Bottomfeeding: no drain, no waste

[Jarew]

Coco and Autopots... my two cents.

Coco and Autopots... my two cents.

I am a lazy grower and do a some things that are frowned on by many growers; Such as using Autopots, or not being overly concerned with temperature or humidity.

Autopots have worked well for me, and yes I know they are not ideal. You have to be careful that roots don't invade the valve and cause a overflow. This has happened once in 3 grows because I didn't use the root mats. luckily my new grow area has a drain where the commode was and I am installing a shower floor drain to allow for possible valve failure and or flushing if needed. A containment pan would work just as well if your concerned with valve failure.
I bought my Autopots

some years ago and have the round 2 pot system. With reflection I would choose A single pot system, Allows you to space the plants better. Also use mulch material from your local hardware store and make your own root control mats.
The luxury of being able to be away from home can not be underestimated. Nothing like a weekend or more getaway.

Combined with GH Natural mixed brick CocoTek, Perlite, GH Flora nutriments, I have had success growing a good yield of very good pot.

For me I can not foresee using anything but Coco with Autopots. It's clean and sanitary, can be recycled, put in the compost or used as mulch. Great stuff.

 

[xctbl]

This is my first coco grow and I'm getting amazing (for me) results at weeks of 12/12 under 250hps, hand watered from the top...I now have four huge plants that are maxing out my small DR60 tent!
So I love this medium, however I'd like to try switching to bottom feeding because I don't always have time to water properly...

I read the thread but everything is not entirely clear to me yet, so can I just:

-put my four plants in a large plastic tub in my tent; they are in 6,5l pots
-prepare my nutrients and water (6-8 liters water, canna A+B, enzymes, ph-)
-dump the water and food in the tub with the plants (presumably at any time of "day"?), and ...
-wait?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Midnight Rudy]

This is my first coco grow and I'm getting amazing (for me) results at weeks of 12/12 under 250hps, hand watered from the top...I now have four huge plants that are maxing out my small DR60 tent!
So I love this medium, however I'd like to try switching to bottom feeding because I don't always have time to water properly...

I read the thread but everything is not entirely clear to me yet, so can I just:

-put my four plants in a large plastic tub in my tent; they are in 6,5l pots
-prepare my nutrients and water (6-8 liters water, canna A+B, enzymes, ph-)
-dump the water and food in the tub with the plants (presumably at any time of "day"?), and ...
-wait?

Thanks for any help!

yup. I don't like to have my solution over about 2" but that is only because I see this as more of a hempy bucket thing and that is the traditional res height for a hempy bucket. but yeah... it is that easy. For the record I prefer 50/50 perlite / coco but Im sure some here are doing straight coco.

 

[xctbl]

Awesome! thanks!
Coco rules...

 

[poind3xter]

I'm a noob grower on my first grow. So please forgive my noobish questions lol.

I though coco doesn't wick very well? Is this not the case?

Does light hitting the water not cause algae issues?

Can coco be bottom-fed from the veg stage or should you wait until the roots grow deep into the container? I'm using airpots by the way.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[CannaBuilding]

Started bottom feeding my mothers and they are going very well.

Have them in a 3 pot set which has its own tray for water, mothers are in a bonsai form, and i just fill the bottom tray every day with about 200mls of water, if im going out of town, i water them from the top, collect the run of seperately and then put them back in their saucer and fill the saucer to the brim which is about 200mls of h20 and they can go with out water for 4 days before the coco starts to dry up, this only works if use phed water with out nutes, with nutes, the salt builds up and you might get some lockout on the 4th day.

poind3xter coco is very good at wicking water, when you water clones and seedling for the first 1-2 weeks its best to water around the stem and the water wicks its way through the coco saturating it evenly.

You need to experiment with your grow area, cause temp/humdity/pot size may affect how much water you might need to bottom feed and how often.

Also algae would develop if the water is exposed to light for a good amount of time, but would need alteast 2x12 hour cycles for this to happen, by this time, water would of evaporated and used up by the plants. Goodluck with yoru grow man.

Peace.

 

[Midnight Rudy]

I'm a noob grower on my first grow. So please forgive my noobish questions lol.

No worries welcome to icmag. You will find many people here like to help, so no worries. CB is giving some good tips and I will give you a couple more.

I though coco doesn't wick very well? Is this not the case?

Actually, I find it wicks a little too well and I cut mine 50/50 with perlite. Well, that wis the fine coco... the chunky/stringy stuff doesn't wick nearly as well fme, but mixed with perlite and/or some fine stuff is is great.

Does light hitting the water not cause algae issues?

I use small containers so it is pretty easy for me to take them out and clean them from time to time, but the solution gets drunk up pretty fast and that makes algae formation less likely. Dark nute pans can help but I personally like to see my nute levels through the sides. As far as I know there isn't any issue if you do get algae growth. I have had some but minimal, and no problems resulting from it. No moving parts to get gunked up...

Can coco be bottom-fed from the veg stage or should you wait until the roots grow deep into the container? I'm using airpots by the way.

This was the tough part from me transitioning over from organic soil. There is a few day period where you don't want to give full strength nutes to either seedlings or rooted cuttings, but once you get any growth after planting, you can go for it ime. Lately I have been soaking them with straight water when I pot them up and then I put them into the full strength solution. The theory is that the solution gradually replaces the straight water in the medium and makes for a good transition. I haven't killed anything that way yet!! You will be surprised how quickly roots will go down when bottom feeding... they know where the yum yums are and they go get them!

Thanks in advance for any advice!

good luck

 

[xctbl]

I'm at about 4 to 5 weeks to harvest, so perhaps there is little risk of salt build-up (I will stop feeding in two to three weeks), but if I do need to flush, would it be OK to just water the plants from the top (using only Ph- and maybe enzymes), and let them sit in the run off, which would of course get reabsorbed but only once the plants have had a breather from the salts?
It's getting difficult for me to take the plants out of the tank and my small tent without damaging them, they are getting quite big!

 

[stonedar]

remove the runoff, or there is no point in flushing. use a sponge or a turkey baster, then you won't have to move the plants.

 

[poind3xter]

No worries welcome to icmag. You will find many people here like to help, so no worries. CB is giving some good tips and I will give you a couple more.
Actually, I find it wicks a little too well and I cut mine 50/50 with perlite. Well, that wis the fine coco... the chunky/stringy stuff doesn't wick nearly as well fme, but mixed with perlite and/or some fine stuff is is great.


I use small containers so it is pretty easy for me to take them out and clean them from time to time, but the solution gets drunk up pretty fast and that makes algae formation less likely. Dark nute pans can help but I personally like to see my nute levels through the sides. As far as I know there isn't any issue if you do get algae growth. I have had some but minimal, and no problems resulting from it. No moving parts to get gunked up...




This was the tough part from me transitioning over from organic soil. There is a few day period where you don't want to give full strength nutes to either seedlings or rooted cuttings, but once you get any growth after planting, you can go for it ime. Lately I have been soaking them with straight water when I pot them up and then I put them into the full strength solution. The theory is that the solution gradually replaces the straight water in the medium and makes for a good transition. I haven't killed anything that way yet!! You will be surprised how quickly roots will go down when bottom feeding... they know where the yum yums are and they go get them!


good luck

Thanks to you and CB. That was some epic info right there. I very much appreciate it!

 

[Midnight Rudy]

no problem my nerdly friend.

I'm at about 4 to 5 weeks to harvest, so perhaps there is little risk of salt build-up (I will stop feeding in two to three weeks), but if I do need to flush, would it be OK to just water the plants from the top (using only Ph- and maybe enzymes), and let them sit in the run off, which would of course get reabsorbed but only once the plants have had a breather from the salts?
It's getting difficult for me to take the plants out of the tank and my small tent without damaging them, they are getting quite big!

In this system I can taste a difference between -0- days flush and a week, but not between a week and two. I don't think coco is as hard to flush as soil, but ymmv.

I flush with straight tap water. having your ph off causes deficiencies which is just fine during the flush fme. My logic says that is good actually! PH doesn't spoil the plant just its ability to use certain nutrients. Maybe there is some science somewhere that says I'm wrong on that but I love smokin what I grow. I do have kick ass tap here though, but it is ph of about 7.4, so I don't find ph'd water is necessary.

Listen to stodar on the tray dump. You may also be able to score a cheap hand crank pump from the local bargain center tool store like harbor freight or whatever. I really like just taking them to the sink though!

 

[VladTheInhaler]

I started bottom feeding my moms and flowering room about a month ago with no adverse effects. My clones don't seem to like it that much, though:
I run a perpetual micro sog so I take 3 clones a week, and my clones are kept in small plastic containers (plastic espresso cups, and pudding cups). Now, since I started bottom feeding the clones I have started getting signs of Mg and even N deficiency. I can't put my finger to it but this could be caused by either me putting to much of the nutrient solution in the tray or low temperature (but the cold should affect the mothers then, since they're in the same closet). Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[xctbl]

ph of about 7.4, so I don't find ph'd water is necessary.

Listen to stodar on the tray dump. You may also be able to score a cheap hand crank pump from the local bargain center tool store like harbor freight or whatever. I really like just taking them to the sink though!

Thanks, I found a cheap electric aquarium pump that should do the trick...

 

[Midnight Rudy]

I started bottom feeding my moms and flowering room about a month ago with no adverse effects. My clones don't seem to like it that much, though:
I run a perpetual micro sog so I take 3 clones a week, and my clones are kept in small plastic containers (plastic espresso cups, and pudding cups). Now, since I started bottom feeding the clones I have started getting signs of Mg and even N deficiency. I can't put my finger to it but this could be caused by either me putting to much of the nutrient solution in the tray or low temperature (but the cold should affect the mothers then, since they're in the same closet). Does anyone have any ideas?

I'm glad you brought this up vlad because I think it is res temps. Make sure your res temp on those clones stay in the 85 range. 80-90 f is good for clones fme. Actually heated roots are good for all phases when it is cold like this. Well 75-80ish anyways. My flower cab res is around 60f right now so I finally ordered two small seedling mats to heat those 2 reses up and I am reasonably sure that will solve my yearly mystery as to why I don't get the same harvests in the winter time. Last year I moved one mat between veg and flower cabs and it seemed to help, but this year I bought a couple more to do all at once. I'll keep you guys posted but I think this is going to make a big difference for me this winter.

 

[VladTheInhaler]

Hmmm, I measured the temps in the veg room and it showed 20C/ 70 F. Hell, I used to set my bubble cloner to 25C, these temps are low by anyone's standard. The crappy bit is that it reflected on flower room, I had to throw away 5 clones that I put in 2 and 3 weeks ago because they were stunted and wilting which is result of them becoming sick during the clone phase.

 

[Midnight Rudy]

Hmmm, I measured the temps in the veg room and it showed 20C/ 70 F. Hell, I used to set my bubble cloner to 25C, these temps are low by anyone's standard. The crappy bit is that it reflected on flower room, I had to throw away 5 clones that I put in 2 and 3 weeks ago because they were stunted and wilting which is result of them becoming sick during the clone phase.

I'm saying too low. check the actual res with a aquarium or similar thermometer. 80-90f for clones works best for me.

 

[VladTheInhaler]

Don't have an adequate thermometer, but at the bottom of the box it's 20 C, so the res is probably a bit cooler than that. I'll get a heat mat. Moms are doing OK in the same environment, thank god.

 

[Midnight Rudy]

Don't have an adequate thermometer, but at the bottom of the box it's 20 C, so the res is probably a bit cooler than that. I'll get a heat mat. Moms are doing OK in the same environment, thank god.

yeah, fme, cold will slow the growth of the rooted plants which isn't a big deal with moms unless you clone like a mofo, but will stop a clone from rooting which sucks. Get a thermo... you should be able to find one in the pet section of a box store for 3 or 4 bucks. Over 90 and things go goofy for me, but anywhere in the 80's seems to be pretty good.

 

[thesloppy]

Been trying out a new technique to add to my swamp of bottom-feeders. Can you figure out what I've got going on here:

There are two males under domes in the middle there, that I'm hoping to collect pollen from, growing in the midst of a bunch of female plants. I took a 2-liter, stripped it clean, cut off the top and taped it on top of my pots (which also happen to be 2-liters) containing the male plants. The only air intakes are the drainage holes at the very bottom of the pot. My two concerns were that:

• The pollen would sneak its way out of the bottom somehow, and pollinate all my ladies.
• The males plants would die without enough fresh air flow, or from the moisture/humidity inside the domes.

So far I haven't had any issues (knock on particle board). It looks like they may be ready to grab some pollen from very soon, as the flowers are starting to open. Anybody know off the top of their head when's the best time frame to grab pollen from male plants?

 

[Midnight Rudy]

Looks good sloppy! I tried that once myself with a plastic box and a small fan and some filters. That didn't work so well, but if your males are getting air that way then you are certainly onto something. No chance imho that pollen could travel through the medium and through the solution, but I would have guessed the same about co2. Keep us posted!!!

I've only harvested pollen a couple of times but I have been successful... As for timing, they go from pods to bananas to umbrellas. I wait until the pods open up and I see hanging bananas and a couple of umbrellas, but once each banana opens up into umbrellas, the pollen starts to spread. The pollen is there though even before they open up. Once you see umbrellas they are dropping their stuff. Sorry for all the technical jargon, ha!