Loolagigi's first grow journal, 400 hps

[loolagigi]

No net pots,It'll take away from ur total plant heigth.Cubes will b fine.As for only 5 gal res.If your base is 5 gal you'll need to change res water more often.After 2 gal is replaced.
I.E.,MOnday you mix 5 gal.Keep track of how much water you add inorder to keep you nute ppm(make sence)Say tues 1/2 gal wends 1/2 thurs 1/2 fri 1/2 now change.If you had 20 gal.res you will extend the time inbetween res changes.Its cheeper to upgrade res than buy more nutes,IMO
Don't forget the 7" totes to put plants in(rockwool will "leak",totes r cheap & work well).

dirty, in your pics of plants.....after you dip in solution, and place into 7" tote, is the tote empty? does it need to be light proof? ok, so let me see if i get this....my plants are in just cubes, wont they algea, or is that whats the bags for? i see your cubes are in a pot with hydroton. so, i take my plant thats in cube, dip it in my res of nutes and water, and place them into the 7" empty tote?

 

[loolagigi]

ok, i see bags cover top of cubes to prevent algea, but what happens when the roots grow out of the bottom of cubes? wont they dry up, and get hit by light?

 

[loolagigi]

i found this in my closet, ill use it for res. its 24 gal.

 

[DirtySouth]

In due time w/ the root problem.Roots will want to stay in the cube.Air will prone them.Keep side plastic on cubesand cover w/ plastic,no algae.The bathtub is what the runoffs for.If tub is out of question then 2 totes.Cut hole in lid and insert 2nd tote.Drill holes inbottom of 2nd tote 4 run off.As roots sneek out the bottom,hydroton clay pellets will be used in tote.Hope thats not to confussing!
By keeping the cubes "wet" the roots will be happy where they are.By the time they come out the bottom,we'll have the tops "tied"down preventing light pen.
That tote will work nicely

 

[loolagigi]

In due time w/ the root problem.Roots will want to stay in the cube.Air will prone them.Keep side plastic on cubesand cover w/ plastic,no algae.The bathtub is what the runoffs for.If tub is out of question then 2 totes.Cut hole in lid and insert 2nd tote.Drill holes inbottom of 2nd tote 4 run off.As roots sneek out the bottom,hydroton clay pellets will be used in tote.Hope thats not to confussing!
By keeping the cubes "wet" the roots will be happy where they are.By the time they come out the bottom,we'll have the tops "tied"down preventing light pen.
That tote will work nicely

yeah im a little confused, answer me this, im using the 24 gal tub for just a "dipping" res, whats the runoff for? when you say 2 totes, do you meen the 7" one? sorry if im confused.

 

[DirtySouth]

the water is gonna "pool"up in the bottom of the tote (7")if you dip-then place directly back into tote(if no bathtub avail.).2 totes(7")bottom solid w/lid cut for 2nd tote to fit in.2nd tote w/ holes drilled in inorder to allow RUN_OFF,if not roots would sit in water-root rot.
Sorry no pic,I use the tub

 

[loolagigi]

the water is gonna "pool"up in the bottom of the tote (7")if you dip-then place directly back into tote(if no bathtub avail.).2 totes(7")bottom solid w/lid cut for 2nd tote to fit in.2nd tote w/ holes drilled in inorder to allow RUN_OFF,if not roots would sit in water-root rot.
Sorry no pic,I use the tub

so you grow in the tub, is that it? ok, i dip cube into solution as to soak it, and then place in 7" tote that has holes in the bottom, to drain to the bottom tote. will the roots go through the holes into the bottom tote? if that do, how do i drain my bottom tote? maybe put a drain valve close to the bottom side? before i hit the hay, and go shopping tomorow, what do i need to do for them now? there ok, where they are, shown in dixie cups? my shopping list.....1 cubes, 2 7" trays for medium and for runoff. anything else?

 

[DirtySouth]

Dont grow in tub,just water there.
u now ppm 150-200.ph 6.5

 

[loolagigi]

Dont grow in tub,just water there.
u now ppm 150-200.ph 6.5

thanks dirty, ill post tommorow when i get suplies with pics. i just made some solution at 151 ppm, and exactly 6.5 ph.

 

[loolagigi]

man, server is busy fo sho. dirty, i reread whats above, and i can dig what your saying. it makes sense so far. 1 q, if my hydro shop only has a smaller cube than 6", should i get the pots like you? i allready have hydroton, and wouldnt you think its easier handling for the "dips" with the pots? or do you have your reasons for telling me " no pots". thanks brother

 

[DirtySouth]

if heigth is a restriction I'd say "no pots".On the other hand you can tie down tops w/pots.Over all its ur set up & cash.But if you could raise the lights a bit...As long as you "for see" what your heigth limits r.Every " counts.Ya damn server.makes ya crazy.

 

[loolagigi]

okidokie, just got back from hydro store and walmart. hydro store had these 4" cubes, and pots. pots have holes on the bottom. do they need holes on the sode of the bottom too? also i baught a ppm/ph calabrating solution. a new temp/hygrometer. and floroa nova green, for vegging. the pots are a little big for the cubes, so i guess ill be using my hydroton also. thwhite growing medium in the pictures was a freebie. i guess my hydro guy wants me to try it because the people he buys from is trying to sell them to him. do i need to start pre soaking the bigger cubes now? and clean my hydroton? whats next dirty? also i mocked up a pot with hydroton and cube, will this be ok? also i just places some filtered water in a container to soak the larger cube. whats should ppm, and ph be, 150-6.5 again? or should i wait to place 1.5" cube in larger one?

 

[DirtySouth]

Good deal.you hydroton is gonna be the most diff.to clean.The red powder will phuk up ur ph,so what I do is put them into the cont. they're gonna go in.put them in the tub(I use the tub alot 4 drainage purp.)get the water hot and rinse off.Try not to be to violent,the clay will break into tiny pieces.A lot of water.After you've rinsed until the water runoff is no longer red,gonna take a bit.Remove cont.,plug the tub,fill w/ hot water (fill till the hydroton is floating in the cont.@ this time raise and lower the cont. in the water,helps rinse off the last of the last.Drain the tub and repeat step 1,only w/ cold water.
As far as the cubes,set your ppm(150 all week ph 5.6-5.5-5.7 is cool),then ph(always ph after ppm).Use the 5 gal it'll work nicely.The cubes work better IMO is you just submerge 4 a few secs,remove,squeez out the water,then place in water and release(soakin water back in)If you soak for a while(as recommended on package,the cube will be to mushy 1/2 way through.
Can you see roots @ the bottom of smaller cube?As soon as,take the plastic off the small cube and put into the largewr.On the large cube leave only the top 1/3 of plastic on(make since,so the roots can grow out the side,gut leave top 1/3 to help deture pests.
Just weoke up,hit me back if its all jiberish to you.
FYI your ph kit will need to b updated asap.Thought u had the pen,oh well.Let me tell you why,your nutes are a dark liquid.The end result in your test is compare color w/ card to get your ph.Now with colored nutes,do you think its gonna mess w/ the readings? it does 4 sure.U'll be ok 4 now cause ur only using a-lil @ A TIME.dOWN THE ROAD U SHOULD GET A hANNA PH PEN$30.00 TO THE DOOR!The hps mh floro light all give a diff.reading depending on the light!

 

[loolagigi]

heres an update, i have a new addition to the family. the oldest one just barely has the taproot comming through, but i am afraid of light bothering the taproot. should i transplant into larger cube now? also my old temp, and r/h reader was crap. this one says its 79.9 at 51 percent r/h.:ignore:

 

[DirtySouth]

yes,transplant now,good deal.Cover w/ plastic once in bigger cube.
Your gonna need a calender,so you can record what worked and what didnot.when watering,you want to keep the ppm as close to home as possible.Home-I call home the target ppm,this week its gonna be 150.Ur roots will respond better this way.The idea is each week we'll gradually increase the nutes,if not you'll mostlikely burn the roots/leaves.As long as ur leaves show no sign of burn from week to week,we'll bump it up by a couple hundred each week.
What are you growing,ever grew it before or know anybody that has?I'm wondering how finicy they're gonna be.

 

[DirtySouth]

I have 3 Boysenberries that just popped,our kids'll grow up together,lol

 

[loolagigi]

Good deal.you hydroton is gonna be the most diff.to clean.The red powder will phuk up ur ph,so what I do is put them into the cont. they're gonna go in.put them in the tub(I use the tub alot 4 drainage purp.)get the water hot and rinse off.Try not to be to violent,the clay will break into tiny pieces.A lot of water.After you've rinsed until the water runoff is no longer red,gonna take a bit.Remove cont.,plug the tub,fill w/ hot water (fill till the hydroton is floating in the cont.@ this time raise and lower the cont. in the water,helps rinse off the last of the last.Drain the tub and repeat step 1,only w/ cold water.
As far as the cubes,set your ppm(150 all week ph 5.6-5.5-5.7 is cool),then ph(always ph after ppm).Use the 5 gal it'll work nicely.The cubes work better IMO is you just submerge 4 a few secs,remove,squeez out the water,then place in water and release(soakin water back in)If you soak for a while(as recommended on package,the cube will be to mushy 1/2 way through.
Can you see roots @ the bottom of smaller cube?As soon as,take the plastic off the small cube and put into the largewr.On the large cube leave only the top 1/3 of plastic on(make since,so the roots can grow out the side,gut leave top 1/3 to help deture pests.
Just weoke up,hit me back if its all jiberish to you.
FYI your ph kit will need to b updated asap.Thought u had the pen,oh well.Let me tell you why,your nutes are a dark liquid.The end result in your test is compare color w/ card to get your ph.Now with colored nutes,do you think its gonna mess w/ the readings? it does 4 sure.U'll be ok 4 now cause ur only using a-lil @ A TIME.dOWN THE ROAD U SHOULD GET A hANNA PH PEN$30.00 TO THE DOOR!The hps mh floro light all give a diff.reading depending on the light!

i have the ph pen, and tds. i baught the wrong item. what i wanted was the solution to calibrate the pen. ill have to return it. so, this is what i got from you so far.....soak large cube in 150-200 ppm, 6.5 ph water for 24 hours. rinse hydroton per your directions., cut off 2/3 of plastic from cubes, but leave 1/3 on top. anything else?

 

[loolagigi]

yes,transplant now,good deal.Cover w/ plastic once in bigger cube.
Your gonna need a calender,so you can record what worked and what didnot.when watering,you want to keep the ppm as close to home as possible.Home-I call home the target ppm,this week its gonna be 150.Ur roots will respond better this way.The idea is each week we'll gradually increase the nutes,if not you'll mostlikely burn the roots/leaves.As long as ur leaves show no sign of burn from week to week,we'll bump it up by a couple hundred each week.
What are you growing,ever grew it before or know anybody that has?I'm wondering how finicy they're gonna be.

ok, 150 this week. nope its bagseed, not sure of origin sorry.

 

[loolagigi]

Boysenberries thats awesome, hope there all girlsenberries. lol, ok ganna soak cubes, and clean hydroton.

 

[DirtySouth]

Boysenberries thats awesome, hope there all girlsenberries. lol, ok ganna soak cubes, and clean hydroton.

ME TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
Good deal