Grow Mediums Hippy Fish's Stone Dragon - The Insomnia Slayer in RDWC

[Need4Weed]

I'm wanting to grow SD, but in reg. soil. I'm sure I could learn something, since I don't know shit. If this is going to be an ongoing journal, count me in!

 

[jackmc]

As this is my first RDWC, I find it's a whole different dynamic. Everything becomes more problematic than with individual bubblers. If something's jacked up, you can't just drain and refill without literally "pumping out" nor can you just disconnect without making a mess. To clean you have to fill, clean, drain, refill, rinse, drain, refill, rinse, drain, refill, rinse, drain, etc...etc...ad nauseum.

The previous fungal issue was in the sprouting, not in the system. I still had not done a full bleach out of the system since converting them to RDWC and that had to be done before transplanting. The peltier is backed with an aluminum water manifold that's connected to the pump. Take a look at the DIY link in my signature and there's an image of the underside of the lid with it attached.

:Sharing One:

Fish

TxOld Dude,

Take a look at these quick disconnects http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23885&catid=743 There are both male and female coupling parts that have a built in shut off valve. I am building my new system with these so I can disassemble it, to clean the components, without it leaking or having to completely disassemble it.

:Sharing One:

 

[TxOld Dude]

Thanks Jack! Those are awesome and cheap too! I've already got valves on the buckets, but not on the line side. Can't get much in this little burg.

 

[South Syder]

SDs are my next grow -- subbed for this.

 

[jackmc]

No Problem. I'm waiting for some more of these couplings so I can eliminate the ball valves I am currently using to isolate the various parts of my system. I ordered a set to make sure they would do what I need them to. Also take a look at their selection of buckets and hose.
:Sharing One:

 

[phillow]

:munchies:SUBBED FOR THE RIDE!!:tiphat:

 

[TxOld Dude]

Day 14
013115

Temp: 86F
Water:77F
RH: 34%
PPM: 283
pH: 6.0

Glad that's over! Just pulled down the entire system, flushed it out, replaced the hydroton, rebuilt it, and replanted.

Such fun!

Not!

Bertha still looks pale and Betty's paling a bit too so I added 10ml of GH Grow and gave both a direct feed. The roots are very short and not growing out, so I've lowered the water level a bit.

 

[TxOld Dude]

Day 22
020815

Temp: 89F
Water: 77F
RH: 29%
pH: 6.0
PPM: 448



Evening folks!

Well, A very slow start on this pair, but finally are starting to grow. I'm not sure what was going on here but hopefully some other Dragon growers will chime in. What I thought was a fert issue from the hydroton seemed to be correct, but it also seems there was something else lacking that I wouldn't have suspected. The pH was hard to keep up and kept going very acidic. Came to realize the seedlings were scarfing up the Base (ph up) for calcium! After adding 20 ml of cal-mag they're finally groing and the ph is stable.

Live and learn! These are my first autos after all. Next time I'll add calmag to the initial mix from get-go!
But I'm wondering now if this run is now a lost cause because we are now at day 22 from cotyledon seedling.

:no:

Is it going to be another do-over?
Let's see what the audience has to say!

 

[TxOld Dude]

Hell, they grew a quarter inch over night and again today! That's the most ever! I'll be letting the water levels fall off on their own to the proper level as it gets taken. Right now it's just touching the hydroton and net pot bottom and there's 2 layers under the Grodan plugs.What I was worried about was that flowering normally starts around this time cuz we're now 22 days in (is that right??). The first hit was the hydroton so I changed and flushed out everything. Then pH kept nose-diving toward 5.3 from 6.0 overnight and that clued me to the calmag. They were suckin' up base like coca-cola!! So fixed that.

Now they done gone CRAZY!!!!

LOL !!!!!
Fish

 

[TxOld Dude]

021115
Day: 25

Temp: 90F
Water: 82F
Rh: 29%
pH: 5.9
ppm: 464


Making progress finally. Betty seems to have a little mouse damage, but is still doing well. Lost a fan, so the temps are up a bit. I need to make a trip to Walmart for another tomorrow. Not much else. I've decided I'm going to keep running these and see what happens. Hopefully, they'll be worth the 90-100 day run!

Can't wait to taste!