Count Floyd starts the countdown with a reminder …
“We’ve got nothing to fear but fear itself, Nothing not failure not fatal tragedy, not from from faulty units in this mad machinery, not from broken contacts in emotional chemistry”
Grab your lighters … the shows about to start! 
*** FINAL PRE-GROW ANNOUNCEMENT ***
4 seeds have been started. 1 is cracked, 2 have tails, 1 is getting fat.
2 seeds were started 17 January, two more started on the 18th
The plan is:
Grow out all germinated Feminized Frankenstein seeds. For this grow I’ll be focusing on the HILDA phenotype. Any resulting OLIVE phenotypes will be noted and donated to local growers with documentation requested on the grows.
To be honest the cracked bean probably isn’t going to germinate so I’m hoping for 3 HILDAS. 
As long as we have at least 1 HILDA pheno we’re good to go - any OLIVE’s will be replaced with the following (up to a total of 3 plants maximum)
• MAG Landrace feminized photo
• Super Silver Haze
But wait there’s more … At the end off of the grow we will be finishing up with a true MONSTER MASH - mashing monster buds! Yep, live resin courtesy of Frankie’s Daughter will be pressed up at the after party 
The gates will open Saturday 21 January 2023 as close to 01:21:23 pm as possible - expected close 18 weeks after start (16 for the grow and two weeks to get an estimated dry weight)
I’m washin the walls, cleaning the floor and setting up chairs. If you think you might have questions you might want to sit in the front so I don’t overlook ya. Light entertainment will be provided but you’re gonna need to bring your own meals 
Thanks to everyone for following along!
Anticipation 
…
I’ll make sure to stop by the Viking burger hut before I come by next time.
I’m in, grabbing a recliner and turning on the night light…
uh oh… look a rustle in the hedge grove
there appears to be some commotion at the turnstiles
could the show be starting early? 
What a tease!
yep… the word is out! it’s gonna be 01:21:23 am not pm! WooHoo! The preliminary draft is complete and the opening will be happening within the next two hours - I’m so nervous and excited I’m not gonna sleep anyway!
East coast folks, looks like you’ll be waking up with a MONSTER!
so glad you could attend, step inside, step inside …
let us share, don’t be scared, come on in, everything will be alright
Click the link and let’s get going …
Have a listen if you’d like or have a look around and let me introduce the crew.
Contrary to rumors there will be no Strawberry Alarm Clock, Tears for Fears or Rush; the girls are gonna tell us when the show is over.
First up: introducing the Support Staff -
• Joe the Plumber and friends
Two five gallon/19 liter tubs per plant, one black & one white, black air line & 4 port 17w aeration pump. 1 medium to large weighted air stones per tub
• The Chemical Brothers
Though I’m in the process of switching to the entire TPS line - for this grow we will be using up the last of the General Hydroponics Flora Grow Trio for hard water used @ 3ml for every 5 called for on the label. PH Down, Hydroguard, Cal/Mag as needed, Epsom Salt as needed & TPS Signal during flowering.
• Bruno Mars Hydro & the true sun LED’s
Mars Hydro TS3000 old model with adjustable intensity 5x5 veg, 4x4 flower
• Kraft Services provided by Gorilla Tape & Training Wire (™)
(Monster Mashing will feature the NUG SMASHER XL)
Attempting to run the show, answer questions, deal with the MONSTER(s) and throttle the press will be yours truly.
For those who don’t know me - I’m happy to meet you and welcome aboard.
I’ve been growing for AWHILE- I started smoking at 16, growing at 18 and I’ll be turning 65 during the course of this grow - you do the math. I’ve lived in the American Southwest most of my life and over time figured, hey I can boil water… how hard can Hydro be? I jumped into the tub with both feet, made quite a splash and after more than 10 years I have to say I’m quite enjoying the water. I tend to adjust my grows to my growing environment more than adjusting my growing environment. Being a common man on a disability retirement and as actual A/C instead of evaporative cooling is not really an option; you quickly learn to do what you can, not always what you should. Many of the hydroponics techniques that will be discussed and shown are NOT standard practice for Hydro and are adjustments that I have found work for me and my given situation and should be noted accordingly. (if not call me out on it - please)
and last… but certainly not least is the star of the show HILDA, Frankenstein’s Daughter; (AKA Feminized Frankenstein from seed by @GrouchyOldMan and his very small support staff - ‘The Frank N Beans Team’ developed from the ‘never tire of the high’ classic cutting only Frankenstein by @JohnnyPotseed ) who will be teaching and reminding us all that the Spice is the variety of life!
Rest assured; the techniques shown and method outlined during this grow will and do work for ANY growing medium and ‘indoor’ cannabis plant. It is the plant structure itself that is important and though your timeline may need to be adjusted for your growing medium as long as the structure is in place - you’re on the right track.
• If you’re not opposed to seeing another grow site mentioned below is a link to a virus checked PDF file of BU2B’s PPP Method V2. Feel free to grab a copy, look it over and hit me up with questions or comments as we progress.
** BU2B’s PPP Method V2 **
Other than germination using the paper towel & baggie method the girls will live their entire lives encased in a 2 inch net pot sandwich of hydroton, jiffy pod, hydroton as dangling root water babies.
Note: My health isn’t great so just a heads up on that front as the journal MAY be interrupted from time to time due to health issues, procedures or surgeries. Just normal stuff for me - but you should be aware that there’s the possibility that you may need to entertain yourselves for a few days during the course of the grow. But … as Beethoven would say ‘I’ll be Bach’ - if I’m here …
Thanks again to everyone for joining me on the trip - this is going to one Monster of a Mash! I’m looking forward to getting to know you as we share the journey
The Highly Tentative Itinerary
Post’s, Pictures & Progress – Monday through Friday
Questions, Comments & Musings – Saturday & Sunday
However if like me you have a tendency to have a bit of a short term memory issue for some reason, by all means feel free to ask questions, make comments or whatever you feel is needed at any given time – before you forget it. 
and away we grow … More photos and a quick ‘They’re in the tub’ update coming shortly - 
but for now… I’m smokin’ a bowl!
And they’re off. Two so far. It’s official, the girls are in the water.
PH 6.01 - 6ml hydroguard added to each tub
We have another tail folks! Here are the girls 12 hours in. Update and the first of many NSHP* notices coming up.
*NonStandardHydroPractice
Bro that photo. Love it. Did you make that?
The Monster Mash
21 January 2023
NSHP (Non Standard Hydro Practice) Notice
KISS and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Most folks who grow in Hydro DON’T use jiffy pods OR 2 inch Net Pots. Here’s why I use both:
On a separate note -
I REALLY hesitated about posting this - but here’s an excerpt from a DM between myself and a fellow OG member - I think it’s important…
“It takes me awhile to put on my public face - and get into the swing of things. Once I get past my fears, open up and realize most folks are just growers just like me with their special skill being only their hearts and desire to help others. [I do fine, but] There’s always this nagging little Angel of doubt that says ‘everyone is gonna see who you are and that you’re no one special’ which is true and deep down really the therapy of the disclosure to the public of my grows and sometimes horrible habits. AND I am in fact, no one special and just another grower trying to OVERGROW the planet.”
That is a pending question in the OctoZone also,
@BU2B. Soil or ceramic pebbles in the net cup? The jury is still out NAICT.
I’m a newly confirmed Octo guy, hence a novice at generic Hydro, hence this dumb question: what role does the “Air Gap” in your style of hydro play?
I have come to believe that the Air Gap is the most important feature of the Octo system of hydroponics. Do you monitor or adjust it in your system?
-Grouchy
What I use is a bit of a mix between standard Hydro practice and the Kratkey Method
Basically Kratkey is to put your nutrients in tub and allow your plants to use them up. That’s it, no O2 aeration needed as THE GAP which increases over time allows for plant respiration and root growth.
Some may keep their water levels right at about an inch below the net pot. I prefer at least two and often up to 5 inches below the bottom of the pot, allowing water/nutrient levels to ebb and flow with the plants growth and watering/feeding schedule. For me - at least a TWO INCH gap between the net pot and the top of the liquid in your tub is a given and is ALWAYS a part of my Hydro grows as I think it’s IMPERITIVE for proper plant respiration. As far as whether you choose a jiffy pod or rock wool or another starting medium entirely is ‘in my view’ really of no consequence other than when and how one goes about establishing roots for their ‘newbies’.
And here I am, late to the party… 
…again…
Excellent start @BU2B!
I was wondering how you would go about netting a Lb/plant…
Hydro is “the way” for sure!
I’m sitting at the front taking notes because this will be a great learning experience for me as I know little about hydro…
Cheers
G
I’m a little late to the party, as usual Thanks to @GrouchyOldMan for sending me in this direction. I’m gonna pull up a chair back in the corner, that is if you don’t mind
This is great information for a someone like me. I always wondered how you got roots from a seedling without the use of recirculation. Thanks for that! 
Oh btw, you ever heard of coco pods? Last year I found these awesome little pellets. They look, feel, and expand just like the Jiffy’s that I used before, but they are coconut fiber. And as I’m sure you know, coco fiber is much more sustainable than sphagnum peat moss. So I switched. Just a thought for ya. I love em!
