any kiss users have exp. with veg+bloom

[Benvanboro]

Okay cool, I just now grabbed a little 120gph pond pump ($20), my rez is only 20gal I have a small setup right now. It just keeps the water moving around like a light stir, not aggressive water movement at all. I'm going to start with 2 minutes, twice, just when lights are off, and see what the swing is like.
I've been using Silica the past 2 res refills, barely any like 5-10ml for the whole res. My pH doesn't drop at all, if anything I have to go in and add some down every other day. So if the little pump can balance that out.. that would be sweet

yeah the organics are fine , i do the same with my veg . i use vitamins & amino acids by microbelife .

a pump is also fine to keep things mixed , but it will drop your PH alot faster & you'll have to adjust alot more often .

 

[Benvanboro]

I spent a few hours reading/youtube'in.. and 2 slow and easy days of building to get mine setup. All hardlined 3/4". It's almost too easy, and dare I say, it's kind of fun? Lol

I want to go from ebb and flood to drip, but I'm too lazy to build.

I saw this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bay-Hydro-...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

thoughts?

 

[Benvanboro]

Do you guys use anti siphon valves or poke a hole in your line to prevent siphoning when the pump turns off?
I'm only just reading/hearing about this right now.. I have not had any siphoning going on in my system, I'm happy but I'm wondering why lol...
The main lead line is on a slight up-pitch so that the remaining feed in the pipe could trickle back down into the res. (this was recommended by a friend) I'm wondering if this is why?

 

[dansbuds]

Do you guys use anti siphon valves or poke a hole in your line to prevent siphoning when the pump turns off?
I'm only just reading/hearing about this right now.. I have not had any siphoning going on in my system, I'm happy but I'm wondering why lol...
The main lead line is on a slight up-pitch so that the remaining feed in the pipe could trickle back down into the res. (this was recommended by a friend) I'm wondering if this is why?

yes you should have an antisiphon of some sort . but it really depends on the height of the pots to the height of the pump if your going to create a siphon after the pump shuts off .
i just poke in a 1/4" tube above the rez pointing back into the rez .

 

[cocktail frank]

i put a 90 degree barbed fitting into my feed hose above the high water line facing back into the res.
i cant tell you how many times the hose fell out of the 55 gallon res and siphon action emptied the entire res!
not a single flood since implementing this tech years ago!

 

[cocktail frank]

so after years of usage with v&b, i've got it pretty well down.
I also use primordial solutions gear with it as well as mammoth p.
sea green drenches/ rootementary (early in veg) and true blooms foliars
it def makes the buds denser and even stickier than v&b does on its own.
mostly bacteria based stuff and micro flora additives.

i also use the same additives with jacks / CalNit too

 

[dansbuds]

mine is a barbed fitting too & has never pulled out . its just a straight barbed fitting , its all i had & works fine with the short piece of hose . but i like the 90 idea !

 

[Benvanboro]

yes you should have an antisiphon of some sort . but it really depends on the height of the pots to the height of the pump

So should the pump be higher or lower? The pump is definitely below the pots, but my water level is a little lower or equal to.
I'm also using PVC not flexible hose.
I've been running my system everyday for 2 weeks now, with a very close eye on things.. I haven't even seen a slight trickle after the pump goes off. I'm just trying to come up with an actual reason as to why this happens, and is not happening to me. I'm still going to take your guys word for it not worth the risk lol

 

[caljim]

How siphons work.....


https://youtu.be/tWlOi9gt8Xo

 

[Benvanboro]

okay so that's why it's not happening for me then. Mine is the opposite, my res and it's water level is lower than the bubblers and pots?
Like I said I'm still going to add the hole for safe measure. I was just wondering why I haven't experienced this siphon effect yet.

How siphons work.....


https://youtu.be/tWlOi9gt8Xo

 

[CHEFfy]

If your res will never be higher than the point where water emits from your feed tube, no need to add anti-siphon.

 

[Benvanboro]

Okay cool, when my res is full to the top my drippers are still 1ft. above the water level.
My plants are all up on flood trays with a tote underneath that catches all the run off so I can just pump and dump.
I just finished setting up the automated system for veg too and made sure it was all above the highest water level

If your res will never be higher than the point where water emits from your feed tube, no need to add anti-siphon.

 

[ThaMagnificent]

So what EC is everyone running now?

 

[Benvanboro]

Update on the little pond pump-
I'm not noticing any abnormal swing in my pH at all, I run it for about one minute in between each feed, and twice when lights are out and I'm not feeding. It's keeping everything mixed up and my res doesn't smell stale toward the end like it did before!
If you're using a 55gal res I'd say go with a 200gph pond pump, mine is 120gph for a 20gal res.

 

[Benvanboro]

Man.. I've been sifting back through this thread for the past 2 hours. I know it's somewhere but I can't find it..
Dan (or anyone else) when you switch to flower and have to cut out the CalMag, what are you using to bring up the EC of your RO?
I was going to mag sulfate? I was also thinking I could maybe add the Shine first, then the VB? Going to keep hunting until I hear back.. Cheers!

P.S- was thinking epsom because I'm currently growing a mag hungry og/cookie cross

just read the plants ..... they'll tell you if they're unhappy or not .

 

[ThaMagnificent]

Man.. I've been sifting back through this thread for the past 2 hours. I know it's somewhere but I can't find it..
Dan (or anyone else) when you switch to flower and have to cut out the CalMag, what are you using to bring up the EC of your RO?
I was going to mag sulfate? I was also thinking I could maybe add the Shine first, then the VB? Going to keep hunting until I hear back.. Cheers!

P.S- was thinking epsom because I'm currently growing a mag hungry og/cookie cross

Shine always goes first anyways.

Why do you need to cut out Calmag anyways?

 

[dansbuds]

run the calmag up untill week 4 or so then switch to just mag ......

or if its just mag hungry use the epsom salts at 200ppm

 

[Benvanboro]

From what I got from HR they recommend cutting out the calmag after week 2 flower with the RO/Soft formula and I was reading elsewhere that all the calcium and nitrogen can cause issues after week 2. In the past I ran the calmag to week 4-5 and ended up with slight nitrogen tox and some yellowing (my ppm never exceeds 700 in flower).
I already made the switch after talking to someone at HR, they've been on it for a few days instead of the calmag and are happy.

Why does the Shine go in first? I did not know that/never heard that, just before base or before anything?

Shine always goes first anyways.

Why do you need to cut out Calmag anyways?

run the calmag up untill week 4 or so then switch to just mag ......

or if its just mag hungry use the epsom salts at 200ppm

 

[dansbuds]

From what I got from HR they recommend cutting out the calmag after week 2 flower with the RO/Soft formula and I was reading elsewhere that all the calcium and nitrogen can cause issues after week 2. In the past I ran the calmag to week 4-5 and ended up with slight nitrogen tox and some yellowing (my ppm never exceeds 700 in flower).
I already made the switch after talking to someone at HR, they've been on it for a few days instead of the calmag and are happy.

Why does the Shine go in first? I did not know that/never heard that, just before base or before anything?

depends on how much your using . you can go up to week 4 if your only using 1 or 2ml per gallon before any toxic build up will occur . if your using like 4 or 5ml , then 2 weeks max ! but yeah after week 4 you do not want to be adding any more calcium at all !!! Mag is fine right up till the flush . Calcium can build up to toxic levels & cause problems with the cation balance & the pottasium levels .

 

[packerfan79]

I didn't use any calmag at all but I use tap water so mabey that's why it wasn't needed. I saw no yellowing untill the flush.