Vlad's Colombian Gold Grow - Aeroponic - LED - DIY Reloaded

[VladimirPutin]

 

[VladimirPutin]

Okay so it has been 6 days since the new hydroponic nutrients were given to the plant. I understand it takes a week for deficient plants to respond accordingly. Today the root structure looks strong and clean, getting bigger by the day, and the new canopy leaves don't show signs of sickness. However I still have the old growth in place that looks like crap but I am still unsure about clipping it off. I'd rather wait until the leaves loose their grip on the stalk, what do you think?

Today is day 6 on the reservoir, only topped up with PH'd water. I plan on letting the reservoir continue being suckled on for another week as the plant begins to get big, and then after that change I will change it every 7 days, as nutrient uptake increases.

I plan to grow it out another 2 weeks, so I can take a clone and that is when I will move to 12/12

Vlad

 

[TheRoach]

what method will you use for cloning?

 

[matticusss]

Sounds like a good plan

 

[VladimirPutin]

what method will you use for cloning?

I was thinking about upgrading my airpump. The current one would be donated to the clone department which will consist of a certain volume of water that will be aerated and the container black to block any light from reaching the fresh cut. I subscribe to the theory that the clone will have more success the less foliage it has on it, so I was thinking of leaving just 2 nice leaves and the growing tip. The light would be very low intensity to avoid leaf droop. I understand that adding some bloom nutrient at a weak concentration helps stimulate root growth. I cannot get rooting hormone. I'm hosting my 2nd day of a weekend party and the people are getting slammed by my homemade hooch. Just taking a break to roll one and chat with my homies.

Vlad P.

 

[VladimirPutin]

for aesthetic reasons it is tempting to remove those damaged leaves but they are still holding onto the stalk which means they are still helping nutrients pump to the canopy and the plant still has nutrients stored in them... So I will let them stay until they are ready to drop. I hope my reservoir contains enough rich nutrients for another week. I originally filled it with 6 liters of nutrient dosed water at %100 dose according to the manufacturer. I think it will be fine.

 

[VladimirPutin]

crappy news, my analog timer for the low pressure pump is failing, and it was only used for one grow before this one. I noticed that I could hear the click every 15 minutes but uhh.... no waterfall. So right now my grow is working like a shallow DWC. How is that possible that a 9 watt pump can burn out a simple analog 24 hour timer?! pisses me off this china crap. oh well... I digress. I have to go to bed and I think I will just plug the pump in and see what happens... ;;sigh;; I don't want to mess up the temps. We will see tomorrow and I plan on opening up the timer to see what went wrong.

EDIT...
so I spun the timer around clock wise through a 24 hour cycle and the pump started cutting on and off again. Maybe just dirty contacts. Will break it down tomorrow and show photos if something is found. obviously the thing is no longer reliable as is.

Vlad.

 

[VladimirPutin]

The plant has grown a lot since the journal started just 7 days ago.

So I took the timer apart and wasn't disappointed. It is just a glorified analog clock with little fingers that trigger a relay. The manufacturer even closed the thing with 4 security screws to avoid opening with regular screw drivers. It seems that today's industries just want us to buy their crap, use it a little bit and then throw it away and buy a newer one.


The problem was that the timer face with the interval keys was not perfectly flat and there was some raggedy plastic debris causing the keys to not engage the relay. I used my vaporizer wand to heat up the plastic ring a bit and then bent it back into shape. well after 10 minutes the thing went back together and works normally. Great, because the plant was not hurt by that bout of dryness.

Also I changed the airstone yesterday. Apparently if you don't change them every month they can cause your pump diaphragm to blow out. My airpump is on its last legs anyway so as said before I will move it to the humble clone department and get a noisy beast. This is what I was thinking of getting:

(also made in China, wow who would have known!!!)

Vlad

 

[VladimirPutin]

have a look at the that stem. nice!
(it's upside down) Is it my lucky day that photos are uploading upside down?

 

[TheRoach]

That is looking so much better bro! I'm glad you are doing much better with the new nutrients! Reps+ for your success. Regards!

 

[matticusss]

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товарищ

 

[VladimirPutin]

lol! thanks comrades. I have a burning question so I need your help. I DO have a strange deficiency lingering around this plant, it seems to be slowly creeping to some other leaves that used to be fine. I thought it could be a micro nutrient deficiency so I just injected 3 ml into the reservoir. Is this a calcium or mag def.? If it is, isn't their something at the pharmacy that I could pick up and dose the reservoir with? Thanks in advance. I want to keep the show going strong, the roots look and smell great and are growing longer every day, the only part of the plant bothered are some older leaves.

 

[VladimirPutin]

Okay I got the answer. I've decided to go tomorrow and pickup an easy cheap chinese ph pen because that's what I've seen on hand. Either the Cal/Mag is locked out or it is not there. Might as well buy a bottle of ph UP too because I already have DOWN. Stay tuned, more updates coming tomorrow then!!

Vlad

 

[VladimirPutin]

I am now convinced that hydro is impossible without the precious ph meter. how embarrassing... I want this grow to blast off and give me excellent buds. I found one online for $20, as an emergency and hope to be in contact with the vendor the next morning so I can pick it up right away and fix this mess.

 

[CCOiler]

Good job on getting the PH pen, I read a long time ago that the first thing a grower should invest in is a pen. Your going to have a great harvest Vladimir, stay with it.

 

[TheRoach]

I have this ph meter, it needs a replacement probe and storage solution, besides calibration solutions... it is an awesome meter and was very expensive, but I realized that replacing the probe and getting the other stuff will cost me more than a new meter (not this one obviously)
That was one of the reasons i stopped growing hydro and switched to soil! ph testing and calibration was too much for me!

 

[VladimirPutin]

very nice Hanna, TheRoach. yes, I understand they need to be stored in buffer solution and never allowed to dry out once wet. oh well, just part of the game so it seems! nothing has ever been easy for hydro for me, I have yet to win a hightimes worthy plant from hydro, this is the first time I'm making as much effort as I can to develop a working system that can deliver a very nice plant, thanks to what I have learned reading threads here on 420.
The store said they are closed tomorrow for personal reasons. I told them politely that is not convenient for the consumer but we closed the deal anyway. $20 and I get it on Wednesday. Maybe tomorrow I cut off the light and let her take a break until the pen gets here.

Vlad

 

[VladimirPutin]

For those following my journal and also learning about hydro, here's a good article from 420. The good stuff starts at Post #2 and #6 is gold. I will be using this as my guide for when I get the pen in 2 days.
Hydro Nutes and pH
Vlad

 

[matticusss]

yeah vlad that's a great thread I read that one too before I got my meter. Did you find out what the lingering deficiency was?

 

[CCOiler]

That was a greatlink Vlad and there was a couple more links as you read through it. Thank you. +reps.