Well here we go again!

Ya I don’t think first or last is wrong either way. In my case, I feel like my feed is what I’m targeting and the silica is just a little extra. So if I drop 3-5 ml into a cup of water and my ph hits my target before I get it all in, I’m perfectly fine with not getting the full 3-5ml of silica into my solution.

Of course I’m a soil grower too, so a little goes a long way and probably doesn’t need to be added at all in most cases. The hydro guys may feel a little differently, but I don’t feel like they use a lot either. I think that just as you use opposite, having solution mixed well is key.

3 Likes

I personally haven’t used silica in hydro yet. I believe silica is a good product in hydro and in soil, my laziness just prevented me from adding it when I started hydro :roll_eyes:

3 Likes

That’s no help lol. We’ll have to ask megafarmer.

@Bogleg, Silica first, last, or when?

3 Likes

I retract this statement and everything that followed it after the gears have had time to spin lol. All these different elements are taken up optimally at different pH’s.

I’ll wait for the engine to get fully warm before I answer next time :wink:

3 Likes

My only comment is: as long as it makes it into the medium, who cares? The microorganisms in the media (except hydro) have to break it down to make it available to the plant. Also; I would submit that if your PH changes upon adding silica that it by definition has to be soluble. Otherwise your PH meter wouldn’t be affected.

4 Likes

Hey @MattyBear @dbrn32 @Myfriendis410 @TDubWilly

Thanx for the replies!!

Ive tried to find where i got the pH 6.9 from

Unfortunately as i get my info from so many different places / sites its hard to remember where what came from!

Ive found this today on one site…

" Sadly, the one place silicon cannot be used to grow cannabis is when it is grown hydroponically. That is the reason that hydro-grown plants are a little weaker. The reason? In order for Silicon to stay soluble, it requires a pH higher than 7."

If i remember the pH 6.9 came from another forum where that was suggested to be a sort of safe go between, high enough for the silicon and low enough for the plant but cant find it to quote!

The way ive been using the silicon is first add the feed to the water, then put the silicon in a separate jug and add water, leave it to sit for a few mins and then slowly add to the water / feed

One thing to add is that the pH is then always 6.9 without using any ph up or down?!?

One more thing to add is that there is a good chance that ive been following advice aimed at hydro growers and im in soil so ive prob been doing it all wrong anyways!

1 Like

Grow journal update…

Checked plant today but dont think it needs watering till tomorrow

Humidity was under 50% on both meters so turned on humidifier

Will check humidity again when lights come on at 10 pm

Todays pic…

As i now only have 17" between plant and light this wknds job is to shorten the legs on the frame!

And would anyone suggest a bit of leaf removal?!?

@MattyBear @dbrn32 @PurpNGold74 @Niala and anyone else who knows!?!

3 Likes

Looks plenty dense enough you could probably justify removal of a few fan leaves. You should probably treat it as more of an ongoing process though. Instead of stripping entire plant, grab a few today, then wait day or two and grab a few more, until you feel you’ve opened up the canopy a satisfying amount. When you’re inside of a couple weeks to harvest you give a more aggressive stripping if you want.

Umm, I feel like it’s quite the opposite. Dirt will already have some silica in it, so it’s rarely needed when you grow in soil. But I would venture to say a little bit can help. That’s why I use it the way I do. But hydroponically there’s usually not high enough silica content in water.

This makes me laugh. Seems like any reasonable hydro plant I’ve seen grows way faster than in soil and there’s nothing weak about them. Perhaps this particular persons idea of silica use is the reason his hydro plants are not as good?

4 Likes

Ya I need to go down to my chemical room and have a lookskie. I hope it’s down there because I only used it once and can’t remember it’s name but I am almost positive that I have some silica that’s specifically made for hydro.

I got a room full of growing chemicals that mainly just sit there lol

2 Likes

Here it is!

Doesn’t mention anything about pH though

3 Likes

You probably ought to be around 40 to 50% humidity at this stage of your grow. No need to humidify your grow space while in flower.

As I said: if you are seeing a change in PH with the introduction of silica, that tells you that it went into solution.

3 Likes

Grow journal update…

Gave 8 litres water pH 6.3

Got 1.7 litres run off pH 6.8

Humidity was under 50% on both meters

Temp aim 25° during day hours

Humidity should be 45% - 55% (as per @Niala VDP chart) so have left humidifier on

Humidity should be 30% - 42% during night hours (temp aim 20°) so will turn off humidifier for night hours

Have removed a few fan leaves as per @dbrn32 suggestion

Todays pic…

1 Like

You’re looking pretty damn good there!

1 Like

Cheers @dbrn32!

Im now just about past the stage the last grow died at so this is all new to me!

Seems like you have it figured out for now. Keep doing what you’re doing.

1 Like

Trust me… I not gona change a thing!

1 Like

Grow journal update…

Gave 8 litres of water 16 ml bloom feed 4 ml liquid silicon 8 ml bloom boost

Removed more leaves to open up bid sites

Having just stated “im not gona change a thing”! I’ve added plant magic bloom boost to the feed as per their schedule

States to give 1 - 2 ml per liter from start of 4th week to end of 7th week of flowering

Will give lower dose of 1 ml per litre

FORGOT TO CHECK PH!!

Got 2.5 litres run off pH 6.9

Should probably waited till tomorrow to feed but am away for work

Thinking this explains the higher than usual run off amount?!?

Humidity reading on 2 meters was 48% and 60% so have left humidifier off

Todays pic…

2 Likes

This is the bloom boost

Would anyone recommend using / not using this?!?

@dbrn32 @Niala @MattyBear and anyone else who knows!

https://www.onestopgrowshop.co.uk/products/plant-magic-bloom-boost

1 Like

Hmm. Nothing wrong with a product like that, but I’m not sure about recommended dosage times. It seems like most manufacturers would recommend that kind of product to be used around week 3 of 12/12.

3 Likes

Sorry for the late reply.

Well, I used to use silica from the beginning until the stretch ended. Then @Majiktoker or someone told me I should keep using it, so I use it for the whole grow until I flush.

Just so you know, I’ve done this now on the last three plants I cut down (blueberry auto, blackberry kush, and gold leaf).

2 Likes