Tents And Nutrients?

[Highlander]

This is my favorite idea. Vegging plants in hydro, then switching them into soil for flowering, I had actually asked Grass about this in one of his posts earlier to find out if it was possible. I wont lie, I'm now heavily weighing this option.

 

But then...what do I do about nutrients and such?

 

What I have done is use the "old" nute solution in the veg system to water the flowering plants in dirt....because you can run your vegging plats in DWC at 500ppm or less.  So when you have flowering plants in a mix of dirt/perlite, this nute formula is pretty spot-on for the flowering plants needs.  I just bought another house - one with lots of acreage and few neighbors so I can compost and move dirt around and noone will notice or care.  At my other place, the neighbors would have seen a big pile of compost/dirt.  So now I'm entertaining the idea of cloning and vegging in hydro and then switching to dirt and composting the used dirt and excess plant matter to use/reuse later. 

[AbominableDro-Man]

So no new flowering nutrients are added? Or rather, are there any additions?

 

Also, I decided to read a little on that Lucas Formula you mentioned, how does that work in comparison to using a full nutrient lineup? Such as one of those bundles with all of the additives etc?

[Highlander]

So no new flowering nutrients are added? Or rather, are there any additions?

 

Also, I decided to read a little on that Lucas Formula you mentioned, how does that work in comparison to using a full nutrient lineup? Such as one of those bundles with all of the additives etc?

 

I have run a variety of nute formulas over the years and paid the big bucks for the hyped-up additives such as Floroalicious +, Big Bud, etc. at $50/liter.    I have never seen any benefit with these.  By just sticking to the fundamentals....basic nutes and an enzyme, results have been the same.  I tend to avoid bundles....they are too complicated...and the confusion seems to be designed to add to the bottom dollar of the seller. 

 

If you use inorganic nutes like GH but add an enzyme and run this solution for a couple of weeks, you get about the same results as any dirt/organic grower.  The enzymes and all of the complicated processes take place behind the scenes, and you get good results.  I have been told by several patients that my RDWC meds put most soil-grown meds to shame.  It is probably in the flush.  Once your flowering plants get all leafy around week 4-5, they have just about enough nutes stored in the fan leaves to finish the plant 4 weeks later even if you give just plain water. 

 

Don't get too confused by the line between organic and inorganic nutes.  Nitrogen is nitrogen...phosphorus is phosphorus.. and the micro nutes are the micro nutes regardless of the source - "organic" vs. "chemical salts."  At the end of the day, you want to be able to accommodate/encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria and fungi.  It doesn't matter if you start with "organic" or "inorganic" nutes.  If you have a RDWC system dialed in, then the beneficial bacteria and fungi will thrive, and it won't matter what the original sources of these items are...sterile chemical salts or a brewed organic tea. 

[trichcycler]

tilapia will waste no time eating the roots, the first moment you decide to stop inputting food., sorry. Success this way with a net of sorts is possible though, so don't be discouraged. There are alternatives, like suspending your plant pot tray above the tank in its own substrate and pumping it up, a no flood option. I always chose flood/drain for the same reason. tray above the res. but still flooded occasionally for various reasons. you'll need more than two plants to support one tilapia, without additional filtration. that set up would be ideal for a few goldfish. tilapia get twice your hand size for reference

Can you grow the plants in the same container as the fish?  I'm picturing an aquarium with a cover and one or two plants suspended, bare root, into the aquarium.  Or will the fish eat the roots?

[AbominableDro-Man]

Well right on, thanks for putting that on the line like that for me. So it looks like the only things you REALLY need, are micro, bloom, and an enzyme, unless I'm missing something that seems pretty simple of a starting point. It's just a little hard for me to grasp that throughout the entirety of the grow I'd only be using 3 bottles. Sort of boggling really 

Edited March 19, 2014 by Comfortably_Numb

[trichcycler]

my worms will die when exposed to a half mix of any basal salt reservoir, just sayin.

 

one difference between the nutrients is one requires being broke down naturally by fungus and beneficial orgs before it can be up taken by plants, while the other is readily available. plants are worked harder when allowed to seek their food and water supply, compared to spoon fed. don't get me wrong, I love both, for different reasons.

[trichcycler]

beware re inventing the wheel. when an issue does happen, and it will, just one more variable. All quality nutrients work great, if directions are followed, if room build controls, and feeding are tops. they even work well at half strength, no fuss, pour, use, enjoy. proven lines include GH is a proven line, so is advanced nutrients. Genral hydro is nice, and I've loved technaflora kits, they are a no brainer, and cheap.

Well right on, thanks for putting that on the line like that for me. So it looks like the only things you REALLY need, are micro, bloom, and an enzyme, unless I'm missing something that seems pretty simple of a starting point. It's just a little hard for me to grasp that throughout the entirety of the grow I'd only be using 3 bottles. Sort of boggling really 

[Highlander]

Well right on, thanks for putting that on the line like that for me. So it looks like the only things you REALLY need, are micro, bloom, and an enzyme, unless I'm missing something that seems pretty simple of a starting point. It's just a little hard for me to grasp that throughout the entirety of the grow I'd only be using 3 bottles. Sort of boggling really 

 

I have told people that growing MMJ is a lot like painting a car.  You can spend as much money as you want on paint and added gold flake, etc., but if your base is off-base, then you lose the value of the high-end additives.  You can spend $1,000 per quart of paint, but if you spray it onto an unprepared surface, you get substandard results.  So you accomplish the basics first.....get yourself comfortable with basic nutes and, if needed/wanted, then get geeky with amendments. 

[AbominableDro-Man]

Well alright then.

 

I guess then it comes down to:

 

Using SensiGrow A/B and SensiBloom A/B

Using SensiGrow A/B and switching to Connoisseur A/B for flowering

Using either GH's Micro/Bloom or AN's Micro/Bloom with an added enzyme (Sensizyme, likely) following a Lucas Formula. 

 

Leaning towards SensiGrow A/B and switching to Connoisseur A/B for flowering I think

Edited March 19, 2014 by Comfortably_Numb

[AbominableDro-Man]

The planning stage is done! I have a list of components, seeds, etc and now I'm just waiting on finding out the details behind having a RDWC built up. Once that is figured out, I can spend the money and get this rodeo moving.

[pergamum362]

Sounds like your having some fun

[Highlander]

Just my two cents. Hygrozyme is about the same as sensizyme. But hygrozyme is the better value.

[AbominableDro-Man]

Oh man, you have no idea. I am super excited to begin my first grow.  And duely noted Highlander, but just a question really quick on that, shouldn't I keep the enzym within the same nutrient line that I'm using or is that really not necessary?

[Highlander]

Oh man, you have no idea. I am super excited to begin my first grow.  And duely noted Highlander, but just a question really quick on that, shouldn't I keep the enzym within the same nutrient line that I'm using or is that really not necessary?

Oh man, you have no idea. I am super excited to begin my first grow.  And duely noted Highlander, but just a question really quick on that, shouldn't I keep the enzym within the same nutrient line that I'm using or is that really not necessary?

Not necessary. Enzymes are enzymes. I've used a few different enzymes with GH nutes with no issues. You could even use cheap pond clarifier about $30 to treat a million gallons.

[AbominableDro-Man]

Well alright that's actually useful info..not that I'll skimp on it, but I'll likely go with Hygrozyme or Sensizyme. I appreciate the input on that though, think I've said so before haha