HOW TO WATER COCO FOR BEST RESULTS.

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Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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OK! That does it! =P This thread has convinced me to get off my lazy ass and set up a new small automatic watering DTW Coco system. I'll start a new thread and perhaps some of you can help me design it properly.
If you need a hand you more than welcome to post here or PM.
 
justice8965

justice8965

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Temps/RH are perfect now, the lights are higher and dimmer, and the girls are already responding amazingly. Tons of growth just in the past couple days.

One question tho. I water 4x a day, 30 seconds each time. Before today, I had runoff at each event. I watched this mornings watering, and 2 plants had no runoff, the rest had minimal amounts. I assume this is because they're drinking more, which is good, and also because it's the first watering in about 9 hours since the lights were off. I also guess that as the day goes on and more waterings occur, the coco will be more saturated and produce more runoff at each event.

My question is, is it alright if the first couple waterings of the day don't have much runoff, as long as the later ones do?
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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Temps/RH are perfect now, the lights are higher and dimmer, and the girls are already responding amazingly. Tons of growth just in the past couple days.

One question tho. I water 4x a day, 30 seconds each time. Before today, I had runoff at each event. I watched this mornings watering, and 2 plants had no runoff, the rest had minimal amounts. I assume this is because they're drinking more, which is good, and also because it's the first watering in about 9 hours since the lights were off. I also guess that as the day goes on and more waterings occur, the coco will be more saturated and produce more runoff at each event.

My question is, is it alright if the first couple waterings of the day don't have much runoff, as long as the later ones do?
Like I say this is just a guide and can be manipulated to dial in to your own grow. If you follow the runoff suggestions for each even and add when needed it pretty much removes the risk of nutrient buildup and will keep a stable rootzone.

Just keep an eye on your runoff ppm and see if it starts to climb. You could also add 1 feed in the middle of the dark period. I usually don't suggest feeding over night but if the media is getting that dry then it's something you want to consider.

I know I had to in 1 gal pots.
 
justice8965

justice8965

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Like I say this is just a guide and can be manipulated to dial in to your own grow. If you follow the runoff suggestions for each even and add when needed it pretty much removes the risk of nutrient buildup and will keep a stable rootzone.

Just keep an eye on your runoff ppm and see if it starts to climb. You could also add 1 feed in the middle of the dark period. I usually don't suggest feeding over night but if the media is getting that dry then it's something you want to consider.

I know I had to in 1 gal pots.

That's pretty much what I figured, better to water more than needed than too little. I'm thinking maybe I'll increase the first watering to 40 seconds, and keep the others at 30 and observe for a couple days. Planning on going to 5x a day next week, then switching the lights and doing 6x till harvest.
 
Pondracer

Pondracer

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Thats what happens with my setup as well, and it will happen again as the grow progresses. Especially after flip. You will find that all of the sudden one or more of the plants will stop having runoff and you have to increase the event times. Thats why the seconds timer is a must. And the stopwatch :) The trick is to remember to watch and catch it before you start having problems. With larger plants it may be more of an issue too. I have valves on the distribution heads, and then on each of the table manifolds so I can adjust pressure/flow amount. FYI I did get a problem once with leaving the microscreens in a Rainbird distribution head and it became clogged with brown slime. I use this stuff every other filling and it solves that problem.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QD2P2V5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
Nectarivorous

Nectarivorous

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I went with a 40 psi diaphram pump and 360 sprayers instead of open ended. I really like them. If anything missing just hit me up and ill answer the best I can.
Man I must be a genius. I saw the open spouts they gave me and didn't like them - it's uneven and shoots out little Jets that can create channels. I replaced them with 360 vortex sprays, so I can set one to dribble at the base of the stem, and two doing larger concentric circles. Much more even, stimulates rain better, and the fine spray gives the leaves a little something and helps humidity. Apologies if I'm telling you something you already know, but check you're irrigation store or online for 'Spectrum Vortex Sprays'. Philmac or Antelco make them. They have a full circle in top instead of the little Jets around the edge, more perfectly replicates rain and allows you to get full concentric circles of coverage. ā˜ŗļø
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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Man I must be a genius. I saw the open spouts they gave me and didn't like them - it's uneven and shoots out little Jets that can create channels. I replaced them with 360 vortex sprays, so I can set one to dribble at the base of the stem, and two doing larger concentric circles. Much more even, stimulates rain better, and the fine spray gives the leaves a little something and helps humidity. Apologies if I'm telling you something you already know, but check you're irrigation store or online for 'Spectrum Vortex Sprays'. Philmac or Antelco make them. They have a full circle in top instead of the little Jets around the edge, more perfectly replicates rain and allows you to get full concentric circles of coverage. ā˜ŗļø
Personally I would avoid spraying the stem and leaves but yeah even coverage of the pots is important imo. More so in bigger pots.

Thanks and I'll check em out as looking to upgrade mine.
 
Nectarivorous

Nectarivorous

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Lol figured I'd post here too just to show the stalk size in a 1 gal coco and they are still just chugging along. Yeah I dont think i will need to go over 1 gal for my setup. These are vegged way longer than I will be doing in the future.
Hi Aqua, how many of this size would you do in a 4x4. I'm doing 4 in big 8 gallons looking to fill that sucker, my understanding is less plants=longer veg, shouldn't affect yields from what I can't tell but will take longer? My plan in the medium term would be to find a killer pheno amongst my seeds and make a mother and do a SOG style Coco set up, maybe 16 X 1 gallons? Have them rooted and ready to go in full veg as soon as the last lot are out. Interested what size tent you are running and how many of these you will do in it? Cheers.
 
Nectarivorous

Nectarivorous

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Personally I would avoid spraying the stem and leaves but yeah even coverage of the pots is important imo. More so in bigger pots.

Thanks and I'll check em out as looking to upgrade mine.
Good tip mate. Moreso as they are in seedling and are liking a spritz but for sure once into veg I will be aware of this for rot reasons (I'm assuming?). Yeah I think you'll dig them. They get blocked less also as little bits can't get in like they do in those little slots. They clear themselves easily. Keen to hear your thoughts.
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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Hi Aqua, how many of this size would you do in a 4x4. I'm doing 4 in big 8 gallons looking to fill that sucker, my understanding is less plants=longer veg, shouldn't affect yields from what I can't tell but will take longer? My plan in the medium term would be to find a killer pheno amongst my seeds and make a mother and do a SOG style Coco set up, maybe 16 X 1 gallons? Have them rooted and ready to go in full veg as soon as the last lot are out. Interested what size tent you are running and how many of these you will do in it? Cheers.
Height limited imo SoG 1 plant per sqft and 2 gal pots. But that's just me.
 
Frankster

Frankster

Never trust a doctor who's plants have died.
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Most of my singles in the 4x4 are actually 1 gallons, I've considered going to 2 gallons, but maybe 1 1/2 gallons would be worthwhile, certainly over 2 gal's are too much IMO. I've also got some dual plants loaded in 2 gallons as well.


First pic is the duals in 2 gallons, and the second picture is the single in a 1 gallon container. Everything is basically week 2 flowering, and I hope I didn't overdo things with this dosage of 2200 ppm EC >3.5 lol Only time will tell.

Having your pH dialed in precisely is really key to ramping up EC IMO, and playing close attention to what's happening.
 
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Nectarivorous

Nectarivorous

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Most of my singles in the 4x4 are actually 1 gallons, I've considered going to 2 gallons, but maybe 1 1/2 gallons would be worthwhile, certainly over 2 gal's are too much IMO. I've also got some dual plants loaded in 2 gallons as well.


First pic is the duals in 2 gallons, and the second picture is the single in a 1 gallon container. Everything is basically week 2 flowering, and I hope I didn't overdo things with this dosage of 2200 ppm, lol
How many of those singles would you put in a 4x4?
 
Frankster

Frankster

Never trust a doctor who's plants have died.
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How many of those singles would you put in a 4x4?
4, but I won't let them get too big, I would keep them under control. There's a really good height/size ratio, to maximize density, but it's also very strain dependent.

The Frankenstein x GG#4 crosses vs my Dragon Flames x Tange99 here. One is a little more compact than the other. But both appear to have similar amount of bud, the Frankenstein is just a little more compact. But that could become a problem as time goes along, time will tell.
 
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Justlovetogrow

Justlovetogrow

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Cheers for tips Aqua seems to be doing the trick turns out I was running way to much water through them shout out to Gnick to who also helped me out cheers fellasšŸ‘ Starting to c some proper growth now not overwatered blotted leaves
 
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justice8965

justice8965

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Hey all. Girls are in day 6 of 12/12. Definitely not as much stretch like the sativas I'm used to, at least not yet.

My temps are up to 81 and humidity sits around 50 with the dehumidifier on. Judging by VPD charts, the humidity is too low. Should I turn off the dehumidifier for now?
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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Hey all. Girls are in day 6 of 12/12. Definitely not as much stretch like the sativas I'm used to, at least not yet.

My temps are up to 81 and humidity sits around 50 with the dehumidifier on. Judging by VPD charts, the humidity is too low. Should I turn off the dehumidifier for now?
Make sure your using leaf temp. 55% sounds reasonable to me. Your probably around 1.2 KPA if under LED as leaf temls will be cooler.

Calculator here.


VPD info here.

 
justice8965

justice8965

78
18
Make sure your using leaf temp. 55% sounds reasonable to me. Your probably around 1.2 KPA if under LED as leaf temls will be cooler.

Calculator here.


VPD info here.


Just measured, 78 air/73 leaf/50 rh. Puts me at 1.13 so that's pretty close to ideal. Didn't realize leaf temps would be a full 5 degrees lower.
 
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