COCO COIR My first grow in 4x4 AC Infinity grow tent, EVO6 - Coco/Perlite - GG#4 & Black Widow

[Wheels1974]

My first grow in 4x4 AC Infinity grow tent, EVO6 - Coco/Perlite - GG#4 & Black Widow

Hi everyone,

I'm completely new to cultivating cannabis, although I've been a cannabis user for 30+ years. I'm 52 and this is my first grow, so I'm hoping experienced growers can help me avoid the usual beginner mistakes.

I'm a C4 quadriplegic following an accident in 1988 when I was 13. I have no movement below my neck, so all physical grow work has to be done by family/carers. I understand automation won't eliminate the physical work, particularly as the plants get bigger, but my goal is to make things as simple, reliable and low-maintenance as possible for the people helping me.

Setup

• AC Infinity 4×4 tent
• AC Infinity EVO6 LED
• AC Infinity S7 Humidifier
• AC Infinity T7 Heater
• AC Infinity Controller 69 Pro
• Canna Coco Professional
• Perlite
• Canna Coco A&B + CalMag

The tent is in a dedicated former indoor swimming-pool enclosure, approx. 6.5 × 5.5 m (21 × 18 ft) with a high ceiling and two-door air-lock entrance, so no odur can come into the house due to the Air Lock.

Medium: 70% Canna Coco, 25% perlite, 5% worm castings.
Grow so far
I started germinating on 1 August. Initially I tried 2× Black Widow and 2× GG#4 in damp paper towels. Three produced 5–10 mm taproots; the one GG#4 that didn't crack was planted into the medium on 3 August anyway.
The first 3 days were difficult, with temperatures dropping to 14°C overnight each night and reaching a high of 19°C during the day.
After installing the T7 and S7, conditions improved dramatically and seedlings began emerging within 16 hours.

BW2 has been an amazing journey to watch so far, with incredibly rapid growth and development. She's been the standout plant from the beginning.

The original GG#4 never emerged, so I germinated another GG#4 and Black Widow on 7th of August. Both had taproots within 36 hours and were planted on the 9th of August.

I now have 3× Black Widow and 2× GG#4. Current plants

• BW2 – Day 15, early veg: Amazing growth and development so far.
• GG1 – Day 15, early veg: Developing well and progressing nicely.
• BW1 – Day 14: Has been very slow to develop, especially compared with the others, but is finally starting to improve, so I'm giving her a chance.
• GG2 – Day 7: Still at the seedling stage.
• BW3 – Day 7: Still at the seedling stage.

The photos below were taken yesterday, so the plants are one day further along than shown.

BW2 – Day 14

[URL="https://i.imgur.com/GBdGJHx.jpeg%5B/img"]https://i.imgur.com/GBdGJHx.jpeg[/img[/URL]]

[B]GG1 – Day 14[/B]

[img][URL="https://i.imgur.com/kBymTwv.jpeg%5B/img"]https://i.imgur.com/kBymTwv.jpeg[/img[/URL]]

[B]BW1 – Day 14[/B]

[img][URL="https://i.imgur.com/tH6WN1E.jpeg%5B/img"]https://i.imgur.com/tH6WN1E.jpeg[/img[/URL]]

[B]GG2 – Day 7[/B]

[img][URL="https://i.imgur.com/mdN9JYC.jpeg%5B/img"]https://i.imgur.com/mdN9JYC.jpeg[/img[/URL]]

[B]BW3 – Day 7[/B]

[img][URL="https://i.imgur.com/8rzefEP.jpeg%5B/img"]https://i.imgur.com/8rzefEP.jpeg[/img[/URL]]

Over the next few weeks I'll hopefully select the [B]four strongest plants[/B] for the 4×4.

[B]What I'd really like advice on[/B]
My main interest is [B]automation[/B], especially for watering and I'm after a gravity fed system that works perfectly. I've heard great things about the AutoPot XL system with reservoir, if anyone has had experience with this I'd love to hear more. I do currently have the 100L

I'd love advice from experienced coco/AutoPot growers on:
[LIST]
[*]How often you check/refill the reservoir
[*]How often you check pH and EC
[*]Basic reservoir and AutoPot maintenance
[*]Your typical daily/weekly routine
[*]Common coco mistakes
[*]Whether you'd change anything about my setup
[*]Anything I'm missing
[*]How you'd make the system as simple and reliable as possible for carers
[/LIST]
I'm also spending a [I]lot[/I] of time watching the AC Infinity app and monitoring temperature, humidity, VPD, lighting, etc. I'm trying to get everything dialled in properly, but I'm starting to wonder whether I'm over monitoring and overthinking every small change.

I'd really appreciate a [B]simple point-form routine/checklist for an automated coco/AutoPot grow[/B], particularly one suited to keeping physical work and day-to-day maintenance manageable.

I know there isn't one "correct" way to grow, and I'm not expecting automation to remove the physical work. I'm simply trying to build a [B]forgiving, reliable, low-maintenance system[/B] that my carers can realistically manage while I continue learning.

Thanks very much to anyone who takes the time to offer advice.

Regards,
Wheels1974
​

 

[golfnrl]

Welcome aboard Wheels1974. You are at the right place to learn about growing weed. Google says Groeweedeasy.com is the gold standard for self help for MJ growers. I'm sorry to learn of your 1988 accident. I would not change anything about your setup. I use AC Infinity products because they are outstanding quality. Their C/S is outstanding as well.

I used to be a road warrior. I needed to be away from my plants for days at a time. I put together a temp DIY auto watering system that worked in a pinch but was not going to be a long term solution. Then I discovered the autopot system. I've been growing exclusively with them since 2019. I don't need to be away from my plants much anymore but the system is so good I don't see me giving it up any time soon. I like a 5050 blend of coco/perlite. I use 5 gallon cloth pots with a 12 gallon reservoir. I highly recommend the autopot system.

• How often you check/refill the reservoir

​That depends on the stage of growth and how much the plants are taking up. It's not unusual to change out/add to the rez twice a week. It is also easy to go a 5-7 days between reservoir changes. I mix in 10L batches because the math is easier. I usually run 20 L at a time in the rez. Autopots are highly adaptable. You can change out the water as often as you'd like but that's not necessary to have a highly successful grow. ACI has autowatering plant bases. They are not the same as the autopot system.

• How often you check pH and EC

​Every time the rez is changed out/added to the EC is set and PH adjusted. Every time. No exceptions. I use BlueLab PH and EC pens when mixing nutes and BlueLab PH controllers for the reservoir. I don't have to monitor the EC in the rez only the PH. Growing in coco/perlite you will want to maintain your rez PH at 5.5 to 5.6. Autopots PH drifts upwards as the nutrient solution works its way to the pots themselves. You'll want to check the PH in the pot trays occasionally to monitor and adjust if necessary.

• Basic reservoir and AutoPot maintenance

​I used to fill the rez and forget about it. Now I empty the rez completely and wipe it out before adding any fresh nutrient solution. Either way works but the cleaner the better. You'll want to keep light out of the reservoir as that creates a home for algae growth. Algae will clog your water lines and cause problems. I speak from experience.

• Your typical daily/weekly routine

​I check the plants daily as many times a day as I want to. The automation makes things easier. Add water and nutrients as necessary and that depends entirely upon the plants. I track EC, PH, PPFD and nutrient amounts for every grow. But you can end up chasing numbers so be careful with that.

• Common coco mistakes

​I think the most common mistake when using coco is forgetting that it has no nutritional value for your plants. Coco needs a Cal/Mag supplement, it takes up the calcium and magnesium before your plants get it. You need to know the EC of your tap water before any nutrients are added to it.

• Whether you'd change anything about my setup

​Maybe add the test equipment you'll need

• Anything I'm missing

​Nope

• How you'd make the system as simple and reliable as possible for carers

​The system itself is very simple and easy learn, even for people that don't have a green thumb. You will need to buy a small transfer pump to pump out the rez when changing out/adding to it. That pump will make your life easier. They are about $20 on ebay.

I have the ACI app but rarely look at it because I can get too focused on the numbers. With autopots there is no daily maintenance. That to me is the beauty of the system. I don't monitor VPD.

You'll need an EC pen, a PH pen, a PH controller, a transfer pump, an IR gun to measure leaf temps, a PPFD meter to monitor light, and a moisture meter when drying your harvest.

I use a spreadsheet to help me keep track of everything.

 

[Wheels1974]

Welcome aboard Wheels1974. You are at the right place to learn about growing weed. Google says Groeweedeasy.com is the gold standard for self help for MJ growers. I'm sorry to learn of your 1988 accident. I would not change anything about your setup. I use AC Infinity products because they are outstanding quality. Their C/S is outstanding as well.

I used to be a road warrior. I needed to be away from my plants for days at a time. I put together a temp DIY auto watering system that worked in a pinch but was not going to be a long term solution. Then I discovered the autopot system. I've been growing exclusively with them since 2019. I don't need to be away from my plants much anymore but the system is so good I don't see me giving it up any time soon. I like a 5050 blend of coco/perlite. I use 5 gallon cloth pots with a 12 gallon reservoir. I highly recommend the autopot system.

• How often you check/refill the reservoir

​That depends on the stage of growth and how much the plants are taking up. It's not unusual to change out/add to the rez twice a week. It is also easy to go a 5-7 days between reservoir changes. I mix in 10L batches because the math is easier. I usually run 20 L at a time in the rez. Autopots are highly adaptable. You can change out the water as often as you'd like but that's not necessary to have a highly successful grow. ACI has autowatering plant bases. They are not the same as the autopot system.

• How often you check pH and EC

​Every time the rez is changed out/added to the EC is set and PH adjusted. Every time. No exceptions. I use BlueLab PH and EC pens when mixing nutes and BlueLab PH controllers for the reservoir. I don't have to monitor the EC in the rez only the PH. Growing in coco/perlite you will want to maintain your rez PH at 5.5 to 5.6. Autopots PH drifts upwards as the nutrient solution works its way to the pots themselves. You'll want to check the PH in the pot trays occasionally to monitor and adjust if necessary.

• Basic reservoir and AutoPot maintenance

​I used to fill the rez and forget about it. Now I empty the rez completely and wipe it out before adding any fresh nutrient solution. Either way works but the cleaner the better. You'll want to keep light out of the reservoir as that creates a home for algae growth. Algae will clog your water lines and cause problems. I speak from experience.

• Your typical daily/weekly routine

​I check the plants daily as many times a day as I want to. The automation makes things easier. Add water and nutrients as necessary and that depends entirely upon the plants. I track EC, PH, PPFD and nutrient amounts for every grow. But you can end up chasing numbers so be careful with that.

• Common coco mistakes

​I think the most common mistake when using coco is forgetting that it has no nutritional value for your plants. Coco needs a Cal/Mag supplement, it takes up the calcium and magnesium before your plants get it. You need to know the EC of your tap water before any nutrients are added to it.

• Whether you'd change anything about my setup

​Maybe add the test equipment you'll need

• Anything I'm missing

​Nope

• How you'd make the system as simple and reliable as possible for carers

​The system itself is very simple and easy learn, even for people that don't have a green thumb. You will need to buy a small transfer pump to pump out the rez when changing out/adding to it. That pump will make your life easier. They are about $20 on ebay.

I have the ACI app but rarely look at it because I can get too focused on the numbers. With autopots there is no daily maintenance. That to me is the beauty of the system. I don't monitor VPD.

You'll need an EC pen, a PH pen, a PH controller, a transfer pump, an IR gun to measure leaf temps, a PPFD meter to monitor light, and a moisture meter when drying your harvest.

I use a spreadsheet to help me keep track of everything.

View attachment 668584 View attachment 668585 View attachment 668586 View attachment 668587

Thanks for sharing all that info with me, I really appreciate it. So is that a dosing pump that fairly large white/blue machine?

Where did you get your Autopots from?

 

[golfnrl]

That is a PH controller. They are not absolutely necessary for the autopot system but I highly recommend using one. I bought my autopot systems from autopot-usa.com. I usually buy replacement supplies there as well. Sometimes I shop at newearthgardencenter.com for autopot supplies. If you are going to try the system I'd suggest using a 5050 blend of coco/perlite as the grow medium. Air domes are optional with this grow medium. I have not used the air domes with my systems for years, but I do have them.

 

[Smallgrow]

Welcome aboard Wheels1974. You are at the right place to learn about growing weed. Google says Groeweedeasy.com is the gold standard for self help for MJ growers. I'm sorry to learn of your 1988 accident. I would not change anything about your setup. I use AC Infinity products because they are outstanding quality. Their C/S is outstanding as well.

I used to be a road warrior. I needed to be away from my plants for days at a time. I put together a temp DIY auto watering system that worked in a pinch but was not going to be a long term solution. Then I discovered the autopot system. I've been growing exclusively with them since 2019. I don't need to be away from my plants much anymore but the system is so good I don't see me giving it up any time soon. I like a 5050 blend of coco/perlite. I use 5 gallon cloth pots with a 12 gallon reservoir. I highly recommend the autopot system.

• How often you check/refill the reservoir

​That depends on the stage of growth and how much the plants are taking up. It's not unusual to change out/add to the rez twice a week. It is also easy to go a 5-7 days between reservoir changes. I mix in 10L batches because the math is easier. I usually run 20 L at a time in the rez. Autopots are highly adaptable. You can change out the water as often as you'd like but that's not necessary to have a highly successful grow. ACI has autowatering plant bases. They are not the same as the autopot system.

• How often you check pH and EC

​Every time the rez is changed out/added to the EC is set and PH adjusted. Every time. No exceptions. I use BlueLab PH and EC pens when mixing nutes and BlueLab PH controllers for the reservoir. I don't have to monitor the EC in the rez only the PH. Growing in coco/perlite you will want to maintain your rez PH at 5.5 to 5.6. Autopots PH drifts upwards as the nutrient solution works its way to the pots themselves. You'll want to check the PH in the pot trays occasionally to monitor and adjust if necessary.

• Basic reservoir and AutoPot maintenance

​I used to fill the rez and forget about it. Now I empty the rez completely and wipe it out before adding any fresh nutrient solution. Either way works but the cleaner the better. You'll want to keep light out of the reservoir as that creates a home for algae growth. Algae will clog your water lines and cause problems. I speak from experience.

• Your typical daily/weekly routine

​I check the plants daily as many times a day as I want to. The automation makes things easier. Add water and nutrients as necessary and that depends entirely upon the plants. I track EC, PH, PPFD and nutrient amounts for every grow. But you can end up chasing numbers so be careful with that.

• Common coco mistakes

​I think the most common mistake when using coco is forgetting that it has no nutritional value for your plants. Coco needs a Cal/Mag supplement, it takes up the calcium and magnesium before your plants get it. You need to know the EC of your tap water before any nutrients are added to it.

• Whether you'd change anything about my setup

​Maybe add the test equipment you'll need

• Anything I'm missing

​Nope

• How you'd make the system as simple and reliable as possible for carers

​The system itself is very simple and easy learn, even for people that don't have a green thumb. You will need to buy a small transfer pump to pump out the rez when changing out/adding to it. That pump will make your life easier. They are about $20 on ebay.

I have the ACI app but rarely look at it because I can get too focused on the numbers. With autopots there is no daily maintenance. That to me is the beauty of the system. I don't monitor VPD.

You'll need an EC pen, a PH pen, a PH controller, a transfer pump, an IR gun to measure leaf temps, a PPFD meter to monitor light, and a moisture meter when drying your harvest.

I use a spreadsheet to help me keep track of everything.

View attachment 668584 View attachment 668585 View attachment 668586 View attachment 668587

Finally a look at the set up @golfnrl , lol
Not surprised, its clean and beautiful

Welcome @Wheels1974 if your going Autopot @golfnrl is a good person to listen to.
Personally I use the Blumat auto water system , but nothing against the Autopot it seems to be an excellent system

 

[golfnrl]

Finally a look at the set up @golfnrl , lol
Not surprised, its clean and beautiful

Welcome @Wheels1974 if your going Autopot @golfnrl is a good person to listen to.
Personally I use the Blumat auto water system , but nothing against the Autopot it seems to be an excellent system

You're too kind @Smallgrow

 

[Wheels1974]

I had been using pH test strips that measure in 0.25 increments, but I recently purchased a digital Hanna pH meter. What a disaster! After calibrating the new meter, I realized my pH strip readings were worthless my actual pH was sitting between 3.8 and 4.5

I had to run a complete flush on August 24th, giving each plant 5 liters of feed. I managed to get the runoff to 6.5 but when I tried pushing it further, the pH started climbing toward 6.8 to 7.0 so I stopped. I haven't watered them since, but checking them last night showed they'll be due in a day or two.

All the plants are looking surprisingly good considering this is my first grow and all the chaos with the bad readings. I was hoping to save time on calibration, but I ended up spending 15 hours trying to fix it. NEVER again will I use those strips!

Thanks to everyone on this forum, I have gained so much from reading your comments and will continue to do so for quite a while, it's greatly appreciated.

 

[golfnrl]

I had been using pH test strips that measure in 0.25 increments, but I recently purchased a digital Hanna pH meter. What a disaster! After calibrating the new meter, I realized my pH strip readings were worthless my actual pH was sitting between 3.8 and 4.5

I had to run a complete flush on August 24th, giving each plant 5 liters of feed. I managed to get the runoff to 6.5 but when I tried pushing it further, the pH started climbing toward 6.8 to 7.0 so I stopped. I haven't watered them since, but checking them last night showed they'll be due in a day or two.

All the plants are looking surprisingly good considering this is my first grow and all the chaos with the bad readings. I was hoping to save time on calibration, but I ended up spending 15 hours trying to fix it. NEVER again will I use those strips!

Thanks to everyone on this forum, I have gained so much from reading your comments and will continue to do so for quite a while, it's greatly appreciated.

Hey @Wheels1974 Your plants do look good. Overcoming plant problems is part of growing, looks like some good work.

When you say you flushed you plants with 5L of feed, does that mean 5 L of plain PH'd water? Just curious. I grow in 5 gallon cloth pots and ran 15 gallons of water buffered with cal/mag and PH set at 6.0 through each pot when I have flushed my plants. Autopot does not recommend top flushing after the system has been turned on. But I have done it successfully more than once, both in the vegetative state and once 5 weeks into flower.

BTW, I noticed your mention of

I do currently have the 100L

Is that an autopot system? Again, just curious.

 

[Wheels1974]

Hey [@golfnrl] for your reply.

Because I have three plants that are a week older than the other two, I had to prepare three separate nutrient mixes. The first was a master batch with an EC of 1.1 and a pH of 6.2, the second had an EC of 0.8 and a pH of 6.2, and the final batch had an EC of 0.5 and a pH of 6.2.

I started slowly watering them with 500 mL at a time at around 11 pm and didn’t finish until approximately 5 am. I had to make a second batch of the same mixes because I still wasn’t getting any runoff. Between each 500 mL watering, I waited around five minutes before continuing.

Runoff finally started after approximately 4 litres, at which point I measured the runoff at pH 6.5. I continued giving each plant another litre, so they all received a total of 5 litres. I was hoping that continuing to flush them would bring the runoff pH down into my desired range of 5.8–6.2. However, for whatever reason, the pH continued to rise, eventually reaching 6.8–7.0. At that point I stopped and haven’t watered them since, which was six days ago.

They’ll probably need to be fed again by tomorrow, as the coco is now only slightly damp.

I haven’t purchased the Autopots yet, although I did purchase the 100 L reservoir for later on. For my first grow, I think I’m going to stick with hand-watering and hopefully learn more about the plants and their requirements along the way. I’ve also created a very in-depth spreadsheet to keep track of everything throughout the grow.

On the 28th, which was four days after the flush, I opened the tent for the first time since flushing and checked each plant. They all still felt damp in the top two inches of coco, so I decided not to water them.

I also adjusted the humidifier hose. It’s positioned up near the top of the tent, just below the lights, and I redirected it towards the top-left corner of the tent. I rearranged the plants as well to make sure each one was receiving an appropriate PPFD.

I had moved GG1 from where she originally was in the back row and placed her on the left. I’m almost certain the humidifier hose was pointing directly towards GG1. The following day, on the 29th, I noticed that GG1’s leaves looked quite wilted. The surface of the coco was crusty, but when I checked approximately two inches down, it still felt damp.

I gave GG1 a 200 mL feed with an EC of 0.8 and a pH of 5.8, hoping that would help her. I then moved her back to where she had been originally.

I’m really hoping she pulls through, as she’s my only GG#4 that was looking good, and I’d really hate to lose her. I have attached a photo, any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Wheels1974]

@golfnrl
Sorry I should of explained it better. Each of the 5 plants recieved a 5 litre flush, so 25 litres in total for all 5 plants.

 

[golfnrl]

I think I understand. I'm curious about the PH rising during the flush. I'm thinking that's because there may not have been enough volume to completely wash out the excess salt buildup.

Your GG looks pretty good, has a nice color and no burnt tips. Don't worry about the droopy leaves, they don't look bad. If they droop constantly during lights on I'd be concerned. Since you're growing in Coco I'd almost rule out overwatering. All of my plants droop at lights on and sometimes late in the lights on cycle.

Understood about the 100L. That's a reservoir. If /when you decide to go with an autopot system I believe you'll be happy with your decision.

I use this as a guide.
Sprout EC .4 - 1.0
Vegetative state EC 1.1 - 1.7
Bloom 1.8 - 2.1.

I measured the EC of my tap water. I supplement with Cal/Mag to bring the EC up to .4. before adding any nutrients. I didn't use to do that but it has made a difference. Coco will leach the cal/mag from the nutrient solution before your plants can take it up. I think it's called cation exchange.

What is your mix rate for the Canna Coco nutrients? Do you dilute the solution to obtain the desired EC?

 

[Allotrope1000]

@golfnrl hit it spot it. BTW, Wheels, nice seedlings for a first time grow.

You old growers know this, but I thought I would toss out the below, sort of plant chemistry 101 for those interested.
"Cation exchange capacity" is a normal function when using coco coir. A cation is a positive ion that the coco absorbs. Usually magnesium (Mg2+) or calcium (Ca2+).
Coconut husks are broken down by soaking in seawater or brine. During this process sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) cations are absorbed. The cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin components of coco have negatively charged sites, carboxyl (CO2-) and hydroxl (OH-). The coco releases the Na+ and K+ into the grow medium preferring to "suck out" the Mg2+ and Ca2+. Magnesium is the essential, central element of the plant's chlorophyll molecules. You want plenty of magnesium for your plants to grow and be healthy, which is ensured by adding a calmag supplement. Reused coco is well "buffered" and should not need lots of calmag.
Look also at GWE's pH/element absorption table. Correct pH range is essential for yours plants' ability to use the necessary nutrients. Also, pH is a logrithmic scale. pH 7.0 is 10 times more alkaline than pH 6.0.

My tap water is super hard and often pH 8.0+ so I do not measure EC. I do cheat when adjusting the pH, though.
I use nitric acid (HNO3). The H+ cation lowers the pH and the NO3- anion adds additional nitogen. DON'T run out and buy some, though. It is VERY CORROSIVE. A drop will burn a hole in your clothing and stain your skin yellow. Regular grow store pH down works just fine.

 

[Wheels1974]

I think I understand. I'm curious about the PH rising during the flush. I'm thinking that's because there may not have been enough volume to completely wash out the excess salt buildup.

Your GG looks pretty good, has a nice color and no burnt tips. Don't worry about the droopy leaves, they don't look bad. If they droop constantly during lights on I'd be concerned. Since you're growing in Coco I'd almost rule out overwatering. All of my plants droop at lights on and sometimes late in the lights on cycle.

Understood about the 100L. That's a reservoir. If /when you decide to go with an autopot system I believe you'll be happy with your decision.

I use this as a guide.
Sprout EC .4 - 1.0
Vegetative state EC 1.1 - 1.7
Bloom 1.8 - 2.1.

I measured the EC of my tap water. I supplement with Cal/Mag to bring the EC up to .4. before adding any nutrients. I didn't use to do that but it has made a difference. Coco will leach the cal/mag from the nutrient solution before your plants can take it up. I think it's called cation exchange.

What is your mix rate for the Canna Coco nutrients? Do you dilute the solution to obtain the desired EC?

@golfnrl

Thanks so much for your in-depth knowledge and for sharing your experience.

You were spot on mate asI was stressing out something chronic. GG1 is looking absolutely mint after yesterday’s first feed in 6 days without water.
I know this is off topic but I also purchased a $30 digital scale because of my disability I'm unable to handle anything and I have no real judge what the weight of the fabric pots are once they’ve been watered compared with how much lighter they are when they’re dry. I’m hoping this will help me get a much better gauge of when they actually need feeding.

My partner thought the Coco still felt quite damp on Saturday night, but by Sunday morning GG1 was really drooping. Within about 12 hours, BW2 was showing similar signs, although not quite as badly.

I’m really looking forward to getting to the point where I can identify most of the flaws or issues simply by looking at the plants, because I think that will make things a lot easier. I must admit, I’ve been a little short fused lately because I’ll have an idea in my head, but trying to explain it to someone who has no idea about any of this can get frustrating when I can’t physically show them what I mean.
I’m sure if I don’t learn a bit more patience after this, I NEVER will!

So, this is what I’m currently doing for my feed just as an example, as this is what I'm planning for my next feed which will be either tomorrow or the following day:

I'll start with 4 litres of tap water. If I have the time, I’ll let it sit for an hour or two, but if I’m in a rush, I don’t worry about waiting. This becomes my Master Mix.

NOTE: For what it’s worth, my tap water shows no EC, with my EC meter reading which goes as low as 0.2 EC.

I then add 4 mL of Canna CalMag, give it a good stir and check the EC, aiming for 0.4 EC, which has been pretty much spot on every time.
I find 1L of tap water to 1ml of CalMag is spot to bring that base EC to 0.4

I then add 5–6 mL of Canna A, stir it well for around 30 seconds, then add the same amount of Canna B and mix again for around 60 seconds.

I then check the EC again, aiming for 1.2 EC - If it's low I'll add a little more A first and stir and then add the same amount of B and stir until EC is spot on.

After that, I check the pH, aiming for 5.8. This has become much easier now that I have the pH meter. My tap water is around 6.5 pH, so I use a 0.2 mL pipette to add the smallest possible amount of pH Down. Usually, just a drop or two is enough to bring it down to 5.8.

I then dilute the Master Mix as required. For example, if I want to prepare 500 mL of feed at 1.0 EC, I simply add water in 50 mL increments, checking the EC each time until I reach 1.0. It usually only takes a minute or two.

Once I’ve reached the desired EC, I check the pH again to make sure it’s still around 5.8. If it has moved, I make the adjustments to make sure im at 5.8

Obviously, as they progress further into veg and flower, I’ll gradually increase the EC. So far, I haven’t given BW2 anything over 1.1 EC, but her next feed will be 1.2 EC.

On another note I topped BW2 today between 3 to 5mm just above the 5th node. I have attached a photo of BW2 & GG1. I hope I answered your questions, if not please feel free to ask.

While it's on my mind, Regarding CalMag as your plants get older and develop into flower is a 0.4 EC using CalMag enough as a base prior to addind A&B or do you like to go higher in CalMag?

I really appreciate you sharing the information on what you’re using. I noticed you’re feeding yours at a slightly higher EC than I am, and BW2 is in mid-veg now, I believe at day 28?

It’s really helpful being able to compare what others are doing while I’m still learning. There’s definitely a lot more to this than I initially thought, but I’m really enjoying the learning process.

 

[golfnrl]

@golfnrl

Thanks so much for your in-depth knowledge and for sharing your experience.

You were spot on mate asI was stressing out something chronic. GG1 is looking absolutely mint after yesterday’s first feed in 6 days without water.
I know this is off topic but I also purchased a $30 digital scale because of my disability I'm unable to handle anything and I have no real judge what the weight of the fabric pots are once they’ve been watered compared with how much lighter they are when they’re dry. I’m hoping this will help me get a much better gauge of when they actually need feeding.

My partner thought the Coco still felt quite damp on Saturday night, but by Sunday morning GG1 was really drooping. Within about 12 hours, BW2 was showing similar signs, although not quite as badly.

I’m really looking forward to getting to the point where I can identify most of the flaws or issues simply by looking at the plants, because I think that will make things a lot easier. I must admit, I’ve been a little short fused lately because I’ll have an idea in my head, but trying to explain it to someone who has no idea about any of this can get frustrating when I can’t physically show them what I mean.
I’m sure if I don’t learn a bit more patience after this, I NEVER will!

So, this is what I’m currently doing for my feed just as an example, as this is what I'm planning for my next feed which will be either tomorrow or the following day:

I'll start with 4 litres of tap water. If I have the time, I’ll let it sit for an hour or two, but if I’m in a rush, I don’t worry about waiting. This becomes my Master Mix.

NOTE: For what it’s worth, my tap water shows no EC, with my EC meter reading which goes as low as 0.2 EC.

I then add 4 mL of Canna CalMag, give it a good stir and check the EC, aiming for 0.4 EC, which has been pretty much spot on every time.
I find 1L of tap water to 1ml of CalMag is spot to bring that base EC to 0.4

I then add 5–6 mL of Canna A, stir it well for around 30 seconds, then add the same amount of Canna B and mix again for around 60 seconds.

I then check the EC again, aiming for 1.2 EC - If it's low I'll add a little more A first and stir and then add the same amount of B and stir until EC is spot on.

After that, I check the pH, aiming for 5.8. This has become much easier now that I have the pH meter. My tap water is around 6.5 pH, so I use a 0.2 mL pipette to add the smallest possible amount of pH Down. Usually, just a drop or two is enough to bring it down to 5.8.

I then dilute the Master Mix as required. For example, if I want to prepare 500 mL of feed at 1.0 EC, I simply add water in 50 mL increments, checking the EC each time until I reach 1.0. It usually only takes a minute or two.

Once I’ve reached the desired EC, I check the pH again to make sure it’s still around 5.8. If it has moved, I make the adjustments to make sure im at 5.8

Obviously, as they progress further into veg and flower, I’ll gradually increase the EC. So far, I haven’t given BW2 anything over 1.1 EC, but her next feed will be 1.2 EC.

On another note I topped BW2 today between 3 to 5mm just above the 5th node. I have attached a photo of BW2 & GG1. I hope I answered your questions, if not please feel free to ask.

While it's on my mind, Regarding CalMag as your plants get older and develop into flower is a 0.4 EC using CalMag enough as a base prior to addind A&B or do you like to go higher in CalMag?

I really appreciate you sharing the information on what you’re using. I noticed you’re feeding yours at a slightly higher EC than I am, and BW2 is in mid-veg now, I believe at day 28?

It’s really helpful being able to compare what others are doing while I’m still learning. There’s definitely a lot more to this than I initially thought, but I’m really enjoying the learning process.

Your girls look really good. Very nice. Your description of how you mix your nutes with attention to the EC and PH is spot on. My tap water starts out at .2 or .3 depending on time of year. Starting PH is 7.0 - 7.5. I bring the starting EC up to .4 and run that through the whole grow cycle.

 

[Wheels1974]

@golfnrl
Thanks so much once again.

Mate need advice on these plants as most of them are drooping/wilting. I really thought that flush I did didn't work and my concern is during the first 4 weeks of feeding, while using those useless pH strips I have no idea what pH they were really getting, once I purchased the pH meter (Hanna HI98108) - So the day I got this pH meter, we calobrated it first. I tested the nutrient mix I had made the day prior as I made two batches and the pH read 3.8 on the first batch & 4.5 on the second batch, I cannot recal which batch had the higher EC though. Either way pH was extremley low and the reason why I flushed my plants with the 5 liters each on the 24th of August. My initial concern was that the flush didn't work and I had severe lockout.

On Tuesday I fed these girls the following:
BW2 - 1 litre feed of EC of 1.1 & pH of 5.8 - Star of my grow from the start.
GG1 - 1 litre - feed of EC of 1.1 & pH of 5.8 - This girl is a realy decent plant but every 2nd day she starts to wilt and I mean quite noticaably, after I feed her shes taking 24 hours to pick up. I have recently come to the conclusion and I feel as though I have been underwatering the plants. Needs to be topped.
BW1 - 400ml - feed of EC 1.00 & pH of 5.8 - Doing ok I guess
BW3 - 500ml - feed of EC 1.00 & pH of 5.8 - Thriving considering shes a week behing BW2, GG1 & BW1 - She will need to be topped soon.
GG2 - 125ml - feed of EC 0.7 & pH of 5.8 - This girl will either be thrown out or when it comes to flipping I'll just leave her to see what she does but that takes up realetate so I think culling her will be the smartest option.

2 days later they were quite dry so Today I fed the following:
BW2 - 2 litre feed of EC of 1.3 & pH of 5.8
GG1 - 2 litre - feed of EC of 1.3 & pH of 5.8
BW1 - 500ml - feed of EC 1.00 & pH of 5.8
BW3 - 800ml - feed of EC 1.1 & pH of 5.8
GG1 - 200ml - feed of EC 0.7 & pH of 5.8

I have a question, on average how much water are you giving these plants that are in mid/late veg (Such as BW2 & GG1) - Also how much feed would you be giving BW1 & BW3 if they were yours?

It'll be interesting if the 2 litre feed on these girls BW2 & GG1 keeps them happy for 3 days without wilting, I could be wrong but the way GG1 is going Re: wilting every 2nd day or so I feel that she needs the most feed. Unless its something else such as lockout or something im missing.

However would love to know how much fluid you give your plants at around day 31 days from being a seedling. 500ml, 1 Litre, 2 litres or more on average?

Sorry about all these very long mesages but I'm hoping my gut is right regarding these girls can drink, I just don't want to over do it and make them drunk.

 

[Allotrope1000]

I think that, perhaps, you are "helicoptering" (being to attentive) to your plants. You got your pH to 5.8. Good. Leave them be a few days to adjust. Then bring it up to 6.1 or 6.2. See the GWE nutrient pH availabilty chart for why. I know golfnrl will disagree, but I never check EC and my plants turn out fine. Learning cannabis cultivation is a marathon, not a sprint.
I do 50/50 coco/perlite in 7 gallon fabric pots and water daily random amounts until each pot gets runoff.
Selecting a fixed watering quantity will end up over and underwatering specific plants.

 

[golfnrl]

@golfnrl
Thanks so much once again.

Mate need advice on these plants as most of them are drooping/wilting. I really thought that flush I did didn't work and my concern is during the first 4 weeks of feeding, while using those useless pH strips I have no idea what pH they were really getting, once I purchased the pH meter (Hanna HI98108) - So the day I got this pH meter, we calobrated it first. I tested the nutrient mix I had made the day prior as I made two batches and the pH read 3.8 on the first batch & 4.5 on the second batch, I cannot recal which batch had the higher EC though. Either way pH was extremley low and the reason why I flushed my plants with the 5 liters each on the 24th of August. My initial concern was that the flush didn't work and I had severe lockout.

On Tuesday I fed these girls the following:
BW2 - 1 litre feed of EC of 1.1 & pH of 5.8 - Star of my grow from the start.
GG1 - 1 litre - feed of EC of 1.1 & pH of 5.8 - This girl is a realy decent plant but every 2nd day she starts to wilt and I mean quite noticaably, after I feed her shes taking 24 hours to pick up. I have recently come to the conclusion and I feel as though I have been underwatering the plants. Needs to be topped.
BW1 - 400ml - feed of EC 1.00 & pH of 5.8 - Doing ok I guess
BW3 - 500ml - feed of EC 1.00 & pH of 5.8 - Thriving considering shes a week behing BW2, GG1 & BW1 - She will need to be topped soon.
GG2 - 125ml - feed of EC 0.7 & pH of 5.8 - This girl will either be thrown out or when it comes to flipping I'll just leave her to see what she does but that takes up realetate so I think culling her will be the smartest option.

2 days later they were quite dry so Today I fed the following:
BW2 - 2 litre feed of EC of 1.3 & pH of 5.8
GG1 - 2 litre - feed of EC of 1.3 & pH of 5.8
BW1 - 500ml - feed of EC 1.00 & pH of 5.8
BW3 - 800ml - feed of EC 1.1 & pH of 5.8
GG1 - 200ml - feed of EC 0.7 & pH of 5.8

I have a question, on average how much water are you giving these plants that are in mid/late veg (Such as BW2 & GG1) - Also how much feed would you be giving BW1 & BW3 if they were yours?

It'll be interesting if the 2 litre feed on these girls BW2 & GG1 keeps them happy for 3 days without wilting, I could be wrong but the way GG1 is going Re: wilting every 2nd day or so I feel that she needs the most feed. Unless its something else such as lockout or something im missing.

However would love to know how much fluid you give your plants at around day 31 days from being a seedling. 500ml, 1 Litre, 2 litres or more on average?

Sorry about all these very long mesages but I'm hoping my gut is right regarding these girls can drink, I just don't want to over do it and make them drunk.

Because I grow in the autopot system I only top feed until the plants get big enough to put them on the reservoir. That is usually around three weeks from seed give or take. I recently transplanted two 1 week old sprouts into 5 gallon cloth pots to get them ready for the autopots. It usually takes about 10 days for the roots to develop enough for the plant to feed from the bottom. I usually top feed the plants 2 - 3 times during that period. This current grow I fed 3 quarts at a time for each pot. Some grows it's more, some grows it's less just depends on the cultivar. Today I turned on the autopot system so no more top watering for the rest of the grow.

I looked back but did not see what size your grow pots are, but I'd give them more water.