Trick my Pod - The complete Aeroponics primer

[pumpkin2006]

Whats your watts per sq/ft? Also, if you weren't venting and using an A/C you could have your temps higher and have more stomata opening up. Also what is the humidity in there? All I'm saying, is if your not willing to take the plunge and get temps at around 80-83, RH of 50-70 and co2 at 1500 ppm, with at least 65w per sq/ft; your never going to see the potential of your system.... your system is almost pointless. Ebb n' flow tables would do the same.

 

[Pod Racer]

Obviously you've never seen my other grows Pumpkin, I'm not having any problems maximizing my system. The room temps should remain under 80, the RH is around 55, and elevating CO2 levels will result in lower Stoma production in response to the CO2 levels.

This is about as maximized as I need:

And, just for FYI, the heat isn't what dictates the Stomatic action of opening and closing, it is actually light driven AND if you elevate the temperature in the room the Stomata will Close do to excessive moisture lost, so that isn't useful at all to me.

This is from my nutrient profiling thread I did about 2 years ago on here.


Leaves

The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the leaf (as well as the loss of water vapor in transpiration) occurs through pores called stomata (singular = stoma).

Normally stomata open when the light strikes the leaf in the morning and close during the night.
The immediate cause is a change in the turgor of the guard cells. The inner wall of each guard cell is thick and elastic. When turgor develops within the two guard cells flanking each stoma, the thin outer walls bulge out and force the inner walls into a crescent shape. This opens the stoma. When the guard cells lose turgor, the elastic inner walls regain their original shape and the stoma closes.

Time Osmotic Pressure, lb/in2
7 A.M. 212
11 A.M. 456
5 P.M. 272
12 midnight 191

The table shows the osmotic pressure measured at different times of day in typical guard cells. The osmotic pressure within the other cells of the lower epidermis remained constant at 150 lb/in2. When the osmotic pressure of the guard cells became greater than that of the surrounding cells, the stomata opened. In the evening, when the osmotic pressure of the guard cells dropped to nearly that of the surrounding cells, the stomata closed.

Opening stomata

The increase in osmotic pressure in the guard cells is caused by an uptake of potassium ions (K+). The concentration of K+ in open guard cells far exceeds that in the surrounding cells. This is how it accumulates:
Blue light is absorbed by phototropin which activates
a proton pump (an H+-ATPase) in the plasma membrane of the guard cell.
ATP, generated by the light reactions of photosynthesis, drives the pump.
As protons (H+) are pumped out of the cell, its interior becomes increasingly negative.
This attracts additional potassium ions into the cell, raising its osmotic pressure.
Closing stomata

Although open stomata are essential for photosynthesis, they also expose the plant to the risk of losing water through transpiration. Some 90% of the water taken up by a plant is lost in transpiration.

For more info on it you can read up:
Nutrient Profiling for TAG

Now bear in mind these have only been in flower for about 21 days.





The only pressing issue at this point is Powdery Mildew. I'm new to this climate and PM is obviously my newest teacher. Though the SM-90 and H202 foliar application has removed almost all of it so far.

 

[pumpkin2006]

During photosythesis, plants draw in carbon dioxide through their pores and water via their roots and give off oxygen and water vapor. Transpiration is the process by which water is absorbed through its roots and evaporated via plant surfaces. Energy from the sun evaporates water from the plant cell walls and stomata

The stomata on the undersides of leaves are regulated by guard cells. When stomata are open, Guard cells : The Guard cells control the stomatal openings in the epidermis of the leaf. Three environmental factors regulate these cells. These factors are light, CO2 concentration and water availability. When the guard cells are activated, K+ pumps actively transport K+ into the guard cells, resulting in a high [K+] in the cells. As a result, water enters the cells by osmosis. This causes the guard cells to swell. The one side of the guard cells is thicker than the other and does not stretch. As the guard cells swell up they bend. When the stoma is open CO2 can diffuse into the leaf and enter the Calvin Cycle. The oxygen produced in photolysis, diffuses out of the open stoma. Water vapor also escapes from the stoma by the process of transpiration. As water transpires, other water molecules are pulled up through the plant behind it.
transpiration occurs, sometimes at a very high rate. A corn plant may transpire 50 gallons of water per season, but a large tree may move 100 gallons per day! The amount and rate of water loss depends on factors such as temperature, humidity, and wind or air movement. Transpiration is greatest in hot, dry (low relative humidity), windy weather. Plants have problems if they lose too much water, so stomata close during hot, dry periods when transpiration is highest. However, CO2, which is needed for photosynthesis, also enters the plant through open stomata. Thus, if stomata stay closed a long time to stop water loss, not enough CO2 will enter for photosynthesis. As a result, photosynthesis and respiration will slow down, in turn reducing plant growth. This is the main reason why controlling your environment can be such an advantage in comparison with outdoor environments. By ensuring ideal environmental conditions plant processes can be streamlined and maximized, resulting in higher yields and happier and healthier plants. When a leaf's guard cells shrink, its stomata open, and water is lost. The rate of transpiration is directly related to whether stomata are open or closed. Stomata account for only 1 percent of a leaf's surface but 90 percent of the water transpired. Transpiration is a necessary process and uses about 90 percent of the water that enters a plant's roots. The other 10 percent is used in chemical reactions and in plant tissues.

Photosynthesis and Respiration
Photosynthesis

* produces food
* stores energy
* uses water
* uses carbon dioxide
* releases oxygen
* occurs in sunlight

Respiration

* uses food
* releases energy
* produces water
* produces carbon dioxide
* uses oxygen
* occurs in the dark as well as light


The environmentals I gave you will improve your yields and growth rates

Peace and I've said what I needed to say, heed or disregard.

 

[whereisbrianV.]

Where is my can of Troll-be-gone! It never fails if you see one more are to follow.


Please keep the egos in check guys. I know you are all experts and it hurts to see someone who might know a bit more that you but there is no need for playground tactics.

 

[whereisbrianV.]

POD- Glad to see you are growing well, everything is looking ivory. I am sure you will kill them any day But back to non trollish matters. I hate it that the PM is still lurking that shit must have some hold on your carpet. I love the room and the pods, and those plants look very nice, to bad you will kill the soon

Maybe Hound will drop an update and we can help him with his problem, got to keep the Aero-train rolling!

 

[pumpkin2006]

Where is my can of Troll-be-gone! It never fails if you see one more are to follow.


Please keep the egos in check guys. I know you are all experts and it hurts to see someone who might know a bit more that you but there is no need for playground tactics.

My critiques should be understood as an encouragement for growth and the truth. While we may "butt-heads", we are debating here and if you can't understand that then you shouldn't join in. Its not about ego, its about the truth, if you have to follow blindly and just do what your told from others, then you will never grow and become an ultimate human being. I encourage you to be critical and find the optimal way of growing, I would think that a man of Pods intelligence would appreciate an intellectual challenge to either grow or teach. Growing and teaching are the reason that one should be on this site, no other motivations.

 

[Pod Racer]

pumpkin, you'll have to excuse our arrogance in this matter. brainV. has watched me post over 1000 pages and 1500 pictures on OG researching 'optimal environments' which is where TAG was born. I'm very aware of the point you are trying to make, however the expense and inconvenience don't outweigh the results in addition, so it is an expense to my grow not an asset.

CO2 enrichment is used primarily for elevated heat or where insufficient air flow is not possible. Infusing my small closet with Co2 would only result in larger leaves and more leaf development as the 'truth' is that these plants have been acclimated to the current atmosphere for over a million years, not highly saturated CO2 levels of a prehistoric era.

You'll find, if you seek the truth and it sounds like you are, that everything in nature will balance itself and the increase on one side only serves to decrease and compensate on the other.

I have no environmental conditions outside the ideal parameters here so there isn't a need to 'supplement'. Those bushes you see are grown on 550 ppms of nutrients and 10 gallons of water.

The only other step beyond this point is to grow using pure electricity, but that isn't my goal, nor is it to seek advice on how to maximize my system.

The point of this thread, as I started it, was to discuss other's pods and help others, like greyhound, with tricking their rigs. I am the one that established TAGing and have discussed all these helpful hints ad nausea. Hence why I attempted to drop off as the only real activity I do here is defend myself from asshats like Blinddate or re-explain for the 25th time why this or that isn't effective or is.

Though I admire your pursuit of the truth. As that was my own years ago when I first started to explore Aero. There is a lot of false and misinformation. You'll just have to trust me on the now 3000 pictures and over 1500 pages of posts on the subject I think I've pretty much cornered my little grow.

Like I said, my only real issue is PM now, and advancing my grow through Foliar techniques rather than applied environmentals. So I'm off to unlock the mystery of mold propagation and eradication to see if I can't find a clearer truth in it as well.

I'm sure it lies with a Sulfur Burner, but I'm not sure I want that running in my house yet.

But pumpkin, if you would like to build a similar rig and do all the enrichment that you think will result in higher gains — by all means build it and post it here with your results. I have no problem 'Seeing' the truth, but otherwise its just conjecture and as I stated, I'm not really having issues with my pod.

But if you want to show us your tricked out rig, lets party Barbie.

OH, and PS pumkin - If I were going to do a Co2 supplement, I'd use subaquatic Co2 instead either gas exchange or puck form as I believe that it has marked benefits and increases over atmospheric. But that is just my personal opinion and choice.

 

[whycombinator]

I haven't read most of your foliar thread so feel free to refer me to it if this has already been covered, but what advantages do you see to foliar feeding over just feeding through the roots? I read a big thread by lucas, and while I don't agree with everything he says, he seems like a smart guy and suggested that there was no advantage to foliar as you could give them just as much nutrients through the roots. If you overfeed, they will still burn.

 

[Pod Racer]

Oh no whycomb- that is completely incorrect.

Research has shown that foliar nutrients are more efficiently utilized than are soil-applied nutrients (about six times as efficiently, depending upon soil type). Nutrients for foliar application have to be in a special form to be absorbed and utilized by the plant.

Tests conducted in Germany have found that an application of phosphate to the surface of a leaf was detected within the plant in as little as five seconds from the time it was applied. This shows how quickly materials can move through the leaf surface. The leaf surface is acidic and the nutrients applied in a solution of approximately pH 4.0 have the opportunity of moving directly into the leaf and being immediately available. Leaf analysis can give an indication of nutrient needs, but even if the tests show a sufficiency of the major elements, the foliar feeding will still bring about a change.

Nutrients indicated to be tied up in the soil due to alkalinity or unavailability can be fed through the leaves with full effect. This is to say that the nutrients not available from the soil can be made readily available through foliar application when the pH of the water has been adjusted and the proper form of the element is applied. In applying foliar nutrients, droplet size gets involved. Many researchers use a five-gallon sprayer for application, the droplets of which roll right off the leaf onto the ground. Researchers should use a commercial application (air) on a field and lay out the plots on this treated field. Aerial application allows treatment of both the upper and the lower surfaces of the leaf.

The main advantage is correcting deficiencies quickly (example the K def. If you look here you can just see the traces beginning as I enter the fourth week of flowering. My PH has just swung to 3.9 and the ppms are climbing a sign of N reversing. The blood supply is looking for K now in PH up, I can directly spray the K on the leaves to compensate for the accelerated growth rate. (A Foliar application of K not the PH up by the way)



The other is you 'force feed' your plants through the leaves without burning (which is a lock out usually) The water can't hold everything perfectly, however the air can allow you to deposit almost exactly what you like. (Example using Sulfur on the leaves to kill and remove mold and mildew - it is actually raising the PH of the leaf surface to that which is way too high for anything to live so everything dies off, the plant however will only absorb so much of the Sulfur and remain unharmed)

Though you can easily over fertilize and burn the leaves through application, so you must reduce the amounts greatly just as in Aero.

Getting back to TAG only:

You can see how thick the clusters are already, most people are only sexing by the 3rd week in soil. If I had been on my game and been foliar feeding as well they would probably be twice as thick and twice as packed, but you'll see that using TAG it is almost like Foliar Feeding the Roots as well.

My eventual goal someday is a rig that does both automatically, but I'm busy with a real life at the moment.

But I would say Foliar (at least in my own personal experience and research) has really impressed me. Read my thread and you'll see just how powerful it can truly be. Knocked my socks off. I rescued yellow leaves no longer than an inch and a half. A Foli-TAG would be the limit, like growing in air and you can sit and actually watch TAG plants grow right in front of your eyes.

Anyhow, that is my spare change.



I've trimmed all lower and sucker branches, leaving only about 3-5 canes to fill with colas. I've also saturated the entire grow with Neem Oil, probably the only time I'll get too. The PM is being managed by good air circulation, a Dehumidifier, Ozone and selective trimming along with SM-90 mixed at 1/10th to H20 and a 1/4 cup of H202 applied via atomizer.
With the Neem now added for safe measure and another application of something later I hope it is under control. I'm not seeing too much as you can see in the pictures (pre-Neem).

Now I just sit back and watch them fatten up while keeping their house clean and comfy.

 

[whycombinator]

I'll have to read the foliar thread, I've got two shurflo 5.7s, one mainly as a backup, but I could definitely use it to foliar as well. If one of them died I just wouldn't have foliar feeding until I got a new one, no big deal there.

 

[pumpkin2006]

OH, and PS pumkin - If I were going to do a Co2 supplement, I'd use subaquatic Co2 instead either gas exchange or puck form as I believe that it has marked benefits and increases over atmospheric. But that is just my personal opinion and choice.

Can you elaborate, please? I would have pmed you for the info, but I figure others can benefit from the info.

 

[Pod Racer]

Sure, you can read all about it here:

The Æromatrix Explored

There is a huge amount of info on that thread about Carbon Loading (a concept of mine like TAG) as the roots can absorb Carbon as well as the leaves (which emit more O2 than CO2).

The concept of the 'Æromatrix' as I call it is that with Aeroponics/Foliar (basically the same thing only upside flipped) the line between root zone and canopy are blurred. As using precise application of various elements and techniques an individual can load or enrich on either side or both at will.

So if you wanted, and were inclined, you could heavily load carbon from the root zone as you nutrient load the canopy thereby countering any deficiencies caused by one or the other.

Sort of back to that 'Optimal' growing environment, as that was my initial goal for the first couple of years researching my method.

The closer you get to True Aero respiration all over the plant the closer you get to breathing life into the beast. It starts to breathe rather than absorb. Carbon loading is just another part of this matrix (a reason I don't use atmospheric Co2 other than in the winter via my propane fireplace and shitloads of gossipy guest.)

There are several commercially available sub-aquatic Co2 delivery systems and the bonus (aside from not killing yourself) is that the carbonic acid reaction in the water actually helps to stabilize the PH. No displacement of O2 and horrible amounts of carbon to build. The air contains mostly Nitrogen and boosting CO2 levels in the atmosphere (standard room injection) would cause an imbalance in my thinking. Sort of like just adding lots of Nitrogen to boost your growth. Plants use N to grow right? So the more the better? No.

Just a little over the correct balance and you have lock-out (nutrient burn).

Co2 (air) injection will increase your 'bio-mass' however that same 'Mass' demands resources and food for the life of the plant. When it comes time to make Colas those same 'huge leaves' are going to compete for food and resources, stealing from your buds. Carbon loading from the root zone allows the Stoma count to remain the highest (more respiration fewer leaves) to achieve the same 'bio mass' - except this mass has optimal levels of lung tissue rather than just bigger lungs. If you understand what I'm getting at here.

The primary absorption of Carbon is through the roots, O2 is released through the leaves mostly. They exchange carbon as well, but more is pulled through the entire plant up to the where the O2 is released meanwhile making sugars and proteins on the way.

Like I said though, just a preference of my own. I just don't like the idea of Co2 filling my home - it is bad enough with all the Ozone and pesticides.

I just try to always think of the plant as a Yin-Yang symbol.

The Canopy and Root zones are a balanced dance of perfection. If you toss on a heap of shit on one side and not the other you destroy the perfection, but it doesn't mean you can't add to both or exchange between the two if you know what you are doing. Hence you can see what I've been able to achieve with the most extreme of would be disasters.

You'll also see that BlindMate here shits on every thread I author, despite being handed his ass over and over and over again.

But some kids have nothing better to do than waste other's time seeking attention. He is the sort that would have had you hung for preaching the world was not flat. Belligerent Ignorance - you gotta love it.

Just try and remember, its all based on electricity. Carbon (-) Oxygen (+)

 

[BlindDate]

Haha...PodRacer...I knew that would pull you out of hibernation. I'm sure your grow will do well this time. We all know what a prolific poster you were on Overgrow. I never saw anyone talk to themselves for so many pages. Make sure we all get the final numbers, if those toothpick sized stems don't snap.

 

[KinBudz]

wow... so I'm new here, but not new to the black arts... haha I've been waiting like three days to post, been gorging my brain with all this info from so many different great threads...

Excellent work Pod, keep it up man, don't let the floggers get to ya, your posts are inspiring and your knowledge on the subject is astounding, and this is just the kind of thread I have been searching for.

I was hoping some of you would be kind enough to answer a couple of my questions?? first some background...

I've always been one for soil as I understood the concepts and it made the process simple, however after getting some experience behind my belt I knew there had to be a method that would allow me to feed the plants and achieve a 100% balance, the Yin-Yang effect as you put it Pod Racer.

so... being the techno-weenie I am, I started experimenting with DWC methods but I still felt like somthing was missing.. so after hundreds of hours of research I was still stumped.. lol.. so I started pooring my efforts into aeroponics.. then... I found TAG.

So unfortunetly I'm late to the race, but better late than never right?

Construction of the Pod commenced this weekend and will go on throughout the week I imagine... and here's where my questions start to pile up...

So I have two different sets of misters right now and I am trying to determine which would be the best to use any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.

I have the biocontrol .16 orifice misters that you mentioned in your Tag primer Pod Racer, and I have the white ones from this place...

http://www.cloudtops.com/mistingnozzles.htm

I believe they are the same nozels as the ones you mentioned in your primer Pod Racer, but I can't be completely sure... however they do have a 200 mesh filter, and do not require the pvc adapters to use the filters not sure if thats a good or a bad yet... but I'm hoping they will work for now

I noticed that the biocontrol misters state they need 80 - 100 psi to work correctly, however I have not been able to find a variable speed pump that operates at 80 - 100 psi, if anyone has contructed a good solution with a accumulator tank and a high pressure demand pump I would be greatful for a link or suggestion, as I would eventually like to experiment with high pressure misting > 65 psi

Meanwhile I ordered a Aquatec 550 Variable speed pump, chose it for their reliablity, as I have had, and heard of bad experiances with the Shurflow 5.7's.. I don't like to talk about that.. If anyone out there has a four bolt Shurflow pump I recommend replacing it with the newer 5 bolt model as the 4 bolts have been prown to breaking, and causing floods.. very lame situation...

I'm using a T5 florescent lamps to start here, this will be my first with these lamps, will see how they work...

I'm trying to Trick this Pod out, so I welcome any mad scientist ideas Well otherwise I'm off to work on my first real Pod.. tia

 

[Pod Racer]

Wicked Awesome KinBudz, and Welcome.

You'll find higher psi dia pumps on the Ebay circuit under Mosquito Control. Hint hint.

The pumps they use for on demand sprayers go up to 165 usually. And if you don't mind the outlay for retail HD just started to carry a 200 dollar high pressure dia pump for its 'Misting' products.

check this shit out:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100006486&N=10000003+90401+501920&marketID=401&locStoreNum=8125

 

[KinBudz]

hey thanks for the quick response Pod Racer, yeah I came across that pump, wish HD had more info on it, but I am assuming you would need a accumulator tank, because it's a booster pump? Dunno.. been looking into accumulator tanks but thats sure a confusing subject and subject to debate apparently...

I know more about plumbing now than I ever wished to know, lol you should see the pile of brass connectors I have.. then I realized.. brass is by nature antibacterial... not sure that it will effect the enviroment in a good or bad way? sigh...

I also have a set of these misters from the HD

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100485934

I haven't bought the 1000psi booster pump yet for them, but as I have been doing more research on root development, I am curious if dropplets less than 20µ (micron) would prove to be a great benefit to the plants as a whole? Maybe I am completely off base on this subject, but it would seem it would bennefit as a additional substitute, but not as a complete replacement to feeding? Would appreciate any info on the subject, still searching for more documentation...

However these misters have a tendency to clog fairly frequently, and I'm not sure I would want to try and rely on these for an entire grow by themselves anyway..

I read most of your foilar feeding post though and I was thinking about trying to apply them in that manner somehow..

What do you think?

 

[Pod Racer]

Sorry Kin, I forgot to render my opinion on the fogger nozzles. The Biocontrol ones are by far the best, they are specifically designed for just this application. 2nd would be the PVC version, and yes they do clog after about 2 runs, so you have to unscrew each nozzle and clean the filter inside as a regular maintenance issue.

That said, I avoided any Brass fittings as we are dealing with acidic solution here and I for some reason think the corrosive nature of the acid environment would etch and eventually destroy the brass fittings or nozzles. Probably not, but PVC just seemed to be less 'reactive' to me. The Biocontrol, again, made with materials to reflect that.

The brass nozzles are for straight water (pure water) at a neutral ph.

You don't need an accumulation tank if your pressure never exceeds your cut off limit. With a 165 psi pump the delivery should just run upwards of 60 - 80 psi using most these nozzles and if you have more than say 15 you don't really need a tank.

That is what I found with the VSD pumps, the psi never gets above 50 psi, or not much on my rigs so the tank was never really needed. Only if you have a large array and need more volume in your delivery.

You don't want any droplets smaller than 5 microns, as at that point the 'aerosol' becomes a 'fog' that lingers in suspension until larger droplets are combined to attract to a surface. It isn't as effective as the 50 micron sized droplets that are ionically charged. Otherwise it just stays in suspension.

I'm currently building another rig with a 165 psi demand dia pump, we'll see if I need a tank once I have the array up and ready to go. I believe it will max out around 80 with the pressure released.

My initial designs were with a return to compensate for too much pressure, but found that it wasn't necessary as 15 foggers tapped the pump down to 55 psi and no tank or return/release valve was needed. But that was on a VSD so I'll try my new 165 here shortly.

 

[whycombinator]

I've got a couple of shurflo 5.7s, hopefully they don't give me problems. Are those the same tefen misters that dripworks sells? If they are the same you definitely don't need their special adapter to use them, you just need the right sized tap to tap a hole in the PVC you want to use.

 

[KinBudz]

Sweet! I will be anxious to here how your new rig comes out PR

I noticed the brass nozels seemed to clog like no tomorrow.. and thats probably why all the super high pressure pumps have filters on them which would defeat our intention here.

I started with brass and had alot of clogs, could have been with to low pressure of a pump but, I can't wait to see how the plastic nozels work out with the higher psi pump. I have no problems with cleaning filters between grows, it's in the middle that bothers me.. lol

I have also abandoned flora nova, as I am tired of seeing muddy stained roots, perhaps it doesn't matter but I'm envious of all the glisting white roots I see on here.. lol Also that stuff is so thick I imagine it added in my clogging problems. So if anyone has anything they like to use thats preferably more of a clear base I would appreciate a suggestion. I think you mentioned somthing about botanicare products in your earlier posts Pod Racer, it obvious whatever your using is working.. lol.

I have decided to finish this rig out and use it as a basis for my next couple rigs. I took pics of all the parts the other night, so soon as I'm finished here I'll try and get a few pics up of the completed system.

Couple questions though, I still need to purchase a chiller, my res in the past has been around 20 gallons, but now that I'm redesigning I'm going to try to run with a 5 - 8 gallon res. Now my normal temps were around 74 before, which I know is not ideal, shooting for 68 this time, my question is how big of a chiller do I need to buy for say a 10 gallon res to make a 8 - 10 degree temperature drop? I have been looking around and it seems like a smaller chiller would do? Any help would be appreciated.

whycombinator, you can check your pump to see if your safe or not, the good pumps have 5 bolts on the front where the old ones that seem to be plauged have 4 bolts. Some of the 4 bolt models seem to have this common problem, there is a switch located under the four screws on the front of the pump that snaps in two. This allows water to flow past the switch and flood the floor... the five bolts one seems to be all better, apparently they corrected their mistake.

 

[Pod Racer]

Power On Brother

Power On Brother

Kinbudz- As for a Chiller, 74°F isn't that bad really, if you just use some HydroGuard you'll be fine. An 'Ice Probe' chiller would probably do the trick for you however. Its a small heat sink type that will drop your res about 10°. However an easy method would be to just add a small fan to the top of your res and go ahead and use a 20 gallon res if you can. Having a little more than need is always better for stabilization and temp. control and using evaporative cooling you can drop the res temps by 10° as well.

By far the best nutrient for this style of growing is the Dutch Master One series. I use that for flowering. The entire line is specifically designed for Aeroponics and does excellent, especially using the Flower Max additive.

But again — mix it to the 500 ppm and under 1000 ppm mark as by their instructions you end up with a 1700 ppm mix, too hot for TAG.

Quiet honestly all I do is fill up a 5 gallon bucket every few days with R/O water and then add about a shot glass worth of DM One Flower and a shot of HG, maybe a capful of SM-90 and pour the whole thing into res and forget about it.

That usually puts my rig at about 600 ppms and a PH of 6. Depending on what I'm doing (vegging or budding or flowering) I add to that the DM Max Flower, which gives a huge increase in Trick production if done around the 2nd week of flower.





As you can see, I've severely thinned out the canopy.
From the sides its like they are non-existent, however from the top fully covered canopy that will now continue to fill with bud producing leaves instead of huge fan leaves fueling the stems. Support is now demanded, time to get off my ass.


Note: as a secret bonus hint here, if you look at the leaves here you can see the signs of the K def. That isn't burn, it is a def. as the K is now being sucked out of the water and the N being left. This signals the P/K Flip that if unattended will see your PH dropping overnight down into the 3.0's. This is also the sign that she has stopped vegging and is now setting up cradels. Time to load the P/K. Here is where you master the throttle. It is experience and wisdom that allows the best pod racers to gun their rigs and take the lead here. Pulling out of this sharp curve is what makes or breaks this style of growing and where most go too heavy with 1200 or 1500 ppms. Dangerous, because as the N backs out the ppms will rise as will the PH drop, so lock begins on the K, P and Calcium, then Mg and you have a stall. Airy small nuggets. Though pulled out of the curve with a nice acceleration and you can use the inertia to sling-shot that bitch into another time zone. This is where the fun begins.

My res is about 72-4° and I don't have any issues and don't sweat it in summer. Fall is the best for running as my room stays at around 68° which is sweet for flowering. Vegging I like it a little warmer and more humid.

whycombinator - I've heard that if you call and complain to the company that they will send you a replacement head for that pump no charge no questions. I had run across similar complaints while researching them as well.

That should cover it for now, no? Happy 4th Everyone - Long live the Ærocanna!

Peace

PS I haven't exceeded 800 ppms yet.