Volks Grow

[CanbisMxmus]

Alrighty y'all, here goes something...

I purchased a VolksGarden, a Quantum dim-able 1000w ballast, a Hortilux enhanced spectrum bulb, an Ice box liquid heat exchange, a 6" duct fan, and all my rockwool for just over $3000 USD. (I had a few other odds, and ends too)

What really impressed me about the Volksgarden is the number of plants in such a small footprint. I am legaly allowed up to 90 plants in a 10'x10' area, and can easily accomodate that and several mothers with this system. When I originally made the purchase I was unaware of the scientific benefit of the auxins spreading evenly due to the rotation. What I saw was a simple machine, durable, and well designed.

I was previously growing in two different aeroponic machines (Turbogarden Aero, and Aero 15, both by Botanicare), as well as in soil (backup in case of failure). Aeroponic is AMAZINGLY fast, with an excellent yield IF you want to constantly monitor your plants, ph, and e.c./p.p.m. EVERY day (sometimes a few times a day). Or so that was my experience anyway, comparatively the Volksgarden looks like it should be a walk in the park.

I have been using Advance Nutrients with good results, though the recipes can get a bit overwhelming when including all the additives and such. My best results have been by reducing the number of additives, or using as necessary.

I will be using Sensi Grow, hygrozyme, Dutch Master Zone, and Liquid Karma for the short veg. period. During transition I use 50/50 grow/bloom, Bud Blood, Liquid Karma. For flowering I plan trying Flora Nova for the base nutes, supplementing with Big Bud, Budswell liquid guano, Canna Boost. I also use molasses, sweet, and carbo load during the later flowering phase. The last week I use Final Phase to flush.

I was debating using the AF technique (due to W.O.F. and Maxxs very convincing argument), but chickened out due to the Ruderalis mix. Instead I am starting with 40 Mr.Nice clones (I just took the clippings today), and am going to order some Aurora Indica seeds for my next run (if I get the seeds before the clones root, I may use them this time). I'm going to give a try rooting my clones in the VG, just cause I can.

If anyone has any questions, suggestions, comments, or constructive criticism, please feel free to post.

 

[bigmouthbass]

wonderful canbis looking forward to your grow , I recently bought a volks to ,should be here in a week or so, i cant wait to get stared,Did i see u post in wheels thread u are strating straight cutting ? Good luck wish u a mxmus harvest

 

[WheeloFortune]

nice, another VOLKS for 420MAG!

good luck, and a few things-

nice on the quantum ballast - best on the market IMO. i have a 600.
Maxx does not promote the bene's of AF, just me and im not convinced or in full AF mode yet, but im giving it a good chance to grow on me.

CMX - very important - flood and drain, just like aero, and pretty much all hydro, has no buffer from the res to the roots, so i would be just as diligent with your res as you were with the aero units. It will be worth it in the end. I think i over nuted my res a couple times this run and it effected my yield.

good luck, and lets see some pics!
in a couple months when they're big you can look back when they were wee little guys and laugh. its fun.

I appreciate having my pics posted so i can use them as reference later.

 

[CanbisMxmus]

BMB: Yep, I'm gonna try straight into the machine, with my ballast on 500w.
W.O.F.: Thanks for the tip. I will be posting many photos. I have pictures of all my past grows and individual plants. It's nice to be able to look back and see what was or wasn't working. I think this journal is going to do a lot to help me organize and keep track of what I'm doing.

 

[maxximus]

Hey CM, congrats on your news wheel

This is very cool to have a wheel club forming on such a great forum.

Im not sure I understand what you mean by "I'm going to give a try rooting my clones in the VG, just cause I can." Does this mean you are going to pop un-rooted cutting into your VG and hope that the cuttings are going to root that way? If that is what you are talking about, I have to say that I have not tried this, and I don't think that there would be much chance in cuttings rooting in this way. If I understand you right, may I suggest that you only risk a couple of your cuttings in this way. You will know very quickly if it's not going to work for you, like in only a day or two.

If I got it wrong, or if it's non of my business, then please excuse me.

Looking for ward to watching your grow.

Cheers,
Maxx

 

[WheeloFortune]

you understood right maxx.

I put my LR#2 in the wheel the day the the seed leaves opened and they were ok.

I think max has a good suggestion though, no harm in popping a few in early and letting the others wait to make sure it works. 60-80 clones down the drain is a sad story.

 

[Keith Lake]

The gangs all here

 

[Propa Gator]

What we have here, Boss, is a wheel high tech grow club. Hope your un-rooted cuttings don't fall out when they invert.

 

[maxximus]

What we have here, Boss, is a wheel high tech grow club. Hope your un-rooted cuttings don't fall out when they invert.

I think "rotary club" is taken but but it sure would drive a lot of people to the site lolol.

Cheers,
Maxx

 

[maxximus]

A search for 'rotary hydroponics garden club' brings up 'omega garden' as #1

Cheers,
Maxx

 

[bigmouthbass]

league of elite rotary gardeners

 

[WheeloFortune]

well, at least a great support source. best on the net i would guess. where else can you get advice from as many owners?

 

[maxximus]

we have heard of them anyway

 

[CanbisMxmus]

Good to see everyone!

Okay, so rooting in the machine is out. Gravity had it's way with 4 cuttings within 2 hours. They would fall out at about top dead center (I suppose since they were in the watering tray. They all survived fine, and so I'm just going to go ahead and root as usual. I had to try, and I think it would have worked if I'd find a way to secure them in place. I caught the tape tip (to stop algae), and had considered taping them in (gently), but I didn't.

I believe gravity should not have any affect on root growth, NASA grows plant in space right? I snapped some pics of the plants in the VG, and I had my fogger going too, add LEDs and it's pretty cool looking. I haven't received my inline fan to utilize the "ice box", and have already installed my HID, so at the top of the wheel it was pretty warm, especially for fresh cuttings. The fogger puts out enough vapor to keep the leaves humid, but at the same time, the water droplets add weight to the unrooted clone, making gravity even more an issue.

LOL. Oh, well. It was worth a shot, I just don't have the time to baby it through. I still think it would work, perhaps using a neoprene disk to get a firm grip on the clipping. I just thought of that, maybe I'll give it a shot. Just imagine if you could use clippings as easily as seeds in the VG! I think the main hinderence would be the inconsistant root development. I've rooted some in as few as 3 days, and some can take a month. Not something you'd want to have to battle. Just thought of that too. Just goes to show why there is an order of operations. Nice try anyway.

 

[CanbisMxmus]

 

[CanbisMxmus]

Not sure if I did the pictures right, but there's what I had at first. I removed the cubes and put them in trays to root properly before returning to the machine. The fogger is a 6 head unit from Nutri-mist and blows a nice cool vapor over the clippings.

 

[maxximus]

That a 1,000 watt lamp you got running CM?

Your plants are all rooted? Can you see roots coming out the bottom of the cubes?

How long are you planning on running the fogger for?

You can run even a small computer fan in the cool-tube just to evac the hot air from the fixture. Enough foam to go around the outside of the fan will hold it on place inside the end of the tube if your fan is the right size.

Just a thought.

Cheers,
Maxx

 

[CanbisMxmus]

Maxx,

Yeah, it's 1000w but I had it down to 500w (it's adjustable). No roots yet, remember I was attempting to establish roots in the machine, but the lil boogers kept trying to commit suicide (falling out). The fogger has a multi-voltage power supply, so I can adjust the vapor flow to my desire, so I would usually leave it running. I really only use it to help start clippings, and for foliar feeding (it works awesome for that). I originally had purchased it (the fogger) for my aeroponic set up, but the vapor doesn't seem to carry some of the heavier elements in the nutes, causing deficiencies. It cost me about $400, so I try to use it whenever possible.

I recently moved, only 20 minutes from where I was living, but the climate is entirely different. I went from a hot arid zone, to a cooler coastal climate, and so it has caused me to have to change how I do things. I've been at my new location for about 4 months and am close to getting things "dialed" in, but I have encountered new problems. Mainly bud mold. Cool, dewy mornings have been unkind to my babies. Seems if it's not spider mites and caterpillars, it's mold and fungus gnats. Lol. I will overcome. I use einstein oil, but only in veg. and early flower. Indoor growing eliminates some of these prob's, but introduces a whole new set. It keeps me on my toes though.

Once my clippings are established, I plan on supplementing the 1000w, with two 45w LED panels, and possibly two 125w cfls. I believe this will give me the greatest spectrum coverage, as well as aiding growth below the tops of the plants. Just a thought. I'll find out when I get there.

 

[CanbisMxmus]

Oh yeah, thanks for the computer fan tip. I don't know why I didn't think of that. That is what propels the vapor from the fogger, and I have a few (fans) sitting aroung just waiting to be put to use. Lol. Sometimes I overlook the simplest solutions.

 

[maxximus]

I have read somewhere that the rotation while promoting above ground growth, somehow reduces root growth at the same time, so you maybe be better off sticking to flat land till you have dropped visible roots.

Cheers,
Maxx