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Diary PCBuds mini-grow

Maple_Flail

Well-known member
are both window plant and closet plant the same auto varity? structure looks similar.

I dunno maybe closet ended up being a dud?
 

PCBuds

Well-known member
dude, crappy tire carries ph Down..

every growstore in town has ph down for under 20$ (size dependant OFC)

worse case use a lemon or watered down (ie ph'd up with de gassed water, black coffee)

I went Canadian Tire and got some PH up but they were sold out of PH down.

Then I phoned Home Hardware to see if the Perlite came in, and it didn't.

He said there is none at the warehouse and they aren't expecting any until September 1st.


I think the COVID has something to do with it.

All the grow stuff is pretty much out of stock everywhere.


So that means I probably can't start my next grow until September.
At least I have the PH up which is what I need for the closet plant.
 

indagroove

Well-known member
Veteran
I went Canadian Tire and got some PH up but they were sold out of PH down.

Then I phoned Home Hardware to see if the Perlite came in, and it didn't.

He said there is none at the warehouse and they aren't expecting any until September 1st.


I think the COVID has something to do with it.

All the grow stuff is pretty much out of stock everywhere.


So that means I probably can't start my next grow until September.
At least I have the PH up which is what I need for the closet plant.

You can get a bag of perlite on Amazon for like $15, and the stuff is light as potato chips, so shipping is cheap and easy.
 

PCBuds

Well-known member
You can get a bag of perlite on Amazon for like $15, and the stuff is light as potato chips, so shipping is cheap and easy.

I've been checking there and eBay.
It's still really expensive.










That's for 9.5 liters.

My local hardware store has a 5-liter bag for $4.99. When it's in stock.
 

indagroove

Well-known member
Veteran
I've been checking there and eBay.
It's still really expensive.



[URL=https://i.postimg.cc/Hnn6ymLs/Screenshot-2020-07-10-13-33-07.png]View Image[/url]


[URL=https://i.postimg.cc/j21Z61W6/Screenshot-2020-07-10-13-33-58.png]View Image[/url]



That's for 9.5 liters.

My local hardware store has a 5-liter bag for $4.99. When it's in stock.

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PCBuds

Well-known member
I might be able to reuse the perlite in my current grow.

I could put the media in a big tote and fill it with water.

The perlite should float to the top, then I could strain it off, rinse it out really good, then cook the hell out of it in the oven.


If it's clean, it shouldn't make any burnt toxins and my oven won't get too hot.


 

PCBuds

Well-known member
I checked the PH of my window plant and it had climbed back up to 7.0, so I put in a few drops of PH down again and brought it down to 5.7.
It only took two days to climb up to 7.0.
The new growth at the top looks quite healthy and happy.













It's got a bit of alga on the roots but it's not completely fouled.




 

PCBuds

Well-known member
I've been wondering, ...

If my next grow is only coco and perlite, does that count as a "soil" or a "hydro" grow?


Should I aim for a PH of 6.5 or 5.8?

Or maybe something in between?
 

PCBuds

Well-known member
I went to the hydroponics store and scored big.







Calmag, PH down and a butt load of perlite.

I've got enough perlite for a hempy now if I want.


He put the Calmag in a smaller bottle so I didn't have to buy a whole gallon of it.



 

f2obsession

Active member
I went to the hydroponics store and scored big.



[URL=https://i.postimg.cc/yddgtDqV/20200711-114636.jpg]View Image[/url]



Calmag, PH down and a butt load of perlite.

I've got enough perlite for a hempy now if I want.


He put the Calmag in a smaller bottle so I didn't have to buy a whole gallon of it.



[URL=https://i.postimg.cc/rFK6sMTK/20200711-104553.jpg]View Image[/url]

I just started to experiment with coco-perilte, and 5,8 seems to be the right ph here. Besides that I started another clone in coco-perilte+20% soil, and this medium seems to work out better for me.
 

PCBuds

Well-known member
Soiless would be the term. :good:


OK.

So that means I should aim for 5.8 right?

Soilless would be the same as hydro?

With my window plant too right?
(coco & perlite as well.)


That would be good because I've got a butt load of PH down now.


And from what I understand, it might need to dip above and below that point to make all nutes available.?


 

PCBuds

Well-known member
I don't really know what soil is.
Apparently, it's got organic matter, but I thought coco coir is organic?

What if I added manure?

Or is the only real soil that "Black Earth" stuff they sell?
 

PCBuds

Well-known member
I just started to experiment with coco-perilte, and 5,8 seems to be the right ph here. Besides that I started another clone in coco-perilte+20% soil, and this medium seems to work out better for me.


I want to do things properly this time, at least with my closet plant.

Luckily, I think I have everything I need now, except maybe knowledge and experience. Lol

I'm going to try to not do dumb shit with my closet plant. Lol
 

PCBuds

Well-known member
So these will be my nutes...














Any ideas on how much to use?

I intend to drain to waste but I don't want to waste too much. Lol

I want to water/nute the same way every time (not once a week.)


PS... I'm a bit nervous about the molybdenum in my Veg nutes.

I may be a ruminant animal!!


When I get stoned, I ruminate A Lot, and then I Veg out. Lol
 

indagroove

Well-known member
Veteran
I might be able to reuse the perlite in my current grow.

I could put the media in a big tote and fill it with water.

The perlite should float to the top, then I could strain it off, rinse it out really good, then cook the hell out of it in the oven.


If it's clean, it shouldn't make any burnt toxins and my oven won't get too hot.


[URL=https://i.postimg.cc/wMwR1Wxh/Screenshot-2020-07-10-22-39-34.png]View Image[/url]

Yep, that should work. You might also soak it in a hydrogen peroxide solution after separating it, but looks like you're good to go now anyways.

I've been wondering, ...

If my next grow is only coco and perlite, does that count as a "soil" or a "hydro" grow?


Should I aim for a PH of 6.5 or 5.8?

Or maybe something in between?

It's technically hydro unless you are amending the medium with organic nutrients. You are feeding the plant "hydroponically" (feeding the plant using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent). There are many different mediums (rockwool, clay pellets, air, spray, perlite, vermiculite, peat, etc..) and typically coco/perlite would be considered a "soil-less" medium and ReikoX intimated. Personally I don't really like that term, because isn't everythng soil-less, if there isn't soil???

Coco is fairly forgiving in terms of pH, and these have been studies which indicate that a steady ph level is more important than trying to constantly adjust ph to shoot for the perfect level. For that reason I don't measure ph of runoff. I do measure ppm of runoff, because that's a good indication of how much the plant is eating, and how to adjust your feed.

That said you can get away with anything between 5.5 and 6.3 in coco, but I'd say shoot for 5.8 in veg and 6.0 in flower as optimal.

I don't really know what soil is.
Apparently, it's got organic matter, but I thought coco coir is organic?

What if I added manure?

Or is the only real soil that "Black Earth" stuff they sell?

Soil is the combination of mineral particles generally smaller than 1mm (sand) and larger than .002 (clay), and humus (decayed organic materials). Adding manure wouldn't make it soil, because you don't have the mineral particles (sand, silt, clay) in the mix. I wouldn't suggest adding manure, but some people add earthworm castings. I would suggest that you just keep it simple for the next run and keep manures and such out of the mix. Don't get me wrong, I love organics, but I find true organic gardening pretty difficult indoors. I keep my organics in my raised beds in the back yard.
 

indagroove

Well-known member
Veteran
So these will be my nutes...


[URL=https://i.postimg.cc/QdymxKDy/20200711-104532.jpg]View Image[/url]



[URL=https://i.postimg.cc/MGfDcZKK/20200711-144634.jpg]View Image[/url]



[URL=https://i.postimg.cc/pTNBKNpQ/20200711-150553.jpg]View Image[/url]



Any ideas on how much to use?

I intend to drain to waste but I don't want to waste too much. Lol

I want to water/nute the same way every time (not once a week.)


PS... I'm a bit nervous about the molybdenum in my Veg nutes.

I may be a ruminant animal!!


When I get stoned, I ruminate A Lot, and then I Veg out. Lol

Use your ppm meter. If you have a scale, weigh up the amounts before you add them, then measure ppm. Shoot for 1EC (500ppm on my scale) for small plants in veg. As the plants get bigger, increase to 650ppm, then get up to 750ppm at start of flower. This will give you headroom to add 100ppm or so of cal/mag or epsom salts, and/or another 100ppm to 150ppm of bloom booster in later flower. Be sure to get ample runoff, then measure runoff. If the runoff it too high, water more, and consider lowering the ppms a bit. If the runoff is too low you know the plant can take more food. It's very strain dependent, so you have to gauge the plant. Indicas will often want more food, and sativas less. Hybrids are sometimes tricky, especially when they look Indica in veg, and then Sativa in flower.
 
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