Live or Sterile? Why I choose Live

[Mikey6duece8]

I wouldn't. Throw it away. Just add some aqua shield to the water you are irrigating with.

Hello. I am completely new to this growing method. I plan on using this tea on my plants. I have a few questions I hope you dont mind. 1. When should you start using the tea on the plants? 2. I plan on using the method with the watering ring where the timer floods the cubes and it drains back to the reservoir now wouldnt the tea also drain back into the reservoir? 3. How frequently should I use the tea on the plants? I have been reading all your posts (thecapn) and I cant seem to find these answers. Thanks in advance. Mike.

 

[TheCapn]

Hello. I am completely new to this growing method. I plan on using this tea on my plants. I have a few questions I hope you dont mind. 1. When should you start using the tea on the plants? 2. I plan on using the method with the watering ring where the timer floods the cubes and it drains back to the reservoir now wouldnt the tea also drain back into the reservoir? 3. How frequently should I use the tea on the plants? I have been reading all your posts (thecapn) and I cant seem to find these answers. Thanks in advance. Mike.

Good questions!

1. When should you start using the tea on the plants?

From Day one. I even use it when I germinate seeds and when I'm rooting clones.

2. I plan on using the method with the watering ring where the timer floods the cubes and it drains back to the reservoir now wouldnt the tea also drain back into the reservoir?

Yes. But remember you're only pouring about 8-10oz of tea at the base of the plant. I do it after my daily irrigation so it doesn't get washed away as much. The microbes tend to "hold on" to the roots.

3. How frequently should I use the tea on the plants?

For healthy plants, once a week. For weak plants, or root diseased plants, 3 x a week.

It is difficult to use TOO MUCH tea. However, if you use too much (using a gallon at a time), you could experience PH swings.

 

[Mikey6duece8]

Good questions!

1. When should you start using the tea on the plants?

From Day one. I even use it when I germinate seeds and when I'm rooting clones.

2. I plan on using the method with the watering ring where the timer floods the cubes and it drains back to the reservoir now wouldnt the tea also drain back into the reservoir?

Yes. But remember you're only pouring about 8-10oz of tea at the base of the plant. I do it after my daily irrigation so it doesn't get washed away as much. The microbes tend to "hold on" to the roots.

3. How frequently should I use the tea on the plants?

For healthy plants, once a week. For weak plants, or root diseased plants, 3 x a week.

It is difficult to use TOO MUCH tea. However, if you use too much (using a gallon at a time), you could experience PH swings.

Thank you so much! Honestly if it wasn't for all the great information you provide I don't think I would even attempt such a grow method. The Internet makes things like this soooo much easier and free help from growers like you is PRICELESS in my opinion. Imagine trying to figure out all this stuff without any help or internet? Could drive a person nuts! I LOVE your work by the way and your methods. You are the MAN! Thanks again.
PS. Be warned I will have many more questions to come as I progress through my grow and continue to learn

 

[TheCapn]

Thank you so much! Honestly if it wasn't for all the great information you provide I don't think I would even attempt such a grow method. The Internet makes things like this soooo much easier and free help from growers like you is PRICELESS in my opinion. Imagine trying to figure out all this stuff without any help or internet? Could drive a person nuts! I LOVE your work by the way and your methods. You are the MAN! Thanks again.
PS. Be warned I will have many more questions to come as I progress through my grow and continue to learn

You're welcome Mikey. Before I planted my first seed, I read for 2 hours a night for a year. The problem was I had to sort thru the stoners to figure out which ones really knew how to do it, and which ones were just plain ole stoners. The thing is, most people who "really know how to do it", so not write on these forums. They are too busy growing. So it is tough to find good info.

Stop by my blog and drop me a question in the "open Q&A" blog entry.

 

[Michaelknight]

Hello cap'n
I've been battling my ebb an grow setup since converting to DIY 5 gal "monster" buckets couple months back. Enough to pull my plants an convert back to soil. In 2 weeks I plan to start everything back up an plan to follow your recipe to the T! My question is, is it okay to top feed my ebb an grow allowing to return to my res saying I have 40 gals in res an 8 plants most likely adding 1 cup of tea top feed as I do first flood of new res change once a week. tad confused as I got the idea you top feed-to-waste the tea.
I use house an garden aqua flake, biggest concern is over doing the tea.
Any advice would be appreciate
Thanks,
Mike

 

[TheCapn]

Hello cap'n
I've been battling my ebb an grow setup since converting to DIY 5 gal "monster" buckets couple months back. Enough to pull my plants an convert back to soil. In 2 weeks I plan to start everything back up an plan to follow your recipe to the T! My question is, is it okay to top feed my ebb an grow allowing to return to my res saying I have 40 gals in res an 8 plants most likely adding 1 cup of tea top feed as I do first flood of new res change once a week. tad confused as I got the idea you top feed-to-waste the tea.
I use house an garden aqua flake, biggest concern is over doing the tea.
Any advice would be appreciate
Thanks,
Mike

>>> is it okay to top feed my ebb an grow allowing to return to my res saying I have 40 gals in res an 8 plants most likely adding 1 cup of tea top feed as I do first flood of new res change once a week

I want to help, but I have NO idea what you're trying to say here.

 

[Blueballavngr]

Hey capt I have been using tea from day 1 on this grow. I know it doesn't help not knowing the soil as it was a two year compost of a truck load of lama poop, 50gal of rotten bait, restaurant scraps, sea bird, bone meal, alpha meal, humic, mycorrhizae, dirt and a bull dozed lol
I never did a soil test sooooo.... But this is my tea recipe, I use humic acid every other feeding, never dilute and never straight water. I use water from humidifier as it is lower ppm than tap and clean filter regurally. Any input on tea is welcomed and can I just switch the bat guanos ratio in flowering as dessert is 8-2-1 and cave 0-10-0
Recipe:
5 gal h2o
3c worm casting
1.5c dessert bat
.5c cave bat
5T seaweed extract
5T unsulfered molasses
2T kangaroot (about 20 strains of beneficial bacteria)
1.5T humic acid
5 drops super thrive
Brew 36-48
I have expanded the nursery so have to start a brew every day staggering in different buckets.
I have heard great things about great white but it isn't sold at any hydro stores in area so I use kangaroot
Is there anything I should chsnge for flower as it will be my first finish. Here are pics of mothers and nursery and the girls that will go into flower in the next few weeks

 

[TheCapn]

Hey capt I have been using tea from day 1 on this grow. I know it doesn't help not knowing the soil as it was a two year compost of a truck load of lama poop, 50gal of rotten bait, restaurant scraps, sea bird, bone meal, alpha meal, humic, mycorrhizae, dirt and a bull dozed lol
I never did a soil test sooooo.... But this is my tea recipe, I use humic acid every other feeding, never dilute and never straight water. I use water from humidifier as it is lower ppm than tap and clean filter regurally. Any input on tea is welcomed and can I just switch the bat guanos ratio in flowering as dessert is 8-2-1 and cave 0-10-0
Recipe:
5 gal h2o
3c worm casting
1.5c dessert bat
.5c cave bat
5T seaweed extract
5T unsulfered molasses
2T kangaroot (about 20 strains of beneficial bacteria)
1.5T humic acid
5 drops super thrive
Brew 36-48
I have expanded the nursery so have to start a brew every day staggering in different buckets.
I have heard great things about great white but it isn't sold at any hydro stores in area so I use kangaroot
Is there anything I should chsnge for flower as it will be my first finish. Here are pics of mothers and nursery and the girls that will go into flower in the next few weeks

Hi BlueBall,

I've grown in dirt, but I'm primarily a hydro guy so I might not be your best bet for advice on modifying the tea recipe. Looking at your ingredients, I would be more inclined to top dress with the bat guano (in flower) and the worm castings (any time) rather than put them in the tea. I know many people do brew guano in tea, but I don't know how well the beneficial microbes jive with it. You can use the heisenberg tea recipe as is, when growing in dirt. For great white, you can substitue any kind of mycos. You can also get the myco soluable from fungi.com. There is no reason to "brew" the seaweed and superthrive. They don't "feed" the tea and they don't benefit from being "brewed". You can add these directly to your nutrient mix every time you feed. I don't know about the humic acid. You may want to contact the company it came from.

I would rather start in small pots instead of putting the small plants in big pots. Roots tend to grow to the bottom and circle. So transplanting up, often, will help build a bigger root mass. In addition, it is difficult to water plants in large pots. The pots hold SO much water, that you won't be able to water for a week. During this time, the plant grows slowly. I find plants grow faster, the more often you can irrigate them. That's why hydro plants grow faster.

That said, your plants going into flower look amazing. Good job. You have a pretty large gig going there.

 

[Blueballavngr]

Thanks for the advice the steady incline in pots will def help the veg room and max out space. Idk y that didn't occur to me. Great input captn thanks.

 

[Michaelknight]

Sorry for the confusion, what I was trying to say is there will be 40 gal in my res. I have 8 plants in each ebb system all in 5 gal DIY "monster" buckets. My questions is would it be okay to top feed them an allow the tea to drain back into my res.? If so how much would you suggest? An would you dilute it before top feeding ( example 1 cup of tea diluted with 1 gal RO before top-feed)?
Any advice would be appreciated really looking forward to seeing my hydro girls going again

 

[TheCapn]

Sorry for the confusion, what I was trying to say is there will be 40 gal in my res. I have 8 plants in each ebb system all in 5 gal DIY "monster" buckets. My questions is would it be okay to top feed them an allow the tea to drain back into my res.? If so how much would you suggest? An would you dilute it before top feeding ( example 1 cup of tea diluted with 1 gal RO before top-feed)?
Any advice would be appreciated really looking forward to seeing my hydro girls going again

>>My questions is would it be okay to top feed them an allow the tea to drain back into my res?

Yes. In hydroponics, always top feed the tea right at the base of the stalk. 8oz per plant, once or twice a week is plenty. Don't dilute the tea. Using too much tea doesn't hurt the plant at all, but sometimes causes PH swings.

In Dirt, you can dilute the tea and flood the entire media, if you want.

 

[Gander]

Hi TheCapn,

Thank you for this thread and taking the time to help people.

I have suffered pythium, it seriously damaged my 6 10week veg beasts. All was fine until res temps got way high. I also believe the 40minutes it took for me to drain and change my Res was the cause, as the room was 30oC and the roots were out of water in this temps for too long.

I plan to brew my first tea this week. Ive read all your posts, i have a quick question. Am i best to put the worm castings in a sock and brew or best to filter after by simply pouring the tea through cheese cloth or a t shit?

M

 

[TheCapn]

Hi TheCapn,

Thank you for this thread and taking the time to help people.

I have suffered pythium, it seriously damaged my 6 10week veg beasts. All was fine until res temps got way high. I also believe the 40minutes it took for me to drain and change my Res was the cause, as the room was 30oC and the roots were out of water in this temps for too long.

I plan to brew my first tea this week. Ive read all your posts, i have a quick question. Am i best to put the worm castings in a sock and brew or best to filter after by simply pouring the tea through cheese cloth or a t shit?

M

>>>I also believe the 40minutes it took for me to drain and change my Res was the cause

Nah... if the water temp was over 73-75F.... it loses the ability to hold much oxygen at all, no matter how many bubbles you give it. Exposing the roots to the warm air won't hurt them, as long as they don't dry out.

>>>Am i best to put the worm castings in a sock and brew or best to filter after by simply pouring the tea through cheese cloth or a t shit?

If you are using ancient forest, I prefer to NOT put it in a sock to brew, and just filter it before you use it. If you're using straight worm castings, they get messy and float. Better use the sock method.

Radogast likes this.

 

[Gander]

>>>I also believe the 40minutes it took for me to drain and change my Res was the cause

Nah... if the water temp was over 73-75F.... it loses the ability to hold much oxygen at all, no matter how many bubbles you give it. Exposing the roots to the warm air won't hurt them, as long as they don't dry out.

>>>Am i best to put the worm castings in a sock and brew or best to filter after by simply pouring the tea through cheese cloth or a t shit?

If you are using ancient forest, I prefer to NOT put it in a sock to brew, and just filter it before you use it. If you're using straight worm castings, they get messy and float. Better use the sock method.

Radogast likes this.

Hey,

Thanks for the advice. Apart from having high res temps of around 24oC for a few weeks, I also had an issue with my system where the roots got too big and it caused one of the tubs water level to rise up to the stem. I am sure this caused the Pythium, the DO level must have been extremely low as i dont run airstones, i have a custom system that runs using spray bars.

Have you any experience with a product called TNC MycorrHydro, the TNC website gives advice to feed with TNC MycorrHydro until colony is formed then feed with their other product called TNC Bactorr.

Do you mind having a look on their website, i dont doubt their advice but im sure you would relate to it better than me.

 

[Michaelknight]

Okay thank you! An funny you said that was my next question, I have soil girls as well that veg in 2,5, then flower in 10..is the same 8 oz plenty for all stages.
My girls will be starting back up next Friday in hydro very excited to start brewing your tea!
Thanks again
Mike

 

[TheCapn]

Hey,

Thanks for the advice. Apart from having high res temps of around 24oC for a few weeks, I also had an issue with my system where the roots got too big and it caused one of the tubs water level to rise up to the stem. I am sure this caused the Pythium, the DO level must have been extremely low as i dont run airstones, i have a custom system that runs using spray bars.

Have you any experience with a product called TNC MycorrHydro, the TNC website gives advice to feed with TNC MycorrHydro until colony is formed then feed with their other product called TNC Bactorr.

Do you mind having a look on their website, i dont doubt their advice but im sure you would relate to it better than me.

>>>the DO level must have been extremely low as i dont run airstones, i have a custom system that runs using spray bars

In DWC I always run airstones, in addition to spraybars, or whatever else. The reason is... for nights like last night. My power was out for 6 hours. I can run a 8 watt air pump for about 24 hours and the DWC plant is happy as can be. I did some extensive testing with an expensive DO meter, and there was no method that worked better than the other. It is completely dependent on temperature.

See more here: Dissolved Oxygen Testing - Blogs - 420 Magazine ®

But back to your question:
>>Have you any experience with a product called TNC MycorrHydro

No I have not used this particular one. When I find something that works as good as the heisenberg tea, I normally stick with it. That said, there are dozens of these out there, and this one looks as good as any other. It's designed for hydro, and that's a requirement for you for sure.

 

[shaft09]

Next grow I go back to this tea recipe even if I go with dirt or hempy bucket in coco. Current grow is going good with dirt and coco hempy bucket, with 4 weeks to go. Will be the first time i made it all the way without some bs happening,lol.

 

[TheCapn]

Next grow I go back to this tea recipe even if I go with dirt or hempy bucket in coco. Current grow is going good with dirt and coco hempy bucket, with 4 weeks to go. Will be the first time i made it all the way without some bs happening,lol.

Try rockwool on your next grow. No BS. Just Chongers. The problem with dirt is you can't flush it out well enough. Nutrients build up, PH changes, etc... and you don't really know what's going on inside your container. With Rockwool, you can precisely control everything.

 

[shaft09]

I've considered using the little cubes you and AG use, but i had other stuff to try out since I already had it. Now just about all of that is gone, so the cubes might be the next thing to try. I know they work, and I'm still looking for the best way/ medium for me to grow in in the heat of the high desert. Maybe I'll give this a go on the next go round.

 

[Gander]

>>>the DO level must have been extremely low as i dont run airstones, i have a custom system that runs using spray bars

In DWC I always run airstones, in addition to spraybars, or whatever else. The reason is... for nights like last night. My power was out for 6 hours. I can run a 8 watt air pump for about 24 hours and the DWC plant is happy as can be. I did some extensive testing with an expensive DO meter, and there was no method that worked better than the other. It is completely dependent on temperature.

See more here: Dissolved Oxygen Testing - Blogs - 420 Magazine ®

But back to your question:
>>Have you any experience with a product called TNC MycorrHydro

No I have not used this particular one. When I find something that works as good as the heisenberg tea, I normally stick with it. That said, there are dozens of these out there, and this one looks as good as any other. It's designed for hydro, and that's a requirement for you for sure.

Hi Capn,

Thanks for the reply.

I need some advice, i have had root rot again on another attempt with DWC. I have tried to pinpoint why this has happened and without giving you the entire list i have narrowed it down twhat i think it may be.

Is it possible to make a BAD EWC tea and cause root rot. As the roots were fine for a few weeks then i noticed a very thin layer of what looked like slime on the end of the roots. I thought it was the bennies but it must have been slime.

This happened around a time i made a batch of tea. I added 2gallon RO water, 2 tspoon Microgrow bennies, tsoon TNC bennies, 20ml Molasses and 5ml of roots Excel. I brewed the tea for 48hrs with a small/medium sized airpump. The main difference with this batch compared to others i made was i tossed 2 cups of EWC into the bucket then i post strained. When i poured the tea onto the roots lots of EWC come out as i didnt strain it properly, could this have caused the slime?

Id be most gratful for your thoughts as i have stopped DWC until i can pinpoint my mistakes.