DWC Hydroponic - Indoor - Autoflowering Narcotherapy - 2015

[growchick]

This morning, I think I see the beginning of a little Magnesium deficiency beginning.

I just brought the pH down to 5.8 for the first time since they were seedlings (thanks to having a new digital meter) last night, and I upped their nutes then, also. After checking now, the pH ranges from bucket to bucket between 6.10 and 6.45. Magnesium should be available at this pH, so I'm thinking to try to lower the pH again now and add a little CalMag.

PPM was low also, so I added 1.25 mL each of FloraGro, FloraMicro, FloraBloom, and CalMag.

plant before after
A pH 6.18 6
A ppm403 511
B 6.1 5.79
B 471 674
C 6.1 4.91
C 442 744
D 6.45 5.8
D 535 675
E 3.16 5.82
E 568 778

My goal pH is 5.85 and my goal PPM is 610 in this phase.

 

[Rifleman]

Hey Growchick, I think I've got the link to my first grow fixed now. If you have the same kind of success I had with my first auto grow, you are going to be in a hurt for room.

I'm subbed up so let's grow some cannabis! BTW, PH is our nemesis. The chart below shows us at what PH the nutrients are taken in. I strive to stay as close to 5.8 as I possibly can. In my experience my plants do not like anything above 6.0 and will let me know quickly. YMMV. However the best advice I can give you is to check it daily once they get a little size to them, and calibrate your pen weekly. I learned the hard way that 70 days or so into a grow your pen can be off by a full point. Like I told you on another thread, there are a lot of mistakes and first timer mega data on my first journal that I hope folks can learn from without having to experience themselves. Let me know if the link still isn't working. Good luck.

 

[growchick]

Hey Growchick, I think I've got the link to my first grow fixed now. If you have the same kind of success I had with my first auto grow, you are going to be in a hurt for room.

Fingers crossed that this is so!!!

 

[Rifleman]

Fingers crossed that this is so!!!

I'm here to help if I can. What day are you on now? My current grow is on day 21 from seed popping outta the "soil". I think we are close together on that, no? Mine is starting the stretch, an exciting time for sure.

 

[growchick]

This is day 19 since germination.

Took a snap under natural light - so pretty!

 

[Rifleman]

Very close. Day 23 from germination on mine. 2016 looks like will start with a bang.

 

[growchick]

These things smell so much! They don't even have flowers yet, nor even preflowers. I am predicting a great Christmas this year, for sure.

Here's Day 20 - humidity is risen slightly from the crock pot of simmering water. The humidifier arrives tomorrow from Amazon so I can get rid of the wet towel, then.

 

[growchick]

I vaguely remember back in high school having these math word problems that went like "Johnny has 2 gallons of 10% solution and he adds 1 gallon of 20% solution, so what's his % solution after mixing?" And I'm really wishing I could count the PPM in my water and just know how much more stuff to add to bring it up 200 PPM. Adding a mL at a time and retesting is taking forever, especially since I can't measure all that accurately. I think I need one of those long, glass, graduated, transfer pipettes.

 

[Rifleman]

I vaguely remember back in high school having these math word problems that went like "Johnny has 2 gallons of 10% solution and he adds 1 gallon of 20% solution, so what's his % solution after mixing?" And I'm really wishing I could count the PPM in my water and just know how much more stuff to add to bring it up 200 PPM. Adding a mL at a time and retesting is taking forever, especially since I can't measure all that accurately. I think I need one of those long, glass, graduated, transfer pipettes.

I use 3ml plastic squeeze droppers to measure the nutrients, and have a graduated 3ml syringe for my ph down. Your ppm will probably be fine until the next water change. Be sure to keep an eye on the ph. It's going to swing. Before I switched to the PH Perfect nutes it felt like a roller coaster trying to keep up. Now it's just a bumpy ride.

 

[growchick]

I use 3ml plastic squeeze droppers to measure the nutrients, and have a graduated 3ml syringe for my ph down.

Funny ... there's a shipment of glass transfer pipettes on its way here now. I have one of those plastic squeeze dropper kind, but it's ridiculously cheap and I can fill it twice and have 1.5 ml difference between each fill. I think I'll feel better with better tools anyhow. I suspect the plants don't care. They look great even though I know they're not optimally nute'd. It's a good thing they don't know the science.

 

[growchick]

I don't know if it's the humidity or the timing, but these little ladies have put on over an inch upward growth and 3 inch spread in the last two days. I'll update with pictures tomorrow - it's water changing day, then.

 

[Rifleman]

I don't know if it's the humidity or the timing, but these little ladies have put on over an inch upward growth and 3 inch spread in the last two days. I'll update with pictures tomorrow - it's water changing day, then.

It's always a thrill when they grow a couple of inches over night.

 

[growchick]

Got home from work early, so did the water change today. I feel as though I've been to the gym.
Emptied the buckets, refilled with 2 gallons + 4 cups of water, 15 ml FG, 10 ml FM, 5 ml FB, 10 ml CalMag, 1 ml Rapidroot, 4 ml hydroguard. PPM is about 1050 in each bucket. pH is 5.85-6.12 but I expect it's way higher in the morning so will check again ofc. Humidity is 51% and temp 77 degrees.

Pictures of the girls after "repotting"

 

[growchick]

pH was predictably high again this morning - added some pH down to all to get it back down near 5.85 from 6.5. I think there is a bit of nute burn/overfeeding stress from bringing up the PPM last night. I am hoping this will resolve itself after a day or two. I brought them up from around 400 PPM (11) to 900 PPM (31) for this vegetative phase.

I notice a darkening and leathering on the tips of a few leaves, some taco-ing, and some tips are curled up and white. I think it's just the shock of the first heavy feeding but will keep a close eye on it.

These two had the highest PPM, so I added a quart of plain water to them. They were also the only two with upcurled leaf tips like this:

 

[Rifleman]

Got home from work early, so did the water change today. I feel as though I've been to the gym.
Emptied the buckets, refilled with 2 gallons + 4 cups of water, 15 ml FG, 10 ml FM, 5 ml FB, 10 ml CalMag, 1 ml Rapidroot, 4 ml hydroguard. PPM is about 1050 in each bucket. pH is 5.85-6.12 but I expect it's way higher in the morning so will check again ofc. Humidity is 51% and temp 77 degrees.

If you are using five gallon buckets you might find it easier to control ph and nutrient levels by using four gallons in each bucket. It will be especially helpful if you get one drinking four or five quarts a day in flowering like I have had.

 

[growchick]

Well my pH tester pen doesn't work right any longer. It lasted a week! Back to the colored liquid I can't get right until I get around to ordering a new one. Bigger and bushier seems to be the motto for the day - the plants look really good and perky. I added 1 quart of water to 4 of them whose PPM had risen over night. Anything over 1050 seems to exacerbate the overfeeding stress/nitrogen toxicity symptoms.

The tallest of the plants is 8.75" tall now - 22 days from germination.

24 hours after adding a quart of plain water, the curling is improved. The inset is yesterday's photo.

 

[growchick]

If you are using five gallon buckets you might find it easier to control ph and nutrient levels by using four gallons in each bucket. It will be especially helpful if you get one drinking four or five quarts a day in flowering like I have had.

Yeah, I haven't seen them intake this much yet, but they're all back full to at least 3 gallons now with me normalizing the PPM. I started them with 4 gallons in each bucket, but they hadn't taken on much of the water - I hadn't topped off at all over the first 3 weeks, even. So, I put less water, honestly, because picking up 4 gallons to dump in the sink was HEAVY.

 

[growchick]

Holy Preflowers, Batman!

Already?!?!?! Preflowers!?!?!?

I'm positively giddy with excitement!

 

[growchick]

They still don't seem as perky as before the feeding, though they are growing like crazy. The tallest one is almost 11" now. I put another 4 cups of plain water in each bucket to thin the nutes out a bit more.

 

[Rifleman]

Yeah, I haven't seen them intake this much yet, but they're all back full to at least 3 gallons now with me normalizing the PPM. I started them with 4 gallons in each bucket, but they hadn't taken on much of the water - I hadn't topped off at all over the first 3 weeks, even. So, I put less water, honestly, because picking up 4 gallons to dump in the sink was HEAVY.

I do understand. I have to carry mine from one end of the old farm home to the other myself. But like grand daddy always said, "strong body strong mind".