Mau5Capades: builds & grow journal

pop22 said:

No, the best use for autos is continual harvest. I run a strain that finishes in 60 days or less and gives me 3+ ounces per plant. my best from a 70 day auto so far is 7 ounces. don't discount autos for any reason! and is is without a doubt top shelf bud. Autos grow slower in a greenhouse/outdoors so I prefer them for indoor grows.
I'm currently growing an Auto Ultimate from Dutch Passion. I'm hoping for a least a pound, but these tend to go 90 days. I have however seen one grow of these hit 998 grams!

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can't clone autos... and can't hold plants in veg.

BobCajun said:

Not necessarily. Due to being able to use long day length, you may be able to get shorter plants and more weight per plant and possibly more resin. You could experiment and find the exact day length that produces highest yields, since you can use whatever you want. The only downsides are higher power usage and having to take whatever phenos you get from the seeds. I was really just using autos as a possible way to test my theory that long nights cause stretching though.

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Autos are not needed to control height, just need to know how to control the plant. If you have short growing space, then flower your clones earlier, get a taller grow space, or specialize in strains that are naturally short.

Both of you are ignoring the absolutely best feature of Cannabis photoperiod control of flowering.

pop22 said:

No stretch is not affected by light period in autos in my experience. Just end up smaller. I run mine 18/6.

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Oh, okay then, my theory didn't hold up I guess. So they just don't stretch at all or they stretch all the time? The ones I've seen look pretty stocky. A guy on YouTube called Grow Pot Cheaply regularly gets 6-7 oz per plant so it seems higher than photos. His plants didn't look particularly big, but they were very heavy nonetheless.

Just like photos, some stretch alot, some don't. My personal strain almost triples in size with the onset of flower.

BobCajun said:

Oh, okay then, my theory didn't hold up I guess. So they just don't stretch at all or they stretch all the time? The ones I've seen look pretty stocky. A guy on YouTube called Grow Pot Cheaply regularly gets 6-7 oz per plant so it seems higher than photos. His plants didn't look particularly big, but they were very heavy nonetheless.

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pop22 said:

Just like photos, some stretch alot, some don't. My personal strain almost triples in size with the onset of flower.

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I see, so the stretching is flowering related rather than darkness related. BTW, did you notice any reduction in stretch with 24/7?

Speaking of photoperiods, something you could try is unusual light cycles, like the one I'm using for veg now; 3/3. I just put in 4 programs on the timer to come on for 3 hours and the programs are 3 hours apart, making four 3/3 cycles every 24 hours. It works great. Short plants growing at a very nice rate and looking very healthy. The advantage is that photosynthesis is highest in the first few hours of light and then drops off. I also wanted to save on power by only using 12 hours per day total. I figure that with the boost in photosynthesis from the short cycles it should be about the same as 16-18 hours.

BobCajun said:

Oh, okay then, my theory didn't hold up I guess. So they just don't stretch at all or they stretch all the time? The ones I've seen look pretty stocky. A guy on YouTube called Grow Pot Cheaplys.regularly gets 6-7 oz per plant so it seems higher than photo His plants didn't look particularly big, but they were very heavy nonetheless.

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I have gotten results like this as well, but you have to be perfect. It seems for every plant that produces 4 oz, i get one that produces 1oz. Every seed is different. My photos do the same thing every time. If i fuck something up, i can counter it by vegging a week longer, or if i don't top enough, put into flower sooner. With an auto you are stuck with what you have........do everything right for the first 4 weeks, fuck something up, now you have to wait it out and get what you get. Now you just wasted 3 months to get an ounce. In 4 months, i'm getting at least 6 ounces per plant, guaranteed from my photos, everytime. I grow autos b/c i have some extra space in my veg area, and i like the extra variety....there are some fucking killer auto strains out there! For me, autos are for a little extra variety, not for yield. a good yielder is just a bonus.

BobCajun said:

I see, so the stretching is flowering related rather than darkness related. BTW, did you notice any reduction in stretch with 24/7?

Speaking of photoperiods, something you could try is unusual light cycles, like the one I'm using for veg now; 3/3. I just put in 4 programs on the timer to come on for 3 hours and the programs are 3 hours apart, making four 3/3 cycles every 24 hours. It works great. Short plants growing at a very nice rate and looking very healthy. The advantage is that photosynthesis is highest in the first few hours of light and then drops off. I also wanted to save on power by only using 12 hours per day total. I figure that with the boost in photosynthesis from the short cycles it should be about the same as 16-18 hours.

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Really interested in this approach to veg. Please update us on how it works?

Mary's Confidant said:

I'm glad you find it funny but to many, it's a real cost that should be monitored. I can think of a few reasons that energy usage is important.

1. Commerical growers in illegal states - racking up big energy bills is, at minimum, reckless. The less your activities deviate from normal patterns, the better.

2. Monitoring your carbon footprint - those of us who would like to limit energy use for our existence and minimize monthly expenses are very much cognizant of every thing we do.

3. Personal growers - Those who have no interest in selling a single gram have a great incentive to reduce their numbers across the board. This covers the gamut from lights and media to genetics and storage. Reduce, reuse, recycle would be apropos for those of us who are not in this for commercial gain.

I'm willing to spend more up front for less maintenance and ongoing costs for reasons 2 & 3.

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Commercial growers should not get a free pass, since they're making all the money. They should be encouraged to get more efficient lighting, and in fact utilities in Colorado already do have rebate programs in place for commercial facilities.

I believe we have a responsibility to improve the efficiency of indoor growing, not just for the present but the future. EVERYONE'S future.

ttystikk said:

Commercial growers should not get a free pass, since they're making all the money. They should be encouraged to get more efficient lighting, and in fact utilities in Colorado already do have rebate programs in place for commercial facilities.

I believe we have a responsibility to improve the efficiency of indoor growing, not just for the present but the future. EVERYONE'S future.

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Whats a commercial grower mean?

ttystikk said:

Commercial growers should not get a free pass, since they're making all the money. They should be encouraged to get more efficient lighting, and in fact utilities in Colorado already do have rebate programs in place for commercial facilities.

I believe we have a responsibility to improve the efficiency of indoor growing, not just for the present but the future. EVERYONE'S future.

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If more people could grow food and medicine we would all be better off, that's why we're all here isn't it?

PicklesRus said:

If more people could grow food and medicine we would all be better off, that's why we're all here isn't it?

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I can only speak for my own motivations, but yes that's what I'm in this for.

And to save energy.

And to show people that they can reuse their 'waste' heat.

And to improve the yields per square foot.

In short, to make growing indoors easy, inexpensive and accessible to everyone, whether it's kale and cilantro or marijuana and mushrooms.

a mongo frog said:

Whats a commercial grower mean?

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To me personally it means anything over 8k watts. You sure aren't growing for just yourself with that much light. It does seem to me that it is time for us all to look for ways to stop using so much fossil fuel. I'm not 100% either way on the global warming thing but there is a limited supply of fuels that we currently use for our way of life today. Steps should be taken to conserve what natural resources we have. Also a reduction in dependence on foreign oil is a national security matter as well. Energy independence is my ultimate goal right now. There are some interesting techs being introduced that will make living and driving off the grid closer to reality for us all. If all humans put there resources together imagine what could be accomplished in short order. If 25% of the worlds military spending over the last 10 years went into green energy research and development where would we be today?

BobCajun said:

I see, so the stretching is flowering related rather than darkness related. BTW, did you notice any reduction in stretch with 24/7?

Speaking of photoperiods, something you could try is unusual light cycles, like the one I'm using for veg now; 3/3. I just put in 4 programs on the timer to come on for 3 hours and the programs are 3 hours apart, making four 3/3 cycles every 24 hours. It works great. Short plants growing at a very nice rate and looking very healthy. The advantage is that photosynthesis is highest in the first few hours of light and then drops off. I also wanted to save on power by only using 12 hours per day total. I figure that with the boost in photosynthesis from the short cycles it should be about the same as 16-18 hours.

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I always like to run 6-2. Never really tried the other way though sounds interesting. A friend of mine had limited circuits so I told him to run a cfl on 18/6 and run his 400 mh 12 hours when his bloom lights where off. he said it worked out perfect.

ttystikk said:

Commercial growers should not get a free pass, since they're making all the money. They should be encouraged to get more efficient lighting, and in fact utilities in Colorado already do have rebate programs in place for commercial facilities.

I believe we have a responsibility to improve the efficiency of indoor growing, not just for the present but the future. EVERYONE'S future.

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Perhaps my message didn't come across as intended. I don't think commercial growers should get a free pass either but it's not a group I identify with. Many commercial growers are looking at the bottom line (short term) and LEDs make the numbers less attractive, at least at the outset.

I expect most commercial growers to go outdoors eventually because it's hard to compete with free energy from the sun but for indoor grows, LEDs are continually improving and bridging that gap between capital costs and efficiency. I'm certain we'll see a monumental shift if CREE ever hits the 70% efficiency mark @ 1/2 current or thereabouts (and assuming the price is competitive to put a unit together).

Until then, it's up to everyone here to be the Vanguard, luckily we have some very bright people leading the charge and sharing information.

Stephenj37826 said:

I always like to run 6-2. Never really tried the other way though sounds interesting. A friend of mine had limited circuits so I told him to run a cfl on 18/6 and run his 400 mh 12 hours when his bloom lights where off. he said it worked out perfect.

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Three daily cycles of six on and two off? I'm still wrapping my head around this.

Mary's Confidant said:

Perhaps my message didn't come across as intended. I don't think commercial growers should get a free pass either but it's not a group I identify with. Many commercial growers are looking at the bottom line (short term) and LEDs make the numbers less attractive, at least at the outset.

I expect most commercial growers to go outdoors eventually because it's hard to compete with free energy from the sun but for indoor grows, LEDs are continually improving and bridging that gap between capital costs and efficiency. I'm certain we'll see a monumental shift if CREE ever hits the 70% efficiency mark @ 1/2 current or thereabouts (and assuming the price is competitive to put a unit together).

Until then, it's up to everyone here to be the Vanguard, luckily we have some very bright people leading the charge and sharing information.

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I believe that commercial growers would fully understand the implications of COB LED lighting once they've been adequately explained, and believe me when I tell you they have the money to make the switch.

Initial cost is THE remaining barrier. I'm already working on a solution to bring those installation costs of COB LED down substantially and thus much more in line with other lighting options.

Once the new lighting is in place, the energy savings and yield/quality improvements reaped will make for an attractively short ROI. They will also cement their position as the low cost, yet high quality producer all but immune to market pressures going forward because their operating costs will be so much lower than those still using light bulbs.

I disagree with your suggestion that COBS need some outlandish high efficiency value to compete. They really only need to be better in just one way while not giving up significant ground anywhere else- but as we early adopters already know, the things absolutely slaughter light bulbs in EVERY way save initial cost.

The word is getting out about COB LED. Better is better. The market imperative will be simple; suck it up or get left behind.

Stephenj37826 said:

I always like to run 6-2.

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Do you run 6/6 when flowering?

verticalgrow said:

Do you run 6/6 when flowering?

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No you still need 12 hours of darkness for flower

ttystikk said:

Three daily cycles of six on and two off? I'm still wrapping my head around this.

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Plants photosynthesize most efficiently the first 6-8 hours of daylight. I have seen increased growth rates with this method. Of course I veg aggressively usually 400 mh in an og hood ina 3x3 area.

Stephenj37826 said:

Plants photosynthesize most efficiently the first 6-8 hours of daylight. I have seen increased growth rates with this method. Of course I veg aggressively usually 400 mh in an og hood ina 3x3 area.

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Do u know if 9/3 would have any increased growth rates too?

Stephenj37826 said:

Plants photosynthesize most efficiently the first 6-8 hours of daylight. I have seen increased growth rates with this method. Of course I veg aggressively usually 400 mh in an og hood ina 3x3 area.

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Hmm, I'm thinking 8 and 4 twice, or would six and six be better?

Aggressive vegging, lol Mine hit six feet BEFORE they hit the bloom trellis!