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BigTokes ~ "How-To" Of The Bio-Buckets 101

Seneca

Member
I was thinking of pk13/14
Maybe considering liquid kool bloom
Someone recommended the powdered kool bloom but Ive researched and some people have had bad experiences using it
and then again maybe I dont even need one for the buckets
Thanks
P

I think you answered the question, stick with BigTokes recipe for a few solid runs and you should be very happy. You don't want to screw it up now with "someone" recommendation. Good luck and post some photos of your BB system!
 
C

Casual

Hi Sgt... From the reading I've done, (I've spent HOURS!) BT's system utilizes the Lava Rock for its porosity. LOTS of surface area, nooks and crannies for the Beneficial Bacteria to grow. Lava rock is VERY easy to find and cheap to boot. No one will give you a second glance. I've found lava rock in the grilling section of both Lowe's and the local BORG... (Home Depot, Big Orange Retail Giant)...
Make sure you wash/rinse the lava rock really well before putting it in your setup.

Caz
 

BudGood

"Be shapeless, formless, like water..."
Veteran
im asking if it COULD be used?


NO. BigToke is very specific on this, lava rock is the medium to use. He has told countless noobs the same thing: NO to hydroton or similar stuff in lieu of lava rock.

Happy New Years to all! :santa1:
 
C

Casual

Hi all... I'd like to clarify something I've read in this thread, but don't recall seeing anything specific from BT...
I saw a few people make reference to putting freshly cut clones straight into the BioBucket system. Will this work? From BT's illustration in the first page or two, it looks like he roots his clones in the Oasis cubes until the roots are protruding from the bottom by a little bit, then puts the cubes on the tops of the lava rocks, with the root in the water/nute solution. I understand that part... Wondering if anyone has actually tried putting freshly cut clones in a cube, with the stem sticking through the bottom of the cube, and sitting in the water/nute solution. I've never grown anything, but am very mechanically inclined. I understand the Bio Bucket system and how it works, but the devil is in the details, and I want to do this right.
Any help is appreciated!

Caz
 

opt1c

Well-known member
Veteran
no; that won't work... u need to clone the cut in the cube before u put it in the system... i don't think there will be enough humidity to root the clone; also a waste of power too boot

that being said i've put rooted clones from a ezcloner straight into the biobuckets with no ill effects

i also think that earth worm casing tea should be used to prime the benes in the biobucket system but that is just what i've learned from experience and losing multiple crops to slime/rot
 
C

Casual

Thanks Opt1c! I've already built a cloner. Do you have pics of your cloner setup? Do you put the disc that the clone is in on top of the lava rocks? Just trying to understand what method you use to move them from the cloner to the buckets.

Thanks!

Caz
 

mylegalgrow

New member
Hi BigToke!
"bio buckets 101", great stuff!!!
Currently grow in soil with good results, but seeing bio buckets in my future.

To stay within the legal limits I have a perpetual grow (a plant constantly ready every so many days), can this work with the bio bucket system?
Take plants (2-3weeks old) right from the cloner and put into flowering in the buckets.
When finished, remove the plant and flush in a separate bubble bucket elsewhere, & replace with a new clone. ?
Thanks


Quote from previous member:
Do you think that a perpetual system can work? Shoot me straight I don’t mind good
criticism’s.
..your reply:
not in the same system……….there are too many reasons for me to go into right now and besides that I’m not getting to spend that much time on here anymore so just trust me and………
 

n0dn4rb

Member
well it took me 2 1/2 weeks to build this monster but I finally climbed the mountain....thanks BigToke for making this thread and i look forward to my harvests to come.......

TO be honest I need to read through the whole thread but has anyone tried to Scrog with a large scale grow? I know (the handle escapes me currently) ran a 4 bucket bio scrog but just wondering if its worth it in a larger setup such as mine.....

thanks again BigToke and everyone that has added helpful tips along the way.....

here is my 16 bucket setup utilizing an 1800 gph Mag-Drive pump with 2 1k lights in Magnum XXL hoods.......
 

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T

twisztdauthorit

I went on a limb and built myself a 6-5 gallon system with a 25 gallon reservoir and a 1000gph pump.

Started off first time with tap water and ran for a couple days to wash out any pipe glue chems.

Rinsed the system and used half rain water (8-13ppm ph6) and half filtered tap water (280 ppm ph 8)

Its been running nonstop now for about 9 days or so and i have yet to see any noticeable decrease in ph. currently reading 8.5+ph

Will this go down soon? i put in a test clone just to see if the system is even viable because ive heard of being able to start off after about one week.


I have a tea consisting of wormcastings, seaweed, and molases. Would this be worth adding to the reservoir to boost biological activity or a recipe for disaster?
 
C

Casual

Well, I'm finally at a point where I'm ready to start seeds, but I just tested our tap water, it has a PH of 9.3!!!!
I was planning on tapping off of a sink to a float valve in the reservoir, but isn't a PH of 9.3 REALLY high?
I'd be most appreciative of any advice on this.
I suppose I could setup a remote reservoir and keep it filled with RO water, or setup an RO system, or ???

I don't want to start my seeds until I'm sure I've covered at least most of the major issues... ;)

Thanks all!

Caz
 

kp^

Member
Well, I'm finally at a point where I'm ready to start seeds, but I just tested our tap water, it has a PH of 9.3!!!!
I was planning on tapping off of a sink to a float valve in the reservoir, but isn't a PH of 9.3 REALLY high?
I'd be most appreciative of any advice on this.
I suppose I could setup a remote reservoir and keep it filled with RO water, or setup an RO system, or ???

I don't want to start my seeds until I'm sure I've covered at least most of the major issues... ;)

Thanks all!

Caz

How are you taking a measurement on ph? is this a cup where its just come out of the faucet, or is this taken in an established BB system?

pH In a BB system should stabilize over time which you can control with GH PH up or PH down if you're having ph issues.

Good luck!:smokeit:
 

Rednick

One day you will have to answer to the children of
Veteran
Hi people at ic mag
Maybe considering liquid kool bloom
Someone recommended the powdered kool bloom but Ive researched and some people have had bad experiences using it
P
I am not sure what the effect would be in a Bio Bucket, but if you are needing more PK for your ladies, then I don't see how BeneBact would change that fact.

What you have to be reeeaal careful with KB about, is that it is so foining strong.
If you use the label recs on the Liquid KB with the Powdered KB you will be effectively doubling (or more)than what was inteneded.
Even at normal strength KB is some powerful stuff. I am not sure why they rec liquid then dry later. They are both made out of pretty much the same stuff. It might just be to get you to buy two instead of one. But they have worked well for me so far.

I rec starting out at half-strength tops, then working your way up...to be safe.
If you overload it will possibly cause some nute burn, but more likely will cause premature ripening of the flower.
 

kroonikko1

New member
Hello everybody!

How important it is to have PC fans moving air in reservoir? I have two 25L buckets, water temp is 24c and I just cant get NO2 levels down? I have done almost everything that BigToke wrote except the fans and I cant just get massive roots.
 

Rattrap

Member
Kroon, your water temp is spot on. I add an air stone to the bottom of each bucket just to ensure that the plants have heaps of air in the water plus the bubbling air stones help to keep the nutes in the buckets well mixed. At the end of a grow i have buckets solid packed with roots.
How do you know that your no2 levels are high, what measuring meter do u use?
 

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