2nd run 4 NY Sour Diesel, 2 Critical +

So this is my 2nd run in my user built hydro system. I tried one run in Pro mix before deciding to change over to hydro. So 3rd run in total. Deciding to change over to hydro was the best decision I've made.

So here they are at the end of there first week under 12/12.
The first pic is of the Critical +, which was started at the same time as the larger NY Sour Diesel in pic #2. Pic #3 is of the 4 NY Sour Diesel. #4 System setup. #5 Some bad ass roots going on. #6 More Diesel. #7 Side shot.
I'm running (2) Lumatek 600 watt switchable ballasts with 600 watt Digilux bulbs in Raptor hoods. I have the hoods hooked up to 6" insulated duct, pulling warm air from the top of the room through the hoods and out a window box via a 6" value line centrifugal fan. This fan runs of a Ranco ETC controller, with a 8' prob that sits up in the canopy. For a rez right now I'm using a 20 gal tote. Manage my PH, TDS and rez temp with a Hanna PH/TDS/Temp continuous read meter. Also pictured is my timer which is a heavy duty outdoor timer.


My flood and drain buckets are run of a CAP timer set to run 30 seconds every 20 minuets. The drains are on the side of the buckets which leaves about 3/4 of an inch of nutrient solution in the buckets.
So lets have it folks, what do think?

badass brother

im thinking about going buckets too im gonna do a next 3 bucket setup in my room for experimentin..heheh

@SFguy if you do, you wont regret it !!


I forgot to mention what I'm using for nutrients. I'm using GH Grow, Micro and bloom. I also use B-52, Big Bud, Gravity bud hardener, Final Flush and cal-mag (not so much anymore now that I know how to give them the proper nutrient levels.) and the occasional hydrogen peroxide. So far this run I haven't experienced any deficiency's. I think I once again vegged a little to long (5 weeks) and I'm hoping the diesel doesn't stretch like my sage did last run.

Last run I had a sage grow to be 8ft and killed off 1 of my diesels.

how many weeks did you veg for?

Looking steller mywhat those are going to be monsters

I vegged for 5 weeks not including the time for the clone to form roots.

@hellraizer30 Thanks for stopping by. The diesels are 3ft plus right now and the canopy is looking great this time. With a little help from super cropping them. The critical + are smaller but they are wicked bushy and are starting to grow up a little now.

Looks killer, I'm sub'd. Why don't you top them a few weeks before you flower?

Thanks Sencha!

I super cropped all my NY Sour Diesel's. The Diesel branches off like crazy, so it didn't take much to get a fairly even canopy. I am getting some shoot's that are trying to take the lead during this period of stretch. I'm just not sure if 2 weeks into flowering, how much I should continue?
I just had to raise my light again . I am trying to keep the light's as close as possible without them touching the glass. The reasoning is to try to keep stretching to a minimal. My temps are in the mid 70's and my lights are hooked up to a thermostat. If the temp up in the canopy goes above 76 the fan turns on and starts sucking in cool air from outside.

I had my first real problem with my system today. I opened up my reservoir to find the start of some nasty slime growing in it. So I immediately got out my shop-vac and sucked the tank and buckets dry. Then added a 1/3 of a gallon of water to each bucket, so I had time to clean my pump, reservoir and diffusers.
After I got done I started going over everything and believe I found what caused the issue. A couple days ago on my main feed pipe, I noticed the end had curled down. Allowing nutrient water to remain in that 8 inches of pipe and warm up under the lights. So I added a board across the last 2 buckets which elevates the tail end of the pipe, allowing the water to drain back to the reservoir.
I haven't noticed any change in my plants and I checked my roots while I was at it.So hopefully this wont happen again.


In the bottom left of the pic you can see the board I added and how it holds up the tail end of my feed pipe.

are you going to lolly pop them ?

When I think of lolly popping, I always think of a single cola'd plant. Like auto's or taking clones and going straight to 12/12. As I can only have 6 flowering plants (by law), I grow them out a little bigger.
I will be taking off the lower 1/3 of my plants though. I normally wait till right after the stretch period before I trim though. Mostly just because I don't want all the focus to be on the top canopy during the stretch.

what's up brother, awesome setup! I got 2 critical +'s and one ny sour diesel both only a few weeks old but haven't grown either before so Im pretty stoked! looks like your on point I'll be followin to see how these strains treat ya in the end.

The NYC sour diesel is killer smoke !!! Very stinky when flowering and drying. The kind of smoke you have to double bag and the officer still asks is there anything illegal in your car namely weed ?? (true story)
The critical+ is fruitier smoke that still packs a fairly good punch.
But the NYC sour diesel is the bomb, if you have the same strain that I do that is. I have heard there is one that's a little fruity smelling and the other has a fuely taste. The latter is the one I have and the one I hope you have as well.

nice, i've noticed though for me atleast that my criticals are starving while my diesel seems to be gettin slight burnt have you noticed a difference in nutes at all? have you had any luck LST'in or do you just top em?

SirLancelot said:

nice, i've noticed though for me atleast that my criticals are starving while my diesel seems to be gettin slight burnt have you noticed a difference in nutes at all? have you had any luck LST'in or do you just top em?

Click to expand...

I have done some super croping witch is basicaly the same thing. Last run with this setup I made a large net on a frame to train the branches through. This roumd i'm goimg to just let them go unless they need support. The diesel branches out wicked and I have trained them to have a pretty even canopy, so I should get at least 10 top colas per diesel plant.
As far as the nutes go I have been feeding them 1200-1300 ppm and they both seem to be handling it just fine. No burnt tips or signs of deficiency's so far, nothing but nice green color everywhere.

Update: I sure hope the stretch is almost done. I have about 1' before my light bottoms out on my ceiling that's 8'6". (Switched to 12/12 on 11-14-11)

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The Sour Diesel is just starting to bud up. The Critical + has more development at this point though.
I had a mishap last night and forgot to mist my clone tray and lost 6 of my diesel clones. I ether need to take some more of these before the lower branches show bud or grow these clones out and take more. This sucks !!


Close up of Critical +


Whats left of my diesel's (not enough to load for next round.)
This will be the last time I do 2 strains in this setup, Unless I split it. Best bet would be to get a patient so I can have a hole other 6 bucket setup.


I didn't take any clones from the Critical cause I had already started a new mother to clone from.(she just got transplanted yesterday)

Turned my old flower closet for my first dirt grow into my new veg room. Seems how my smaller veg room is now full of equipment and hydroton.


I just got a new 4' 8 bulb t-5 light to go along with my 150 watt hps. (which i made from an old wall mount fixture and used an old hood.) The insulated vent runs down to my basement for me to pull cool air up to either cool my lights in the flower room or a fresh air inlet. But I haven't needed to use it cause I shut my grow down for the whole summer cause I had enough med's and it just smelled to much in the house.

Peace
MYWhat?

A look at how the system works. It is simply top fed, on a timer. Every 20 minutes it pumps nutrient water for 30 seconds. The nutrient water then drains by means of gravity back to the reservoir. Leaving 3/4's of an inch of nutrient water in the bottom of the bucket for the plant to use until the next feeding.


Some shots of how the Sour Diesels are doing.


Some shots of how the critical+ is doing.

Looking good mywhat going to be thick in there, from what i see i dont think you past the stretch though lol