automated pump

[Gillgemesh]

good day!

Ive read the RUST guide by motaco because I want to grow some ghost train haze which takes around 10 to 11 weeks. My goal in every grow is to try and control as much as possible. I haven't seen many threads about automated watering and figure this could be an area where I could focus my attention.

The idea is to use an aquarium dosing pump which would be placed higher than the plants and reservoir, preferably on a shelf. This allows the pipes to drain completely. I would then connect two hoses to the water and nutrient res.

While searching for nutrients I found that the organic nutrients such as earth juice require brewing and are rather viscous which would clog up the dosing mechanism. Any recommendations for fertilizer that could sit in the reservoirs for extended periods of time? I think the FF nutrients are basic will do the job if there are no highly recommended nutrients.

This whole idea came from the RUST guide where essentially Mataco limited the growth of Sativa by progressive transplanting until it reaches a pot size of 1 gallon. By using a limited pot size you can control the nutrient levels to a point where you are doing a sort of "soil hydroponic" system. I read through this a couple times and figured it was too much work and followed what Mataco said which was if you have 400 watts or more (which I do), just supercrop and use a large pot. Another reason is that I have a 3x3 tent so I might as well reach the potential of my tent by using a 400 watt compared to a 250watt even if I do plan on growing one plant.

TL;DR
Nutrient suggestion for automated pumping
automated pump good or bad idea?

 

[Granger2]

Gill,
Earth Juice doesn't require brewing, but I brew it to manage its low pH. EJ doesn't recommend it for hydro, because it will grow crap, er...uh...biofilm in your lines and emitters. etc., and clog the system.

I'm not aware of an organic nute line that won't do the same. PBP is close to organic, and I "think" would not cause the problem, but it is not organic. Good luck. -granger

 

[WifiSeedsPlz]

The liquid nutes that don't have like grainy bits of nutes in them would be your best bet. The nutes that are not thick or viscous like you said will work best. I have used the Flora Nova nutes and they had the grainy bits in them and they were a little thicker than the new nutes I use so I had to clean the lines a lot. Now I use the Technaflora B.C. Hydro nutes and while they aren't my favorite ever they aren't too expensive and they are like the density/viscosity of water so they flow through the lines very well and they don't have the grainy bits that clog up the lines. Any kind of liquid like that will work for ya. Ore you can buy a big spool of the drip lines so when they clog up you can replace em without having to try to unclog them. They are pretty cheap at like petco and petsmart if you are doing a personal sized grow it would be cheap to replace them every grow or when they get clogged. Try to keep leaves and other debris from dropping into your res and you won't be as likely to get clogged up lines. Good luck with your grow man

 

[larry badiner]

if I'm reading correctly, check out dyna-grow ferts. they're salt based and require flushing. they're also really concentrated too. they look like plain water with food coloring. works in soil and hydro