Testing 1-2-3-4, Testing

[ReservoirDog]

Top pic is fully assembled… a 17 gal tote nested inside a 27 gal tote. Second pic is then pulled apart. 6’ sections of per pipe help support the bottom of nested tote while two 7’ perf pipe section extend up through two central lg holes to act as wicks filled with soil. Drain is in outer 27 gal tote right below nested floor level and provides 1 inch air layer. You can do with single tote by cutting out lid to fit at chosen false floor level but nested totes are stronger with some weight carried along top edge where nesting totes rest against each other. Easier to replicate exact same reservoir size also. I prefer these perf pipes over the odd shaped net baskets I’ve showed prev. but I work with what’s avail. These actually hold over 6 gal this design. Hope that’s clear.

 

[CBDMed]

Yes, that's the SIP in the center compared to Fabric Pots. Huge difference.

Sí.

If you are going to use these buckets I would suggest Solo Cup to 1 gal. & then 1 gal. into the buckets.

Ok, that is good to know, thanks!

I did 2 gal. pots & they were hard to get in the buckets. From now on I'm using 1 gal.
The concern of Toxicity is because I'm using synthetic nutes & not Super Soil. I plan to stay with FFOF soil & Mega Crop. I'll use Silica, Nitrogen & Cal-Mag in Veg. Then Silica, Cal-Mag during the 3 week stretch, After that just Cal-Mag & Mega Crop. Sometimes during the last 2-3 weeks I add a bloom booster if I'm seeing yellowing on the upper leaves.

Ahh, ok! I still need time to catch up on the thread, and it looks to be an über-busy week, so I am not sure when that it going to happen, so may lurk until I can catch up.

I'm not really into the Super Soil too much.

I will use whatever works best. I just know ss from before. If you have something that works better for you, go with it!

I would like to learn how to reamend my FFOF though. I'll have to look up a How to do it on the net. I have about 30 gal. of FFOF in my compost bin I need to do.
I can't really say that FFOF & MC is better than Super Soil because I used the Super Soil incorrectly. I still have enough S.S. left to do one plant in a bucket so I'll probably do that next grow in one of the buckets to see how it goes. I'm just using FFOF in the Solo Cup & 1 gal. Pot though. Then S.S. & Re-Charge after that in the Bucket.

Ahh, ok! Good to know!

 

[Buds Buddy]

If there's a reason not to drill the drain hole, Buds, I'd really like to hear about it, otherwise, from my admittedly short grow experience (besides current indoor just a single outdoor tomato season), I can't think of why. Perhaps your precision level gauge gives you the confidence to maintain the air gap, and your apparent extraordinary cleanliness cannot abide the thought of some water escaping the system onto the floor. No shame in perfectionism, that's for sure. I think some photo awards are in order here, in fact.

If it's because you'd like to maintain adjustability, that is the capability to temp. remove the air gap for pest control or something, there are ways of accomplishing this and still having a drain hole. I favour a proper spout with 3/4' id PVC guarded by a tight nylon window screen to keep perlite et al from plugging. No thru-hulls needed just a 5' square piece of pool liner (black rubber 2-3ml thick), some good silicon goop, duct tape (duh) and excellent surface preparation. Not that I'd say no to proper thru-hulls, I just like to use up what I have on hand and have made dozens of the things successfully this way now over the years in many applications and I'm pinching every penny to get clear of my mortgage. Every little bit helps.

In the case of an over-fertilization or toxicity, I think you'd be pretty much done for in your current config. I'm also of the impression that the drain's airflow is of great benefit, note, however, that it is also a pest vector - but again, this can be mitigated. A simple siphon is useful for emergency draining, the type they sell at the wine store is very useful, very inexpensive, and serves well in taking reservoir samples. I use a battery-operated jerry can pump from amazon (or the siphon if my batteries are flat).

We ought to confirm this with Shed but I believe that what's important as the final measurement, PPM and pH-wise, is the grow matrix (soil), not the reservoir fertigation. My MC 2-part res is running at 560ppm, 7.1pH, but my peat mix slurries at 6.2 pH and 660ppm. The slurry I believe is primary. My peat mix has some mild org ferts, dolomite, and was buffered with some blue clay to increase cation exchange capacity. I'm still fine-tuning but see no major reasons why I won't succeed beyond the usual pitfalls.

There is certainly no arguing with your results, once again, well done. And a great thread. Thanks for making the effort. Best regards to you and yours.

***Actually, I just finished building a couple of new SIPs, I'll post pics in a new comment here, since I'm not current with a personal journal.****

I just forgot to drill the holes in the 2 buckets when I put them together. Too late after I had the plants in the buckets. I'll fix that for the next grow.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Well every time I think I'm close to harvest these 2 girls put out more white pistils. Looks like I'll have to start checking the Trichs to see where I'm really at. I'll do that this weekend. I'm not good with the microscope pics... but I'll try.... lol.
Tent is staying fairly nice. Running at 76.1 F & 45% RH. RH could be a little lower, but best it gets for now. It does sem like the plants are starting to drink less. The big girl was doing 2 gal. per day. It's about 1.5 gal. now. The little one was doing about 1 gal. per day & only doing about a 1/2 gal. now. I'd say that's an indicator that the end is nearing in. I'm sure I have to be within 2 weeks at the most. Looking forward to harvesting Big Momma. But going to hate the trim job she'll require ! But dying to know what kind of weight I get from her.

 

[Azimuth]

It does sem like the plants are starting to drink less. The big girl was doing 2 gal. per day. It's about 1.5 gal. now. The little one was doing about 1 gal. per day & only doing about a 1/2 gal. now. I'd say that's an indicator that the end is nearing in. I'm sure I have to be within 2 weeks at the most.

I think the standard advice on this site is always "looks like about another 10 days" regardless of where you are in the process or what the plants look or smell like, or how much they're drinking.

Looking forward to the results. Great job, Buds!

 

[Buds Buddy]

I think the standard advice on this site is always "looks like about another 10 days" regardless of where you are in the process or what the plants look or smell like, or how much they're drinking.

Looking forward to the results. Great job, Buds!

Yeah, I give that advice out myself. When you think it's done, give it 1 more week. But they do drink less near the end.

 

[CBDMed]

Great looking buds, Buds!
I am trying to find food grade plastic buckets here in Colombia, but they are nowhere to be found. I can find normal plastic buckets (not food grade), which is less than ideal, but I can probably fashion a fabric pot liner and cut a hole in the center for the 3" net pot.
I can order them in, but shipping gets prohibitive.
If I am going to have to fashion something, then is 5 gallons an ideal size? Or would 7 gallons be better?
And is there some way to treat non-food-grade plastic, to pre-leach all of the oils and such out of it?

 

[Bill284]

Great looking buds, Buds!
I am trying to find food grade plastic buckets here in Colombia, but they are nowhere to be found. I can find normal plastic buckets (not food grade), which is less than ideal, but I can probably fashion a fabric pot liner and cut a hole in the center for the 3" net pot.
I can order them in, but shipping gets prohibitive.
If I am going to have to fashion something, then is 5 gallons an ideal size? Or would 7 gallons be better?
And is there some way to treat non-food-grade plastic, to pre-leach all of the oils and such out of it?

5 gal isn’t bad but if you had 7 I’d use the 7.
If you can get it.
Just thinking your going to reuse them so 7.
I don’t know about leaching.
I’ve used buckets before many times without even thinking.
But no I’ll effects.
Plastic down there made different?

 

[CBDMed]

5 gal isn’t bad but if you had 7 I’d use the 7.

Ahh, ok, good! Thanks!

If you can get it.
Just thinking your going to reuse them so 7.

Well, ok. I am not sure what I can get, I will have to check.

I don’t know about leaching.

I’ve used buckets before many times without even thinking.
But no I’ll effects.
Plastic down there made different?

Well, some think yes, most think no, so I think maybe it might depend on who you ask.
Probably 95% of people would never even ask about a food grade bucket, and US/Canada buckets are pretty high quality to start with, compared.
But for example, they don't put mayonnaise into an ordinary bucket, because it is made from petroleum, and it oozes and offgasses petroleum derivatives into the food product (especially when they are new). Some of them can cause men to grow breasts. I don't know if you know anything about the BPA health scare of a few years ago, but a lot of people are concerned about environmental pollutants.
For example, i am mildly autistic. They don't know what causes it, but they suspect chemicals and environmental pollutants as one of the primary culprits, so yes, I am perhaps more aware of the issue than most. And I know I don't get to tell anyone what goes into their body, but if it is going in my body, I want it as free and clean from chemicals and pollutants as I can reasonably get, because I don't need to aggravate my condition any.
Back when he was living, my dad used to talk with me about how they used to think asbestos and DDT were both great! And they were touted as the new wonder building materials, and the new wonder pesticides. And then they started seeing abnormal levels of birth defects where the two things were used.
That story made a big impression on me, given that they think autism might be caused by environmental pollutants (and vaccines, for what it is worth).

But the reality is that it will cost about $70 a bucket to get food grade buckets here, and that is out of reach. So probably what I will do is to wash the buckets real good, set them in the sun, and then wash them again. And probably that is what I will need to use (or something like that), because I can't pay $140 for two 5 gallon buckets, times 20 plants. No way. That is outside the budget.
So probably a fabric pot in a clear plastic bucket is the next best thing. And then I put something to shade the roots.
Maybe little Japanese blinds, or something? Haha.

 

[Buds Buddy]

I buy My buckets at the hydro store. Have no idea if they are food grade. Only $5 each. A 5 gallon only holds about 3.5 - 4 gal. Of soil. I'd get in 7 gal. If possible.

 

[CBDMed]

I buy My buckets at the hydro store. Have no idea if they are food grade. Only $5 each. A 5 gallon only holds about 3.5 - 4 gal. Of soil. I'd get in 7 gal. If possible.

Yeah, ok. Thanks!

 

[Buds Buddy]

I'll be damned ! Stopped at the Hydro store today to get 4 more buckets. They went up to $11.97 ea. Didn't buy them.
Ordered a 10 pack off Zon for $40.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Looks to me like I start harvesting next weekend. Here are some Trichome pics. What you think.... next week ?

Pics of the plants tomorrow. Working on a Pre-Harvest Defol before I take pics.

 

[InTheShed]

Next week works for me!

 

[Azimuth]

Looks to me like I start harvesting next weekend. Here are some Trichome pics. What you think.... next week ?

I'd say 10 days.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Cool ! Looks like I'm closing in on the finish . I have 3 of them to harvest so I'll start with the one not in this journal.
Takes me about 2 days to harvest a plant as it kills my back. I end up with a knot in my lower back or shoulder area every time. I was going to buy an electric trimmer, but I don't really care for drying in a net drying rack compared to hanging the branches. I may have to reconsider. Anyway, if I start next weekend it will take a good week to harvest 3 plants for me. That big one might take 3-4 days. I did get the defol done on all 3 today.

 

[Krissi Carbone]

Buds,

This grow is so high up in the grow game! Look at all these girls, not to mention the Aurora in the water reserve pot! Holy moly!

Hope that your wife is better and that your trip to the doctor for yourself went well.

Loving the new @Mars Hydro set up you have going on in there!

I'm getting an SP3000 soon to journal and review and I'm going to be asking you questions about it! It was back and forth with the FC3000 and the SP series, I just really wanted to try out the SP!

Wish I had gotten here sooner but thanks for the great commentary throughout and awesome pics!

 

[Buds Buddy]

Buds,

This grow is so high up in the grow game! Look at all these girls, not to mention the Aurora in the water reserve pot! Holy moly!

Hope that your wife is better and that your trip to the doctor for yourself went well.

Loving the new @Mars Hydro set up you have going on in there!

I'm getting an SP3000 soon to journal and review and I'm going to be asking you questions about it! It was back and forth with the FC3000 and the SP series, I just really wanted to try out the SP!

Wish I had gotten here sooner but thanks for the great commentary throughout and awesome pics!

I had the FC-E3000 & I like the SP3000 better. But I'm using it in a 2x4 tent. The FC is for a 3x3. I'd still prefer the TSW2000 over the FC3000 for a 3x3. Mostly because of the hoods pushing the light downward onto the plants.

 

[CBDMed]

Looks to me like I start harvesting next weekend. Here are some Trichome pics. What you think.... next week ?

Pics of the plants tomorrow. Working on a Pre-Harvest Defol before I take pics.

Wow, those pictures look good!

 

[bluter]

Well, some think yes, most think no, so I think maybe it might depend on who you ask.
Probably 95% of people would never even ask about a food grade bucket, and US/Canada buckets are pretty high quality to start with, compared.

we get the same buckets you do.
if you get them from any major retailer they should be the same. they are all made in china or mexico. i use wastebaskets from the dollar store. they'd be the same there as here.

don't worry so much over the food grade.