Rick Ratlin's World

[rick ratlin]

Here's the air flow set up. First pic is the flower room scrubber. It has a 6 inch tube through a diy reflectix wall


It bends around, then it goes into the veg closet. This air shoots down at the floor.

Away from this is a 6 inch carbon filter that takes air from veg closet and filters it back into the flower room. These air filters run 24/7 Essentially both veg and flower share the same air. I keep my burner at a low of 350 ppm, and a high of 700 ppm. I never exhaust the room air. Here's the veg closet carbon filter.

 

[rick ratlin]

So it's gonna be dull picture wise for a while. I'll try to snap a pic every few days to show the progress of the scrog. This strain is one of those that really puts in the work down the stretch. Should be fun.
During the down time, I'll pull up some of my notes on em and pfe stuff. I'm pretty basic, but hopefully it will help someone to get started.
Let me know if I clearly answered those questions asked. @Calixylon I edited my post on bokashi, hopefully that explains a little. And yes it works fantastic with soil.
Stay green
In the meantime, here's a little shot from last year, some well flushed Romulan Haze from @Jimmynitz at Pisces genetics. Straight Orange rind. Too damn strong for daytime smoke, but perfect for night time, and serious flavor for concentrates and bubble hash.

Speaking of bubble hash, its almost that time of year when I take all the frosty trim from the year and convert it to edibles, shatter, and my favorite ice bubble hash.
Here's last year, 11 strains. 180, 90, 70, and 25 micron levels.

 

[bigjay420]

So it's gonna be dull picture wise for a while. I'll try to snap a pic every few days to show the progress of the scrog. This strain is one of those that really puts in the work down the stretch. Should be fun.
During the down time, I'll pull up some of my notes on em and pfe stuff. I'm pretty basic, but hopefully it will help someone to get started.
Let me know if I clearly answered those questions asked. @Calixylon I edited my post on bokashi, hopefully that explains a little. And yes it works fantastic with soil.
Stay green
In the meantime, here's a little shot from last year, some well flushed Romulan Haze from @Jimmynitz at Pisces genetics. Straight Orange rind. Too damn strong for daytime smoke, but perfect for night time, and serious flavor for concentrates and bubble hash.
View attachment 459035
Speaking of bubble hash, its almost that time of year when I take all the frosty trim from the year and convert it to edibles, shatter, and my favorite ice bubble hash.
Here's last year, 11 strains. 180, 90, 70, and 25 micron levels.
View attachment 459036

Nice. Wish I could sample every single pile!

 

[Calixylon]

dude i wish i could get my hands on your secret stash of super fresh retirement nuggs, i think id rather dig that up than buried treasure.

 

[rick ratlin]

Nice. Wish I could sample every single pile!

Don't smoke the green stuff! I make hash capsules or edibles with the 120 and 25 micron. The greenest piles won't even burn.

It's funny how different strains produce different hash. Each pile was made from the same amount of leaf trim, just different strains/phenos. On the bottom picture of post #62, the row on the left was made from a 70 day Stardawg #5 pheno. This pheno of stardawg had massive trich structure, and produced an amazing amount of 120 micron bubble hash. It even smokes well. The 90 micron was as good as it gets, just check that color, blonde as hell.
Next to it was the #6 pheno(aka angry stardawg), which was more of a greasy/nyc plant, and it put out a mediocre product compared to the #5 . It is a sticky, tacky hash, whereas the #5 was crumbly, even before I dried the water out of it.
Funny thing is the #6, while a lesser hash, is a preferred smoke for flowers. Science is fun-damental.

Heres the "hash plant" #5 pheno for reference

And here's the greasy #6 (Angry) Stardawg

 

[bigjay420]

Don't smoke the green stuff! I make hash capsules or edibles with the 120 and 25 micron. The greenest piles won't even burn.

It's funny how different strains produce different hash. Each pile was made from the same amount of leaf trim, just different strains/phenos. On the bottom picture of post #62, the row on the left was made from a 70 day Stardawg #5 pheno. This pheno of stardawg had massive trich structure, and produced an amazing amount of 120 micron bubble hash. It even smokes well. The 90 micron was as good as it gets, just check that color, blonde as hell.
Next to it was the #6 pheno(aka angry stardawg), which was more of a greasy/nyc plant, and it put out a mediocre product compared to the #5 . It is a sticky, tacky hash, whereas the #5 was crumbly, even before I dried the water out of it.
Funny thing is the #6, while a lesser hash, is a preferred smoke for flowers. Science is fun-damental.

Heres the "hash plant" #5 pheno for reference
View attachment 459137
And here's the greasy #6 (Angry) Stardawg
View attachment 459138

Beautiful stuff! Sound like I can learn alot about bubble hash from you. I may PM you with questions sometime, if you don't mind.

 

[rick ratlin]

just ask away @bigjay420 I don't mind any questions. Here to help! It's gonna be kind of boring in the flower room for the next few weeks.
I learned a lot from @Blaze here on the farm, so credit is due. Here's a great link to his method
https://www.thcfarmer.com/community...uickly-and-easily-a-step-by-step-guide.19747/
The most important things for bubble hash is to keep it the water cold cold cold, the herb needs to be frozen prior, and completely dry, and only gently stir the material for 5 minutes each run. Also, use filtered water AND ice. That's why I do it in the coldest months, the stirring out in the cold garage, the straining in the bathroom, where I have access to a shower head to rinse the bags. I do 3 runs per batch of trim, using the bubble bags designed for 5 gallon bucket. And I use white food grade buckets and a smooth wooden spoon, I personally use a bamboo wooden spoon, so I don't scrap off any plastic flakes. When I stir the product, I only use the 120 micron work bag. I strain it, and then transfer to another food grade bucket that has the rest of the inserts already in place(90 micron/70m/and25micron. It takes much longer this way, but the quality is superb. The 3rd run I use my cordless drill with a smooth coated paint stirrer. I pretty much obliterate shit for about 8 minutes to get the rest out. It is usually really green this last round, but its all used for edibles or butter etc.

 

[bigjay420]

just ask away @bigjay420 I don't mind any questions. Here to help! It's gonna be kind of boring in the flower room for the next few weeks.
I learned a lot from @Blaze here on the farm, so credit is due. Here's a great link to his method
https://www.thcfarmer.com/community...uickly-and-easily-a-step-by-step-guide.19747/
The most important things for bubble hash is to keep it the water cold cold cold, the herb needs to be frozen prior, and completely dry, and only gently stir the material for 5 minutes each run. Also, use filtered water AND ice. That's why I do it in the coldest months, the stirring out in the cold garage, the straining in the bathroom, where I have access to a shower head to rinse the bags. I do 3 runs per batch of trim, using the bubble bags designed for 5 gallon bucket. And I use white food grade buckets and a smooth wooden spoon, I personally use a bamboo wooden spoon, so I don't scrap off any plastic flakes. When I stir the product, I only use the 120 micron work bag. I strain it, and then transfer to another food grade bucket that has the rest of the inserts already in place(90 micron/70m/and25micron. It takes much longer this way, but the quality is superb. The 3rd run I use my cordless drill with a smooth coated paint stirrer. I pretty much obliterate shit for about 8 minutes to get the rest out. It is usually really green this last round, but its all used for edibles or butter etc.

Great info. I havent picked up any micron bags yet. I just use a golden coffee filter to run qwiso (examples on page 2 of my signature post)... Mostly because its the easiest. But, I love bubble. Would love to make my own.

 

[Skuna Tuna]

great read and info @rick ratlin I will be sure to stop back by this thread. i really liked ur bokashi recipe, i gotta try it soon as a top dressing.
Sküna

 

[rick ratlin]

Great info. I havent picked up any micron bags yet. I just use a golden coffee filter to run qwiso (examples on page 2 of my signature post)... Mostly because its the easiest. But, I love bubble. Would love to make my own.

Great diary you've got going on, you sure are ROC'N that gear. (pun intended) I tried the iso, it just left an undesired flavor, even when I vacuum purged it. When they make isopropyl alcohol, they add stabilizers and something else so you can't drink it. Instead try organic alcohol, or 190 proof ever clear. You'll get a similar product that is just as fire. Just make sure the bud and alcohol are put in the freezer for a few days to keep from extracting chlorophyl pigments. I follow budder kings method.
Depending on your area, most grow stores now carry different volume and micron size bags, relatively cheap. My first bags were about 80 bucks for the set, now I could get them for about 30 bucks. Save that iso to clean your micron bags after you make bubble.

 

[rick ratlin]

great read and info @rick ratlin I will be sure to stop back by this thread. i really liked ur bokashi recipe, i gotta try it soon as a top dressing.
Sküna

Thanks Skuna, welcome to the farm! Great to have phans up in here. Nice thread you've got going on in skunatown. Those 4x4 insert frames are tight. I had to resort to bungie cords to keep mine up. Check out my trellis, I think you could incorporate that into your pvc frame. It's super easy to cut during harvest, and easier to put the netting back up.
If you have any q's on the bokashi, just holla.

 

[soserthc1]

The most entertaining thread I have ever had the pleasure to read .
Your conquest in 3 years is astonishing ,
The vacation sounded like something one would be blessed to experience
Love the editorial on the many different workings in your garden .
Chemdog ( or however it's spelled ) .....rofl
Started this thread intending to take a smoke break and get back to trimming ,
Trimming postponed till tomo
Awesome thread loved it

 

[rick ratlin]

The most entertaining thread I have ever had the pleasure to read .
Your conquest in 3 years is astonishing ,
The vacation sounded like something one would be blessed to experience
Love the editorial on the many different workings in your garden .
Chemdog ( or however it's spelled ) .....rofl
Started this thread intending to take a smoke break and get back to trimming ,
Trimming postponed till tomo
Awesome thread loved it

You're too nice @soserthc1 I've been following you for a long time. Glad to see you back up and running. Are the Stardawgs you are running from seed from Top Dawg too? You, @motiv303 and @RIVAL79 are the reason that Banksy is all 3 of my nieces favorite artist. They all wanna be lil taggers, the oldest is about 8. lol Better to do it before it can go on your record, right?
BTW, I've been caught in the past reading your threads when I should be trimming. Stay tuned, I'm gonna be building some led cobs in about a month using @SupraSPL and his suggestions.

 

[NaturalTherapy]

Beautiful job in that lab of yours! Nice craftsmanship and awesome looking plants. I love when I see gardens where I can tell just by looking at photos that the grower is enthused and loves what he's doing.

Keep up the great work!

 

[TSTEW313]

This has to be one of the most hands on grow journal's I have came across nice job! An you have a really nice an clean setup I imagine your thread will help some people who are trying to setup the beds in there room because of your attention to detail! I'm here for the long haul! @rick ratlin

 

[soserthc1]

The stardawgs are crossed with heri og from a farmer here @slausongardens as with the recent talks from JJ about getting back at it and the insane phenols being tossed in his thread got me wishing I had got crazy like you and gobbled up as much gear of his as I couldn't of but I didn't and the only ones I had were the above mentioned. So I popped those .
Graffiti is something ( kinda like growing ) that does not leave you , once you have the bug . I have not written on walls in a long time as a middle aged man with almost 2 adults children ( well in age anyways ) a job and growing ....well getting caught with a sack full of paint cans would be plain stupid but I still tag papers and pretty much any piece of paper when I'm bored and I still read the shit all over the city and follow the taggers but that's about it .
Appreciate the words rick and I'll be following along
Blessings

 

[WalterWhiteFire]

Cool thread!!! Loving it. Really thinking about getting some bokashi in my garden, now. Those stardawgs look really nice too dude. High five.

You should try fresh freezing some of your last harvest before its bubble making time. The yeild isn't incredible but the quality is insane. Nothing will come out food grade. Anyways, keep up the good work.

 

[Calixylon]

Hey which strain do you find has more lung expansion the drier stardawg flowers or the greasy angry stardawg flowers. Or if your only into concentrates which has has more dry vs greasy?

 

[rick ratlin]

Cool thread!!! Loving it. Really thinking about getting some bokashi in my garden, now. Those stardawgs look really nice too dude. High five.

You should try fresh freezing some of your last harvest before its bubble making time. The yeild isn't incredible but the quality is insane. Nothing will come out food grade. Anyways, keep up the good work.

Thank you @WalterWhiteFire, been following you since the old blumat days. And Breaking Bad is the best show ever. Congrats on your greenhouse harvest, it got its fade on nicely, lots of pretty colors this year. Are you still rocking your trees in that hallway like setup? I really liked that thread. Haven't seen you in there in a while.
I think we are in the same boat, in that we dry trim. I used to wet trim and freeze it immediately, but I just don't have the time to do it while I'm setting up the next run. Maybe I'll give it a try this next run.
You're a white aficionado, do you see any dominant expressions going on in my white hp bx. It's also got HP#1 and Double Dawg crossed in as well.
Bokashi it up brother, if you have any questions ask!

Hey which strain do you find has more lung expansion the drier stardawg flowers or the greasy angry stardawg flowers. Or if your only into concentrates which has has more dry vs greasy?

Lung expansion is definitely the hallmark of the drier stardawg, the #5. It won't blast the lungs or make you cough up a lung, but you can feel the expansion. The greasy Angry pheno is smoother without expansion. The most expansive smoke I've grown is the Stardawg #4 pheno. It's also the strongest too, but its no longer being grown. Strongest is not always the best, imo. My favorite smoke is probably the weakest in my stable as far as potency, but I can puff tough all day long without a crash.
I can't say that is a rule of thumb though. My grow is merely a speck in the universe, I haven't experienced enough strains to confirm.

 

[VERMONTSKUNKS]

hi rick. I really like your work!