Perpetual Harvest Hydro

DaFreak

Well-Known Member
Here is one of those things where it makes you question conventional wisdom. I always take my cuts before flowering because I don't want to waste time revegging. And I have had to reveg plants deep into flower before, takes well over a month and sucks. But if Mellow says he has done it with success for a few weeks into flower then I am opt to believe him because why wouldn't you? Airwalk have you actually done it and noticed horrible growth patterns compared to other cuts and speaking from experience, or are you repeating what is considered common knowledge? I would hate to think you say somebody's advice is horrible unless you've actually disproved it yourself.
 

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
Here is one of those things where it makes you question conventional wisdom. I always take my cuts before flowering because I don't want to waste time revegging. And I have had to reveg plants deep into flower before, takes well over a month and sucks. But if Mellow says he has done it with success for a few weeks into flower then I am opt to believe him because why wouldn't you? Airwalk have you actually done it and noticed horrible growth patterns compared to other cuts and speaking from experience, or are you repeating what is considered common knowledge? I would hate to think you say somebody's advice is horrible unless you've actually disproved it yourself.
Yes. They took literally an entire month to stop growing single blades leaves and single calyxs at nodes. It's really a bad idea.
 

Thundercat

Well-Known Member
I have been running perpetual flood and drain for about 10 years now. It has its down sides, but in general is a great way to grow and get a continual harvest. It takes a lot of work, and plants to do it right.

1.grow out seeds and sex them or start with clones, and grow a mother plant.
2.Cut a batch of clones. I always cut 2x the amount I need even with 95% success rate this allows me to cul any weak plants.
3.once clones are rooted I veg them under t5s for about 1-2 weeks in 6 inch pots to allow the roots to develop.
4.when the plants are 7-8 inches tall they do into my flower room under a 1k hps in a 4x4 flood tray.

5. when the first batch of clones is rooted and into veg repeat steps 2-4 with the next batch.

Typically I harvest about 10 plants every 2-3 weeks. I try to have a constant cycle of 10-12 plants per batch going in and out of my flower room. Usually that means there is 36-45 plants flowering at all times at different stages of completion. They get harvested when they are ripe and ready, my current strains take about 9 weeks of actual flower time
 

Mellow old School

Well-Known Member
To conclude that after one attempt, is a very narrow window to give a review on. Look at @Renfro, he takes clones into flower and he seems to be doing fine.

It´s like saying, I went on a date because I wanted to get laid, that didnt happen, so I stopped dating...
 

Thundercat

Well-Known Member
To conclude that after one attempt, is a very narrow window to give a review on. Look at @Renfro, he takes clones into flower and he seems to be doing fine.

It´s like saying, I went on a date because I wanted to get laid, that didnt happen, so I stopped dating...
I recently put a seed plant under 12/12 for about 7 days to get it to stretch and show sex. I watched it close and as soon as I saw some little bracts and stigma I put it back into veg and cut the top off as a clone. It is vegging out perfectly still, and the clone was the first in that batch to root.

Everyone has this false idea that plants instantly start to flower when put under 12/12. Ignoring the biology of the transition between stages is frankly just simplistic. Specifically with immature plants like the one I did it with. With more mature genetics, the window is narrower to play with.
 

DaFreak

Well-Known Member
Yes. They took literally an entire month to stop growing single blades leaves and single calyxs at nodes. It's really a bad idea.
Well that's my experience. I do remember when I used to do seeds they would take an extra week or 2 in flower and there was probably a bigger window one could do it though.
 

DaFreak

Well-Known Member
It´s like saying, I went on a date because I wanted to get laid, that didnt happen, so I stopped dating...
I think it's more like, "not all girls will give you the clap, but better wear a condom." I am sure some strains can do it, I am sure some can't. Although I think it's very interesting and I love testing stuff like that, I think the safe advice is to avoid taking cuts in flower unless you don't have a choice.
 

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
Well that's my experience. I do remember when I used to do seeds they would take an extra week or 2 in flower and there was probably a bigger window one could do it though.
What it cones down to is that doing it puts unnecessary and avoidable stress on the plant and obviously it's hormones. So if you can get by taking them before flip and using really low par #s or pruning to keep them managed, it's a much smarter choice.
 

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
I think it's more like, "not all girls will give you the clap, but better wear a condom." I am sure some strains can do it, I am sure some can't. Although I think it's very interesting and I love testing stuff like that, I think the safe advice is to avoid taking cuts in flower unless you don't have a choice.
The ONLY tine you wouldn't have a choice would be if you lost all clones, or if you ended up needing it for some reason that was unknown before the flip. Other than that, they should just be taken before hand.
 

budman410

Well-Known Member
I have been running perpetual flood and drain for about 10 years now. It has its down sides, but in general is a great way to grow and get a continual harvest. It takes a lot of work, and plants to do it right.

1.grow out seeds and sex them or start with clones, and grow a mother plant.
2.Cut a batch of clones. I always cut 2x the amount I need even with 95% success rate this allows me to cul any weak plants.
3.once clones are rooted I veg them under t5s for about 1-2 weeks in 6 inch pots to allow the roots to develop.
4.when the plants are 7-8 inches tall they do into my flower room under a 1k hps in a 4x4 flood tray.

5. when the first batch of clones is rooted and into veg repeat steps 2-4 with the next batch.

Typically I harvest about 10 plants every 2-3 weeks. I try to have a constant cycle of 10-12 plants per batch going in and out of my flower room. Usually that means there is 36-45 plants flowering at all times at different stages of completion. They get harvested when they are ripe and ready, my current strains take about 9 weeks of actual flower time
You use lecaballs or coco?
 
Late reply. But my two cents.

I have 3 rooms. 8 plants in every room. Harvesting every 4ish weeks.

Clone
Veg
Flower

Both veg and flower can be interchanged if I screw timing up(mh/hps). Clone is just a cfl.

I flower for approx 8 weeks
I veg for 4-6 and (start the flip in the veg chamber)
As soon as the clones move to veg I cut and clone again and they are under 24h cfl light.

Takes a bit to get timing down. I use the growbuddy program to keep track of what crops are doing what. I sometimes do different strains in that case all my spots are numbered on all the rooms and those numbers correspond to the plant that’s flowering, veging, cloning.

I am all hydro so it’s super easy to just pull the basket out and plop it Into the next room. My system is also completely automated with smart sensors that monitor my temp and humidity and that turn fans and ac on and off as needed. All on my phone so I can check in at anytime.
 

Renfro

Well-Known Member
I am all hydro so it’s super easy to just pull the basket out and plop it Into the next room. My system is also completely automated with smart sensors that monitor my temp and humidity and that turn fans and ac on and off as needed. All on my phone so I can check in at anytime.
Very cool. Do you have a journal or thread with pics of your setup? Sounds really slick.
 

budman410

Well-Known Member
Hey sorry I missed your question. I use a mix of hydroton clay balls, and grow rocks. I prefer the grow rocks since they don't roll around, but I havn't been able to get them recently so I'm back to hydroton.
I use a aerocloner, any advice on moving them from cloner to table lately I’ve been getting more casualties. I rarely ever lose a clone when moving them to coco
 

Thundercat

Well-Known Member
I use a aerocloner, any advice on moving them from cloner to table lately I’ve been getting more casualties. I rarely ever lose a clone when moving them to coco
Not off hand, just be gentlish, and make sure they are at the correct height in the medium so they are watered properly once you move them.
 

OneHitDone

Well-Known Member
I use a aerocloner, any advice on moving them from cloner to table lately I’ve been getting more casualties. I rarely ever lose a clone when moving them to coco
Flood more frequently and make sure it's deep enough to fully were the area of stem rooted in the cloner?

I too have been playing with aerocloing and made the mistake of trying to use those straight into NFT channels. Pretty much went down in flames. Roots up higher on stems just dry out.
Back to rock wool cloning I go :peace:
 

budman410

Well-Known Member
Flood more frequently and make sure it's deep enough to fully were the area of stem rooted in the cloner?

I too have been playing with aerocloing and made the mistake of trying to use those straight into NFT channels. Pretty much went down in flames. Roots up higher on stems just dry out.
Back to rock wool cloning I go :peace:
Doing sog keeping up with over 100 cuts in rock wool dome cloners is a pain in the ass. Having the perfect environment for this aerocloner started being a pain after the first two successful cloning. Then this..ok I’ll give it one more try once these current clones root out, I turned the lights down on the table they going on and I’ll check how high the water get in the pots.
Also may top water for the first week and see f that helps. Thanks guys
 

herballuvmonkey

Well-Known Member
easiest way to run perpetual is with 3 8x4 tents 8 buckets a piece, Clone your plants at week 3 of veg ( I run indicas and veg for 4 weeks )do the same until all tents are full You will notice that By the time you get ready to clone the last tent the first is done. You should get 1 to 1.5 lbs if you are running 2000 watts per tent.
 

Keesje

Well-Known Member
I have been running perpetual flood and drain for about 10 years now. It has its down sides, but in general is a great way to grow and get a continual harvest. It takes a lot of work, and plants to do it right.

1.grow out seeds and sex them or start with clones, and grow a mother plant.
2.Cut a batch of clones. I always cut 2x the amount I need even with 95% success rate this allows me to cul any weak plants.
3.once clones are rooted I veg them under t5s for about 1-2 weeks in 6 inch pots to allow the roots to develop.
4.when the plants are 7-8 inches tall they do into my flower room under a 1k hps in a 4x4 flood tray.

5. when the first batch of clones is rooted and into veg repeat steps 2-4 with the next batch.

Typically I harvest about 10 plants every 2-3 weeks. I try to have a constant cycle of 10-12 plants per batch going in and out of my flower room. Usually that means there is 36-45 plants flowering at all times at different stages of completion. They get harvested when they are ripe and ready, my current strains take about 9 weeks of actual flower time
Nice explanation!

Question: If your flower period is a steady 8, 9 or 10 weeks, I can 'see' the perpetual system.
But how do you manage it, when 1 time it is 8 weeks and the other time they are not ready and they need another week or 2 weeks?
Then the ones in waiting in the veg room can not be transplanted to your flower room.
How do you handle that?
 

Thundercat

Well-Known Member
Nice explanation!

Question: If your flower period is a steady 8, 9 or 10 weeks, I can 'see' the perpetual system.
But how do you manage it, when 1 time it is 8 weeks and the other time they are not ready and they need another week or 2 weeks?
Then the ones in waiting in the veg room can not be transplanted to your flower room.
How do you handle that?
lol you are totally right it can be a headache running multiple strians, I try to find a balance that works. I try to keep strains that are within a few weeks of each other so if I need to leave a few plants longer it isn't real long. I also usually don't max out the number of plants in my tray. Typically I shoot for 10 plant batches which allows me to have room for 4 full cycles in my 4x4 tray and some stragglers from the last cycle if they didn't finish up quite right.
 
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