SAM's DRZ Aquaponics Mixed Strain Grow Journal - 2014

[SAMtheAPman]

Where:
Outdoors

What:
Dual root zone (DRZ) aquaponics

Why:
Aquaponics (AP) is great for green, leafy veg, but can sometimes lack when it comes to flowering/fruiting (due to nutrient deficiencies and excess nitrates/nitrogen). By adding the DRZ pots, we can feed non-aquaponics-friendly nutrients (ie. phosphorus) to the plants, while keeping the water healthy for the fish.

With the addition of pots, it should also make it possible to flush the plants at the end. This wouldn't really be possible with the regular flood-and-drain, gravel filled grow bed set up as the plant would die when removed.

Strains:
2 x Vision Seeds Northern Lights Auto Fem
1 x Vision Seeds AK49 Auto Fem (or possibly just another NL - there was a small mix-up)
4 x MED GOM 1.0 Auto Fem
2 x CBD Blue Shark Auto Fem
2 x CBD Critical Cure Auto Fem
4 x Strain Hunters Money Maker Fem

These are mainly indica dominant, with some being low THC/high CBD.

Water pH:
Currently 7.0, but usually 6.6


Here's the setup:

Overview:

Grow beds.


Fish (living nute factory).



Before:

Gravel/clay pebble filled grow bed.


Setting up the pots:

Lots of holes drilled for water flow (drilled to approx half way - from bottom).



Filled half way with gravel from grow bed (to top of holes).



Hessian added to pot to stop potting mix from entering gravel.


Filled top half with potting mix (1/3 each of coco coir, vermiculite and perlite).


After:




This is my first grow (although been growing veggies in AP for years) so it will no doubt involve some learning.

More to come....

 

[Beateo]

SAMtheAPman, Great start for your journal!

 

[SAMtheAPman]

I've used a variety of germination/sprouting techniques, from simply placing a seed in a jiffy pellet and watering, to soaking for 24hrs in RO water then placing in wet paper towel until root starts extending and then planting in jiffy pellet.

Most ways have been successful, but I think I had a bad batch (or they're super sensitive) of NL seeds as they only had a 20-30% sprouting rate. They would just start germinating, with the root extending, then stop. All the other strains seemed fine though.

I think my fav method is soaking for 12-24hrs, then into paper towel. I'm impatient so being able to see the germination process in good. The jiffy pellets seem to work well; convenient if nothing else. The roots do start coming out of the bottom of the pellet fairly quickly though, so have been transplanting into the DRZ pots after just a couple of days.

I did lose several newly sprouted plants to slugs. Declared a War on Slugs and took them down by inspecting the AP setup each night (this is when they feed). Killed 20-30 plus a few snails (all were then fed to the fish).

Jiffy pellet with CBD BS sprouting:


Newly transplanted CBD CC - 5 days since sprouting:


AK49 (or possibly NL - but looks different) - 5 days since sprouting:


NL - 2 weeks since sprouting:


NL - 2 weeks since sprouting (slightly eaten):


MM - 2 weeks since sprouting:

 

[SAMtheAPman]

It's a bit overcast here today so thought that I would tip the largest Money Maker. No room for it to grow straight up.

Before:


After:

 

[Beateo]

Nice! Great pics and good job on the trimming! Can't wait to see more.

 

[J189RFC]

I do like me an aquaponics grow I am really interested to see how well this works and see how the cannabis plants nitrogen fixing abilities would work in a mostly soil free environment. Have you had any issues with your nitrogen, Ammonia, nitrates and nitrite levels? (I think those are the ones right?)

 

[SAMtheAPman]

Hey J189RFC. Yes, those are the things we test in an AP system, along with pH and water temperature.

The only times I've had issues with ammonia was when I was slack and not keeping a close eye on how much I was feeding the fish (over feeding) in relation to how much grow bed volume I had. I don't think this affects the plants much though (could be wrong - long term wouldn't be good but the fish would die first). Usually you can smell the water being too "fishy", you do a test and find high ammonia levels, then empty out a third of the fish tank and replace with fresh water. This is usually enough to fix the problem (as long as you adjust your feeding rate).

Nitrites don't usually cause a problem because they are in the middle of the conversion process from ammonia to nitrates.

Nitrates are like nitrogen, so that's why the leafy greens go so well in AP. It's rare that nitrates will get too high (but it can happen). Sometimes they can be low if you don't have enough fish in the system or aren't feeding them enough (especially over winter).

At the moment, I've only got about 8 large perch in the main tank, along with 60 fingerlings in another tank (same system). This should be a good number of fish once the fingerlings grow a bit more. I'm feeding 2-3 times a day because it's nice and warm and the fish are hungry. This has dramatically increased my nitrates since winter, so the plants are looking better. There is still a bit of yellow in some veggie leaves, but I'm expecting this to decrease.

The mullies are looking good and I'm going to be dosing them with some extra nitrogen (blood meal) over the coming weeks. Going to push them harder than I usually do with my veggies. This is my first MJ and first DRZ grow (haven't used it for veggies either) so I'm still learning but really keen to see the results.

 

[Unfetteron]

Nice job! Very interesting grow method. I'm definatly going to stick around for the ride on this one.

 

[Slag121]

A shallow dish full of beer will get those snails!
I feel your current setup will be fine for Veg phase.
I suggest ,setup a separate Aeroponics rail for the bloom stage.
as you need max phosphates control.
Luck,
Slag

 

[SAMtheAPman]

I have read about the beer trick before. Might have to give it a go to get the last of the slugs (haven't seen any for over a week though).

The DRZ pots will be fine for phosphate control and will stop any nutes getting into the water. No need to add anything else.

 

[SAMtheAPman]

Put some blood meal in a couple of the DRZ pots today to give the plants an extra boost. Did a soil garden as well. Now my backyard smells like arse!

Apart from that, everything is looking good. The tipped Money Maker is growing really fast. Will get another few pics in the next few days.

 

[Lester Freeman]

Subscribed

 

[SAMtheAPman]

Put out a few trays of beer last night to try and catch some slugs. Worked well. There were a few around the edge before I went to bed (squashed them and fed them to the fish). And then this morning there were several in the trays:



Fatty:


Going to modify the traps slightly though, just because they could come for a quick drink then leave. Will bury some plastic cups in the grow beds so it's hard for them to climb out.

The tipped Money Maker is growing nicely. Much quicker than everything else.





Just learned about FIMing today. Going to try this with a couple of kush (vanilla and afghan) that I've just planted. Couple of weeks away from that though.

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Interesting grow method, DRZ is new concept for me & must admit i learned some thing new today


Not sure about the use of coco coir tho & the use of organic based granule/powder nutrients combine together ?

How ever a High Brix soil fortified with rock dust etc might be more suitable & may even mix some of the sludge from the bottom of the grow beds in with it as it will more than likely be full of beneficial microorganisms to help kick start the DRZ & decaying process of rock dust to make nutrients available to the plant.

Oh ye foliar feeding is another good option only really practical in veg tho.

 

[SAMtheAPman]

Thought that I'd try my hand at supercropping. The Money Maker that was tipped is going really strong so that's the one that I did it too. Felt so wrong "snapping" those branches, but I've read good things about it. Sorry, no before photo:





On another note, here's on of the Northern Lights Autoflowers, that's about 26 days old. It's only about 8cm tall and hasn't really stretched at all (not sure how much an autoflower will?), but it looks like it wants to start flowering:



Maybe it'll end up being one tiny little nug...

 

[Beateo]

Hey SAM!! Cool. My next grow is going to be auto AK-49. With your Northern Lights... do they typically flower so young? I'm glad I subbed! Take care.

 

[SAMtheAPman]

This is my first real grow of anything but the flowering time (whole life time I though) of the NL auto is only 56 days so maybe it's the right time. Just super small! Supposed to get to 70cm.

 

[Beateo]

This is my first real grow of anything but the flowering time (whole life time I though) of the NL auto is only 56 days so maybe it's the right time. Just super small! Supposed to get to 70cm.

Ok.. that makes sense. I'm really pumped about trying out these AK-49's! If these autos do well, I'll have to ask myself why go to all the trouble of growing anything else? It has been one hell of a learning experience though. I was hoping to have my current grow finished before Christmas but I may have waited too long to start the flowering for that to happen.... maybe New Years?

 

[SAMtheAPman]

I did overwater the NL seeds/seedlings at the start so that might be the problem.

Maybe your extra wait will mean extra buds

 

[Beateo]

How are things lookin' bro??