Recirculating coco drip
- Thread starter dusto2k3
- Start date
G
Guest
My personal pref, 20-4.
Here's a report I got off another forum a long time ago. Info was from a study on light schedules a group of growers in No Cal did. Works for me so far. The reference to "mum" lines stumped me till gaiusmarius said it was referr to "mom" lines. lol
Lighting Schedule
We did a lot of experiments with light times a few years back using known sativa and sativa dominant clone lines.
With Vegging under HID lights.
20/4 produced the sturdiest growth and the most bulk. Best final yield, taken as 100%
22/2 Less of both growth and bulk. Yield 88%
18/6 Sturdier than 22/2 but slightly less bulk. Yield 87%
24/0 Much lighter in all aspects than 18/6. Yield 79%
16/8 The weediest plants. Yield 67%
Plants vegged to final pots under fluorescents at 20w per sq ft on 18/6 yield 49%
Have not tried 36 hrs dark but did try 48 hrs from 18/6 veg. The final yield was down between 15% and 20% by varying the pure sativas with the biggest loss in final weight and caused the odd herm, [sativas] it did reduce the flowering time by 5 to 8 days.
For the mum lines we have 20/4 to 12/12 gives the best crop weight and bud quality, really that’s all I’m interested in.
Hope this helps 2k3
Use whatever works for ya though, dude.
Here's a report I got off another forum a long time ago. Info was from a study on light schedules a group of growers in No Cal did. Works for me so far. The reference to "mum" lines stumped me till gaiusmarius said it was referr to "mom" lines. lol
Lighting Schedule
We did a lot of experiments with light times a few years back using known sativa and sativa dominant clone lines.
With Vegging under HID lights.
20/4 produced the sturdiest growth and the most bulk. Best final yield, taken as 100%
22/2 Less of both growth and bulk. Yield 88%
18/6 Sturdier than 22/2 but slightly less bulk. Yield 87%
24/0 Much lighter in all aspects than 18/6. Yield 79%
16/8 The weediest plants. Yield 67%
Plants vegged to final pots under fluorescents at 20w per sq ft on 18/6 yield 49%
Have not tried 36 hrs dark but did try 48 hrs from 18/6 veg. The final yield was down between 15% and 20% by varying the pure sativas with the biggest loss in final weight and caused the odd herm, [sativas] it did reduce the flowering time by 5 to 8 days.
For the mum lines we have 20/4 to 12/12 gives the best crop weight and bud quality, really that’s all I’m interested in.
Hope this helps 2k3
Use whatever works for ya though, dude.
Kenny Lingus
Active member
mojo said:
Regarding veg schedule and dark hours I really have to disagree with that "report". Mostly because I have personal experience showing that continuous veg (even when rooted into flowering pots with fluoros @ merely 25sqfw)
It could be beneficial in some circumstances to have a dark period, but for most hobbygardeners I truly beleive a 24hrs veg regime is best. I agree that there can be diminishing returns from extended light period, but worrying of light polluting the veg chamber and possibly stressing clones (if rooted in 24hrs AND MOM.'S LIVE UNDER 18HRS) wHEN IT COMES TO saving el. costs for instance I can see a good reason for reducing the veg-hrs, but otherwise I'll stick to 24. (Phew! Sorry for my wasted and stoned out ramblin' with words)
Protostele
Member
dusto2k3 said:
When I started growing I had a recirculating hydro system and each day I would top the res up to replace the water the plants used. Each weekend I was dumping 60 liters and mixing up a new reservoir. Since I have to use store bought RO or rainwater collected from the steel roof, there was a big incentive to find a way to conserve water.
I started using a soilless mix in a bin which made it a lot less work and now that I am using coco in pots with RTW the 10% waste is nothing to worry about compared to the original 50%+ waste of the recirculating system.
If I had followed instructions exactly I would have been wasting a lot more water as the recirculating system recommended a weekly flush for 24 hours which would have meant dumping another 60 liters. With RTW, you don't have to worry about weekly flushes as the daily 10% flush keeps the coco clean.
The Canna Coco info says the rule of thumb for watering fully grown plants is 4 to 6 liters per square meter per day. This is about the same area I grow in. I am theoretically running to waste about half a liter per day or 3.5 liters per week. This is way less than the 60 ~120 liters I use to have to dispose of with the recirculating system.
Protostele
dusto2k3
Member
Woah,
So how often do I need to switch my reservior? I cannot just keep toppiong it off with the appropriate strentgh feed? Because that is all I am doing now. My watering runs for 20 min 4 times a day. With that length, i get over 99% runoff. I cannot continue to run the same res, just topping it off?
I think thats my biggest question now...
So how often do I need to switch my reservior? I cannot just keep toppiong it off with the appropriate strentgh feed? Because that is all I am doing now. My watering runs for 20 min 4 times a day. With that length, i get over 99% runoff. I cannot continue to run the same res, just topping it off?
I think thats my biggest question now...
Protostele
Member
There were some very experienced growers who would never change out their reservoirs from beginning to end, and had very good results. The danger is that the plants are removing some nutrients and not as much of the other elements. If we are topping up and bringing back the reservoir to the original ppm by replacing water and nutrients, eventually the ratio of the nutrients will become out of wack with a danger of lockout.
I was replacing weekly, but that was at the advice of the hydro store, which has a vested interest in me replacing often. In retrospect, I would probably keep a res for two weeks if I were to do it again.
I have not been frequenting the hydro forum so I am not up on the current thinking on the matter. Some people change the reservoir frequently and others don't. It is probably best to watch the plants and as long as they look good then your current practice is working. At any sign of nutrient problems I would change the res immediately.
Protostele
I was replacing weekly, but that was at the advice of the hydro store, which has a vested interest in me replacing often. In retrospect, I would probably keep a res for two weeks if I were to do it again.
I have not been frequenting the hydro forum so I am not up on the current thinking on the matter. Some people change the reservoir frequently and others don't. It is probably best to watch the plants and as long as they look good then your current practice is working. At any sign of nutrient problems I would change the res immediately.
Protostele
dusto2k3
Member
thanks Protostele. That's some good info. I guess, I'll just let this res run off and then start a new one. I've noticed my ppm's are going up, so I've been adding just water as it seems to me the PPM is a little too high so the plants are just eating the water and leaving the nutes? yes, no? Also, the PH has been very stable at 5.78-5.79, so I'm happy about that.
Is there anything wrong with running the feed to a point where I'm getting so much runoff, i think this would just assure the flush of the previous feed and makes sure there is fresh oxygenated water in the medium.
Is there anything wrong with running the feed to a point where I'm getting so much runoff, i think this would just assure the flush of the previous feed and makes sure there is fresh oxygenated water in the medium.
AbaZabba
Member
Dusto,
The setup you have sounds perfectly fine to me. In my current grow there has been no res change for the mom drip setup in over 6 weeks, the water cycles 3 times daily for 15 minutes with lots of runoff.
I think this vast amount of drip time & runoff does a good job rinsing the coco of access buildups that may be left behind in the coco like you have mentioned.
Since you water is decreasing and your ppm's raising, I would think this is contributed to your plants needing more water and less nutrients, or the coco contained a high ppm when you put it into your system that is now leaching into your tray/res. Your pH sounds very stable, I would not worry about changing the res out unless you see problems as I know many dialed in systems who rare change their res, maybe once (if that) during a whole cycle. In other words, the topping of your res is fine.
These are simply opinions from the experiences I have noticed in my first go with coco. Things sound & look good, keep up the good work man
The setup you have sounds perfectly fine to me. In my current grow there has been no res change for the mom drip setup in over 6 weeks, the water cycles 3 times daily for 15 minutes with lots of runoff.
I think this vast amount of drip time & runoff does a good job rinsing the coco of access buildups that may be left behind in the coco like you have mentioned.
Since you water is decreasing and your ppm's raising, I would think this is contributed to your plants needing more water and less nutrients, or the coco contained a high ppm when you put it into your system that is now leaching into your tray/res. Your pH sounds very stable, I would not worry about changing the res out unless you see problems as I know many dialed in systems who rare change their res, maybe once (if that) during a whole cycle. In other words, the topping of your res is fine.
These are simply opinions from the experiences I have noticed in my first go with coco. Things sound & look good, keep up the good work man
dusto2k3
Member
Aba, thanks alot for the response. That gives me some more confidence that everything is going good. They have been on the drip and same rez for about 2 weeks and i haven't had any issues yet.
I used canna coco, so i dont know what the starting ppm in the medium was. I guess i can test.
Lately, in the top off, I add just ph'ed water with zym and rhizo and calmag. I left the nutes out. I did this in order to lower the ppm's oin the res.
The ph was stable about after 3 days. Initially, when first starting up the drip, i experienced fluxuations in the PH, but since then, i haven't had to make any adjustments.
Thanks again.
I used canna coco, so i dont know what the starting ppm in the medium was. I guess i can test.
Lately, in the top off, I add just ph'ed water with zym and rhizo and calmag. I left the nutes out. I did this in order to lower the ppm's oin the res.
The ph was stable about after 3 days. Initially, when first starting up the drip, i experienced fluxuations in the PH, but since then, i haven't had to make any adjustments.
Thanks again.
Kenny Lingus
Active member
I'd be sure to do NOT top the res., but instead feed with minimal runof and more waterings (remember that 5% of every watering isn't much if you keep the coco wet and feed only for 3-5 minutes 3-5 times daily. If you also make sure to never mix more than you'll use in a week you can simply dillute the res every wek when it's almost empty and give it a proper flush (for 15-30min) before you dump the remains.
Next; you make a new solution for another week (stronger/weaker if needed) and then re-feed your medium with this (giving a little run-off) and BAM: A week to go!
Next; you make a new solution for another week (stronger/weaker if needed) and then re-feed your medium with this (giving a little run-off) and BAM: A week to go!
dusto2k3
Member
Thanks for all the inpiut, so far this grow has been fantastic and i've never seen stalks and branches looking so thick and hearty as this is my first coco run.
I harvets this AK at 63 or 64 days (9 weeks), whenever i have time.
I'm using canna a+b rhizo, cannazym and i have PK 13/14,
I've been readin about the PK cuz i see on the bottle that you are supposed to add for 1 week. So basically at the beginning of week 7 i add for one week, then at the beginning of week 8 i start my 2 week flush?
I've also been reading that people are adding it earlier that 3 weeks before harvest at the time of budsite formation. I curious of opinions and maybe outcomes from others using the PK.
Thanks in advance for the input.
I harvets this AK at 63 or 64 days (9 weeks), whenever i have time.
I'm using canna a+b rhizo, cannazym and i have PK 13/14,
I've been readin about the PK cuz i see on the bottle that you are supposed to add for 1 week. So basically at the beginning of week 7 i add for one week, then at the beginning of week 8 i start my 2 week flush?
I've also been reading that people are adding it earlier that 3 weeks before harvest at the time of budsite formation. I curious of opinions and maybe outcomes from others using the PK.
Thanks in advance for the input.
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G
Guest
hey dusto about the pk, do a search for bramsky, i believe he tested different pk strengths at different times; don't know what strain(s) but there must be something to it 
i'm interested because i'll be trying the pk with coco as well as dwc.
that's a very nice garden you've got there
happy ladies, they must be dykes cus they're so close right?
i'm interested because i'll be trying the pk with coco as well as dwc.that's a very nice garden you've got there
happy ladies, they must be dykes cus they're so close right? 
G
Guest
BlindDate said:
Not necessarily. I gave PK at week two and week 6 and I'm now into week 11 and started giving it a little again. I've started reducing nitrogen (canna coco A)at the rate of 25% a week and reduced the B by 20% and have started adding PK 13/14 at the rate of 1mL per gallon. May go up on the PK after a week at 1mL. Plants are apparently loving it.
Kenny Lingus said:
Here are the results I got when using the 20/4 light schedule I did. I can't imagine that 24 hours of light would have done nearly as well. You're going to get more hermis with a 24 hour lighting period as a general rule. Plants just get too stressed with no pillow time.
Of course all of this is just my opinion, and I could be wrong. Doubt it though.
Proof is in the eating of the pudding, lol.
Peace
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G
Guest
that's ^ the stuff
