Deficiency I Can't Seem To Identify

[DGP]

FLIP: IMHO the ONLY way to accurately tell when plant has engaged is when I see first pistils

How often do you check pH meter. Mine drifts in < 2 weeks

Every 3-4 days. Have an HM meter and seem accurate.

Dee

 

[DGP]

Buds taste better with a fade... Hmmmm i think youre on to something

GT21,

I am 5.5 weeks after flip. In my case should I be seeing color changes related to maturity already?

Thanks,

Dee

 

[GT21]

GT21,

I am 5.5 weeks after flip. In my case should I be seeing color changes related to maturity already?

Thanks,

Dee

2/3 in you usually start getting a fade.. Not rust but the green will disappear leaving the yellows or oranges or what not.

 

[jumpincactus]

Every 3-4 days. Have an HM meter and seem accurate.

Dee

When I ran hydro I bought me a dandy Ph unit from the aquarium industry. Was around 60 $ the probe had a 6' lead and plugged into the controller readout. I would use rubber suction cups to affix the probe inside my rez. What was slick was it constantly monitored Ph, all I had to do was open the groom door and see where my Ph was at a glance. Was called Pinpoint Ph meter from Marine Depot. Was easey peasey without having to break out the hand probe. and being able to pop my head in and see that Ph was kool at a glance was priceless.

All my topoff water was also automated with a float valve so when the ladies was really thirsty the unit would top my rez off with topoff water from another tank. Using an aquarium dosing unit also allowed me to adjust Ph automatically. I was getting pretty spoiled!!!

 

[dan1989]

I'm no hydro expert but how much are u letting pH swing? I believe you need to allow the swing to go through optimal nutrient uptake. I believe you should be starting around 6.5. This is where maximim calcium uptake happens and im not seeing you there.

I swing it anyway because my meter has a tolerance of + - 0.1 EC :D

 

[Scolymia7]

The way UC works is it pulls the water out of the center of the 2" pipe out on the far end (farthest from the control bucket) which pulls the water out of the buckets at over 700 GPH through the chiller and back into the control bucket dropping it in in a waterfall type return. Then the buckets refill from the control bucket at the base. The water moves pretty fast so I don't think there are dead zones and my system works identical to a Current Culture one it is just about $3500 less for an 8 site. Each bucket also has an airstone. Don't think there are any dead spots but the buckets can get pretty root-bound but the system is pulling so much water I think it works out fine. From the research I have done it seems like UC's can grow plants faster than most systems given other parameters being equal. So far I have never seen trunk sizes and root development like this.

The trunks on my plants which were vegged 4-5 weeks (from seed to flip) are 5 or more inches in diameter and I have tap roots the size of an index finger.

So far other than a few issues now and then it seems to be rockin it. I just want to understand wht the symptom is on the one plant before it gets away from me.

Dee

Is the pump in your chiller rated for 700gph or is 700gph what you calculated after including how many feet of plumbing and 2 inch diameter?

Most smaller pumps are tested using 1/2 inch plumbing. After 5ft most pumps loose 60% of their gph. With 2inch plumbing the drop in gph happens faster.

 

[DGP]

Is the pump in your chiller rated for 700gph or is 700gph what you calculated after including how many feet of plumbing and 2 inch diameter?

Most smaller pumps are tested using 1/2 inch plumbing. After 5ft most pumps loose 60% of their gph. With 2inch plumbing the drop in gph happens faster.

1/4 horse chiller, very short tubing run and using 3/4" tubing, should be no issue and the water is always at 67 +-1 degree.

Pump came with 3/4" barbs.....

Dee

 

[Scolymia7]

You have to add all of the plumbing including what's on buckets if that is the only pump turning your set up.

I'm not saying your wrong just offering input from 10 years in saltwater hobby and designing systems where 1 pump runs multiple tanks. I've seen how fast gph drops even on pumps pushing 1500+gph.

It could have absolutly no effect on plants health. Not knowledgable enough in this hobby to make that claim. But from aquarium hobby experience I don't think you are pushing enough gph to turn all of your buckets evenly.

Again could be wrong two differnet hobbies just sharing my experiences with calculating return pumps making sure each tank turns over 10× its water volume. 15+ on tanks with sps. :)

 

[DGP]

You have to add all of the plumbing including what's on buckets if that is the only pump turning your set up.

I'm not saying your wrong just offering input from 10 years in saltwater hobby and designing systems where 1 pump runs multiple tanks. I've seen how fast gph drops even on pumps pushing 1500+gph.

It could have absolutly no effect on plants health. Not knowledgable enough in this hobby to make that claim. But from aquarium hobby experience I don't think you are pushing enough gph to turn all of your buckets evenly.

Again could be wrong two differnet hobbies just sharing my experiences with calculating return pumps making sure each tank turns over 10× its water volume. 15+ on tanks with sps. :)

Yep, I got it and you have a valid point. It isn't a worry so far cause I built my system to run just like a CC system and pretty much followed their specs but I suppose I could benefit from upgrading my pump. However, when I do a water change it pumps out the system in about 7 minutes so I know my water circulation is about at that level and that seems plenty fast to stop stagnation but IDK for sure. In the end though the performance of the plants is exceeding past grows in both standard recirculating as well as single bucket DWC and UC has a reputation for growing monster plants with very fast growth rates and I am not seeing any root issues except the root bundle often outgrows the container and simply goes down the 2" plumbing into the return but have not seen any obstructions yet....

Thanks,

Dee

 

[Scolymia7]

I've seen your plants and they are beasts, again not doubting your system. It really is a really nice build and everything looks clean and organized.

Here's a test(simular to what I do for saltwater),when this run is over and everything is cleaned up. Fill your buckets with water, in your control add vinager to drop the ph. While the system is running measure how fast in each bucket the ph drops. If it takes abnormally long for all your buckets ph to match, your water isnt turning over fast enough. If it takes no time at all for them to match I'm wrong :).

 

[DGP]

I've seen your plants and they are beasts, again not doubting your system. It really is a really nice build and everything looks clean and organized.

Here's a test (simular to what I do for saltwater),when this run is over and everything is cleaned up. Fill your buckets with water, in your control add vinager to drop the ph. While the system is running measure how fast in each bucket the ph drops. If it takes abnormally long for all your buckets ph to match, your water isnt turning over fast enough. If it takes no time at all for them to match I'm wrong :).

I kinda did this already when I adjust ph or ppm. I add dilluted nutes or ph adjust and I monitor the time it takes to stabilize out. In other words I add the dilution and immediately monitor (have sensors now that log the data) and it takes only 5 to 7 minutes to reach equilibrium. I am not saying a bigger pump wouldn't help and for sure my pump efficiency is not that high (to your point for sure). Would certainly be interesting to study pump volumes/efficiency in these sytems to see if it affects plant growth etc.....

Dee

 

[DGP]

More pictures (today) that show a progression of this color change, still dont know if it is a big deal or not: