My First Hempy Bucket Grow

Rusty Shakelford

Well-Known Member
Since you use RO water, do you use cal-mag or does your nute mix have plenty ?
CalMag is not supposed to be needed with the lucas formula, but then there are also plenty of threads that say they needed it. At this point, I am keeping to the KISS Method and leaving it out unless I feel its necessary. I have had CalMag deficiencies plenty of time (unfortunately), and I don't think this is the problem. I just think she wants more food,,, Especially more N.

All of the Girls have perked up with their last feeding, but sure look like they want more.
 

Rusty Shakelford

Well-Known Member
Even though I could tip the Buckets over (quite a bit) and get water out the hole, I decided to feed today anyway, if nothing else, to thoroughly wet some roots, and replenish the res water.

I decided not to pump up the NLxBB Girls to full strength just yet, and brought Fruity and Auto up to 3/4 strength, so that meant 2 gallons of the same strength needed to be mixed up.

3/4 Strength
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3.75ml Micro
7.5ml Bloom
45 drops PH Up
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PH = 6.02
PPM = 510 (.5) EC 1.0

I also used a piece of 1/2" tube pushed into the hole for drainage today. This worked out pretty well..

I am seeing some growth and a slight bit of stretch (finally), but not sure they are taking off quite yet. Considering, they are pushing their seventh set of leaves, I am concerned they are a little Puny/Small.. This Friday will complete their 4th week of life and I would like to Top them soon. Any Comments on this :?:
 

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Gyroscope

Well-Known Member
They look healthy, but a little small. Have you used the Lucas formula before ? On this strain ? They are probably still in a little bit of transplant shock. I bet they will take off soon....

I have never done the Lucas formula. I have heard good and bad things. I always wondered why people would want to do it different than what the company suggests ? Seems like you would be getting less nitrogen with the LF.
 

Rusty Shakelford

Well-Known Member
They look healthy, but a little small. Have you used the Lucas formula before ? On this strain ? They are probably still in a little bit of transplant shock. I bet they will take off soon....

I have never done the Lucas formula. I have heard good and bad things. I always wondered why people would want to do it different than what the company suggests ? Seems like you would be getting less nitrogen with the LF.
I have never done the Lucas Formula either, but like you I have read all of the Good, and all of the Bad, and I just cant help but think, this guys formula didn't become so Famous (might be too strong of a word) because it sucks.. And considering I am Rockin 3 strains with similar results, I don't think its strain related.. If I am not mistaken, GH Recently started printing the Lucas formula on their labels as well. Maybe I just needed to ramp them up faster than I did??

I will say they look much better today. They are starting to look NOT SOO COMPACT and I am finally getting a little distance between the Internodes. It may be that the roots are starting to get into the res finally, so I am hoping to really see them start to fill in the newly additional space they have to work with.
 

Rusty Shakelford

Well-Known Member
Well my Attitude Seed order arrived today, and BOY, there were more FREEBIES in the package, than Seed I actually ordered. Now I dont know if they did this on purpose to account for my discount, but they also never mentioned it when I contacted them last. They just pointed me to the 420 Discount, so I am not sure whether to take back my Bad Comments about them or not, but here is the breakdown:

What I Ordered:
5 Barneys Farm Acapulco Gold FEM
5 Barneys Farm Pineapple Chunk FEM

Freebies in my Cart:
Mazar x Great White Shark FEM
Cheese FEM
Blue Widow FEM

Freebies that I Received:
Mazar x Great White Shark FEM
Cheese FEM
Blue Widow FEM
Blue Dream Haze FEM
Kandy Kush FEM
Pineapple Express FEM
Critical Jack Herer FEM
Auto Cheese FEM
Afghan Kush FEM
Cheese FEM
Mazar x Great White Shark FEM
Blue Widow FEM
Power Kush FEM
Lambo aka Rambo REG
Dark Star REG
SSSDH REG
Chernobyl REG
-----------------------------------------
Again, If they had mentioned that they would be including a buttload of additional seeds, I would have Thanked them and went about my Merry way. So their communications skills suck, but ultimately, I am not unhappy with the way they made up for my last order, if this is what was intended :weed:
 

jela10

Well-Known Member
I have never done the Lucas formula. I have heard good and bad things.
I can attest to the Lucas formula success. I did 2 hempy bucket grows with FlorNova bloom only and it was remarkable. It was gentle on new sprots @ 1/4 strength and plants really responded well thorough the grow with the full 8ml/gal dose every feeding. I did find FlaraNova extremely thick so I cut it 50% with RO water and then doubled the dose. The stuff go's a long way and is economical in that since even when you pay $23 for a bottle. With the hempy bucket I did add some benificial microbes to keep the 2" reservoir wholesome. RO water only....no pH checking, no PPM checking...no nothing. Hempy is simplicity and hydro in the same bundle. I didn't even flush....just added water/nutes till I saw some drainage at the side hole. It ran consistently above 86° in my grow tent...never a lick of pythium, root rot or anything to speak of except the excellent bushes produced over previous soil grows in FF Ocean Forest.
 

Rusty Shakelford

Well-Known Member
I can attest to the Lucas formula success. I did 2 hempy bucket grows with FlorNova bloom only and it was remarkable. It was gentle on new sprots @ 1/4 strength and plants really responded well thorough the grow with the full 8ml/gal dose every feeding. I did find FlaraNova extremely thick so I cut it 50% with RO water and then doubled the dose. The stuff go's a long way and is economical in that since even when you pay $23 for a bottle. With the hempy bucket I did add some benificial microbes to keep the 2" reservoir wholesome. RO water only....no pH checking, no PPM checking...no nothing. Hempy is simplicity and hydro in the same bundle. I didn't even flush....just added water/nutes till I saw some drainage at the side hole. It ran consistently above 86° in my grow tent...never a lick of pythium, root rot or anything to speak of except the excellent bushes produced over previous soil grows in FF Ocean Forest.
Well, the Lucas formula is only working OK for me. I am starting to see more Yellowing in the Lower Leaves of a couple of plants. Almost looks like a Phos def, so I may go up to full strength feeding today, considering Im pretty much almost there anyway, but the new growth looks very healthy.

Unfortunately when I make RO Water, its starts with a very low PH, then adding Nutes just TANKS IT, so getting by without a PH Meter is just not possible. Last night I mixed a couple gallons of water for todays feeding, and I have been bubbling it overnight to see if this will bring my PH up without having to use sooo much PH Up. But I just checked and the PH is 5.37, which is where it usually lands after mixing nutes. I think next watering, I will leave out some tap water and try to work that into the mix, but will cross that bridge when I get there.
 

jela10

Well-Known Member
Lower fan leaves yellowing and even falling off on middle age & up plants is pretty normal with my girls...with my Canna nutes, board members recommend adding a little cal/mg first to buffer the pure RO water. I wonder if that would help your pH come up to 5.5?
 

Rusty Shakelford

Well-Known Member
Lower fan leaves yellowing and even falling off on middle age & up plants is pretty normal with my girls...with my Canna nutes, board members recommend adding a little cal/mg first to buffer the pure RO water. I wonder if that would help your pH come up to 5.5?
I am not sure that these are that overly mature to be dropping lower leaves just yet, but of course anything can happen :-P

I did add a half dose of CalMag to my mix from this morning to see if it would bring the PH Up any, and NEGATIVE! No movement at all, except it did bump up the PPM quite a bit.

So I made a couple more gallons of RO and just mixed FULL Strength Lucas 5-10.. Here are my results::

85% Lucas formula
2.5ml Cal Mag
40 Drops PH Up
PH = 5.86
PPM = 666 (.5)

FULL LUCAS
5ml Micro
10ml Bloom
48 Drops PH UP
PH = 5.84
PPM = 643 (.5)

Since the PPMs were a little lower than the CalMag mix, I just used that.

Auto NL Blue has Popped pistols all over, so she must be getting ready to begin flowering :weed:

Other than that, I plan on topping the 3 Girls today above the Second or Third node. I would like to get the second, but they are quite compact that low, so I may or may not get where I want to be.
 

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Rusty Shakelford

Well-Known Member
I topped the 3 girls, and that seemed to go pretty well. I wanted to get down to the second node (Uncle Ben's Style), but there was simply not enough room between the 2nd and 3rd node, so I just chopped above the 3rd node, and can see the new tops.. Looks like 4 tops per plant, so I cant complain :clap:.

I cut the 4th nodal growth off the tops, dipped them in Clonex Gel, and plugged them into my Root Riot Cubes,, Trimmed up the leaves, misted them with PH Water, put them under a dome and set them in to do their thing.. This is not only my first seed run, but the first time I'm cloning :shock:.

HOPE ALL GOES WELL!!!
 

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WattSaver

Well-Known Member
Kloning tip; Don't mist or spray the cuttings instead mist/spray the inside of the humidity dome instead. The cuttings will fare better pulling the moisture out of the air than having it sit on the leaves.

I really think you should stop watering every day on your 3 gal buckets, by watering everyday you are slowing the root expansion. The perlite will wick enough moisture. I really enjoy the transplant to the big buckets because I know I won't have to water for at least 5 days, maybe 7 depending upon temps.
 

Rusty Shakelford

Well-Known Member
Kloning tip; Don't mist or spray the cuttings instead mist/spray the inside of the humidity dome instead. The cuttings will fare better pulling the moisture out of the air than having it sit on the leaves.

I really think you should stop watering every day on your 3 gal buckets, by watering everyday you are slowing the root expansion. The perlite will wick enough moisture. I really enjoy the transplant to the big buckets because I know I won't have to water for at least 5 days, maybe 7 depending upon temps.
I have been misting the clones and the inside of the dome. I may try to start easing up on misting them directly though.

I have never watered every day to this point of the grow. Now that they are in the 3 gallon buckets, I have been watering/replenishing the res every 3 days, and have never watered them every day. I had been hoping they would be a little dryer in 3 days, but the Perlite is always still a bit moist.
 

Gyroscope

Well-Known Member
Good luck on the cloning !
I have tried several ways of cloning just for fun and I have to say I still love putting a cutting in a cup of water so I can see the roots as soon as they pop. Once they start they grow crazy. I just transplanted several the other day. The one that I showed you suspended in the 2L reservoir is still thriving after a slight bump in the road. The bump caused me to wait to do a full run, but it will happen....
 

Rusty Shakelford

Well-Known Member
Good luck on the cloning !
I have tried several ways of cloning just for fun and I have to say I still love putting a cutting in a cup of water so I can see the roots as soon as they pop. Once they start they grow crazy. I just transplanted several the other day. The one that I showed you suspended in the 2L reservoir is still thriving after a slight bump in the road. The bump caused me to wait to do a full run, but it will happen....
Well don't leave us Hangin on the Cup of Water!! Do you PH the water? Do you put anything in the Water? Do you still use Clonex? What kind of success rate are you getting? Just short of an aeroponics unit, I think it would be great to be able to see the roots grow.
 

WattSaver

Well-Known Member
I have never watered every day to this point of the grow. Now that they are in the 3 gallon buckets, I have been watering/replenishing the res every 3 days, and have never watered them every day. I had been hoping they would be a little dryer in 3 days, but the Perlite is always still a bit moist.
Sorry about the watering comment, I didn't check the post dates. My bad.

I like to see the clone roots also. I clone in soil in clear plastic cups so I can watch the roots run down the wall of the cup. And Yes Gyro please share your water cloning method, I tried a bubble cloner and didn't have success.
 

Gyroscope

Well-Known Member
Well don't leave us Hangin on the Cup of Water!! Do you PH the water? Do you put anything in the Water? Do you still use Clonex? What kind of success rate are you getting? Just short of an aeroponics unit, I think it would be great to be able to see the roots grow.
I told you I have 2 wells...They seem to do better with the one that is pH 5.4 vs 6.8

When I clone in water I do not put anything in it.

No Clonex or root powder/hormones.

The only ones that I ever lost doing it like this were ones that were on weak stems and the leaves had either some sort of deficiency or tip burns already.

I have joked with others on here and called it my 5 cent "hydro-cloner" system.

I have always thought about building an aeroponics cloner, but I think I will stick with individual cups. The reasoning for this is because I have seen too many threads where people lose the whole batch when something goes wrong. Also the pump makes the temps run high and that makes a perfect breeding ground for pithium and algae. Sure you can use additives to keep the bad stuff down or you can use a 3 cent cup per clone and get the same results...I have had some start making roots in as little as 5 days. Usually they are rooted in about 14 days and by 21 days some get very long.

I use my Fiskars micro tip shears to take the cuttings. I leave the tip and 2 leaves and strip it down from there. I use a sharp paring knife to make one scrape down the stem. Not too deep mind you, but I do scratch a little off. I then put the cutting in a big clean cup filled with water and make a steep cut under water. Some say 45 degrees, but I make mine a little steeper than that. Then I transfer it into a cup already filled and waiting. Be sure it is long enough to have at least one node well under water. I have used 3 oz opaque plastic bathroom cups with great success. They no longer have these atwalmart and now they are slightly bigger at 5 oz. Very cheap cloners. Change the water every 3 days and you won't have to worry about algae.

During my testing, I noticed that the roots always formed on the other side that was not scraped. I jumped to the conclusion that scraping did not help and was not needed. The next few I did without scraping and they took a lot longer. I am a believer that scraping does indeed help.

I am testing something different this time. Remember my test 2L/DWC with just a smidgen of perlite at the top ? I bought some net pots and collars and have some cuts floating in 5 oz cups. When they root, I will suspend them in full size 2L's without any medium....I may even journal it.:peace:
 

Gyroscope

Well-Known Member
Sorry about the watering comment, I didn't check the post dates. My bad.

I like to see the clone roots also. I clone in soil in clear plastic cups so I can watch the roots run down the wall of the cup. And Yes Gyro please share your water cloning method, I tried a bubble cloner and didn't have success.

I have done perlite in clear cups too so I can see the roots. I called them "micro hempies" I had the hole 1/4" off of the bottom so they had a reservoir like a big hempy.

They say that roots don't like light, but I think that is over-exaggerated. I think that they do not like to be out where they can dry out and the worst thing about light and roots is that algae will eat them up fast if it once starts !

I have thought about a bubble cloner too, but nixed the idea for the same reason as I did the aerocloner. I am curious...Where your stems submerged in water ? If so how much ?
 

WattSaver

Well-Known Member
I have thought about a bubble cloner too, but nixed the idea for the same reason as I did the aerocloner. I am curious...Where your stems submerged in water ? If so how much ?
I only had about an inch submerged. And I don't think that I had a trimmed node under water, which you do and I always do in soil. Also I didn't ph my water, just used tap water straight which has a ph of 7. I was wondering about the differences between your different wells, other than the ph. With the large ph difference you have I'm willing to bet there is a difference in the mineral makeup and content in each. Does either source leave a mineral crust on your faucets? Or has a different flavor?
 
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