Indoor Down the KNF Rabbit Hole

[WildBill]

Cool, I can watch you!
I was looking at those but at 1-4 oz per gallon, seemed kind of pricey to me.
Think you might be better off trying one of those at a time so you know if and what product works for you?

Sure, your input will be welcomed.
Yeah, I'll try the YAH-WHEY first. The claimed visible response is a no-brainer to test first. I'll call today and ask the best method to use in an earthbox, in the rez or sprayed on top after the short dry period and just before filling the rez, and whether Teriganix EM1 would conflict with it. I can adjust the use of EM1 and use as a foliar spray.
The other ferments can be used as foliar or soil drench
I'm running 8 different girls in the EBs, so it won't be easy to derive a conclusion with different products used as a comparison, but I think I can do it.
Yeah, they are a bit pricey. I got 'em to see if they would be worthwhile for me to make myself, other than the YAH-WHEY. Jeremy said the YAH-WHEY has a bit more processing than just making a lacto ferment. Something about stabilization. The color of the finished product looks interesting, as well as the processing pic.

Gonna be an interesting run with great possibilities. I'll have room for 3gal bags in the 4x4, so I'll do a reverse of one of the patents of my new fav canna.........3 Bears OG X Double Grape ......hit ya lie a Mack truck, as my Vet friend texted to me last night. I agree!

I think the YAH-WHEY is gonna lend itself very well with Earthboxes. With a high level of microbial activity in EBs, it's use should increase, promote and enhance the activity, therefore more and better conversion of the EB's 'food bank' to make it available to your girls.
With the EB's two-root system, it lets the girl only take up what nutes she needs with her being able to uptake most of the water from the rez and not forced to take the water from the soil, therefore nutes.......hope that makes sense.
At least I won't have to worry much about proper watering this run!

 

[Sour D]

I can see you've put some thought into it.
As far as I know, EM1 is just a brand name for LABS

I'm still not a fan of the dry period in the eb's. I like flushing out some of the old water- especially after seeing a bunch of skeeter larvae come out. Also I have bigger boxes so I'm afraid of losing the wicking action.

I start feeding the gals in the eb's right away cause my understanding is we are feeding the soil not the roots. I'm sure it takes a little time for the magic to happen and with shorter grow times of autos, it just makes sense-to me- to start right away. Probably why I have trouble growing in pots and solo cups

 

[WildBill]

I can see you've put some thought into it.
As far as I know, EM1 is just a brand name for LABS

I'm still not a fan of the dry period in the eb's. I like flushing out some of the old water- especially after seeing a bunch of skeeter larvae come out. Also I have bigger boxes so I'm afraid of losing the wicking action.

I start feeding the gals in the eb's right away cause my understanding is we are feeding the soil not the roots. I'm sure it takes a little time for the magic to happen and with shorter grow times of autos, it just makes sense-to me- to start right away. Probably why I have trouble growing in pots and solo cups

The dry period is very short. Usually no more than 8hrs or so. If I see the rez has gone dry, the next cycle change of the plant or ME, I refil the rez. If I see it is dry in the morning, I add the water sometime after first light, with my lights going out at noon. If I catch it at night, with MY change of cycle, waking up, I fill after that. You're not going to lose wicking in that short of a period of time.
Now you're taller sips that you have made, taller in Media, may not like a dry period, without additional watering on the top. Since I strive to keep nutrients out of the res water, that would be a great time to add what liquid nutrients you want to utilize.

I agree with feeding from day one. Feed the microbial flora and fauna and they will feed your girl! I started in the last Grow of adding the food bank when I set up the earth box. I just have an unamended area to plant the seed in. Optimally, I'd bring up the moisture level to the proper level and let the DynoMyco and microbes develop for at least a week before planting. My biggest thing is getting the EB to the point where I can fill the rez fully. I really don't want the water sitting in the rez for any longer than 4 days. I just don't want to take the chance of it turning bad and I don't feel like siphoning it off. I may just being overcautious and the EM1 probably is enough insurance.
EM1 is much more than just LABS. I think it's a valuable tool, especially in sips.

 

[Sour D]

The dry period is very short. Usually no more than 8hrs or so. If I see the rez has gone dry, the next cycle change of the plant or ME, I refil the rez. If I see it is dry in the morning, I add the water sometime after first light, with my lights going out at noon. If I catch it at night, with MY change of cycle, waking up, I fill after that. You're not going to lose wicking in that short of a period of time.
Now you're taller sips that you have made, taller in Media, may not like a dry period, without additional watering on the top. Since I strive to keep nutrients out of the res water, that would be a great time to add what liquid nutrients you want to utilize.

I agree with feeding from day one. Feed the microbial flora and fauna and they will feed your girl! I started in the last Grow of adding the food bank when I set up the earth box. I just have an unamended area to plant the seed in. Optimally, I'd bring up the moisture level to the proper level and let the DynoMyco and microbes develop for at least a week before planting. My biggest thing is getting the EB to the point where I can fill the rez fully. I really don't want the water sitting in the rez for any longer than 4 days. I just don't want to take the chance of it turning bad and I don't feel like siphoning it off. I may just being overcautious and the EM1 probably is enough insurance.
EM1 is much more than just LABS. I think it's a valuable tool, especially in sips.

All my water has nutes in it. I've been top watering about a 1/2 gal, let it settle then fill the rez. I've been using just straw mulch but it the surface dries too quick so I don't get much of a mycelium. I've started just putting some trash bags over the box and it seems to be working. With the bags being loose I'm not getting the hordes of fungus gnats that I was getting when using a full cover. I do have to apply the Pot Poppers more consistently though.
This summer my biggest problem has been an ant invasion. I was direct planting my germinated seeds bur found the ants were eating the roots. Now I'm having to put the seeds in jiffy cups so I can isolate and allow them to get good root structure before putting into the big boxes. Oh well.

 

[WildBill]

All my water has nutes in it. I've been top watering about a 1/2 gal, let it settle then fill the rez. I've been using just straw mulch but it the surface dries too quick so I don't get much of a mycelium. I've started just putting some trash bags over the box and it seems to be working. With the bags being loose I'm not getting the hordes of fungus gnats that I was getting when using a full cover. I do have to apply the Pot Poppers more consistently though.
This summer my biggest problem has been an ant invasion. I was direct planting my germinated seeds bur found the ants were eating the roots. Now I'm having to put the seeds in jiffy cups so I can isolate and allow them to get good root structure before putting into the big boxes. Oh well.

And that's the other method of using SIPs. In some ways, it's a lot easier, but it does have that possibility of the rez running rampant and flipping pH and killing the plants. With that method, you can push them with the VPD and force the nute uptake. Your results prove that. If I had used that method in this last EB run, I think I would have been screwed. My media was 'off' on this last run. The girls in regular pots showed that. I think the EBs did well, could have been a little better with a proper mix, but by not forcing the girl to uptake nutes, the plant was able to what she wanted from my nute bank.The simply beautiful natural end of life fades I have been getting. tells me they are getting what they want.
I haven't had any gnat problems when I had life from my worm bin in there. Not gonna have that from MY worms. I screwed up and my bins got too warm in my laundry room this summer. I have some good quality castings from a box store to add to my media before potting. I have some EWC coming from BAS and it should come with plenty of good bugs, baby worms and cocoons. That will be for top dressing.

 

[Sour D]

And that's the other method of using SIPs. In some ways, it's a lot easier, but it does have that possibility of the rez running rampant and flipping pH and killing the plants. With that method, you can push them with the VPD and force the nute uptake. Your results prove that. If I had used that method in this last EB run, I think I would have been screwed. My media was 'off' on this last run. The girls in regular pots showed that. I think the EBs did well, could have been a little better with a proper mix, but by not forcing the girl to uptake nutes, the plant was able to what she wanted from my nute bank.The simply beautiful natural end of life fades I have been getting. tells me they are getting what they want.
I haven't had any gnat problems when I had life from my worm bin in there. Not gonna have that from MY worms. I screwed up and my bins got too warm in my laundry room this summer. I have some good quality castings from a box store to add to my media before potting. I have some EWC coming from BAS and it should come with plenty of good bugs, baby worms and cocoons. That will be for top dressing.

Since I went with Van's knf, I haven't had any issues with rez water going bad. Don't know whether it's the van's or the large sips. Supposedly the larger amount of soil is supposed to be a lot more forgiving of imbalances. The only grow in pots that I had success with was a 20 gal grove bag. It was ok but I didn't think it was as good as the sips. I seem to get bigger main stems from the sips. Enough that I don't have to prop up any of the buds.
I think the biggest improvements I got make is environmental. In a wide open room it's difficult to make everyone happy. To improve I think I need to get rid of the bed(most nights I fall asleep on the lumpy couch anyway). Put in some tents. Get my central ac fixed so I can run ducts direct to the tents and small humidifiers/dehumidifiers to each tent. A lot of work and money.

 

[WildBill]

Since I went with Van's knf, I haven't had any issues with rez water going bad. Don't know whether it's the van's or the large sips. Supposedly the larger amount of soil is supposed to be a lot more forgiving of imbalances. The only grow in pots that I had success with was a 20 gal grove bag. It was ok but I didn't think it was as good as the sips. I seem to get bigger main stems from the sips. Enough that I don't have to prop up any of the buds.
I think the biggest improvements I got make is environmental. In a wide open room it's difficult to make everyone happy. To improve I think I need to get rid of the bed(most nights I fall asleep on the lumpy couch anyway). Put in some tents. Get my central ac fixed so I can run ducts direct to the tents and small humidifiers/dehumidifiers to each tent. A lot of work and money.

Interesting info about Van's stuff. Is that the humic, Aminos and including the ferments ya make?
I might have to try that.

 

[Sour D]

Interesting info about Van's stuff. Is that the humic, Aminos and including the ferments ya make?
I might have to try that.

Yes sir. I thought you were doing that. I can send you the info if you'd like

 

[WildBill]

Yes sir. I thought you were doing that. I can send you the info if you'd like

I was/am using his stuff, just differently in EBs. I make a slurry of the compost with whatever knf input I'm using. I add the humic in the water at the rec rate in the rez.

 

[Sour D]

Don't know how many people travel in that direction, but for yuks and giggles, I entered this Orange Bud in their photocontest. Anyone can vote. Lol. Hint, hint. She gave up 9 oz's- my personal best yield

Dutch Passion

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