Saving money and getting great results...yes pls.
- Thread starter Alienwidow
- Start date
Alienwidow
Well-Known Member
ha you were on the last thread about this too lol. how big is your rez and how much does it take around to bring it down. also do you have a photo of your great results? thanks man. happy new year
Alienwidow
Well-Known Member
nice, cheaper than pvc lol
Alienwidow
Well-Known Member
a gallon of ph dow doesn't last me long lol thirty bucks every couple weeks. if i can get vinegar okayed by a couple of people i might try it. i don't want to pickle my crop though
RM3
Well-Known Member
Which is why I have been usin the same bale of peat now for 38 grows, It don't get cheaper than $40 for 5 years
amgprb
Well-Known Member
Vinegar is safe. No worries about using it.a gallon of ph dow doesn't last me long lol thirty bucks every couple weeks. if i can get vinegar okayed by a couple of people i might try it. i don't want to pickle my crop though
My tap water has a ph of 8.0-8.5, and i have used vinegar for years with no ill effects. I have 3 gallon jugs that I use for watering. 7-8 ml of vinegar added to my 3 gallon jugs brings my ph down to around 6.0-6.2. That is roughly twice the amount of what I use in phdown.
I dont use baking soda to bring my ph up. If after adding the vinegar, I need to adjust my ph I will just add some more tap water to bring it back up
Dr. Who
Well-Known Member
^^^exactly^^^
I run mostly organic water only soil. If I have to adjust ingoing liquid for any reason it's vinegar. Perfect for organic runs.
For hydro it works....If your pH is swinging more then .4-.5 overnight. You most likely have another issue you should address.
Like amgprb said above. Vinegar works the same at about twice as much in volume as store bought pH down.
You said epsom for Ca/Mg.....Be aware that is for Mg only! If you need to add Ca, you would look to Dolomite lime (powdered) or in a way to really save...Crushed egg shells work well.....crush and soak in water overnight before application (use the water too).
Ever seen "Sweet Raw" from botanicare ? 65.00 a gallon! How about making it for pennies a gallon?
8 TBL of Epsom salts
1 1/2 tsp of DARK Brown Sugar
1 gallon RO water
1 opaque gallon container
Boil 4 cups of the water and add the Epsom and DB sugar and boil for 5 min.
Add to the opaque container and add remaining water.
Bingo! "Sweet Raw" at less then a buck a gallon!
Time for a new air filter?
Find a way to remove the "used" charcoal that you can reseal or reuse the container (many simply have ends that are held on by screws) because......
All you need to do is to "wash" the charcoal with an unscented low power liquid soap...
Warm water with the soap added at about an 1/8 -1/4 tsp a gallon....Put the water/soap in a container that will hold all the charcoal comfortably and add the charcoal and stir around for 10 min. to 15 min.
Drain, Rinse NO LESS then 3 times with RO water.....Yep RO water. The first and second rinse, you copy the wash method in the tub and the last is simply run it through.
Dry as quickly a possible in a CLEAN air area with as low an RH as you can get. High drying temps help disperse many left over molecules left clogging the pores of the charcoal. (an oven at 200 - 225 F works well - - - stir the drying charcoal around every few min until dry).
Sounds weird eh? It works!
That's how major Pharm labs and chem labs "replace" their carbon filters. They do replace them,,,,,every 3-5 years depending on how effective the carbon is working.
Doc
I run mostly organic water only soil. If I have to adjust ingoing liquid for any reason it's vinegar. Perfect for organic runs.
For hydro it works....If your pH is swinging more then .4-.5 overnight. You most likely have another issue you should address.
Like amgprb said above. Vinegar works the same at about twice as much in volume as store bought pH down.
You said epsom for Ca/Mg.....Be aware that is for Mg only! If you need to add Ca, you would look to Dolomite lime (powdered) or in a way to really save...Crushed egg shells work well.....crush and soak in water overnight before application (use the water too).
Ever seen "Sweet Raw" from botanicare ? 65.00 a gallon! How about making it for pennies a gallon?
8 TBL of Epsom salts
1 1/2 tsp of DARK Brown Sugar
1 gallon RO water
1 opaque gallon container
Boil 4 cups of the water and add the Epsom and DB sugar and boil for 5 min.
Add to the opaque container and add remaining water.
Bingo! "Sweet Raw" at less then a buck a gallon!
Time for a new air filter?
Find a way to remove the "used" charcoal that you can reseal or reuse the container (many simply have ends that are held on by screws) because......
All you need to do is to "wash" the charcoal with an unscented low power liquid soap...
Warm water with the soap added at about an 1/8 -1/4 tsp a gallon....Put the water/soap in a container that will hold all the charcoal comfortably and add the charcoal and stir around for 10 min. to 15 min.
Drain, Rinse NO LESS then 3 times with RO water.....Yep RO water. The first and second rinse, you copy the wash method in the tub and the last is simply run it through.
Dry as quickly a possible in a CLEAN air area with as low an RH as you can get. High drying temps help disperse many left over molecules left clogging the pores of the charcoal. (an oven at 200 - 225 F works well - - - stir the drying charcoal around every few min until dry).
Sounds weird eh? It works!
That's how major Pharm labs and chem labs "replace" their carbon filters. They do replace them,,,,,every 3-5 years depending on how effective the carbon is working.
Doc
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Dr. Who
Well-Known Member
Use molasses? Make organic AACT teas? Tired of that 3-5 $'s a pint yet?
Buy in bulk by the 4x1gallon case at your local Rest/Bakery supply ! Our local is Gordon's food service and I LOVE their molasses better then the store or Ag grade stuff!!!! It's higher in carbs and that makes for better bio counts in your AACT teas! Better for soil use as the higher carb levels feed the living bio's in the soil better! This again gives better living soil bio counts.
On a side note; It makes better KC style BBQ sauce too! But I wouldn't put that on my plants.
Doc
Buy in bulk by the 4x1gallon case at your local Rest/Bakery supply ! Our local is Gordon's food service and I LOVE their molasses better then the store or Ag grade stuff!!!! It's higher in carbs and that makes for better bio counts in your AACT teas! Better for soil use as the higher carb levels feed the living bio's in the soil better! This again gives better living soil bio counts.
On a side note; It makes better KC style BBQ sauce too! But I wouldn't put that on my plants.
Doc
Alienwidow
Well-Known Member
wow dude, i think you might take the cake for the cheapest guy ever. 38 grows!? is there anything you do to that peat to clean it out ever or is it just right back in there after you chop? do you even remember what the bag said on it when you bought it? lolWhich is why I have been usin the same bale of peat now for 38 grows, It don't get cheaper than $40 for 5 years
Alienwidow
Well-Known Member
nice, now i can take air filter off the list too. thanks.
RM3
Well-Known Member
It said Sunshine Mix #4 LOL and not goin into what I do to it, seems I always get flamed LOL
Alienwidow
Well-Known Member
amgprb
Well-Known Member
I recycle my soil now. After years of replacing after every grow, i said the hell with it and started re-using...
I empty my potters into a large tupperware tote (40gallonish sized). I make sure to pull as much of the root ball out, shakiing out as much soil as possible.
I then take a small (handheld) hoe and rake and make sure to break everything up well. I throw about a cup of dolomite lime into it. I the mix and shake the tote daily for roughly 2-3 months. If after a feed, there is a little nute water left (i accidentally pre mixed to much) i will also pour that into the soil.
By the time my next run comes around, i have a decent fluffy, airy soil and by that point and remaining roots have typically degraded amd are no longer seen.
I have probably 100 gallons of a mixture of Pro mix, roots organics, and sunshine mix plus a bale of perlite that I have been using for a year or so.
I empty my potters into a large tupperware tote (40gallonish sized). I make sure to pull as much of the root ball out, shakiing out as much soil as possible.
I then take a small (handheld) hoe and rake and make sure to break everything up well. I throw about a cup of dolomite lime into it. I the mix and shake the tote daily for roughly 2-3 months. If after a feed, there is a little nute water left (i accidentally pre mixed to much) i will also pour that into the soil.
By the time my next run comes around, i have a decent fluffy, airy soil and by that point and remaining roots have typically degraded amd are no longer seen.
I have probably 100 gallons of a mixture of Pro mix, roots organics, and sunshine mix plus a bale of perlite that I have been using for a year or so.
Alienwidow
Well-Known Member
anybody know a cheap substitute for plant markers hopefully in plastic?
RM3
Well-Known Member
I put duct tape on the pot and use a sharpie to write on it LOL It's cheap