Thank you. I try and get 2 numbers. when i get a good amount of run off in the beginning. then i empty the train and the last 150ml worth to test.
another thing that is happening is my ph meters are off by .5 at times from each other. a ph60 and ph20 both calibrated. not sure what the deal is with that but I need to call apera.
Do you use the Apera Instruments 3M KCL Storage Soaking Solution? My ph20 seems to be working better since I started using the storage solution.
1 Like
Yes sir. I bought a bottle when I ordered the ph60. I make sure it is always moist. A scr from apera told me to fill it to the half way mark on the cap to store it. I was getting the wild reading. waited about 5 minutes then they were within .05 of each other. so I don’t know whats going on. I know 1/2 a point doesnt work though. I can work with a few 100th however.
isnt that just for long term? I thought you were supposed to put tap water?
1 Like
A little confusing as there is multiple instructions. This here and then what comes with the kits. Now when i called apera they told me to use the 3m solution half way to the fill line. So 
I don’t know
crispy #3 is looking better. small but going for it. Now new shitty growth that I can see.
@Hellraiser is correct. KCl storage solution is really important for pH meters if you expect them to take reliable readings for any length of time. The KCl forms an electrolytic film on the glass that allows it to measure the voltage that the pH reading is based off of. Without using it your guaranteed to have inacurate or slow readings right after calibration even.
2 Likes
mine is always stored in the solution.
1 Like
Grow update: 9/1
71 days since breaking ground. 29 days since transplant to 5 gallon pots. 1 week since flip to 12/12.
4x8 : lights 130w x5 @ 30"+ Temps are 76-81F 58-62rh day :72F 55-60rh night after spike @lights off. Need to get rh down in the next week or two. Exhaust running at 5-6 Intake at 6-7. One passive 4" intake with merv 10 filter material.
4x4 lights 120w x2 @30"+ Temps 78-81F-Rh55-60 Night 72-74F Rh 55-60. rh much easier to control in smaller tent. One passive 6" intake with merv 10 filter material and T6 exhaust -6/7 setting.
Plants are on a 5ml cal per gallon every watering. 1/2 dosage of fox farms trio/ boomerang/kelp me kelp you. water/feed/water schedule. now heading into what would be week 2. However some plants were getting nutes a week early. I am wondering when to flush these. It was the group that was showing some yellow light color due to hunger.
I have removed the 6" fans from the 4x8. I have replaced them with 5 9" home depot “air circulators” they work really well and adjust up and down and are easily hung with ratchets. 3 down low two up high. I may add one more up high blowing back to the intake side. Reason for replacement was they just were not pushing enough air across the tent.
They work great in the 4x4 but I will still be adding a 9" homedepot special down low to get that updraft going.
I cleaned up the wiring in the tents. All cables are now up off the heat sinks and elevated as well as all rope straps coiled up nice and no longer hanging or touching the hot bits.
I also moved the 8" fan and filter back out of the 4x8 to the outside. need the space and it was clutery(sp) looking and bending a tent support. So outside it went. works just as well if not better this way.
I am really anxious for the stretch to be over and be able to get in there and trim the plants up. It is super crowded and I realize I blundered with so many plants. Hopefully I can clean things up a bit. To many plants means not great light penetration which equals smaller yield. It also restricts air flow and can lead to the dreaded wpm or other environmental issues. So lesson here is overcrowding is a bad thing.
The plants are growing very fast in the 4x8. I wish I would have done more training as once again crowding is restricting bud sites from their full potential. next go will be very different.
I have a net coming tomorrow but am unsure how to implement. it at this point.
I have one plant #12 front right 4x8, that is several inches taller than the others. It was my first to sprout and is still leading the pack. I have tried everything from breaking the branches over to tying it down and it still is going for it. I must get it under control.
the 4x4 4 are doing good for the runts of the litter. crispy@ 3 is showing a noticeable improvement. small and stunted it still is growing so it stays for now.
I purchased some fire extinguisher balls from amazon. Just something to put over the drivers and areas where extensions plug in. IF they do go off it will ruin everything. However if they do go off it means there was a fire and maybe, just maybe it will knock it out or down.
I added a back up apera ph meter, tds pen and a dehumidifier. better safe than out of luck.
I have the tents covered with several tarps. the 4x8 is covered with 5 10mil tarps and the 4x4 is covered with 4 10 mil tarps. Huge pain in the ass. Huge!
I am religiously logging data for the grow. every morning /watering and evening. ph and ppm in/out plant growth and health as well as environmental variables. I do not have the sprout tent going yet. I should but I don’t I will give it a couple more weeks then get it going i think.
I have found that this has become almost all time consuming. The learning curve is huge and never ending. The amount of knowledge required to excel at this is massive. If it was not for these forums and the good people here none of this would be possible for me.
Here are some photos of the grow.
4x8
4x4 some of the 4x4 plants just got watered that’s why the droop is going on. They were good and dry before getting the H2O.
Lil crispy:
the others:
and one of the fire balls.
6 Likes
Yeah I can see why your worried about fire.
3 Likes
not worried but always a concern. All my stuff is spread out on 2 separate 15 amp circuits which I am under 80% amp load on. So I should be good. Driver/timer malfunction and extension junctions are main concerns. I also randomly plug in a shop vac and stuff and haven’t tripped a breaker yet.
2 Likes
Thats true, this stuff is all pretty low watts anywho.
1 Like
the ac infinity is incredibly low draw. I was shocked how low,.
1 Like
I should get one of those cheap lil watt meters, ive been using my multimeter and doin the math. Are those things accurate? Or do you not use one?
1 Like
i Have a couple of these. I guess the killowatt brand are the go to though. these work fine. Kinda hard to read though unless you are right in front of it. I don’t leave my stuff plugged into it. Just for when using the dimmer.
2 Likes
Yeah, used to use Hydrofarm exhaust fans that drew like 120 watts before I discovered the AC Infinity fans, took a chance and tried one before anyone had heard of them and love them and their low power usage and much quieter than the Hydrofarms they replaced.
1 Like
Just as a side note to yourself: You have come a looooong way…your grow is looking awe…keep on keeping on…
2 Likes
Questions if you dont mind? So at this point I am just waiting for them to stretch out correct? Should I net these things and try and separate the branches or is it to late for that? Also once they are done with the stretch I can go in and trim them up good correct?
thank you!
1 Like