Something wicked this way comes

[Snook]

Very possible. Ive never ran the disolvine higher than 1g yet. I searched out haifa calnit when I started using jacks so is all I use. Due to the reasons stated.
My first run with her it came to mind that I was having lockouts due to high ec. In veg I flushed and lowered ec bellow 1.0 for periods to try and chase that theory to no avail

The problems along those lines (deficiencies/poor yield) that I have come from initial planting in the ppk from veg area. Great looking plants going into veg under CMH lights have come from poor initial watering technique. Now when a new plant goes in to the PPK, I take 1.5 gallons of juice at 600PPMs and dump it into the dry (ish) ppk. After all PPKs are ready, then let the PPKs drain back into the pump rez, let it settle a n hour or two and then top off (if necessary) the pump rez to control height 3 & 3/4". Then again I'm using turface and not coco: so? At one point, recently I adjusted PH before hand, it didnt work out so well and now have put the PH pen away. 600ppms (Jacks+) in RO gives me PH @ 4.8 going in and thats all she wrote, no PH checking. I dont recall ever checking the PH in the PPK rez after the grow but the PPM are in the 1K arena and they do well. Good luck.

 

[967]

I'm running Coco ppks and putting in 5.8 it's lowering and lowering each time I feed (assuming some root rot perhaps, although winter here). So tonight I kept pumping through manually every 10 mins, scooping some out, topping off with fresh water until I stopped at about ph 6.1. will check again in morning

Have added pythoff to the mix to help with possible rot. Also have cannazym although these two products are not compatible - anyone care to chime in which might be more useful here? Using nutrifield root nectar as well. Don't really understand why I would have root issues??

Plants are in 70/30 perlite/Coco chips so have excellent drainage. Tail piece pure chunky perlite. Have run this system a couple of times now and haven't had any problems until now. Usually build up to 10x feeds per 24 hour

Anything I'm missing here?

Just realised this thread is stagnant haha. Will post elsewhere too

 

[Earlmarne]

I'm running Coco ppks and putting in 5.8 it's lowering and lowering each time I feed (assuming some root rot perhaps, although winter here). So tonight I kept pumping through manually every 10 mins, scooping some out, topping off with fresh water until I stopped at about ph 6.1. will check again in morning

Have added pythoff to the mix to help with possible rot. Also have cannazym although these two products are not compatible - anyone care to chime in which might be more useful here? Using nutrifield root nectar as well. Don't really understand why I would have root issues??

Plants are in 70/30 perlite/Coco chips so have excellent drainage. Tail piece pure chunky perlite. Have run this system a couple of times now and haven't had any problems until now. Usually build up to 10x feeds per 24 hour

Anything I'm missing here?

Just realised this thread is stagnant haha. Will post elsewhere too

I been screwing with coco a bunch. That and trying to dial my very picky headbanger.
Im currently 2 weeks into a flawless flower run.
I dropped my cycles to 60s on every 4 hours. As I found some level or other of over watering and brown roots with other attempts.
I Had used garden friendly fungacide with mixed results.
This round I add 30 mil em1 a week with the greenest/fastest growth Ive witnessed thus far. I am a big believer in the em1 and longer cycles

 

[Earlmarne]

I started this round with a bastardized concoction.
120g jacks
90 calnit
15g mkp
20 epsom
Alternating 20g ca-10 every other 50 gallon res
50mil fulvic
100 mil slf 100
Then 30 mil a week em1
I also added bomashi wheat bran to my coco mix.
In my experience I need to mix the coco light. Heavy on perlite. And water very sparingly while plants take root. I actually dont auto water for a few days.
With this system My ec dropped a point or so a week with a ph of 6.2 -6.7. I increased a feeding til ec stayed stable.
Now that ec is stable I dropped ca-10.
I got fuzzy perfect roots.

 

[Earlmarne]

I think in my experience, strain dependant. That our standardized cycles can be too much for some. Finding a proper dry down was the big change for my headbanger I believe

 

[newguy41410]

anyone here do soil grows also alongside PPK? I still do PPK but am asking because I do soil grows in my backyard and always get transplant shock when I take plants from my PPK cloner indoors to my soil containers outside in the shade.


1) Is it generally just a bad idea to transplant from hydro to soil, even in veg?
2) D9 taught me to prune the roots before transplanting from the PPK cloner into PPK bucket. Should I NOT be doing this when transplanting into soil? I have been root pruning before transplanting to soil outdoors. Is this where I'm probably messing up at?

 

[zeke99]

For what it's worth, I've got some plants outside in stand alone, hand water PPK devices...Maybe PPK 2.0? Simple, hole drilled in the bottom bucket for the air gap. No plumbing.

Got sick and tired of dealing with the bugs that seem to come pre-packaged in every bag of coco coir so I planted these in a 50/50 mix of perlite and vermiculite and they're thriving.

 

[tilopa]

Air gap for hydroton in tail piece

Air gap for hydroton in tail piece

I was re-reading some of this thread and saw in 2018 D9 changed from perlite in the tail and turface for the medium to hydroton in the tail and pumice. I've had trouble getting turface and like the idea of using pumice and hydroton.

But, I saw a post by D9 just a few months back where he said in another thread: "the air filled porosity of hydroton is too great to maintain a perched water table and it has very little capillary rise capability so tends to dry out very fast.". So I'm wondering if he has changed his opinion about using hydroton?

I'm going to try it anyway, but was wondering with hydroton's poor wicking capability if I should reduce the air gap from like 5" to 4 or even 3. Does anyone have advice about that?

Thanks.

 

[Gry]

I was re-reading some of this thread and saw in 2018 D9 changed from perlite in the tail and turface for the medium to hydroton in the tail and pumice. I've had trouble getting turface and like the idea of using pumice and hydroton.

But, I saw a post by D9 just a few months back where he said in another thread: "the air filled porosity of hydroton is too great to maintain a perched water table and it has very little capillary rise capability so tends to dry out very fast.". So I'm wondering if he has changed his opinion about using hydroton?

I'm going to try it anyway, but was wondering with hydroton's poor wicking capability if I should reduce the air gap from like 5" to 4 or even 3. Does anyone have advice about that?

Thanks.

Would image that he would have gone with more frequent feeding as he did so.
Need to fill some of the extra holes in the muck pans, did not work out for me as hoped.
Still use floor dry.

 

[tilopa]

Yes, definitely will increase feeding, I was think every hour for 30 seconds.

But was more concerned about the tailpiece wicking. If it's not doing any wicking them I'm basically doing a normal top feed and not PPK.

 

[Snook]

If they stop getting top fed, the roots will seek out the water and start the wicking until the roots clog the tail piece but by then hope you woke up and have started doing something.

 

[Phagoos]

I thought the main difference between top feeding and ppk is that the tail piece allows the water to drain properly and avoids standing water in the bottom of the pot. The wicking is just a bonus in case something goes wrong.

 

[tilopa]

I thought the main difference between top feeding and ppk is that the tail piece allows the water to drain properly and avoids standing water in the bottom of the pot. The wicking is just a bonus in case something goes wrong.

Good question. My understanding is that it is more than just a top feed system with a fail-safe mechanism. The wicking function allows the plant to uptake nutrients when it needs them rather than have to wait for timed feedings. I could be totally wrong about this and I'd love to hear from guys who have more knowledge.

I was drawn to PPK because I like the benefits of DWC, where roots have constant access to nutrients whenever and how often they want. But what I don't like about DWC is the higher maintenance and risk of root rot. Obviously PPK is very different from DWC, but I thought the passive part of PPK was that feeding could happen when the plants wanted it via the wick. Am I wrong? Anyone? Bueller?

 

[Snook]

I thought the main difference between top feeding and ppk is that the tail piece allows the water to drain properly and avoids standing water in the bottom of the pot. The wicking is just a bonus in case something goes wrong.

BINGO!

 

[Snook]

Good question. My understanding is that it is more than just a top feed system with a fail-safe mechanism. The wicking function allows the plant to uptake nutrients when it needs them rather than have to wait for timed feedings. I could be totally wrong about this and I'd love to hear from guys who have more knowledge.

I was drawn to PPK because I like the benefits of DWC, where roots have constant access to nutrients whenever and how often they want. But what I don't like about DWC is the higher maintenance and risk of root rot. Obviously PPK is very different from DWC, but I thought the passive part of PPK was that feeding could happen when the plants wanted it via the wick. Am I wrong? Anyone? Bueller?

One should top feed sufficiently enough so as not to wick feed. If top feeding is stopped, wicking will maintain for some time until top feeding problem is corrected.

 

[tilopa]

So, you are saying that if one is top feeding at a proper interval then the wick function does nothing to increase the growth or health of the plant?

 

[Snook]

So, you are saying that if one is top feeding at a proper interval then the wick function does nothing to increase the growth or health of the plant?

yes, the wick primarily prevents root rot by taking away most water from the base of the root zone (perched water table) in the top ppk bucket.

It become back-up for lack of top watering problems if top watering stops.

 

[tilopa]

yes, the wick primarily prevents root rot by taking away most water from the base of the root zone (perched water table) in the top ppk bucket.

It become back-up for lack of top watering problems if top watering stops.

Good to know.

In terms of the wicking effect via the tailpiece how does one determine the optimal air gap? If I'm using hydroton in the tail which is apparently a poor wicking medium (according to D9 anyway) then the air gap should be less than with say large perlite. I'm using a 4" gap, how can I know or test weather that is a good spacing?

 

[CyrustheVirus]

Here to up my posts because this forum wont let me edit until I get to 50. Looks good!

 

[delta9nxs]

hello, everyone! just thought i would stop by and tell you guys about this stuff.

it is simply the best media i have ever used in this device.

i have tried turface, shale, diatomaceous earth, perlite, pumice, scoria, rice hulls, and coco fiber.

they all work, more or less, either blended or separate but each has it's drawbacks.

needing extensive cleaning or is very heavy or dries too fast or needs sieving. always something.

most coco is too fine for this device. but i have found this stuff to be nearly perfect because it retains excellent air filled porosity during a grow. it comes in compressed blocks that must be expanded. i use a 1800-2000 ppm jack''s/calcinit solution ph''ed to about 5.2 just for the expansion.

the plants grow very fast right from the start with no displays.

it is available online. i found arbico organics to have fair prices for small quantities but you can also buy pallets direct from prococo.

prococo.com chips and fiber

tried to upload a pic but i'm over my limit.

anyway go to prococo.com

best of luck to you all!