The Gee Spot - You Finally Found It

[Azimuth]

The lights just turned on. You nailed it with this post

I think I've been hung up focused on the fact that the plants look very healthy and robust in veg and at the end of a grow there is no sign of root issues and therefore the water dynamics are working great. And that's probably true for the plant, but not the engine that is the microbes.

And the scorecard there can be monitored by brix levels, just as water levels can be measured by a moisture meter. And my brix level of 5, which those that follow such things think is too low that maybe the device needs to be calibrated, says something is dramatically amiss.

In your response to Jon you detail how the process should play out in organics, and I think I have everything in place to have the engine humming along, but it lacks the fuel (O2) to kick off the process.

So, once oxygen is allowed to spark things off we'll have a better idea of whether or not the mix is right judging by how the engine performs. Maybe it needs a tune-up, but likely not a major overhaul.

But, none of that can be judged until the engine turns over and we can listen to it hum or sputter, the sound of which will be brix levels. That won't tell us what might be wrong, just whether or not it is functioning at a high level or not.

Given my very low starting base number of 5, the engine hasn't even started yet so I'm really looking forward to watch that play out.

As for the calcium in the soil, I have added the main 4 in what I think are adequate amounts given various recipies I've read from The Rev and Coot and others, so maybe the lack of O2 has impeded its ability to act as the magnetic charge fluffing the mix? Is that dependent on microbes to kick off or simply more the balance between cal and mag?

 

[Gee64]

I think I've been hung up focused on the fact that the plants look very healthy and robust in veg and at the end of a grow there is no sign of root issues and therefore the water dynamics are working great. And that's probably true for the plant, but not the engine that is the microbes.

And the scorecard there can be monitored by brix levels, just as water levels can be measured by a moisture meter. And my brix level of 5, which those that follow such things think is too low that maybe the device needs to be calibrated, says something is dramatically amiss.

In your response to Jon you detail how the process should play out in organics, and I think I have everything in place to have the engine humming along, but it lacks the fuel (O2) to kick off the process.

So, once oxygen is allowed to spark things off we'll have a better idea of whether or not the mix is right judging by how the engine performs. Maybe it needs a tune-up, but likely not a major overhaul.

But, none of that can be judged until the engine turns over and we can listen to it hum or sputter, the sound of which will be brix levels. That won't tell us what might be wrong, just whether or not it is functioning at a high level or not.

Given my very low starting base number of 5, the engine hasn't even started yet so I'm really looking forward to watch that play out.

As for the calcium in the soil, I have added the main 4 in what I think are adequate amounts given various recipies I've read from The Rev and Coot and others, so maybe the lack of O2 has impeded its ability to act as the magnetic charge fluffing the mix? Is that dependent on microbes to kick off or simply more the balance between cal and mag?

Almost nailed it. The Oxygen is for the microbes. They are BENEFICIAL AEROBIC SOIL MICROBES if you want their full name. They breath air like us. With out air aberobic processes start. The microbes bind the oxygen to the food. It comes out as oxygen rich poop. The plants will only eat something that has oxygen combined with it. It's their flag that it's safe to eat. That way they can avoid the poop of the anaerobes.

 

[Gee64]

Calcium creates the hallways that oxygen and water flow thru by increasing tilth. Calcium is actually a metal, so it carries and conducts electricity and succumbs to magnetism. When in balance it conditions the soil to be oxygen rich so oxygen breathing microbes can go to work. At that point its all about carbs, proteins, and minerals. A healthy balanced diet to create healthy balanced aerobic poop.

 

[Gee64]

Calcium is also a nutrient but if you have tilth your nutrition needs as far as calcium is concerned are covered. It's actually not a nutrient, it's an electrolyte, but don't split hairs, it needs to be consumed.

 

[Gee64]

Calcium is also a nutrient but if you have tilth your nutrition needs as far as calcium is concerned are covered. It's actually not a nutrient, it's an electrolyte, but don't split hairs, it needs to be consumed.

So in a mental picture, its both a nutrient and a soil conditioner.

 

[Gee64]

If you included soil conditioning in nutritional consumption fertilizer would be advertised as C-N-P-K-S

 

[Gee64]

And now you all know why calcium needs to be added to a liquid feed 1st, it stops lockout. Set the charge correctly, then introduce the rest. PH is how hydrogen fine tunes the charge in the end so it isn't too stuck together but it doesn't fall apart either.

 

[Gee64]

All that calcium/magnesium that fills the majority of the platters... That IS soil buffering.

 

[Gee64]

So when cal and mag get out of whack, conditioning is lost, soil tightens, air can't get in, and a nitro deficiency starts.

Nature doesn't want the soil to be used incorrectly so she made excess magnesium attract nitrogen.

So even if some air gets in, the nitro in it gets locked up magnetically to the magnesium. Adding calcium neutralizes magnesiums grip on contact, the soil untightens, and the nitro gets seperated from magnesium.

Now you know how calmag works

 

[Gee64]

It's as much chemistry as it is biology, they work together in sync.

 

[Gee64]

Capitalism quickly realized it's hard to sell biology, but chemistry is shelf stable and sells like hotcakes.

 

[Gee64]

And all you have to do is mix the chemistry in water. Boom! a cash cow.

 

[Gee64]

But if you want brix you need biology. Beneficial aerobic soil microbes are one of the 5 parts required.

 

[Azimuth]

My question was more can excess water short circuit calcium's ability to fluff the soil? In other words do the microbes need to break it down to have its effect or is it more of a reaction totally independent of microbes?

Because I should have adequate global calcium. But maybe the calcium is fluffing the soil, but the excess water is filling the voids so we really can't tell.

 

[Azimuth]

I checked the new pot this morning and am getting the moisture gradient I was hoping to see, and a max reading of about 9 at the false floor so the footer seems to be doing its job, with 6's and 7's scattered about.

Interestingly, there are drier and wetter pockets which surprised me since the wet mix was thoroughly mixed well by hand so it should be consistently wet/moist at various levels, at least only one day in.

 

[Gidorah]

So much good information, I think it might be starting to sink in a little. Thanks for taking the time to explain everything

 

[Gee64]

So much good information, I think it might be starting to sink in a little. Thanks for taking the time to explain everything

You are most welcome, but nothing is free.... Pictures Damnit! We want pictures!

 

[Lerugged]

Yes please.

 

[Gee64]

Squeeze him Matt. I know he has some.

 

[Gidorah]

Squeeze him Matt. I know he has some.

Ok, ok! Pics as requested.
1st is family portrait

2nd is Iklwa, she is just starting to take off and is getting good sun now. Beautiful skinny sativa leaves

3rd is Wild Lady. Gets the least amount of sun and is off to a slow start but should be hitting her stride soon.

The rest of the ladies in the metal tub starting in smallest order are Apple fritter, Chocobang and OG kush. Lots of interest in the TMSC plants, excited to see how they turn out