GROW DIARY: Hilltopfarms' new 12kw room 1st run

[Hilltopfarms]

I'm ALL about the detail, brother! Clearly, it's clones, then veg, then flower on the big tables. The 3 week veg, is that after you've rooted the cuttings? This is the end that makes the rest possible, even if it isn't quite so glamorous as all the bud porn, lol

After clones are rooted they go into a dixie cups for a few days, just to start spreading roots and then they go into the airports for just about 3 weeks... so in all there's ~12 days to root and about 3 weeks of total veg

 

[entropy99]

How do you find those airpots?

 

[Eternal Student]

How do you find those airpots?

dont bother brotha...not knockn you hilltop..like what ur doin but the airpots were out-yielded by smart pots, grow bags, blow-molded plastic, and warrior pots in a side by side i did last year...the airpots were actually the worst and the cheapest blow molded plastic were the best...lol...figure that out...these were all under optimum conditions... i have my suspicions that this may have been due to high co2 throughout the cycle though... the inventors/initial users of airpots were tree farmers if i recall and i believe these pots are best suited outdoors... I think this because roots want oxygen, NOT co2...the plants receptors want to breathe co2 but not the roots...they want good old oxygen...i believe this is why they do well outside and didnt do well inside in our test.. the structure of the pots gives the roots direct access to higher levels of co2 than normal in a room with co2...especially at floor level where the gas collects the most...just my opinion tho...

 

[Cali Grower]

dont bother brotha...not knockn you hilltop..like what ur doin but the airpots were out-yielded by smart pots, grow bags, blow-molded plastic, and warrior pots in a side by side i did last year...the airpots were actually the worst and the cheapest blow molded plastic were the best...lol...figure that out...these were all under optimum conditions... i have my suspicions that this may have been due to high co2 throughout the cycle though... the inventors/initial users of airpots were tree farmers if i recall and i believe these pots are best suited outdoors... I think this because roots want oxygen, NOT co2...the plants receptors want to breathe co2 but not the roots...they want good old oxygen...i believe this is why they do well outside and didnt do well inside in our test.. the structure of the pots gives the roots direct access to higher levels of co2 than normal in a room with co2...especially at floor level where the gas collects the most...just my opinion tho...

I can see that making since. If he's not running co2, then airpots are definitely the way to go. Also, one could flood the room with co2 for short periods of time a few times each day to get the benefits of added co2, plus the benefits of the airpots or smartpots.When and at what intervals, im not sure.

Also, I think the smartpots offer a slight buffer to the roots because its breathable cloth. Personally, id go with smart pots. If for no other reason, the airpots are like double what a smart pot is(where i can get them) and i highly doubt it'll double anything over smart pots but i cant be sure. Maybe so. Either way, nice grow Hilltop! I've been watching for a while just haven't posted anything til now

 

[treebark1950]

I love the attention to detail in this grow! Mad props! Keep up the good work!

 

[ttystikk]

dont bother brotha...not knockn you hilltop..like what ur doin but the airpots were out-yielded by smart pots, grow bags, blow-molded plastic, and warrior pots in a side by side i did last year...the airpots were actually the worst and the cheapest blow molded plastic were the best...lol...figure that out...these were all under optimum conditions... i have my suspicions that this may have been due to high co2 throughout the cycle though... the inventors/initial users of airpots were tree farmers if i recall and i believe these pots are best suited outdoors... I think this because roots want oxygen, NOT co2...the plants receptors want to breathe co2 but not the roots...they want good old oxygen...i believe this is why they do well outside and didnt do well inside in our test.. the structure of the pots gives the roots direct access to higher levels of co2 than normal in a room with co2...especially at floor level where the gas collects the most...just my opinion tho...

I can see that making since. If he's not running co2, then airpots are definitely the way to go. Also, one could flood the room with co2 for short periods of time a few times each day to get the benefits of added co2, plus the benefits of the airpots or smartpots.When and at what intervals, im not sure.

Also, I think the smartpots offer a slight buffer to the roots because its breathable cloth. Personally, id go with smart pots. If for no other reason, the airpots are like double what a smart pot is(where i can get them) and i highly doubt it'll double anything over smart pots but i cant be sure. Maybe so. Either way, nice grow Hilltop! I've been watching for a while just haven't posted anything til now

What has caught my eye recently are these 'devo hat' style pots, in a size that fits right on top of a 5 gallon bucket, tell me what you think?:

Rootmaker.com

This is the 3 gallon size that fits on a 5 gallon bucket. I'm considering filling these with 50/50 coco/hydroton and topfeed irrigation dtw, sitting in 5 gallon buckets that can either drain, or RDWC if I want. What are your thoughts about this approach?

 

[Hilltopfarms]

I really appreciate everyone's props and thanks for sharing your knowledge on my thread...
Just so you know the true reasoning behind airports and why they are definitley one of a kind. The airports will simply never get root bound. Even with smart pots, which I have used, the roots will circle the pot and matt up, getting root bound. Now, with airpots all the intense cone shapes with holes at the end promote roots to grow outward undisturbed until they reach the air and stop, then that triggers more roots to grow (check out the picture)... as far as co2 affecting them I just have a hard time believing that because even with smart pots or grow bags, co2 will still be just as present, escpecially since co2 tends to concentrate lower to the ground.
All I know is if it works for you don't change a thing... everyone is after the same result, we all just have different ways of getting there

 

[Eternal Student]

I really appreciate everyone's props and thanks for sharing your knowledge on my thread...
Just so you know the true reasoning behind airports and why they are definitley one of a kind. The airports will simply never get root bound. Even with smart pots, which I have used, the roots will circle the pot and matt up, getting root bound. Now, with airpots all the intense cone shapes with holes at the end promote roots to grow outward undisturbed until they reach the air and stop, then that triggers more roots to grow (check out the picture)... as far as co2 affecting them I just have a hard time believing that because even with smart pots or grow bags, co2 will still be just as present, escpecially since co2 tends to concentrate lower to the ground.
All I know is if it works for you don't change a thing... everyone is after the same result, we all just have different ways of getting there
View attachment 235291 View attachment 235293 View attachment 235292

For sure brotha...i heard that...cant knock it if its workn...and this is just a theory...those roots look mighty happy to me...and your right...as long as we get what were lookn for..the path doesnt matter as much as some make it out to...love the signature too hilltop...peace...

 

[Hilltopfarms]

Sup farmers..
Sorry for the absence, Ive just been busy doing my thing... you know how it is lol
Everything is going good, we're chopping 5 of the 6 tables tomorrow and its looking like it will be very good, ill post some pics right now that are from about a week ago and in a couple days ill post some more and share the results.. happy farming everyone!

 

[Hilltopfarms]

 

[Hilltopfarms]

 

[flowamasta]

Grade A quality Hilltop! amazing stuff i was just thining such a massive grow thats gotta pong a fair bit in that room yeah!? do you run an emergency generator for the filtration incase of blackouts? You would have to smell that a few blocks away lol!! I bet you feel like superman in his crystal cave! just awesome :)

keep up the great work! i don't think there's a whole lot more for you to learn now!! reap the rewards, enjoy

Flo

 

[ttystikk]

Wow, props to the Hilltop gang- nice buds!

 

[whatupdoc]

Just amazing...

 

[ttystikk]

I didn't get a lot of feedback before regarding the rootmaker pots; I like them for a combo chowmix/RDWC approach. I will be testing this with a proper rig in the coming months; if this works like I think it will, this approach will eliminate the drawbacks of both coco and RDWC while allowing each to bring their strengths to the fore. THAT would be newsworthy, right?

Now, back to our regularly scheduled budporn-cast....

 

[Hilltopfarms]

Here's a picture of everything dry and ready to come off the branches, its gonna be a looong night... the wet weight of the plants was so much that it was breaking hangars and pulling the hooks out of the ceiling, I've never seen anything like it
ps. There's multiple rows hanging that you can't see, even we're surprised with what the yeild looks like it might be

 

[flowamasta]

Holy Mother of Mother nature o_O I know you been dancin around in there all bonkers smokin J's pinchin yourself every minute :D I think i'm dreaming seeing this alone!

 

[whatupdoc]

omfg! GREAT work man!

By the way, thanks for havin the cojones to share your shit with us. I'm sure youre providing a great amount of motivation for the rest of the farmers!

 

[kushsmoker30]

good stuff hilltop, looks great

 

[mmg-az]

WOW!! soo late, but soo good