It's A Fuct World

[Al B. Fuct]

Thanks for the answers Al! By the way I'm buying a heavy duty rubbermaid 50 gallon tote to use as a res. I fill this tote to 35-40 gallons of liquids. My flood table size is 3Lx2wx8h. I'll most likely fill my flood table to 3-4 inches or so. You think a 250 gallons per hour pump or 350 gallons per hour pump would be better? Shockingly it's cheaper to buy the 350 gph pump.

P.S. Each flood table will have 20 SOG (not 40 like I said earlier) style no veg plants (2 tables under each light). Also each flood table will have it's own res. You think I should go with 30 gals of nutrient solution or 40 per table? I realize the more you use the less PH and Nutrient deficiencies you should have in theory. I also don't want to be wasteful.

The size of tray pumps is really non-critical. Can be the smallest pump in the shop that can lift the water to tray level. Bigger pumps may fill the tray faster, but that's not important in a flood system. Bigger pumps, however, may be built better and may be more reliable in the long run.

Allow about 5L per plant in reservoir volume. 5L per plant should allow a tank to last 2 weeks without being topped up. If all is well, the plants will consume an amount of nutes sufficient to keep the nutrient concentration constant, even as the res water level drops over that time frame.

Awesome I think you answered all my main questions

Have you used Sure-To-Grow Cubes? If so how do they compare to rockwool? Would they be better to use?

I've never used the stuff, hadn't heard of it before it was mentioned in this thread. Worst you can do is try some. There'll be a learning curve as you get used to how to water the stuff.

Do the netpots have any benefit since they allow more air into the root zone?

No, not really. Netpots in fact allow a bit too much air into the rootmass and can allow pots to dry out. Also gives readier access to the roots by pests that will damage them such as sciarid fly/fungus gnats. I'm not a fan.

Thanks for the reply al! Follow up questions. 1. Could you elaborate on how you maintain your mothers...are the only cuts you make for clones?

Sorta. When I do a pass of cuttings, I first take the biggest stems for the cuttings themselves. Then I cut back any tall stems that are too thin to use for cuttings. I aim for a goblet shape to the newly trimmed plant, removing those trying to grow from the middle. This encourages new branches to form. It's essential to cut back the plants as short as possible while leaving nodes for new growth to form. Once a mother plant starts getting too tall, that is, it's not possible to get new shoots below about 8" on the remaining stem, it's time to turf that mother plant and replace it with a clone. If the woody mainstem gets too tall, the plant's new growth will get into the light before 2 weeks passes by and I need a new batch of clones.

Should I be topping my mothers early on to encourage bush-like growth? (I was thinking this might be a nice way to double my mothers)

Yep, nip off the growing tips of new mother plants. This will force branching; after a couple of passes of topping, the plant will be yielding 10-15 nnice clones every 14 days or so.

and....2. I plan on running 6 inch pots, since I'm not using hydroton in the flood bed will I encounter any problems running the pots next to each other with no space in-between?...

Not if you keep the branching cut back. Anything on the bottom 1/3 of the plant needs to go. Any branches which threaten to be more than about 1" long should go, as well.

I like to support my local shop and am hoping they'll order me some floc if not fytocell but should nether be the case do you think I could get away with using "rock wool pellets" from a logical standpoint I'd think itd would similarly to floc. These pellets are very small (I'd guess they're only 1 cm in length and a quarter of that in width)

Rockwool pellets will do, they're somewhat harder to overwater than floc, but they're also more expensive.

Thanks so much for being a source of experienced based knowledge!

Nao wucking furries, mate.

Hey Al I was wondering if you have ever check out the videos on Youtube about limbo's growing tech's and what you thought?

This guy seems amazing I have never seen such bud growth before.

Nope, I haven't. Got a link?

BUT AL.... What about my question...... VENTALATION... 10x10 & 7ft tall ROOM

I did answer your question:

Most cooltubes are 150mm dia. Use a good quality 150mm axial blower for the cooltubes, preferably a fan with ball bearings on the motor shaft. Carbon filters present a high static pressure load. You must use a centrifugal blower with carbon filters. You need to shift the volume of the room's airmass in about 3 mins. A 500 cu ft room needs a ~167CFM exhaust blower.

I do expect you to do a little work here, too. Calculate your room volume, know you have to shift that volume in 3 mins, buy a centrif blower to suit.

Is this enough to get out the smell??? I am in a little of a JAM... What would be the best configuration for the best results? Should vent system be on a timer or always ON???

Carbon filters are highly effective at killing scent. The ventilation system should be on thermostatic controller that can keep the air temp between 24-26c.

Al B what seedbank/breeder would you recommend? I am looking to get some seeds soon. I used to have a mother sensi star that was awesome. I see Paradise has sensi star and I am looking to get a few others.

I have not bought seeds in so long that I could not begin to comment. For a SoG grow, find a strain that's identified by the breeder as being indica dominant. Further to that, consult some of the genetics experts on this board, longtimers etc.

The ones with wheels do not leak - have NEVER had any Sterilite leak.

I'd recommend building (I do) a brace around the tub with 2x4s (costs $2 in materials, just a simple square with legs) to help the tub hold its shape and not bow from the water pressure.

Again, Rubbermaids leak, Sterilites do not..............good luck.

I've had one mega-cheap 125L plastic storage tub crack in about 10 yrs and when it did, only about a 1" fissure opened in one upper corner of the tank. It dribbled a bit but no catastrophic leaks. I like the previous suggestion of nesting a couple of tubs. I like the frame suggestion, too. However, I'll not argue with the suggestion of the Sterilite tubs. They're very good quality and not prone to failing when used as a water tank. Depending on your situation, a tank leak could be a seriously big fucking deal that might just bring the cops to your door (i.e. a big leak in an upper floor apartment grow, maintenance visits, finds your grow, all hell breaks loose...)

Thanks for the help Al Because of your hard typing I was able to roll out a Every week system that keeps me very Flush In Bud.
I couldn't of done it without you, I really couldn't have Thanks so much Keep It green

No worries, glad to have been able to help.

Al, if you use Firefox, you have to get the kick-ass Lazarus form recovery extension https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/lazarus-form-recovery/
If you post regularly on any message board, it will end up being a lifesaver.

Ooh. Good tip. Thanks for that, getting it now.

exactly pluss rep+
I can tell no difference if its flushed or not in all honesty.
It good to hear someone else say it.

i agree last harvest was 0 flush cut them down still with nutes in the water and couldnt tell the difference.

Yeah, that's one that I find to be a bit silly. Aged domestic engineer's anecdote department.

hey al, thanks for coming back i really enjoy reading your posts.

Cheers, thanks for that.

 

[tea tree]

Thanks for the spider mite killer. Cool ingreds. Hey, why dont you tell us how you made those adjust a wings with cool tubes. Was it an easy mod to the wings? I am gonna look for it in a thread anyway tho. Thanks.

 

[Al B. Fuct]

Thanks for the spider mite killer. Cool ingreds.

My only comment on spider mite eradication was to buy a miticide containing abamectrin/avamectrin. Rotsaruck finding it, it's a restricted pesticide in some localities. Worth buying & having on hand before you get spider mite. Long shelf life, having it on hand instead of having to fish it up when you discover an infestation may make the difference between saving a crop & burying it.

Hey, why dont you tell us how you made those adjust a wings with cool tubes. Was it an easy mod to the wings? I am gonna look for it in a thread anyway tho. Thanks.

It was just a matter of removing the lamp socket as provided with the Adjust-A-Wings and drilling holes suiting the hanging point pem nuts on the cooltube. No biggie, 2 holes in the thin aluminum reflector, job done.

 

[Ronjohn7779]

Al you kick ass! Thanks for the heads up.

Seriously this is my last question (I figure it's one of the few times to ask the master himself). By the way mad props for helping me out (I can't stress that enough).

When trimming my SOG clones when fruiting, I do the first trimming at week 2 (cut the lower 1/3 branches) and then I do a judgment call between weeks 3-4 and recut the lower 1/3 branches. After that I leave those clones alone. Is it Correct that you only trim them twice in this timer frame? Is there anything else you do to your clones? Should I trim or cut off any larger branches in week 2 and weeks 3-4 (the second trimming).

 

[whuh]

Under a 250w HID light how many mothers should I keep to take 14 clones every 2 weeks? Well actually probably more around 20 since I should take more then I need right? What's the tallest I should let them get(the mothers)? I've never used a 250w before.
And should I get a MH instead of HPS for them?

Lastly.... I saw in your cloning thread you said put newly cut clones in 6hr darkness then put them in 25hr light. Do you still do it this way?

 

[tip top toker]

Hey al b. You say magic sauce and say cannabis is sufficient. Is that just A and B or do you also use PK or boost?

 

[ausbushman]

Id just like to say thanks for taking your time and posting all this mr fuct, ive spent all day reading your 197 page long SOG post and now this much shorter one. The info that ive got out of it has been amazing, a real help with understanding some concepts. I also probably smoke some of your bud too, went through a nice Q of it last night and today while reading, keep it up!

 

[onegreenthumb]

Here is the link for Limbo Al if you are interested?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YReKlkHhCxM

 

[onegreenthumb]

check out week two through eight, it is pretty amazing! One of my buddies thinks that it is somewhat fake, but It looks alright to me.

 

[The Waiter]

check out week two through eight, it is pretty amazing! One of my buddies thinks that it is somewhat fake, but It looks alright to me.

It kinda seems like there is a mirror on the back wall so the room looks twice as big. I could just be stoned but it seems like he never looks at that wall/mirror straight on (to hide his supposed reflection). But like i said i might just be baked hahaha

 

[whuh]

Al, I have a few questions about my current grow. I'm growing in straight Coco with fox farms grow big. I ph my water/nutes to 5.8. I've only fed them a few times so far and I water them until I get a good amount of runoff each time. Temps are usually 69f-77f but my humidity is low (30%). There's 3 different things wrong. 1- the spots on the leaves 2- the cupping leaves mainly on 2 of 5 plants near the top+ middle (i figured theyre too hot but its only half of them and theyre all the same exact distance from the light and the cupping ones are closest to the fan). and finally 3- there are leaves twisting. I thought that might be ph but I always ph to 5.8 and my meter is calibrated every time. Any ideas?

 

[drgreentm]

im going to go out on a limb here and say you where correct when you thought it was heat/light stress if its only the middle of the bunch getting it(right under the light im assuming) then it confirms it even more this is exactly what happens to my plants when the light is to close. right under the bulb emits more lumens then the outside plants are getting for sure i would raise your light up a little bet it helps

 

[MediMary]

Hey Al have you ever heard of hydrofungicide from sanda products? its some au company that makes a root zone product that sterilizers, shit sounds fuckng amzing sorry off topic but don't know any cats in AU to ask .
http://www.sandaproducts.com.au/sanda_products_006.htm

 

[don2009]

Hey Al do you use Epsom salt in your resv?

 

[GoatSmeg]

Hi. This is my first post after a lot of work. I do have some questions I can't find the answers to in several hundred pages so if someone has seen them please let me know:

Al's Cloner looks to be 24"... I think I see 3 24" floros in there... is that correct?
What type of thermostatic switch is in the cloner?
Any details on your eviro controllers, timers etc. would be great or if anyone has seen pics/posts I will go read it all myself.

you are the man Al. Thanks.

 

[GoatSmeg]

50% grade is usually available from hydro shops but failing that, check foodservice or general chemical supply houses. I persuaded my local hydro shop to buy in a pallet of 25L jugs of 50% grade from a local chemical house. I pay $AUD90 for 25L 'carboy' jugs.

Can H2O2 really sit around that long? I thought the shelf life of even sealed bottles was < 6 months...

Maybe some of the issues people report to have here with H2)2 "not working" is becuase they are not storing it properly or it is old or they don't measure well..

"While it can vary depending upon temperature of storage and whether exposed to U.V. light, if properly stored h2o2 will decompose at a rate of 1/4 to 1/2% concentration level per month. As concentration gradually reduces, its rate of decomposition slows."

 

[Al B. Fuct]

Al you kick ass! Thanks for the heads up.

Seriously this is my last question (I figure it's one of the few times to ask the master himself). By the way mad props for helping me out (I can't stress that enough).

No worries.

When trimming my SOG clones when fruiting, I do the first trimming at week 2 (cut the lower 1/3 branches) and then I do a judgment call between weeks 3-4 and recut the lower 1/3 branches.

That'll do.

Under a 250w HID light how many mothers should I keep to take 14 clones every 2 weeks? Well actually probably more around 20 since I should take more then I need right?

5 mums should do it. You might want to start with 7 and reduce to 5 when they're all a bit more developed.

What's the tallest I should let them get(the mothers)? I've never used a 250w before.

After several passes of cuttings, the mums' stems will begin to get woody. When the woody bit is more than about 8-10" tall, compost it & replace it with a clone.

And should I get a MH instead of HPS for them?

MH will produce shorter, more dense foliage- which isn't at all important when raising mums to feed a SoG op. HPS will do and are cheaper than MH.

Hey al b. You say magic sauce and say cannabis is sufficient. Is that just A and B or do you also use PK or boost?

I'll pretend to understand what you've asked! Was that English?

When I say 'magic sauces,' I'm referring to the useless rot that is sold in just about every hydro shop- designed to make a profit for the hydro shop, not actually help you in the grow in any way. All you really need is nutrient, pH Down for occasional use and H2O2 50% grade (35% will do if it does not have stabilisers added).

Id just like to say thanks for taking your time and posting all this mr fuct, ive spent all day reading your 197 page long SOG post and now this much shorter one. The info that ive got out of it has been amazing, a real help with understanding some concepts. I also probably smoke some of your bud too, went through a nice Q of it last night and today while reading, keep it up!

No worries. However, for reasons that I'm not going to explain in much depth in a public forum, it's pretty unlikely that you're smoking any of my buds. You certainly would not have needed to smoke a Q in one sitting, that's for sure.

Here is the link for Limbo Al if you are interested?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YReKlkHhCxM

Thanks for that. Limbo does OK for his process. His clones start out very small & spindly. He'd get much better results if he started out with more robust clones and got rid of all the branching. I also don't know how he works with that op. There's no room around the edges to get in there and manage plants once he had put all his clones in the pellets. Doesn't appear as though he has any facility to raise & lower his lighting. His clones are very small and apparently have so little root development that he has a need to add humidity to keep them from just falling over & wilting. I could double his yield with a few minor changes.

check out week two through eight, it is pretty amazing! One of my buddies thinks that it is somewhat fake, but It looks alright to me.

Doesn't look fake, but it does look like there's a lot of room for improvements.

Al, I have a few questions about my current grow. I'm growing in straight Coco with fox farms grow big. I ph my water/nutes to 5.8. I've only fed them a few times so far and I water them until I get a good amount of runoff each time. Temps are usually 69f-77f but my humidity is low (30%). There's 3 different things wrong. 1- the spots on the leaves 2- the cupping leaves mainly on 2 of 5 plants near the top+ middle (i figured theyre too hot but its only half of them and theyre all the same exact distance from the light and the cupping ones are closest to the fan). and finally 3- there are leaves twisting. I thought that might be ph but I always ph to 5.8 and my meter is calibrated every time. Any ideas?

I'd have guessed high air temps and pH problems. RH is pretty low @ 30%, but that shouldn't cause you that sort of problem. I've never used coco because it's an organic material. You're using an organic nutrient, so you're not using H2O2. What are you doing for pathogen control? What do the roots look like? Got plenty of air circ happening? By that, I mean an oscillating fan in every corner of the room.

Hey Al have you ever heard of hydrofungicide from sanda products? its some au company that makes a root zone product that sterilizers, shit sounds fuckng amzing sorry off topic but don't know any cats in AU to ask .
http://www.sandaproducts.com.au/sanda_products_006.htm

Nope, never heard of the stuff before. I'm highly skeptical about 'secret ingredients.' Always remember that user anecdotes are not evidence. While it appears that the maker has paid for some sort of professional analysis, that analysis doesn't appear to be independent- moreover, it was done on fabric material, not in a hydroponic plant growing situation. The final red flag for me is that the mfr claims to have 'discovered' the stuff. While most people enjoy a 'David beats Goliath' story, the possibility of Jim-Bob discovering a new antimicrobial substance in his garage in his spare time is so improbable as to invite serious skepticism. Were I you, I'd use H2O2, which is well known and proven independently over & over to work in hydroponic plant cultivation the world over.

Hey Al do you use Epsom salt in your resv?

No, never have had a need to add Mg. Seems there's enough in my tapwater.

Hi. This is my first post after a lot of work. I do have some questions I can't find the answers to in several hundred pages so if someone has seen them please let me know:

Al's Cloner looks to be 24"... I think I see 3 24" floros in there... is that correct?

Yep, 3x 24" twin-tube fixtures.

What type of thermostatic switch is in the cloner?

There's two thermostats in the clone box. One is a digital type for air temp, one is a mercury bulb type with the bulb taped down to the heat mat, which is of course controlling the heat mat temp.

Any details on your eviro controllers, timers etc. would be great or if anyone has seen pics/posts I will go read it all myself.

Nothing more sophisticated than digital thermostats which run the exhaust fans. There's a few HD mechanical timers (rated for use with aircon units) which run the HPS lighting. It's very simple stuff. However, I have found that the HPM (very common Australian electrical goods supplier, usually Chinese made crap) consumer grade digital timers I was using to run my tray pumps are not bulletproof. One of them started inserting programming entries all by itself; this caused this one particular timer to run an ON cycle for several hours in the middle of the night, badly overwatering plants in that tray. I've since invested in a German industrial quality digital timer (DIN rail mounting type) to run the tray pumps.

Can H2O2 really sit around that long? I thought the shelf life of even sealed bottles was < 6 months...

Maybe some of the issues people report to have here with H2)2 "not working" is becuase they are not storing it properly or it is old or they don't measure well..

"While it can vary depending upon temperature of storage and whether exposed to U.V. light, if properly stored h2o2 will decompose at a rate of 1/4 to 1/2% concentration level per month. As concentration gradually reduces, its rate of decomposition slows."

High strength H2O2 (50%) has a shelf-life of several years. Lower strength H2O2 tends to decompose more quickly, which is why low strength H2O2 is commonly packaged with stabiliser chemicals added. Stabilisers are not plant friendly. Most 35% 'food grade' (i.e. for use in sterilising foodservice equipment, NOT for human consumption) H2O2 does not have stabilisers added.

 

[GoatSmeg]

Many thanks. I actually read the original and followed on OG prior to becoming legal in MI. We MIGHT have saved the entire thing if it is of any value to you. I have to pull an old lappy out of the basment.

50% H2O2 is difficult to find online in the US. 35% true food graded is not. Thanks.

12v in the cloner for exhaust fan and exhaust thermostat?
Special floros in the cloner?
Do you think HPS bulb brand matters or just use plain ones?

Thanks for all the work man... I have tried to pay it forward/sideways/back on mycotopia over the years. May my mistakes/knowledge in that arena save others time and money and frustration.

 

[whuh]

I'd have guessed high air temps and pH problems. RH is pretty low @ 30%, but that shouldn't cause you that sort of problem. I've never used coco because it's an organic material. You're using an organic nutrient, so you're not using H2O2. What are you doing for pathogen control? What do the roots look like? Got plenty of air circ happening? By that, I mean an oscillating fan in every corner of the room.

Yup, maybe the curling is from the low humidity + the fan blowing directly on it so it's over drying? The roots look good, nice and white. It doesn't seem to be affecting growth, I can see them grow a little bit every day or so. Could they be root bound? They are in 1/2 gal pots right now and they're about 8" tall a little over a month old from seed. They were doing this since probably a week or so old so I really don't think it's that. Any other ideas of what it can be? I can't think of anything. Thanks

 

[mindphuk]

Do you think HPS bulb brand matters or just use plain ones?

I also would like your thoughts on enhanced spectrum HPS lamps or even combining MH and HPS to give a broader spectrum.