Mephisto Genetics White Crack and Kis Organics Soil

[MrOldBoy]

I've been reading about organics for a while now, I'd really like to get to the point where I just use my well water without PH, EC, mixing, etc. Your journey pushed me over the edge. I snagged a couple EBJ's and some pre-made water only soil for a test run.

Getting it all situated and hydrated now.

Those EBJ's seem.... small. If there is 5 gallons in there I'd be surprised. Since I overbought the soil, I'm considering doing some sort of DIY 5 gallon bucket SIP thing.

Anyhow, thanks Slow. I'll be following along.

Good Choice, Organics Rock ....

EBJ will hold one cubic foot of soil or 30 dry quarts - 7.5 dry gallons .....

You can try a 5 gallon DYI but I think you will find the lower profile of the EarthBox wicks water from the holding tank better than a higher bucket design but both designs work it just the bucket design may need some top watering help ......

It’s important the water only soil is a peat based mix, soils with too much perlite, sand, lava or even too much char can hinder the wicking process ...... soil needs a good amount of peat moss to effectively wick water up ...... Not sure on what type or kind of soil purchased so I’m just saying to help you grow your best .....

Best of luck - your going to love the EarthBox!

 

[MMMi]

Good Choice, Organics Rock ....

EBJ will hold one cubic foot of soil or 30 dry quarts - 7.5 dry gallons .....

You can try a 5 gallon DYI but I think you will find the lower profile of the EarthBox wicks water from the holding tank better than a higher bucket design but both designs work it just the bucket design may need some top watering help ......

It’s important the water only soil is a peat based mix, soils with too much perlite, sand, lava or even too much char can hinder the wicking process ...... soil needs a good amount of peat moss to effectively wick water up ...... Not sure on what type or kind of soil purchased so I’m just saying to help you grow your best .....

Best of luck - your going to love the EarthBox!

Thanks. But I'll eat my hat if there is 7.5 gallons in that little thing, lol. I see your point about the height of 5 gallons. I'm thinking about hacking one of those 5-gallon netpot lids to be a false bottom for SIP. That would reduce the height by 1/3. Either that or I have some fabric pots to try in a cheap-sip in a tray of perlite. Haven't decided yet.

I'm trying a run with Great Lakes water only. It's peaty. It's surprisingly light. Gotta get my topdress fixings yet, only have a bag of EWC right now.

 

[MrOldBoy]

Thanks. But I'll eat my hat if there is 7.5 gallons in that little thing, lol. I see your point about the height of 5 gallons. I'm thinking about hacking one of those 5-gallon netpot lids to be a false bottom for SIP. That would reduce the height by 1/3. Either that or I have some fabric pots to try in a cheap-sip in a tray of perlite. Haven't decided yet.

I'm trying a run with Great Lakes water only. It's peaty. It's surprisingly light. Gotta get my topdress fixings yet, only have a bag of EWC right now.

Hold onto you hat ...... I was like no way it holds 7.5 gallons but then I learned about dry gallons verses the common wet gallons .....

EBJ holds 7.5 DRY GALLONS which would equal about 6.45 gallons wet ..... A cubic foot of soil equals 7.5 dry gallons ...... Perhaps EarthBox includes soil mounded up over sides, not sure but they claim 7.5 dry gallons .....

Not sure if you saw this info, which has the capacity and how to on the EBJ .....

https://earthbox.com/media/wysiwyg/PDFs/JR_EBX_Instructions.pdf

You’ll be off to a great start with the Great Lakes Soil and it is made in Michigan / good reviews as well ....

Top Dressings can be just EWC and some Gro Kashi or similar supplement ...... In the EBJ you might top dress cup of castings and 1/2 cup or even less of the Gro Kashi .... You can, if you like, mix some of each into the soil but remember it is a water only soil so less is more ..... You can always top dress later and really no top dressing until girls are 3 weeks or even 4 weeks old although a little EWC never hurts and I do top dress a little myself out of the gate ....

The 5 gal bucket does work and using a net pot good idea ..... These kids set out to help the world hunger with a grow bucket - check it out here http://www.globalbuckets.org/

 

[Organic Sinse]

Thanks. But I'll eat my hat if there is 7.5 gallons in that little thing, lol. I see your point about the height of 5 gallons. I'm thinking about hacking one of those 5-gallon netpot lids to be a false bottom for SIP. That would reduce the height by 1/3. Either that or I have some fabric pots to try in a cheap-sip in a tray of perlite. Haven't decided yet.

I'm trying a run with Great Lakes water only. It's peaty. It's surprisingly light. Gotta get my topdress fixings yet, only have a bag of EWC right now.

A tray of lava rock works better than a tray of perlite. I have made tons of homemade sips, and perlite makes the very bottom of smart pots too sodden. I use the landscaping lava rock, it’s like $5, for 1/2 cu ft bag.
Cheers
Os

 

[MMMi]

We shall see. Right now I'm thinking that just the roots in the RDWC next to it wouldn't fit in the Jr. But it's a learning experience. I really like being able to move things around in and out, that plus the prospect of just using straight well water and improved tastes is leading me down this path.

Ideally, I'd like to get rid of the little RDWC is have going, it's inflexible -- but man that thing makes some monsters. I finally got that hang of it, only growing about a year now. Hard to give up but it takes so much space (I run in totes). If I get really bit by the organic bug -- I'll consider a raised bed, dump the RDWC and make my own soil. Fist run is a bit on training wheels.

I currently have EWC, some Ancient Forest I can bubble, kelp, recharge. I'm thinking about just amending in-run with some bio-live and maybe their bloom. Keep it simple before I buy 30 different things and go all in.

I did put some mosquito bits in the top inch as a preventative. The prospect of bugs is what kept me from soil from the start. I tried one run in rockwool (never again) where my irrigation controller freaked out, dumped my res into the tent and viola -- Fungus gnats. Never quite got rid of them all until I emptied my tent.

 

[MrOldBoy]

We shall see. Right now I'm thinking that just the roots in the RDWC next to it wouldn't fit in the Jr. But it's a learning experience. I really like being able to move things around in and out, that plus the prospect of just using straight well water and improved tastes is leading me down this path.

Ideally, I'd like to get rid of the little RDWC is have going, it's inflexible -- but man that thing makes some monsters. I finally got that hang of it, only growing about a year now. Hard to give up but it takes so much space (I run in totes). If I get really bit by the organic bug -- I'll consider a raised bed, dump the RDWC and make my own soil. Fist run is a bit on training wheels.

I currently have EWC, some Ancient Forest I can bubble, kelp, recharge. I'm thinking about just amending in-run with some bio-live and maybe their bloom. Keep it simple before I buy 30 different things and go all in.

I did put some mosquito bits in the top inch as a preventative. The prospect of bugs is what kept me from soil from the start. I tried one run in rockwool (never again) where my irrigation controller freaked out, dumped my res into the tent and viola -- Fungus gnats. Never quite got rid of them all until I emptied my tent.

With EarthBox no fear of nasty bugs as there is a plastic cover and gnats cannot move out of soil - if you look closely you’ll see slow has plastic cap taped to close off any holes BUT gnats won’t develop unless conditions are right and EarthBox never overwaters the soil .....

Good luck!

 

[MMMi]

[

With EarthBox no fear of nasty bugs as there is a plastic cover and gnats cannot move out of soil - if you look closely you’ll see slow has plastic cap taped to close off any holes BUT gnats won’t develop unless conditions are right and EarthBox never overwaters the soil .....

Good luck!

Yeah... those. I ripped the first one just putting it on. Curse the bean counter who saved .0000001 by making it thinner than single ply toilet paper. I mean really.

 

[slowandeasy]

I've been reading about organics for a while now, I'd really like to get to the point where I just use my well water without PH, EC, mixing, etc. Your journey pushed me over the edge. I snagged a couple EBJ's and some pre-made water only soil for a test run.

Getting it all situated and hydrated now.

Those EBJ's seem.... small. If there is 5 gallons in there I'd be surprised. Since I overbought the soil, I'm considering doing some sort of DIY 5 gallon bucket SIP thing.
Anyhow, thanks Slow. I'll be following along.

Hey I don't think they hold 1 Cubic foot either, but that's ok. I can tell you that my plants look flawless and it is the easiest Grow ever. I can't wait for them to flower good. I don't know-how they will yield, but the plants love their EBJ. I didn't buy the big ones because I thought they were too big for my style. I am extremely happy with the health and size of my plants. Yield will tell me more. Hopefully they kick into flowering and finish nicely. My only concern is the same as yours, it seems like less soil than they claim fits. Will see if the soil has enough steam to pull off a nice harvest!? Time will tell. Peace, slowandeasy

 

[MrOldBoy]

Here is a pic of the large EarthBox after a grow ..... Note the almost full five gallon bucket of dirt that came out of the EarthBox .......

That dirt was inside and mounded over the top ...... now if there is 4+ gallons in the bucket how much remains in the box, I can say more than 10 gallons remain by the weight making this a total of about 15 gallons for the original ..... Junior is half the size, per EarthBox .....

Perhaps the 7.5 dry gallons includes the soil mounded over the top?

 

[slowandeasy]

Here is a pic of the large EarthBox after a grow ..... Note the almost full five gallon bucket of dirt that came out of the EarthBox .......

That dirt was inside and mounded over the top ...... now if there is 4+ gallons in the bucket how much remains in the box, I can say more than 10 gallons remain by the weight making this a total of about 15 gallons for the original ..... Junior is half the size, per EarthBox .....

View attachment 1127964

Perhaps the 7.5 dry gallons includes the soil mounded over the top?

It has to be counting mounds, because it doesn't fit 7.5 gal in it level. Maybe 5 gal level. I don't see 2.5 gal more fitting in mine. But that's ok, I have room to top dress more. I didn't mound it over when I planted, and it felt like about 5 gal. Peace slowandeasy