I'm a reverse-summersaulting motha fucka

[LostInEthereal]

Lol, okay well I'm excited anyway. I think an active grow journal will help in my learning and hopefully provide some comic relief paired with some maybe sometimes some dim-witted snarky comments while drunk! And of course insight provided, for free, from you guys, thanks a bunch!!

Any-who, I am literally as of just now, a sitting reverse summersaulting son of a bitch. I am finally growing again, only 2nd legitimate attempt (2 half-ass micro cabs 10 years ago) and finally some of my 6 week old from seed plants are showing sex. I should note one of the freebie feminized seeds I started later was the first to present about a week ago, but this came as no surprise however.

My current setup is comprised of 2 tents, the 3rd is actually dry running new LED light completely sealed to see how bad she warms it. First is a Growlab GL120, which is a 4 by 4 around 7 feet tall used as primary flowering area. This is powered with an adjustable 600, 750, 1000w (plus boost, 1.1k) ballast running at 600w (utilizing MH bulb). This tent contains the primary 6" fan and carbon filter, which pulls from both adjacent tents. I also have my old 4" inline fan which I can put in the chain if necessary. Veg tent is a Secret Jardin 2'x3'x3 with ~96w of T5. And finally a cheap Amazon (Quictent; zippers SUCK, otherwise good deal) 2x2x~5 powered with a Northern Grow Lights Photon 180V (3000k) I just purchased to experiment (and overwhelm myself with of course).

Running some BOG Sour Boggle, Dynasty Des*Tar Bx1, DNA Kosher Tangie (freebie, feminized) and finally Delicious Critical Sensi Star (freebie, feminized). I'm about to pop some more seeds to fill out the veg tent (all moved to 4x4 to initiate flowering) and second flowering tent once I pick up some more supplies (primarily ducting). I'm running coco, hand-watered through veg and will setup blumat running on a pump and accumulator for both flowering tents (plants to receive same feed, regardless of age, take it or leave it).

...

I think that's about it. Sorry, drinking/smoking (live rosin [Lemon G] dabs from The Farm in Boulder) and hand-watering and attempting to post, a shitty combination for sure. Just wanted to get this started, I'll snap some pics and post them up. Nothing too exciting yet, but god damnit I need your input and inspiration!

 

[thenotsoesoteric]

I've ran the critical sensi star from delicious seeds. I had three fems and all were nice fast and fruity. The three I ran I seeded with sin city's buddha's dream so I'm sure they would have been more potent. Potency was the only thing lacking on the CSS, great all day smoke but just not one hit quit.

 

[LostInEthereal]

 

[LostInEthereal]

Okie dokey; this is sort of a random assortment of pictures here. I'll try to describe each of them in descending (technically horizontally on my display) order:

2x2 flower tent with power on (I honestly cannot remember 10 or 100% power)
4x4 flower with all confirmed females with 600w MH running 20/4
Both in better perspective (2x2 is not vented into 4x4 yet)
My babes in the 4x4, ~20" under the MH vented hood
A LOT OF WORK TO DO!!!
Again the 2x2 with my lovely socks/foot
The stuff I'm working with
THE REASON WHY NOTHING GETS DONE!!!!!!!!!!
THE REASON WHY NOTHING GETS DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(most of)The rest of the setup

 

[LostInEthereal]

I've ran the critical sensi star from delicious seeds. I had three fems and all were nice fast and fruity. The three I ran I seeded with sin city's buddha's dream so I'm sure they would have been more potent. Potency was the only thing lacking on the CSS, great all day smoke but just not one hit quit.

Thanks for stopping in brother. I was taken back by how quickly the CSS presented herself in spite of my neglect and fuck-ups. I am really liking her(them). Thinking of hitting her (#2) with the CS to drop some seeds on the rest of the batch (just because I can and not because I know what I am doing!).

PS: I love your name brother

 

[LostInEthereal]

The plants are now on their first day of 12/12, I have switched out the 600w MH for a 600w HPS just before lights on. I also worked on some Blumat plumbing for both flowering tents. Each tent has a quick disconnect from the 8mm super-flex tubing from the main line. I actually goofed on that and the first disconnect would actually affect both tents, but it's alright I can adjust it with moderate difficulty if it proves necessary. Each plant will also have a quick disconnect before each Blumat sensor for easy removal and re-arrangement of canopy.

Having some deficiencies on lower leaves but I would rather get these gals started flowering and roll with it. I also have been running one plant in a 2 gallon pot in the second tent under the Photon 180V (~70% or so), and it's a bit warm and very humid, feels like back home lol. I think I may need to rearrange the ducting and install my old 4" fan as an intake in the 2'x2'. Currently the 6" fan in the 4'x4' (w/ reducer) pulls through 4" ducting from both the veg and and other 2'x2' flower tent (and one additional 4" duct into the 4'x4').

Will work on that tomorrow and install the Blumats after work. I plan to run 1 Blumat sensor and 2 distributors per 1 gallon, and 3 distributors per 2 gallon.

Hopefully I can get some better pictures of the plants at that time as well. I'm now down to 2 BOG Sour Boggles, 4 Dynasty Des*Tar Bx1, 2 Delicious Critical Sensi Star, and 1 DNA Kosher Tangie. I think there may yet be a sexually unidentified plant in the group but I do not recall which if there was.

 

[LostInEthereal]

I decided to wait on the Blumat until today when I was off of work and had more time to tend to the initial setup. I attached the pump to the tubing I already put in place and fired it up. Unfortunately the pump system fittings had a couple of leaks so I tore it down and put it back together with more teflon tape. Only I tightened a connection too much and cracked it. Guess I'm off to HD tomorrow for replacements.



Now an update on the plants. It's now day 6 of 12/12 and the plants are definitely in the stretch.



BOG Sour Boggle



Dynasty Des*Tar Bx1 (#1). This gal was topped a week or two before flipping the lights.



Dynasty Des*Tar Bx1 (#2). I attempted to super crop this gal and she maintained the training for almost a week but it was the stretch that really straightened her out.



Dynasty Des*Tar Bx1 (#3). Natural growth structure on this one, no training or anything.



Dynasty Des*Tar Bx1 (#4). Again no training on this gal. She's easily the tallest at 30 inches (may be a bit taller I can't remember now, lol) with the 6" tall 1 gallon smart pot.



Delicious Critical Sensi Star #1 (Fem). This gal was a freebie from an order placed over a year ago. These feminized freebie seeds here at the end were planted 5 days after the plants above. And this CSS here was the first to present pre-flowers besides one early male.

 

[LostInEthereal]

Delicious Critical Sensi Star #2 (Fem). Another of the feminized freebies from last years orders.



DNA Kosher Tangie (24k Gold). Lone survivor out of a duet of seeds started. One never broke ground. This gal was topped and almost too aggressively tied down (ripped the shoot from the stem a bit at the point where topped.



Both tents with plants lights on.

 

[LostInEthereal]

*** This will be given away free to someone in this tread. I wish to do something nice and already have many seeds that will last me for years. ***



Forgot to put this stuff up in the flowering tent(s) to easily gauge how tall plants are, and daily rate of growth. Oh well.



I believe this is a magnesium deficiency showing on one of the Des*Tar. To be honest all have had some issues. Every time I transplant I get weird issues for a week or two until successive feedings and I get the CEC in check.

 

[MeJuana]

I'm not helping for anything free I think you should use those to learn besides you shouldn't get caught up in sending seeds. I didn't know what Blumat autowatering system were I think I will try one so thanks for that. Regarding your apparent Calcium deficiency I looked at what I could in the photo on the shelf so it seems you are giving nutrients (unknown medium). It appears you are setting pH so it isn't acidic, then likely you would do well from a adding something like CaMg+, or Cal Mag Plus when the plants are also pale during the transition period. (first 2 to 3 weeks of flower when you still give some veg nutes, or a mix of veg+bloom).

Now another challenge you will have to address is the plant height situation. Super cropping is the right idea but you should watch youtube videos I recommend watching it explained several times. After that keep tape nearby so if the branch hangs more than 90 degrees you can tape it back up for support. Controlling height benefits the plant also as more, hopefully all, of the plant will receive more light therefore no small airy buds known as popcorn.

Anyway I'm not growing with nutrients any longer so I'm a bit rusty but I will try to stop by and read what you've been up to. Tell no one, get carbon activated filters and also make sure not to tell anyone.

 

[LostInEthereal]

I'm not helping for anything free I think you should use those to learn besides you shouldn't get caught up in sending seeds. I didn't know what Blumat autowatering system were I think I will try one so thanks for that. Regarding your apparent Calcium deficiency I looked at what I could in the photo on the shelf so it seems you are giving nutrients (unknown medium). It appears you are setting pH so it isn't acidic, then likely you would do well from a adding something like CaMg+, or Cal Mag Plus when the plants are also pale during the transition period. (first 2 to 3 weeks of flower when you still give some veg nutes, or a mix of veg+bloom).

Now another challenge you will have to address is the plant height situation. Super cropping is the right idea but you should watch youtube videos I recommend watching it explained several times. After that keep tape nearby so if the branch hangs more than 90 degrees you can tape it back up for support. Controlling height benefits the plant also as more, hopefully all, of the plant will receive more light therefore no small airy buds known as popcorn.

Anyway I'm not growing with nutrients any longer so I'm a bit rusty but I will try to stop by and read what you've been up to. Tell no one, get carbon activated filters and also make sure not to tell anyone.

Hey thanks for stopping in bro.

I wanted to offer some free seeds to do something nice for someone (it was a post someone made on here that gave me the inspiration to donate). I'm in a legal state and intended to only donate them to one residing in a legal recreational or one of the many medical states. I think it's against forum rules so I may just remove that anyhow.

Sorry I thought I mentioned earlier in the thread, I'm running pure canna coco as my substrate. My pH is set about 5.7/8 when I mix up nutrients. But I did notice some drift (towards alkaline) so I started mixing up nutes ahead of time then pH adjustment an hour or two later. For awhile my tap with V+B to 1.0 EC just naturally had the pH at 5.8, something changed (did this back in Ne around the same time last year) and now it's around 6.4 and needs adjustment. I have a bunch of crap on that shelf but most of it I don't use. Just V+B and pH down. Then the res does get 0.4ml / gal of Drip clean and 1ml / gal of DM Zone to keep it fresh.

In regards to super cropping and all that, I just wanted to get these gals going ASAP. Tired of spending Co retail prices on concentrates. The tall ones that are untopped I thought would present as males, I didn't want to delay that a week by topping them and having to waste my time hand-watering male plants any longer. Turns out they are just extremely tall lanky females. Dynasty described 3 phenos with Des*Tar Bx1, one hazey pheno with double the stretch, this should get interesting lol. My intention was to run a staggered harvests between the two tents. 4x4 every ~2 months, multi-strain with some taking longer of course. Mostly topping/FIM those gals maybe additional training when necessary. Then run the 2x2 with an 8w strain, single plant SCRoG to maximize the distribution under the LED. This would harvest every other month between much larger and varied harvest of the HPS tent. All fed from the same reservoir so some plants wont be the happiest but take it or leave it. Hand-watering lighter feeds on young plants and pH tap during flush (Blumats will detect moisture and not feed from the res), hopefully can find some happy-medium.

 

[qwizoking]

help in my learning and hopefully provide some comic relief paired with some maybe sometimes some dim-witted snarky comments while drunk! And of course insight provided, for free, from you guys, thanks a bunch

I totally got your back on this one

 

[qwizoking]

I'm running coco, hand-watered through veg and will setup blumat running on a pump and accumulator for bothflowering tents (plants to receive same feed, regardless of age, take it or leave it).




I've never done the blumat system but my watering is automated. Be very careful. How you worded this statement made it seen like there could be some watering issues in your future.


What I use is a digital probe that reads moisture in the soil. Releases a water nute mix for a duration I specify to insure complete saturation etc

But this can be very tricky. Nute needs change as does water uptake.
How deep your soil is as well.

Just food for thought.


Lotta typing... I'll get around to the rest and provide a bit of input




Whether you like it or not!

Also thread was made on my bday




I don't know anythin about the bog and dynasty stuffs. Never heard of an.. but the delicious sensi and tang kosh are good

 

[LostInEthereal]

Jammin' out, of course.

I totally got your back on this one

Haha, good. I'm taking a short break to allow the wallet to heal (recently relocated to Colorado and only just started working). This means I'm counting on you, bro! Happy belated birthday dude, lol.

Okay so today was an annoying day. First off, wake up sort of later (it's the weekend, fuck off!) than anticipated. Take a piss and wash my hands...in cold water. Realize the water heater is dead at the apartment and wait until nearly 3:00 pm until it's fixed. At this point I think the day is fucked and I'm making cooking oil out of my old rosin chips. Found a box of brownie mix and decided to utilize it. I tried running to Home Depot to find replacement couplings compatible with my Blumat pump, only to spend 45 minutes waiting on help while I watch to stupid kids run around and be rambunctious. Stomping on each others feet, that's a thing that dumb ass kids do now, really? We just fucking beat each other with sticks but whatever. Turns out they don't have it (I waited that whole time just to confirm before leaving, such a fucking waste). Guess I have to order replacements, luckily the Blumat place is only an hour away so shipping is quick.

I pulled all the plants to hand-water and at this time I decided it was time to clean up and defoliate the lower growth. Took quite a bit off the indica dominant phenos/strains and less off the sativas. Hopefully the more hazey dominant Des*Tar stop stretching soon. I'll need some damn milk-crates to even out the canopy as is! Anyone know where to source them cheap offline or places to check locally??

 

[LostInEthereal]

Be very careful. How you worded this statement made it seen like there could be some watering issues in your future.

Thanks for the input bro. For clarification, blumat will water/feed each plant the amount of water/feed each plant requires, no more, no less. Just in my case coming from the same reservoir; it might not always be the ideal strength EC. This will be partially mitigated with hand-watering select plants (which causes the feed from the blumat to stop). I've seen others make it work, hoping I can too.

 

[MeJuana]

Ok yeah with coco we expect this it is what I described above solvable by adding a CaMg product generally as recommended for mature plants. Yeah too bad your pH wasn't magically well buffered to 5.8 naturally still, tap water can't be trusted at all actually and I use reverse osmosis. Anyway I have to adjust my ro water also. By the way when I refer to supercroppping I mean pinch/bending the tallest shoots to damage the stem not cut it. By damaging the stem the shoot will stop to repair the damage while the undamaged shoots will keep growing. The helps with height and to build the plant out as evenly as possibly.

Your so lucky to live in Colorado where it is cold, cold is great for growing. I live in Northern California in a colder area but it's still not Colorado. Source milk crates for raising the plants up? I build out little benches to sit them on, just a box of 1x4 or 2x4 with screws.

 

[LostInEthereal]

The V+B even with the RO/Soft formula says to bring EC to 0.3 or so first then add V+B. I know a lot of V+B users supplement cal/mag in some way, also it seems to be less of an issue at higher strength feeds such as 1.8 EC. I was doing that with RAW calcium/magnesium for awhile but stopped for two weeks on advice from the V+B thread on IC. I've since added it back last night. As far as my tap, it's 0.1 EC (under 50ppm) out of the faucet, hardly worth spending the money on RO. Rain water from the mountains, doesn't get much more pure than that. I'm certain you're right that the CEC is out of whack at transplant, due to coming that way out of the bag. Perhaps if I washed the coco in a pillow case under tap, then soak again proper strength solution prior to use there would be less issues at transplant. Will have to try that next-time around.

I know what ya meant by super-cropping, I half-ass attempted to do that with one plant (kind-of, lol). I've preferred topping and tying down the tallest shoots in the past. Perhaps next round I'll try to super-crop a plant or two a little more legitimately. I've also been interested in main-lining too but it's a lot of extra veg time and certainly work. It does make for some cool looking plants though.

I prefer to use plastic milk crates or even old plastic pots to raise plants because I don't want anything that could potentially rot or wick moisture. I have some 1.75 and 2.5 gallon pots that would be great for this purpose actually.

Again appreciate ya stopping in and offering advice bro. I'm more of a quiet, do-it-myself kind of guy that doesn't ask for help. This is also my hobby and passion so it's nice to be able to share it with someone.

I'm just settling in to Colorado here, but from my understanding it's not terribly cold but at night. The sun comes out nearly every day to melt the snow and ice, and the Chinook winds bring warm air over the region during the days. Pretty cool actually. Only been to California as an infant, and evidently I liked it because I had an ear-infection in Cali and had to stays couple of extra weeks as they wouldn't let me fly! Lol. I would love to move out to the PNW at some point in my life. But I'm a Midwesterner at heart and I need quality beef in my life! If I can eat a good steak regularly I'm not a happy boy.

 

[wdk420]

Looking really nice great set up bro. Watching this for the soon to be bud porn.

 

[LostInEthereal]

Looking really nice great set up bro. Watching this for the soon to be bud porn.

Thanks brother. It's kind of a mess right now, I have 3mm line for the Blumats all over the floor waiting for replacement parts to finish and tidy up the room. Eventually I'll mount the ducting to the wall with something more secure than bungee cords and gorilla tape, lol. Hopefully with all that it'll look pretty nice, at least tidy and clean.

Nothing major to report today. I raised the shortest plant (the single BOG Sour Boggle) with an old plastic pot and it's much more even with the rest of the canopy. The two Des*Tar that were untopped tower over the rest. Last night with feeding I trimmed up all the lowest and most-shaded growth. I was planning on waiting at first but I'm sure it'll be necessary again at least once more.

I bought a cheap T-shirt style rosin press online recently. I ran some homegrown stuff from my sister a few times before I ran out. I ran to the dispensary and picked up some stuff. It's labeled as Blackberry X Blueberry but it doesn't have much of a pronounced smell, as the case with most of the dispensary weed that I've purchased. However it pressed out to some nice instant shatter at about 180* for 10 seconds followed with a 30 second press after being folded over twice. I then ran the 3 chips again layered over one another and it pressed out some okay stuff, very green and buttery. Too bad I rushed into the other room to hit the e-nail and brought my beer, and broke the damn female to female stem when I set down my beer. Have to wait until tomorrow to run to the glass shop for a replacement, ugh!

 

[LostInEthereal]

Alright I'm kind of pissed right now. I got replacement PVC couplings for the Blumat pump and proceeded to assemble everything once again. At least this time when I powered on the pump there wasn't streams of pressurized nutrient solution spraying on the walls and shit. However, there was a small leak and dribble on either side of the accumulator tank. I attempted to continue tightening to reduce the drips but it never fully stopped, and now the PVC couplings on both side of the accumulator tank are seized and likely need replaced (along with the slip-union, etc). So now I'm stuck hand-watering and mixing 5 gal buckets of nutrients daily, wasting water and nutrients and most importantly to me, time. Trying to track down the appropriate fittings, all the while the plants are beginning to suffer from only a single daily watering in a 1 gallon smart put filled with pure coco. Couple plants are bone dry and almost toppling over and budding has barely begun to start.

Oh well, hopefully I can get it going this weekend. I'm wondering if ghetto-rigging it back together and using silicone sealant over the leaks until I can tear down after harvest would suffice. Shit leaving it the way it was and setting the pump over a god damn catch tray would have easily sufficed.