Grow Mediums In res or top feed: ReCharge & Great White Mycorrhizae

[briefbriefs]

I’ve seen some growers say they top-feed a little bit of Recharge (not enough for runoff) and/or top feed Great White...and some growers put it directly into the res (usually they’re running Hydroguard to control clogging lines). What are your thoughts and advice? Recharge has molasses, so it makes sense to top feed but Great White has no sugars at all.

 

[Olderfart]

Haven't used either, but rather than risk plugging issues, I would turn off the reservoir for a while to let the plans drink most or all of the nute liquid in the tray, then give them a top feed of the same nute solution with the Myco added. You will want to get the Myco solution throughout the pots to make sure that you inoculate the whole thing, so I would apply enough of the nute/myco mix to get some runoff into the autopot tray. I would then let the plants drink that up, and turn the reservoir back on.

That is if you are talking about adding Myco once the reservoir is turned on, which as I recall yours is not yet. If you want to add it now, just top water with the same nute solution with the Myco added. Other than cost, I don't see any disadvantage in continuing with Myco mix until you turn on the reservoir, and doing so may make sure that early root development is well inoculated .

But, I haven't used the stuff, so pay attention to contrary opinion from those who have.

 

[briefbriefs]

Haven't used either, but rather than risk plugging issues, I would turn off the reservoir for a while to let the plans drink most or all of the nute liquid in the tray, then give them a top feed of the same nute solution with the Myco added. You will want to get the Myco solution throughout the pots to make sure that you inoculate the whole thing, so I would apply enough of the nute/myco mix to get some runoff into the autopot tray. I would then let the plants drink that up, and turn the reservoir back on.

That is if you are talking about adding Myco once the reservoir is turned on, which as I recall yours is not yet. If you want to add it now, just top water with the same nute solution with the Myco added. Other than cost, I don't see any disadvantage in continuing with Myco mix until you turn on the reservoir, and doing so may make sure that early root development is well inoculated .

But, I haven't used the stuff, so pay attention to contrary opinion from those who have.

haha thank you! yeah thats a good tip to turn off the res and also use the same solution -- plus its even easier that way!

 

[jokgga]

Would you just take a cup of water from the res and just top feed, letting the run off stay in the tray?

I am thinking this same thing as I turned my autopot on and would like to add Recharge/GW. Would another option be to add it inside the tray directly or would that not work?

 

[olegren]

Would another option be to add it inside the tray directly or would that not work?

Did you ever try this? Was wondering the same thing myself.

I know the manufacturer cautions against anything organic in the res; but wondering if it would do any better localized to the trays since at least it's not backfeeding into the lines. I would think, at worst, it would just gunk things up.

Also -- sorry, @Olderfart . I meant to actually put points on that rep vote; and clicked through too quick. Can't seem to edit. Regardless: Thanks for another nugget of wisdom. Have been trying to figure out how to combine bennies with autopots for a while. I read so many cautionary tales on not mixing bottom + top watering; but my (admittedly limited) experience is reinforced by the things you've mentioned in this thread and a couple others. Doesn't seem to pose a problem unless you have other issues.

 

[Olderfart]

Did you ever try this? Was wondering the same thing myself.

I know the manufacturer cautions against anything organic in the res; but wondering if it would do any better localized to the trays since at least it's not backfeeding into the lines. I would think, at worst, it would just gunk things up.

Also -- sorry, @Olderfart . I meant to actually put points on that rep vote; and clicked through too quick. Can't seem to edit. Regardless: Thanks for another nugget of wisdom. Have been trying to figure out how to combine bennies with autopots for a while. I read so many cautionary tales on not mixing bottom + top watering; but my (admittedly limited) experience is reinforced by the things you've mentioned in this thread and a couple others. Doesn't seem to pose a problem unless you have other issues.

No worries @olegren, the zero points was my best laugh of the evening. Stay safe, and happy new year friend!

 

[Olderfart]

Did you ever try this? Was wondering the same thing myself.

I know the manufacturer cautions against anything organic in the res; but wondering if it would do any better localized to the trays since at least it's not backfeeding into the lines. I would think, at worst, it would just gunk things up.

Also -- sorry, @Olderfart . I meant to actually put points on that rep vote; and clicked through too quick. Can't seem to edit. Regardless: Thanks for another nugget of wisdom. Have been trying to figure out how to combine bennies with autopots for a while. I read so many cautionary tales on not mixing bottom + top watering; but my (admittedly limited) experience is reinforced by the things you've mentioned in this thread and a couple others. Doesn't seem to pose a problem unless you have other issues.

Oh, something that I failed to point out in my earlier comment about top watering, is that if your autopot grow has been on the reservoir for a long time, you would need to check runoff to see if its EC was higher than it should be. The warnings about top watering with autopots do have some substance to them, salts will build up in the top of the pots where the roots are not doing much to absorb them, and moving those down into the rest of the pot can cause mischief. My cure for this is to simply do a complete flush until the runoff is in spec, and I flush with nute mix at my desired EC and pH, not with plain pH'ed water. If your grow is advanced and the only thing you want to accomplish is getting bennies in there, and there is no sign of any need to flush for other reasons, you might be best to simply add the bennies manually to your tray. I would do this by turning off the reservoir, letting the plant(s) drink the tray dry, and then filling the tray with the same nute mix, but with bennies added. Adding to a dry tray may help make sure that lots of bennies get sucked up into the root zone, at least into the lower part of it.

Anyway, I apologize for not making this clearer in my earlier note, and hope that my failure hasn't caused problems with your grow.

 

[olegren]

Oh, something that I failed to point out in my earlier comment about top watering, is that if your autopot grow has been on the reservoir for a long time, you would need to check runoff to see if its EC was higher than it should be. The warnings about top watering with autopots do have some substance to them, salts will build up in the top of the pots where the roots are not doing much to absorb them, and moving those down into the rest of the pot can cause mischief. My cure for this is to simply do a complete flush until the runoff is in spec, and I flush with nute mix at my desired EC and pH, not with plain pH'ed water. If your grow is advanced and the only thing you want to accomplish is getting bennies in there, and there is no sign of any need to flush for other reasons, you might be best to simply add the bennies manually to your tray. I would do this by turning off the reservoir, letting the plant(s) drink the tray dry, and then filling the tray with the same nute mix, but with bennies added. Adding to a dry tray may help make sure that lots of bennies get sucked up into the root zone, at least into the lower part of it.

Anyway, I apologize for not making this clearer in my earlier note, and hope that my failure hasn't caused problems with your grow.

Thanks for that, amigo. And a very happy New Year to you and yours as well! I tried to +rep you on that follow-up, but apparently I need to find someone else to +rep first. Shouldn't be too hard.

I think I'll give the in-tray bennies approach a shot and report back. I had flushed extensively last week and found my runoff ppm to be in check (lower than input) from the first gallon to the 10th; so probably minimal risk. Still paranoid! Besides, in-tray would just be easier. I'll report back if I notice anything strange. Cheers!

 

[Olderfart]

And another Happy New Year to you and yours too.

Stay safe out there, January is going to get interesting. I look forward to seeing how your flush and bennies make out. Good luck with it.

 

[MassMom]

When I used Recharge I turned off my rez, let the ladies finish what was in their trays, then fed the Recharge directly into their trays. I was told not to top water once the rez is being used