I’m the guy who started growing with tap water, generic soil, plastic 5 gallon pot, and 4 blurples in my bathtub. Partly, this was because money was tight.
But the other reason was: I wanted to deliberately begin my cannabis growing/learning career in the most fundamental, methodical way possible, so as I got better, I could understand all of the different components of the process – AND how they work together.
I wanted to start with the premise: “It’s a friggen weed. How hard can it be?”
Though, I knew it wasn’t true.
I was going to need to raise the healthiest weed possible, feed it like a newborn, and optimize it for some very specific things.
I get it. 
That out of the way, here’s a snapshot of my general past/current practices, up through my current Cheese run in week 8. Of these basic areas, I only really want to focus on one or two. I want those to be the items that need the MOST attention in order to get the BEST QUALITY weed.
Plastic 5 gallon pot has become a series of 1, 3, 5 and 7 gallon fabric pots. On my current grow, I germed and grew in a 1 gallon for about 3 weeks, then up-potted to the 5. No need to modify now, imo.
Tap water (pH 7.0) became Brita-filtered tap water at pH 7.0 treated with a touch of ascorbic acid to treat chloramines. To date, I haven’t messed around with trying to hit a pH number consistently, but area this might be next.
Generic potting soil became same + perlite + sand + Nectar of the Gods feeder pellet things. I do not use a nutrient line or even a regular fertilizer. I generally rely on a few off the shelf things. But I see a lot about Jacks 321 for soil and Advanced Nutrients. I am thinking this should be the tandem focus area for Crop 2 this fall – this and “water” (above).
My bathtub became a 4x5x8 Vivosun tent. I have good ventilaton, VPD control, air movement, temp control, etc. No need for focus there, imho.
My blurples became a 1000-watt MH/HPS in said tent. This is ample light that I’m not sure I am managing well (heat is major, PPFD is huge). Basically, I actually want to downgrade to a high-end LED at this point, because me and my 1000 watt wrestle daily and it stresses me out. For now, let’s just leave it.
Should I focus on BOTH water and soil/nutrients next time? Or just one? (Remember: I am fully aware I could’ve been growing way better weed, so I’m not in rush that way. But I DO understand that nutrients are awfully $$ to be wasting them with untreated tap water, too.)
I think about something easy but well-balanced NPK – a Dr. Earth, Espoma, basic is fine. In regular, high quality potting soil (?). With something like Espoma Soil Acidifier? And supplementing per phase (veg, transition to flower, etc.).
Maybe this is just my Sunday geeking out. But this is how I like to roll, so if you feel like geeking out with me or havin’ a laugh, please join!
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) and you can mix that water with bought one (demineralized) to soften it. Using Advanced Nutrients pH Perfect would avoid your pH problem and you don’t need more extra ferts to have a decent grow, tried once and this was the result:
