No I don't have a tread I'm just gathering all the info before I setup the autopot. I will be sure to start a tread once I get going. I'm waiting on my northern lights from fastbuds to finish. They are growing using biotabs but not in autopots. I also have a selection of mephisto growing using the also. I have to say they are the best looking plants I've grown so far.
Dolomite lime autopot?
- Thread starter BigB6
- Start date
I can't imagine that BioBizz Light Mix needs added perlite for any grow style at all, and given what it says on their website, it also shouldn't need any additional lime to adjust pH, so given the ingredients you seem to possess, my advice would be to not add any extra perlite an just use the light mix, which is already pre-amended to work well for what you're trying to do.
In terms of adding Calcium and Magnesium to the soil to make sure you have enough available throughout the grow, dolomite can be a way to do that, but if you add that much to a medium like BioBizz that has already been engineered to fall within in the desired range for cannabis, your medium will be far far too alkaline and you will experience lockout of things that prefer the pH a bit lower than 6. Dolomite lime is a way to add Ca and Mg, but it is not just a "more is better," supplement you can add without regard for the effect on pH.
So to summarize, this sounds like what you're pursuing:
-Bottom watering pots
-Dry fertilizer spikes
-75% perlite, 25% peat based medium
-80g/cu-ft added dolomite lime
That just sounds like a recipe for problems, but I've never personally tried it so I'm just speculating.
In terms of adding Calcium and Magnesium to the soil to make sure you have enough available throughout the grow, dolomite can be a way to do that, but if you add that much to a medium like BioBizz that has already been engineered to fall within in the desired range for cannabis, your medium will be far far too alkaline and you will experience lockout of things that prefer the pH a bit lower than 6. Dolomite lime is a way to add Ca and Mg, but it is not just a "more is better," supplement you can add without regard for the effect on pH.
So to summarize, this sounds like what you're pursuing:
-Bottom watering pots
-Dry fertilizer spikes
-75% perlite, 25% peat based medium
-80g/cu-ft added dolomite lime
That just sounds like a recipe for problems, but I've never personally tried it so I'm just speculating.
The reason for the 50/50 is that the pot remains wet constantly so with the added perlite the roots gets extra oxygen. I wouldn't be putting 7.5 litres of light mix with 7.5 litres of perlite as the lightmix already has some perlite added. What I'm going for is more like 10 litres of lightmix with 5 litres of perlite. With startrex mycrotex and 2 slow release tabs, along with bactrex and orgatex. I'll put various amounts in different plants to see how it goes. Sure look I'll be doing a tread but won't be for a month probably. I get conflicting responses to the dolomite lime. So I'll have to just experiment myself. I take on board every info I get and go from there. What I do know is using biotabs in fabric pots I still have to add calmag, not at the same level as previous nute lines. I've used biobizz, plagron and advance nutrients line in the past. I've had to add calmag every time and that's with regular drinkable tap water.
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Do you understand what dolomite lime does in soil?? I have never heard of any one adding dolimite lime to soil as a a calcium source.. Calcium is almost every aspect of soil. And if your plant needs more calcium at any time (which I doubt it would) why not just add calcium? Extra perlite in an autopot doesn't add up in my brain... Ive been growing in auto pots for years... Perlite is for aeration and drainage.. There's no drainage when using auto pots.. The soil is constantly wet.. And since water is 1 part oxygen, so I don't see oxygen levels at the root zone being an issue with auto pots.. Dolomite lime is equal parts calcium and magnesium.. It's used to raise the ph of soil.. And it only take a very small amount to do so.. It's mostly used in garden beds and front lawns.. Rarely will cannabis growers add dolomite lime to a 4 gal pot. If your using bio tabs and having to add calcium something isn't right.. Orgatrex is their calcium source.. Calcium is also a secondary nutrient.. It's not needed anywhere close to the same levels as npk. I would rethink some of this.. I would definitely not add dolomite lime to soil unless you have a good soil ph probe to let you know when to stop adding it.
I think you're confused about what BioBizz Light Mix is...it's definitely not soil. It's a soilless peat-based potting mix; it's basically a hydro medium. Hydro growers do not generally supplement either Ca or Mg with dolomite. The main purpose of dolomite is pH correction in very acidic materials and raw ingredients.
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Thanks guys. I am only growing a little over a year and you make excellent experienced points so I'll hold off on the idea. So much conflicting stuff on the internet which is why I come here. Now what should I do with my 4kg bag of dolomite lime lol
Hi man, you said you have grown in autopots for years. I was wondering how many would you think for a 4x4 or 5x3
I'd stick with 4.. Of course there are many variables.. Mainly the choice of genetics and growing medium. I've out grown a 4x2 with just two of the 2.2 pots.. I've filled a 3x3 with 3 of the 3.6 gal pots. If I remember correctly @bushmasterar15 grows in auto pots in a 4x4 or close.. Everytimes I see his tent in flower its packed..
@low_and_slow @Proph I got another email from biotabs today out of the blue. Just throwing it out there, here's what it says,
Hi. If you use coconut, you should add 2 grams of powdered dolomite for each liter of substrate, mixed at the same time with Startrex and Siliciumflash (optional).
In the case that you use soil with one gram per liter of substrate you will have enough.
Regards and good luck.
Hi. If you use coconut, you should add 2 grams of powdered dolomite for each liter of substrate, mixed at the same time with Startrex and Siliciumflash (optional).
In the case that you use soil with one gram per liter of substrate you will have enough.
Regards and good luck.
