[delta9nxs]

links added 9-17-11

ImaginaryFriend's INTERPRETATION of Delta9nxs' PASSIVE PLANT KILLERS
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=189096

Zeke99's PPK index
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.ph...postcount=2264




Today is tuesday, september 22. on the 18th I put a 6” clone into a device that can only be described as a “non-circulating, stagnant, hydroponic, capillary wick plus capillary medium with root sump, evapo-transpirator”. Or possibly it will be known as the “passive plant killer”. That's it, the PPK device. Sounds like a grade “b” horror flick. As I have never grown anything in it this just might turn out that way

For quite a while now I have been interested in passive growing techniques. I have been comparing containers and mediums through both my own experience and reading about the experiences of other growers. Not only those in cannabis circles but of greenhouse professionals of various descriptions. Agricultural research papers have been another invaluable resource. There is so much information out there and so little time.

The medium whose existence reveals my most glaring lack of experience is coco coir. I've pretty much been around the block with everything else. The adventures of the coco heads, over there in their own nice comfortable little forum, (i'm so happy for you folks, but I demand a turface forum), are extremely interesting to me. They have accomplished some extraordinary grows over there that should be read by anyone who grows anything.

I've tried almost all forms of active hydro with the exception of aeroponics with more or less success. Some great grows, some mediocre ones, and some dismal failures. Passive hydro in several forms starting with 2 yrs using turface in standard one gal nursery pots, 72 at a time in a plastic lined 104”x 52” 2x4 frame on the floor. Then I experienced the “hempy” phenomenon and have been trying variations on the “internal reservoir” technique ever since. These variations consisted primarily of trying different size and shape containers with different media and drain/overflow configurations and heights while using different fertilizer regimes. Not too challenging. I mean just how many ways can you pour water through a bucket? All in an effort to increase yield. Two steps forward and one step back, slowly and painfully (sob!).

I want to state right up front that I have not invented anything. Rather, I have been shamelessly stealing every idea I could find and trying to put them together into something that might work. But I think I should be rewarded for my creative manipulation of plastics and masterful use of tools. Good hash will do nicely, thank you!

This is a very cool time to be involved in growing our favorite plant. We have tens of thousands of growers doing independent research on every subject imaginable and reporting their results back to sites like this one. While not usually very scientifically conducted, we have multiple people trying the “new” ideas and reporting. If enough people say something works or doesn't work, they are probably right. There is continuous progress in both yields and potency. And more and more grow everyday.

What i'm soliciting here are any and all comments or pointers about any part of this effort. Any input or links to passive growing techniques are welcome. Anything anyone wants to show and tell is fine with me.

So, enough background and intentions and on to the Passive Plant Killer.

Just some general purpose shots with a bad camera in the hands of a bad photographer.

[delta9nxs]

last

so, this is a cloner? I'm trying to understand!

[Haps]

clear as mud.

[MAZEinaHAZE]

no fair -- Lacy LePlant is already taken....by a MILF. Welcome Nancy......

i'm with Haps.....WTF

[delta9nxs]

howdy, nice to meet you all!

i intend to grow a 5' tall, 10 oz plant in it.

the clone is in the first one built and has been in since the 18th. 100% turface in the top bucket and the pvc fitting sump. plus the 2 capillary strips. the clone was about 6" above the medium on the 18th and is just under 8" today. the "res" in the 10 gal tub holds 3.66 gal at the 5 1/2" level, which is set by the overflow standpipe. the cut off support bucket is set at 6" in order to maintain a minimum 1/2" air gap, forcing capillary rise through the sump pipe while preventing any possibility of a perched water table in the grow bucket. this is desirable because the volume of space that would be occupied by otherwise drowned roots will now be available to "air" roots taking in more o2. the foam you see sandwiched between the buckets is there for multiple reasons. keep light and debris, insects etc. out of the res. the foam stops algae and slows extraneous evaporation. it will also help insulate the roots from the cold. i want all evaporation to occur through the medium.

the plant has not yet had time to get roots to the bottom so i have to top water with small amounts of nutrient solution to keep the pathway wet. the excess water runs through the medium and into the res below. as there are no roots in the res yet the excess nutrient solution sits in the bottom accumulating. it has risen almost to the top of the standpipe now and so i am able to withdraw a solution sample to check ph and tds as well as recirculating some through the medium as necessary.

we all know that cannabis is capable of altering it's root structure to some extent to adapt to various habitat. this is one tough plant with a strong will to survive.

those that grow using medium-less or nearly medium less hydro such as dwc, bio-buckets, nft, or aero have observed the plant grow a preponderance of water type roots when presented with a continuous supply of well aerated water. and at the same time show very little air root development. conversely, growers in various media, when depotting after harvest, will see a large volume of "air" type roots. especially in static or passive systems. the plant does not seem to care where it gets it's oxygen as long as it's needs are met.

this is an attempt to force the plant to develop a disproportionally large quantity of "air" roots while using a capillary material and a medium with high capillary capability plus tap roots to maintain an adequate supply of moisture and nutrient. it is my belief that the upper "air" root structure will take in enough o2 so that the tap or "water roots" don't drown.


well, that's all for now

[TEERCSIdbREEDER]

just for shits and giggles but whered the 5 foot tall plant and 10oz? educated guess....

[Haps]

What or who is turdface?

[cactusjack]

Haps - HA!

Delta9 – This is going to be fun! I’ve noodled a bit on passive + wick recently and I’m glad you are leading the way. I’ve had one concern with wick systems and our favorite plant that has kept me from playing with wicks in the past. I’ve heard that wick systems sometimes fail when feeding plants that drink a lot of water over a short period (like a blooming 5 ft. tree might, especially in the summer). The wicks just can’t keep up. So I’m glad to see you are “…applying the electrodes of science to the testicles of dogma”. We’ll have an answer in 15-16 weeks I guess.

Beyond that, what nutes are you using? GH FloraNova Bloom? If so, I worry about FNB settling out in the lower runoff reservoir. Maybe a reason to use GH Flora multi-part? It would be a shame. FNB is sooo sweet.

[delta9nxs]

hey, teercsimfodeswabvcdlkjhg..... here's one i whacked on the first. it's actually a little on the light side, i only got 9.35 oz. it's in a 5 gal bucket of perlite. a whole lot of water and nutes were poured though this thing over it's 16 week life span. i hope to grow a better plant with the PPK using a lot less materials. my best so far in hand watered "hempy style" containers was 11.47 oz in a 10 gal bucket of turface. in 2 more weeks i'll have the first of 10 consecutive plants that are being grown in 10 gal containers, again using perlite.

haps, haps, haps haps, tsk! tsk! "what or who is turdface?" pull out your makeup compact, sweetheart, and look in the mirror! or, it's the stage before "shitface"!

hey, cactus, how are you! if you've got anything sketched out yet put it up. i need all the ideas i can steal.

yeah, i've had large plants use more than a gallon a day. i'm hoping that by utilizing 3 methods of supply i'll be able to get enough moisture to meet peak demand.

i am using fnb on this first one at least. i figure there are so many unknowns in this that i should use something i totally understand. i,ve grown a lot of plants with it, sweet tooth #4 specifically, and will know pretty fast if it's not working.

but, i've also got on hand about 6 lbs of maxibloom, 2 gals of flora bloom and one micro, plus a couple more gals each of fnb and fng. then there's a 25 lb bag of jack's professional 15-16-17, a 25 lb bag of jack's 10-30-20, 50 lbs of greenhouse grade calcium nitrate, bottles of calcium chloride, 5 lbs potassium chloride. epsom salts. 60 lbs hi-phos bat shit, a cubic yard (heaping pickup bed) of worm shit, 25 lbs kelp meal, 2 5.5 cu ft bales of sphagnum peat, 4 4 cu ft bags of perlite, hundreds of ruined containers that i've drilled all kinds of weird holes in and are now useless, neem oil, hydrogen peroxide, pyrethrum bombs, a compass, and a magnifying glass in case i have to start a fire. did i mention 4000 lbs of turface? oh, yeah, and a pissed off wife.