Grow Mediums New Three Way Adventure

[Bekay]

Starting my first AP grow and first time in coco. Also first time under DIY COB lights. I'll first give some of the set up details and then ask a few questions.
Coco prep:

• Roots Organics Coco Block (pkg says "meticulously flushed of excess sodium ...near perfect natural pH level 5.2-6.3"
• Watered the block with filtered tap water (114 ppm, 7.3 pH) adjusted to 5.8 pH with GenHydro PH Down
• After reconstituting, mixed in 30% perlite
• Loaded 5 gal fabric pots with AirDomes and covered with GrowStones about 2/3 way up. Added coco/perlite mix to 3 inches from top
• Added 4 Tbs H&G Rhizo Force (2-1.5-1.5 and 1% Ca, 0.25% Mg, 0.1% Fe) and filled to top
• Prewatered with 1ml/L MagiCal (2-0-0) and 1ml/L Voodoo Juice till modest runoff
• Let sit in tent for 24 hrs with lights on. Soil surface temp 73d

Planted:

• Two LSD-25 beans had germinated in wet tissue paper and had healthy tap roots about 2 or 3 time the length of the seed.
• Watered with 1ml/L CaliMagic (1-0-0) recommended by friend for lower N level. 372ppm and pH adjusted to 5.8 each pot got 1 L with some runoff
• Both broke soil in 36 hrs.

Lighting:

• 4 COB unit. CXM22 Passive Light Engine - 133mm (Color Temperature: 3000K 90CRI) run at 1400 mA for 75ish Watts ea. Mean Well HLG-320H-C1400B driver.
• Home made frame places COB's 15 inches on center
• Currently placed at 40 inches above pots and running at 35% output. This was measured using a lux meter app on tablet. 19,000 lux max with coverage varying down to 17,500 lux across my 2 ft X 2.5 ft tent. I know these numbers are only relative but they did give me dimmer setting range and I was pleased with the uniformity of lighting. BTW full on 300W is really "get the sunglasses" bright!

Feed/Water:

• Day -2 Checked depth vs moisture with Accurate8 meter and saw that it only read 1 to 1.5 (zero being air dry, 8 being saturated) from top to bottom. There was a little heft to the pot but it felt dry/light compared to previous Promix BX grows. Mixed up 1 gallon of:
  • CaliMagic 1ml/L
  • Voodoo Juice 1ml/L
  • GH's Rapid Start 0.25ml/L
• pH was 5.8 without adjustment, 404 ppm
• Half gallon shared provided modest runoff. Test with moisture meter and top was a 2 and bottom was a 3. Hefted for weight reference. Surprised to see soil pH of 4.5 at lowest depth. Tested runoff at 6.5 pH
• Day -1 Got my MammothP in the mail so added 0.25ml/L to yesterday's leftover water and pH'd to 5.9
• Watered around soda-bottle-bottom domes and misted surface under the domes.
• Both girls showed their heads this evening. Welcome to your world ladies!
• Tent was 69degrees to 82d and 56% RH
• Day 1 First full day mixed 1 gal of:
  • CaliMagic, Voodoo Juice @ 1ml/L
  • RapidStart @ 0.25ml/L
  • MammothP @ 0.5ml/GAL
  • pH adj to 5.8, 448ppm
• Day 2 Getting scared about over feeding with these 400 range ppm's (500ppm equals 1.0 EC for my meter) so I just pH'd the filtered tap water to 5.8 which had been bubbling in a 5 gal pail to test my air pump. Gave them 1 qt each and removed 50% as runoff. First real leaves have shown.

So that's where I am on Day 3.
Here are some questions that nag me.

1. I am confused about watering/feeding at this stage. I've read coco and autopot sections but still don't know what to do. I plan on giving a light feeding per TaNg's Easy Schedule with the addition of Voodoo Juice (per his update) and MammothP on day 5 or 6. But for the next couple days should I be watering a little, like 0.5 qt every 12 hrs? 24 hrs? Seems like the water just runs right through, I'm getting 50% runoff with 1Qt water. Afraid I'll over or under water.
2. What will the early warning signs be of too much light or too little. I see these girls taller than some previous Mephesto grows but those were done under 400W MH at 30 inches. First time with this strain and I didn't find any very early seedling pic's in @Hansbricks grow or others for watering or lighting reference.

 

[HemiSync]

Starting my first AP grow and first time in coco. Also first time under DIY COB lights. I'll first give some of the set up details and then ask a few questions.
Coco prep:

• Roots Organics Coco Block (pkg says "meticulously flushed of excess sodium ...near perfect natural pH level 5.2-6.3"
• Watered the block with filtered tap water (114 ppm, 7.3 pH) adjusted to 5.8 pH with GenHydro PH Down
• After reconstituting, mixed in 30% perlite
• Loaded 5 gal fabric pots with AirDomes and covered with GrowStones about 2/3 way up. Added coco/perlite mix to 3 inches from top
• Added 4 Tbs H&G Rhizo Force (2-1.5-1.5 and 1% Ca, 0.25% Mg, 0.1% Fe) and filled to top
• Prewatered with 1ml/L MagiCal (2-0-0) and 1ml/L Voodoo Juice till modest runoff
• Let sit in tent for 24 hrs with lights on. Soil surface temp 73d

Planted:

• Two LSD-25 beans had germinated in wet tissue paper and had healthy tap roots about 2 or 3 time the length of the seed.
• Watered with 1ml/L CaliMagic (1-0-0) recommended by friend for lower N level. 372ppm and pH adjusted to 5.8 each pot got 1 L with some runoff
• Both broke soil in 36 hrs.

Lighting:

• 4 COB unit. CXM22 Passive Light Engine - 133mm (Color Temperature: 3000K 90CRI) run at 1400 mA for 75ish Watts ea. Mean Well HLG-320H-C1400B driver.
• Home made frame places COB's 15 inches on center
• Currently placed at 40 inches above pots and running at 35% output. This was measured using a lux meter app on tablet. 19,000 lux max with coverage varying down to 17,500 lux across my 2 ft X 2.5 ft tent. I know these numbers are only relative but they did give me dimmer setting range and I was pleased with the uniformity of lighting. BTW full on 300W is really "get the sunglasses" bright!

Feed/Water:

• Day -2 Checked depth vs moisture with Accurate8 meter and saw that it only read 1 to 1.5 (zero being air dry, 8 being saturated) from top to bottom. There was a little heft to the pot but it felt dry/light compared to previous Promix BX grows. Mixed up 1 gallon of:
  • CaliMagic 1ml/L
  • Voodoo Juice 1ml/L
  • GH's Rapid Start 0.25ml/L
• pH was 5.8 without adjustment, 404 ppm
• Half gallon shared provided modest runoff. Test with moisture meter and top was a 2 and bottom was a 3. Hefted for weight reference. Surprised to see soil pH of 4.5 at lowest depth. Tested runoff at 6.5 pH
• Day -1 Got my MammothP in the mail so added 0.25ml/L to yesterday's leftover water and pH'd to 5.9
• Watered around soda-bottle-bottom domes and misted surface under the domes.
• Both girls showed their heads this evening. Welcome to your world ladies!
• Tent was 69degrees to 82d and 56% RH
• Day 1 First full day mixed 1 gal of:
  • CaliMagic, Voodoo Juice @ 1ml/L
  • RapidStart @ 0.25ml/L
  • MammothP @ 0.5ml/GAL
  • pH adj to 5.8, 448ppm
• Day 2 Getting scared about over feeding with these 400 range ppm's (500ppm equals 1.0 EC for my meter) so I just pH'd the filtered tap water to 5.8 which had been bubbling in a 5 gal pail to test my air pump. Gave them 1 qt each and removed 50% as runoff. First real leaves have shown.

So that's where I am on Day 3.
Here are some questions that nag me.

1. I am confused about watering/feeding at this stage. I've read coco and autopot sections but still don't know what to do. I plan on giving a light feeding per TaNg's Easy Schedule with the addition of Voodoo Juice (per his update) and MammothP on day 5 or 6. But for the next couple days should I be watering a little, like 0.5 qt every 12 hrs? 24 hrs? Seems like the water just runs right through, I'm getting 50% runoff with 1Qt water. Afraid I'll over or under water.
2. What will the early warning signs be of too much light or too little. I see these girls taller than some previous Mephesto grows but those were done under 400W MH at 30 inches. First time with this strain and I didn't find any very early seedling pic's in @Hansbricks grow or others for watering or lighting reference.

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I'm sorry, but I say screw everyone else's journals. Read @Hansbricks journals and you will see the perfect feeding schedule for autopots. Also I have never seen one of those soil probes work worth a crap in coco. I have never and I don't think Hansbricks worries about the pH of the growing medium or trays. I think people overthink this with autopots. I don't grow the monsters that he grows but do okay and have minimal intervention with my grows due to travel which is one of the great things about autopots. I'm sure many will jump in here and offer many different opinions, but mine is use the K.I.S.S. method with autopots. After all, that's what they were designed for, keeping it simple.

I cannot help you with those lights. Have not gone the way of the COB yet. The experts will be along I'm sure. Good luck with your grow. BTW, LSD-25 is one of my favorite strains. Has the amazing ability to calm one like a good indica, yet give you the ability to talk all night like a sativa. Enjoy! :smoking:

 

[Bekay]

I'm sorry, but I say screw everyone else's journals. Read @Hansbricks journals and you will see the perfect feeding schedule for autopots. Also I have never seen one of those soil probes work worth a crap in coco. I have never and I don't think Hansbricks worries about the pH of the growing medium or trays. I think people overthink this with autopots. I don't grow the monsters that he grows but do okay and have minimal intervention with my grows due to travel which is one of the great things about autopots. I'm sure many will jump in here and offer many different opinions, but mine is use the K.I.S.S. method with autopots. After all, that's what they were designed for, keeping it simple.

I cannot help you with those lights. Have not gone the way of the COB yet. The experts will be along I'm sure. Good luck with your grow. BTW, LSD-25 is one of my favorite strains. Has the amazing ability to calm one like a good indica, yet give you the ability to talk all night like a sativa. Enjoy! :smoking:

Thanks Hemi. Yes I like what I've read in the smoke reports and look forward to trying mine. I couldn't tell from @Hansbricks ' logs how often he waters young ones before the res is connected on day 20 or so. I see his first feeding was day 5 or 6 but I wonder how often he waters and if it includes CalMg each time. I went ahead and gave them each 1 qt (mixed as yesterday) and just collected 28 oz from the tray. So only 18 oz stayed in each pot.
Maybe because the coco is not as dense as soil or Promix it's not getting a good contact and giving bogus numbers. Just a bit alarming from my limited experience and walking on eggshells until the girls show me they are happy.
Appreciate you takin' the time to reply, Brother. Peace.

 

[HemiSync]

I only top feed 250ml on day five and 500ml on day ten per pot. Girls always seem happy. You want autoflowers to throw that tap root straight down into the autopots so they hit bottom as soon as possible. While they do that, upward growth will seem slow. Once it hits bottom, they should explode up top and by day 21 be ready for the reservoir.

Just don't try to overthink the autopots and you will grow monsters.

 

[Bekay]

I only top feed 250ml on day five and 500ml on day ten per pot. ... You want autoflowers to throw that tap root straight down into the autopots so they hit bottom as soon as possible. While they do that, upward growth will seem slow.

That's a great explanation and good guideline. They will be left to seek out deep water for 48 hrs and top fed on day 6. Thanks Hemi, I have been over thinking it all. Peace on you.