Dueling UCE's - A Perpetual Flip-Flop

[RMCG]

not sure what wtg is... just a local shop in portland the garden spout I believe what its called. I would rather take my business to someone that will work with me. Damn gallon size of botanicare are about 30 bucks at the store I like going too. I guess I should be grateful for the low costs of supplies compared to california and east coast. Maybe I am just cheap, but I save money wherever I can lol.


bloom and ripe would be more appropriate. I was thinking there was only one part to add in veg and bloom. i am glad that you cleared that up.

Sorry, I thought you were 'local'. PBP is ~27/gal here.

It really is a one part though. Could probably get away without switching to the 'Soil' formula.

Lucas of the Lucas Formula suggests 'GrowGreens' formula of 15ml PBP Bloom and 5ml Cal-Mag+ (adds a touch of N) straight through.

I think additionally people have added 5ml of LK and its as close to 'perfect' as far as ratios go.

I'm formulating for 100g at ~3/4 strength of the 130g in the Evo. Not sure how this is going to go in the UC though. Might be too hot?

 

[crossouttheiis]

Are you going to be going with what Lucas suggested? I honestly would probably start out with half strength and work your way up til you are comfortable. I don't think PBP at that ratio would be to hot, but you never know and might as well be safe then sorry. Only problem I had with botanicare before was salt build up. I was running an aero system at that time.

It is encouraging to hear about daniels belief in it though. As long as it produces a good product and keeps plants healthy. I will really consider the combination though after hearing that alone.
.
I probably have lived out that way. I have lived up and down the west coast as well as easy coast. Just probably wasnt growing at that time lol.

 

[UCMENOW]

I saw a proto recently and it looks like CC is using all 3/8th JG plumbing for the air lines on the UC PRO. Super clean and infinitely reusable.

They're debuting it at a trade show in LV next week, I'll snap a pic and post it if I get a chance.

BTW.....run your PBP at no more than half strength as it seems to get hot quick in the UC. If the plants look happy maybe up it from there. IMO

Karma foliar.

 

[RMCG]

I was going to run their schedule (or close to it) first, then see what can be added/dropped.

1/2 strength always sounds better...

 

[RMCG]

I saw a proto recently and it looks like CC is using all 3/8th JG plumbing for the air lines on the UC PRO. Super clean and infinitely reusable.

They're debuting it at a trade show in LV next week, I'll snap a pic and post it if I get a chance.

Is that the BIG mofo system you were talking about earlier?

Sounds like a nice addition!

Have to love the constant improvements and forward motion.


Do you know if CC is going to be out in D-Town for the Indoor Gardening Convention in March/Apr?

If so, make Dan drag you along as I'd like to shake your hand and buy you a beer. :)

 

[RMCG]

BTW.....run your PBP at no more than half strength as it seems to get hot quick in the UC. If the plants look happy maybe up it from there. IMO

Karma foliar.

Gracias!

 

[crossouttheiis]

ucmenow... you might have some more insight then we do... what is daniel running of the pbp line?

 

[RMCG]

RM1 - Day 1

Most everything is looking much better today. Adjusted to the training, consistent water level, lower nutes and light change.

This branch I am hoping turns around quickly.

 

[BudGoggles]

Very nice and full
I would start raping them a little bit by bit get em ready for some fatties
Great work bro
BG

 

[RMCG]

I was going to give them a few days to start to harden up, then whatever is less than 1/8th stem-wise was going to go away.

 

[bluewaves]

lovly ladies.....i love seeing the use of UC everybody can learn from each other....

 

[RMCG]

One pH doser built:

Milwaukee 122 meter
30gph pump
5g bucket of water w/15ml of AN pH down


I've got it set to kick on at ~5.9

It took ~15 minutes to get the Veg System down to 5.8 from 6.2.

The little pump squirts the diluted mix near the meters probe so it kicks on and off very quickly, putting maybe a tablespoon or two per spurt into the epicenter. pH in the epicenter never really dropped more the .5 or .6 of a point, so the adjustments shouldn't cause any root damage.

Not much head on that pump (30gph @ 12") so with the pump at the bottom of the bucket its REALLY got to work to get flow through the hose. The hose is out of the water so it doesn't siphon back in to the bucket.

I will need to play around with the pH down amount in the bucket so 5g lasts a week or more. Might even be able to add some strong nutes in there to help top up over the week too.

It will definitely take some playing around to get things nailed down, but for ~130$ per, it beats the hell out of a 'purchased' mini-doser.

Flower room looks good, leaves are turgid and upright and shows lots of new growth.


Veg system is plodding along properly:

 

[crossouttheiis]

thats pretty legit... did you see the one that f1ydave or whatever his name built. I think I might have to do something like that soon. I like it!

 

[bluewaves]

nicely though out bro!.....is the ph unstable ? for u to use one or ???i just dont know what it does? Can someone school me!..

 

[RMCG]

thats pretty legit... did you see the one that f1ydave or whatever his name built. I think I might have to do something like that soon. I like it!

I haven't seen what he has done. I thought he went the PurGro route? Too many threads, too few empty brain cells.

nicely though out bro!.....is the ph unstable ? for u to use one or ???i just dont know what it does? Can someone school me!..

My pH is not ~un~ stable, but they are currently drinking 20+ gallons every 1-2 days and that will go up as they come in to heavy flower. Now that I have added in the constant feed water (not from a pH adjusted res), and the input water is variable 7.7 - 8+, this will just keep it adjusted where I want it. Pretty rare that I would need to adjust it UP unless its time to change the entire system out, so this buys me a few days if necessary and its just one less thing to worry about. I don't see any reason why if timed properly I could not go away for 3-5 days and let the system 'run' on its own, not that I am going to on a regular basis, but I do have a few things coming up over the next several months where this will be warranted. The UC lends itself to automation, so I will automate what I can and make redundant/plan for what I cannot. Sure I will have res change outs, trimming, training, raising lights, etc. but its one less thing to do on a daily basis.

Remember, I will have 4 rooms going full tilt, where a weeks set back will cause a ripple over several months. Perpetual gardens can suck.

 

[bluewaves]

Ahhhh gotcha.... Thax for the explanation.. I like to the hard way... Hard labor...good growing bro best of luck in everything! keep us posted..

 

[RMCG]

Ahhhh gotcha.... Thax for the explanation.. I like to the hard way... Hard labor...good growing bro best of luck in everything! keep us posted..

Shit, If I wanted to do it the hard way, I'd be hand-watering in DIRT and married to the rooms.

Live to work or work to live.

Easy choice for me. Trying to have a life too.

 

[RMCG]

Built and installed the second pH doser in Flower Room 1.

I went with 50ml of pH down in 5g, didn't see much difference as far as 'swings' went when it pumped in to the epicenter, pump just cycled more frequently while it was getting down to 5.8.

I think I have an idea on nutrient auto-dosers too. Stay tuned.

Anyone know the MAX concentration you can mix of a TWO part nute without things starting to fallout?

200ml each in 5g? 500ml?

If the PBP (one part) works out like I am hoping, then that won't even be an issue.

I trimmed up 3 of the 9 ladies, removed all the suckers and EVERYTHING below the screens. Will finish up the other 6 over the next 2 days.

I added ~150ml of Hydrosparkle (Down Under HF) to the system, will let that run for 3 days, then flush and refill with 100% bloom nute regimen.

 

[true grit]

You're giving me some mad hope over here!!!

Alright so after all these trial and error, ya know im gonna be bringin ya over to help fix all my mistakes right? LOL. And help build a doser and figure out a solid back up res! I mean these give ya plenty of free time right? hehe. 4 wks left in coco and counting down...

 

[RMCG]

Any time bro. Just let me work out the bugs. :)

Oh yeah, Order that thing already!

Rethinking the nute doser idea, not the 'why' just the 'how'.

Seems that Ca @ ~500ppms will start to bind with phosporous and fall/precipitate out as calcium phosphate (IIRC?).

DM at 10ml/gal is 70ish ppm's of Ca, so I could get ~300ml's of A&B in 5g without issue. Would probably be enough, but warrants further testing.

I still think the DIY route will come in under $500/system (worst case) for (2 part) nutes, so ~$650 total per system (ph down and nutes) vs $1500-2200 for a COTS unit.

Small price to pay for a consistent solution and some additional free time in and away from the garden.

Datalogging would be the bomb, but I can live without it.