My OBBT Bucket Build
- Thread starter rrog
- Start date
RipVanWeed
Member
Wow, you sport a huge air pump!
It's not too late to clean up some of the undergrowth, pick off all the wispy flowers. You should be able to determine the most viable bud sites. Don't keep much crap underneath, unless your making hash or butter. Keep most of the fan leaves tho.
Good Luck
Keep Posting,
It's not too late to clean up some of the undergrowth, pick off all the wispy flowers. You should be able to determine the most viable bud sites. Don't keep much crap underneath, unless your making hash or butter. Keep most of the fan leaves tho.
Good Luck
Keep Posting,
I'm now of the opinion that the raw un-treated coco needs to be conditioned. Flushed of Na+ and K+. Rinsed and rinsed in hot water with CalMag.
After being completely bound up by Ca+, it's likely that the coco is fairly inert. My system tested low in K, so whatever high levels of K there were at one point seems to have washed away.
I'm also of the opinion that the high pH of my well water is the root cause of my issues (no pun). While many recommend this, in my case I believe it is what led to my lockout.
Lastly, I'll be continuing to use RO water with dilute CalMag+ to bring the RO water to a more natural background mineral level. Then pH to 5.5.
This tact had re-greened the leaves considerably so far. I'll see about getting a before and after pic.
After being completely bound up by Ca+, it's likely that the coco is fairly inert. My system tested low in K, so whatever high levels of K there were at one point seems to have washed away.
I'm also of the opinion that the high pH of my well water is the root cause of my issues (no pun). While many recommend this, in my case I believe it is what led to my lockout.
Lastly, I'll be continuing to use RO water with dilute CalMag+ to bring the RO water to a more natural background mineral level. Then pH to 5.5.
This tact had re-greened the leaves considerably so far. I'll see about getting a before and after pic.
ColoMediCann
Member
Looks like your hard work is paying off. I think the plan you've laid out sounds really good and will keep future surprises to a minimum.
ColoMC, I learned a lot over the last few days and followed your advice to a tee. Again, I'm really grateful. I relied too heavily on the concept of pH stability in the medium. My very alkaline well water seems to have been able to overwhelm this stability.
In checking out the Coco Forum as you suggested, I really feel I have a handle on this whole coco cationic thing. Learning more about it, the coco is really a nice material. Makes soil great for hydro. Makes me like the OBBT even more.
Today I drained and will let starve a bit. I think the starve is a good concept and having drier medium will cause my next pH 5.5 rinse to absorb better rather than run through wet medium.
In checking out the Coco Forum as you suggested, I really feel I have a handle on this whole coco cationic thing. Learning more about it, the coco is really a nice material. Makes soil great for hydro. Makes me like the OBBT even more.
Today I drained and will let starve a bit. I think the starve is a good concept and having drier medium will cause my next pH 5.5 rinse to absorb better rather than run through wet medium.
How are those fenceposts working out? Would a tall fencepost work in place of a short fat pot, leaving room for more?
RipVanWeed
Member
HH,
The FencePosters are working well. Unfortunately, I've had to chop most of those plants due to PM sightings.
My goal is to increase the yield of the 1k by 8 oz. each cycle. Next run will be better because I've seen which strains in my garden responded well to the lollipopping.
I cut the "FPost" Super Silver Haze last night, I saw some white mold on a few leaves. Trimmed all the fan leaves off and hung it up. 52 days of 12/12, I think my plants are too far into flowering to spray, so I'm cutting plants that are suseptable early. It's disappointing to see the potential and fall short, but many lessons learned.
I'm spraying vegging plants with SM90 & neem today. I'll do it again in 3 days, and again 3 days after that. Some strains seem to welcome it more than others.
I'll get some pictures up here of the SSH.
Peace Out,
The FencePosters are working well. Unfortunately, I've had to chop most of those plants due to PM sightings.
My goal is to increase the yield of the 1k by 8 oz. each cycle. Next run will be better because I've seen which strains in my garden responded well to the lollipopping.
I cut the "FPost" Super Silver Haze last night, I saw some white mold on a few leaves. Trimmed all the fan leaves off and hung it up. 52 days of 12/12, I think my plants are too far into flowering to spray, so I'm cutting plants that are suseptable early. It's disappointing to see the potential and fall short, but many lessons learned.
I'm spraying vegging plants with SM90 & neem today. I'll do it again in 3 days, and again 3 days after that. Some strains seem to welcome it more than others.
I'll get some pictures up here of the SSH.
Peace Out,
RipVW, You use Earth Juice Bloom. Are you running all of the pre-loaded organic amendments per the LadyL recipe or are you just using the medium and aeration and adding liquid nutes?
After all of your posts and excellent pics I'm ashamed that I don't know.
Also I read where Neem wasn't possibly too cool with the micro-herd? I'd like to know since I've spotted 3 tiny gnat-like flies in the room...
After all of your posts and excellent pics I'm ashamed that I don't know.
Also I read where Neem wasn't possibly too cool with the micro-herd? I'd like to know since I've spotted 3 tiny gnat-like flies in the room...
Greetings rrog:
I have been following most, if not all, of these threads/posts concerning OBBT and I plan on incorporating this concept in my grows.
I wanted to get an opinion on my medium selection as well as possible mixing ratios, if you don't mind.
Here's what I've got so far:
Long Fiber Sphagnum Moss - "course" textured coco equivalent
Botanicare Ready-Gro Aeration Mix - uses 3/4" coir fiber strands which would be the "medium" textured coco equivalent.
Enriched Canadian Sphagnum Moss - "fine" textured coco equivalent
Mushroom Compost - going to mix in some earthworm castings as well
Perlite/Vermiculite
Fast Acting Lime
Espoma Plant-Tone - includes the Bio-Tone microbes
Bone Meal
Blood Meal
So what do you think? Even though the mix won't be coco heavy I tried finding ingredients that when mixed would closely match the texture of what you all are using.
Thanks
I have been following most, if not all, of these threads/posts concerning OBBT and I plan on incorporating this concept in my grows.
I wanted to get an opinion on my medium selection as well as possible mixing ratios, if you don't mind.
Here's what I've got so far:
Long Fiber Sphagnum Moss - "course" textured coco equivalent
Botanicare Ready-Gro Aeration Mix - uses 3/4" coir fiber strands which would be the "medium" textured coco equivalent.
Enriched Canadian Sphagnum Moss - "fine" textured coco equivalent
Mushroom Compost - going to mix in some earthworm castings as well
Perlite/Vermiculite
Fast Acting Lime
Espoma Plant-Tone - includes the Bio-Tone microbes
Bone Meal
Blood Meal
So what do you think? Even though the mix won't be coco heavy I tried finding ingredients that when mixed would closely match the texture of what you all are using.
Thanks
Hello Rootz. I have to say. I'm not an expert at any of this. I'm more of an observer and secretary. Here's the relative ratios of the material.
OBBT Medium:
44% Coco Brick
08% Medium size coco
11% Large Perlite
14% Large Vermiculite
23% Humus
I can't say how the moss would hold up when wet and aerated.
OBBT Medium:
44% Coco Brick
08% Medium size coco
11% Large Perlite
14% Large Vermiculite
23% Humus
I can't say how the moss would hold up when wet and aerated.
ColoMediCann
Member
Hey Rootz,
I haven´t started my own OBBT grow yet so take this for what it´s worth, but based on what I´ve read in the OBBT threads and rrog´s problems with nutrient lockouts and a bunch of non-OBBT organic threads I think that limiting amendments to your medium is a good bet.
The way I see OBBT is a hydro system that allows the use of organic fertilizer in a way that eliminates problems that conventional hydro systems usually have when you use organics.
If you have a solid medium that can hold the plant in place and provide an airy moist environment for the microherd you have hit about 99% of the benefit of the OBBT. Then feed with organic teas and keep the microherd happy and you are golden.
The lime and steamed bone meal are likely a good idea, plus maybe a bit of kelp or worm castings, but much more and you start making things more difficult to sort out.
I´ll have some OBBT buckets going soon so I can talk experience rather than theory, but I´ll be aiming to keep things as simple as possible with minimal amendments to the medium.
I haven´t started my own OBBT grow yet so take this for what it´s worth, but based on what I´ve read in the OBBT threads and rrog´s problems with nutrient lockouts and a bunch of non-OBBT organic threads I think that limiting amendments to your medium is a good bet.
The way I see OBBT is a hydro system that allows the use of organic fertilizer in a way that eliminates problems that conventional hydro systems usually have when you use organics.
If you have a solid medium that can hold the plant in place and provide an airy moist environment for the microherd you have hit about 99% of the benefit of the OBBT. Then feed with organic teas and keep the microherd happy and you are golden.
The lime and steamed bone meal are likely a good idea, plus maybe a bit of kelp or worm castings, but much more and you start making things more difficult to sort out.
I´ll have some OBBT buckets going soon so I can talk experience rather than theory, but I´ll be aiming to keep things as simple as possible with minimal amendments to the medium.
I'm not thinking any amendments were out of line. I have no info that would support that. The nutes are locked away in the complex "raw" amendments until bacteria or fungi release them for use. That part of the system is elegant, in my opinion.
My problems stemmed from high pH.
In my next PBBT grow, I'll condition the coco more carefully prior to starting the process. Also let the OBBT cook for 2-3 weeks prior to introducing seedlings. Lastly, I'll use RO water with CalMag+, pH to 5.4.
Based on what I've found, this is what's necessary.
My problems stemmed from high pH.
In my next PBBT grow, I'll condition the coco more carefully prior to starting the process. Also let the OBBT cook for 2-3 weeks prior to introducing seedlings. Lastly, I'll use RO water with CalMag+, pH to 5.4.
Based on what I've found, this is what's necessary.
ColoMediCann
Member
Hi rrog,
I wasn´t trying to say you had done anything wrong with your amendments, just that they add variables to the equation that can make it more difficult to sort out problems.
For example, if I have any problem with my hydro system I flush and add fresh nutrients. I don´t have to wonder what else could be wrong because there isn´t anything else that could be wrong. I´d like to bring that ease of use to the OBBT.
I mentioned twice in my post that I don´t have any experience with OBBT buckets yet so my opinion is only based on what I´ve seen and read. Once I´ve run my buckets with a minimal amendment mix I´ll share my results and we can see if I was on the right track with my ideas
I wasn´t trying to say you had done anything wrong with your amendments, just that they add variables to the equation that can make it more difficult to sort out problems.
For example, if I have any problem with my hydro system I flush and add fresh nutrients. I don´t have to wonder what else could be wrong because there isn´t anything else that could be wrong. I´d like to bring that ease of use to the OBBT.
I mentioned twice in my post that I don´t have any experience with OBBT buckets yet so my opinion is only based on what I´ve seen and read. Once I´ve run my buckets with a minimal amendment mix I´ll share my results and we can see if I was on the right track with my ideas
RipVanWeed
Member
Gotta little input on the medium mix, Rootz
Be sure that Quick Acting Lime is OK, some kinds of Lime are not suitable
Your mix may be balanced Ph wise better than what I used.
My Ph is running too high in the buckets, I'm currently adding water at a lower Ph to try and get the rootball down into the 6.5-6.8 range.Thinking that the lime is working too good.
Your combo of sphagnum moss and coco may even out the acidic edge to the peat, and the alkaline flavor of the coco.
When I mix up my next batch of medium it will look like this
50% Canna Coco Coir
25% Perlite
25% Vermiblend
As far as addmendments go, maybe some Kelp Meal, Epsom Salt, and a pinch of Dolomite Lime.
I will be monitering and adjusting Ph throughout future grows, I need a stable, repeatable formula. Going to go with Earth Juice, there's a thread called Nute Study, I highly reccomend reading this. https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=149234
I hope that link worked.
Adding all the admendments up front is cool if you don't have time or interest to moniter your garden, but I felt things were a little too "willy nilly". I would add tea whenever and hope for the best. I'm gonna Preload less and handhold throughout. I believe that adding particular nutes, at particular phases, in particular amounts can maximize growth.
Starting tomorrow I will enter the Earth Juice era. Today I'm flushing all 18 OBBT's with Ph'ed dechlorinated city/RO water.
Dose 'em up with phase appropiate nutes....Ph'ed.
Out for now.
Much Respect,
Be sure that Quick Acting Lime is OK, some kinds of Lime are not suitable
Your mix may be balanced Ph wise better than what I used.
My Ph is running too high in the buckets, I'm currently adding water at a lower Ph to try and get the rootball down into the 6.5-6.8 range.Thinking that the lime is working too good.
Your combo of sphagnum moss and coco may even out the acidic edge to the peat, and the alkaline flavor of the coco.
When I mix up my next batch of medium it will look like this
50% Canna Coco Coir
25% Perlite
25% Vermiblend
As far as addmendments go, maybe some Kelp Meal, Epsom Salt, and a pinch of Dolomite Lime.
I will be monitering and adjusting Ph throughout future grows, I need a stable, repeatable formula. Going to go with Earth Juice, there's a thread called Nute Study, I highly reccomend reading this. https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=149234
I hope that link worked.
Adding all the admendments up front is cool if you don't have time or interest to moniter your garden, but I felt things were a little too "willy nilly". I would add tea whenever and hope for the best. I'm gonna Preload less and handhold throughout. I believe that adding particular nutes, at particular phases, in particular amounts can maximize growth.
Starting tomorrow I will enter the Earth Juice era. Today I'm flushing all 18 OBBT's with Ph'ed dechlorinated city/RO water.
Dose 'em up with phase appropiate nutes....Ph'ed.
Out for now.
Much Respect,
Holy smokes ColoMC, you're my pal. I'd never post a slap. Sorry as hell it came out that way.
You and RipVW both feel that pre-loading lighter and adding more later has advantages. I'm no expert, only the camp scribe. You both know much more than I do. And I can see that could be worth looking at.
I can't believe RipVW has 18 of these bastards cooking. Man! I have 2. Interesting your grow pH crept up also. I attributed my pH rise to my lime well water. I also used the OBBT recipe for Pennington's Fast Acting Lime. Might not need so much.
You're measuring your bucket res? I've been pulling samples and getting 8.5! Started pH (per my pal Colo) my RO water at 5.8, now 5.4. CalMag+ in all water from now on. Gotta keep that Cationic system monopolized.
I'm headed to see what the pH is now. I use a plastic utility syringe and plastic hose to pull out some water to test. Really stays clear and smells great, I might add.
You and RipVW both feel that pre-loading lighter and adding more later has advantages. I'm no expert, only the camp scribe. You both know much more than I do. And I can see that could be worth looking at.
I can't believe RipVW has 18 of these bastards cooking. Man! I have 2. Interesting your grow pH crept up also. I attributed my pH rise to my lime well water. I also used the OBBT recipe for Pennington's Fast Acting Lime. Might not need so much.
You're measuring your bucket res? I've been pulling samples and getting 8.5! Started pH (per my pal Colo) my RO water at 5.8, now 5.4. CalMag+ in all water from now on. Gotta keep that Cationic system monopolized.
I'm headed to see what the pH is now. I use a plastic utility syringe and plastic hose to pull out some water to test. Really stays clear and smells great, I might add.
ColoMediCann
Member
Hey rrog,
I didn´t take it as a slap, I just wanted to clarify my statement and make sure you knew I wasn´t disparaging your grow. I don´t have any plants in OBBT so I don´t mean to sound like a know it all.
The plants look super happy now and they´re starting to get fat. You´ll be the happy one come harvest time
I didn´t take it as a slap, I just wanted to clarify my statement and make sure you knew I wasn´t disparaging your grow. I don´t have any plants in OBBT so I don´t mean to sound like a know it all.
The plants look super happy now and they´re starting to get fat. You´ll be the happy one come harvest time
