Crazy Chemist, crazy grow

This is my journal, no hi-jacking please. Any questions about my experiments or whatever else is on your mind can be directed to my "Introduce yourself" post titled "New, crazy scientist in town...". This is my post from the introduction page, just to get the background info straight.

Hey everyone, I thought I would introduce myself here, but I mist admit I probably won't include too much info here. Let's say I live in a place where this stuff is not legal, hypothetically-speaking, that could be bad for employers....so this will have to stay anonymous. At any rate, I've been a long time reader, smoker and grower. I may be young, but I was taught by an expert oldhead (my great uncle) and since then I've just pursued more education than I thought I would. So now there is a mad scientist out here working for all of you.

I have way too many projects, always. I have a lot of experiments too, and a good amount of lab experience. Did I mention I'm a chemist? Some past and current projects you can expect from me? I have modified making hash oil by organic solvent extraction of green to make it the purest way I've ever seen it. 3 drops and you're done. I have current research working on increasing the products of isomerization of these oils to the (most potent form) of THC (also called delta-9-THC, delta-9 being name of the configuration we most enjoy) in order to make my rediculously potent oil even more potent. I have come up with a new way to take in THC without the person next to you even knowing it, it doesn't involve a patch or a pill, no smell, barely any taste, but I am having some troulbe finding a suitable carrier solvent (stability seems to be a constant issue). Finally, please read my grow journal, which is starting today.

My journal will consist of every detail of how why and what is going on, from step 1. This is a completely covert, barely detectable, ultra-low energy, highly efficient way to grow. I may be one of the youngest people doing a journal of this detail, but I have done at least 15 grows, about 1/2 indoor, many different lights, and twice on hydro (pvc DIY thing I built with a 400W Halogen)

Now, I hope everyone understands that this is the first style of grow I will be doing like this, and no one is an expert of everything. When you call yourself THE expert on a subject, you stop learning and become ignorant. So I will be posting things on here looking for answers to how or why something is happening, or how to control/fix something with my little girls. With that being said, if anyone has any questions about the scientific nature or explanations of how or why we do what we do, definitely ask me.

Please check the forum for my journal, pictures and information should be up today.

Oh, and please direct any questions you have NOT pertaining to MY specific grow style/journal to this section. Any questions pertaining to the grow can stay in that journal, other questions or scientific explainations can be addressed here. That way the journal stays clean and everyone can see what I'm up too without battling it out.

So needless to say, we should have pics up today, I have a few questions for the experts out there (roseman and korvette are great, there was another covert CFL grower out there too, I forget though).

SO, here's the beginning of the journal. I will start with a description of what I have, why I have it, and why I will hear no arguments as to why my system isn't good enough. I have grown many ways and I'm doing this way due to my current situation, and it will stay that way. Of course I'm \switching back to MH and HPS lights as soon as my house is ready for the room, but not while I rent. SO...hear goes people, enjoy.

So here is my system. As I mentioned, I've done a good amount of indoor and outdoor grows, all of which I have had good results. Once indoor soil grow was weak, but I had 2 small T's in a closet, but I've also done an outdoor on my balcony that produced something I named Purple Piss. I called it that because it was purple and smelled like a skunk pissed on it...my friends still talk about it 3-4 years later. SO...this is my system, and it is this way for a reason. I hope that I can at least shed light that this method is more than just reasonable, but there are ways to enhance it and make it work for you even better.

My system consists of a Stealth Hydro system, 6 potter. I choose this becuase my system is PVC, very obvious, 24 plants, and is huge and loud in comparison. The closet I started in didn't work out, so I wen't ultra stealth. I have 2 large 85W mogel-socket CFLs with a total output of 4200 lumens each (8400 total), one at 6000K, one at 2800K. Both lights run continuously, together. I wanted super-covert. The system is completely hidden inside an enclosure I built that keeps the entire growing area to 18x24 inches. For anyone who doesn't know, this is rediculously small. I did this because if you spray 8400 lumens on 18x24, you get almost 30 lumens per square inch. Try the math (in inches, again) if the space were to be increased by 6 inches in both directions (24x30). Big difference. The inside of my area is lined in white computer paper. I usuaully use mylar, but in a space THIS small, burning and hotspots will be a certainty, and IR reflection will definitely make it very hot inside. As of now, it stays around 80 degrees or less at 24-20 hours of light a day. The air pump is outside the enclosure to provide oxygen to roots. the stone in the water is very large, and it does float while its on, almost all day, and I left it that way rather that wieght it down. The purpose to this is that the bubbles themselves aren't very important, but the dissolved oxygen is what is significantly increased by the bubble stone. Plus floating back and forth like that really seems to just help disperse the bubbles. My lights are never more than 4 inches away.

I will use a combination of low-tension height training, constant pruning. the seedlings have been started, officially beginning life sometime around Oct25-30, depending on the sprout. All sprouts are strains of great nug I have experienced, some of them from over 3 years ago. Some are going to be awesome, I remember them clearly. Pictures posted today show all plants, at a maximum of 1 wk, 4 days age. Yes, root growth is outrageous. Looks like I have one indica, possibly 2, but the other seems sativa. They are so young I will wait to see. Also, for anyone who plans of following this journal...I will always name and number all my plants, always do. I will usually refer to them by number, as each one will have its own important details. I will show the numbering and names at some point.

The first batch of nutes were 1/2 strength and the rockwool destroyed the pH, needing constant adjusting for days on end. The rockwool will be seated the the bottom of the bucket next time, as putting them "lower" than they say still isn't low enough for me. It just makes it harder to check yout nute sol'n and the edges of the rockwool had some trouble staying/getting wet in the corners/ middle...if started in the system. However, cloning (even at seedling stage) seems to have completely recovered and resumed rapid growth in 3 days...wow. So here come some of my pictures...be back in 15 with those posted and more comments to boot.

So, as I said, I chose this system for a reason...let's look at some math. Besides having absolutely no heat problem when growing in 18x24x52 inches only. I consume 0.181kW/hr for this system, with everything on, 0.011kW/hr with the pump and air on alone. By running my expected light cycles, I count not only only 8 wks of growth...total...but a total cost of $8.06 increase per month, so $16.12. Wait till you see what I get for that price, haha. At any rate, I do have a question. I am about to post these pictures, would anyone mind advising me...is it better to put the pics here in my post (as I have seen some other people do, it seems to make it easier to see pics rather than having to link to each one) or should I just upload them elsewhere?

Just took new pics, hope you can see before I go to work....1 hour...

Where are the pics?

Going up right now...should I post in my album or in the posts? I'll just put the link maybe? file names of pictures also serve as captions...read them everyone! any number at the beginning of pic name (like 1 hurt) means that plant number one is pictured, and I must be showing plant damage if is says hurt, Catch my drift?

Check out my pics. Who thinks they know what's causing my leaves to look like that. Gotta be temp or pH. Ph sits about 5.8, on the low side, but they are likin it.

If anyone wants to check out the pics, I guess I can just put this link in here? What is the best way to put these pictures up?

I posted them to an album already, do I supply that link or just the pics there? Can I just post the album link here?

So I guess I am just going to do this this way for now, but I still wonder if I am able to link my album on RUI so people can just look there?

Also, check my leaves out, a lot or raised segments between margins. As of today some things have worsened, I will post those pics in about an hour. They don't seem too unhappy, though they may be showing signs of stunted growth. I mean, the nodes are close together but my lights aren't very hot and are 4-5 inches away. All effected differently. It must be heat, humidity or nutes, what's everyone think? roots growing explosively.

Next post shows picts of all 6, some brown spotting, many deformed margins, raised edges, 2 plants with leaves turned down. Pics in the hour.

OK, before I hurt something. I'm putting the pictures here in the post until someone can tell me how the hell to get the little thumbnail pictures to WORK!!


Talk about small



Five days in, all 6. I will usually refer to them by name or by number. Starts clockwise from the back left to the front left, 1-6.



Notice #6 (front left) has yellow tips. This is from it being the first sprout and it stretched so much during the time I waited for the others that it had to clip it and re-root so it would make it. It has recovered nicely...so far. This damage is not related to the damage that I am seeking advice over.


just wanna brag about roots


This is #6 again, notice it has mostly recovered from re-rooting, but is now starting to be effected by this other stuff, heres some pics of the effects on other plants.


#5...the worst one....


Again, the worst one...


Wait till you see today's pic...like alien stuff ahaha


#4, long tips...


funny long leaves


This is #2, definitely the largest, fastest grower, the one with the sick roots. Very close nodes on all. Today the leaves of all the plants are finally feeling slightly more papery, leading me to think this may just be a heat problem. I won't keep them closed as often the next day or two and see if they recover at all. I hope it isn't nutes, but I dont think so.


#2 is pretty though, very big today. Roots from 4/5 have hit water...now the fun begins.


Poor girls...this one (#4) is the first to show signs of leaves curling under...


#1, last to show signs of hurting (along with #2)

More pics from today WILL be up, need some help to correct this before it becomes a real problem.

Ok, so I went ahead and put some of the pics right in my post. I need some help figuring out what this is, I think it is heat, but a pic (or lost of them) are worth a lot of words. I guess since I am new I have to wait for the post to approved...UGH!!!

You need the URL of the image... for example http://www.420magazine.com/gallery/data/829/medium/DSC00393.JPG

Making sure it has the extension on the end (gif, jpeg, png)

Then when writing the post put that code in tags like this

lol. lolololol.

I know how to do all that, I was looking to do it a specific way, but I ended up finding a way to get it done. Problem is, I am waiting for administrator approval for the post to be published so you can all see my pics. Hopefully that is just because I am a relatively new member that my posts aren't active immediately, but oh well.

Please scroll up and check out my pics....previous

I'm putting the pictures here in the post until someone can tell me how the hell to get the little thumbnail pictures to WORK!!


Talk about small



Five days in, all 6. I will usually refer to them by name or by number. Starts clockwise from the back left to the front left, 1-6.



Notice #6 (front left) has yellow tips. This is from it being the first sprout and it stretched so much during the time I waited for the others that it had to clip it and re-root so it would make it. It has recovered nicely...so far. This damage is not related to the damage that I am seeking advice over.


just wanna brag about roots


This is #6 again, notice it has mostly recovered from re-rooting, but is now starting to be effected by this other stuff, heres some pics of the effects on other plants.


#5...the worst one....


Again, the worst one...


Wait till you see today's pic...like alien stuff ahaha


#4, long tips...


funny long leaves


This is #2, definitely the largest, fastest grower, the one with the sick roots. Very close nodes on all. Today the leaves of all the plants are finally feeling slightly more papery, leading me to think this may just be a heat problem. I won't keep them closed as often the next day or two and see if they recover at all. I hope it isn't nutes, but I dont think so.


#2 is pretty though, very big today. Roots from 4/5 have hit water...now the fun begins.


Poor girls...this one (#4) is the first to show signs of leaves curling under...


#1, last to show signs of hurting (along with #2)

More pics from today WILL be up, need some help to correct this before it becomes a real problem.

they look goood to me.

Roseman:

What do you think of the leaf deformations though? I have compared them to countless pics and can't seem to find a direct link to what could cause it. Look at the pics above and I will include more pictures today, probably within 1/2 hour. The numbering sequence is back left, clockwise to left front, 1-6, so 123 in back, 456 in front. Notice that #1 has picked up a few new issues, and obviously #5 cannot be in good health with all the bent leaves. I will post pics in 15 mins actually, with new ones I am taking right this second. I know you're practically an expert on this stuff, maybe you have seen it before? I'm leaning towards heat, so yesterday and today I left the box open for most of the lighting time.

That bending in the leaf is something caused by heat. Somehow you're getting a hotspot on a point, and it causes growth deformation as the cells wither and die in that spot and the rest of the growing leaf is pulled in to bend around the spot.


(I figure I should be specific...the deformation that looks like the leaf decided to take a sudden 30-45degree jog to one side about halfway along.)

(Looking back, what I saw may have simply been the way your hand was causing the leaf to bend. The general dark/crusty look on some of the others looks a bit like symptoms of root rot. Are you changing your water often enough and maintaining proper ph? )