First Time Hempy with Autos

[CaptnCook]

Hey all, 

 

I've got a few Barney's Farm auto seeds i'm wanting to use, and i'm thinking of trying hempy buckets. 

They seem like a tidy, low maintenance set up but i've got a couple questions and wouldn't mind some pointers from the pros if you got any   

 

The setup -  

• Jiffy pods for starters, then
• 2-3x 10L Black Bunnings buckets
• Outlet taps to mount ~50mm off the bottom
• 100% Perlite
• MegaCrop for nutes
• 1x 600w HPS
• 1x1 Tent
• Hand watered

So the questions i've got niggling in my head are -

• Do I need air stones in bottom? 
• I've seen some set ups with PVC tubes down the side of the pot, what are these for? (i've seen air lines fed down them, so wondered if thats their only purpose)
• How often should I water?  Everyday? (is that how you get air in the mix without stones?)
• Anyone with experience with MC recommend a ratio to start on? 

Thanks! 

 

 

 

[Porky 1982]

Midlife Gardner is useing hempys. Have a look at his threads

 

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[midlifegardner]

Cheers Porky.

 

Hey, good luck with the hempy buckets. They can be as low or high maintenance as you want them to be. I grow in a mix of coco and perlite up top and only perlite in the bottom. With the perlite in the bottom I go about another inch or so past the drainage hole. The cheapo 9L buckets are a great size for autos I reckon.

As far as feeding goes, every day until the roots hit the bottom res which is usually 2 weeks or so. You'll know it as the plant will take off. After that you can let it go for up to 4 days without watering or water every day - your call. In flower I water every day.

I check my runoff but I reckon it's a bit tricky reading too much into it. I say that because the res bit of the bucket never fully gets flushed so I'm guessing it will always read a little lower than the ppm of let's say what up top (I hope that makes sense!). I start to flush a bit if the runoff ppm exceeds what you put in. Alternatively just make sure there is heaps of runoff.

Suggest also you put in some vermiculite so it holds onto some water. You won't be forced to water it that much.

No airstones needed. The idea is to keep it simple. If yoh want to get air through it just water it again.

With the pvc tubing, for me, that's complicating things again. Just a 5mm hole 2 inches up. Put a tray underneath it to catch runoff or a larger tub with a few holes in it which you'll only need to empty once it's full (that's if you have space for a tub).

I think I've done about 3 or 4 runs with the buckets. I'd say more suitable for autos due to the short start to finish time.

MLG

 

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[CaptnCook]

Thanks Porky, and thanks for the info MLG!

 

I am definitely trying to keep it low maintenance, and will keep your tips in mind - particularly around reading too much into the runoff ppm. 

[midlifegardner]

If you're going the low maintenance route then def mix the perlite with vermiculite or go either straight coco up top or a mix of perlite/coco.

Thanks Porky, and thanks for the info MLG!

 

I am definitely trying to keep it low maintenance, and will keep your tips in mind - particularly around reading too much into the runoff ppm.

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