First Grow - 3x3' Tent - Soil - Mars 1200W LED

[Richard Richardson]

If the center is a different plant but also yellowing, then it could be that the light is still a bit too close.

Feel free to raise your light to 30" above the canopy (Mine is at 48" from the bottom of my tent, but I do not veg)

The yellowing tips usually mean that they are slightly overfed, which can also cause nutrient lockouts.

I would trim the excess fan leaves, then see where you are and let them recover from the stress.

You probably have enough tops now

 

[ConstantGreen]

Thank you, Richard!

Today I ventured into the jungle:

My first victim:

Strategy was to expose the middle nodes starting to pop up and trim off anything overlapping a potential bud site.

How did I do? I left on fan leaves around the perimeter, but once I placed them back in the tent I realized the side branches are overlapping in some spots, so I may go back in and trim those outer fan leaves too. Placed the pots in different positions again and raised the light to 25".

Now that I can see what all is happening I'm wondering whether I have still have too much growth spread around. I read about focusing on just 4-6 tops, but I think I mistook that for branches. If I let all the nodes on the branches grow up, would I have dozens of tops? Would it be better to pluck the nodes off the branches and just focus the energy into the tips of the branches?

Also got a pretty good view of female pre-flowers! Saw them on every plant.

 

[ConstantGreen]

I was given permission to replace the fans in my light when a string broke one last week. And the only thing that was bugging me about the light so far was how loud it ran. So I took the opportunity to install some more quiet fans.

Here's my first peek inside of the Mars Hydro II 1200w. All the wires were tucked back very nicely and every connection is zip-tied. Very professional.

The fans are 12v DC .30 amp brushless fans. 2000 rpm, 120x25mm. 2 pin connector.

The new fans look pretty snazzy in the case. From a couple feet away it now runs completely silent.

I also watered the plants today with nutrients, 3ml/L Iguana Juice, 1.5ml/L CalMag.

A few of the plants are looking overcrowded already or soon to be. Should I continue pruning fan leaves and even entire shoots of growth from the lower branches? I want to flower as soon as I can, but I want to have an 18" canopy post-stretch. The canopy is about 8" thick now so i think it will be tall enough to begin flowering after it finishes this feeding. How else can i prepare them by then?

 

[Richard Richardson]

I would take away any leaves that touch the side of the tent

 

[ConstantGreen]

Ok I took off more fan leaves overlapping each other and shading young growth; also leaves that were more than 20% touching the tent walls. I'm guessing that's to prevent them from sweating on themselves and molding? I also pinched off some of the lowest shoots that haven't been showing much growth and I know won't catch up to the canopy. I think I'll continue this pruning every few days until a few weeks into flowering.

 

[ConstantGreen]

They're so beautiful! When I go in to defoliate I become hypnotized by the leaves and their style. I could stare at them all day pondering the secrets of nature's geometry.

I'm glad I tied them down and took Richard's advice to defoliate and wait longer. I've maxed out the horizontal space and they're about 9" tall. Pre-flowers are prominent on every plant so I think they're telling me they're ready. They'll need water tomorrow so it would be a good time to switch to bloom nutes. Can I flower now?

Also wanted to show you guys these glasses I've been using to balance the light for these pictures.

Method Seven makes them and they have models for HPS and LED lights to balance the light and reduce eye strain. The first day I was using my LED I noticed it does sort of stun you with how bright it is. I got the glasses a couple days later and immediately noticed a big difference. They filter the light into a crisp, clear white.

They're well made and comfortable. Slightly shaded, green lens. I think they're pretty cool except for costing $78. I don't think they're necessary to see your grow under LED's, my eyes still adjust the light well on their own. But these glasses do it better and eliminates the strain on my eyes. It's also a great tool to get a clear picture as my cameras can't seem to balance the light at all.

Oh and someone here in a 2014 thread said there's a working 20% discount code for the glasses: "KUSHMAN". I didn't know about it when I purchased but it may be worth trying.

 

[jaerock1984]

nice grow so far lookin real nice bet ya 8-10 weeks of flower will fatten those bad girls up nicely
keep up the good work i look forward to seeing more eye candy

 

[Richard Richardson]

Plants are looking cool, keep keeping them away from the side of the tent

 

[DonnieDanko]

Re: Gorilla 3X3 Tent Grow - Mars II 1200 LED - 6 Uncertain Hybrids

Since were talking about a Mars II 1200 , here's my babies@ 3.5 weeks from popping ( 3 larger ones ) , SO far I love this light. Hopefully the buds will be dense too .

 

[David Bowman]

Hi DonnieDarko,

I've embedded your photos into your post. Personally, I use the "My Photos" button at the bottom left side of the text input window to embed photos in my posts. I hope that helps.

If you need help with the gallery, please check out the tutorial on how to post photos:
Photo Gallery Guide - How to Resize, Upload & Post Photos

Greenest Regards,
Colorado High

 

[DonnieDanko]

Hi DonnieDarko,

I've embedded your photos into your post. Personally, I use the "My Photos" button at the bottom left side of the text input window to embed photos in my posts. I hope that helps.

If you need help with the gallery, please check out the tutorial on how to post photos:
Photo Gallery Guide - How to Resize, Upload & Post Photos

Greenest Regards,
Colorado High

Thanks for helping this noob out ( me ) with the pics . I appreciate the info and will read up on it.

 

[ConstantGreen]

Cool plants, Donnie. Mine had very tight nodes while young too but eventually stretched out some. I'm also liking this light and the branches directly under the panel are in love:

I just watered them again yesterday and defoliated the day before. I took so many leaves and it's already crowded again. Currently some of the center branches are 4" higher than others and I have nowhere to bend them. I think I could have flowered them a week earlier and they would have filled in nicely.

The light is 21" above the center, 25" above the lowest point in the canopy. Any ideas on how to slow down the center branches? I could bend them down over some lesser growth, or I'm even considering topping them. But I feel like if I don't do something they're going to be 12" taller than the outsides by the end of the stretch.

Canopy temp is 77f, humidity is 70%. I've also been monitoring the light's temps with the new fans and the hottest reading I can find is 104f on the heat sink. So it seems to be cool enough.

I haven't been noticing any leaf problems since pH'ing my water to 6.0 which I've done for three feedings now. Mainly just been clipping excess leaves and weak shoots.

 

[Richard Richardson]

Looking good Take the fanleaves from the center branches, that will slow down their growth

 

[ConstantGreen]

Watered again today with 4ml/L Iguana Juice - Bloom, 3ml/L CalMag, 3ml/L Molasses. Took some new pictures and defoliated more.
Tomorrow will be 2 full weeks into flowering.

Before and After defoliating:

The plant in the back right corner is the only one lagging behind the rest; it has barely stretched at all and is now 6" shorter than the tallest center branches. I might prop it up in a couple weeks but for now I'm not too worried. Everything looks excellent to me

 

[Mars Hydro]

Great Job, Versai, your plants look very happy!

 

[ConstantGreen]

Picture quality isn't the greatest this update but I wanted to show you guys their progress @ 3 weeks into flowering and ask some questions. I haven't pruned any leaves in a few days and things are looking pretty thick. I'll probably take more leaves off tomorrow, but I'm wondering when I should stop defoliating to let the leaves power bud production through the rest of flowering? I think I read 3 weeks in is the cutoff for defoliating, what do you guys think?

The lenses don't seem to work as well when looking into the light, but here's a side shot of the plants. Some lower leaves have been dying off, yellowed and withering. The plants are about 14 inches tall, should I remove the bottom third of leaves and shoots to lollipop them?

And the best macro I can take of one of the buds. The leaves around are starting to frost up. And the pistils have a slight reddish tint, is that something to be concerned about?

Thanks guys!

 

[ConstantGreen]

Major defoliation today, took more leaves at once than I ever have before in the mission to expose bud sites.

Mission accomplished.

I think they are pretty much done stretching and growing more leaves, they haven't grown any veg since the last pic. So I hope I didn't take too much off them. The buds have been blowing up though and the smell has transformed over the past few days into a fruity smell that reminds me of a grape pixie stick, my favorite!

I thought love was only true in fairy tales
Meant for someone else but not for me
Love was out to get to me
That's the way it seemed
Disappointment haunted all my dreams

And then I saw her face
Now I'm a believer
There's not a trace
Of doubt in my mind
I'm in love (ooohhhhhhh)
I'm a believer
I couldn't leave her if I tried

 

[ConstantGreen]

Halfway through flowering!

 

[JuanCarlos]

Man, they really did some work in the last week! Looking good!

 

[dabbledo]

Plants look great! I'm excited to see them finish. Keep up the good work.