DWC Forbidden Runtz Auto

Week 2, 18-24 October 2023 23 October - Plant roots have made enough progress to transfer into it’s permanent 5 gallon DWC bucket system. This is carefully done without damaging any roots to ensure stress and transplant shock is eliminated (see pictures). The root system only recognizes more space to grow signaling the plant to catalyze its efforts toward rapid development. Water is not dirt. Because I grow in Deep Water Culture, there is a need to understand a different view in nutrients. It is not living or organic, carbon solid by nature. No matter what you do with it, it will never be considered organic. One cannot grow an organic cannabis plant hydroponically. So without dirt and the ways to supplement it with other solids, supersoils/boosters, and compost, DWC cultivators must substitute - dirt. This is indeed a tall order, the same nutrients available and used for dirt also apply to DWC for the most part. Understandable because of the basic cellular make up and plant needs. So where does it start and what is a good separation between the two. It depends on what you want your final product to be. Most hydro growers start off with a safe mix of the three basics; Gro, Micro and Bloom. They will produce a fine healthy grow, full flowers, with great results if all other conditions are stable. But this will not get them to their genetic potential. Taking it beyond the three basic NPKs is the only way your going to grow hydroponic cannabis and achieve it. Research with results show that Humic and Fulvic acids are a must in plant nutrient uptake at different levels, a wide range of additional minerals are also required, an inoculant to prevent rootrot, enzymes to stimulate rapid root growth, silicate to ensure strong branches, and others that will introduce you to advanced chemistry/biology. It can be head scratching sometimes, but not really. Once you understand that dirt is a very complicated structure, trying to imitate it with water makes it easier to comprehend. So when you look at my feeding schedule you may think it’s an over kill. But the way I interpret it is the method and origins used in the production of these nutrients have a dispersed background. Some end compounds may be presented molecularly identical, but the source used to gather/collect/mine or refine is a patently different way causing certain growth reaction/effect(s). Most add on nutrients I have found can be given at 1/2 the recommended rate. The bottom line is always a quantifiable result that can be duplicated repeatedly. Each nutrient tries to target its specific purpose with minimum overlap of the other. If one is removed a noticeable difference will be had. There is always a search for something to better the grows, knowing nothing is magic out there. This is what has worked for me and it continues to be refined with every new run. Hydroponics cannot replace dirt, but the end product can be debatably the same. Just to clarify my nutrient label. I understand that General Hydroponics has changed names and is now Terra Aquatica. It is currently not being used so I’m unable to verify the product. I’m going to be adamant about posting what I use, even if the company has stated the formula is the same. As soon as I start receiving new TA products I’ll start listing and reviewing them accordingly. Above anything else, if you want to grow these plants understand they require attention and a stable environment. It’s cultivation is therapeutic, the smoke is medicinal and recreational, the plant is a means of unique peaceful sociabilities that are all-embracing and universal. A natural gift - my opinion. - Feeding schedule is unchanged this week, until moved into 5 gal DWC system. This change will be reflected next week. - Using 2x ViperSpectra XS2000 Light power set at 25%, timer on 20/4 - Using reverse osmosis water - EC is 1.6 at 69 degrees F (5 gal system) - 672 ppm TDS (5 gal system) - Maintain PH at 6.24 using GH PH Up or PH Down as applicable That is it for this week. Next week I’ll talk about PH ranges in DWC. Thanks for the read and stopping by.