so i guess i should go with a syringe or pipette type instrument then, and make sure im shaking up the nutrients in the bottle before mixing. a digital pH meter probly wouldnt be too bad either, compared to basic pH reagent /color coding kit. although they seem finicky and require lots of care- which sort of foils my plans for quick fertigation routine. as for the process of mixing, i typically will make a 5 gal batch by filling with 4 gals of water or so, then adding FP, then ProTekt, then vinegar. i "stir" with a blast from the hose to mix things around and top off to 5 gals. for irrigation its just protekt then vinegar. i add nutrients according to my "typical" mix ratio, then measure, and adjust as necessary.

Here is a picture of two new fresh blooms that opened this morning. The blooms are really quite shapely and on the large side. They measure about 13 inches long from calyx to the tip of the corolla and about 7" wide. So it's a decent sized bloom. The fragrance is nice. Not overpowering and on the citrusy side. She is really making me think this one out. Each of these blooms also have corolla material up inside them as well.

It sounds to me like there's some obstruction in the vent leading off of that drain. The gurgling sound may not have been noticeable before because the old trap had built-up crud in it that either muffled the sound or slowed the escape of air so that you didn't hear a gurgle. Is this bathroom on the upper floor of your house, or in a single story house? If so, look up on your roof. If you see the vent pipe extending through the roof directly above the sink area in your bathroom, check it for any sort of visible clog that would prevent it from working properly. If you can't see anything, then you might try snaking the vent line to clear any any obstruction further down the line. Short lengths of manual plumbing snake are available at your local home center or hardware store. If you don't see a vent pipe protruding through the roof in the general area above the sink, your house may have vent lines that are connected to a central vent stack (more common on older or higher-end construction), or if the bathroom was added by a previous owner, it's possible that it wasn't properly vented at all. Studor vents aren't approved by the plumbing codes in all localities, or for all applications, but this type of vent is a possible solution if your sink isn't already properly vented. Your plumber should certainly know if a Studor vent is proper solution and complies with local plumbing codes. If there is a roof vent, though -- check it for obstructions first. Clearing a vent obstruction would be the easiest and cheapest fix.

I realize this would mean moving the connections, but we did it in our house, and the cable company charge was minimal, and because they were able to go through the crawl space, it was not a big deal. I agree that the armoire and the mirror on the other side are both fighting with the fireplace for attention. I would be inclined to move the armoire to the wall where the console table and round mirror are now. That area isn't really great for much else, because you have the doorway to the outside right there, so your traffic pattern has to stay open. That wall is large enough to handle the armoire flat against it, without overwhelming the wall space. It is hard to play with layouts, because depth and size can be hard to judge in a flat picture. I have a couple of options once the tv is moved. The first would be to place the couch on a diagonal from the fireplace to the window wall. I am not crazy about the couch against that half wall - it feels kind of like looking a someone who has on an overcoat and shorts - you don't really know what behind the couch because it is completely hidden, and takes away from the interest that the half-wall creates. Coffee table in front of the couch, and a great floor lamp behind it. The demilune cabinet might be nice on the wall to the right of the fireplace, with an art grouping over it and a small lamp. I would then put the two matching chairs on the half wall with a table between them and a lamp. The beige chair and ottoman could then be angled with the back of the chair to the corner where the small demilune cabinet is now. Move the console table and the arched mirror to the wall to the left of the doorway at the end of the room opposite the fireplace, which will balance the armoire on the other side. I did think about the option of filling in the half wall, and honestly I think that would be a great place for the tv. But that becomes a much more expensive alternative. What you could do there, rather than filling it in with a wall, is to put in a grid that creates a feeling of a window matching the opposite wall of windows. Putting the armoire up against that would work, as it would break up the view of the back of the armoire. One other alternative, tho I don't know how viable it is, would be to buy a flatscreen tv and have a lift installed in that half-wall, so that you could bring the tv up to watch when desired, and then lower it the rest of the time. Then the armoire could still go on that end wall, but the placement of the furniture in the room wouldn't have to be in relation to the piece. Once you rearrange the room, you may want to turn the rug 90 degrees to match the furniture layout. It is a lovely home - enjoy it, and don't let it drive you too crazy.