This girl is looking pretty nice. Buds are starting to fatten up and trichomes are getting pretty cloudy. Figure she will go another week of so before flushing her. She is definitely getting too much on the nutrients but she is handling it ok for now.
@Njaak, I run (2) 6 inch airstones in my big system. I thought a small air stone would be good for this little one but guess wasn't quite enough. You definitely want a lot of air for your dwc.
@Wicked_Stix, I've wondered about air. My big bin I was thinking of using 2 but the local hydro store dude said no need. I may go with your experience ;)
Hey man, thanks very much for the inspiration. Your system is truly elite. I have been interested in trying manual hempy style somewhere in 2020, I have to say that this looks superior with recirculation and automation.
Is this the small kind of perlite you are using? (Instead the 'chunky' stuff)
I heard it breaks down into pieces which are too fine over time.
BTW, how do you deal with the ( I assume) rising PH that results from aeration? adding more phosphoric acid?
@BillMonroe, I wash and reuse what I can but I lose quite a bit from washing it. Mine stays moist but it does get crumbly when it is dry.
And yes I have tried fox farms and a couple other brands. Even boosters like beastie blooms will make the ph fluctuate. General hydroponics maxi and the flora are the only ones I have found that run steady consistently. I like the maxi because it is much cheaper and you can actually run the grow or bloom alone without any boosters
@Wicked_Stix, Sweet. I assume you reuse the perlite. And did you have PH fluctuations with different nutrient lines? :O
i mentioned that about the perlite 'breaking down', i have to wonder if that happens from it 'drying out' and remoistened all the time. Yours must be continuously be as moist as it can be.
Super interesting, thanks again
@BillMonroe, I just use regular perlite from my local garden center. I use 5 gallon paint strainer bags to line my buckets. It keeps the perlite from running into my reservoir. I have done a lot of testing on different nutrients. The maxi nutrients and boosters I use run stable. It runs stable with no fluctuation. I have ran the same solution for up to 2 weeks with zero change in pH.
@mr_h_kovert, Thanks. I think this strain has even more potential than I got out of her if grown on a better feed schedule. These buds flame up like fresh hash though.
@Mr_Weeds_Autos, Yeah all of the autos I have ran in dutch buckets get pretty big. Excited to see how they finish up. Going to be running several more of the fastbuds original strains after I finish this grow. Good luck with your grows!