Nesta’s DWC Attempt

[moe.red]

The main reason why I kept quiet was because you've already somewhat taken this project under your wing. I know during my first run, I just had to pick one of you guys for help when multiple people came in with conflicting advice. You and Aqua were my crutch.

Yeah buddy I get it. I have been there too.

I like getting challenged tho, the more that happens the more I learn. That's really why I'm here after all, the knowledge.

My guess is that your questions or observations might be the same as someone else reading not posting. You putting your thoughts up helps everyone.

EDIT: Oh and Nesta was really hoping to get help from SLG not me, but he is out for a bit with travel and personal stuff, so I'm trying to fill in for him as best I can.

 

[Nesta]

Yeah buddy I get it. I have been there too.

I like getting challenged tho, the more that happens the more I learn. That's really why I'm here after all, the knowledge.

My guess is that your questions or observations might be the same as someone else reading not posting. You putting your thoughts up helps everyone.

EDIT: Oh and Nesta was really hoping to get help from SLG not me, but he is out for a bit with travel and personal stuff, so I'm trying to fill in for him as best I can.

Lol. I love all the ideas of perspectives. I Addressed the original concern to SLG just because he helped me quite a bit just even getting started. I truly appreciate all the thoughts and assistance!

 

[Nesta]

Yes, you can overdo mg.

For Nesta, my advice is to get the plant back on the fairway and make sure the nutes are balanced. Lower PPM for now to encourage more water than less in uptake. Get that girl breathing, and get those roots back in gear.

I've had good luck with Hygrozyme doing essentially a root exfoliation and reset. I put the mixture in a 5 gallon bucket and swish the netpot around in it for a few minutes. The roots will come out a lot more white. Should kick in new cell growth for the roots as an after effect.

View attachment 61419

Im on it Moe. Thanks

 

[Nesta]

Yes, you can overdo mg.

For Nesta, my advice is to get the plant back on the fairway and make sure the nutes are balanced. Lower PPM for now to encourage more water than less in uptake. Get that girl breathing, and get those roots back in gear.

I've had good luck with Hygrozyme doing essentially a root exfoliation and reset. I put the mixture in a 5 gallon bucket and swish the netpot around in it for a few minutes. The roots will come out a lot more white. Should kick in new cell growth for the roots as an after effect.

View attachment 61419

Moe, do you think Cannazyme is a good substitute? I have that on hand.

 

[moe.red]

Moe, do you think Cannazyme is a good substitute? I have that on hand.

I think it is virtually the same thing. I'd use it. It cannot hurt really.

On the old place I have a video of putting brown roots into a bucket with the enzymes in it, swish it around, and they come out white. It should wake them up and hopefully promote more hair on the roots and more root mass overall given time to recover.

I did run this a bit by just adding it to the res, I did not really see any benefit that way, YMMV

EDIT - I would also appreciate SLG's perspective. He had Aqua, Smoke, Anthem, and a few others that contributed to his knowledge base. That's a good guy to lean on.

 

[Nesta]

Cannazyme wash complete. Will see how it works.

 

[Observer]

Wouldn't you agree there is already enough of both in the water? His EC has been between .9 and 1.

View attachment 61384



@Nesta is this still the case? What are your ratios again?

500 or 700 scale. thought he was 500.

 

[Observer]

how are you checking PPMs?

 

[moe.red]

500 or 700 scale. thought he was 500.

Who?

Was talking to smoke who uses 700. He gives out his ppm numbers he uses to folks based on that. Nesta and most everyone else uses 500 scale. So you have to do a conversion when applying smokes advice.

Once you do the math you realize nesta is running 2x more nutes than smoke on average.

 

[Observer]

Who?

Was talking to smoke who uses 700. He gives out his ppm numbers he uses to folks based on that. Nesta and most everyone else uses 500 scale. So you have to do a conversion when applying smokes advice.

Once you do the math you realize nesta is running 2x more nutes than smoke on average.

Yeah, I thought nesta was on 500 scale and saw the 700 highlighted

My bad

 

[Nesta]

I am using the 500 scale and try to keep ppms around 400 per SLG guidance

 

[Nesta]

I was going back and reading through this thread and it finally dawned on me why Moe thought I was running such a high PPM. I am feeding 45% of the GH light feed schedule, not 100%. I still have to dilute with plain water to get it down to 400PPMs, but things are looking great ever since the Cannazyme soak. Will get an update pick posted tomorrow.

 

[Zen_seeker]

I was going back and reading through this thread and it finally dawned on me why Moe thought I was running such a high PPM. I am feeding 45% of the GH light feed schedule, not 100%. I still have to dilute with plain water to get it down to 400PPMs, but things are looking great ever since the Cannazyme soak. Will get an update pick posted tomorrow.

Glad to hear things are on the mend.

 

[moe.red]

I was going back and reading through this thread and it finally dawned on me why Moe thought I was running such a high PPM. I am feeding 45% of the GH light feed schedule, not 100%. I still have to dilute with plain water to get it down to 400PPMs, but things are looking great ever since the Cannazyme soak. Will get an update pick posted tomorrow.

When you convert 500ppm on the 500 scale to the 700 scale smoke uses you see over 2x the nutes he runs. No 45% trickery needed when you give us the total ppm number.

What we still don’t know is the ratios. If you reread that is what we have been asking for and it is more important than the total ppm.

 

[GrumpAzz]

View attachment 62135

When you convert 500ppm on the 500 scale to the 700 scale smoke uses you see over 2x the nutes he runs. No 45% trickery needed when you give us the total ppm number.

What we still don’t know is the ratios. If you reread that is what we have been asking for and it is more important than the total ppm.

He's said he's using 45% of the GH recommendations for light feeding so I'm assuming these are the ratios he's going off of.

 

[moe.red]

He's said he's using 45% of the GH recommendations for light feeding so I'm assuming these are the ratios he's going off of.
View attachment 62138

Agree. I posted that earlier as well. So the assumption is that he is running 45% of something on that chart. But what week is he using? Ratios change with time on that chart.

Also, this does not track cal-mag or anything else he is putting in.

Sure would just be easier if he told us rather than guessing lol. But at this point I guess it doesn't matter any more.

 

[smoke]

We do around 300 ppm/700 in veg

180 ppm calmag
Then a 3-2-1 ratio
(30 ml gro, 20 ml micro,10 ml bloom)
The quantities above equates to a total ppm of 40 so if i mixed the bracketed formula above 3 times and added that to my calmaged ro water of 180 ppm my total would be 180+90ml gro+60ml micro +30ml bloom

180+90+60+30=360ppm

 

[Nesta]

View attachment 62135

When you convert 500ppm on the 500 scale to the 700 scale smoke uses you see over 2x the nutes he runs. No 45% trickery needed when you give us the total ppm number.

What we still don’t know is the ratios. If you reread that is what we have been asking for and it is more important than the total ppm.

Damn you Moe! Always gotta be right!

Here is the chart I am using. Please note i am not feeding Floralicious or Koolbloom.

I am feeding 45% of early growth week 2 schedule. The only reason i kept using that schedule was to keep the PPMs around 400. should i have been moving along the schedule by week, but diluting the total solution down even more to get to 400ppms? I kept the week two schedule, because the ratios didn't appear to change much throughout the veg schedule. Was that a mistake?

 

[moe.red]

Damn you Moe! Always gotta be right!

Here is the chart I am using. Please note i am not feeding Floralicious or Koolbloom.
View attachment 62187
I am feeding 45% of early growth week 2 schedule. The only reason i kept using that schedule was to keep the PPMs around 400. should i have been moving along the schedule by week, but diluting the total solution down even more to get to 400ppms? I kept the week two schedule, because the ratios didn't appear to change much throughout the veg schedule. Was that a mistake?

If the plants are happy it is not a mistake.

Prior you showed pics of imbalances. Some thought you needed epsom. Without the info you just posted any replies you get to that are pure guesses.

This is where you need to pick one person to follow. I think Smoke's post is clear an concise. It works for him. You are basically using the same ratios except cal-mag. Just more of each of the others making total ppm higher.

I can try to find a post where SLG put up his veg ratios, I know you were trying to dial in based on his method. He will not be available much for a minute due to travel. On his way to Salt Lake City.

I personally run things between you and smoke. I tend to be more on the 350-400 range (500 scale) for veg. But there are differences in our grows even tho be both run virtually identical RDWC setups.

I think for the most part we all kinda stick to one ratio from just past seedling to just before the flip. Prior to the flip I up the P, K and Ca. Especially in hydro it seems like calcium is a notorious problem right after the flip. I like to have plenty on board prior.

I think based on your ratios posted, you are light on cal-mag and heavy on the others. But pretty close overall.

 

[smoke]

If the plants are happy it is not a mistake.

Prior you showed pics of imbalances. Some thought you needed epsom. Without the info you just posted any replies you get to that are pure guesses.

This is where you need to pick one person to follow. I think Smoke's post is clear an concise. It works for him. You are basically using the same ratios except cal-mag. Just more of each of the others making total ppm higher.

I can try to find a post where SLG put up his veg ratios, I know you were trying to dial in based on his method. He will not be available much for a minute due to travel. On his way to Salt Lake City.

I personally run things between you and smoke. I tend to be more on the 350-400 range (500 scale) for veg. But there are differences in our grows even tho be both run virtually identical RDWC setups.

I think for the most part we all kinda stick to one ratio from just past seedling to just before the flip. Prior to the flip I up the P, K and Ca. Especially in hydro it seems like calcium is a notorious problem right after the flip. I like to have plenty on board prior.

I think based on your ratios posted, you are light on cal-mag and heavy on the others. But pretty close overall.

Should be landing about now in SLC

 

[Nesta]

Thanks Moe. Appreciate the guidance. I plan to follow what you posted above and stick to my 400 PPM’s and will look at dialing up the CalMag. I will probably veg a couple more weeks and then flip. Here are two lights off pics.

 

[Nesta]

@moe.red or @GrumpAzz or anyone else, do you guys aerate your top off reservoirs?

 

[smoke]

@moe.red or @GrumpAzz or anyone else, do you guys aerate your top off reservoirs?

My top up rez only contains RO water and 3 ml/gal of calmag. I dont aerate it.

 

[GrumpAzz]

@moe.red or @GrumpAzz or anyone else, do you guys aerate your top off reservoirs?

Yeah I have a couple 9 inch bar bubblers in my 30 top-off res. Usually has 25 gallons or less in it. I just figured it couldn't hurt.

 

[Nesta]

My top up rez only contains RO water and 3 ml/gal of calmag. I dont aerate it.

Any reason you don’t fill the top off res with the same nutrient ratio thats already in your system?

 

[Nesta]

Yeah I have a couple 9 inch bar bubblers in my 30 top-off res. Usually has 25 gallons or less in it. I just figured it couldn't hurt.

Grump are you filling your top off res with a nutrient solution that matches what is in the system or something else?

 

[GrumpAzz]

My first grow, I did the same as smoke. Only calmag in the top-off. Last grow I tried adding the same ratios to it minus the bennies. It only really worked out for me on the first res or two. It may have kept working but I started to get a little lazy with my res changes. I've been worked like a dog lately and I was trying to do as little as possible and I think I fudged my ratios. The last month or two, I couldn't keep the ppms stable. They just kept climbing like she wasn't eating. The more she drank, the more nutes got dumped and it got out of hand pretty quickly.

If your ratio is perfect, I think it would work pretty well. It's worth a shot, just keep a close eye on it. Going smoke's route is the safer option and probably the way I'll handle this next grow. It's also gonna waste less nutes if I don't get the ratio right at the start.

All in all, I think both ways work just fine. Smoke adds a little bit of nutes every day, I believe, but he successfully grows MONSTER trees so he's doing something right. I like the idea of topping off with the same ratios in terms of automation, but you've gotta start with correct ratios or you'll end up wasting nutes.

My first round, I used smoke's top-off method but I just let my ppms fall as she ate instead of adding a little every day. Seemed like a happy enough plant. I'm not exactly sure how I'll handle this round. It'll depend on my available time and how much damn overtime I work.

Kinda rambled. Hope I helped a little.

 

[Nesta]

Thats helpful for sure! The idea of the top off Res is to make things as easy as possible. In my head, I just assumed I would add the same ratios in the top off that are in the system and you’re replacing like for like. Adjusting ppm’s in a full system sounds like it might be complicated.

 

[GrumpAzz]

And.. if you're gonna top-off, keeping the top-off res the same as the lower res is the only way I can understand that chart that SLG shared. It only makes since to me if you're NOT topping off OR if you're topping off with the same ratios. I'll dig and see if I have that saved somewhere too.



Found it. This only makes sense to me if you're topping off with the same nutes or not topping off at all. I don't think this chart correlates to smoke's method. I think you gotta get into AquaMan's advanced top-up method if you only have RO in the top-off res.

 

[GrumpAzz]

Here's where you can read about Aqua's method. It seemed a little advanced for a beginner like myself, so I just made my own way and rolled with it. I live by that title of mine... wingin' it.

RDWC advanced top up method explained by Aqua Man

Ok I'm going to explain a more complex way of maintaining our systems for those looking to use best practices (IMO only) There are many ways this can be done but I feel this gives the most stability for PH, PPM, NUTRIENT RATIOS (super important) especially in systems with a low water volume. So...

budbuilders.org

Read through this and it might make more sense to you. I'll revist this method as I continue to improve my own method. Aqua is the fuckin' man when it comes to water chemistry and the like. I'd like to get to the point where this method comes easily like second nature, but for now, I'll keep wingin' it.