Noob's 2nd Grow - First-time Hydro - Critical Purple & Gorilla Glue Autos.

[Fangthane]

About 37 days in. 1 week into flower. I guess the pH thing was the actual culprit behind my leaf issues. All newer growth since abandoning my pH pen looks pretty decent to me. Still a tiny bit of canoeing going on, but I think they look much better than they did. Managed to rearrange some shit and seem to have it to where I can keep the tent topped out around 82F with lights on, which seems about as good as I'm gonna be able to get it with CMH.

Getting a little yellowing from the bottom, which seems like it probably shouldn't be happening just yet. Just switched to some of my Dyna-Gro Bloom on top of a light-ish mix of MegaCrop as a fairly light PK booster. Last feed - this morning - was @675ppm. Finally found a store in this shithole region that carries unsulphured molasses, so I picked some up and I've been adding maybe a teaspoon/gallon to my feed/water routine - about every 48 hours or so.

So, here's what I have as of 20 minutes ago. The bigger one - on the left - seems to have responded semi-well to what training I had done before my little pH SNAFU.

To those who may have grown GG Autos before, how did was the smell? With the Tangerine Dreams I grew for my first attempt, the little fuckers made the whole house wonderfully smelly shortly after their 3rd week. With these Gorilla Glues, I can just barely smell anything, even with my head completely in the tent. Is that normal? As an FYI, this grow is in soil, not coco.

EDIT: Also picked up some XG Mykos. Scratched a good tablespoon into each of the pots a few days ago. Hoping I can manage to keep some benefiicial mircoorganisms alive in my soil - need all the damn help I can get. Also been looking to incorporate some Liquid Kelp into my watering. Seems to be wildly popular as a general horticultural supplement, but wondering if that also expends to cannabis. Is it worth the expense?

 

[stillearning]

2. I switched from soaking, paper towel, and rockwool cubes to no soaking, no paper towels, and Rapid Rooters. I like this style much better.

Hei there SImplicio

Why did you switch to just Rapid roots?

I.m starting my first hydro grow soon and I am considering starting the seeds by soaking+paper towel+rapid rooter

 

[Simplicio]

Hei there SImplicio

Why did you switch to just Rapid roots?

I.m starting my first hydro grow soon and I am considering starting the seeds by soaking+paper towel+rapid rooter

I started with paper towel and rockwool, but broke a few taproots, and decided my clumsy hands needed to be touching seeds less.
Now I just plant directly into wet Rapid Rooters, and transfer the RRs+Sprouts into netpots with hydroton, and then put those pots into top feed hydro.

A minor issue with rockwool is that it's hazardous to your lungs, like asbestos.

 

[Fangthane]

Now I just plant directly into wet Rapid Rooters, and transfer the RRs+Sprouts into netpots with hydroton, and then put those pots into top feed hydro.

I didn't even realize that was an option. Part of the reason I ditched the idea of hydro on this grow, is that I was having just totally shit luck with getting seeds started in rockwool. In my bit of research before getting started, I was under the impression that rockwool was pretty much my only option for starting seeds that would ultimately end up in hydroton.

 

[Fangthane]

Just picked up something new to incorporate into my horticultural bumblings:

While I'm sure it's not the magic cure-all that many reviews make it out to be, it seems like something that basically can't really hurt anything. Can anyone who's used it for weed confirm that there are actual real-world benefits to using it? Specifically, in regard to helping the plants deal with environmental stress? Anything that could undeniably work to mitigate heat stress would be a YUGE plus for my operation.

 

[crimsonecho]

Just picked up something new to incorporate into my horticultural bumblings:

View attachment 850831 View attachment 850830

While I'm sure it's not the magic cure-all that many reviews make it out to be, it seems like something that basically can't really hurt anything. Can anyone who's used it for weed confirm that there are actual real-world benefits to using it? Specifically, in regard to helping the plants deal with environmental stress? Anything that could undeniably work to mitigate heat stress would be a YUGE plus for my operation.

I haven’t used this particular brand but kelp extract is rich in enzymes and amino acids besides being a good K source. It is also benefical for your microherd.

In stressful times, a foliar with kelp and aloe vera fpe (or just gel) helps them a lot ime.

Don’t spray buds. I made that mistake once.

 

[MeanGreen420]

Had to tear down the tent and relocate to a different room. Got it all back together and had a little test run today. Here's what I've got so far. Definitely liking the drip ring setup, but it looks like my air pump just isn't strong enough to run 4 drip rings and 4 air stones.

It seems that the General Hydroponics Farm Kit drip system isn't necessarily meant to be used with aeration inside the buckets. Any of you try doing top feed without any bubbling in the bucket? If so, how did it work out for you?

Use the drip until your roots hit water then do air stones only

 

[Fangthane]

Don’t spray buds. I made that mistake once.

Thanks a lot for the input. What about baby buds like this one? I mean, if it can't touch flowering sites, it seems like using it as a foliar spray is pretty much verboten beyond the veg phase.

If you happen to know off hand, what would be the problem cause by spraying it on buds?

 

[MeanGreen420]

Thanks a lot for the input. What about baby buds like this one? I mean, if it can't touch flowering sites, it seems like using it as a foliar spray is pretty much verboten beyond the veg phase.
View attachment 850858
If you happen to know off hand, what would be the problem cause by spraying it on buds?

Spraying buds would promote mold I think? Don’t hold me to it I’m still in veg on my first grow :)

 

[crimsonecho]

Thanks a lot for the input. What about baby buds like this one?
View attachment 850858
If you happen to know off hand, what would be the problem cause by spraying it on buds?

Even those are a no no for me. When i did that, they were a little bigger than this and all the sprayed buds ended up tasting like the sea. Just a mineral taste like inhailing sea water. And these were washed after harvest too. Those got tossed out.

If you want to see for yourself. Designate a small area, maybe 1-2 buds and do a taste test at the end. I used alg-a-mic but i don’t think it’ll make much difference. Then again who knows :)

 

[crimsonecho]

Spraying buds would promote mold I think? Don’t hold me to it I’m still in veg on my first grow :)

Also possible i guess.

 

[Fangthane]

Spraying buds would promote mold I think?

If that ends up being the justification, I may ultimately be in the clear. Considering the average relative humidity in my tent is ~20%, I'm thinking mold should probably be one of the few problems I can consistently avoid.

 

[MeanGreen420]

If that ends up being the justification, I may ultimately be in the clear. Considering the average relative humidity in my tent is ~20%, I'm thinking mold should probably be one of the few problems I can consistently avoid.

Haha mold shouldn’t be a problem then! I’ve done dwc for my first grow and haven’t ever even used a foliar spray yet.

 

[Fangthane]

Oh, well. Hopefully, the thorough spritzing I gave the plants shortly after receiving the bottle won't have a lasting impact. Looks like I'll just have to make this a part of my soil drench instead. Thanks, again, for the help.

 

[crimsonecho]

Haha mold shouldn’t be a problem then! I’ve done dwc for my first grow and haven’t ever even used a foliar spray yet.

Well foliar is not necessary with a good schedule or a rich organic soil. But it takes time to know what that specific genotype wants and thru that learning curve you sometimes end up pumping too much or too little. In those times its good to provide a fast acting readily available boost to the plant.

I usually just do neemazal applications with foliar spray and nothing else. Ok maybe some aminos too. Not in flower tho.

 

[crimsonecho]

Oh, well. Hopefully, the thorough spritzing I gave the plants shortly after receiving the bottle won't have a lasting impact. Looks like I'll just have to make this a part of my soil drench instead. Thanks, again, for the help.

Just give them a good spritzing with clean water too. Till the residue washes off.

 

[MeanGreen420]

Well foliar is not necessary with a good schedule or a rich organic soil. But it takes to know what that specific genotype wants and thru that learning curve you sometimes end up pumping too much or too little. In those times its good to provide a fast acting readily available boost to the plant.

I usually just do neemazal applications with foliar spray and nothing else. Ok maybe some aminos too. Not in flower tho.

I had to bump up my calcium from 2ml to 4ml. Seems ppl using more calcium with quantum Boards

 

[crimsonecho]

I had to bump up my calcium from 2ml to 4ml. Seems ppl using more calcium with quantum Boards

Well dwc is something else. You provide ions. Everything you put is fast acting in dwc, given you ph it right. I wouldn’t actually think you’ll need much spraying with dwc. But in organic mixes where you rely on the microherd, things take time.

I heard the same thing from couple of growers who are using leds but i haven’t really used anyhting other than leds so i’m not sure if its a real thing. I don’t have anything to compare. Well if all it takes is just a little calcium to run half the wattage of an hid light, its a good bargain :)

 

[Fangthane]

the microherd

I have some questions about that, if you've got some time. I've recently been including MYKOS and some Great White Mycorrhizae for tranplants and general soil additive. Some of the reading I've done suggests any kind of chlorinate water will kill any beneficial microbes in the soil. I've also read that simply using inorganic, salt-based nutrients will also have the same effect. Are these accurate statements? If so, is there really any point to me using them, aside from whatever benefits they may immediately offer when it comes to transplant shock?

 

[crimsonecho]

I have some questions about that, if you've got some time. I've recently been including MYKOS and some Great White Mycorrhizae for tranplants and general soil additive. Some of the reading I've done suggests any kind of chlorinate water will kill any beneficial microbes in the soil. I've also read that simply using inorganic, salt-based nutrients will also have the same effect. Are these accurate statements? If so, is there really any point to me using them, aside from whatever benefits they may immediately offer when it comes to transplant shock?

Well accurate to a point imo. The chlorine in tap water will disturb the herd but will not wipe them out, if the microbes are well established you shouldn’t even notice any difference ime. I usually use it straight out of the tap. Chloramine is something i don’t have any info on in regards to its effect on microherd. It doesn’t dissipate as easily as chlorine so it may be more detrimental on the colonies.

Microbes feed with organic matter. If you don’t provide organic material they will not be able to colonise into healthy populations. So ionic feeding is both detrimental on the population of microbes and also it is unnecessary to use microbes with that kind of feeding because microbes cant brake down ions any further. Ions are plant available as it is.

I don’t use packaged innoculants because i just think they are very expensive and not needed in a good mix. You add compost, worm castings and many other microbe rich ammendments when starting your mix. Those innoculants have 5-10 specific strains but your compost and worm castings have much much more. Don’t get me wrong it doesnt hurt to add them but i just don’t want to keep buying microbes while a good tea and/or IMOs can do the job.