My Journal on Soil & Hydrophobic''s
Febuary 14 2016
Material Needed
1.) 2 1/2 gallon jug with spicket
2.) River rock I bought three different sizes
3.) Clear air hose used for fish tanks
4.) Air Tee’s
5.) Air filter’s also used in fish tanks. ( there very hard like rock )
6.) Your soil. This is up to you. I make in own. But seeing how I’m useing a clone you could use soil with nutrients but ivwould mix it up with non- nutrient soil.
7.) Water. I use rain water only with my grows. 1/1/2 gal’s of water.
8.) Air filter pump.
I bought the river rock and a 2 1/2 gal glass jug with a spicket at the bottom of the jar. This spicket will be used to flush the plant if necessary later on durning the journal.
See pic # 1 and # 2 below ( PLEASE NOTE PIC # 1 & 2 ARE THE SAME…OK
At first I was going to go through the spicket with the clear air hose.
But the hose would kink in the spicket not letting air through.
So I decided to run it over the top and down into the jug. I then added a tee to the hose in order to have two air filters at the bottom of the jug.
Then I placed the river rock in the jug mixing them up. I had about 2 1/2 - 3 inches of rock.
After adding the river rock I took three piece’s of paper towel and cris-crossed them and placed them on top of the rock.
This will help in keeping the soil separately from the river rock.
And thats where I am as of today or last night…lol
This morning I will transplant my Northern Light Clone who is only two weeks old.
I’ll be calling her ( " LONESOME LUCY " ) because she is the only one I’m doing like this right now. But I am growing one Northern Light along with it only in soil. This will help in showing everyone how air and water and soil can produce a better grow ( TIME ) better ( QUALITY ) better ( YEILD ) LESS EFFORT.
Ok our first update. Lucy was put in her place this morning at 7:40 am EST on 2/14/16
Now her counterpart doesn’t have a name yet. Both are Norther Light And from the same mother plant.
They were cliped and cloned at the very same time.
You can see in the pic they are of equal size. Both healthy. So this will be an excellent journal on Air, water and soil vs just soil.
The light is a 300 watt cfl with only 60 watts used and 2700 lumens.
So light should be very minimal. But if push comes to shove I can rap it in a dark cloth. Problem sloved.
Or you can wrap it with a black trash bag, cut a square out the size of the jug and wrap around, again that’s if push comes to shove, and the ones leaves probably look different from different light settings or pictures at different angles
This should be interesting to see result just glad I am not doing this experiment my pest problem has me at war and coverting everything to hydro also my work season is starting up soon
I’m curious why you’re using paper towel? Won’t that break down over time? I know you’re using it to keep a barrier between the soil and rocks, so the soil doesn’t run through the rock. But in my thinking, I would assume that paper towel would just break down and add unnecessary elements of itself into the soil, roots, and water. I have zero experience with this tho, so maybe you could help me understand better?
It’s bio degradable if I’m not mistake since there is soil on top and silver rocks on bottom, it would keep paper towel from ripping, because weight is evenly distributed across it with even pressure on top and bottom, in the time yes it would decompose but helps every sit it the right spot, however I do some your concern, @garrigan62 what is your response on this buddy lol, the better description would help out for people that have never done this sort of thing, if course we are new still getting the hang of this lol
I went to an arts and crafts store and got some plastic screens that they use to make yarn pictures out of. Works really well in keeping the soil where it belongs. Have been using it for a while now, even in my container tomato plants in the summer. Works great and is reusable, all you have to do is rinse it out and go again. If it gets really dirty, i use a weak bleach solution and then rinse it really well. Jerry
Yea it’s paper, of course it’s biodegradable haha. That’s not what I’m saying though.
When someone posted on here, they said how when they used paper towel to filter soil from water (testing the soils pH), the paper towel has its own pH from the bleaching process. Everyone agreed. Even unbleached coffee filter would have its own pH, giving you inconsistent results.
So I’m asking why you would use paper towel here, in this media? Knowing that the paper towel will decompose, and add its own plant material, and pH.
No you have made a very good point. One that I did not take into consideration.
This is something I saw somewhere and though it mite have merit. @pigSquishy, that was perfect. And I will add that to the next go.
P.H is always going to be there. In no matter what you grow or how you grow it. You will always have to check your P. H
Yea it was just something I immediately thought about and wanted to throw it out there for others thoughts on it. I’m the type of person that will ask you hundred questions, not just to completely understand, but because I enjoy learning new things and specially from people who know more than me! So thanks guys, as always!
I really wish one day this doesn’t have to be an anonymous site, because I’d love to smoke you all up haha!
Your your inquisitive just helped to solve a problem before it happends.
Now I will switch from paper to coffee filters.
The filters I will run clear ph water through the coffee maker twice. Thus i’ll have two filters that should be neutral and should not affect the p.H at all.
Thanks to you asking questions.