I have done it to. When using the Trio or advanced nutrients, I would salvage it. With using Jack’s, because it is comparatively less expensive, if I mess it up, I dump in on some flower and start fresh.
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Love the style! Nice job growmie. Plant look dank
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Is this the (blue) ur talking about. And if so ive had bottles last for a yr stored room temp still does the job.
its blue lol.
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If you think the ph up/down was contaminated than best to just replace them. As far as it getting old and ineffective, I’m using bottles of ph up/down that were bought in 2018 and they still work as expected. I never add ph up and down together, it’s one or the other, if you keep missing the desired ph and keep adding ph up and ph down to try to get to it you are adding a bunch of unnecessary ppms to the nute mix.
Some (many, most) silica products raise the ph, so some growers just use silica instead of ph up, which raises ph and provides silica - a good thing.
Food looks awesome! I do quite a bit of meat smoking myself.
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Yes, I need to Get it right on the way down the PH Ladder, and keep a better eye on the Drips going in the bucket.
I am starting at 8.7 after ran thru the RO.
On the topic of meat, I think I am going to get that Seal a meal Vacuum Sealer so I can better freeze the meat and cook a Brisket soon. If you get that Brisket in that Right Zone…Meat Candy!
I have been having good luck at 250F at 60 Min a LB trimmed going on the grill. I won’t wrap a brisket but I do like to wrap the ribs at 3hr with paper to keep them moist.
I gave up on the traditional pits, got old and lazy and got a pellet Grill. I love the Thing.
Now Lowes recently started selling Pellets that cook good for about $5 bucks for a nice size bag. I have had no issues with those at all.
Constant Slow Steady temp is the secret to making some Great Que!
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4/24/2021 Update:
Gave plants a splash of water this AM. Full Run off of course. I weather got a bit warm yesterday and the bags felt light.
I was eager to dial things right in to 6.5 PH and get things straight on the fluids, and “kind of” wash out/ Flush the dirt with some dialed in solution, but NOPE.
F-ing PH dial in to 6.5 went from easy to WTF is going on?
See dual Pens in the blue Bucket. (Pic) Had a Reading North and South of 6.5. Simple things seem to be complicated on some days, and today being one of them. Today I could never get the pens to settle out (30 Sec) plus like the instructions stated. Talking about rolling the Dice…LOL. I did not even put any PH up or PH down in the water. Went out and smoked a Grav 16mm and came back in and watered with RO Water. PH Unknown, LOL.
Can I ask, what is a Quality PH Reader? @hellraiser ? @Beardless ? @Spankyjr1 ? I am just curious to what type you guys are using? I am starting become a firm believer this PH shxt is critical, LOL!
Now before the heckling from the cheap seats begin out there in internet land, I went cheap quality. I went the poor mans route and got these Yellow and Black, El Cheapo Pens, $10 buck pens. I think my real mistake was buying a product the second time that had already let me down the first time. I am just a Glutton for Punishment, I guess?
When I say we have Fuxked up city water I spell Fxcked up with a Capital Fxcking F. It just don’t get any shxtter than our water.
I think I should get a floatable meter to let it sit in the bucket awhile before reading the meter? These Y&B El Cheapo can NOT submerse in water.
I am going to stick on this PH rant/ramble for a second… I now am wondering if when I accidentally hit the CAL button on that first Pen that I now have to go thru that procedure on the instruction manual? Seem like a shut off would revert right back to Full Operation Mode when it boots back up?
The instructions talk about dipping in distilled to clean off the Tip. I Have not ever done that in the past. Does it really matter? I just give it a good fling in the bath tub and call it good.
The Measured Run off between the two plants was Right at + or – 1 PH, within tolerance of that chart I posted above, averaging 5.5 PH between the 2 plants and that reading seemed good and steady for the most part. I think maybe the Fox Farm may be saving me from some of my evil inputs on these things.
Shit that + of - 1 PH chart I posted could be total BS as I fell in love with the PowerPoint slick look of it, I ain’t going to lie.
These plants growing are not Beardless and Hellraiser quality, but they will be smoked I can Guarantee that!
I measured out 125 Grams in the CVault and I still have half a quart Mason Jar I am smoking those Nice Bud Chunks all month. Between those first 2 plants, I am guessing Right at a bit more than 5 & 1/2 oz total The Zkittle Auto had a Wide Leaf, Sticky as shxt. Zkittle Still real sticky to the touch.
The Wedding cake, see ruler 12” cola x2. (I like that Wedding Cake!) ILGM Auto for all these plants pictured.
These outside plants were almost Given up on by me. (Gold Leaf- Runt and Wedding Cake Growing Currently) I will get a couple ounces + out of the both, I think. I hit them with a lot of shady days outside out of paranoia. I took these inside and put in the closet after I took down the drying weed I cut down on the 30th of March.
The Cured weed in CVault, Right at 62 PH, Day 24. Love that Cvault!!!
I will make infrequent updates but will come back to update the Dry, Cure, Final dry weight.
If you are out here in Red Neck Land, ya’LL be Covert and …Take Care my Friends.
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Those meters are junk I have 3 of them lol
Pure labs is one and here are 2 others both available from amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ENFOHN8/?coliid=I115D21F1AP9R4&colid=3E9TLVZJ0WG39&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
I have this one my only complaint it takes about a minute to get a accurate reading so I fill a dixi cup up with one inch of what I’m testing and set the pen in and read after a minute.
https://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-Ph-80-Handheld-Temperature/dp/B00GOFXVB0
Also I’m not sure how much comes with but you need storage solution which goes in the end and yes I rinse with distilled water after every use and between readings I turn off/on
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Strange I have the PH20 and it reads in seconds. It is like lightening compared the one it replaced. Are the batteries fresh? I know someone commented that it slows down if the batteries have been used for a while.
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I have the PH-80 but I took your advice and replaced the batteries and it seems much better Thank You @beardless good call
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I am going to have to take the plunge on a better meter. I felt like I was screwing up buying the Yellow and Black model. Twice. Yep, For sure.
Have a Great Week out there in Internet land.
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The blue TDS meter works just fine that came with the the yellow meter if you bought the combo FYI no need to replace that it’s accurate checking PPM and EC
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I used the cheap ph meters for a long time, almost 30 years without much trouble, just checked it against a test solution often to make sure it was in the ballpark. I now use the Apera PH20, nice ph meter.
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Looks nice and takes 3 AAA batts, which is nice. I just watched the calibration video link on the Big River web site. I like the Waterproof design also.
Looking at the buds today they are turning amber. I am getting close to chop down. Definitely getting rid of that Y&B El Cheapo meter for the Fall Grow Attempt. I am going to PH wing it for the rest of this grow, as even dialing it perfect 6.5 at this point, I have my doubts on how much it will really do for the plants as i am nearing the chop down.
I appreciate you taking time to share some Grow-Wisdom.
I have even started a extract page of some of your replies on the Grow, Cure Topic.
For the auto Growers…ILGM Wedding Cake. Nice!
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Dang Brother…A Gallon? You the man and ready to go to War…
Sorry about the Slow Reply.
5/01/2021 Update:
Plants are now 3 months old. These were the plants that sat outside for 3 weeks in the shade mostly during Veg out of paranoia. The Gold Leaf (Runt of the liter) is “ambering” up and getting close. Looks like I am going to run into that same problem as the first time. Plants that Grow together and finish / Ripen at different times. Starting to see a few amber hairs on the Wedding cake also. Just a reminder that the Wedding cake I grew initially was cut down at day 90 with good “ambering” in the plant.
I broke the stalk on the Gold Leaf early and did not go for the 8 cola manifold on both of these.
Note: The Manifold method seems to allow more of a upward grow of the plant, good for tighter grow Area, I think. I know there are alot on Nay-Sayers about the Manifold and Autos…Probably depends on the Strain, but ILGM Wedding Cake is a Champ and can take the Manifold abuse. I am going to try 3 of 4 in 3 gal bags this fall in the tight axx closet.
I fed yesterday at ½ strength of Trio Label Instructions, and I had just fed Full Label strength last time. Why Not break the rules a bit, with these trash plants I ask? These 2 plants in the 3 Gallon bags take almost a full 3 Gallons of water to achieve run off, actually on the 7th / 16 oz bottle the water seeps out the fabric bag. I find myself using my 16 oz squeeze bottle to make sure I am getting the dirt wet evenly around the bag, and use that time to examine the plant. Once I see the run off I pour a Red Solo cup or two around the stalk of the plant to Flood it more.
Right now I am using the 3 pan, 3 Card Monte method of letting the excess collect in the pans then dump down the drains.
Here is my PH problem in detail. I need a better meter. I got my 3 Gal of RO water in the bucket the day before the watering and covered it. I attempted to check my PH the next day. The meter directions state to wait 30 seconds to allow the meter to settle out so,… I watched the meter start at around 9 PH and it kept ticking downward to 5.6 PH. I sat there for at least a minute to let it settle out.
I added the trio and then checked PH again. Was reading at a steady 5.3 PH after Trio Nutes. I added a couple drops of PH up with NO measurable difference. Before I had added almost 2 ml with no UP results. This time I just stopped and watered the plants. I don’t want to introduce mega chems so I just stopped adding PH up.
I will say this PH fluctuation is a new problem, which I already bought a new PH Pen. POS, but I bought it, LOL.
I went out yesterday and bought a gal of RO water and will do the Calibrate feature on the POS Y&B Pen. I plan on using the Y&B El Cheapo to finish up and then buy the Apera 20 PH pen for the winter grow.
These Plants I will smoke the discolored leaves with Joy once the time comes. The winter Grow…I am going to Kill it using the tips I received here from my Internet Weed Friends, plus a good PH pen.
I again want to thank @Hellraiser @beardless and @spankyjr1 for the Adult Supervision.
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What do your trichomes look like I still see a lot of white pistols?
To calibrate the pen you need distilled water and the PH calibration buffer packets
https://www.amazon.com/15-Pack-Buffer-Powder-Meters-Electronic/dp/B074TXV7JB/ref=asc_df_B074TXV7JB/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312142023256&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16385493074889650090&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1016367&hvtargid=pla-643068588682&psc=1
What was the runoff PH and PPM?
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Spanky,
I did go buy a Gal of Distilled Water, and I do have the 3 PH buffer Packets that came with my meter. It came with three packets of different values written on them. I am soaking the PH pen is some distilled as we speak. No matter what…I will start the rinsing of the PH pen in distilled water after use. My water here has to be some of the most trashed in the USA.
Looking at the directions I may have created my own problems by accidentally hitting the CAL button on that first one. Replaying it all in my mind…I think that was when the problem started. The directions, yea I did not read them initially, does mention if you hit the Cal button…You I guess will have to Calibrate it to get it acting right again. I assumed that turning it off would take it out of the Cal Menu Loop. Maybe not? Kids, Amater Tip. Read the Directions on equipment unfamiliar to you. The lifes you save, may be your Weed Plants!
I still plan on upgrading the PH Pen for the winter Grow…I might even entertain a new Loupe to look at the Tricomes…not sure if I will make that upgrade on the magnifier, just yet but the PH Pen is for certain.
Spanky, Just out of curiosity, what loupe are you using? I am not sure if it is my old axs eyes or my cheap axs loupe, but I have a hard time using the loupe. Probably just crappy quality is my guess…or bad eyes still possible, LOL. I am falling apart in old age…
The Gold Leaf Hairs are turning amber. The hairs on the buds maybe 30%. The Wedding Cake still looks like it has a ways to go as the hairs are still mostly white on that plant.
I bought 2 cheap ass Jewelers Loupes and just like my PH Pen I was looking for cheap and I got Cheap Quality.
I have the Tricome chart that shows visually what they should look like for peak smoke results. To be honest the magnifiers are so crappy I am going by hair color (White to Amber) really to judge when to chop them at the base of the dirt.
You got any buds popping out of the Dirt, coco or anything that is making your mouth water in anticipation right now?
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PH Run off was at about 5.5. I did check that, and seemed steady enough to make that determination 5.5-ish…
Getting back to The PPM results. I am a rookie Grower, but if my medium is Dirt isn’t the PPM after it flows thru the dirt a total useless reading? Maybe CoCo I could see a more useable set of result numbers. PPM readings when using Dirt (Lots of Dirt PPM, LOL) as the Grow Medium…seem worthless to me? Am I missing the Theory as to why the hell I would be wanting to do that?
I realize you can probably tell me better on how to repair a Diesel Engine than explaining the theory of PPM, but I have to ask.
I was just making sure you got distilled since you said RO
I have the cheap loops that you have and use them at first to look for amber trichs on the buds once I start seeing amber I get out the magnifier (camera a cheap one) I’ll post a link when I get out to the shop along with a couple pictures of buds No matter which camera you get you will need either a bendable arm or tripod to hold the camera to hold still enough for good pics
The pistils turning amber and receding is when you start looking at trichs for amber on the buds not the leaves if you only go by pistils turning amber then probably harvesting to soon
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