Red Dragon & Magic Bud - First CFL grow using "Buds for Less" light set-up

[1freezy]

The problem with using standard LEDs to scrog grow is the lack of penetrating power to the lower parts of the plant. When we scrog, we like to encourage plants to get bushy, to produce many branches. While an LED is great for a completed screen, it lacks the penetration needed to encourage the new lower branching. This is what was explained to me, and what I have found out from my own LED grow. The LEDs promote tight nodes, which is good, but it sure takes a long time to get the growth out of the plants. That's why I believe GOD will end up flipping 12/12 before he wants to. Once my plants hit 12/12 under LED, they went nuts and started stretching very fast.

I think the trick to this scrog is to get the screen about 2/3 full then flip 12/12. The first week in 12/12 will be more than enough to fill that screen. That is my thinking anyways. I like grows like this, because it's like a science experiment. I have spent over $800 myself on LED lighting, so I'm convinced it works, it just has some strange effects on the plants. Anyone who grows under LED needs to add some other type of light in the room, or eventually you'll go stark raving mad staring at purple leaves. It does make spotting defficiencies a bit harder, so toss in a couple of CFL lights if you are like minded.

I think these new lights are going to impress the hell out of people. From the pic GOD provided, that light is intense as hell. I thought mine were bright.... lol...

Not sure but some scrog I've seen they cut every thing below the canopy so the panels cover all available canopy area. Same with HPS.

 

[1freezy]

... apart from the original plant, she has definitely suffered at my hands and has been stunted and delayed because of the acidic waterings ... but she will survive.

I am more interested in my ZST'd plants and I am sure that they will definitely out-perform the original. AS they have not been topped or stressed in any way they are growing with much more vigor than the topped and tortured original plant.

The 2 clones that are under 12/12 LED are definitely taller than the one left under 20/0 CFL - definitely getting their stretch happening.

I think I'll start making my Colloidal Silver tomorrow and apply it the day after. I'm expecting 2 to 3 weeks before I get pollen and the seed bearers should be plenty big enough by then.

Boring stage is DEFINITELY over, from now till forever I will be busy - so many strains ... too few brain cells.

Love what your doing! If it turns out as well as we all hope I would love to purchase 5 or 6 of these in January to complement my 1000 watt hps fresca sol.

Keep up the awesome work!

 

[Grumpy Old Dreamer]

I'm looking forward to getting the second SCROG under lights so that I can see what is supposed to happen when I don't poison the plant.
The 4 clones look very healthy at the moment and my ZST (Zero Stress Training) seems to be working very well.

 

[Grumpy Old Dreamer]

Just a little update ... and then some.

The 4 clones undergoing ZSTing are doing very well, they have had 2 days with the pot upright and growth is pointing skywards. I have just laid the pots on their sides again where they will stay for 2 days before being set right again ... this will train the growth along the frame again and the securing clip will be moved closer to the tip before the pots are stood up again.
The first photo shows the plant stem bending to the frame and the second photo is a top-down shot of the 4 clones that are being trained.



I'm hoping that they will have grown long enough to be positioned under the SCROG screen in about a weeks time.

The next part of todays update involves the production of the Feminized Red Dragon seeds.

I started making the Colloidal Silver which will be applied to one clone tomorrow night just before lights out.

Firstly, the victims ... err ... volunteers:




These two photos show 3 clones, one top-down shot and one side-on shot.
In both photos the middle clone is the one to be treated with Colloidal Silver, the two outside clones were placed under the Kessil H150 Magenta light 5 days ago on a 12/12 timer.
All three clones were the same size 5 days ago, now there is a definite difference as the 12/12 plants have a greater spread and have stretched as flowering approaches.
By the time the CS clone has produced pollen, the two seed bearers should have a reasonable number of pistils waiting to receive the pollen.

Just a quick lesson on how to make Colloidal Silver.

Find an old mobile phone charger, they have an output of around 5v DC which is perfect.
Snip off the plug that fits into the phone.
Strip the wires.
Attach 2 small alligator clips - the crimp-on style need no soldering and cost a few cents from and electronics shop (Radioshack/Dick Smiths {for us Aussies} ).
Attach small pieces of silver to the clips. (99.999% pure - jewellers wire, pure silver coins or ingots)
Pour Demineralised Water (cleaning products section of supermarket) into a glass.
Tape clips to inside of glass so that the silver (and NOT the clips) are immersed in the water.
Turn on charger and leave in darkness for 12 - 24 hours (silver reacts with light).

Next photo is my Colloidal Silver generator ... followed by ... well, I'm sure you can work it out ...



... Watch this Space.

 

[Maximus cannabis]

I'm really looking forward to the CS experiment, that's next on my list to stabilize and cross an elite cutting that I have. Keep us posted, a step by step post would be much appreciated!

 

[Danielsgb]

Very interesting. Been lurking for quite a while. I'll be keeping up for sure.
Daniels

 

[jpnspec]

great job on the CS! +REP! Looking forward to this one!

 

[fictionalgrower]

that silver generator is pretty cool. thanks for the info G.O.D.

 

[Maximus cannabis]

GOD, do you know if you can use a regular PPM meter to measure CS? Or do I need a special one?

 

[Maximus cannabis]

Also, how old are those clones, about 2 - 3 weeks in veg?

 

[Grumpy Old Dreamer]

GOD, do you know if you can use a regular PPM meter to measure CS? Or do I need a special one?

I don't have a PPM meter as I am a soil grower, but I would think that one would work.
I am a believer in "stronger is better" so I will simply run the generator for 24 hours - the Colloidal Silver is not for human consumption so I don't think the PPM can be too high.

Also, how old are those clones, about 2 - 3 weeks in veg?

The clones were snipped from the plant on 13th October, they had roots comming through the Jiffy Pellets on 21st October and were planted into 4 inch square pots on 23rd October so they have been in pots for 17 days ... 2 to 3 weeks in veg sounds about right.

 

[fictionalgrower]

I don't have a PPM meter as I am a soil grower, but I would think that one would work.
I am a believer in "stronger is better" so I will simply run the generator for 24 hours - the Colloidal Silver is not for human consumption so I don't think the PPM can be too high.



The clones were snipped from the plant on 13th October, they had roots comming through the Jiffy Pellets on 21st October and were planted into 4 inch square pots on 23rd October so they have been in pots for 17 days ... 2 to 3 weeks in veg sounds about right.

Sounds like G.O.D. knows where every leaf is at all times Well done sir.

 

[Grumpy Old Dreamer]

Sounds like G.O.D. knows where every leaf is at all times Well done sir.

I do keep detailed records, my time management skills are going to be tested over the next 2 years and I should have a ton of data on 14 strains (assuming no total deaths) by the time I have grown them all ... hopefully I will have a very wide selection of bud and an equally large collection of feminized seeds. I need detailed records to plan when to start the next seeds.

 

[Maximus cannabis]

Thanks! If you have an iPad I know of a great app that I use to track my plants, I'll send you the info if you want to check it out. Keep the good work!

 

[memem]

iam from south waleas and bought a paket of magic bud from paradise seeds and put them in the way ive done it in toilet paper to germ them and 5days later the seeds had rotted iam pissed right off just to let you guys now

 

[Grumpy Old Dreamer]

iam from south waleas and bought a paket of magic bud from paradise seeds and put them in the way ive done it in toilet paper to germ them and 5days later the seeds had rotted iam pissed right off just to let you guys now

Magic Bud from Paradise Seeds are definitely defective.

I have had 2 deaths from two different sowings and my current Magic Bud is definitely deformed but may produce usable clones - I really don't want to invest the time and effort into making feninized seeds from the plant but I probably will just to see what I get out of it.

... DON"T BUY THE CURRENT BATCH OF MAGIC BUD SEEDS !!!!!

 

[karri0n]

Magic Bud from Paradise Seeds are definitely defective.

I have had 2 deaths from two different sowings and my current Magic Bud is definitely deformed but may produce usable clones - I really don't want to invest the time and effort into making feninized seeds from the plant but I probably will just to see what I get out of it.

I see a red flag on this one... I'd like to assume that as a reputable seed bank they wouldn't have taken the seeds from a deformed/mutated pheno, and obviously the seeds have problems as reported by you and now this guy, so seeding out that deformed one might just lead to heartache.

Then again, anything in the name of science...

 

[Grumpy Old Dreamer]

I see a red flag on this one... I'd like to assume that as a reputable seed bank they wouldn't have taken the seeds from a deformed/mutated pheno, and obviously the seeds have problems as reported by you and now this guy, so seeding out that deformed one might just lead to heartache.

Then again, anything in the name of science...

I have two more seeds from that batch of five fem seeds and I will put money on them being dead before birth or deformed.
I won't give up on the strain for a couple of weeks yet - if it hasn't come good by the optimum time for sowing seeds to use the next available SCROG spot, then I will abandon it and grow the next strain ... whichever of the 12 strains that I pick for the next grow ... maybe a nice uplifting sativa dominant strain.

 

[GibbsIt89]

so coming in on this thread out of nowhere as i skimmed thru, noticed ur pic of the demineralized water. Why does it say not suggested for drinking? is demineralized water the same as distilled? i plan on making one of these to make some fem. seeds when i run out down the road.

 

[Grumpy Old Dreamer]

so coming in on this thread out of nowhere as i skimmed thru, noticed ur pic of the demineralized water. Why does it say not suggested for drinking? is demineralized water the same as distilled? i plan on making one of these to make some fem. seeds when i run out down the road.

I don't know (I don't make & sell the water) - could be because the process for demineralising the water is not hygenically up to the approved health standard, by taking out the minerals they are not saying that it is free of bacteria.

"Natural" mineral water is treated with ultra violet lights to kill off any bacteria before being "fit for human consumption" - I presume that as demineralised water is not intended for drinking, they have not UV treated it.

... but I am just guessing