West Coast Chronicles
- Thread starter Phylex
- Start date
Phylex
PICK YOUR OWN
It’s the logo for a business my brother and I started a couple of years ago. We developed an IOS and Android app for pre-ordering and pre-paying from dispensaries and delivery vendors. However Apple wouldn’t end up approving the app because they won’t support “pre-ordering or pre-paying” for what they consider “illegal drugs.” It was only for cannabis to begin with and even after geo fencing it so people only living in “approved” states could use it, they still wouldn’t approve it. They wanted us to remove all of our core features. In doing so, we would just be another weedmaps or leafly. So I scrapped the project after a year and a half.
My brother has been in the banking industry for a long time. He had some work arounds with long time contacts and clients. So we expanded into credit card processing for the cannabis industry, along with CBD, and Kratum merchants. That was going well for awhile, but it was a monstrous head ache. One stupid merchant that couldn’t follow instructions on how to use the gateway got herself shut down. Then came the world wind of account closures for all of our other merchants. After rounds of new strategies over the next 6 months, and quickly closed merchant accounts, I scrapped that too. My brother is still rocking it for only a select few merchants, but now it’s under his own corporation. I’ve moved on from that endeavor. It’s too much of a headache.
spyralout
🌱🌿🌲🔥💨
That sounds pretty badass. I can imagine the multitude of crazy headaches from gray area laws to stupid merchants (same kinda people who use self checkout and end up having the store clerk ringing everything up anyway).
Nice that you have experience in app development and business practices. We're always having to use temp agencies at work and they charge a decent chunk for their middleman services. We were looking into an app that would be an uber for temp workers. Basically pre-vetting with a skill set, background check, etc to register for an available temp database. Then if a job pops up the worker goes for it, and the company reduces cost by bypassing the temp agency. The worker also gets paid more because most of it will go to them vs. a full on temp agency. Workers comp insurance in case of safety incidents would be one of the tricky parts. Maybe this could be applied to the cannabis industry. "Temp trimmers and delivery drivers for hire"
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Phylex
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The not so great update: Day 32
Daily life has been hectic the past 2-3 weeks and I've neglected my full attention usually given to the girls. I half ass attempted to fix this issue due to personal time constraints, yet the problem has yet to correct itself.
It started 2-3 weeks ago with the lower fans yellowing as if they were hungry and cannibalizing themselves. Right about this time, I had upgraded my cheap TDS meter and I started using the new Bluelab TDS. The readings were quite different between the two. It really messed with my mental mojo.
I've always fed between 750-850 with the cheap TDS. However the Bluelab was reading north of a 1000. That really sent me into a, "well shit, what do I do now" scenario. I opted to go with the Bluelab readings and I lightened the payload to around 50% of the usual dosage.
The yellowing continued to progress. On the next watering, I bumped the feeding to about 80%. It was still getting worse. I opted to run strait water on the next scheduled cycle in the event something was "just off." Again, the problem wasn't correcting itself.
So the last two watering cycles I fed full strength, and I didn't even bother looking at the Bluelab reading. I'm still thinking they're underfed and hungry. I typically would be up to full strength by now anyway. I'm just trying to not let the Bluelab reading sway from what has been working. I don't usually feed every watering, but I feel like they're just not getting enough being so far behind the curve. I'm getting tired of stripping a pile of yellow fan leaves every watering.
I've neglected to check my PH due to time constraint. That's typically where I would have started. But I also know with everything else being equal, I should be on point at 6.2. I've mixed and measured it for quite some time now, checking the PH is an afterthought.
Here's my tent mess
Daily life has been hectic the past 2-3 weeks and I've neglected my full attention usually given to the girls. I half ass attempted to fix this issue due to personal time constraints, yet the problem has yet to correct itself.
It started 2-3 weeks ago with the lower fans yellowing as if they were hungry and cannibalizing themselves. Right about this time, I had upgraded my cheap TDS meter and I started using the new Bluelab TDS. The readings were quite different between the two. It really messed with my mental mojo.
I've always fed between 750-850 with the cheap TDS. However the Bluelab was reading north of a 1000. That really sent me into a, "well shit, what do I do now" scenario. I opted to go with the Bluelab readings and I lightened the payload to around 50% of the usual dosage.
The yellowing continued to progress. On the next watering, I bumped the feeding to about 80%. It was still getting worse. I opted to run strait water on the next scheduled cycle in the event something was "just off." Again, the problem wasn't correcting itself.
So the last two watering cycles I fed full strength, and I didn't even bother looking at the Bluelab reading. I'm still thinking they're underfed and hungry. I typically would be up to full strength by now anyway. I'm just trying to not let the Bluelab reading sway from what has been working. I don't usually feed every watering, but I feel like they're just not getting enough being so far behind the curve. I'm getting tired of stripping a pile of yellow fan leaves every watering.
I've neglected to check my PH due to time constraint. That's typically where I would have started. But I also know with everything else being equal, I should be on point at 6.2. I've mixed and measured it for quite some time now, checking the PH is an afterthought.
Here's my tent mess
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Phylex
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Okay, since my last post, I've been thinking about it more and now I'm wondering if it could potentially be root aphids. I've never had bugs in my grow space, but these had to be left outside for 12 days before moving into the flower tent.
Sometime in the last two weeks, I noticed one little flyer. Some tiny, black, gnat looking thing. I honestly didn't give it much thought because it was one and I figured it would die. (The UVB claims to kill bugs.) I haven't really noticed anything else until this last watering. I watered one of the plants and it seemed like 3-4 took flight. Again, I didn't give it much thought. I figured they were harmless and would die under the UVB's.
After a little research, I'm starting to think I might have root aphids. Which is what's been causing my plants to look underfed and yellowing like they are. I have AzaGaurd on hand. (I always use it as a soil drench for the first watering in new soil.)
Will watering with Azaguard kill the root aphids and is it safe to water with it while being this far along into flower? Or do I need to take a different approach?
I plan to buy some sticky traps for the flyers.
Thanks in advance for any insight or tips.
Sometime in the last two weeks, I noticed one little flyer. Some tiny, black, gnat looking thing. I honestly didn't give it much thought because it was one and I figured it would die. (The UVB claims to kill bugs.) I haven't really noticed anything else until this last watering. I watered one of the plants and it seemed like 3-4 took flight. Again, I didn't give it much thought. I figured they were harmless and would die under the UVB's.
After a little research, I'm starting to think I might have root aphids. Which is what's been causing my plants to look underfed and yellowing like they are. I have AzaGaurd on hand. (I always use it as a soil drench for the first watering in new soil.)
Will watering with Azaguard kill the root aphids and is it safe to water with it while being this far along into flower? Or do I need to take a different approach?
I plan to buy some sticky traps for the flyers.
Thanks in advance for any insight or tips.
Capt C
Saltwater Cowboy
I finally got over here to this journal WOW. Your grows a on point my man well done and thanks for sharing. I loved the last post with the plant issues. Well you are human like the rest of us. I have had that Blue lab for a few years now. Like your old one you hardly need it to much after getting used to it but it sure is nice to no that you have good accurate readings to rely on. Well worth the money.
Capt C
Saltwater Cowboy
Hopefully some soil growers can chime in @stiickygreen , @Jesselikes2Grow , @Baja.Beaches are a few.
Phylex
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Yes, I'm human. lol. Thanks for compliment and I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it. I definitely have my fair share of mishaps. I'm still chasing that perfect grow from start to finish. It feels the same as chasing that hole in one in my golf game. And I agree about the Bluelab being well worth the money. I've had the Bluelab PH soil pen for awhile now and I love it. Basically for the peace of mind regarding accuracy. That's why I decided to upgrade the TDS too.
Capt C
Saltwater Cowboy
They are not all that expensive if you add up all the costs of the cheap one's you have gone thru and just buy a BL to start with they would be a bargain.LOL
Phylex
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I actually first started growing with a PH of 6.5. But I found 6.2 works best for my medium. I think for my particular situation it's because I'm not in straight soil. I run a 40, 40, 20 combo. FFOF, Pindstrup Blonde, Perlite. The Pindstrup Blonde is an amended sphagnum peat/coco substrate. I haven't really ran into this though. It's either the excessively light feeding from the TDS snafu, or those flyers I'm seeing are mature root aphids. I was reading up and root aphids can cause similar symptoms to what I'm seeing. I'm starting to wonder if that's the cause, vs. underfed. I've hit them with two heavy doses in a row now to no prevail. I want to treat the soil next watering as a precautionary. Any idea if Azagaurd would kill the root aphids or if it's even safe to use at this point into flower?
SoLowDoughLow
Mediocre grower
Whoa! I've been using this chart for hydro! Look how different the calcium is... I thought it was better absorbed above 6.0
Phylex
PICK YOUR OWN
Thanks for the link @Jesselikes2Grow I’ll take a look. It grabbed me from the jump with “destroy.” And I would also concur about 6.5 in soil. I would also concur PH should be the first thing to check with issues. Including the pens calibration. I’ve learned most issues are Ph related and lockout usually trumps deficient in more situations than not. All sound advice you gave me. Due to time constraints that’s the one thing I haven’t checked but it’s normally the first thing I do check. I plan to double check that next watering for piece of mind. But I’m also going to stop overlooking these little flying fuckers since there’s more than that one that I spotted just to play it safe. I feared bugs were going to be a possibility once I had to put the plants outside for a couple of weeks. Those unfortunate circumstances broke protocol number one: sterile work environment. I’m trying to avoid the defcon 5 contamination sequence. Lol
Phylex
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You're most welcome. I'm just as grateful for your interest in running them. Even though it was an experimental chuck, I'm the most eager to see how the Blunt Force Trauma comes out. The BCK is definitely one I want to keep around and play with once I get started with a true, goal oriented project coming up in the future. She's a special girl and I believe with a little help, she's going to turn some heads.Haha, I must be really high. I thought I posted this on your thread Phylex, but I was on @SoLowDoughLow 's thread. I saw his post and had to run to the mailbox. Rofl.
I'm Lmfao for really real. Hahahaha. Here it is again for your thread.
Bomb diggity @Phylex
I'm gonna have to do you proud my man.
A very warm thank you for that.
Very excited to have a go at them, gotta see what the BCK is all about after all you've spoken of her.
Sounds like a box checker for sure.
Really they all do, after seeing the culmination of your efforts in their making.
Fire brother, awesomesauce!!!
There, now it's in the proper place. I even corrected my typo's.
Edit, weird, I didn't attach anything. Lol, but there one is. Wtf?
Baja.Beaches
Super Active Member
I think you already have some good input but will throw in for what its worth. It looks like nutes, not pests to me. I agree with Jesse, they look hungry.
I have never used a TDS meter but would expect that BlueLab to be a good one, I use the PH unit all the time, the best.
The real expert tho is the Schwaggy professor, @Schwaggy P . Maybe he will chime in.
A very nice grow you have going there.
Phylex
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I definitely appreciate the feedback. Sincerely. And that very well could be. I was thinking the same thing for the first 2-3 weeks up until yesterday. I very well may not have seen any improvement because of my lack of commitment the last couple of weeks. Without getting into details, it's been an intense couple of weeks and the girls have only received minimal attention. Definitely not the best circumstances when trying to work through an issue.
SoLowDoughLow
Mediocre grower
Well I guess i have decided which one i'm gonna pop first!
Phylex
PICK YOUR OWN
Update: Day 33
Okay, so today I was ready to spend the necessary time needed to get down to the bottom of this. It appears I have two problems going on and I'll need a little help identifying one of them.
The first problem, like @Jesselikes2Grow and @Baja.Beaches suggested, is stemming from a PH issue. That's all on me for assuming the formula I've been using wouldn't change and the lack of double checking my work. Watering days have been rushed, and checking PH from time to time was an afterthought.
The first thing I did this morning was recalibrate my ph pen. The plain ole tap water measured 7.0. This was my first red flag. Over the winter and spring, it was measuring closer to 8.0. I had a feeling this was going to happen and I didn't do anything about it to watch it. Last summer and fall the tap water was 7.0. At some point during late fall or winter, the city must have adjusted their water and it changed closer to 8.0 throughout winter and spring. I was almost expecting an adjustment at some point, but I never stayed diligent to catch the switch. So I never adjusted my PH down measurement.
The second thing I did was check the tap water with my normal PH down measurement. It came out to 5.6. This would explain the lockout of nutrients.While it was spot on 6.2 when the water was closer to 8.0, it clearly dropped the floor on me when the tap water was adjusted by the city.
I also doubled checked all of the measurements with the PH drops for a second reference and the results were the same.
I was planning to take this further and measure my run-off PPMs, run-off PH, and soil PH today. As well as make the necessary adjustments. However that will need to wait until tomorrow. The soil isn't quite dry enough today.
My second issue is the flyers. I saw two today on one leaf. I briefly fingered a couple of the girl's soil and I didn't see any movement or anything noticeable. I'm not ruling that out yet. But I snapped a couple of photos of the bugs. I could use some help identifying them. I'm not sure if they're fungus gnats or mature root aphids.
I do have some sticky traps arriving today, and I can treat the soil tomorrow if necessary.
Any idea if these are fungus gnats or mature root aphids?
Shall I phone a friend and call out the big guns @Schwaggy P
I'm now leaning toward fungus gnats based on the abdomen structure. But it's a hard call for me.
Okay, so today I was ready to spend the necessary time needed to get down to the bottom of this. It appears I have two problems going on and I'll need a little help identifying one of them.
The first problem, like @Jesselikes2Grow and @Baja.Beaches suggested, is stemming from a PH issue. That's all on me for assuming the formula I've been using wouldn't change and the lack of double checking my work. Watering days have been rushed, and checking PH from time to time was an afterthought.
The first thing I did this morning was recalibrate my ph pen. The plain ole tap water measured 7.0. This was my first red flag. Over the winter and spring, it was measuring closer to 8.0. I had a feeling this was going to happen and I didn't do anything about it to watch it. Last summer and fall the tap water was 7.0. At some point during late fall or winter, the city must have adjusted their water and it changed closer to 8.0 throughout winter and spring. I was almost expecting an adjustment at some point, but I never stayed diligent to catch the switch. So I never adjusted my PH down measurement.
The second thing I did was check the tap water with my normal PH down measurement. It came out to 5.6. This would explain the lockout of nutrients.While it was spot on 6.2 when the water was closer to 8.0, it clearly dropped the floor on me when the tap water was adjusted by the city.
I also doubled checked all of the measurements with the PH drops for a second reference and the results were the same.
I was planning to take this further and measure my run-off PPMs, run-off PH, and soil PH today. As well as make the necessary adjustments. However that will need to wait until tomorrow. The soil isn't quite dry enough today.
My second issue is the flyers. I saw two today on one leaf. I briefly fingered a couple of the girl's soil and I didn't see any movement or anything noticeable. I'm not ruling that out yet. But I snapped a couple of photos of the bugs. I could use some help identifying them. I'm not sure if they're fungus gnats or mature root aphids.
I do have some sticky traps arriving today, and I can treat the soil tomorrow if necessary.
Any idea if these are fungus gnats or mature root aphids?
Shall I phone a friend and call out the big guns @Schwaggy P
I'm now leaning toward fungus gnats based on the abdomen structure. But it's a hard call for me.
ChronicWonders
BTM
They appear to be fungus gnats.
Looking through, the first thing that jumps out is the change in TDS meter. There are different scales of measurement that are used. So TDS meters can be either 0.5 or 0.7 scale. Your meters may be measuring at different scales giving you the discrepancy between the two measurements. If you backed off of your feeding, this issue may just be a couple of light meals.
This is an issue that I experience as well. Your city water can change both in ppm and pH seasonally depending on your area/climate. I get lower pH and ppm half the year and high pH/ppm the other half. If I forget to adjust to this, the sad plants are a great reminder
. I've noticed around this time of year, many growers start noticing weird pH or calcium related issues and I would suspect the water sources are changing for the season.The "big gun" is your friend
. These insects look like either flying ants or fungus gnats (compare the antennae, ants have a bend, gnats don't). I get a few flying ants in my soil veg area during the summer. They mostly hang out underneath leaves at the node. I have not noticed any ill-effects from their presence (but it's only a handful at most). The fungus gnats are going to be smaller and look more like little mosquitos.
I always mix mosquito bits or mosquito dunk product with my soil and refresh every so often to keep fungus gnats controlled.
Given the 3 suspects: possible ppm misread, water source pH fluctuation, and possible pest (most likely fungus gnats), I would:
Check to make sure which pest you're dealing with considering the pics and few descriptions. If you conclude fungus gnats, get a product similar to the mosquito bits to spread and water in to your top soil (with the correct feed and pH range).
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