Dialing In MEGA CROP for Auto's

[Mañ'O'Green]

@4d-Rock I see people advise others and water wrong every day. What most people do not understand is a tap root can grow 9 inches in three days and the laterals are only a couple of days behind that. If roots hit a dry spot they stop growing in that direction. This is the mechanism behind air pots - air pruning. So if your entire pot is not moist you are stunting the early and most important root growth. Then to make matters worse dry soil and or coco can become hydrophobic. This means it repels water and will leave dry pockets in the pot they may never re-wet without a surfactant. Here is my canned speach -preach! Oops almost forgot about living soil that must remain moist or the microbes die or go dormant.

Here are the basic rules: Never let the soil dry out. Soil and or coco can become hydrophobic if allowed to dry. This means it repels water. This in turn will create dry pockets in the soil and roots there will die. If your soil - coco have accidentally dried out use a surfactant to help re-wet it. I like yucca powder. Don't let soil remain soggy by watering too much too often. Root rot, damping off, molds, fungus gnats and other problems start in soggy soil. When you do water water the entire pot. How to learn when to water starts before you plant the seed. Fill your container with fresh soil/coco and weigh it (heft it) this is the lightest weight and consider it a dry pot. Now slowly water until the soil/coco will no longer absorb the water and run-off begins; weigh the pot (heft it) this is the maximum water, the wettest the pot can get. The difference between wettest and driest is the maximum water weight, for ease of explanation lets just say the water weighs 20 pounds. When the pot loses 10 pounds (half of the water weight) it is time to water again. There is an art to watering. Coco can be fertigate many times a day if you want to continually present fresh balanced nutrients to the roots. Begin fertigation 2 hours after lights on and end it 2 hours before lights out.

I will be starting an autoflower grow with the 2 part MC soon. The difference between autos and photos nutrient needs is based more on the size and speed of an auto compared to photos and not genetics. Most autos are smaller plants and do not need as much for that simple size reason. Then they are faster so you want to change the formula faster. There are some genetic differences but really size and speed are the biggest factors.

I will be using the same nutrient schedule for the autos that I used for the photos just lower PPMs and faster progression. Stay tuned.

 

[idiopathic neuropathy]

@4d-Rock I see people advise others and water wrong every day. What most people do not understand is a tap root can grow 9 inches in three days and the laterals are only a couple of days behind that. If roots hit a dry spot they stop growing in that direction. This is the mechanism behind air pots - air pruning. So if your entire pot is not moist you are stunting the early and most important root growth. Then to make matters worse dry soil and or coco can become hydrophobic. This means it repels water and will leave dry pockets in the pot they may never re-wet without a surfactant. Here is my canned speach -preach! Oops almost forgot about living soil that must remain moist or the microbes die or go dormant.

Here are the basic rules: Never let the soil dry out. Soil and or coco can become hydrophobic if allowed to dry. This means it repels water. This in turn will create dry pockets in the soil and roots there will die. If your soil - coco have accidentally dried out use a surfactant to help re-wet it. I like yucca powder. Don't let soil remain soggy by watering too much too often. Root rot, damping off, molds, fungus gnats and other problems start in soggy soil. When you do water water the entire pot. How to learn when to water starts before you plant the seed. Fill your container with fresh soil/coco and weigh it (heft it) this is the lightest weight and consider it a dry pot. Now slowly water until the soil/coco will no longer absorb the water and run-off begins; weigh the pot (heft it) this is the maximum water, the wettest the pot can get. The difference between wettest and driest is the maximum water weight, for ease of explanation lets just say the water weighs 20 pounds. When the pot loses 10 pounds (half of the water weight) it is time to water again. There is an art to watering. Coco can be fertigate many times a day if you want to continually present fresh balanced nutrients to the roots. Begin fertigation 2 hours after lights on and end it 2 hours before lights out.

I will be starting an autoflower grow with the 2 part MC soon. The difference between autos and photos nutrient needs is based more on the size and speed of an auto compared to photos and not genetics. Most autos are smaller plants and do not need as much for that simple size reason. Then they are faster so you want to change the formula faster. There are some genetic differences but really size and speed are the biggest factors.

I will be using the same nutrient schedule for the autos that I used for the photos just lower PPMs and faster progression. Stay tuned.

@Mañ'O'Green ....you should do a scheduled "Grow along for new or any grower to follow with a start to finish"....list materials needed, etc. And a day by day tutorial....would be awesome.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

@Mañ'O'Green ....you should do a scheduled "Grow along for new or any grower to follow with a start to finish"....list materials needed, etc. And a day by day tutorial....would be awesome.

I grow Hydroponically using precision drip to waste. It is not an easy act to follow. If Anyone is willing to create a set-up like mine I would be pleased to help along.

You will need:
a 10 gallon reservoir with at least two pumps, one for stirring the reservoir - small is all you need - or an air pump to aerate. The second pump is to fertigate with the drip system. This needs to be beefier. An 8 run time timer with 1 minute increments. Pluming with an in-line filter and Pressure compensating 1gph drip emitters two per plant. 6" Hugo rock wool blocks. Do not get the cheaper ones as they drain too rapidly. FloraFlex caps and clips to hold the drippers. A tray with drain to waste ability. Some method to support the plants. I have used nets successfully. A top-off tank plumbed to your reservoir with a float valve. Some method to drain the reservoir. I have a third pump I use that is plumbed to my outdoor gardens.

This is where I first set it up:

The Incredible Bulk Adventure

My next grow will be Dr Krippling's "The Incredible Bulk" photoperiod strain. I have some changes to accomplish in my grow space to get started. I am going to rockwool blocks so I needed a flood tray and drip irrigation setup; I completed that today. I have 6 more COB Leds to add to the space...

www.autoflower.org

 

[4d-Rock]

Thanks @Mañ'O'Green for the tips, I’ve seen you give them out to others in the past and try to work them into how I’m growing.
Ive considered making an order for some of the NPK supplements like Yucca and Silica, apart from the high price I’ve held back because if I haven’t been able to get a 4 ingredient (MC,SC,BE,SK) formula to work, adding more complexity may not be the answer. But maybe it’s time to try something new on the next run.

I’ll keep a look out and follow along on your next auto grow.

 

[pop22]

Thanks @Mañ'O'Green for the tips, I’ve seen you give them out to others in the past and try to work them into how I’m growing.
Ive considered making an order for some of the NPK supplements like Yucca and Silica, apart from the high price I’ve held back because if I haven’t been able to get a 4 ingredient (MC,SC,BE,SK) formula to work, adding more complexity may not be the answer. But maybe it’s time to try something new on the next run.

I’ll keep a look out and follow along on your next auto grow.

 

[Greenleaf Nutrients]

 

[NorthernLights_420]

Take the advice I've been giving, I've been running Megacrop since Version 1 and my grows prove that many people are just plain using too much! Keep your TOTAL ppms between 500 - 550 and add nothing. Since MC v2, no added cal/mag is needed. And Proph is right, people think every problem is a cal/mag deficiency when 80% of the time it's not. Also spots on leaves at the top of the plant is NOT Ca, yellowing and spots indicates excessive ppms and/or low PH, you need to take a runoff reading of your medium's ph. The yellowing id lockout of your micronutrients.
convenient
Look at this, obviously rootbound plant in a 1 gallon pot, feed MC @535 ppms since day 7 PH 6.45
( in soil, I'd run 6.2 - 6.3 in coco, I don't care what anyone says otherwise, keeping your coco PH there will give you a problem free grow, as long as you don't over feed )


GG#4 Auto

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What version do you use and how many grams per gallon from start to finish gets you in your target ppm range? Just mc or any additives?

 

[GeorgeCloney]

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Is this an anxious pussy??

 

[pop22]

I don't weight the MC, too much bother. I use both MV version 2 and I still have a lot of V1 left so the last 2 grows I've been using that. With V2, I use slightly less than a tables spoon for 525 ppms, unless I make it into a stock solution. I never use additives, MC has everything you need. I've just ordered the new MC, haven't needed to buy any this year until now.

And I've moved to making a stock solution, mkaes for an even distribution of the nutrients. I put 20 Tbsp in a 32 ounce jar, fill 3/4 full and shake. when I need to use it, I just shake it good and pour into a measuring spoon. This solution I then test measure each batch of stock by putting one Tbsp in 5 gallons of water and taking a ppm reading. Currently with the V1 I use about 3 Tbsp of stock solution and I hit 535 ppms just about everytime. I'm not fussy however, anything between 500 - 560 is acceptable. I'll see what the new MC tests out to and post my solution results.

What version do you use and how many grams per gallon from start to finish gets you in your target ppm range? Just mc or any additives?

 

[pop22]

BTW with V1 I add 40 ppms of cal/mag. I'm switching to epsom salts though as the extra Ca is not needed.