[Blackstack]

I've been in this scene for years, and I've never posted to a forum. Not once. Heck, I remember when BOG appeared at OG, for pete's sake! I remember when everyone told him he'd never have a chance of producing good genetics from his small selection pool! LMAO!

I'm happy to say that I am glad to have found a forum that has pushed me to introduce myself. Thank you to you all!

I'm am currently finishing up an experimental DWC grow using no equipment other than a cheap, freebie ppm pen. I'm using the Lucas/pH forumula with ZERO rez changes.

400 watts, 4 buckets, White widow clones from 5+ year old mom. Currently at day 45, and I'm estimating 8oz at harvest in another week or two. (slightly ahead of schedule because of 11/13 light cycle)

It's not a great yeild (but to be fair, WW seldom yeilds big), I'll admit, but I did this as a test to see if I could put together a fool proof system for newbs using the absolute minimum of equipment and start up expense. Barring contamination, measuring error, or disease, it seems to work.

...and besides, I can fit ALL the instructions (including parts list)from start to finish on a standard notecard.

Well BS,
You could'nt have introduced yourself to any better forum than this one. We keep a lid on all the Bullshit here and deal with what we all came here to do Grow Weed Man.......and debate. dive on in and get your feet wet.

Blatant

[Hybrid]

Welcome Blackstack, you will find that there are alot of nice people here, and minimal BS.

Peace
Hybrid

[Forest20]

Well all i can say is welcome to our family-oriented forum, by family i mean growers:p

Welcome Always nice to meet a hydro grower. .Got a question for ya. How do you use lucas formula without rez changes?

[Blackstack]

Journeyman,

Rez changes are not needed with the Lucas formula, surprisingly enough.

I had been doing Lucas-based nute regimes (with occasional additives) successfully for quite awhile. I followed Lucas' advice to the T, replacing the rez after addback of RO = initial volume. I got this to the point that it was consistent and easy for me, but I was trying to show others how to grow. I couldn't give them all the "feel" knowledge you and I have. They can't "feel" an overfert, or an underfert, or lockup, or what have you. They need clear, concise instructions, and if done 100% to the letter as outlined by Lucas, a DWC is foolproof outside of disease, human error, or some other odd act.

For first timers, I don't even recommend that they purchase a pH or ppm pen if they are comitted to running the Lucas formula with RO. It isn't necessary.

Actually, let me clarify myself for just a second. When I say "necessary" or "needed" I mean that it is not absolutely required in order to get a relatively healthy plant that produces great, potent, dense, crystal-covered bud. I make no claims that this sloppy way of growing is ideal, and from my own experience it DOES cost yeild. I don't dispute that.

Back to the point...so I'm working with new med growers that simply don't always follow the instructions (or can't perform the required maintenance some days because of medical reasons). These people were not following Lucas to the T and I wanted to mimic an abused grow so I could help them with their problems.

That brings us to now, where I'm finishing a WW grow with zero rez changes. The clones were placed in their final buckets when they had roots coming out of the netpots. 3.5 gallons of RO water were added to the bucket with the veg mix of 0-5-10. Since that time, I've never dumped the bucket. I would addback water every 24 hours. Check ppm before addback. If it is above the 500 or so ppm that fresh veg formula has, then I add RO water to bring the rez to 500, then add 0-5-10 water to the water level up to where I wanted it in the bucket. If it is below my target ppm, I add 0-5-10 water to the proper fill level and allow evaporation (possibly over several days and topoffs) to bring the ppm up to where I want.

I did the same for the Bloom cycle with no rez change between. To make it short, every day you adjust the rez to have the ppm and water level of a fresh change by adding, never removing. Yes, I'm aware that the plants secrete from the roots, etc etc. Again, I'm not trying to maximize this grow. I was trying to abuse it to an extent.

Info on the genetics: I'm using a relatively old WW clone from unknown origins. It is a light feeder which may, or may not, aid in a no rez change strategy. All plants *did* show some slight signs of over-fert at times, but this is not uncommon with this very finicky eater, imo.

Today is day #46 of 11/13 light cycle. Plants have been topped off with straight RO water for 1 week now and pre-topoff rez ppm has fallen from 900-1000 to ~500 in that time.

#1 will be harvested tonight. 20% clear, 65% cloudy, 15% amber. Buds are a beautiful lime green color and virtually every fan leaf on this plant is a bright, golden yellow. This is going to be good stuff.

I'll bring more info once they've been properly dried. Thus far, I'll guess a 25% loss in yeild, and slightly less crystals than a "proper" Lucas grow. This is not bad smoke, though...believe me, you'd still be happy to call it kind.

The plant I'm snagging tonight is 1 out of 4 under a 400watt light and I'm expecting it to be over 2 oz's of dried, primo smoke. Not bad for a no rez change, no pH monitoring, ghetto grow.

Wow now that a answer.It is great when people take the time to give a consice answer like that.
I had considered not changing the rez and just adding nutes.But I think i will stick with the changes every 2 weeks , just for good measure.thanks for yourtime and the explanation

See BlackStacks contributing already, Did'nt waste anytime at all did ya?

Blatant

[Blackstack]

I try not to waste anything. =)

Purchasing a digi-cam in a few weeks. With that, I'll document an entire grow of how to do Lucas formula completely wrong and still get a great plant. Should have some BOG beans in my hands soon enough and maybe I'll use those. I'm sure BOG might sweat a little when he sees his babies mistreated, but everything can use a good stress test now and then.

I'm tired of people that have never tried it, telling me and all the newbs that you need a bunch of expensive equipment to successfully grow hydro. This scares a bunch of people away with both the complexity and the cost.

If you ask me, it is a whole lot easier getting good homebrew hydro than good homebrew beer!

[tokeAcola]

Hey, Blackstack!

I'm glad you found a new home. I really love it here, too! Its always nice to have a new hydro grower. See ya around.

Let's see some WW pics!

-- tAc