Hempy Headquarters

[Azimuth]

I posted this to another thread and it was suggested that I post it here as well:

You really can’t grow at your best in hempy without a good pH meter.

In hempy, aim for 5.8 after mixing all nutrients. It’s okay to go as low as 5.6 once in a while, but since anything in the reservoir will drift up, never go over 6. Really try to hit 5.7-5.9 in flower. The plants will need daily fertigating, so it’s important to be consistent and accurate.

Another point - If you know that your water quality/pH is consistent, you only really need to measure/verify your final pH whenever you increase the fertilizer dose - it shouldn’t change in-between. So it isn’t as labor-intensive as one might think. It isn’t like maintaining a DWC or Flood/Drain reservoir.

And in said other thread, you analysed the various nutrient levels of a certain mixture suggesting some were too high/low, etc.

Can you lay out what we should be looking for for targets?

 

[Azimuth]

Got my replacement meter today and gave them their first proper pH'd watering at 5.82.

And so it begins....

 

[FelipeBlu]

And in said other thread, you analysed the various nutrient levels of a certain mixture suggesting some were too high/low, etc.

Can you lay out what we should be looking for for targets?

I like a NPK ratio around 5-1-6, Ca around 80-90ppm, Mg around 40, Fe at least 2, and complete micros. 50ppm N for seeding to early veg, 100ppm for mid-veg, 150ppm for late veg and flowering. At 150ppm N, P would be about 30 and K around 180ppm. Few strains will need more.

 

[Azimuth]

I like a NPK ratio around 5-1-6, Ca around 80-90ppm, Mg around 40, Fe at least 2, and complete micros. 50ppm N for seeding to early veg, 100ppm for mid-veg, 150ppm for late veg and flowering. At 150ppm N, P would be about 30 and K around 180ppm. Few strains will need more.

Perfect! Thanks.

 

[easyryder]

Been a while since I've posted here on 420Mag. These Hempys are my current run in a 3x3 with a VS4000 (400watt) and Maxibloom nutrients.

FAT BANANA, STRACCIATELLA, LEMON BUBBLE, FRENCH MACARON, ROYAL COOKIES

All five girls were germinated in paper towels and then put straight in the 2 gallon Hempy bucket with a 50/50 Perlite/Vermiculite mix. They have all been topped three times to make 8 mains. Switching to 12/12 next week.

 

[Rickle Piiiiick]

Been a while since I've posted here on 420Mag. These Hempys are my current run in a 3x3 with a VS4000 (400watt) and Maxibloom nutrients.

FAT BANANA, STRACCIATELLA, LEMON BUBBLE, FRENCH MACARON, ROYAL COOKIES

All five girls were germinated in paper towels and then put straight in the 2 gallon Hempy bucket with a 50/50 Perlite/Vermiculite mix. They have all been topped three times to make 8 mains. Switching to 12/12 next week.

50/50, that's alot of vermiculite. Is it really dry where you're growing?

 

[FelipeBlu]

Welcome back Easy!


Looking great!

 

[easyryder]

50/50, that's alot of vermiculite. Is it really dry where you're growing?

I chose a 50/50 mix because sometimes I leave for a few days at a time and I don't want them drying out when I'm gone. So far they've been without water for 3 days and they could easily go longer.

 

[Azimuth]

If perlite wicks so well, why is it that there's a noticeable growth spurt when the roots hit the reservoir? Maybe there's enough moisture to keep the roots from drying out but not enough actual water for growth??

 

[TorturedSoul]

It doesn't, not really. A few inches, maybe, at a guess. I mean... If you pour three inches of water into a five- gallon bucket, then pack it with perlite, I wouldn't expect you to return a few hours later and discover that the perlite at the top of the bucket was damp.

If this was in regards to the "Why 50% vermiculite question," If it was my plant, I wouldn't have gone with more than 20% or 25%. But that's just me. I would want to have to add nutrient solution every two days or so, in order to add more DO to the root zone.

 

[raziel819]

Whew, just made it all the way thru. Yep, yep there's a lot of good info here wish this journal was around when I started hempy back in '16.

 

[raziel819]

I have 3 girls in hempy buckets right now. 2 photo's and 1 auto. All are about 8" tall right now the photo's are in 5 gal buckets and the auto is in a 2 1/2 gal bucket all are being quadlined.

1st up.... Zkittlez

2nd Super Skunk

and finally..... Super Silver Haze auto

 

[FelipeBlu]

You have 5-gallon hempy buckets in a tent? Don’t veg too long..

 

[Azimuth]

You have 5-gallon hempy buckets in a tent? Don’t veg too long..

 

[raziel819]

You have 5-gallon hempy buckets in a tent? Don’t veg too long..

Thanks for dropping me a comment...
It's not a tent, my house is over 100 yrs old and my girls live in a converted coal room (4' x 7' x 6.5') in the basement. With that being said, I'm trying quadlining (training method) on all of my girls and from the looks of it that should keep "all" of them well under 5' tall even that sativa in the 2 1/2 gal pot. In previous hempy grows I only topped my girls and then let them go and there was only a few times when they got taller than 5' 6" but even then I would only let them veg for about 6 or 7 weeks max. These girls IMHO should do well, after all I have another 2 weeks of veg time to go, but I'm waiting on my auto to start showing some buds before I flip everyone to 12/12.

 

[FelipeBlu]

Cheers!

 

[Azimuth]

How long after adding pH Up/Down should I wait before trusting the reading? Seems like it takes some time to stabilize.

Also, seems like pH down is MUCH more impactful that the up. Am I seeing that right?

 

[FelipeBlu]

I mix and pH the day before I need it. I initially pH to 5.5 and 24 hours later it’s stable at around 5.8

 

[Azimuth]

Ok, thanks. So the 3-5 minutes I give it is probably not sufficient?

That actually might explain some of the challenges I've been having. Not seeing the great plants everyone else is and maybe it's my pH is not anywhere close to what I think it is.

 

[easyryder]

Update on my current Hempy run at Week 9 (Day 17 Flower)

Started growing in soil about 12 years ago and switched to Hempys this year. Not sure I'm ever going back, this is just too easy and too good!