Observers' Flower Space

[Observer]

SiO2

SiO2 is the chemical formula for silica, which is a compound of silicon and oxygen. It is the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust, after oxygen. Silica is a hard, white, crystalline solid that is insoluble in water. It is found in many different forms, including sand, quartz, and glass.

Silica in plants
Silica is not considered an essential nutrient for plants, but it does provide many benefits. Silica can help to strengthen plant cell walls, making them more resistant to pests, diseases, and environmental stresses. Silica can also improve plant growth, nutrient uptake, and water use efficiency.

Mono-Silicic Acid (MSA)

MSA is the only form of silica that can be directly absorbed and used by plants. All other forms of silica must first be converted into MSA before they can be taken up by plants.

MSA is a soluble form of silica that is easily absorbed by plant roots.

Combining/manipulating pH values/Chemistry to do Potassium Silicate + Phosphoric Acid = MSA/Mono-silicic acid, a form thats readily-bio-available for Plant Nutrient Uptake
Potassium silicate and phosphoric acid can be combined to produce MSA by reacting them in a solution with a pH of approximately 10.5. The following chemical equation shows the reaction:
K2SiO3 + 2H3PO4 → 2KH2PO4 + SiO2

The silica produced in this reaction is in the form of MSA, which can be readily absorbed and used by plants.

How to use MSA

MSA can be used as a foliar spray or a root drench. For foliar sprays, a solution of 1-2% MSA is typically used. For root drenches, a solution of 0.5-1% MSA is typically used. MSA can be applied to plants at any stage of growth.
Benefits of using MSA

MSA has many benefits for plants, including:

• Increased resistance to pests, diseases, and environmental stresses
• Improved plant growth
• Improved nutrient uptake
• Improved water use efficiency
• Increased yield

Conclusion
MSA is a readily-bio-available form of silica that can be used to improve plant health and growth. It can be produced by combining potassium silicate and phosphoric acid in a solution with a pH of approximately 10.5. MSA can be used as a foliar spray or a root drench, and it can be applied to plants at any stage of growth.

 

[Observer]

The MSA compound is not explicitly denoted in the formula. It is formed as a byproduct of the reaction between potassium silicate and phosphoric acid. The silica produced in this reaction is in the form of MSA, which can be readily absorbed and used by plants.
Here is a more detailed explanation of the reaction:
K2SiO3 + 2H3PO4 → 2KH2PO4 + SiO2

The potassium silicate and phosphoric acid react to form potassium dihydrogen phosphate and silica. The silica produced in this reaction is in the form of MSA.
MSA is a monomer of silica, which means that it is a single molecule of silica. It is a soluble form of silica that can be easily absorbed by plant roots. MSA is beneficial for plants because it can help to strengthen cell walls, improve nutrient uptake, and increase resistance to pests and diseases.


@Franksta

@Zen_seeker

as you see, now im fucking with google bard, about MSA, lol

like to learn.

mind runs.

 

[Zen_seeker]

Need more emoji combos, one doesn’t cover all scenarios.

 

[Observer]

you can turn SiO2 into SiO4 with phosphoric acid, but not directly.

You need to first react the SiO2 with a strong base, such as potassium hydroxide (KOH), to form potassium silicate (K2SiO3).

Then, you can react the potassium silicate with phosphoric acid to form mono-silicic acid (MSA), which is in the form of SiO4.

The following chemical equations show the reactions:
SiO2 + 2KOH → K2SiO3 + H2O
K2SiO3 + 2H3PO4 → 2KH2PO4 + SiO4

Other acids, such as sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3), can also be used to react with potassium silicate to form MSA.

However, phosphoric acid is the most commonly used acid for this reaction because it is less corrosive and more readily available.

It is not necessary to use potassium silicate to turn SiO2 into SiO4. Any soluble form of silica, such as sodium silicate (Na2SiO3) or lithium silicate (Li2SiO3), can be used.

However, potassium silicate is the most commonly used form of silica for this reaction because it is relatively inexpensive and readily available.
In summary, the following steps are required to turn SiO2 into SiO4 using phosphoric acid:

1. React SiO2 with a strong base to form a soluble form of silica, such as potassium silicate.
2. React the soluble form of silica with phosphoric acid to form mono-silicic acid (MSA).

Other acids can be used to react with soluble silica to form MSA, but phosphoric acid is the most commonly used acid for this reaction.

-Google, B.A.R.D.




@Moe.Red
@Franksta

True, False, Thoughts?
if i may

 

[Observer]

Chemistry is pretty neat.

 

[Observer]

them bitches are probably dry, lol.

better go check em.

 

[Observer]

Buds everywhere

@tobh
@Dirtbag

 

[tobh]

those look great. good job!

 

[Observer]

those look great. good job!

Thanks man

These have been doing good so far imo

 

[tobh]

Thanks man

These have been doing good so far imo

they look it. in 6-8 weeks you're gonna hate yourself for growing so much lol

 

[Observer]

they look it. in 6-8 weeks you're gonna hate yourself for growing so much lol

Sweet, good to hear lol.

Hope I maintain it properly.

 

[tobh]

Sweet, good to hear lol.

Hope I maintain it properly.

you're at the smooth sailing stage now for the next six to eight weeks. pro-tip: don't fuck up fertigations the last two weeks. ya know, when the plants look perfect and you're just waiting for the right ripeness. it kinda sucks.

 

[growsinse79]

One oz from a solo, ez.

It's dry

Give or a take a gram(s) if you want to be pedantic, cause these are dried colas so there's a little stem, and just a little trim left.

And not talking about quality, just the possible yield from a solo.

Hell yeah, way to save mix. I'm doing mostly 1 gallon now, 2ea last time. Price of mix is getting ridiculous. I'm thinking about going hydro.

 

[Observer]

Hell yeah, way to save mix. I'm doing mostly 1 gallon now, 2ea last time. Price of mix is getting ridiculous. I'm thinking about going hydro.

Right, one thing I was mainly focused on/experimenting with all the solo cups, depending you're space and method of growing/media, don't need slot of container space if you have nets to hold the plants in place

So I feel I got it pretty optimized for 5x5 tent growing in coco, half gallon pots all the way.

Besides depending how much you want to water them/often/auto watering, but in the context of optimization, space, and growth rates


Half gallon 100%

 

[tobh]

Hell yeah, way to save mix. I'm doing mostly 1 gallon now, 2ea last time. Price of mix is getting ridiculous. I'm thinking about going hydro.

come to the dark side brother. water is warm and yields are better

 

[Dirtbag]

Buds everywhere

@tobh
@Dirtbag

Very nice .
Excellent light penetration to those buds too. Excited to see how this flowers out for you.

 

[Observer]

1.4-1.5 E.C - In, watered till run off

Very nice .
Excellent light penetration to those buds too. Excited to see how this flowers out for you.

Thanks you, only/main "problem" for me/on these seems to be, the plant in the back left isnt taking the light as well as the others that perking up to it
they're leaf shade/color could maybe be a littler healthier, but nothing to chase tail over.


OR

the one plant is more flat/drooped than the other 3 plants' leafs that are oriented/ "perking" towards the light.

so i think the only main issue so far is too much PPFD on that one plant, but dont want to give less to the others if they are asking for more?
so its gonna have to handle/deal with it, i suppose.

the 320~w KS3000 is 8-12 inches from canopy at 75% Power, the sf2000 202~W is at 80-90%


----

i was thinking, for my next veg run, to take those cheap ass 200 1 inch rockwool cubes, leave them in sets of 4 or whatever, and stack them into containers/solos and place clone/seeds in/on top of em.

alot cheaper than me buying 6 inch cubes AND slabs perhaps

 

[Dirtbag]

1.4-1.5 E.C - In, watered till run off

Thanks you, only/main "problem" for me/on these seems to be, the plant in the back left isnt taking the light as well as the others that perking up to it
they're leaf shade/color could maybe be a littler healthier, but nothing to chase tail over.


OR

the one plant is more flat/drooped than the other 3 plants' leafs that are oriented/ "perking" towards the light.

so i think the only main issue so far is too much PPFD on that one plant, but dont want to give less to the others if they are asking for more?
so its gonna have to handle/deal with it, i suppose.

the 320~w KS3000 is 8-12 inches from canopy at 75% Power, the sf2000 202~W is at 80-90%


----

i was thinking, for my next veg run, to take those cheap ass 200 1 inch rockwool cubes, leave them in sets of 4 or whatever, and stack them into containers/solos and place clone/seeds in/on top of em.

alot cheaper than me buying 6 inch cubes AND slabs perhaps

Could be just a bit runty too. I got in the habit of taking way more cuts than I needed and only using the biggest/best of the bunch to keep the flower room uniform. Otherwise I would invariably end up with a runt of the litter.

And can't see why the stacked rooters wouldn't work, but slabs are a vertical weave where rooters are a horizontal weave i think. I have a preference for vertical weave for flowering size plants, but it would still work. Hugo's have a vertical weave I believe. Or they used to anyway.

 

[Observer]

Could be just a bit runty too. I got in the habit of taking way more cuts than I needed and only using the biggest/best of the bunch to keep the flower room uniform. Otherwise I would invariably end up with a runt of the litter.

Ohh.

which is kinda funny,

cause i think it was growing the "fastest" and bushiest, and wanted all the PPFD in veg, maybe some stress/defoliation related/too


and 2 much back to back high-ppfd, tiring it out too (?) idfk

ive been back and fourth between 50 and 75% power on the vipar. i have moved it up and over towards the other ones a little.

And can't see why the stacked rooters wouldn't work, but slabs are a horizontal weave where rooters are a vertical weave. I have a preference for vertical weave for flowering size plants, but it would still work. Hugo's have a vertical weave I believe. Or they used to anyway.

Ahh, i See, maybe ill just buy the slabs and try the stacked rooters on top lmao.

excited to finally try it.

2x4 flowers go down in a week or two, then time for the next VEG Start/Run

 

[Observer]

Thanks for yalls help.
@Dirtbag
@tobh

next thing/focus, is to narrow the input>output E.Cs together.

 

[Dirtbag]

Ohh.

which is kinda funny cause i think it was growing the "fastest" and bushiest, and wanted all the PPFD in veg, maybe some stress/defoliation related/ and 2 much back to back ppfd, tiring it out

ive been back and fourth between 50 and 75% power on the vipar. i have moved it up and over towards the other ones a little.



Ahh, i See, maybe ill just buy the slabs and try the stacked rooters on top lmao.

excited to finally try it.

2x4 flowers go down in a week or two, then time for the next VEG Start/Run

Almost any configuration of rockwool works, I've even done fabric pots of loose rockwool flock before. Slabs are a bit more pricey, but they are designed to work very well, and they do.
A 3" half block on top of a unislab is a deadly way to go.

 

[Observer]

Almost any configuration of rockwool works, I've even done fabric pots of loose rockwool flock before. Slabs are a bit more pricey, but they are designed to work very well, and they do.

clever

A 3" half block on top of a unislab is a deadly way to go.

OoH, buy some 6' and cut em in half?, place on slabs.



ill have it up as soon as i can chop the 2x4 and get the materiels.

that fuckin works/sounds perfect.

without breaking the bank i barely have lol

thx bro


you smart, lol

 

[Observer]

30 something degrees outside.

This is how I balance my grow environment out.

I guess too much light at/on the back plant there but it's at 75% and it's gonna have to deal with it, the others seem to want more if im "reading" the plants correctly.

Unless, it's a root zone problem, I doubt it, checked it not long ago.

 

[Observer]

30 something degrees outside.

This is how I balance my grow environment out.

I guess too much light at/on the back plant there but it's at 75% and it's gonna have to deal with it, the others seem to want more of I'm reading them correctly.

No control over lights off besides ambient, and fuck it don't care/can't worry about it.

That's something I'll have to optimize when I have a proper setup/room and closer to full control over all parameters at all times.

Then I'll dial/optimize the lights off environment in

 

[Observer]

So I'm aiming for 85/75 for these next weeks or so till last two

But if the temp is staying 84 I'll take 74rh, just gotta open the flap a little more for it to drop, or go wipe some water off the floor.

Can turn this down too so I don't have to open it as much to keep heat in, possibly.

 

[Observer]

So I'm aiming for 85/75 for these next weeks or so till last two

But if the temp is staying 84 I'll take 74rh, just gotta open the flap a little more for it to drop, or go wipe some water off the floor.

Can turn this down too so I don't have to open it as much to keep heat in, possibly.

Also, I could remove some of these fan leafs too for RH control

Reason this doesn't work in soil, or schwazzing is because soil is a slow media, organic food takes a little time to break down and become bio-available.

Supplying them readily bio-available salt solutions, they have instant food-uptake, optimized gas exchange, high heat for cellular division and multiplication growth rates, humidity keeps them breathing and uptaking CO2.

 

[Observer]

The whiteboard, lol.

Current nutrients, E.C and pH range, and "crop-steering" method, and week stage.

I am currently doing, 5.5 > 5.6 > 5.7 > 5.8 > 5.9 > 6.0 > 5.5

So every night when I make gallon of nutrient solution I go through the pH point "steps"

So if I water them 5.5 one night, 5.6 on the next solution, till 6.0 or 6.1 (if that's recommended, 6.1) then back to 5.5 - logic being good range/better absorption/uptake range for ALL elements.

 

[Observer]

The whiteboard, lol.

Current nutrients, E.C and pH range, and "crop-steering" method, and week stage.

I am currently doing, 5.5 > 5.6 > 5.7 > 5.8 > 5.9 > 6.0 > 5.5

So every night when I make gallon of nutrient solution I go through the pH point "steps"

So if I water them 5.5 one night, 5.6 on the next solution, till 6.0 or 6.1 (if that's recommended, 6.1) then back to 5.5 - logic being good range/better absorption/uptake range for ALL elements.

Small pots best pots in growth rate optimization context

Small and tall pots are best, but have their drawbacks too, I'd like to use tall and skinny half gallons next time but that's for coco, I'm planning for rockwool run next , just the upfront cost to once again go out and buy more shit when I have a kid to prioritize, making me go back and fourth , cost.

Coco seems to be a lot cheaper than Rockwool.


But I'll probably get a few bigger ones and cut em in half then place on slab come flower.

 

[Observer]

Kinda hard to check their EC as it just runs out on the floor but I'll turkey baster some up and see.


This wasn't even the plan lol

Just ran out of room on the 2x4 and figured go ahead and flower these with how sick those root balls were looking.

These were the moms.

 

[Observer]

@GoodShit97

It's bong breaking season, apparently.

Lol

 

[SSgrower]

I just sifted some sift hash with my bitch Sifter and we got the bong & Banger w/ carb cap out of the closet! I hear ya. As to your financial problems I feel it too, my Texas electric with Reliant energy just increased rates in September for me,Frick! You trying to figure out how you want to RDWC there are Moe & plenty of other semi-Pro's, don't want to give em the big head,Ha. Cheers bro, they make Grodan slabs and now Canna has Coco slabs if you have seen them? SSgrower

 

[GoodShit97]

@GoodShit97

It's bong breaking season, apparently.

Lol

Man, you too huh? My wife broke this one last night.
Shes ALWAYS wearing a fucken blanket through the house and caught the damn thing when she turned around.
I think i could fix it with 2 ton quick set epoxy but its not worth it to me lol.

 

[Dirtbag]

OoH, buy some 6' and cut em in half?, place on slabs.

No, I use the 3 x 3" x 2.5 inch blocks on a slab. The roots find the bottom really fast so they can be put on slabs faster.

These guys.

Grodan Delta 4 Block, 3" x 3" x 2.5" with holes

Buy Grodan Delta 4 Block, 3" x 3" x 2.5" with holes Grodan Stonewool (rockwool) is made from molten rock spun into cotton candy-like fibers and then compressed into cubes, blocks, or slabs. Where other rockwool brand manufacturers cut all sizes from one batch of wool, Grodan is unique by making...

hydropros.com

6" blocks are way too big for slabs, even cut in half, they'd be wider than they need to be. The small block on top is just for getting them started and to keep the crown of the stalk elevated out of the main slab.

 

[Dirtbag]

Also, I could remove some of these fan leafs too for RH control

Reason this doesn't work in soil, or schwazzing is because soil is a slow media, organic food takes a little time to break down and become bio-available.

Supplying them readily bio-available salt solutions, they have instant food-uptake, optimized gas exchange, high heat for cellular division and multiplication growth rates, humidity keeps them breathing and uptaking CO2.

Go easy pulling leaves during the stretch and bud set period. I really try to minimize stress during that phase, if they can herm, that will hermie them.

 

[Rootsruler]

I just sifted some sift hash with my bitch Sifter and we got the bong & Banger w/ carb cap out of the closet! I hear ya. As to your financial problems I feel it too, my Texas electric with Reliant energy just increased rates in September for me,Frick! You trying to figure out how you want to RDWC there are Moe & plenty of other semi-Pro's, don't want to give em the big head,Ha. Cheers bro, they make Grodan slabs and now Canna has Coco slabs if you have seen them? SSgrower

Dang....Texas....what do you do when there's a hot or cold snap and your electrical grid starts shutting down? Do you have a generator to keep things going?

 

[Pipecarver]

@GoodShit97

It's bong breaking season, apparently.

Lol

That sucks, You could stick the stem of the top pic into a piece of 1 1/2" PVC pipe hot glue a bottom on and where you drill to add the stem to secure it in place. Use a hair dryer or heat gun to mold the top into a comfortable shape to smoke from. paint funky colors or leave as is...... cheap and almost indestructible bong

 

[Observer]

Go easy pulling leaves during the stretch and bud set period. I really try to minimize stress during that phase, if they can herm, that will hermie them.

wouldn't want that, thanks.

have not picked anything else after the second strip.

 

[Observer]

No, I use the 3 x 3" x 2.5 inch blocks on a slab. The roots find the bottom really fast so they can be put on slabs faster.

These guys.

Grodan Delta 4 Block, 3" x 3" x 2.5" with holes

Buy Grodan Delta 4 Block, 3" x 3" x 2.5" with holes Grodan Stonewool (rockwool) is made from molten rock spun into cotton candy-like fibers and then compressed into cubes, blocks, or slabs. Where other rockwool brand manufacturers cut all sizes from one batch of wool, Grodan is unique by making...

hydropros.com

6" blocks are way too big for slabs, even cut in half, they'd be wider than they need to be. The small block on top is just for getting them started and to keep the crown of the stalk elevated out of the main slab.

ohhh ok thanks man.

 

[Observer]

Man, you too huh? View attachment 27832My wife broke this one last night.
Shes ALWAYS wearing a fucken blanket through the house and caught the damn thing when she turned around.
I think i could fix it with 2 ton quick set epoxy but its not worth it to me lol.

 

[Observer]

So guess I should be doing "vegetative", (1-4% sub volume, so I'ma keep it at 4% lol.

Instead of generative at (4-8%)