if the plants are ready or not.

 

[Perception]

Looking SO good. Nice job! They look so tasty.

Sad to hear about your family member - best wishes.

 

[Perception]

Got the TLO soil all mixed up last night! Took longer than I expected: probably because I got stoned then decided to multiply the recipe by 1.5x, so was doing stoned-math the whole time.

I Mixed it up in a baby pool and was able to fit finished soil in a Tupperware container for cooking. I recommend using a full sized shovel to mix. I used a small (2ft ?) shovel, and it required a lot more mixing (and back ache) than I thought it would.

Couple questions for you guys @goingtoguano and @CallmeTex :

1) how wet did you get yours? On top of my washed (wet) coir, I added about two more gallons distilled H2O. It was "moistened" as the Rev said, but just barely enough I think. I can't squeeze water out with my hand.

2) any tips on storage or turning the composting soil? I've got it packed it to this Tupperware bin (air holes on lid), but wondering if it might like more open air in the baby pool. Also, Not sure if I should turn soil regularly like compost or not.

Thx!

 

[goingtoguano]

Looks good @Perception. I did the same thing by multiplying everything by 1.5 while reading from the book. The second time, I typed/printed it out before-hand, all pre-calculated and in larger text for ease. I did stick a long thermometer into the top of the tote because I had one from brewing. That way, you can see the heat it builds while cooking, to satisfy my curiosity if nothing else.
I used about the same amount of water, enough to make it clump when squeezed but easily fall back apart.
I turned mine over about every 3 days for the first month-easy to make a mess but what can you do. I probably only turn it over once every couple weeks now.
I know The Rev says to not keep it sealed up but I did on my first batch because it was in my living-room (winter time was too cold in the basement) and it didn't bother anything. Now, I keep the lid cracked/crooked to allow some air in. With your air holes, I would just keep the lid on. That should be enough. If you store it longer than you expect you can always add more water- I just did a couple weeks ago as mine batch is like 3 month old. The Rev says you can keep it for a year or more with no worries.
Looking at your set up, I would think dumping it back into the pool and the shoveling back into the tote would be the easiest way to give the soil a good turning. It is hard to do in the tote without spilling it over the sides.
Good Job!

 

[Minitiger]

Got the TLO soil all mixed up last night! Took longer than I expected: probably because I got stoned then decided to multiply the recipe by 1.5x, so was doing stoned-math the whole time.

I Mixed it up in a baby pool and was able to fit finished soil in a Tupperware container for cooking. I recommend using a full sized shovel to mix. I used a small (2ft ?) shovel, and it required a lot more mixing (and back ache) than I thought it would.

Couple questions for you guys @goingtoguano and @CallmeTex :

1) how wet did you get yours? On top of my washed (wet) coir, I added about two more gallons distilled H2O. It was "moistened" as the Rev said, but just barely enough I think. I can't squeeze water out with my hand.

2) any tips on storage or turning the composting soil? I've got it packed it to this Tupperware bin (air holes on lid), but wondering if it might like more open air in the baby pool. Also, Not sure if I should turn soil regularly like compost or not.

Thx!

You don't want it so wet that you can squeeze water out of it. That's too wet. "Damp" is the best way I can describe it.

Also, if you can, drill some holes on the sides and bottom of your container. Oxygen is vital; the more holes, the better. I always drill some holes all along the sides and bottoms of my containers.

One other thing that I always do is brew an ACT and water my soil with it. Then I let it sit for a couple days and then I turn it. In fact, sometimes I add a couple ACT's if it's not dirt that I'm gonna use for a while. I reammended my current recycled soil mix a couple weeks ago and watered it with an ACT, turned it yesterday and it smelled gooooooood. Full of life.

Also, I dunno about putting a lid on your containers, air holes or not. Let that shit breathe.

 

[Perception]

24 Hour TLO 2.2 Soil Cooking update
I like to analyze my soils and compost teas under microscope, so I figured Id keep track of the composting TLO soil to see what it does in the coming weeks. Temperature has shot up 25deg above room temp. Here are some details:

-> Temp = 95deg F (ambient room temp = 70deg)
-> Avg microbes per 400x frame = 1,456

 

[goingtoguano]

Very cool!