"ZHO" Root Inoculant by Botanicare

I just got this ZHO Rhizosphere Root Inoculant this week and applied it to 5-6 outdoor plants in coco that are still young, roughly 3 weeks old.

We will see how it goes but I already know the powers of it's main ingredients based on past experiences with the same type of product but different company.

I will follow up in a few weeks to talk about how insane the root structure develops into a giant mass of feeders everywhere. For now, you can click on the flowers at the top of this page which will direct you to Sunlight Supply where you can find Botanicare ZHO. Be well.....

Cutting Edge Solutions

These Micro and Macro nutrients are priced less than most nutrients of the same size I have seen, but they work well and dissolve very easily into water. All of these formulas are water-thin liquids making it easy for dilution. I have used this stuff on several runs and I usually go full strength except for the first 2 applications where I start off with 3/4 strength. I have never had any deficiency or burns when using Cutting Edge Solutions.

Besides the Grow, Micro, and Bloom, Cutting Edge offers Uncle John's Solution, which is a good supplement delivering a boost of Potassium. Also in this picture is Mag-Amped, a booster that supplies a spike of Sulfur and Magnesium. Last but not least is Plant-Amp, a nice lil' spike of Calcium. The dilution rates are very good, on average 8-10 ml. per. gallon.

I picked this stuff up at my local shop, but you can search "Cutting Edge Solutions" and find many sources. Very wallet friendly and it lasts a long time. Will not clog up anything.

EcoPlus Air Pump

This is for sure the most cost efficient pump that delivers the oxygen you need for a basic home made 12-14 gallon Tupperware/Rubbermaid Deep Water Culture system. Two outlets means you can run two stones on separate sides of your tank. In a 12-14 gallon tank with 2 stones there will be a heavy flow of bubbles gushing to the surface of the water and keeping the nutrient solution moving constantly. You can adjust the pressure, but full blast is just fine for me. They run very quiet and they don't jump all over the place let alone even move. I use a different pump for an Oxygen Shield Diffuser, this works well for extra large stones.

This specific model with two outlets is best suited for my Rubbermaid tubs, which are used most often by DIY'ers DWC set-up's, using one pump to each tub. There are other models with more outlets, up to 8, and a smaller one with just one outlet. All priced accordingly to size. You can find them at Sunlight Supply, you can find Sunlight Supply by clicking on the flowers at the top of this page. Be well....

Black Gold Coco mix

This is great stuff at a great price. To be 100% honest, I usually buy compressed coco-bricks now a days, but there's no shortcomings in this stuff. It depends where you go, but I have found this specific bag to be priced very well for what it has. Works very well with hydroponics or outdoor organics. For hydroponics, I would recommend a few flood tables and Smart Pots filled up with this stuff, nice and simple.

You really don't need to add much if your going organic. Take it easy with your N,P,K's at first because this mix already has some of that. It contains Sphagnum peat moss, coconut fiber, earthworm castings, pumice, dolomite lime, and an organic wetting agent. You will need a good boost of Nitrogen for your early veg stages because the worm castings used are the phosphorous castings, not the nitrogen castings.

Some 5-gallon Smart Pots filled up with this stuff and some extra pearlite, preferably the large chunks, will blow you away. The roots will receive so much fresh oxygen but keeping moist and dark deep inside the choir. This will also air-prune the roots and form a very fibrous root system with feeder roots extending all throughout the pot. If you grow coco give it a try. I hope they come out with compressed blocks soon.

ProGrip Light Fixture Hangers

I'm sure many of you agree when I say there are certain times throughout your runs where you find yourself figuring out new ways to keep raising the lights every few days. Not that it's a bad thing, but I have some areas that have some rather questionable supports and fixtures holding HPS and CFL lighting. Thats where these came into play.

These snap&lock hangers preform well under pressure. Climbing hooks on each end makes attachment quick and easy. The ratchet-like pully action locks the cord into place where ever you want. Simply pull the excess cord to raise the lights. A push button thumb-lock will release the lock mechanism allowing you to lower them. They are super secure and you know it's guaranteed because Sunlight Supply makes these and they don't make any junk.

O/S "Oxygen Shield" Air Diffuser

If you grow your crops using any kind of Deep Water Culture methods, then I highly recommend getting yourself one of these Oxygen Diffusers from "Deep Water Innovations". These units come in all different sizes to best suit your DWC buckets, tubs, or whatever you use. The wide area coverage is gives you really makes a difference in the amount of oxygen the roots receive. These are not cheap and ineffective rocks.

Switching over to these after using the typical "air stones" was very impressive. The large area coverage it supports in comparison to spaced out stones was great and used just one line instead of multiple lines supplying multiple stones. I must say, I was stoked.

The area coverage is just half of the equation. The other advantage it offers is the ability to turn your 20 millimeter bubbles (on average) from you stones, into micro diffused .25 (1/4 millimeter) bubbles. There are 2 different bubble sizes you can get with these diffusers- 3 millimeter and .25 millimeter. Thats a massive size difference between the bubbles that air stones create. A new air stone will produce bubbles that range from 20-30 millimeters, an air stone covered with algae and other organic matter will make even larger bubbles, more than 50 millimeters in diameter. Thats a big bubble that does not work well with the roots. What the roots love are tiny, micro diffused oxygen bubbles that are able to work in harmony with you N,P,K and beyond. The Oxygen Shield helps to create this environment.

Deep Water Innovations is a stand up company that has really good stuff. You can find all of their products through Sunlight Supply, another "stand-up" company with a great reputation. Clicking on the flowers at the top of this page will bring you to their site.