Soft Secrets
Product Fla sh
13
By Chris Marchand
VIALOX NAV 4Y Sodium Lamp from Osram High Intensity Discharge lamps can be used for many things; mostly outdoor lighting, shop displays and lighting up churches according to Osram’s website. However, the best thing to do with them is to grow fat buds under them! Though they might not be too quick to admit it, Osram have just done indoor ganja growers a big favour by improving the good old sodium lamp. The new Vialox NAV 4Y is their improved model HID sodium lamp that boasts a lifetime of 16,000 hours (or 4 years hence 4Y, geddit?) and premature failure rates down to 5%, so they last longer and shouldn’t fuck up very often. The design has been tweaked to prevent gas losses at the bushings as well as adding high-performance ceramics to reduce sodium diffusion AND a patented Breha shock absorber in the mounting. Who could ask for more? Ever notice that the first crop under a new bulb is better than the fifth? Usually sodium lamps would noticeably drop in efficiency after a few crops and need replacing but with the Vialox the bulbs lifetime should be considerably extended. After the full 16,000 hours of continuous use it is doubtful that the spectrum delivered by the bulb would still be optimum, after all specific light spectrums are not a big concern in outdoor lighting. Nevertheless, any improvements are welcome ones and anecdotal evidence says that there is an obvious increase in light output. Remember: Light is the plants real food; all the nutrients do is allow the plant to use the light, so any extra is a real bonus. Next time you buy a Sodium bulb ask for a Vialox NAV 4Y and your plants are sure to appreciate it! Osram lamps should be available from all good grow shops Wholesale info: Brouwers Lichttechniek Tel.: +31(0)13-467 1888 / Fax: +31(0)13-463 76 12.
Bounce from Atami Coconuts have been known to root floating in the sea so it’s no surprise then that coco fibre provides an ideal growing medium either on it’s own or added to soil. Considered by many to be the ideal middle ground between organic and hydroponic cultivation, coco provides an interesting alternative to standard growing methods. Atami, who have been known for their high quality substrates for many years, have now produced Bounce, a completely new compressed coco-substrate made from coarse coir fibres taken from Sri Lanka and other tropical islands. Before being sold the coco is washed, steamed, and even buffered making them very high quality coco that is easy to use. You don’t even need to buffer it before you use it. All you need do is add 5 to 7 litres of water and watch it swell to a height of 20cm in its block bag. Plants settle quickly in the coco putting out strong roots due to the large numbers of rooting hormones found naturally in the coir, while the medium itself holds its structure allowing for good drainage and plenty of oxygen to the roots. Particularly handy for all you guerrilla gardeners; just load a few of these in your backpack and off you go merrily planting out in the countryside. As long as you find some water you’ll be just fine. Available from all good grow shops Info: Atami, The Netherlands Tel.: (+31) (0) 73-5223256 Fax: (+31) (0) 73-5213259 Website: www.atami.com / E-mail: info@atami.com
The Amazon from Nutriculture
Due to it’s natural make-up Power Top won’t increase the EC of the nutrient solution or create any blockages in pipes and tubes, so you needn’t worry about overfeeding or clogging up your system. For optimum results the manufacturers recommend using Power Top in combination with a base nutrient and bloom stimulator, both available from Bio-G-Power (Soil Compo 1/ Multi Hydro and BIO 3), although Power Top can be used with any nutrient regime and system, including coco.
Areoponics represent a step on from hydroponics in terms of cultivation technology. In a hydroponic set up nutrition is delivered to the plant in liquid form directly to the roots whilst an inert medium, such as clay pebbles or rockwool, replaces the structure of the soil to support the plant. The difference with aeroponics is that no medium is required leaving the roots to hang in the air and be fed by a fine mist of nutrient enriched water. The advantage is that nutrients are applied even more directly to the root system giving quicker growth. The root system also has access to unlimited oxygen and CO2 adding to the enhanced performance. This space-age technology has been applied in commercial fruit producing greenhouses for years but until now has been economically out of reach for the average home-grower. Nutriculture have looked into this growing technique and come up with a simple, cheap and effective solution that is affordable for any hobby grower. Normally aeroponics would require expensive high-pressure fittings to create an adequate mist for the plant to absorb directly. To get round this problem the Amazon comes with a powerful MaxiJet1000 pump that feeds four spinning jets. These jets convert the pressure of the water into individual droplets that are dispersed 360 degrees ensuring that the whole chamber is covered by the miniature rainstorm. The Amazon has a 50litre reservoir and a plastic moulded lid to hold the plants and is based around the same principles as their aeroponic propagators. The difference is that the Amazon is designed to accommodate plants to full maturity. The lid comes with three different options; either for eight, sixteen, or thirty-two plants in mesh pots; now you can have your own areoponic jungle in your cupboard.
Power Top and all other Bio-G-Power products are available from New Age Hydroponics, Lancs. Tel.: +44(0)1254 661177
Available from all Nutriculture stockists. Check www.nutriculture.com for your local stockist.
Power Top from Bio-G-Power Bio-G-Power boasts “25% more profit” with their latest development in natural floral boosters, Power Top. A 100% natural floral stimulator (or Top Blaster as they like to call it) made up of botanical extracts, minerals and plant hormones designed to give explosive growth your buds, Power Top is designed for use in the last four weeks of the flowering stage prior to the all-important flush. The specially selected plant hormones stimulate the plants natural maturation process towards the end of the floral stage, in other words it sends a message telling the plant that it is time to ripen and fatten up. This ensures that all of its energy is redirected into floral growth resulting in swollen up prized buds.
Exo Modular Frame Systems from Nutriculture Recently the cannabis growing market has been flooded with various types of grow cabinet, or box, or tent and often they carry a hefty price tag. The Exo System is not one such product. Instead it is a simple frame system that can be constructed to create a kind of cage around the grow area. There are many advantages to having your plants surrounded by a frame. The frame gives you numerous points to hang lights, circulation fans and ventilation ducting (though probably not a carbon filter) in just the right places, thus giving you extra control over the environment. In short, no more hooks in the
ceilings, chain hanging down or web of bud supports. Also, the frame can be covered in reflective sheeting to create a more light-intense enclosed chamber or grow tent where the environment can be easily controlled. Supporting branches with fat colas can be a real headache as harvest time approaches but with an Exo frame the buds can be tied to wherever suits them best. What’s more the Exo frame gives not only a tidier but safer grow room allowing you to get all dangling cables and electrics off the floor and out of harms way. The frames are made from sturdy metal and fit together with high quality adapters. The Exo System includes five kits that are suitable for a wide variety of Nutriculture hydro systems, although all the components are available separately allowing you to tailor the frame to your specific space. Available from Nutriculture stockists. Check www.nutriculture.com for your local stockist.
