White Widow Waterfarm. 1st Journal on the forums.

Megalith

Well-Known Member
So you got more growing shoots with topping? That is interesting as my experience was different. Whenever I top I get two main trunks. When I FIM I get like 5-6. Topping does however seem to be a little more predictable however as I always get the same result. The FIM results are fairly strain dependent (and FIM dependent). I may just place my plants in a single row next time, top them, and then orient all the stems out towards the sides of the screen. I need to post pics in my journal, my plants are mobbing out of the screen and flowering like mad. Not even out of the second week of flower and they have already slowed and are flowering.
your grow sounds awesome. Love the sig by the way. I would say it al depends where you cut when topping. My fimmed only splits the top and 1 became two. I only fimmed the main as I did it only to encourage secondary growth. If you just top the main at he top you get two mains. There is actually a whole mathematical system of where to cut(which node) to determine how many branches. I'll look for it when I get time. I'll alo say for the people afraid of losing the potency of main stem "potency-smotency" lol. My secondary buds were just as good as the main cola. Now I have no ay to measure other than the high, and stone couch lock is stoned couch lock, no matter where it comes from on the plant. Here is one of my secondaries and it was bad-ass.
 

legallyflying

Well-Known Member
nice looking nug for sure! Its weird that you only got two when you FIM'd. Maybe you cut too much off? My top split into 4 but also, the lower branches seemed to receive lots of grow hormone as they started to shoot out as well. It seems very logical to me but I haven't had the number of runs to really concrete the theory but it seems like the health of the plant at the time of the training has allot to do with the results. MY plants look good but the one plant that was looking just a little better than the rest has a MONSTER trunk on it. Its got to be as big as the handle on a comfy screwdriver with several large trunks coming off of it. I think there is a pic in my grow journal actually. Need to take pics tonight.

this weekend was all about transplanting clones, taking more clones, washing hydroton, cleaning and changing the rez, cracking seeds, running to the store for more CO2, trimming, adjusting fans... Christ this shit is allot of fun but eats up time.
 

Serapis

Well-Known Member
I need help....

I hope it is ok to ask in your thread Jim, because most readers are using waterfarms :)

I have a seed that germinated in a plug. Within the next day or two, i'd like to get it in the waterfarm. For the past 5 days, I have been running water, a weak solution and some dri9p clear in my waterfarms. No plants, just the set up, hydroton and all. For the first few days, I monitored and adjusted PH daily, but noticed it kept going back to 7.5 or even 8 in the reservoir. I'm using a PH down acid made for aquariums, plants and fish. It is powerful stuff. 1 tbsp will take 2 gal of 7.5 water to near 6. I would set ph to 5.8 and I monitored ppms.

Today, I decided to flush the system and change out the reservoir, in prep for the new seedling. I emptied all the water, added water and Drip Clean and kept running water through until it was crystal clear. The PPM reading coming out was same as fresh water going in. I then ran straight water for an hour and emptied again. This time the water came out crystal clear, not muddy red looking from the clay like before. (yes, I rinsed the hell out of the hydroton first) I added 2 gallons of water. I brought PH down to 5.8. Fifteen minutes later, still 5.8.

At this time, one of my BRAND NEW flourescent T8 fixtures in nursery burns out and has an eletrical smell. Just bought the damn light yesterday. I take it back, swap it out and out of curiosity, decide to take a PH reading. I wish I hadn't. In less than ONE hour, my waterfarm water went from 5.8 to nearly 8 PH!!!! Why the hell would this happen? Is having a plant with actual roots in the hydroton going to help prevent this? I can't keep adjusting the water every hour, it wouldn't be worth it money wise. Hydroton has been rinsed, soaked, rinsed and rinsed again.

Any ideas? I want to get this plug going but not with PH swings like this. Is there a stabilizer I can add? Am I missing something? I've got a Milwaukee meter, it is accurate and was just calibrated recently and re-tested.
 

jimbizzzale67123

Well-Known Member
Fimming should only give you two buds on the main stem that you fim. It also encourages secondary growth. When you top you essentially turn 1 branch into two. I have done both and prefer topping for scrogg. My way, asI learned by Uncle Ben is to cut above the 2nd node when theyre are 5 or 6. This gives you four mains. Also better for scrog and also encourages secondary growth
I have a few of uncle bens journals bookmarked dude is a RIU legend.
 

jimbizzzale67123

Well-Known Member
I need help....

I hope it is ok to ask in your thread Jim, because most readers are using waterfarms :)

I have a seed that germinated in a plug. Within the next day or two, i'd like to get it in the waterfarm. For the past 5 days, I have been running water, a weak solution and some dri9p clear in my waterfarms. No plants, just the set up, hydroton and all. For the first few days, I monitored and adjusted PH daily, but noticed it kept going back to 7.5 or even 8 in the reservoir. I'm using a PH down acid made for aquariums, plants and fish. It is powerful stuff. 1 tbsp will take 2 gal of 7.5 water to near 6. I would set ph to 5.8 and I monitored ppms.

Today, I decided to flush the system and change out the reservoir, in prep for the new seedling. I emptied all the water, added water and Drip Clean and kept running water through until it was crystal clear. The PPM reading coming out was same as fresh water going in. I then ran straight water for an hour and emptied again. This time the water came out crystal clear, not muddy red looking from the clay like before. (yes, I rinsed the hell out of the hydroton first) I added 2 gallons of water. I brought PH down to 5.8. Fifteen minutes later, still 5.8.

At this time, one of my BRAND NEW flourescent T8 fixtures in nursery burns out and has an eletrical smell. Just bought the damn light yesterday. I take it back, swap it out and out of curiosity, decide to take a PH reading. I wish I hadn't. In less than ONE hour, my waterfarm water went from 5.8 to nearly 8 PH!!!! Why the hell would this happen? Is having a plant with actual roots in the hydroton going to help prevent this? I can't keep adjusting the water every hour, it wouldn't be worth it money wise. Hydroton has been rinsed, soaked, rinsed and rinsed again.

Any ideas? I want to get this plug going but not with PH swings like this. Is there a stabilizer I can add? Am I missing something? I've got a Milwaukee meter, it is accurate and was just calibrated recently and re-tested.
I had some bad problems with the Ph and Hydroten just seems to be fussy like that in the beginning. Once I had the plant in and had it running the spikes diminished, I am not going to say this will happen in your case but you should be fine. I am brand new to hydro so I am not the most knowledgeable in hydroten but when it happened to me I did research and it seems to be common.
 

jimbizzzale67123

Well-Known Member
Also scottey always says dont worry about the Ph in the beginning and its only important when nutrients are involved which makes complete sense and I believe he is right.
 

remi11

Active Member
Ya my ph was all off in the begining I assume it was rising and I wouldn't check it for awhile, I only had a few strips but everytime I changed out the reservoir the ph was close to 8 but it seems to have level out and stayed constant after using this zerowater and now that I can observe and change my ph lol but ya like jim said I looked it up on here and some other site and it does seem to be common in he begining
 

Serapis

Well-Known Member
Ok, you guys convinced me not to worry about. TY to Scotty as well for the initial inspiration, as well as Jim for following up with another one. I have decided to throw caution to the wind and start my farm up. RO water in, Drip clean in and 35% hydro peroxide in and 1/4 tsp SuperThrive. Thanks guys for the advice.

Her name is Babylicious ;)
 

remi11

Active Member
Hell ya man all you can do is go for it. I think its better to get hand on and in there so u learn better. U can only prepare sooo much and seems to me ur more than ready to start gl with her def will be dropping by.
 

legallyflying

Well-Known Member
check my grow journal. MY hydroton was fucking nuts at first. You need to soak it and keep adjusting the ph. mine took like 3 days of soaking. careful you don't over water that seedling
 

Serapis

Well-Known Member
check my grow journal. MY hydroton was fucking nuts at first. You need to soak it and keep adjusting the ph. mine took like 3 days of soaking. careful you don't over water that seedling
The seedling has plenty of oxygen to reach the root. It's in a rapid rooter plug, sponge and the only moisture getting to it is being transferred from clay pellet to clay pellet. No direct water. I really can't over water it, it is a hydro baby and will soon have roots in the water. ;)
 

remi11

Active Member
i wouldnt reccomend the rooter plug seemed to me to slow down my growing process some once the roots went from the environment of the plug to that of the hydroton. like scotty did once the taproot is about and inch just put it directly into the hydroton. i dont think it will really mess it up doing it with the plug but i hear its better the other way. but hey i used the plug too and she seems to be doing good now.
 

Megalith

Well-Known Member
i wouldnt reccomend the rooter plug seemed to me to slow down my growing process some once the roots went from the environment of the plug to that of the hydroton. like scotty did once the taproot is about and inch just put it directly into the hydroton. i dont think it will really mess it up doing it with the plug but i hear its better the other way. but hey i used the plug too and she seems to be doing good now.
I use the Rapid Rooter line. I tried the mini blocks for grow blocks and the little tiny ones you soak that you can get anywhere. These do the trick for me and honestly did root faster than the other. The last ones I used had micro organism in them and they had roots spilling over the top in like 6 days. I also heat them up from the bottom seems to help.
 

jimbizzzale67123

Well-Known Member
Hey all, my charcoal filter I made sucked it didn't filter very good and reduced my fan way too much causing temps to rise, I went to the store and got a awesome charcoal filter by mountain air. I am busy as fuck today for some reason but I will be posting pics later and talk more about the mountain air filter.

I wish I could rename this thread not only because its no longer White Widow but also it should be called.

ScottyBallz Grow a Shit ton of weed with one system Method, because I am amazed how many of us were inspired to jump right in and use ScottyBalls simple but extremely productive way of growing. I noticed when I was at the hydroshop looking at all the fancy brand names, expensive equipment, and thinking if I could only show them Scottys thread they wouldn't have to waist all their money.
 

Megalith

Well-Known Member
sorry to hear that. any chance you have a link to this guy scotty's method? I really havent a clue when U reference him. I tried to find something but just get post mentioning him. I'd like to read it even though I dont use this method.
 

remi11

Active Member
Hey all, my charcoal filter I made sucked it didn't filter very good and reduced my fan way too much causing temps to rise, I went to the store and got a awesome charcoal filter by mountain air. I am busy as fuck today for some reason but I will be posting pics later and talk more about the mountain air filter.

I wish I could rename this thread not only because its no longer White Widow but also it should be called.

ScottyBallz Grow a Shit ton of weed with one system Method, because I am amazed how many of us were inspired to jump right in and use ScottyBalls simple but extremely productive way of growing. I noticed when I was at the hydroshop looking at all the fancy brand names, expensive equipment, and thinking if I could only show them Scottys thread they wouldn't have to waist all their money.
man sorry to hear that im not to the point that smell is really causeing me to need a filter but in the near future i plan to make one. and your so right most of us WERE inspired by scotty and his method im debating rather or not to start a journal kinda backdating with pictures and minor datails up to where i am now at day 42. but yes much much credit goes out to SCOTTY
 

Megalith

Well-Known Member
Great read. I'm on page 22 and it's funny how alot of the same techniques can be used in different systems. I also read some of the whiterasta stuff too. very interesting. I'll have to read his after. So far I'm intrigued to find out how much of a difference that ring makes in the system because my ebb n flo does the same thing except take water from the top of the res. I wont be happy if in the end the switch from cmh to hps caused thee nute problem or actually slows growth. What's your take on that part?
 
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