FF Ocean Forest as is? Or need to add to it?

[McBudz]

Heading to the hydro store again. Picking up Ocean Forest soil. Question is should I use it straight from the bag as is or would it help to add amendments to it as well such as more peet, perlite, dolomitic lime, guano, fish or kelp meal, greensand etc?

Also is this the best soil to go with or am I better off with pro-mix are any other flavor of FF? I've seen some grows on here with FF Ocean Forest and have not heard any complaints.

Basically starting over with some new plants and applying my lessons learned. I want to make sure I do everything right this time.

Thanks

[DaMagoMan]

nada, at least I don't.
just start feeding after a week or two.

[GreenLeaf-420]

I had a lot of issues due to FF. I made the change to sunshine #4 Mix amazing and not as high of a runoff as Pro... W/ Pro the runoff straight out of the bag w/ out any salt build ups is 7+++... Now with the Sunshine #4 Awsome shit... FF you experience a lot of issues if you like going hard w/ nutes I spoke to the head of HF and they are aware it is LOCK OUT not defeciencys... Yet all people try to treat it as though it is... IMO for the money if you are going w/ supp NUTES and dont want problems do not use FFOF... Other people sware by it and just deal w/ the early issues...

Well anyway Good Luck GL!

[McBudz]

Originally Posted by GreenLeaf-420

I had a lot of issues due to FF. I made the change to sunshine #4 Mix amazing and not as high of a runoff as Pro... W/ Pro the runoff straight out of the bag w/ out any salt build ups is 7+++... Now with the Sunshine #4 Awsome shit... FF you experience a lot of issues if you like going hard w/ nutes I spoke to the head of HF and they are aware it is LOCK OUT not defeciencys... Yet all people try to treat it as though it is... IMO for the money if you are going w/ supp NUTES and dont want problems do not use FFOF... Other people sware by it and just deal w/ the early issues...

Well anyway Good Luck GL!

What kind of issues? Are you saying FFOF causes lockout due to salt buildups from heavy nutrient use or pH? FF advertises there soil at 6.3 to 6.8 which I thought was optimal for nute intake.

[DaMagoMan]

going hard w/ nutes

when you start at full strength instead of quarter strength.
(I think)

[StonerGrower]

Ocean forest can be used right ou the bag...I like to add a little bit of perlite.

[getsumkin]

i used 80% ffof and 20% of sum cheapo soil..seems to work well

[Racefan]

I've been using FF ocean forest for years and love. NOT ONCE have i ever had a problem with it. But then again...I know thaat there isn't a need to "go hard" with the nutes. Less is best and too much is a waste.

[BlackThumb]

The OF by itself can get a bit dense/heavy, and stay wet for some time after a thorough watering. You will get use to the needed watering cycle if using right out of the bag, like you get used to anything else used regularly.
If you want to lighten the mix, use the FF Light Warrior. I mix 2 or 2.5 parts OF to 1 part of LW with great results. The plants love it, probably the extra oxygen available to it.

[McBudz]

Originally Posted by BlackThumb

The OF by itself can get a bit dense/heavy, and stay wet for some time after a thorough watering. You will get use to the needed watering cycle if using right out of the bag, like you get used to anything else used regularly.
If you want to lighten the mix, use the FF Light Warrior. I mix 2 or 2.5 parts OF to 1 part of LW with great results. The plants love it, probably the extra oxygen available to it.

Interesting... Thanks for the advice

[BlackThumb]

^My great pleasure to assist where possible to get your 2nd grow off to a great start.

I also concur with DMan above that any lockout is surly more of a function of the nute solution you are pouring into the OF rather than the soil medium itself. I have never experienced anything like the problems stated above unless going hot with nutes.

I run my hydro at 5.8ph and the soils at 6.3ph without issues. Well, dirt issues anyway, I still do stupid stuff. You hit that one on the head as well by applying what you experienced during grow #1. Amazing how quickly you recall personal mistakes over simply reading about others isn't it!

OK, you got your ammo, so run to the store to get your dirt and stick those seeds in there. We are now waiting for photos. :-)

[McBudz]

Originally Posted by BlackThumb

^My great pleasure to assist where possible to get your 2nd grow off to a great start.

I also concur with DMan above that any lockout is surly more of a function of the nute solution you are pouring into the OF rather than the soil medium itself. I have never experienced anything like the problems stated above unless going hot with nutes.

I run my hydro at 5.8ph and the soils at 6.3ph without issues. Well, dirt issues anyway, I still do stupid stuff. You hit that one on the head as well by applying what you experienced during grow #1. Amazing how quickly you recall personal mistakes over simply reading about others isn't it!

OK, you got your ammo, so run to the store to get your dirt and stick those seeds in there. We are now waiting for photos. :-)

Got 5 white widows and 3 Northern Light/ BigBuds in some rock wool as we speak :) They will be planted straight into the OF. Thanks bro. Some bud closeup picks going up on my journel in a few minutes.

[BlackThumb]

Awesome, we'll be checking them out.
I assume that this will be your 1st attempt to grow a White strain. Be prepared for some fussy little buggers. They want what they want when they want it, you only need serve on demand as you figure out the need. They are not patient plants. I know most seed banks list them as Easy-Medium in the difficulty scale, but based on my experience, I would start at Medium. Perhaps yours will go better as we still must factor in my stupid in the formula.
Kind of watch that and let us know how you would compare as grow completes.
Looking forward to it now Bro. Best of luck.

[McBudz]

Originally Posted by BlackThumb

Awesome, we'll be checking them out.
I assume that this will be your 1st attempt to grow a White strain. Be prepared for some fussy little buggers. They want what they want when they want it, you only need serve on demand as you figure out the need. They are not patient plants. I know most seed banks list them as Easy-Medium in the difficulty scale, but based on my experience, I would start at Medium. Perhaps yours will go better as we still must factor in my stupid in the formula.
Kind of watch that and let us know how you would compare as grow completes.
Looking forward to it now Bro. Best of luck.

My first white. And I have plenty of my own stupid to factor in, just hopefully not as much that I put into my last/current crow. I wouldn't call it a failure though if I can take something from the experience and apply it the the next.

[GreenLeaf-420]

There is a certain beautiful simplicity in this. And this is the EXACT reason I keep a trusty bottle of Algoflash or GH Micro around. Micronute foliar feeds ftw! They buy you time to discover the PROBLEM while you treat the SYMPTOMS.
I no longer use FoxFarm because of the lockouts I was getting at normal application rates. I think that if you use it, you should get on a feeding schedule that includes a HEAVY watering every couple weeks with pH adjusted plain water to runoff, checking the pH of the runoff afterwards.

You know that FoxFarms is not OMRI certified, right? It's organic based, but not technically organic.
Along those lines, Botanicare Pure Blend Pro is also organic-based. I find it easier to work with, as you are more likely to get DEFICIENCIES than lockouts, and those are easy to treat.

I know some people do okay with FF, but how much saved money is worth the headache of sick plants?


I was running a nice commercial set up 100+ Plants some SOG and others in 5 Gallons... Does anyone know of anyone using FFOF for commercial growing? I just can not see spending all that money to purchase soil that needs to be washed out till balanced...

I know so many people using it on smaller levels can stand by the product and can make it work...

I'm not knocking it I just do not beleive in the products... That's just MO...

Good Luck to all

GL1