1st Meticulous Grow - DWC - Hydro - 4x4 Tent - 600W MH/HPS - 4 Ladies

[Groovy Bud]

I didn't know it would only take 3 days for the roots to touch the water (higher water level to start with).
I was advised to get the sprouted seed 2 times its size dug into the rockwool. This would be different than what you said, but that seems more efficient in order to get the roots reaching the water ASAP.

So you just water the rockwool once, at the beginning is that it? Do you have the water level like 2'' from the net pot bottom?
What kind of pH fluctuations did you get in the first week? I'll get my system bubbling for a couple of days with monitored pH water to get the system stable before introducing the ladies (it might fluctuate when the ladies get in)

At the moment I'm still looking for the 2nd strain to work with. I need a known high yield strain, herbal/fruity taste, not couch-locking. Got any ideas?

 

[hydrofun]

I add water until the netpot is in the water about 1/2 inch. the first week that handles all my water needs. I do Ph my water the first week to 5.8 but think about it. PH 5.8 is the nutrient sweet spot in hydro but in the first week through 10 days you don't use nuts so PH don't matter the first week. I do it only to make sure my hydroton only soaks up PH 5.8-6.0 I try and presoak everything to 5.8 but it always seems to climb to @ 6.2 the first week or so. Like I said im in my 3rd week the PH seems to hang out between 5.8 and 6 im cool with that as PH has to fluctuate alittle with nutrient uptake. Ya I think my main problem is not bubbling the water long enough before adding the nutrients. Im always in a hurry and don't bubble overnight which would evaporate more chlorine.

 

[hydrofun]

Seeds strains Starkiller, LSD or Y Griega.

 

[hydrofun]

O fuk just go exotic and get seed strains like, Somali Taxi Ride or Nightmare OG

 

[CajunCelt]

Hello, my $.02:
1st, I'm not new. Not here & not to growing.
I wouldn't go dwc until you get the hang of this plant, at least 2 grow. Frankly, you are about to waste a lot of $.
Grow in soil or coco 1st. Learn the plant.
Whoever is giving you advice at the shop, is, well, questionable.
600w for a 4x4 is spot on. Also, a top feed is not dangerous Lol. They're actually awesome. But a top feed dwc? New one to me. Might be cool.

You can pull this off w/ lots of help, but I still warn you to walk before you run.

And, dude don't mainline. It's hard, hard high stress training that you frankly don't know enough about yet to deal w/ issues. All these new guys doing it are getting b stalled grows w/ horrible issues then brag they got a few Oz's after vegging half the year.
Use LST, good lighting, & you'll get awesome yield for half the time (which means 1/2 the nutes & electric bills).
More importantly, you'll learn more & quicker.

Just my humble opinion.

 

[Groovy Bud]

Cajuncelt, cheers for the 2 cents!

Main-lining seemed like a 1,5 month vegging time if I start early (start topping once I get 3-4 nodes) and it seemed to get great yield along with greater area efficiency. If I top 3 times with the sufficient LST'ing, it's almost the same as main-lining, thing is that I can get an even canopy by flattening the bottom main branches. There is a step-by-step guide to Main-lining. I understand that the more light that hits the bud sites (taking excessive foliage off) the more they can thicken and gain weight.

The advantage of hydro is that I can have more rapid growth and get to train them a lot more than soil, along with not being expensive on the bill (homemade DWC). I have read of Ebb and Flood/Flow along with top-feed by Africangrower and Captn' himself and the concept is close to mine (getting water movement and bathing all the available roots with nutted water, even if a portion of the root mass in under-water)
Hydro isn't that much more of a problem if taken seriously and getting the hang of it.

I like challenging myself quite a bit and I've been reading all about hydro since the beginning. I appreciate the soil recommendation, and I might give it a try maybe next round.
Do you think 400w MH will be enough for vegging? I can still run to the store and trade it for a 600w one that can be dimmed down to 400w through the ballast(not as good as a 400w bulb in the 400w setting). But for 4x4 I'm afraid temperatures can go too far up.

Option for the 2nd strain to work with: Super Lemon Haze or Pineapple Chunk. Both big wielders and kind of my taste/effects

 

[CajunCelt]

I hear ya. Most ppl don't post or grow until they're confident in their research.
Your call on your grow...
What happens when you've shelled out $$$ only to find out that dwc is not for you? Do you want to grow lots of strains or stick w/ one? Different strains are difficult w/ dwc.
I'm just saying tons of shops constantly buy back used equipment from new growers that researched a system that sounded good for them, but found out they should've gone a different route.
There's not much heat difference between 400w & 600w. The big step is from 600w to 1000w. Go with 600w.

Good luck. Sounds like you've chosen a direction.
Look fwd to seeing the grow.

 

[CajunCelt]

Do yourself a favor. Save just 1 seedling & do not ml it. Top it, start tying down big fans & new branches. Use LST for up to 2 weeks in flower.
This plant will give you as much yield as the ml'd plants in 1/3 the time & probably more potent bud. You use that 1/3 of the time to pop more beans while you're still waiting on the ml'd plants.
If I'm wrong, all you did was gain knowledge & have space for a new strain?

 

[Groovy Bud]

Currently I'm setting my hydro system materials and researching on training techniques, nutrient mixes, studying for an exam... And yes, deciding which 2nd strain to work with.

Cajuncelt, I'm researching the differences between just topping and LST, and Main-lining in coala density/quality. I'm concerned about the stretch and having to drastically super-crop all of the branches, along with loosing light penetration due the increased height. That doesn't happen with main-lining. Even if it stretches, the coalas will share even amount of light over them.

MY CONCLUSION: this brings me to a mix of main-lining and normal top+Lst. I do not need that much of a tree thick main branch by which Main-line is mostly known for, But I could use the geometrical system. Having a 6/8 coala system per plant you be more than ok for my area and usage of a single 600w hps bulb.

with this in mind, I think I'm looking into 6 weeks of vegging. Not that much of an increase if I start topping early and LST (almost main-line styled). 6 weeks for 3 toppings, does this seem reliable cajuncelt?

I'm really glad for having you guys here! Thanks so much for the help

 

[CajunCelt]

Currently I'm setting my hydro system materials and researching on training techniques, nutrient mixes, studying for an exam... And yes, deciding which 2nd strain to work with.

Cajuncelt, I'm researching the differences between just topping and LST, and Main-lining in coala density/quality. I'm concerned about the stretch and having to drastically super-crop all of the branches, along with loosing light penetration due the increased height. That doesn't happen with main-lining. Even if it stretches, the coalas will share even amount of light over them.

MY CONCLUSION: this brings me to a mix of main-lining and normal top+Lst. I do not need that much of a tree thick main branch by which Main-line is mostly known for, But I could use the geometrical system. Having a 6/8 coala system per plant you be more than ok for my area and usage of a single 600w hps bulb.

with this in mind, I think I'm looking into 6 weeks of vegging. Not that much of an increase if I start topping early and LST (almost main-line styled). 6 weeks for 3 toppings, does this seem reliable cajuncelt?

I'm really glad for having you guys here! Thanks so much for the help

The thick branches from ml'g are from vegging her out for 3 or 4 months, not exposure to light.
In LST, you will keep her horizontal with an even & a short canopy as well. You'll have 15+ colas, all at the same, low height.
Vegging for 6 weeks would be perfect. Ml'g will be a 3 to 6 month veg & you might have the plants harden after that long. That's why so many are getting failed crops.

 

[CajunCelt]

Not my best, but a good example of 4 week vegged, lst'd plant. And, this was the baby of the grow. You could have 3 harvests of these, & lots bigger, before you could harvest even 1 grow if mainlined.
And again, check out the grow...that was the midget.

 

[timothypaul26]

Not my best, but a good example of 4 week vegged, lst'd plant. And, this was the baby of the grow. You could have 3 harvests of these, & lots bigger, before you could harvest even 1 grow if mainlined.
And again, check out the grow...that was the midget.

I need to learn this, that is almost perfect size, and massive colas. Nice work.

 

[hydrofun]

Wow ya I would die to get half that on a plant that's awesome! I screwed up a FIM and decided to take your advice and finally toped out my tall 1 yesterday and im tying the side branches down as best I can.

 

[Groovy Bud]

Ok cajun you got my full attention now!

I've read a couple of pages from your journals and couldn't find which times you topped and how many times. This looks seriously good, and obviously soo much more effective over-time than an added vegging time.

My previous idea was a top/ing and lst'ing to a flat/horizontal canopy during 6 week vegging. Have compared topping and topping+lst before?

Please introduce me to your training method, will you?

Cheers

 

[CajunCelt]

This is the fastest explanation:
The tutorial you referred to earlier was written by my friend Light Addict, who won Plant of the Year last year.
He had a mutant seedling he mainlined. Spimp named it Fluxing, & it took off from there.

But...he has another tutorial called the "Tut Method" which is horizontal LST. This is the same way I grow.
This is the method he used to grow the Plant of the Year.
Not, mainlining of fluxing.

I've never written a tutorial, but his is real close to what I'd have written.
Much better, faster & productive method.

Go there 1st. When you get started, I'll ask him & a few key ppl to come over & help out too.

I should've never replied to you. Now I'm emotionally invested.

 

[CajunCelt]

Basically, we're tying down branches to achieve a flat/even canopy similar to a SCRoG grow in appearance, but with or without a net.
You'll need a net or stakes cause the buds are so heavy. As you saw in my grow, I use a net.
I would top at 5th node.

 

[Groovy Bud]

Cajuncelt, I've looked into Tut Method as well as "Fluxing". I just don't get the vegging duration in those two.
Apart from 1 week germination, how long do they take?

You recommended me to top at 5th node, but in "tut" you don't top the main branch, you top the secondary ones, right?
Fluxing seems a combo of horizontal LST along with the initial top. It looks superb, although I'm quite positive about it having a long veg time (minimum 2 months).
The work with gardening wire seems kinda troubling in the flux tutorial, tut seems far more easy, altho not as effective.
Can any of them be done with a 1-1.5 months of vegging? I'll be doing it from seed.
Since I'm going 4 plants by 4x4, which of these trainings will you recommend?

I'm sorry for not being around the last couple of days, but had to crush an university exam(though one).
Now, during this week I'll be working around the new house (furniture) as well as the grow space. As soon as it's set, pictures will come.

 

[CajunCelt]

Horizontal LST (Tut), will be 4 to 6 week veg.
Mainlining (Fluxing), will be more like 3 months.

Why don't you do both & just veg all at 6 weeks?
Actually, the wire stuff is much easier w/ Fluxing. You tie down all branches with minimal wire & you don't have to decide which ones to tie down.

4 plants in a 4x4 is perfect. They'll look odd in that big space until late veg, then they'll fill it up after.

My issue with Fluxing, is that the mainlining of the 2 initial colas & tying them horiz. can stall out, severely, or even just blow the entire grow. The veg time is too long for a decent perpetual garden. The plus is that same stress ironically. That stress will explode in bud growth.

 

[CajunCelt]

Real quick, in the old-er days, most ppl that mainlined, supercropped. They topped very early & kept topping all new nodes until they had lots of tops. Fluxing is really a different animal though.

 

[Groovy Bud]

Alright everyone,
After handling a new house decoration, lighting/water and gas contracts, it's time to head for the last trip to the shop.

Shopping list:
2 x 500l/h submersible water pump (one for each tote)
Tubbing + "T" tubbing + Drip ring tube
GH 3 part series
Cannazyme - Why? Because Aquashield/Hydroguard isn't available around here. For prevention of root rot, will be using 60% of the recommended dosage. These enzymes shatter dead root and "dead" matter and turn it into "up-takable" nutes. Also promotes the living of beneficial bacteria (won't be added to the mix due to budget yet).
35W air pump 6 outlets
4-6 x 30cm/12inches rectangular blue air stones
4 big netpots
Rockwool
Canna clay pebbles
Timers for lighting and water pump.
Carbon Filter (higher cfm than the exhaustion/extraction in-line fan)

The set-up is scheduled for this weekend.
Will be gradually rising my electricity usage, in order to prevent spikes or unnecessary attention from the company.
I shall also post pictures of the setting up!

Let me fun and madness begin!
Cajun, I guess I'll be doing some intensive LST course over this journey, I'll take any advices you and your mates may have to give! Please light my path