L.A. Woman 4th Grow First H.I.D. Grow

DocGreenThumb

Well-Known Member
Awesome I was going to do that with this rounds soil. I have a small outdoor garden and flower beds. Also my plans are to make 3-4 aeroponic systems after i get a few harvest finished under this system. Going to buy 55 gallon containers at home depot cut holes for net pots at the top, put together some pvc and implement some clone sprayers. I have never grown without soil yet though so that will be a big adjustment for me. I do feel it will be much easier to manage a lot of plants. No soil to get rid of or pack around. Probably still grow my mothers in soil though. Clones are coming along good. I think I'll be transplanting in the next 5-7 days.
 

canibud

Active Member
Big coolers work well, the light cant get in they keep the nutes cool and they have drain valves already
 

DocGreenThumb

Well-Known Member
Well things are not going so well. Only 1 clone was rooted today. I transplanted it in a 3 gallon grow bag. I killed a few that had turned yellowish/brown and i cut 2 fresh ones. As for the rest that did not root. I pulled them up re-cut them put in water then roottech gel and placed them back in the tray, sprayed with tap water and covered with the humidity dome.

Not sure what happened but I did realize I was soaking the rookwool and spraying clones with 6.5 PH water which I give my mother. Now I'm using tap water for the clones, we'll see how this goes I need them to root in the next 5-6 days for my time line to work.

I'm going to leave the dome on for 2 days. Then will take it off for 10 minutes everyday. I'm not going to spray them anymore either(even though this has worked well for me in the past). The humidity should keep leaves alive and hopefully not spraying will make the roots grow down in search of water.


I'm hanging in there. Patience is a virtue
 

canibud

Active Member
I use baggies for the clones rather than a tray and dome, you blow them up like balloons once a day, they sweat the water out it drips back down and you get a little green house thing goin on and the humidity and watering are done for you. an old friend showed me this years ago and it has always worked, some in a week others within two are ready to go
 

DocGreenThumb

Well-Known Member
This is the first clone I ever took I used a 2 little bottle with bottom cut off and a zip lock baggie over it for humidity. I sprayed it once in morning and once at night for 4-5 days.

It rooted in 6 days and on day 8 I forced flowering. The 2nd picture is it flowering clone is in the middle and the plant to the left is the mother of that clone. It shot up nearly as tall as the others in no time. It was a budsickle at week 8 :)

Hopefully I'll have at least 6 rooted in a week or less.

Thanks for checking back in. I think I'll be trying another method for the next 6.
 

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DocGreenThumb

Well-Known Member
Well things are starting to pick up. I have 12 rooted clones going and have been vegging them and the mother under the 600 watt HPS. Now that the clones are rooted I have lowered my temps to 75-70 in the day and 65-70 at night. I will be using a grow tent to keep my mother, will be ordering it this weekend and will also get some updated pictures up this weekend.
 

DocGreenThumb

Well-Known Member
Clones are coming along great vegging under the HPS. I placed an order tonight for 5 feminized Ice seeds and 5 feminized Raspberry Cough. I think I'll start 2-3 of each pick a mother of each and throw the others in the bloom room with the rest. Hopefully I will receive them in 8-10 days or so.

Anyone grown either of these strains? Ordered from Nirvana Shop.

Picture Updates coming soon
 

SmeLLyTreeZ

Well-Known Member
Looks good doc! I cant tell you that from what I've heard about both strains they should turn out fantastic for you!

I have personal experience with "WonderWoman" and its my favorite strain so far. My point being her mother is "ICE" :) If you want come by and give them a look in the link in my sig.
 

DocGreenThumb

Well-Known Member
I've been watching your grow :) Pictures are great brother. Here I went with 3 gallon grow bags to go 12/12 from clone. Hoping their would be enough room for roots. Now seeing yours about to finish in party cups LOL I could have done way more clones in my space using party cups.

I have a question for you. My Floor space is 5.8 x 4.6. What size reflector do I need to cover this area(keeping light s low as possible to the canopies.)

I'm using HTG's Euro Reflector now and I believe it's 19" x 11" x 7"

I want to maximize the use of my area and yield as much as I can without going to crazy on the electric cost. For the cost of the big hoods I could buy another grow light kit like mine and use (2) 600watters but I'm scared to do that for the increase in electric as it's already up there now.

Anyblaze what size reflector do you think would be good coverage with (1) 600watt HPS
 

AquaGlow

Member
Looking at your pics, I think you have a digital ballast. You can plug an MH or an HPS bulb into them and they'll work. You don't need a conversion bulb for a digital ballast, just "plug and play" either type of bulbs.
 

DocGreenThumb

Well-Known Member
Looking at your pics, I think you have a digital ballast. You can plug an MH or an HPS bulb into them and they'll work. You don't need a conversion bulb for a digital ballast, just "plug and play" either type of bulbs.
Yeah my ballast said it would run both(I heard it say it LOL), The problem I'm having is I do not see anywhere to buy 600watt MH bulbs. I see 1k and 400's everywhere. I'm only seeing 600watt MH Conversion bulbs to purchase at HTG and my local shops.
 

DocGreenThumb

Well-Known Member
I've been thinking of purchasing a 250watt system for the veg room and run a 250 MH. This wouldn't be much of an increase in power over the 250watts of CFL's. I haven't found a good deal on one yet though. Seems for a few more bucks I can get a 400 or another 600watt system. I may shell out though. Someone was telling me the other day that Home Depot sells HPS security lights maybe they sell MH as well? What kind of ballast do these use and has anyone used something like that before? This is my first time using HID and I love it. Power costs are high but well worth it and want to use small HID for the veg/clone room.
 

DocGreenThumb

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the site I checked it out they have some good deals. I got a little trigger happy and just purchased a MH system for the veg/clone area. Now I should of asked this before but I'm sure it will work out fine. A 250 watt MH rated at 23,000 lumen output. Will this be enough to keep 4 mother plants in my 4'x2'x5' Area and do you think I will have heat issues in this space. The reflector is not set up to be air cooled. What do you guys think?


This is the system
http://www.htgsupply.com/Product-HTGSupply-250-watt-Metal-Halide-Grow-Light.asp
 

DocGreenThumb

Well-Known Member
Okay well I'm still undecided on the size reflector to use in my bloom room.

Due to work I'm not able to finish building my Mother/Clone Room. However their is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I ordered a 48" x 24" x 60" Grow Tent for the Mother/Clone room.

I will be using a 250 watt MH in the Mother room and will be custom making a shelf unit to put the clones above the MH light with a few CFL's over them.

I decided to use my Photo-period as follows:

Bloom Room Lights On at 10 AM and OFF at 10PM (12/12)
Mother/Clone Room On at 10AM and OFF at 4PM (18/6)

What do you guys think of those times? IDK if their during peak hours for my area or not but they seem like good hours for my schedule.

One more question(Other than what size reflector to use in bloom room)

How should I germinate and start my Nirvana Seeds?

I usually use paper towel method(I assume these will be really fresh seeds.) Also I have rockwool cubes I have never started seeds in these before(only clones) Should I use these or just soil. The soil I'm using is FF Happy Frog (will this be to"hot" for my seedlings?) I transplant my clones straight into it after rooting in rockwool cubes.

I lied one more ? LOL.

I'm going to be starting the 12/12 schedule in a few days. My rooted clones are vegging under the 600w HPS. Just been watering them with 6.5 PH Water. No Veg Nutes.. So should I hit them with a weak dose of veg nutes or weak dose of Bloom nutes? or No Nutes ? (before flipping) they will not need to be watered or fed for at least 3-4 days about the time I'll be changing the light cycle to 12/12.


Thanks for all the comments and suggestions so far. Hope you guys are a long for the ride should be getting good in the next 2-4 weeks :)
 

DocGreenThumb

Well-Known Member
Okay I have started 12/12 with 4 clones and my L.A. Woman (LST'd) mother plant. My Mother keeper/clone tent should arrive tomorrow and my seeds hopefully will (says on their site Status: Ready to ship it's been about 4-5 days now.) be here too. My reflector is definately way to small.

So I have decided to go with this one
http://wormsway.com/detail.aspx?sku=UCX106

I read to much negative stuff about "The Big Kahuna" and do not want to shell out another $70-80 for Magnum XXL for 7" inches more in dimension.

Now I have ? about the adjustable bulb placement (up and down) up makes the light spread do what and moving it down does what for spread?

Pictures to come tomorrow night after I setup the tent.

Do you guys use chlorine snatched tap water or PH's 6.5 or so to start seeds/spray clones?

I usually use tap water that has sat out my tap water is high Ph around 7.5-8ish will these be good to start my seeds or should i use the water for my plants I Ph'd to 6.5
 

DocGreenThumb

Well-Known Member
I received my tent today and set it up when I got home from work. Still waiting for some feedback on many questions(mainly HID ?'s).

Here are some pictures of yesterday and today. The latter are from today so 1 day into 12/12

100_0186.jpg100_0183.jpg100_0185.jpg100_0187.jpg100_0188.jpg100_0189.jpg100_0190.jpg100_0181.jpg100_0184.jpg100_0182.jpg
 

SmeLLyTreeZ

Well-Known Member
What's up brO, I'll do my best to help u on a few questions.

First I would just use the happy frog for germed seeds. Paper towel method works every time to germ! I've use rockwool and the only thing about these is u don't want to over water or under water so it's a little tricky that's why I say stick with the soil just incase. Some will say it's to hot but I've never had a problem, ffof every time!

As for your hood, I don't have to much info on that cause I am new to the hid's aswell but they say a 600 roughly covers a 4x4 area If I recall so if anything else just do like I do and throw some cfl's mixed in there and you won't be disappointed. Anyway hope that helps a little and good luck with your girls!!
 
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