MGD420's Second Grow Journal
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- #42
MGD420
Well-Known Member
I'll have a look around the forum to see if there's any other grows that use the bato / dutch bucket method and have a read as its not something I've done before.
I've done it, but I wouldn’t recommend mine, unless it's the ways to screw it up. I landed up removing the 100 % perlite bucket.
A few members who've done it well to search for:
Hyena America (he did it in one of his earlier journals...well worth the read)
And I had the other one I know of bookmarked so here it is:
Thread 'White Widow, 2X4 Tent, Dutch Buckets, Budget Led' White Widow, 2X4 Tent, Dutch Buckets, Budget Led
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- #44
MGD420
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Thanks for the reply Rexer.
Here's hoping I don't screw mines up too bad.
I'll have a look for Hyena America. I had a read through pga caddie's white widow grow when I was searching on the forum. The setup is more or less what I had in mind, although the layout and equipment isn't exactly the same but it's definitely a bato / dutch bucket grow I'll be doing.
At the beginning I wasn't aiming to grow Dutch bucket and instead was just aiming for a hempy with 100% perlite but then began thinking with the grow being situated up in the attic it's probably going to be a lot easier at least maintenence wise as I won't have the same amount of water to drain or as often, the reservoir won't need to be filled as often for feeding either as it's recirculated and it should save on the amount of nutrients I waste and have to use.
i've grown a few styles. it's all the same work. it's just when it needs to be done, and how long you're at it when it happens.
if you want a set it and forget it - forget it. you can automate stuff up to certain point, but if you need it right $$$$ - much luck. you have to put it in to get it out.
if you want less frequent watering / feeding - go soilless hp / sunshine
if you want to mix feeding less often and love loads of gear - rdwc
if you want simple - hempy / coco
if you want to never mix feed but love shoveling soil together- super soils
if you love momma earth and are ok with shoveling making shitting your own soil - go los
it's all work. all in the same amounts. it's just where you put it and how often it occurs.
there's no such thing as i'm growing a plant by remote and a camera. and there's no fun in that.
just take a breath and jump in.
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- #46
MGD420
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If it wasn't in my loft and had easier access then I would have stayed with hempy, maybe even coco as its what I previously grew in so it's something I'm more familiar with.
I just won't have to haul hoses up a down ladders to fill buckets as often or drain them daily. If it was in the room or somewhere easier to access it wouldn't be as much of an issue but it's definitely not because I want a set it and forget it grow as I enjoy messing about with the plants it just needs to be practical for my needs not having easy access and discreet being a uk grower
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- #47
MGD420
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Have wrapped the table and drilled holes in the buckets for fitting some 16mm "OD" ppi tub outlets for drainage and connected them together using some irrigation pipe with a 16mm "ID" and T pieces that will connect to the drainage line that will run below the table.
Other than this there won't be any more progress until the beginning of next week.
Hopefully this time next week I should have most if not all of the pipe work done and can test it to see if there is any leaks and how well it drains etc.
Other than this there won't be any more progress until the beginning of next week.
Hopefully this time next week I should have most if not all of the pipe work done and can test it to see if there is any leaks and how well it drains etc.
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- #49
MGD420
Well-Known Member
Thanks oldmanjj
Hopefully the setup and grow turns out well without any major issues.
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- #50
MGD420
Well-Known Member
Finishing the rest of the pipe work tomorrow but have planted the seeds to get things going for the journal and have dedicated a small area in one of the cupboards in the bedroom for the seedlings using some reflective insulation and 6 small fluorescent lights to get them started.
For germination I used a small amount of coco for each pot and put it in the centre of the perlite to plant the seeds into.
Hopefully the seeds will germinate.
This time around I made sure to add labels so I don't mix up the strains like I did last time.
Strains I am germinating are all Phoenix Seeds.
2 × Big Yield Auto
2 × Strong Stuff
2 × Amnesia haze
2 × AK27 Express
2 × Super Kush
For germination I used a small amount of coco for each pot and put it in the centre of the perlite to plant the seeds into.
Hopefully the seeds will germinate.
This time around I made sure to add labels so I don't mix up the strains like I did last time.
Strains I am germinating are all Phoenix Seeds.
2 × Big Yield Auto
2 × Strong Stuff
2 × Amnesia haze
2 × AK27 Express
2 × Super Kush
nice. your labels look like cartoon talking bubbles. 
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- #52
MGD420
Well-Known Member
nice. your labels look like cartoon talking bubbles.
Thanks bluter.
Fleabay specials, cheap and cheerful, got about 100 for about £1.99.
I never really noticed but now you've mentioned that I might have some fun with with them throughout the grow
it's a great seedling space too.
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- #54
MGD420
Well-Known Member
Yea there's definitely enough space for a few small plants in the cupboard area and the shelfing is adjustable so will be handy for any future grows. I probably could have put the seedlings in bigger pots and got a bit more use out the area before having to move them up to the loft to transplant into the buckets.
Not sure how well the seedlings will do under the fluorescent bulbs though but I only plan on keeping them there for maybe a couple of weeks before moving them.
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- #55
MGD420
Well-Known Member
Woke up this morning to a couple of the seedlings greeting me a good morning.
Hopefully the rest follow suit soon.
Hopefully the rest follow suit soon.
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- #56
MGD420
Well-Known Member
Its amazing how fast a seedling can pop through the medium it's been planted in.
I now have 2 strong stuff and 1 big yield auto.
I went to get some shopping and by the time I got back a couple of hours later another seedling had popped through the perlite. This morning there was no sign of anymore ready to pop up.
I now have 2 strong stuff and 1 big yield auto.
I went to get some shopping and by the time I got back a couple of hours later another seedling had popped through the perlite. This morning there was no sign of anymore ready to pop up.
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- #57
MGD420
Well-Known Member
6 of the seeds popped, I think the other 4 might possibly be dud as there's still not sign of them sprouting. Will leave them another few days before germinating another 4
how long they been down ? i'd be patient.
if your media is loose you might have to go digging lol
sometimes they fall a bit and open under surface. it's happened to me a few times.
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- #59
MGD420
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Around 6 days. I did a bit digging today and like you mentioned they were a lot further down into the pot 1 has a tap root but 3 of them haven't cracked at all. Dropped the 3 that haven't cracked into some water, 2 sunk one floated.how long they been down ? i'd be patient.
if your media is loose you might have to go digging lol
sometimes they fall a bit and open under surface. it's happened to me a few times.
Have popped them into a tupperware tub and placed them on a heat mat. Don't really have high hopes for them but will leave them be for 5 or 6 days over the heat mat if I don't notice anything different I'll just toss them and start again.
The 6 that popped fine are getting a bit leggy under the fluorescent light so borrowing a blurple off a friend until they get transplanted into their buckets.
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- #60
MGD420
Well-Known Member
The 6 leggy seedlings that made it now under the blurple until they get moved up into the loft. Will try my luck and plant another 4 seeds at the beginning of the week and hopefully they all germinate this time.
