NorthernCosmos' First Indoor Soil Auto Grow: 2019

[CraZysWeeD]

our lifeblood - water is a serious business

That's right and we all to often take it for granted...

I'm off to buy proper tools!

Now this is a must if you are going to play pump technician!

I'm pumping water again!

Great you got it working again and the bottom valve seems to be holding the water pillar for the pump.

The result is that the movements made as I worked on it caused rust flakes to drop off from the underside of the shutoff valve (1). I can peel off rust from it with with my fingers, and it feels like I'm about to break the pipe. So now there's a leak where the valve connects to the pipe The leak rate is ca. one drop per second. It occurs to me that this is probably too much to hope that it gets plugged by mineral deposits from the inside(?) While I could take on the switch replacement, replacing that rats nest requires materials and tools that I don't have - I'll most likely need a professional to do that.

This is the downside of having a sump for the pump to sit in when doing fixes, unusual to have the pressure vessel down in the pit as well. This setup looks like it would need some serious tlc NC... By the looks of that old pressure switch its no wonder it gave up... You could use some help with getting this installation safe and secure for the future, looks can deceive and it could last years still but if you got leaks from just doing this to it probably needs some attention. Get an opinion from a plumber, its never fun when things break at the wrong time, like in the middle of winter.

It seems so complicated, I admire people who can fix things themselves

It looks more involved than it actually is, you have other capabilities than fixing plumbing I can guarantee this.

Problem with MacGyvering things is just what NC is experiencing now with a problem occurring in another place in the chain.

Damn you Murphy...

 

[NorthernCosmos]

This is the downside of having a sump for the pump to sit in when doing fixes, unusual to have the pressure vessel down in the pit as well. This setup looks like it would need some serious tlc NC...

It's supplying two houses and a (defunct) stable, and it was meant to supply two other houses (they have their own well now though). I guess that's why it' generously dimensioned with everything being in the pit and pipes going in every direction to the various buildings . I'll keep an eye on that leak. If it gets any worse a pro is definitely needed before the winter.

Working down in the pit is not optimal - one have to be a contortionist to replace pipes in there. I now appreciate the concept of a pump house!

The plants got water from their usual source again yesterday. I'm sure they were like "Man, that bouquet, been missing the good stuff!"

 

[CraZysWeeD]

I'll keep an eye on that leak. If it gets any worse a pro is definitely needed before the winter.

Working down in the pit is not optimal - one have to be a contortionist to replace pipes in there. I now appreciate the concept of a pump house!

You could tape it with vulcanizing tape for a temporary fix until you decide to upgrade the system. You probably only need new pipework and maybe a new pressure vessel. I think you could do all this with plastic PEX or PEM hoses with valves so it wouldn't cost a fortune to do it, wish I was more closely for consulting. I would probably not be able to perform the acrobatics involved to get the job done like the contorio..... fuck that was a weird word. LoL But I'm good at pointing my pinkie....

The plants got water from their usual source again yesterday. I'm sure they were like "Man, that bouquet, been missing the good stuff!"

Haha LoL probably. Well water is great for plants, hate watering the garden and plants at the house with processed water with hypochlorite in it.

 

[NorthernCosmos]

There's nothing like a Sunday walk in the woods!

...and a couple of Js and a portable hi-fi takes it to the next level - it may even be the greatest reward for growing

 

[CraZysWeeD]

Awesome and see you got a glimpse of good weather!

 

[NorthernCosmos]

It's day 85 for the Stardawg and the Bluberry Gum. They're close now, a week or thereabout until the chop. Both have fair trichome coverage, but the Stardawg (apparently it got that name because of extreme trich density...) is not as trichy as the Blueberry Gum.

I fear that one cola on the Blueberry Gum may have rot, or at least it looks very much like what I experienced in my previous bud rot episode. At least it's still dense and solid, and not bursting open. Could be just yellowing... Another thing about the BBG is that is seems to have had P deficiency - not having any particular P booster at hand, I've been giving it extra flower nutes, banana water and coffee grounds.

Stardawg and Blueberry Gum:

I dearly hope this isn't bud rot on the Blueberry Gum - will find out in a few days:

Stardawg:

Blueberry Gum:

And finally the Babushka Blacks at day 42 - a little thirsty in the pic methinks, but they'll be perky again tomorrow:

 

[CraZysWeeD]

Still looks very good Cosmos, weather during summer is really promoting things to go bad in some way... hope the rot isn't too bad.

 

[NorthernCosmos]

Yeah... I'll have a look a few times every day to monitor that suspicious cola. I'm close to just snipping it off in a preemptive strike, but that might also be too drastic, seeing as there was no spread of the rot last time. We'll see...

 

[NorthernCosmos]

There has indeed been an outbreak of bud rot in the Blackberry Gum. I've taken it out of t he tent and snipped off a few colas, some major and a few smaller ones. I'll chop it in a day or two... or... - would like to see more amber, but also wondering if I should chop right away in case the rot is likely to appear in the rest of the plant(?)

On the bright side the remaining plant smells delicious and is very sticky - definitely worth saving if possible!

 

[CraZysWeeD]

f-ck man... that is no fun situation, but you seem to have things under supervision Cosmos so the rest is probably going to be OK. But you are not running any humidifiers now, right?

 

[StRoostifer]

Bummer about the bud rot man but it’s good that you caught early enough to save the rest of the plant.

cool journal dude, I’m gonna pull up a chair if that’s alright.

 

[NorthernCosmos]

But you are not running any humidifiers now, right?

Not now, but I was until a little while ago, probably too long into the humid season. For the last few weeks, the ambient humidity has been in the 50%-60% range.

cool journal dude, I’m gonna pull up a chair if that’s alright.

Thanks! And of course you're more than welcome

I'll take the bud rot as one more lesson. After two such incidents I'll hopefully be able to spot it even earlier if (when...) it strikes again. Of course it's probably best to get the humidity down when there are plants in late flowering.

Anyway, it's good to be in a position where I can shrug it off, with a good stash and more plants in the tent - all is good, life goes on

 

[CraZysWeeD]

Not now, but I was until a little while ago, probably too long into the humid season. For the last few weeks, the ambient humidity has been in the 50%-60% range.

Well better late than ain't... I stopped bothering about the humidity if its over 20-25%, ran a humidifier as well but it just gave me problems as I think I told you before. It also clogs carbon filter and makes it less effective but I guess that's not a big issue for you in a house.

Of course it's probably best to get the humidity down when there are plants in late flowering.

Big cojones makes for big trouble with high humidity as they are harder to vent through and dry in a tent.

Anyway, it's good to be in a position where I can shrug it off, with a good stash and more plants in the tent - all is good, life goes on

You are well set now Cosmos! I'm almost completely out of stash now, just got three small buds from Holy Punch, Kali's Mistery and Spliff Berry left and a few grams of Kief. But on the other hand I haven't smoked anything now for almost 2 months. No screening yet though on my first visit to the evaluation...

But I'm very set on getting going again... just don't know where yet. I'm in the position if too or not to start disassemble the grow and packing it up for a future move maybe to more greener pastures.

 

[NorthernCosmos]

It's harvest day and it's a tent-record! The Stardawg that started out as a sickly, mutated little thing gave me 400g wet & trimmed, 15g popcorns and a ca. 10g throw away cola that looked suspiciously like it had beginning bud rot (contaminated by the rot in the Blackberry Gum?). That's the most I've had from a single plant. The Blackberry Gum gave 380g, but of those 100g had bud rot and was thrown away.

The buds are very sticky, and the Blackberry has a particularly nice smell to it - it may actually be a berry'ish smell. If the dry flower comes out with the usual 25% weight, it'll be a good addition to my stash. I also got more & more sugary trim than previously. I'm quite happy with this harvest, not least because there are two new strains up for tasting

Pre chop, Stardawg left and Blackberry Gum right:

Post chop, Stardawg left and Blackberry Gum right:

In the drying box - and I'm in luck, the ambient RH is 50% :

 

[CraZysWeeD]

Great results Nc, I'm not 100% sure on this but I think its possible to use rot damaged buds for oil making it might also been mold.... I'm sure Shed knows this, I threw away my damaged goods as well when it happened to me. But I also sold mold infested weed once, I even read some people are looking for weed with mold. The idea with that is higher potency from what I read.

Anyway congratulations to successful harvest of yet some more weed.

 

[NorthernCosmos]

Good point about oil - I've already buried the infested buds though. The buds are super juicy, so perhaps 100g might have produced a useful amount? There were two big colas where I only found rot in one spot, sort of in between a couple of nugs, but not taking any chances of the rot spreading I dumped it all.

I did hear about "mold-hash" in my younger years, but I think I'll pass on that sort of stuff

 

[StoneOtter]

I fear that one cola on the Blueberry Gum may have rot,

Hi NoCo, when I've had rot before I got my trimmer scissors and cut the rotten nugs out to save the rest of the bud. I spray with water to wash any nasty away.

 

[StoneOtter]

Beautiful harvest ya have hanging NoCo!

 

[NorthernCosmos]

Hi NoCo, when I've had rot before I got my trimmer scissors and cut the rotten nugs out to save the rest of the bud. I spray with water to wash any nasty away.

OK! I was thinking about doing just that, but I'm too unsure about the potential for spread - I mean there are some spores somewhere... But as you say, a little selective cutting followed by washing the good buds might be just fine. Should H2O2 be used in those cases, or does it not kill mold spores?

 

[CraZysWeeD]

not taking any chances of the rot spreading I dumped it all.

Better be safe than sorry when dealing with rot!