DobeWan's Perpetual Adventure

[Asesino85]

Thanks Ase! Glad to have you on board for another kick at it!

My rationale for continuing to feed the modified Lucas formula is this. In my first grow, I kept changing up what I fed as I went, rather than keeping things simple. Problems resulted, and it was hard to identify root cause. I wanted to get a grow done start to finish with a stable regimen, without having those problems before switching up what I feed. So I've kept things simple with the plants currently flowering.

CalMag was added mid veg, but otherwise everything has remained the same. Here's the feeding schedule I've used for round 2.

0.5 ml/l Potassium Silicate (1.9 ml/gal)
1.3 ml/l CalMag (5 ml/gal)
1.6 ml/l Micro (6 ml/gal)
2.4 ml/l Bloom (9 ml/gal)

At week 3 flower (last night for LA2/KK), I've now added:

1.8 ml/l KoolBloom (7 ml/gal)

I have fed on a 3 days on, 1 day off (plain water) schedule. pHed to 5.8 every time. My experience has been vastly different from round 1. I've actually been able to feed the nutes as intended, instead of having to dial them down to a fraction of the intended amount of nutes.

From what I've watched of Neil / LEDRF he pretty strongly advocates feeding only CalMag, a standard A+B like Micro/Bloom, and a PK booster like KoolBloom - he uses other brands but the concept is the same. I saw his approach as a good justification to my line of thinking.

I'm open to switching up my feeding for round 3 given that round 2 has been going well so far, and with the new seedlings I have fresh canvases. But I'm in no rush, and would otherwise not switch until round 4 when I know for sure where things stand with round 2 and my stable schedule. Because of this I haven't done much research.
Is there something specific you'd suggest?

Yeah you basically learn that when it comes to base nutes that it is all the same stuff. The Micro and the Bloom have Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorous. So the concept is you don't need a 3rd nute and can cut it out and just run Micro and Bloom for simplicity. Calmag and a boost are essential so you have everything you essentially need. I'm a huge advocate of Floralicious+ and Rapidstart/GreatWhite (just for veg) as well. A huge difference in the growth of your plants with those 2 additions. They don't really effect the NPK or PPMs either so still keeping it simple.

I read an article and put together an N-P-K ratio/schedule that is in the beginning of my perpetual journal. There are times you'd rather boost Nitrogen in veg. There are times where you want the N-P-K to be even during transition. In flower Potassium and Phosphorous should be higher and that's why you got the boost which is essential. You can actually do what I am talking about with just Micro and Bloom but I added Grow back into my lineup to help with weekly N-P-K manipulation. You just have to know how to calculate N-P-K and do a little math and it's not too bad.

The Lucas formula uses just the same N-P-K ratio for veg and then uses a different ratio for flower. It also means the plants get the same PPM the whole time too. To me it's the most basic but plants need boosts in these categories at different periods of their life. It'd be like eating the same meal everyday that had just the essentials. For normal activity that might be fine but if you had a soccer match or track event you would need more carbs before the match to have enough energy. A normal diet would lead to being a little starved and out of energy during the match. Those boosts and being able to supplement are key to maximizing yield and quality. Check it out and let me know if you have any questions. Even if you don't want to use it now it's something to think about as you advance forward!

 

[Lady G2HM]

Violator Kush

Breeder: Barney's Farm

This heavy-producing indica-dominant plant grows short with big leaves, thick stems, and bushy growth. Buds are heavy and must be staked for support.

The finished plants display extraordinary densities of trichomes. A musty smell & taste. The effect is couch hugging comfort. Grows short with well developed side branches.

Malana X Hindu Kush
80% Indica / 20% Sativa
Flowering Time: 7 - 8.5 weeks
Yield: 600+ g/m2​

Origin: Seed, planted 8/26/2017

I'm familiar with Violator Kush from its availability in dispensaries over the winter. My dispensary VK was fantastic - it had the heavy Hindu Kush stone, and taste, but after curing it in glass for a couple of months it tasted of cherries.

Violator Kush is intended to be a nighttime med, a knockout for my IBS, and a strain to use to make oil.



Candida

Breeder: Medical Marijuana Genetics

This vigorous high CBD strain has impressed with its growth and stability in production. In testing THC levels have never yet exceeded 1% and CBD levels have tested between 11% and 20% making it one of the first CBD dominant cannabis strains in history.

With a ratio of 20:1, the high CBD levels and their associated anti-psychotic capabilities outweigh the relatively small amounts of THC removing the "high" and providing the patient with a non-psychoactive cannabis Sativa L plant.

Mostly Sativa
Flowering Time: 9 weeks
Yield: high​

Origin: Seed, planted 8/26/2017

My wife has Rheumatoid Arthritis that is not yet controlled by her medication. She started experimenting with cannabis as a treatment for flares and had promising initial results. We need a strain we can blend with my THC strains in the form of flower, oil, and topical lotion. Candida looks like a perfect fit.


And that's it for the veg tent as we get started on the perpetual adventure.

*VK - Come to think of it, I've had this strain. They listed it on the dispensary board last time I was there but they only called it "Violator." After reading your discription I recognized the effect. I always seem to pick out the kush strain no matter what. This was my go-to heavy meds for a good year and until they stopped bringing it in, then they went to "Pink", which turned out to be Pink Kush. It's a top contender when you need to battle the pain demons. Highly recommended, gotta put that down on my list, now that you have it.

*Candida, wow, putting this one on my list for sure. I can see how seed buying is addictive. Is there a strain to tackle this problem...lol

I think the same thing could happen in the US as parents become less likely to put their kids in American football. I've stopped watching the NFL - I used to be a big fan - because I don't want my kids interested in it. I know some of my friends, especially those who had concussions in their playing days, who are worried about their kids playing hockey too. Not that soccer doesn't have concussion risks too of course, they're just not as pronounced as in football and hockey.

*Just gonna say that I have had 4 major concussions from soccer, will save stories for my next journal. But it's a brutal sport for head collisions. All I'm gonna say is that there is a reason why the goalie of Arsenal wears a soft helmet while he plays. Now stating that fact, soccer will outgrow american football one day. I highly recommend it over AF. And you're right, out of the 3 sports, your kids safety is less jeopardized in soccer. But soccer is the only sport that requires hard impact headers and unpadded goal posts. Soccer all the way!

From what I've watched of Neil / LEDRF he pretty strongly advocates feeding only CalMag, a standard A+B like Micro/Bloom, and a PK booster like KoolBloom - he uses other brands but the concept is the same. I saw his approach as a good justification to my line of thinking.

*That is KEY information for my grow, thanks for writing that. Hey toasty, or Vex, this explains my former yellow plant.

Yeah you basically learn that when it comes to base nutes that it is all the same stuff. The Micro and the Bloom have Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorous. So the concept is you don't need a 3rd nute and can cut it out and just run Micro and Bloom for simplicity. Calmag and a boost are essential so you have everything you essentially need. I'm a huge advocate of Floralicious+ and Rapidstart/GreatWhite (just for veg) as well. A huge difference in the growth of your plants with those 2 additions. They don't really effect the NPK or PPMs either so still keeping it simple.

I read an article and put together an N-P-K ratio/schedule that is in the beginning of my perpetual journal. There are times you'd rather boost Nitrogen in veg. There are times where you want the N-P-K to be even during transition. In flower Potassium and Phosphorous should be higher and that's why you got the boost which is essential. You can actually do what I am talking about with just Micro and Bloom but I added Grow back into my lineup to help with weekly N-P-K manipulation. You just have to know how to calculate N-P-K and do a little math and it's not too bad.

The Lucas formula uses just the same N-P-K ratio for veg and then uses a different ratio for flower. It also means the plants get the same PPM the whole time too. To me it's the most basic but plants need boosts in these categories at different periods of their life. It'd be like eating the same meal everyday that had just the essentials. For normal activity that might be fine but if you had a soccer match or track event you would need more carbs before the match to have enough energy. A normal diet would lead to being a little starved and out of energy during the match. Those boosts and being able to supplement are key to maximizing yield and quality. Check it out and let me know if you have any questions. Even if you don't want to use it now it's something to think about as you advance forward!

*more pivotal information. I totally get this when you put it in sports terms. Wow, I never thought I could learn this way. I should make my next journal soccer related, geez, you've really inspired me. Thank you for such an organized journal, very easy to understand.

*L...I...V E...R...P Double OO, L, LIVERPOOL FC! 4-0 win over Arsenal. Klopp (LFC coach) was clapping! Yay BUuuut, Arsenal gave it a good go, couldn't capitalize. Which I have to say were a good team, just too many errors. The Arsenal goalie was on his game today too. Just Unlucky... my former scottish coach would say. Meet you for sunday dinner at your house to talk about that game.
Good chattin'

 

[Asesino85]

*more pivotal information. I totally get this when you put it in sports terms. Wow, I never thought I could learn this way. I should make my next journal soccer related, geez, you've really inspired me. Thank you for such an organized journal, very easy to understand.

*L...I...V E...R...P Double OO, L, LIVERPOOL FC! 4-0 win over Arsenal. Klopp (LFC coach) was clapping! Yay BUuuut, Arsenal gave it a good go, couldn't capitalize. Which I have to say were a good team, just too many errors. The Arsenal goalie was on his game today too. Just Unlucky... my former scottish coach would say. Meet you for sunday dinner at your house to talk about that game.
Good chattin'

Just trying to make it relate-able somehow. Everyone learns differently! I wish people treated soccer here in the states like you guys live and breathe it over there. Appreciate the comments on the organized journal. I had to write a lot of it out beforehand and save the first couple of posts. Then I had 7 hours to get it all on the forums before it locked the editing. Luckily I got it all in there in time and I like the way the beginning of it turned out at least!

 

[gtrmike470]

Thanks Ase! Glad to have you on board for another kick at it!

My rationale for continuing to feed the modified Lucas formula is this. In my first grow, I kept changing up what I fed as I went, rather than keeping things simple. Problems resulted, and it was hard to identify root cause. I wanted to get a grow done start to finish with a stable regimen, without having those problems before switching up what I feed. So I've kept things simple with the plants currently flowering.

CalMag was added mid veg, but otherwise everything has remained the same. Here's the feeding schedule I've used for round 2.

0.5 ml/l Potassium Silicate (1.9 ml/gal)
1.3 ml/l CalMag (5 ml/gal)
1.6 ml/l Micro (6 ml/gal)
2.4 ml/l Bloom (9 ml/gal)

At week 3 flower (last night for LA2/KK), I've now added:

1.8 ml/l KoolBloom (7 ml/gal)

I have fed on a 3 days on, 1 day off (plain water) schedule. pHed to 5.8 every time. My experience has been vastly different from round 1. I've actually been able to feed the nutes as intended, instead of having to dial them down to a fraction of the intended amount of nutes.

From what I've watched of Neil / LEDRF he pretty strongly advocates feeding only CalMag, a standard A+B like Micro/Bloom, and a PK booster like KoolBloom - he uses other brands but the concept is the same. I saw his approach as a good justification to my line of thinking.

I'm open to switching up my feeding for round 3 given that round 2 has been going well so far, and with the new seedlings I have fresh canvases. But I'm in no rush, and would otherwise not switch until round 4 when I know for sure where things stand with round 2 and my stable schedule. Because of this I haven't done much research.
Is there something specific you'd suggest?

I have to jump in here and fly the Botanicare flag. Simple 1 bottle mix + your choice of obvious, as well as not so obvious additives. My biggest, healthiest, best tasting by far yeild so far!! I was GH before this, and used Green Air Products back in the 80's & 90's.

 

[DobeWan]

Good food for thought, thanks Ase. I certainly won't be limiting myself to the Lucas formula indefinitely. I like the idea of adding things that won't affect PPM too - that's something I can easily do in round 3 without rocking the boat too much.

The one thing I have been noting is the difference in PPM requirements at different stages. In week 3 I have most definitely had to cut things down a little from the last week of veg and first week of flower. Do you think the PPM target ranges GH mentions in their feeding schedules are a good frame of reference for trying to get PPM into the right range? Or do you have a good PPM target? I'll have a look back at your thread for some insights.

 

[Pennywise]

Most products i can't run ppm antwhere near what the manufacrurer suggests.

 

[DobeWan]

*VK - Come to think of it, I've had this strain. They listed it on the dispensary board last time I was there but they only called it "Violator." After reading your discription I recognized the effect. I always seem to pick out the kush strain no matter what. This was my go-to heavy meds for a good year and until they stopped bringing it in, then they went to "Pink", which turned out to be Pink Kush. It's a top contender when you need to battle the pain demons. Highly recommended, gotta put that down on my list, now that you have it.

I like Pink Kush a lot too, but my experience is similar to PW's in that it reeeally encourages me to sleep, maybe more than any other strain I've had. That's not a bad thing, just makes it very targeted. I expect Violator Kush to be a little more versatile, but I haven't ruled out growing Pink Kush.

*Just gonna say that I have had 4 major concussions from soccer, will save stories for my next journal. But it's a brutal sport for head collisions. All I'm gonna say is that there is a reason why the goalie of Arsenal wears a soft helmet while he plays. Now stating that fact, soccer will outgrow american football one day. I highly recommend it over AF. And you're right, out of the 3 sports, your kids safety is less jeopardized in soccer. But soccer is the only sport that requires hard impact headers and unpadded goal posts. Soccer all the way!

Good point, and I know it's common in minor soccer these days to ban heading the ball, to avoid having kids competing for headers and increasing their injury risk. Of the sports I played as a kid baseball was probably safest, but also was less fun. I guess any sport has risks, it just feels like soccer is a far better sport for kids when it comes to risking head injuries than American football and hockey.

*more pivotal information. I totally get this when you put it in sports terms. Wow, I never thought I could learn this way. I should make my next journal soccer related, geez, you've really inspired me. Thank you for such an organized journal, very easy to understand.

Ase's journal is definitely one of the best!

*L...I...V E...R...P Double OO, L, LIVERPOOL FC! 4-0 win over Arsenal. Klopp (LFC coach) was clapping! Yay BUuuut, Arsenal gave it a good go, couldn't capitalize. Which I have to say were a good team, just too many errors. The Arsenal goalie was on his game today too. Just Unlucky... my former scottish coach would say. Meet you for sunday dinner at your house to talk about that game.
Good chattin'

You're just being nice now. Arsenal was awful. I had to turn it off around the 60th minute!

 

[DobeWan]

I have to jump in here and fly the Botanicare flag. Simple 1 bottle mix + your choice of obvious, as well as not so obvious additives. My biggest, healthiest, best tasting by far yeild so far!! I was GH before this, and used Green Air Products back in the 80's & 90's.

I meant to ask, mike, what shop you use. Brite Lite is most convenient for me but I'm down to check out others.

 

[Lady G2HM]

It's great to read everyone's perspective. I resonated with Ase's explanation because the Dwarf Star Light that was made by LEDRF comes with specific feeding recommendations. I completely missed his recommendation my plant went yellow, after Ase's breakdown of LEDRF's recommendations, it explained where I went wrong. Therefore, after correcting the amount in my calmag; I am hoping to avoid repeating my error. I have to say that I'm learning so much here. Really great space.

 

[DobeWan]

Most products i can't run ppm antwhere near what the manufacrurer suggests.

GH suggests a range and the upper and lower bounds can be far apart - like upper 50% greater than the lower. I'm within their week 3 flower range at least but I wouldn't feed any more than I have been feeding.

 

[DobeWan]

It's great to read everyone's perspective. I resonated with Ase's explanation because the Dwarf Star Light that was made by LEDRF comes with specific feeding recommendations. I completely missed his recommendation my plant went yellow, after Ase's breakdown of LEDRF's recommendations, it explained where I went wrong. Therefore, after correcting the amount in my calmag; I am hoping to avoid repeating my error. I have to say that I'm learning so much here. Really great space.

I'm all about learning G2HM, and super lucky to have great teachers following along here. I try to make a point of asking lots of questions too, and these guys haven't told me to take a hike yet, so I'll keep asking!

 

[Pennywise]

Intelligence is not knowing but asking, ignorance is not knowing and not asking.

 

[Lady G2HM]

Intelligence is not knowing but asking, ignorance is not knowing and not asking.

 

[Asesino85]

Good food for thought, thanks Ase. I certainly won't be limiting myself to the Lucas formula indefinitely. I like the idea of adding things that won't affect PPM too - that's something I can easily do in round 3 without rocking the boat too much.

The one thing I have been noting is the difference in PPM requirements at different stages. In week 3 I have most definitely had to cut things down a little from the last week of veg and first week of flower. Do you think the PPM target ranges GH mentions in their feeding schedules are a good frame of reference for trying to get PPM into the right range? Or do you have a good PPM target? I'll have a look back at your thread for some insights.

My schedule has targets for PPM and N-P-K. I'm never exact in either measurement but I get close. There are times if a strain is showing a little burn that I will back off or give a low nutrient balanced flush. I haven't looked at the recommended range for GH for a while but they are always too high. It is kind of like seeds never actually finishing on the week that they say on the package. Most manufacturers put dates 2 to 3 weeks early to get you to start over and keep growing, causing more purchases. Nutrient companies want you to use more then plants need so you have to buy more. I think I remember using 1/2 recommended and then bumped it up to 2/3 in mid flower or something. This is where my "Less is More" saying comes from on my signature. Plants really don't need a ton to grow and we often times overdo it.

 

[DobeWan]

A quick photo update tonight, captured just before lights on in the flower tent and just after in the veg tent.

First up, flower tent.

Kushy Kush and LA Confidential are at 17F. Chocolope is at 7F. The 24K2 clones are at 5F.

LA Confidential

Kushy Kush, looking awesome

Veg tent

We have liftoff! Gorilla Glue and Violator Kush came up on their own without issues. Candida needed water droplets and tweezers to coax her shell off. Critical's head is not above the coco yet but I'm assuming she'll straighten up with the light now on her.

Thanks for following along everyone!

 

[gtrmike470]

I meant to ask, mike, what shop you use. Brite Lite is most convenient for me but I'm down to check out others.

I go to horticulture emporium on Richmond Rd. Denis is a great guy. Very knowledgeable. Small shop. He won't upsell you.

 

[DobeWan]

Thanks Mike, I'll check him out some time.

All 4 seedlings are up this morning - round 3 is officially underway!

 

[FatNeil]

I'll tag along. Quite interested in those strains

 

[DobeWan]

I'll tag along. Quite interested in those strains

Glad to have you on board FatNeil! Welcome! Assuming you're a Community fan, are you also a Dan Harmon fan? And by extension a Rick & Morty fan? It's just about my favourite thing on TV now.

 

[Pennywise]

Great start Dobe