Keep It Simple Stoner: How to Get Results Like the Pros

[HydroGanic]

Hey There!

Bet you've looked through a lot of these posts and are more confused than ever, right?
Yeah, I was there at one time so I can relate. I've dropped by to share a professional formula that's drop dead simple to use.

To start with you'll need to use a plain dirt. No manure or other added stuff to it, just plain fluffy dirt.

The bag I'm using right now says "Composted forest products, ground fir bark, peatmoss, perlite and sand."
A big bag, the size of a large bag of dogfood, should weigh a bit less than the large bag of dogfood. If it's heavier, it has too much sand in it.

Get a bag of vermiculite (NOT Miracle Grow Brand)
Get a bag of perlite (NOT Miracle Grow Brand)

Mix about 50% soil, 25% perlite and 25% vermiculite.

I LOVE Miracle grow for all my other types of plants, not cannabis though.

Water is of utmost importance. If you don't have excellent tap water, use Reverse Osmosis water(RO).

For nutrition, nothing could be simpler than General Hydroponics FloraNova nutrients.
They work equally well in both soil, soilless and nearly any hydro application.
They're relatively inexpensive and can be found in just about any online gardening store. (No need to go to a hydroponics store)

Vegging is as simple as 5-7ml per gallon of FloraNova Grow formula(FNG).
Bloom is as simple as exactly 8ml per gallon of FloraNova Bloom formula(FNB).

When using with the soil you've created, superb results can be obtained by diluting the mixed nutrient solution you're using to 1/3rd strength (For 1:1 FNB it would be 4ml/gal of RO) and using with every watering.

Unless you keep the leftover nute solution bubbling in a bucket or other container, be sure to only mix what you're going to use right away. Plants really don't dig this stuff if it's stagnant or flat from sitting around too long.

No other additives are needed. The results are super lush, beautiful plants.

You'll experience significantly fewer hassles chasing pH and your plants will love you for it.

NOTE: These nutrients are THICK!

Fortunately, you CAN hand shake IF you dilute the solution first…..
Best results for hand shaking are obtained by dilution of at least 1:1 for the Grow formula and 1:1 for the Bloom formula.

For a personal grow you're only going to need a small 16oz. bottle of Floranova Grow.
Find a 1 quart container that's easy to grip hard and that seals well.
Be as exact on the measurements as possible when you do this. Failing to be exact will throw your measurements off when you mix your nute solution. This will affect your grow depending on how much you messed up.
When you open the bottle, look at the level of liquid so that you can fill it back up to the exact same level with water.
Pour the 16oz. bottle of Grow into the quart container and then fill it back up with distilled or RO, shake and pour it into the quart container as well.
If there's anything left in the original bottle, pour some liquid back in, shake it and pour it back into the quart container. Don't leave anything in the original bottle.

Make sure the bottle is at room temp, around 75F, and start shaking. I usually shake for a while, put it down for a while and then shake for a while.
Once it's shaken up, it takes a long time for it to go back out of suspension again so you won't have to do this EVERY time you go to mix your nutrient solution.
After quite a while, and a lot of shaking, you'll notice that even the crystals have stopped making noise and that the solution is completely mixed.
Congratulations!

Mark the bottle 'FNG 1:1 10-14ml/gal' and measure out between 10 and 14ml per gallon of RO water, when you mix your solution. (Start low and work your way up until your plants say it's too strong, then back off a little.)

For the Bloom formula you're going to want to pick up a quart container for your first go 'round. A quart will last you a few grows and I recommend it because sometimes a 16oz runs out at a critical time, when you're first starting.

Find a 1 gallon container that has a handle or is very easy to grip hard.
Pour the entire contents of the FloraNova 1qt bloom container into the 1gal. container.
Fill the 1qt FNB container once with RO or Distilled water, shake and pour into the 1gal. container.
Do not leave any residue in the original FNB container.
Shake by hand for approximately 60 minutes, until you can no longer hear any crystals bumping around inside. (75F temps help, let the jug sit for a while and warm up, shaking occasionally, if needed)
Mark 'FNB 1:1 16ml/gallon' on the container (or something similar). Perfect Lucas Formula

Only use Reverse Osmosis(RO) or Distilled water for this process.

This process only needs to be done once. After that you can just shake them the same way you would shake any other nutrient solution, before using.

Make sure to only use really good tap water or RO water with these nutrients for best results.

You will NOT need CalMag+ with this formula, when using RO water, if you follow the process exactly.

The only thing you will most likely need is pH down during veg. Bloom at 8ml/gal of FNB should need very little adjustment of pH, if at all.

Two ways you can maintain a hydro res during bloom.

#1 is the simple version.
Mix up a batch of nutes, we'll say a 10 gallon res.
Keep the res topped off daily with RO water.
Once you've added 10 gallons of RO water, Dump the res and mix a fresh batch.

This process does use a wee bit of extra nutes. I consider it a small price to pay for avoiding hassles.

Once you've grown a few crops and are feeling a bit more adventurous you can work into the more sophisticated way of maintianing your res.

#2 Maintaining the proper PPM of your res throughout bloom
Mix up your batch of nutes at 8ml/gal of RO water
Take your EC, PPM, pH measurements
Keep res topped off with RO water
Measure PPM once a week and add nutes to raise PPM back to initial levels.

You're done.

This may not cover everything but it's definitely more than enough to 'fake' your way through professional looking grows. I don't really consider it faking because the nutrition has been worked up by some true professionals, I'm just trying to help people apply them properly for best results.

ENJOY!

[Usual_suspect]

I LOVE Miracle grow for all my other types of plants, not cannabis though.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^

I so agree, great post dude.

[HydroGanic]

Bump

De-Bump Bump

[trillyen]

Great post but what is EC, i know what parts per million is and ph is i have a tester for both but what is EC, also when u say 1:1 does that mean 50/50 solution

im not up on my lingo its been about 10 years since my last grow and back then i was pretty knowledgable but now its left me along with my algebra skills

i seen a ph tester at lowes today for 20 bucks is that good???

im really gonna make this grow a good 1, i got some really good deals at menards to day on wood and im gonna try to buld me like a 5 to 5 and 1/2 foot grow box with ample room for my plants and things

thanks for the help so far man, i need all i can get

do u know of any step by step videos on how to do a hydro drip system on youtube or this site i seen the one with that guy painted in green in the i grow chronic series but i didnt understand it the first time, but ill try watching it again

1 more thing they have these lil green houses that come with these things that u pour water on and i guess they swell up will those work the same as rock wool cubes, and can i just grow my seedlings in those to start out with???

and if so do i leave them in those things?? Will the roots poke threw those things, they look awfully hard if the are dry!!

thanks alot!!!

not sure what there called but they start out flat and when u pour water on them thew get taller and fatter, they said for tomatos and i remember tomatos are n the cannibis family so i figure some of the things that are ment for tomatos are ment for marijuana!!!

thanks man!!!

[420HelperMan]

EC is a different form of the process of PPM.
yea, it means 1 part to 1 part, so 50 50
20 bucks is ok, as long as the product looks solid. Its realitively cheaop tho
The I Grow Chronic series was Amazing, look up other hydro videos on utube as well
they are probably like rock wool cubes, and are fine for the plant.

edit: gl!

[cantharis]

Originally Posted by HydroGanic

To start with you'll need to use a plain dirt. No manure or other added stuff to it, just plain fluffy dirt.

The bag I'm using right now says "Composted forest products, ground fir bark, peatmoss, perlite and sand."

Forest products - you know what that is? Sawdust, they add a bit of charcoal to make it black.
Basically your soil mix has virtually no nutrition, and you are adding chemical liquid ferts.
I am an organic grower, and I think I do everything totally different from what you are recommending.
Can you post some pics? What sort of yield are you getting?

[trillyen]

thanks 420 helper

yea i just watched the i grow chronic series and yes it is awesome but i dont have the facilities for that kind of set up im about to build a wardrobe cabinet, and i know my set up dosent have to be as big as his is but, im not sure how i can minatureize the system

i understand the intake and out take nozzels and all of that, but what i dont understand is the outtake nozzle being so high

i mean so is there gonna be water left in the chamber soaking all the plants in the water solution, or what

the tube he puts on the nozzle makes it seem like there should be a little water left in the tube with the plants but everytime he checks them later in the show the holder is bone dry but yet the out take tube is way up in the air

this i dont understand shouldnt the water stll be there, or i mean at least up to the tube????

[HydroGanic]

Originally Posted by cantharis

Forest products - you know what that is? Sawdust, they add a bit of charcoal to make it black.
Basically your soil mix has virtually no nutrition, and you are adding chemical liquid ferts.
I am an organic grower, and I think I do everything totally different from what you are recommending.
Can you post some pics? What sort of yield are you getting?

I've personally looked for and tried to mix up organic mixes various times. I've also attempted growing in soil with a huge variety of non-organic soils. Depending on the location you're in and the season, this is extremely frustrating for a new grower.

That's why I push for new growers to get totally bare soil, no nutrition whatsoever. This way there isn't anything in the soil throwing the nutritional balance off. The FloraNova nutes are already perfect the way they are.

The methods I recommend will get excellent results, as simply as possible without any deficiencies or problems, allowing the grower to focus on learning how their plant grows and matures. Once they've grown a number of grows and understand what's going on, they can go and tweak things the way they like. Switch to organics if they like as well, they're on their own.


If you want pics, just look for people using 8ml/gal of RO only in their grow with FNB. Anyone following the Lucas Formula will tell you of excellent results. Anyone that's having difficulties with deficiencies will need to look deep and finally admit that they're either A) Using additional additives improperly(whether they believe this to be the issue or not), B) Not completely shaking the nutrients or C) Not measuring accurately enough. With FNG and FNB there's plenty of Cal/Mag already added, the nutes are designed to be used with RO water.

I've used the GH 3-part for years and always had excellent results with the Lucas Formula, 0-8-16. The FNB is definitely a step up from that as the results are even more impressive. My plants are deep green, soft leaved and growing rapidly. That's even in a low humidity environment. In contrast, the leaves with the 3-part have always been dry and stiff as I grow at around 20-25% RH.

No. I don't post pics of my plants. Sorry. There are plenty of others who do though. Just search for posts that have Lucas Formula and FloraNova or FNB in them. Lucas himself swears by the the new FNB and FNG and I don't know of anyone that could trash what he calls a finished grow.

If you want simplicity and excellent health, I haven't found anything easier than a 1 part nute, chock full of a professional mix of additives. Just sweet.

[HydroGanic]

Originally Posted by trillyen

i understand the intake and out take nozzels and all of that, but what i dont understand is the outtake nozzle being so high

The outtake nozzle is high enough to allow the tray to fill but low enough not to allow the nutrient solution to spill over the edge of the tub. The outtake should also be larger in size than the intake from the pump so that, should the pump be on a high setting, enough water will still drain out and prevent an overflow.


Once the pump stops, the water will drain back through the intake pipe(and the pump itself), draining the tub This confused me at first too.
Oh yeah, if you get the wrong kind of pump..... it won't drain properly. If you're stuck with that type of pump, look into setting up a drip system instead of flood and drain.

[420HelperMan]

hey hydro, I am also using the FLORANOVA brand, and could you gimme your ideas for CONTINUOUSLY feeding (mentioned above) in PPM for TSP. I tried to do a TSP from mL equation and it seemed to no come out right, you were like trippling the reccomended dosage (damn math class.)

thanks man

[trillyen]

Originally Posted by HydroGanic

The outtake nozzle is high enough to allow the tray to fill but low enough not to allow the nutrient solution to spill over the edge of the tub. The outtake should also be larger in size than the intake from the pump so that, should the pump be on a high setting, enough water will still drain out and prevent an overflow.


Once the pump stops, the water will drain back through the intake pipe(and the pump itself), draining the tub This confused me at first too.
Oh yeah, if you get the wrong kind of pump..... it won't drain properly. If you're stuck with that type of pump, look into setting up a drip system instead of flood and drain.

AHH now ive seen the light and i cant believe i didnt think of that seeing to that ive plumbed many aquariums in my life lol, i know all my pumps will drain thats how they are made wow, u are the man HYDRO,

rep+ man u made my day, now if i can only get some ideas for my set up id be set lol

Im just haveing trouble deciding how im gonna devide the 2 sections

thanks alot for this post man, u opened my eyes cause they have been closed!!

i know u aint god or nothing but u made a blind man c!!

lol

[RichardDean]

ALways been a great fan of KISS and big supporter of the notion that growing is only as hard as you want to make it. I use botanicare and a basic soil mix and that is all I have ever needed to grow good cannabis.

[LEDJunkie]

Lucas calculator? perhaps
http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/fou...s/profiles.htm

I think that is it. I stumbled across it. after hours and hours of reading you can be reading right over what your looking for and not realize it for a long time. Its not exactly the spreedsheet though which is what I was looking for.

Here is a helpful online measurements converter for anyone who may find it helpful.

http://www.onlineconversion.com/

[HydroGanic]

Originally Posted by LEDJunkie

Lucas calculator? perhaps
http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/fou...s/profiles.htm

I think that is it. I stumbled across it. after hours and hours of reading you can be reading right over what your looking for and not realize it for a long time. Its not exactly the spreedsheet though which is what I was looking for.

Here is a helpful online measurements converter for anyone who may find it helpful.

http://www.onlineconversion.com/

I think this is the original. Did a search for the filename based on the dead link and found this
http://www.treatingyourself.com/vbul...php?t-227.html
Which led me to this
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=21119

And eventually to pH's original spreadsheet.
http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/fou...remixppm3b.zip
It's an excel file so you can do your calculations offline.
I believe it will work equally well with openoffice.org which is free, whilst excel is not.

[Lion]

I'd surley be trying a lot of that advice for an indoor growing operation.