FlowaMasta's Methodology @ How to Grow Monster pound plants!!! ( Jack H X Skunk )

Looking amazing Flowa, she's going to have some beautiful buds on her

i did the flush on mine yesterday and added the XL made a huge mistake when i did it though, added 25mL instead of 12.5 so i had to drain out the res and refill it! So glad i realised before it gave my girl a feed! Still having power issues though, think the power socket where my clothes dryer is faulty

Hey Mo, cant wait to see what your system looks like are you worried about the nutrients reacting with the metal?

Stainless tanks are used by food and chemical mfg companies. I think it will be fine - going to find out I am more worried about temperature.

Ah yeah cool

Yeah temp may be your issue hey, hope it works out well Mo, cant wait to see it

I will try insulating the tank and putting the res in another cupbord. I will get a res chiller if it is a problem. I have some high output t5s I may use for vegging and then LED (I might get another Kessil) or 1000 watt hid (and all of the fan stuff for cooling issues). The weather is getting so hot so fast I may just go outside and build a greenhouse

Mohican said:

Look at those shiney leaves! You are killing it! Got my bag of perlite today! Need to solder some pipes and buckets for my stainless steel/smart pot hempy system today. It is going to be hot this year - A/C time

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YeeHaa!! She is a gorgeous strain I tickled up the Dr. Repair this week so thats where her Dark leaves are coming from trying to squeeze in as much food as she can handle and watching carefully.

I had trouble finding my pots online, but maybe search for 510mm garden containers/pots if you are still worried.... Soldering stainless.... I personally don't trust the weld long term. You DO NOT want a flood in this system!! I kept trying to find solid info on this but even though it does state stainless is fine for hydroponics i do strongly recommend plastic as it is inert to liquid fertz. I used to mix garden fertilizers by hand for a nursery many years ago, they were very strict on the use of plastic there. If you really have to use the stainless tank, then perhaps atleast line it with sealed plastic, you don't want to get half way through your grow and maybe have some chemical bind itself to the steel, that could be an easy start to salt build up. I hope you don't mind my opinion!! i just really hope you get a smooth run!! starting with the right gear will take alot of guesswork out, and possible a massive headache.

1 more thing instead of 'welding or soldering' you can still use rubber grommets on the stainless tank, but after seeing my last pump at how the inside looked..... ouch.

Damn 1 more thing hehe..... Temperature. Yes this will be a big issue using any steel. it will slowly heat up to ambient, the res will end up being very warm without use of a chiller, but that would defeat the original purpose. Its driven me crazy trying to find the right pots Mo!! they are like $15 buks each and last forever! The cooler you can have your roots and res, the less troubles with infection or disease or any form of bacteria. warm moisture = humidity..... together is a perfect combo for root rot.

Good luck Mo!! I hoe i can help somehow!!! I'll ask my old mentor see if he can link me to a website for the pots i just cannot remember the brand!!! and sooooo many companies make shit these days.

Mohican said:

Stainless tanks are used by food and chemical mfg companies. I think it will be fine - going to find out I am more worried about temperature.

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Researching some more on stainless steel. It is possible to leak chrome and nickel , check this site, one of many. this is accelerated by temperature, and cleaning also ( small scratches ) Stainless steel is made up of many metals, including aluminum and scrap metal.

IT MUST BE 316 Stainless steel, if you cannot guarantee, i would be more cautious. I highly doubt a tank as such be made as the same grade stainless as a surgeons surgical blade

Daaaaaaamn it hate to be the bearer of bad news ey

Do not worry FlowaMasta! The tank is not the res and the top part is a smart pot full of perlite suspended in air above the tank.

The tank is just there for darkness and for draining the nutes back to the res. The bottom of the tank has a six inch hole that I need to use as the drain. I am soldering a stainless bowl to this hole and soldering a pipe fitting to a hole in the bowl. I found this method on a beer making site where they use stainless tanks for brewing beer. The solder is silver and it is strong. I use MAP gas to get it nice and hot!

My res is a 15 qt stainless steel soup pot with a lid. No plastic or rubber except for the pump body. Trying to avoid any BPAs and such (I wonder if there is a food grade stainless pump?). I originally wanted to use glass aquariums for the res and the grow vessel. However, I like the strength of the stainless and the ability to drill holes and solder my fittings. No leaks and no weird algae growth. Bleach and H2O2 safe all day long! Best of all - all of the parts are readily available at the hardware store.

This thing should rock! I just can't decide whether to do a quick strain and work some sativa outdoors or try my MozPoz x Mulanje Bubblegum. I also do not know whether I should try to perfect the LED grow or go with the tried and true method of HID. Decisions, decisions

I was also toying with the Idea of just sealing the lid on the tank and growing a small plant inside with CO2 and LED. The inside is very reflective!

Mohican said:

Do not worry FlowaMasta! The tank is not the res and the top part is a smart pot full of perlite suspended in air above the tank.

The tank is just there for darkness and for draining the nutes back to the res. The bottom of the tank has a six inch hole that I need to use as the drain. I am soldering a stainless bowl to this hole and soldering a pipe fitting to a hole in the bowl. I found this method on a beer making site where they use stainless tanks for brewing beer. The solder is silver and it is strong. I use MAP gas to get it nice and hot!

My res is a 15 qt stainless steel soup pot with a lid. No plastic or rubber except for the pump body. Trying to avoid any BPAs and such (I wonder if there is a food grade stainless pump?). I originally wanted to use glass aquariums for the res and the grow vessel. However, I like the strength of the stainless and the ability to drill holes and solder my fittings. No leaks and no weird algae growth. Bleach and H2O2 safe all day long! Best of all - all of the parts are readily available at the hardware store.

This thing should rock! I just can't decide whether to do a quick strain and work some sativa outdoors or try my MozPoz x Mulanje Bubblegum. I also do not know whether I should try to perfect the LED grow or go with the tried and true method of HID. Decisions, decisions

I was also toying with the Idea of just sealing the lid on the tank and growing a small plant inside with CO2 and LED. The inside is very reflective!

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you have some fantastic ideas Mo, and i love that you think outside of the box!

I also like how you are intrigued with the LED method, which ofcourse i'm keen to see more of, finding the right lighting kit with enough output will probably be the task

I would also use replaceable feed and return lines without a doubt, the most important factor between each grow is making sure everything is as clean as new to make the most of it, I've seen the inside of people feed lines after i ask them, 'have they ever changed them? or clean them?' I've been grossed out too many times, and that slimy residue that builds up on the inside....... no amount of safe chemicals can bring them to new and clean levels.

As to why i user replaceable lines/pumps/airstones etc so my list is usually cheap and easy to gather each time.

You sound like you love to get your hands into all aspects

Oh, there is food grade pumps, but when you are working with chemicals such as these that is irrelevant as long as she seals up, its one of those things you gotta replace each 2-3 grows. They DO all where out/become faulty over time. Naturally these chemicals are corrosive, oxidizing and also some are acidic in nature which can break down even earth toughest elements

Update on my indoor, day 12 flowering AND CRANKING!!!!

Ofcourse i couldn't forget my outdoor monster! Its real, even though i cannot believe my own eyes.











Indoor Amsterdam Gold Day 12 flowering.

















She maybe alot smaller than my usual monsters indoors, being limited with only 21 days vegging

That outdoor is going to be a big trim job - believe me - I have the scars to prove it (mental scars hehe).

Look at those colas fill out! I count at least 14 large mains - wow!

Im with Mo, going to be a monster trim job lol. But going to be so worth it for you bro

Damn that Amsterdam Gold is looking beautiful, you'll get some nice solid colas on her too!!

Mohican said:

That outdoor is going to be a big trim job - believe me - I have the scars to prove it (mental scars hehe).

Look at those colas fill out! I count at least 14 large mains - wow!

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eastcoastmo said:

Im with Mo, going to be a monster trim job lol. But going to be so worth it for you bro

Damn that Amsterdam Gold is looking beautiful, you'll get some nice solid colas on her too!!

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Thanx guys!!

You are right Mo its more like 30-40 large! There was alot of branches that i snapped on purpose as they were growing to the sky so that will account for a few more massive ones. , but alot of the plant is un-viewable from 1 side.... the side that i take pics from is actually the side so you can imagine it being pretty much even over the canopy, That doesn't make it feel any easier though lol!! Yeah i don't know how i'm going to trim it.... driving me insane!
The biggest section of the plant is opposite the fence, some are very hard to predict sizes since it was re-vegged they go riiiiiight down..... ridiculous. some are growing sideways and i think they may be the largest.

I can't touch 90% of the plant at the moment, it's just too hard to get to. I've made it very difficult to access even for myself. I remember when i trimmed all re-growth back, i was on my back in the dirt and ants and other filthy crap lol, couldn't see anything really, and basically went by feel it took me a loooooong time to get her to her healthy stock now I can't forget to water her, and she takes food like no tomorrow.

Her shear size now and accessibility leaves me wondering if there might be some stuff getting mouldy or covered up..... but i'm probably worrying about nothing. Jack looks after herself she just needs major taming as she's a wild beast in this climate.

I must admit she might look neat now, but i tipped soooo many tips before she flowered.... so i had to be a very rough dude to get her looking like a big sexy skirt of budz

Haha LOL about the big skirt of hefty buds

Whatever you did bro, you did it well and all the effort will be worth it in the end

Hey Flowa, do you by chance have any tricks to stop pH swings? This week, with the XL ive been adding pH down to my res twice a day to keep the pH in the 5.4-5.6 range. Ive been checking in the morning and its 5.9 so i use some pH down and then in the arvo i check it again and its back up to 5.9 again, is this normal when using the XL or cyco in general?

eastcoastmo said:

Hey Flowa, do you by chance have any tricks to stop pH swings? This week, with the XL ive been adding pH down to my res twice a day to keep the pH in the 5.4-5.6 range. Ive been checking in the morning and its 5.9 so i use some pH down and then in the arvo i check it again and its back up to 5.9 again, is this normal when using the XL or cyco in general?

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Yeah man, while using XL it can swing a little way, make sure you are rinsing your ph meter thoroughly, and re-calibrate in buffer fluid if needed. You may have added a little too much ph 'up' which may increase the res temp slightly and dilute the salts, not a problem, just keep an eye on it watch it carefully you will notice a dramatic drop in the res level soon. The XL helps breakdown all the acidic salts and make them available as good usable food and easily absorbed into the leaves.

good work Easty!!

Ah sweet brother, i'd say that's what has happened, may have gone over board with the KOH! My baby has had a LOT if water already man, had to top up with pH'd water yesterday

Thanks heaps for your help bro, really appreciate it

Sorry man another question..would you see a problem with me flushing this weekend and putting her back to flower? Or do you reckon I should run the last week of beg nutes before doing it? Im afraid if i wait another week to put her back she'll get too big, that XL stuff is ridiculous my girl has now filled out about 2/3 of the tent and with the stretch i reckon she'll be right on the soze i want...

eastcoastmo said:

Sorry man another question..would you see a problem with me flushing this weekend and putting her back to flower? Or do you reckon I should run the last week of beg nutes before doing it? Im afraid if i wait another week to put her back she'll get too big, that XL stuff is ridiculous my girl has now filled out about 2/3 of the tent and with the stretch i reckon she'll be right on the soze i want...

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not a problemo
I'm trying to goto your link and my pc keeps shutting down!? issue my end i think anywayz because i can't see your pic.. i'll keep trying!! XL will boost things for the next week but after that is usually time to promote flowering, and the transition in this system is uniquely fast. Flowers stretch less in my opinion.
I wanna see her!!! Piiiiiiiics!!!

Hey man,

Yeah i just clicked the link and seems to work, not sure what's goin on!!

OK cool, well I'll do the flush on the weekend and try push it the extra week, she's doubled again in the last few days, here she is at day 22




Do you reckon I could push it another week? I was originally going to put her back on saturday next week so if you reckon I can push her to then I'll give it a go

Push it push it real good looking nice and dark green there Easty

Check my outdoor girl! Its raining soooo much at the moment...... daaaaaaaaaaamn hope she's mould resistant!




Now the Spider has shed itself!! sometime today!?



She's been flowering since the end of January. Not long to go!

Alllright man, I'll push it real good salt 'n peppa styleee

Wow, damn you take some wicked pics bro, they always look so nice hey

Your girl is looking magnificent Flowa, i reckon you still have till April before she finishes hey, I'm not seeing any dying pistils yet! Even my little outdoor girl still has maybe 2 weeks hey