Freax Posted October 25, 2015 Author Share Posted October 25, 2015 Diary Note: Changed feed timing to 4 hrs today after seeing the plants had wilted quite a bit whilst waiting for their 6 hr feed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freax Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 Oh well, here we go again. Just been in to check the girls and when I pulled them out of the pots I noticed that one of the plants that had been stood in the saucers of nutes has nice long white roots that now reach the bottom of the pot along with the other 3. But the other ones roots have started drying up and withering away again. So I've just put her back onto the pot saucer and will water by hand again until those roots perk up enough to put it back into its pot. Apart from that she still looks to be quite healthy and even since yesterday when I topped her, she has really pushed out the side branches. Enough for me to notice it anyway. So even with the probs I've had with having to pot them up earlier than I would have liked and the ongoing root issues these girls are hanging on in there and are still growing. Conclusion, well, my conclusion at the moment anyway, this is one hardy plant that seems like she could put up with a lot of abuse, making it an ideal plant for beginners right up to the more experienced grower out there. Seems like she is one tough little bitch. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freax Posted October 30, 2015 Author Share Posted October 30, 2015 Quick update on whats going on. Did a res change and this time round added EC 0.1 Cal Mag, 1ml-10L Silicon and upped the total EC to 0.8, using Pythoff every 4/5 days. Knocked the feed times back to every 5hrs which seems to suit them more but its the ones that ive had stood in the trays again which seem to be picking up the most. They were doing well just sat in a shallow saucer of nute solution. So what ive started doing, is when i get up in the morning which is usually around 6.30-7 ish, Between flood cycles Im manually activating the fill pump until it fills the pots to the point of just starting to break through the bottom of the net pot then turning it off so the roots are just dangling in the nute solution. Ill then turn the timer back to auto and let it stand like that until its next flood cycle. Im also doing this once in the evening, again between flood cycles. So the roots are getting about a 2hr extra soak between 2 of their normal feed cycles. This seems to be helping them out big time and some of the roots that i had mentioned in a previous post that were starting to look a bit manky have started to look a lot healthier. A mate gave me a bottle of Regeneroot yesterday, so im gonna give it a go and see what happens. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinafem-Mark Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 @@Freax what system are you using mate. I have come across this with some hydro systems before that have been on a timer control. The best way we found was to run the system 24/7 letting the plants take what they wanted, I dont know if this would be a viable root for you? Hydro can be a real pain to dial in but once you have it does repay you Keep tinkering mate im sure youll get in spot on soon Thank you for the update very much appreciated All the best D-M.. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freax Posted October 30, 2015 Author Share Posted October 30, 2015 @@Dinafem-Mark It's an Alien Flood & Drain system dude. I might give that a try mate, I'd could part fill the pots like I've been already doing and just leave it for the whole lights on cycle and set the timer to complete the flood and drain cycle just before lights out. Then reset it again at lights on. What's happening is the roots are drying out between feeds because theres not enough mass to hold enough water in the bottom of the pots, but if I increase the feed times to keep what's there wetter then they suffer with overwatering problems. But as I've said standing them in saucers of nutes is helping a lot. So, come 6pm ill part fill the pots and let them drink away to their hearts content. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinafem-Mark Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 The reason I suggested it mate was the comment about the ones left in saucers to soak up what they want. I have ran wilma dipper systems many times and in the beginning I left the drippers on 24/7 basically because I did not have a timer and saw great results (in clay). Then when I got a timer I went to 4 x 5min waterings a day and still had good results in the traditional 11l square pots. Then airpots came in say 5 years ago and fitted the wilma perfect but they hated the 4x5min waterings and I had major issues with the roots. So I went back to 24/7 and all was good . I think the key is to not let the roots dry out ever?, I could be wrong mate? Let us know how you get on All the best D-M.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freax Posted October 30, 2015 Author Share Posted October 30, 2015 (edited) @@Dinafem-Mark I think the key is to not let the roots dry out ever. Bang on dude. Bit stoned fella, I think this is down to me having put them in the net pots a bit too soon, but with the Aerogarden going down and there being a good length to the roots at the time I thought they would be ok but I think it was still too soon for the roots to get properly established and strong enough to deal with the environment they had been placed into. I'd say this is the main problem people are having with the Alien systems IMO. I think the next kit upgrade might have to be an X Stream Propagator, just to be sure I'm getting the early stages dialled in properly and then hopefully doing away with a lot of messing about. E2a: Just set up the pots and I've set one flood cycle just before I get up in the morning so the nute solution gets a bit of a mix and it's not completely stagnant for days! I can then reset it in the morning. Edited October 30, 2015 by Freax 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teehee Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 (edited) sorry mate, I was gonna bang on about needing an airstone in each pot, but you have that in the main res... doh! Edited October 31, 2015 by teehee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freax Posted November 2, 2015 Author Share Posted November 2, 2015 At last I think I've found that sweet spot. The girls are now getting fed every 3 hours and they all look pretty stable now. I've just super cropped the main tops on one of the plants that I topped, man that Silicon makes the stems so much harder than if I wasn't using it. I've also topped a third plant and decided to leave two as they are, I'll more than likely just super crop those two as they grow. I now think that I should have been feeding them every few hours from the start instead of putting them on 7 hourly feeds. We live and learn hey and I think I've just learnt the best way to start off with this system, shorter intervals between feeds at the start and then increasing the gaps if they show signs of being overwatered. ATB and thanks for looking in. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinafem-Mark Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I agree that why it pickled my head when I went from 24/7 feeding to what all the book tell you to go with a timer. Sometimes we have to try, fail then get it right You sound like you have things under control now mate. Full steam ahead All the best D-M.. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freax Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 (edited) Just thought id put up a pic of how they look this morning. There is a big difference now and all the roots look great at last. Ill get some root pics up in the next few days. EC has risen by 0.1 and PH has been stable around 6 for a few days now. Temps in the tent are good around 27C. I need to do a res change today. So ill get that done during lights out and they will have a batch of fresh nutes ready for when they wake up. Setting the flexi tank up outside the tent has made life so much easier re res changes and adding to or altering the nute solution and its also helping keep the RH from getting too high in the tent. The plants that ive topped and supercropped are responding really well and as you can see in the pic i supercropped the 2 main tops on the plant in the middle just before i took the pic. The 2 plants ive not topped are going to be supercropped in the next few days and then they can all rest for a little while before i stress them any further. Thats it for now. Cheers for looking in. ATB. Edited November 5, 2015 by Freax 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbillybob Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 (edited) what are the temps in your brain bucket like? a mate uses the same system, and had better results with the brain pot outside the tent res temps are vitally important in hydro, and you want them at 19 dejrees he feeds every 3 hrs durin lites on, if it helps. Edited November 5, 2015 by bigbadbillybob 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teehee Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I've heard 19C is good for keeping pyth at bay and it also is the temp that allows for the highest possible oxygen saturation. If your ambient is 27, your brain is gonna be close to that an' all? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freax Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 @bigbadbillybob@teehee Hey guys, thanks for the concern but it's not something I'm worried about as my res is outside the tent and the brain pot never stays flooded as the pump inside it empties it at avery cycle. So the nute solution is the ambient temp of the room outside the tent which stays around 18-20 C and I also use Pythoff every 4-5 days just to try and keep on top of things. They are getting fed very 3 hrs at the moment but I'm expecting to have to alter that as I did during the last grow. What I found was as the plants matured and there was bigger root mass in the pots they held more water in the pots after they had drained. With the more frequent feeding they then started suffering from being overwatered, so I extended the times between feeds and they settled right in and got on with it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teehee Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I know you would have an answer Bro! Have you seen the new line up from DP for 2016..... Think Big (a bigger version of Think Different FFS!!!) Auto Brooklyn Sunrise Auto Colorado Cookies Auto Daiquiri Lime Auto Night Queen Looks like some well tasty gear! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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