My OBBT Bucket Build

[rrog]

I think anything related to the bucket biome is good to post. I know that Trichs and AM compete a bit. Not for the same food source, but there is a battle raging between them per one poster on the soil forum.

Not sure what the Trichs bring to the table. Maybe breakdown of dead matter?

 

[rrog]

Update:

I'm in week 6 of flowering now. Pulled a res water sample. Yesterday there were many gnat larvae floating in the water. Today only one. I understand they eat for 2 weeks before becoming pupae. That sucks.

I don't have enough time for organic predators like nematodes or bacteria. Although those would be part of my next grow. Just get them in the soil before I start.

So I may get something shipped in here that I can soak the res and drench the medium. I'm just not wanting to screw with the herd, ya know?

GoGnats might be the ticket.

I'm more and more reading that volcanic rock can be derived from many sources ranging from Hawaiian Islands to the smokestacks of factories... Thats in and of itself disheartening. Also, there's a great possibility some sources of "volcanic" rock are the reason for my pH rise. Many are very alkaline.

I may start looking for a different medium other than volcanic. Anyone have thoughts about an all Hydroton water layer? We know this can be pH balanced prior to use.

 

[Trichgnomes]

Not sure what the Trichs bring to the table. Maybe breakdown of dead matter?

That's my basic understanding of a saprophyte, a recycler of organic matter so to speak. However, there may be other saprophytes that are more efficient at breaking down organic matter and exuding certain enzymes that are more beneficial ( I don't know the answer, just proposing a hypothetical), while maintaining a benign relationship with the myco. I know Mm started a thread somewhere about plant specific species of myco, one in particular, Glomus mosseae, is the main species that associates with Cannabis. http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=126184
It might make sense to gather individual species, as oppose to using the blend of 20 or so that comes in the stuff sold at most stores. Or at least try an experiment of such.

 

[Trichgnomes]

Anyone have thoughts about an all Hydroton water layer? We know this can be pH balanced prior to use.

I have yet to try an OBBT out personally, but hydroton is the route I plan on taking. I have all the materials to set one up, the only thing stopping me really is the fact that I have nothing to muffle my air pump. I have two models of the same pump (Eco Air 3, 60 LPM). It is what I use for ACT brewing, and is tolerable for that duration, but I would have to muffle it more appropriately if it were on continuously.
Do you use anything to dampen the sound of your pump?

 

[ROOTZ]

Update:
I may start looking for a different medium other than volcanic. Anyone have thoughts about an all Hydroton water layer? We know this can be pH balanced prior to use.

rrog:
I started to think about other options for water layer medium as well, and I was thinking of going with these aquarium bio-balls. They're designed for the sole purpose of supporting bacteria colonies & I think they would be awesome for populating our bennies as well. Plus, their design would allow for better aeration, while still maintaining a rather large surface area, and less hassle dealing with pH issues since they're plastic.

I'll probably pick up some of the ones that float for my Ebb&Gro res and my DWC cloner and see how they work out.

 

[rrog]

I like the idea of the infinite nooks and crannies of the lavarock. DrunkenM and LadyL really had a lot of good experience with the lava and those cracks and crevices. They felt that the roots didn't invade the airstones so much. No idea if that right or not, but seems harmless in either case.

So I opted to include both lava rock and Hydroton both in my current grow.

Rootz, does bio-balls they have balls that will stay submerged and tiny pore size? Alternately I'm going to look at what may be in the slag-"lava rock" that might be uncool in a grow. I was bummed to read that much lava rock isn't lava.

 

[rrog]

oops. Double post. How do I delete this??

 

[ColoMediCann]

rrog:
I started to think about other options for water layer medium as well, and I was thinking of going with these aquarium bio-balls.

I´ve seen a couple of growers using aquarium filters in their reservoirs with great results. There is probably a bunch of overlap between aquariums and hydro organics, keeping alive an entire ecosystem.

This OBBT stuff is starting to get fun

 

[RipVanWeed]

Hey Rrog,

I use hydroton, and I suffer from rising ph too. Just drained my 7.2 buckets and refilled with 6.4. Check again tomorrow. I have 15 OBBT's percolating, just moved 3 plants from veg to flower. Working towards perpetual.

Harvested the 1st of the Master Bubba Kush yesterday. It had 60 days of flower, I took a close look, it was nearly done

but I could wait no longer.

I took some cool shots, let me go get 'em

 

[rrog]

Rip-man, You pH conditioned the Hydroton I assume? Last year I did a study that confirmed the pH of some brands of Hydroton aren't initially stable. Raises pH in short order if not treated first. But the world loves it after conditioning, so it's a safe bet.

So we have all used it in our grows, then.

ColoMC. That's a cool thing about the filters. Like a nylon thread webbing thing? Might make a cool boundary layer between rock and medium? Anyone ever think such a thing might help? I'm surprised how particle-free my res water is, so I'm not thinking it's actually needed.

Anyone think I should drop a nuke in my grow for those Fungus Gnat larvae? I'm trying goGnat. Cedar extract supposed to be cool on the herd.

 

[RipVanWeed]

Rrog,

I hadn't heard about the Ph and hydroton issue, the most current incubating buckets were started with a mix of washed, used Hydroton, and new, stuff right out of the bag.

Tell me how to condition and I'll do a side by side.

So let me share some pics

Remember the airstone discussions, here's my response to broken 6"ers.



Found the spherical stones at the 99c store, 33c each, so this setup is cheaper as well.

This is Jack Herer foreground, and a couple of the lollipops. A White Russian and a Master Bubba Kush.



Foxtailing bud on the JH



Closeups of Master Bubba Kush



I chopped the Swiss Bliss, very pleased with this strain. Good yielder, strong tangy nose, frosty, clear giddyup high.



I've also been doing some quick wash iso hash oil with trim. BOMB
Qwiso....try it.



Peace Out Brothers,

 

[xmobotx]

those pix look great Rip

all OBBT grown goods too

BTW, my res is all volcanic. I've been letting the res dry up a little in an effort to dry the coco (i dont rmember where but i read that coco goes acid as it dries)

PH is still pretty firm in th 6.5 region (medium)

 

[ColoMediCann]

The aquarium filters are a bag with charcoal in it with a pump pulling the water into a tiny reservoir then through the filter and back into aquarium. It has two functions, to filter fish poo and assorted crap from the water as well as providing a nursery for beneficial bacteria.

I travel a lot now but before I used to have a huge goldfish tank and used the 'living' water in my hydro system. When the filter was nasty I would wash it in a bucket then water my outdoor flowers with the tea.

 

[rrog]

Those pics are really great RipVW. Thanks a lot for them. I'll dig up a post on conditioning Hydroton. Basically letting it sit in an acidic solution until pH doesn't creep up any more. Then rinse and use.

 

[rrog]

Update on the Zinc Lockout. Green has slowly been returning. Not sure if the yellow will ever completely return

3 weeks ago:

2 weeks ago:

Today:

I'm growing the same seed strain of NL#5. Same genetics. Yet I swear the Trich population was not nearly as spread all over these leaves. These seem pretty frosty compared to the last batch. Is that possible or is this just my imagination?

 

[RipVanWeed]

Took some pics at lights out today



Jack Herer @ 64 days



New girls are moving up to the big show, here's a Swiss Bliss on the left, and on the rt. is a Master Bubba Kush



This is the harvest from the "early Chop" Master Bubba Kush , 58 days (I couldn't wait). The tops are top left, 22g. Total yeild, 65g. Bot. left pile is from a MBK lollipop, also 58 days, 20g.



A week or three in a jar, and then I'll spring it on my patients. More than a couple have been howling for a strong Indica...done.
Personally, Indie dom weed sits me down and makes me feel stupid, heavy lidded. I mostly reach for the Super Silver Haze, or Jack Herer. After I'm done working in the garden for the night, I'll take a couple a hits of that QWISO shit I made



To each his own, that's why God gave us choices.

Peace Out,

 

[rrog]

Holy shit Rip, those buds are fat! The JH is wild. How many days more on that one? I had figured 60 days for mine. Maybe they'll go longer. I'm personally looking for cloudy not amber trichs. Not sure how long that will take.

Do you do any dehydrating or a few days of blackout before harvesting? So many opinions on this process.

Thanks for these updates. It's great to see!

 

[RipVanWeed]

Thanks Rrog,

I drain the res. 3 or 4 days before the chop.

I tried the blackout thing one time, it was weird, the plant tried to pop some weird growths out of the buds. Half leaf/half flower, this was a Dabney Blueberry. I don't really have the means to do it on a regular basis anyways.

I check the trichs daily. I think the 2 MBK's are almost done, but they still are mostly clear



Look how that JH is leaning in to the pic..trying to steal the limelight



White Russian is close as well, but the Super Silver Haze is swelling up impressively, maybe go 70-72 days. The Jack Herer is cranking out a whole new round of flowers, I gave it some mild EJ bloom tea yesterday, she's huge (for me) and getting fatter everyday, so I'm thinking 80.

I got the EJ mixes to brew up and react as touted, so I felt more comfortable adding it to the OBBT's. I'm going to try a couple of additives soon, SM 90 safe for a living rhizosphere, and Hygrozyme. I'll post up any thoughts on these as we go. I think it's time for me to begin my own thread..watch my sig.

15 OBBT's are incubating, been a week. 6 smallun's and 9x 5gals., I'm getting itchy to upcan. In light for the issues I fought through this run, brought on by my impatience at the get go, I will stand down.

I'll snap some closeups of SSH calyx and JH flowers.

Peace Out,

 

[rrog]

Wow so you might flower for 80 days then? In some cases? Trichs would be amber I assume.

Man, with all those buckets going you are the reigning king. Amazing. Now tell me again, you've grown for a while? You've grown soil or hydro before?

 

[RipVanWeed]

Bought my 1st clones last Valentines Day. The plants that are ripening now are the 3rd indoor harvest. First run was in FFOF, OBBT since. Also, grew an outdoor plot in the backyard over the summer. So as you see, I'm a real noob. I'm working toward a 3kw-6kw sealed room, perpetual harvest, step by step, learning as I go.

I think this run is taking longer to mature due to the defs. encountered along the way. Alot of JH growers let them go long to wring out the bestest. Really just guessing on how much longer though. No amber trichs anywhere, just a few cloudy.
Checkin' every day.

Respect,