Everything Flora Flex

Brotherbuddah · May 30, 2020, 8:24pm

What’s up, guys. I’ve read through the thread a few times and I’m getting ready to make the flip from Nectar for the Gods in Coco/Soil to FloraFlex in Coco with their gear. I’m gonna have a few questions and so I’ll be active in this thread

First, question, if anyone knows, how long can I leave the nutrient solution in the res.? If I make a 10 gal. Batch can I let the run 3+ days/weekly changes? And can I run water through the same feed/res or do I need separate for water and nutes? First time running a somewhat automated irrigation.

Mpower11 · May 30, 2020, 9:38pm

Welcome to the journey

What I can say is I make my nutes 1 time per week. I’m using around 60 L per week which I believe is around 15 gallons (5 plants week 7 of Veg) They’re nutes seem to hold well I do check my pH close to every day but rarely make any adjustments to it over the week.

I normally start the week off with my feed at 5.5 then I let it drift up. If I see it hit 6.3 I start over again at 5.5

Ps you mix your water and nutes in one res

Hope this helps

Mpower11 · May 30, 2020, 9:41pm

One thing I recommend is you purchase a timer that can water in seconds it gives you more control of your water I know Bobbie water per minute and it seems to work out OK for her but I prefer to have a little more control.

Not sure how Chris does his schedule/water timer.

Brotherbuddah · May 30, 2020, 10:14pm

I think I saw the one up further in the thread someone recommended, I’ll definitely check it out. I’m planning on 4-10 plants in 6 inch pots with a coco perlite mix with my FloraFlex set, so trying to avoid the hand feeding I’m doing currently! I appreciate the response. That’s about what I plan on running. 2-3 feeds/waters a day mixing 1 batch a week.

Mpower11 · May 30, 2020, 10:48pm

I moved from soil to flora flex coco blocks honestly don’t think I can go back to soil now… Also never going back to hand feeding. My leach run off it always perfect so far never had my ph balance off yet.

Right now I’m water 6 times a day 250ml per shot.

Leaching 10 to 15 % runoff

Brotherbuddah · May 30, 2020, 10:53pm

That’s what I’m talking about. That’s sounds like a dream come true. Don’t get me wrong I love some organic, living soil grown medicine, but for the price point, energy savings, and piece of mind with the simplicity its the best way to go. You’re just using a timer with multiple on/off cycles correct? I’m not quite ready for the whole control set up. Need a few positive harvests before all that.

Mpower11 · May 30, 2020, 11:57pm

Correct 1 timer with multiple cycles I posted a picture of it in the topic if you don’t see it let me know I can repost it.

This has been my easiest grow to date so far.

You have questions ask away I’m sure one of us will have a answer for you

Bplatinum9 · May 31, 2020, 2:01pm

@Brotherbuddah
I’m a woman by the way! Lol!
Bobbie with an i.e. Female
Bobby with a y is male
I set my timer for four times a day at one minute intervals.
Mpower11 is more knowledgeable than I am but I’ll put in my two cents of experience because there is always more ways than one to do things and we all have to find what works best for us.
Mpower11 is more technical which is where I lack discipline but I think either way you can learn from his experience and my mistakes which is why I started this thread.
So welcome aboard and show us what you got!
We will do our best…

P.s. I run a 20 gallon reservoir and never changed the water but I’m getting ready to change over to flower and bloom nutrients so I will be changing the water.
If I could have known what I know now I would have gone with a reservoir shaped more like @Mpower11 so it would have been easier to switch out and all the water would get used up.
After spending almost $200 on a botanicare reseyrvoir and lid I’m not too keen on switching anytime soon.

I also don’t have any run off leach water so I’ll be spending times flushing well.
I will be making some adjustments and tweaks after my first grow for sure, being that this is my first ever tent grow I just wanted a full run first.
I love the flora flex coco cubes, no hassle, place in pot and go!

Mpower11 · May 31, 2020, 2:38pm

First of my apologies on gender I edited my post from him to her

I guess I’m just too caught up on the plants do you even put that together in my mind.

My res I love but one word of caution that I learned is your bubbler needs to be higher up than the tank if not it’s syphons your fertilizer through the system. Learned that the hard way

Still have to address on temp fix it

Mpower11 · May 31, 2020, 2:43pm

So over the day you have no leach water?

If that is the case you maybe under watering in my opinion.

At min I believe you need to leach 10% over the day.

chris_barfield · May 31, 2020, 3:07pm

Yea your supposed to have run off water every feed

chris_barfield · May 31, 2020, 3:12pm

You mix nutrients depending on how fast your girls eat… I’m currently running 13 plants in the 4 inch pots and feed 8 times a day for 10 second shots that eqAul 189 ml of water … you must create runoff every feed … which is why you feed multiple times in coco small amounts … to keep ec in the coco where it needs to be… as the coco drys the ec goes up and you burn plants … I have 4 different ogs in my tent and if you don’t know the og myth is true they stretch like crazy…so they drink insanely especAilly in my small pots… floraflex nutrients hold ph for two weeks well in my experience rut did … I rub additives in my 20 gallon reservoir I made out of a trash can and mine stays at 5.7 and drifts to 6.0 . I don’t exchange my reservoir I just wait for 10 gallons to be used an add ten gallons … this allows me to raise ph gradually without stressing as the old and new solution mix and once the old is out I’m
Left with the new ec I’ve changed to … don’t overthink it … which a lot do… its a simple process … you will need a multi stage timer down to the second … they are cheap on amazon… my trolmaster controls my 5 pumps and I have my runoff pump coming on 3 minutes after my feed to take the water out … I also have mixing pumps to keep the reservoir mixing …

Brotherbuddah · May 31, 2020, 3:35pm

I really appreciate the input from everyone. Definitely trying to get multiple points of view as to have a nice foundational understanding before diving in. I have a decent background with growing in general, but there’s always a learning curve with new techniques.

I’m planning on 8 plants in a 4x4 in the 6inch pot pros. Since I already have my seedlings in Nectar for the Gods Coco I’m going to run that instead of trying to transplant to half-half medium. (Never had good luck doing that in the past.)

By bubbler do you mean aeration stones or the circulation pump? Just to make sure I’m clarifying. Also, what HP pump are you running? 1/2 or 1?

Bplatinum9 · May 31, 2020, 4:15pm

This should explain the bubbler…
No stones necessary…
Mpower11 and I are using extra water pumps to circulate water…

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012UZYMG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Brotherbuddah · May 31, 2020, 6:06pm

An 8 plant system with the pro caps would need two bubbles assemblies, correct?

vegetato · May 31, 2020, 8:44pm

Did you try an air check valve? Elevating the pump is an option but a check valve is the failsafe.

I personally elevate mine too but am just curious if the plastic check valve failed or wasn’t used; have been wondering how well the plastic ones work (and if/when they fail).

Mpower11 · May 31, 2020, 9:47pm

8 plant bubbler is good for 8 plants

Mpower11 · May 31, 2020, 9:51pm

This is where I’m at

Tried this without increasing the height of the bubbler but failed.

I was thinking about trying this without raising the Bubbler but putting a t in the line with this height higher than the reservoir

Next option not glued yet raise the bubbler

Mpower11 · May 31, 2020, 10:06pm

In regards to the air bleeder valve one of my concerns is it that requires 5 psi to open properly not quite sure if my system has that much pressure

vegetato · May 31, 2020, 10:07pm

Just educated myself on what the floraflex “bubbler” is; originally I misunderstood and thought it was an air pump (siphoning). Liquid is another problem entirely. Sorry about that.

One idea would be to use a solenoid valve or something that opens when the pump comes on to dispense. Not sure what options are available to do that in a plug & play fashion though.