Hail Hydro 2.0: New Beginnings

[PetFlora]

Thanks for your insight

I flood every 4 hours in bloom

Since my rezes are outboard, no need for the level, but I can mark the inside for future grows

During Bloom only my issue is rising EC, no need to add nutes

Of course a bigger rez would help keep pH and EC stable, but that also requires a lot more water and nutes.

At most, I grow 2 plants from one rez, often just one

It appears that I will just have to deal with the daily adjustment during bloom, which is not a big deal

 

[PetFlora]

Quick Update

Freakin day temps here have been high 70s- low 80s. That makes keeping the rezes cool twice the work. Still thinking of a better manual method

Today, for grins, I checked 2 EC pens in each rez: they're 60 EC (10%) different

Also checked my flood cycle timer. I thought I was feeding every 4 hours, but it was 3. Dropped it to every 6 hours

 

[PetFlora]

Been thinking what I could do to lower the Spydr 600s intensity at this stage to simulate less light during outdoor fall harvests

I decided to raise the light up almost 10"

Looks like 7-10 more days, which is perfect for seeds to mature

 

[RockinRobot]

Unless you're flowering a long flowering sativa (12+weeks) all you will do by lowering light intensity is sacrifice weight. Lowering intensity and/hours will help shorten flowering times by a week or more on the long flowering strains but anything under 12 weeks is a waste of weight.

 

[PetFlora]

Unless you're flowering a long flowering sativa (12+weeks) all you will do by lowering light intensity is sacrifice weight. Lowering intensity and/hours will help shorten flowering times by a week or more on the long flowering strains but anything under 12 weeks is a waste of weight.

I get that, but it's an indica and I am within 10 days of harvest. My thinking is weight gain is over, just trichs rolling from clear to amber/cloudy. No?

 

[PetFlora]

Harvested most of the Indica today. Left the 2 branches that have pollinated buds. I want to make sure seeds mature

The bud close up is the same strain that has been finishing outdoors.
She too was pollinated

View attachment 445399 View attachment 445400

 

[PetFlora]

Update

Indica

She's been getting mostly water + some enzymes and aminos for a week

On one of the 2 buds I pollinated a month ago. I popped one calyx open: the seed was a nice dark color, but will wait for Valentine's day to harvest the 2 pollinated buds. Love is in the air

Her outdoors counterpart (seeds popped at same time!) is rockin the trichs, but yet to see any indication of finishing

Sat

Taking her sweet time finishing. I dumped the old, and made fresh nutes @ ~ 1 EC

Leafs are getting oily, but pistils are still white

 

[PetFlora]

Update: Harvested Roots are the closest I've gotten to HPA roots, loaded with root hairs

View attachment 446406 View attachment 446407

Nutrients
Sometimes magnesium deficiencies are reported when making the switch to LED’s. This is because magnesium is a central element in the production of chlorophyll. When we make the move to LED’s, a more chlorophyll targeted spectrum is part of the benefits. As well as overall higher photosynthetic activity. But in order to reap those benefits, we need to match the elemental requirements of the increased chlorophyll focused reactions taking place.

Common hydroponic fertilizers recipes, usually contain between 40-60ppm Mg. We have found that a range or 75-90ppm of Mg to ideal under LED lighting. The best way to increase only Mg and not introduce more nitrogen, is to add 1gram of epsom salt(Magnesium Sulfate) per gallon of nutrient solution. 1gram/gallon of epsom salt adds ~25ppm of Mg and 30ppm of S, and is usually a sufficient supplement to most fertilizer programs.

***It is important to note that “CAL-MAG” is not an element or a deficiency. They are two separate elements(calcium and magnesium) that each have separate functions and roles in the plant. They need to be addressed individually for successful diagnosis and nutrient correction.

 

[PetFlora]

Here's another hot tip

Without decent environmental controls of RH and temperature plant size fluctuates. When the temps are below 70 and RH is below 60 plants will be smaller, and that is what I was dealing with this last grow. This is evident with the size of the same indica strain plant grown/finishing outdoors ,where temps and humidity were much lower than the already low RH/temps in the grow room

 

[mushroombrew]

Here's another hot tip

Without decent environmental controls of RH and temperature plant size fluctuates. When the temps are below 70 and RH is below 60 plants will be smaller, and that is what I was dealing with this last grow. This is evident with the size of the same indica strain plant grown/finishing outdoors ,where temps and humidity were much lower than the already low RH/temps in the grow room

Hey hows things?

Do you think the outdoor plant was different because it was in soil vs hydro?

If you change even the slightest detail the plants react.

It is hard to draw much of a conclusion when you change several environmental factors at once. Sun, wind, soil vs LED, fans, hydro is a huge difference. The RH and temp too.

What I mean is 5 variables changed outside not just RH/Temp

RH, Temp, Lighting, Ventilation and media? That's loads of change from indoor to outdoor. Probably looked like a different plant?

If you really want to know you have to change just ONE environmental factor at a time. Which is super hard.

Change any of these and your quality changes. Maybe up or down just depends:-

RO/Well/Tap water
pH
PPM
Media
RH
Day Temp
Night Temp
Lighting
Plant spacing
Ventilation
CO2
Topping/Untopped
Watering frequency
Root Zone O2

Lots to think about right??!!

 

[PetFlora]

delete

 

[PetFlora]

The outdoor plant was a literally throw away that had coconuts when I tossed it outside on the patio (not planted!). The small coco pellet that the roots were in, plus some rain kept it alive. And one day I noticed pistils, so I planted her. Damn, these plants are resourceful. I also pollinated her

View attachment 446616

Sounded like NPK is working on a hydro formula, which I would love

Just gave the sat a diluted cocktail with N, Kelp, Enzymes, and Aminos


View attachment 446621 View attachment 446622

The upcoming grow I am going back to Emerald Harvest, mostly because I have plenty of it. My big complaints; mixing a bunch of liquids individually and pH issues, which probably had more to do with using multiple air stones in each rez.

No comparison in ease of use, plus I have an RO, so need to pay for shipping weight for water

View attachment 446623 View attachment 446624

 

[PetFlora]

Hail Hydro 2.1 About to Commence

Hail Hydro 2.1 About to Commence


Gearing up for Hail Hydro: New Beginnings 2.1

I looked at the moon cycle for February and noticed we are just entering a new moon cycle. Time to plant, so I dropped 9 seeds in a dilute Kelp liquid today that I made pollinating Med Man Silver Skunk. Holy crap these are from 8/14!

Got a new deep tote for low pressure aero, which I will have on a deep cycle timer ~ 1 minute on/3-5 minutes off

Going to use Emerald Harvest nutes throughout

Considering the many new tweaks I learned during this last grow, it should be epic

 

[PetFlora]

A bunch of pics as I am getting ready

A couple seeds cracked already

I really like the coco discs/pellets. Drop them in water with a bit of kelp to soak up and expand

The deep 18 gallon tote ($5) looks the bomb for starting seedlings or clones

Pump will be on a timer so as not to over wet

I tried a couple different LP heads, but the tan ones throw a wider, softer spray

I am going to use one of my BML side light bars to start them: don't know why I never thought of that before

View attachment 446961 View attachment 446962

View attachment 446963 View attachment 446964

 

[PetFlora]

Seeds should be dropped into coco pellets, BUT, I neglected to check ppm of the Kelp water, which was 1500+ range, so been soaking the pellets in water, dumping, checking repeat several times to get ~ 200ppm.

I need to hole cut on the lid for the power cord plug, then, as soon as roots exit the pellets, they will go into the aero starter, roughly 3 days from now

Humid Dome

Did I mention I bought a aluminum baking pan with plastic dome at the Dollar store? Same one at Publix was $5.49!

 

[DiverDave]

Not so much in the summer, unless I rotate blue ice paks every 2 hours; 24/7. Even if I am fairly diligent during my waking hours, over night the rez can reach high 70s- low 80s

In a different tent I have a low height 24 can igloo cooler that I put that rez in. When needed, I partially fill with ice water then rotate ice paks in it instead of the rez

At most I grow 5 plants in 3 different tents, investing in a chiller is no bueno: I would need 3.

It's a lot more work, but it affords me the opportunity to keep an eye on the room

I'm new to hydro and not set up yet .. parts are on the way .. so soon to the testing.
I just wanted to pipe in on a heat thing I have to watch out for since normal temps get to cold being 79F to 78F in the early morn and up in the 90's .. mid to high .. and that is in house .. tent is
5 to 10F more with lights on ..

So in the equipment I have coming are timers and pumps with a radiator ( I'll have to add fan) but that is how I plan to cool the rez down.

 

[DiverDave]

I have germinated with great success when I put seed in warm water for 30 mins. then into prepped starter peat pods for soil grow.
And left them a few (4" to 5") from my kitchen counters florescent light 24/7 for a few days.
90% pop , but sometimes I do have to help crack the seed pod off .. wish I could do something different that would make them strong enough to do it themselves.

I have light watered them a few times a day to keep them moist with Fox Farms Big Bloom.
Although I'm not sure why I still have to help them chuck the pod.

P.S. I hope I'm not off topic too much , I have been following mush from his thread and have learned a lot from him and am now committing to hydro .. thanks to you both for your experiments in these areas.

 

[PetFlora]

Welcome Diver Dave. I rarely have an issue where I need to pop the shell off

Now that I.m flooding only 4 times a day, rez temp has been much easier to control

I replaced the kitty liter rez finishing up the sat as I had cut a hole that was too low on the flood side. When over filled the solution would trickle out

I also dumped the nutes. Made fresh nutes with Sea 90 minerals + CaMg + N + enzymes and aminos: EC @640

(a little silica and yucca wouldn't hurt. Gonna do that now)

It's nice to see a clear solution in the rez

I think the Emerald Harvest are clear too

 

[PetFlora]

I think I fried all my seedlings. 6 had broken through but the coco was too wet and I was afraid to root rot so I put the tray with humid lid outside, which would have been a good idea EXCEPT the 80* heat + semi -soaked coco got pretty warm, and they don't look good.

Im starting 6 more seeds

 

[PetFlora]

Yep, Fried

Good thing these were seeds I made from a Blueberry Cheesecake male and female, otherwise I would have been out $100+ large

One of the things I meant to do, and finally did after this loss, was to put a riser of sorts between the bottom of the tray and the coco pellets

I found a discarded overheard light diffuser a long time ago. It's 2 4 and consists of 1/2' squares, so I cut a section to fit in the tray under 6 coco pellets. Now the excess solution can drain away from the pellets, thereby giving the seeds a better change of growing without damping off

Outdoor Indica: Meanwhile, I moved the indica that is outside out of the sun; will probably harvest it late this afternoon

Sat update: I am slowly diluting the solution feeding the sat. Now at ~ 430 = 0.67EC