Here We Grow Again- Mazar, Blueberry, and Purple Kush

[Mr.GoodStuff]

Whelp I guess this mini river system isn't turning out to be the best idea I've ever had... It's now killed all but two of my bonsai plants so far wanting to do them without mediums and wanting them to be in a hydro setup.

This time it was the last of the Mazar clones that had survived until now... Pretty Lady- she got stem rot and didn't make it. I think she had a fungal infection and got sick.

The Purple Kush one is still going strong though surprisingly. I think shaving the stem on the Pretty Lady clone opened it up for infection from the mold. I didn't shave the stem on the Purple Kush one and it's fine. From this I don't think you need to shave the stem unless the bark is really thick. It just opens it up for infection if you shave it too close to the inside part.

So I have to reveg two plants now, hopefully the Purple Kush one makes it too or it will be three I'm revegging. Not a big problem, oh well. Definitely learning a lot from this- it's a lot easier to get stem rot using aeroponic clones so you shouldn't shave the stem unless it's thick bark I guess.

I think the mini system is infected with mold and I'm going to have to change the water in it and sterilize it. I also need to build another cloner because this thing just isn't safe to me anymore. It might be from when I first put the stems into the water and got mold though and it's just infected with bad shit right now. Amazing how the Blueberry one just keeps on growing strong and the Purple Kush plant is also doing pretty well considering 6 others have died in the same environment.

I don't want to use mediums anymore and this is really annoying to me... I'm going to build that cloner this weekend and start to test another system because there is something wrong with this mini system right now. I think I need to use a cloner to clone the plants and then put them into the mini system instead of trying to do it all in the same container. Something just isn't right and I have to try another approach.

I really put a lot of work into these little bonsai plants only to kill them in the end... It's just really sad to me. I really hope I can figure this out and get things back on the right track.

Thanks for reading, I'll put up some new pictures when things change a little more. Still looks kinda the same right now. Take care!

[IMgreen]

I feel for you brother!

[Help_Needed]

Damn. That really sucks.

At least, from the sound of it, you still have some backup plants that you can clone again, so you didn't completely loose the genetics. I hope that's the case anyway. I'm sure you'll get things figured out. You always do .

[Mr.Sparkle]

that really sucks to put all the effort into a plant just to see it die, but how are your big plants doing?

[doob3r]

that sucks man, dont give upon it though, you seem like a smart fella im sure you can perfect it in time

[gonejah17]

Damn man sorry about that shit . . . youll figure it out.

I got some clones in an aero now, they been there 5 days, well see how they do hope they dont rot

Its good your experimenting. . .youll get it down and then well all learn from your efforts. chin up man!!

[Mr.GoodStuff]

Thanks a lot fellas, I really have given it my all lately that's for sure. Unfortunately the mini river system pissed me off for the last time

The Blueberry bonsai was doing fine but the Purple Kush one was starting to rot at the tip of the stem but develop roots above that which was amazing- but the thing was leaking and when I tried to fix it the fucking thing leaked again so it got smashed. I was trying to fix it and the plants fell over onto my toilet so I just decided to just scrap the project.

I killed the plants very quick and the system was stomped in the bathtub in frustration. I still have my little waterpump but everything else is in the trash. I was pretty furious with the whole project because of all that had happened...

There goes the whole "what takes time to build cannot be destroyed quickly" idea LOL that thing took hours to get going and about half a minute to destroy

I feel liberated though- freed from a project that was only taking from me and wasn't worth my time anymore... All I have to do is reveg some plants, no big deal. That thing was driving me crazy with the leaks, the dying plants, the pH rising all the time for some wierd reason (might have been the Hygrozyme eating the silicone or the foam disks I think, no other reason for it I can think of)

I think the main problem with my cloner was that the water got too hot in it on a couple days because I had the heat on at night and then forgot to turn the A/C back on during the day (fucking Florida!!!) and the water temp got up towards 80+. I can't really think of any other reason for the thing to just kill clones like that.

I'm not sure if the same problems would happen with a sprayer-cloner with hot water but there was something seriously wrong with that mini system to begin with... Rising pH like I had is VERY abnormal and I think that had something to do with the problem.

I think you are fine gonejah- I just had some bad luck and no experience. I fucked up bad putting the stems into the water and letting the water get so hot. Definitely will be watching out for these things in the future though- at least I know how this works now.

Don't shave the stem at all if aero cloning unless it's brown bark because it's much easier for them to get an infection compared to the beastie rapid rooter plugs- that's one thing I definitely learned. Shaving the stem isn't that good of an idea unless the skin on the cutting is very thick, because if it's shaved too close roots will not grow from the area and it can get an infection much easier also.

I think keeping the solution temp below 75 degrees is also important with this.


But I have a new design that my brother helped me with- it's called the negitive edge river system design-

The root zone container will overflow into the surrounding reservoir that will drain out as a waterfall. Just like a negative-edge pool.

My brother's idea, he came up with it when his roots went down his drains on his system and he wanted to think of a design that could prevent that from happening. As long as the roots don't float out of the container right away it could be really cool. We'll need to test it out before we say anything about the design's potential but it sure sounds cool.

The big plants are doing great, maturing faster than normal and the Blueberry colas are just massive. Biggest one's yet. The Purple Kush smells amazing and is still all green and healthy- the Mazar and Blueberry have some burns at the top right under the light. I thought it was all from the heat from the bulbs but recently found out it was a phosphorous deficiency from letting the rez get out of whack.

I didn't know you had to keep the TDS levels at the water level you began with, but Lucas says it's a common misunderstanding. I was just adding back water for awhile to keep the TDS in range but didn't add back water to the original water level like I should have. They needed more food and the phosphorous level was low because of it- the parts of the plant in the highest light intensity got the most hungry and when the leaves yellowed they burned, making me think light burn but it was actually a deficiency.

Anyways thanks for reading, I'm still learning a lot about this stuff that's for sure. I'll be building an aero cloner soon because my brother is flowering his plants soon and I need a cutting from him to preserve Miss Hulk's genetics. This way I'll get to test the aero cloner out before I go trying to root over 30 plants in it when my whole next round is riding on them rooting.

I'll get some pictures of the plants up soon- the Mazar look mature now and the Purple Kush are plumping up.

Keep growin everybody!

[Help_Needed]

Damn. Sorry to hear that, although I have to admit that the image of you standing in the bathtub stomping up and down on your system gave me a bit of a chuckle.

Glad the other plants are doing well.

[Mr.GoodStuff]

Ya, I smashed it good. It felt great to destroy it after all the problems it caused.

I was a little sad at the loss of all my "special" bonsai plants, but it was just something I had to lose. I have to start treating the plants like they will come and go from now on and not make any more special ones for any reason.

What do you think of the negative edge design? Wouldn't it be cool if you could do it outside, like hang a fern into an overflowing bucket inside a Koi pond or a fountain or something? Come on, a negative edge hydroponic planter? So pody!!!

The only issue is the roots might float out of the thing...

[The_Joker]

sorry about the mishaps man but its all about trial and error, that design looks pretty solid, i cant wait to see what the final product will look like.

[c20h25n3oIsGood]

Your thread has brightened my day substantially. It makes me want to start a few bushes of marijuana on my own...one day when I get a house...or something...
Yeah, man. Nice blueberry dried photos back there, that made me drooooooooool

[Help_Needed]

Originally Posted by Mr.GoodStuff

What do you think of the negative edge design? Wouldn't it be cool if you could do it outside, like hang a fern into an overflowing bucket inside a Koi pond or a fountain or something? Come on, a negative edge hydroponic planter? So pody!!!

Ok...for *some* reason I'm finding my memory just doesn't work as well as it used to . So correct me if I'm wrong here. Your original design has the waterfall coming off the out-flow tube coming off the pump, right? And the waterfall is going into the main reservoir, or the secondary on?

And this new design has the waterfall driven by gravity. Am I right so far?

It actually sounds like what I tried to set up with my last grow when I experimented with an external secondary res. But, as I mentioned, I'm a bit mechanically inept and the external res leaked like a sieve. So the experiment was very brief - never made it out of the bathtub into the grow room lol.

The only issue is the roots might float out of the thing...

Get a fine mesh screen to put over the exit port. Although the plant's roots might grow through that if given enough time heh.

[Mr.GoodStuff]

I think I'll just have to build one and take pictures, the diagram is the best I can explain what I'm talking about right now.

Anyways I just picked up two 396 gallon per hour pumps to make my aero cloner system- I might need to get more foam disks for it though because I'm going to make it a 60 site unit and I only have like 25 disks or so right now.

The Purple Kush are really starting to look good- I saw them this morning as I was late to work. It just looks and smells like some seriously dank pot- much better than that tiny little Kush before (the mini Purple Kush if anybody remembers)

It's a lot more frosty as it's getting about 100X more light than that one did sitting underneath the canopy practically it's whole life...

Also I picked up some Hydroguard to prevent stem rot in my aero clones- I found out about it from one of Help_Needed's posts, it came with his aero cloner. If I'm having fungus problems that stuff seems like the best cure I've heard of yet.

Now, my only issue is where I will put this new system... There is no room in the grow room at all- it was part of the reason the last mini system was so frustrating. I'll have to set it up in my closet or something I guess. Just a pain in the ass lately, this garden... LOL

Take care everyone, thanks for reading!

[jcommerce]

Damn Mr. Good Stuff, impressive thread and posts. I can just picture you running around like a chicken with your head cut off sometimes (with your lazy roomie laying around and not helping). Crazy hydro grow room, clones, pumps, hanging side lights, soil pots, running to Home Depot, cruising to the Hydro Store, etc. etc. etc! LOL

I will continue to enjoy your posts, they are very entertaining. I never saw the "under the canopy shot" by the way.....

All I can say is "Be Safe out there Brotha!"

[IMgreen]