Starting a SOLO-e (K-Lite + Kelpmax) experiment

[ChrisFL]

I just ordered a bottle of Ray's SOLO-e concentrate. This will be the first time I've used fertilizer on many of these sensitive PNG species in a long long time.

I will be watching them carefully. I'm hoping to see bigger, stronger growths, and faster growth.

I'll be very wary of yellowing leaves and dropping leaves, which is what I've experienced in the past using standard MSU.

 

[Ray]

Well, the KelpMax is a 0-0-1, so you'll have more K than the K-lite provides.


Ray Barkalow
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[ChrisFL]

Thanks for the heads up Ray. All the reading I've been doing on KelpMax after we exchanged e-mails still makes me keen to try it. I will take some "before" pictures today.

 

[ChrisFL]

Visible in this photo:

B. patella, caloglossum (seedling), streptosepalum, pseudotrias (leaf in the background), peltopus

 

[ChrisFL]

B. denophyllum, dolichoglottis, calceolus, unknown sp., striatellum, longicaudatum, M. dischorense...

 

[ChrisFL]

B. pahudii, nitidum, restrepia (import, making small growths), reevei, trachyanthum

 

[ChrisFL]

B. cheiropetalum, fraudulentum, reevei.

 

[ChrisFL]

B. dolichoglottis, longicaudatum, denophyllum

 

[ChrisFL]

Frontal:

 

[Rick]

I think you should do fine with this stuff. Since you haven't been fertilizing at all and things look so good, I wouldn't try to go higher than 10ppm N

What is the light duration in your system Chris?

I recently cut mine from 16 to 12 hours, and getting better results with my Pleurothalids.

The last 2 Bulbos I got from you are growing fine out in the GH. They get hit with 30-50ppm K lite with 1/4tsp/gal of Seaplex Kelp.

 

[ChrisFL]

Rick, I have automated seasonal lighting set for a latitude of 5 N. Pretty close to 12 on, 12 off right now, since we're so close to the equinox.

 

[Rick]

For 5 degrees North does it get past 14 on?

I was running 16hrs to compensate for reduced light intensity from the bulbs (compared to my GH levels). But several confounding factors including excess heat from the bulbs/reduced humidity... But lower K wasn't doing anything good for the plants in my indoor box. And since I could take a poor plant out of the box and have it turn around in the GH (same feeding schedule) then I looked at lighting. So far things are looking better.

 

[goods]

Looking forward to the results!

Off topic but did you retire the cold tank? I thought some of the ones pictured were growing in there at one time.

 

[ChrisFL]

I did retire it. Too much to have that tank up too, I'm trying to write my dissertation.

 

[ChrisFL]

Alright, dosed for the first time this afternoon, full strength (1 tablespoon per gallon). I hand sprayed the plants with a drug store hand mister so I could avoid spraying the snake.

I'll probably do this once a week.

This is the first time this tank has received external nutrients in ~3 years.