1st "real" grow.. Advise from experienced ppl appreciated

Sims da smoker (Qboro)

Sims da smoker (Qboro)

Well-Known Member
Alright, so I'm smokin a spliff a couple mins ago while watching some YouTube grow videos.. This guy kbgrowkid420 is talking about flushing his plants before flower & is testing his ppm.. I'm a little embarrassed but I actually didn't know exactly what ppm was, I knew it had something to do with testing the excess water that is drained from the medium but I wasn't sure exactly, so after the video I hit up Google to see exactly what ppm is.. Turns out it is an acronym for parts per million, from what I understand it's basically how concentrated the soil/water is.. Basically letting you know how much nutes your using.. So being that I have no ppm tester, I was wondering if the the yellowing & browning & overall drying out of the fan leaves on my cotton candy plant where due to high ppm.. At first I thought I over fed, then I thought it was the light too close or heat problems , then I thought it was under feeding. I've even recently re-potted the plant a little over a week ago and the problem still persists, fan leaves look good & healthy when they first sprout but by the time the plant gets about two new leaf sets the third set starts to look like shit & it gets worst as the fan leaves go down (plant is still growing vigorously tho) So after all this my question is do you think ppm is causing these problems with my cotton candy?? should I really worry about my ppm?? & if so should I maybe alternate nutrients to lower ppm for example : if I'm using ff big bloom & grow big this feeding , wait until next feeding to use cal-mag & sea minerals?? or just use smaller doses of each & still use all fertilezers at once?? help me out please
 
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berkman858

Well-Known Member
Yeah dude PPM is muy importante! At least in hydro it is. It tells you how much of the nutrient solution is actually nutrients. You need to do a baseline PPM on your water before adding anything and then everything you add after that will up the PPM. Then you can monitor PPM and see how many nutes the plants are using.

I forget, do you have a PH meter? If not you better get one, but I am sure you already have one.

Soil growers, how important is a PPM meter for your growing needs? I know us hydro guys depend on them greatly. I use mine at least twice a day.

P.S. - good stuff, keep smoking your spliffs and doing research. It really helps, even learning about problems you have never had is good knowledge.
 
Sims da smoker (Qboro)

Sims da smoker (Qboro)

Well-Known Member
berkman858 said:
Yeah dude PPM is muy importante! At least in hydro it is. It tells you how much of the nutrient solution is actually nutrients. You need to do a baseline PPM on your water before adding anything and then everything you add after that will up the PPM. Then you can monitor PPM and see how many nutes the plants are using.

I forget, do you have a PH meter? If not you better get one, but I am sure you already have one.

Yea.. Berkman I see u really know ur shit.. Impressive!! & yea, I'm always on my research shit.. I have a new question just about every time I take a glance at my girls lol.. Shit, half the time I wish I could just hang out in the hydro shop just to soak up their knowledge lol.. The hydro shop is like my new toys r us.. Back In the day I used to go crazy when my parents took me to the toy store, (wanting everything in sight) now I'm the same way in the hydro-shop.. I almost wanna tell my friends: u wanna get me a present I'll appreciate this year for my bday, x-mas or whatever?? Go to the hydro shop.. I'll def be happy with a new set Of nutrients or a hydroponic system or a new light or anything for that matter. But i obviously cant because of not only the law but remember i do live in the hood.. Someone tells someone u have a few plants.. Then next thing you kno u got dudes tryin to kick in your door thinking you got 100 pounds or something... But anyway, the point is growing is definately a new passion of mine. Unlike many phases I've gone through in my young lifespan, only a circumstance that is beyond my control will stop me from growing because this is something that I believe I'll carry on with me until I'm an old man.. It might be sad but I think I truly love growing .. If only I could have went to school for this lol.. Wouldn't it be the shit to get paid for this?? (legally lol).. & I do have a ph tester btw, but only for soil.. So that kinda sucks.. I can only tell what I've done after the fact.& by then it's obviously too late, I can only guesstimate to use more or less next time
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Sims da smoker (Qboro)

Sims da smoker (Qboro)

Well-Known Member
Just tried to give u rep berkman.. But it said I have to give some to other people first.. Idk tho, I don't Just give out rep!! (like I'm somebody important lol) people gotta earn it, but as soon as it allows me... I got u
 
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berkman858

Well-Known Member
Sims da smoker (Qboro) said:
berkman858 said:
Yeah dude PPM is muy importante! At least in hydro it is. It tells you how much of the nutrient solution is actually nutrients. You need to do a baseline PPM on your water before adding anything and then everything you add after that will up the PPM. Then you can monitor PPM and see how many nutes the plants are using.

I forget, do you have a PH meter? If not you better get one, but I am sure you already have one.

Yea.. Berkman I see u really know ur shit.. Impressive!! & yea, I'm always on my research shit.. I have a new question just about every time I take a glance at my girls lol.. Shit, half the time I wish I could just hang out in the hydro shop just to soak up their knowledge lol.. The hydro shop is like my new toys r us.. Back In the day I used to go crazy when my parents took me to the toy store, (wanting everything in sight) now I'm the same way in the hydro-shop.. I almost wanna tell my friends: u wanna get me a present I'll appreciate this year for my bday, x-mas or whatever?? Go to the hydro shop.. I'll def be happy with a new set Of nutrients or a hydroponic system or a new light or anything for that matter. But i obviously cant because of not only the law but remember i do live in the hood.. Someone tells someone u have a few plants.. Then next thing you kno u got dudes tryin to kick in your door thinking you got 100 pounds or something... But anyway, the point is growing is definately a new passion of mine. Unlike many phases I've gone through in my young lifespan, only a circumstance that is beyond my control will stop me from growing because this is something that I believe I'll carry on with me until I'm an old man.. It might be sad but I think I truly love growing .. If only I could have went to school for this lol.. Wouldn't it be the shit to get paid for this?? (legally lol).. & I do have a ph tester btw, but only for soil.. So that kinda sucks.. I can only tell what I've done after the fact.& by then it's obviously too late, I can only guesstimate to use more or less next time
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What's sad about loving to grow? Nothing! Don't be so hard on yourself, just cuz you aren't into the same shit as others. This hobby will teach you a lot, and not just about growing. It will teach you patience, you will learn about botany, and you will be able to share your knowledge and help others which is a great feeling.

I hang out at the hydro store too and my place gives me max discounts every time. Props to San Diego Hydro, they are the best!

Don't tell anyone that you grow if you are doing it on the down low, and even if you were doing it legit you should limit who knows. I aint worried about the police knocking my door down but I am always a little paranoid that someone will smell my ladies and try to break in. I have my beautiful little Pit bull to take care of any would be intruders. I have seen people almost run away when they see her and she is only 50 lbs. Dogs are a great deterrent to most people, usually the dumb fucks who would rob someone of their personal grow.
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berkman858

Well-Known Member
wheels619 said:
dont trust all the knowledge they have becuz some of them r idiots. some r good cats but most of them r just earning a paycheck and try to be helpful but not always the case.
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Yeah, I should have said that. You should question your favorite hydro employee to see how much he knows. I also ask each employee about their grow setup and what they do, that also gives me good insight into their knowledge and interest. Some are passive growers and some are active growers who love to grow and want nothing more than to share knowledge. The trick is finding the right guy; my guy at SD Hydro knows his shit, and also knows every spec of my grow cuz I buy almost everything from him, and he can intelligently guide me in the correct direction and deter any bad ideas that I bring up. Of course, no one is perfect and I don't do EVERYTHING anyone tells me to do. I take their input and reflect on it to decide what I want to do. I usually combine multiple ideas to get the perfect solution for my scenario, but not always. Sometimes I just should have listened to the advice I was given. Example: I was told to start using Heisenberg's Tea early in my grow and I ignored it. Now, after battling nasty slime, I am brewing the tea and will be using it consistently from now on.
 
wheels619

wheels619

Well-Known Member
berkman858 said:
Sometimes I just should have listened to the advice I was given. Example: I was told to start using Heisenberg's Tea early in my grow and I ignored it. Now, after battling nasty slime, I am brewing the tea and will be using it consistently from now on.
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i was given the same advice. lmao. when dealing with dwc its always best to figure out a great preventative measure. some use h2o2 some use beneficial bacteria some use teas. so far teas are my favorite. i did 4 bucket recirculating dwc system that i made myself and had slime problems too just from lack of using the preventative measures. ended up finding out the tea helped the best with a little orca tossed in for good measure. ended up scrapping the whole project tho. was in the middle of figuring out the best way for me to grow. found coco and never went back. although i do miss the speedy growth.
 
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berkman858

Well-Known Member
Sims da smoker (Qboro) said:
Just tried to give u rep berkman.. But it said I have to give some to other people first.. Idk tho, I don't Just give out rep!! (like I'm somebody important lol) people gotta earn it, but as soon as it allows me... I got u
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Thanks buddy. It has done the same thing to me a bunch of times. I forget I already rep'd someone and then they go ahead and give me more advice and I can't do anything else but I know you appreciate it so no worries on the repping thing. I am just glad your plants are doing well and that you have an active interest in growing and being a better grower.
 
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berkman858

Well-Known Member
wheels619 said:
i was given the same advice. lmao. when dealing with dwc its always best to figure out a great preventative measure. some use h2o2 some use beneficial bacteria some use teas. so far teas are my favorite. i did 4 bucket recirculating dwc system that i made myself and had slime problems too just from lack of using the preventative measures. ended up finding out the tea helped the best with a little orca tossed in for good measure. ended up scrapping the whole project tho. was in the middle of figuring out the best way for me to grow. found coco and never went back. although i do miss the speedy growth.
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I used H2O2 at first and that only slowed the slime down, it didn't do anything to cure it. Orca alone has pretty much kicked the slime's ass but I am going all out and my tea should be ready tomorrow after work.

Wheels, you should take a shot a DWC again. After I get it down to a science I would be more than happy to help you get a system set up with all the necessary bennies and tricks to keep the bad stuff out. I just hate seeing people avoid DWC because of the slime. The slime must not win! I am not saying I know more than you by any means, just offering my help.
 
montanachadly

montanachadly

Active Member
The ppm meter is actually a tds meter which stands for total disolved solids so when you use the tester you know how much nutes you have put in to gage if its too much they do work great and you will know exactly what your plant likes the best as far as nute levels sims but the ph meter is also of importance for soil and nute solution you want the solution between 6.3 and 7 with soil with hydro its a little lower cause they dont have any soil obviously the plus to the hydro is that the plants do grow faster but with soil the taste is better any hydro store guy will tell you that hydro isnt natural in nature obviously so when you get some money sims buy a few you can get a cheap one but the more you spend the longer it will last and the better keep up the good work
 
montanachadly

montanachadly

Active Member
I have found that most of the strains i grow dont like to have a ppm higher than 1200 if you follow the fox farm schedule with all there nutes in weeks 4 and 5 the ppm goes to like 1500 and thats with RO water with like 8 ppm. What you have to do is build your plants into the nutrients and then you can push them i dont like to do this anymore cause i have found that everything you put into your plant will effect the end result meaning for me taste so i try not to feed them too much just when they are defficent and most of the time just the soils i use have enough nutrients in them to substain the plant for a good bit as long as the roots have room to grow into the soil and not become rootbound so i am now going with bigger pots a 3 gallon pot is fine to veg a month then flower but 5 gallon has a better result im seeing i just switched to smart pots which i think is a great move i have seen what they can do
 
Sims da smoker (Qboro)

Sims da smoker (Qboro)

Well-Known Member
I have clones!!! My two cotton candy clones from my first batch showed roots poking through the bottom of the jiffy cup.. So all that shit I was saying about I should have listened to u guys is bull!! I'm that n*gg!... Y'all ain't got shI!! On me!! Nah just joking.. I'm more humble than that, but I am proud of my success.. I should have taken a pic of the roots but when I first saw it I called my homeboy over , we smoked a celebratory joint & rushed to transplant the two clones to bigger pots.. Most of these clones that I get (assuming more root) will ultimately be for him, I'm just proud that I can honestly say I know how to clone , now I really don't need a seed bank until I get tired of smoking what I'm currently growing & simply want more flavor variety (what a beautiful problem to have lol) anyway, I will post pics of the clones that I just transplanted & a pic of the big girls which will be going into flower as soon as I finish rooting the rest of these clones.(it's funny how a day or two switched my whole swag up) & just to think I was really considering throwing these clones out.. & my other clones are all looking pretty good, with the exception of the one glp clone that I did the whole "stem tug" test on which I threw away last night. Since I only have 1 more pot the clones will be purely fun and experimental. I will prob not veg them at all, throw 2, possibly 3 clones in 1 airpot & throw it into flower with the other plants.. If I get any rooted clones from my second batch I will simply let them stay in their plastic party cups & they will also be put into flower with the others. Matter fact hold on, I just said I was going to give majority to my friend.. Well, as u can see I still have to think this one out, but I should know by the morning.
 
Sims da smoker (Qboro)

Sims da smoker (Qboro)

Well-Known Member
These are the 1st two cotton candy clones.. The one on the right is for my friend & the one in the air-pot is mine.. I didn't plant it in the middle cuz I might throw more than 1 clone in that pot.. Fuk it. & I kno, they look like shit. But they have roots!! So once again... Fuk it
 
Sims da smoker (Qboro)

Sims da smoker (Qboro)

Well-Known Member
berkman858 said:
Sims da smoker (Qboro) said:
What's sad about loving to grow? Nothing! Don't be so hard on yourself, just cuz you aren't into the same shit as others. This hobby will teach you a lot, and not just about growing. It will teach you patience, you will learn about botany, and you will be able to share your knowledge and help others which is a great feeling.

I hang out at the hydro store too and my place gives me max discounts every time. Props to San Diego Hydro, they are the best!

Don't tell anyone that you grow if you are doing it on the down low, and even if you were doing it legit you should limit who knows. I aint worried about the police knocking my door down but I am always a little paranoid that someone will smell my ladies and try to break in. I have my beautiful little Pit bull to take care of any would be intruders. I have seen people almost run away when they see her and she is only 50 lbs. Dogs are a great deterrent to most people, usually the dumb fucks who would rob someone of their personal grow.
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Ur right berkman. What is wrong with loving to grow?? I think it's just that everyone else gets to flaunt their passions & everyone accepts it whether it be singing , art , dance photography or whatever.. But my passion had to be kept secret,. It sucks.. But I guess it's move to another state or stay here & complain .. & since I barely had the money to get a halfway decent grow .. I think I'm pretty much limited to the stay here and complain option lol
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berkman858

Well-Known Member
Great job on the cloning! Your plants look healthy too so it looks like you are on your way. One thing that I am learning with cloning and when to transplant is that if you wait longer to transplant, like when their are actual root balls, you will get much better results. This eases the stress of transplanting because they are stronger and are more ready to start growing like crazy. You will probably see some signs of stress from your recent transplants but steer the course and don't overfeed or over water them because they are very fragile right now.

Again, great job and keep up the good work and good attitude. You will be showing motherfuckers what's what in no time.
 
Sims da smoker (Qboro)

Sims da smoker (Qboro)

Well-Known Member
montanachadly said:
I have found that most of the strains i grow dont like to have a ppm higher than 1200 if you follow the fox farm schedule with all there nutes in weeks 4 and 5 the ppm goes to like 1500 and thats with RO water with like 8 ppm. What you have to do is build your plants into the nutrients and then you can push them i dont like to do this anymore cause i have found that everything you put into your plant will effect the end result meaning for me taste so i try not to feed them too much just when they are defficent and most of the time just the soils i use have enough nutrients in them to substain the plant for a good bit as long as the roots have room to grow into the soil and not become rootbound so i am now going with bigger pots a 3 gallon pot is fine to veg a month then flower but 5 gallon has a better result im seeing i just switched to smart pots which i think is a great move i have seen what they can do
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info on the ppm.. & do u really think the fertilizers give the bud a noticeable taste difference.. Or let me re-phrase that. Do u think me as a person who has only smoked commercially grown bud with the exception of my 1 previous aerogarden grow in which I didn't even cure the bud, will be able to taste whether it was grown organically or not? That's interesting cuz I was actually thinking of going organic in the future.. Still tryin to decide whether it's a bunch of hippie b.s. Or is it really worth it. & the bit u were talking about pot size is also interesting.. Early in this thread I asked about pot sizes cuz I wanted to know if for my set up & yield expectations I need needed to consider a pot upgrade.. I'm currently in a 3 gallon for my cc .. And the other two are in 1 gallon. 1 more question my friend is doing a grow in his back yard & since he has no indoor set up like me , he is looking for a maximum yield this grow season.. What size pots do u suggest to pull a qp or 1/2 lb?? & what strains do u grow with the knowledge that it gets kinda cold in the fall here (50-70 degrees average)
 
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