GDB: Old Dog -- New Tricks

[Grand Daddy Black]

I think if where me I would up pot the two and move to another location until they get bigger !?! It always hard to say for me about what other people should do as little growing time as i have under my belt . Just a suggestion that you made to your self, Hell , dam if I knw The other two are looking GOOD !

Thanks Smoke. I think the Hash Lover will be okay as is. She's starting to come around. But, yeah, the Cosmic Lights will not be ready to flip 8 days from now.

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

the 2 upfront look great the ones on the grow dots hopefully pick back up, just a thought i've heard about growing in coco coir with dry ammendments would grow dots be considered dry ammendment? & if so would they not need a higher PH like around 6.4-6.8 as compaired with syn nutes 5.8?

Thanks con.

I have not read anything about differences in using coco with dry amendments but I'm certainly going to look into it!

 

[InTheShed]

The Strive plants are definitely in the lead but I'm glad the Hash Lover is coming around. I'm not sure on the CL because I the older growth looks better than the new, and I can't see why the Dots would cause that unless they dissolve quicker as they age. The yellowing and curled burned tips could still be light stress, but the only way to test that would be give it less light for a few days. I'd build a little shade lean-to with cardboard legs and window screen on top, but my LazyMeter™ is nowhere near as active as yours!

The CL seems to be getting worse. I have not idea what to do about either. I don't believe flushing a Dotted plant would have much effect. The Dots are mixed into the soil and cannot be "removed" via flushing. Still, for lack of another solution, I may try a flush.

If you think it's the Dots and flushing doesn't work, then I'm with sb on the transplant idea (replant in the same size pot) and then move it to the 2x2 while it recovers. Especially since you want to keep this variety going.

 

[StoneOtter]

I'm feeling the same way on that Otter. I love the instant lift of vaping but my lungs these days are finding ingesting it rather than vaping it to be a lot kinder.

10 minutes it takes for tincture for me. That's pretty good! I can still have a whack on a vape or joint if I want to throttle up!

 

[Stunger]

10 minutes it takes for tincture for me.

I have never made tincture, 10 minutes is impressive!

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

I tried making some once but I never got the Everclear out. I got more drunk than zooted.

 

[Delps8]

So this meter tells you what Carcass, how many watts you're pulling from the wall? Why is that need-to-know info?

Say I'm using a light meter of some sort to regulate the light my plants get. And let's say my desire is 500 par and I adjust the lights (height or intensity) to make it so. Then I use a kill-a-watt meter and find that my, say 100w light, is only pulling 85 watts. Then what? As long as I'm getting 500 par to the plants why would I care? Are you using wattage targets during various stages of your grows?

I wouldn't use Photone.

I've tested it twice, once when it was called "Korona" and I tested it against a Kind blurple. It could not produce a reading. At the time, growlightmeter.com didn't specify the paper weight so I tested 20, 22, and 24 pound papers and sent my test results to the programmer (I've been a software engineer for 30+ years). He didn't have an answer for why Korona failed but he gave me licenses for all light sources. I bought an Apogee because I didn't believe that light meter + using a factor was valid.

About a year later I tested Photone again and measured it using my Apogee. Photone read 16% high, at all dimmer settings. It's good it was consistently high but 16% high? I was using an iPhone xsMax with the prescribed weight paper.

There are advantages to Photone but accuracy is not one of them unless the users' phone + light setting has been shown to be accurate. The problem — how do I know if it's accurate?

After Photone crapped out on me, I decided to look into lux meter + conversion and that's the route I recommend. Per above, if your iPhone + Photone is known to be accurate, good on ya. If not,I recommend a Uni-T light meter and then use the conversion chart in the document I've attached.

One of the weaknesses of using an iPhone is the need for a diffuser. In the programming world, that's called "kludge". "hack" is a trendy phrase but it's not a hack. The diffuser is a hit and miss solution to a weakness of the sensor in a mobile phone - it's designed to meter light coming directly into the sensor. In comparison a light meter and a PAR meter have a parabolic cover over the sensor.

Again, it might work, it might not but for $32 a Uni-T light meter is about as (in)accurate as my Apogee.

Photone on Android? If you can calibrate it to a known good source, good. If not, I wouldn't touch it. In my correspondence with the programmer, he lamented the problems that they have with widely varying quality levels of the huge number of Android devices. That is one argument for Apple - they control the platform so they will tend to have more consistent results (I'm a former Apple employee — no biggie, they're another huge company, just sclerotic in less visible ways than other companies).

I like using an Apogee. I use it daily and run my grows pretty close to 1kµmol. I can do that with a Uni-T (I have the both the Bluetooth and the non-Bluetooth models) but I wouldn't do it with Photone.

The factors in the PDF are from lights I own or the source for the factor is cited. Chilled and HLG publish a lot of data so, anyone using those lights is getting good info. If a given light isn't listed, 0.015 will get you really close. Add a little if you've got a light with far red (0.0153 or 0.155) , drop a little for a light like the Vipar XS1500Pro which has a lot of blue (0.0145?)

To my way of thinking, I'd rather spend $31 and get something that's 5%± (that's the Uni-T spec for that meter) + the slop in the factor than use a product that I have no idea if it's accurate and then wing it from there.

BTW, the three results I've seen from Photone vs a lux meter have been the Photone reads high. I can make the argument that being high is OK (pun intended) because by that builds in a safety factor. That's important to some people. My preference is steel on target in the first volley.

 

[Stunger]

I tried making some once but I never got the Everclear out. I got more drunk than zooted.

Everclear sounds real fire water, I wish it was available here. My sister has used 40% vodka but I think having the higher strength of Everclear would do the job nicely for tincture making.

 

[InTheShed]

About a year later I tested Photone again and measured it using my Apogee. Photone read 16% high, at all dimmer settings. It's good it was consistently high but 16% high? I was using an iPhone xsMax with the prescribed weight paper.

As I recall Photone recommends calibrating it to an actual meter (if available), so I was wondering if you tried that. The app was much higher on my Samsung phone until I calibrated it to match my lux meter, and now it seems to remain consistently close. That means I can more accurately calculate my DLI and PPFD without using online calculators.

 

[StoneOtter]

I have never made tincture, 10 minutes is impressive!

And really banging high!

I tried making some once but I never got the Everclear out. I got more drunk than zooted.

That style burns too!

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

Day 33

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

I wouldn't use Photone.

I've tested it twice, once when it was called "Korona" and I tested it against a Kind blurple. It could not produce a reading. At the time, growlightmeter.com didn't specify the paper weight so I tested 20, 22, and 24 pound papers and sent my test results to the programmer (I've been a software engineer for 30+ years). He didn't have an answer for why Korona failed but he gave me licenses for all light sources. I bought an Apogee because I didn't believe that light meter + using a factor was valid.

About a year later I tested Photone again and measured it using my Apogee. Photone read 16% high, at all dimmer settings. It's good it was consistently high but 16% high? I was using an iPhone xsMax with the prescribed weight paper.

There are advantages to Photone but accuracy is not one of them unless the users' phone + light setting has been shown to be accurate. The problem — how do I know if it's accurate?

After Photone crapped out on me, I decided to look into lux meter + conversion and that's the route I recommend. Per above, if your iPhone + Photone is known to be accurate, good on ya. If not,I recommend a Uni-T light meter and then use the conversion chart in the document I've attached.

One of the weaknesses of using an iPhone is the need for a diffuser. In the programming world, that's called "kludge". "hack" is a trendy phrase but it's not a hack. The diffuser is a hit and miss solution to a weakness of the sensor in a mobile phone - it's designed to meter light coming directly into the sensor. In comparison a light meter and a PAR meter have a parabolic cover over the sensor.

Again, it might work, it might not but for $32 a Uni-T light meter is about as (in)accurate as my Apogee.

Photone on Android? If you can calibrate it to a known good source, good. If not, I wouldn't touch it. In my correspondence with the programmer, he lamented the problems that they have with widely varying quality levels of the huge number of Android devices. That is one argument for Apple - they control the platform so they will tend to have more consistent results (I'm a former Apple employee — no biggie, they're another huge company, just sclerotic in less visible ways than other companies).

I like using an Apogee. I use it daily and run my grows pretty close to 1kµmol. I can do that with a Uni-T (I have the both the Bluetooth and the non-Bluetooth models) but I wouldn't do it with Photone.

The factors in the PDF are from lights I own or the source for the factor is cited. Chilled and HLG publish a lot of data so, anyone using those lights is getting good info. If a given light isn't listed, 0.015 will get you really close. Add a little if you've got a light with far red (0.0153 or 0.155) , drop a little for a light like the Vipar XS1500Pro which has a lot of blue (0.0145?)

To my way of thinking, I'd rather spend $31 and get something that's 5%± (that's the Uni-T spec for that meter) + the slop in the factor than use a product that I have no idea if it's accurate and then wing it from there.

BTW, the three results I've seen from Photone vs a lux meter have been the Photone reads high. I can make the argument that being high is OK (pun intended) because by that builds in a safety factor. That's important to some people. My preference is steel on target in the first volley.

Thank you for your perspective @Delps8.

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

As I recall Photone recommends calibrating it to an actual meter (if available), so I was wondering if you tried that. The app was much higher on my Samsung phone until I calibrated it to match my lux meter, and now it seems to remain consistently close. That means I can more accurately calculate my DLI and PPFD without using online calculators.

My "actual" lux meter is the one I don't trust so I can't use it for calibration. I guess I could buy one of those expensive ones from Zon, do a quick calibration with the Photone app and then take advantage of the Zon's liberal return policy!

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

And really banging high!

That style burns too!

Yeah it burns! I thought I would never make through that little bottle...until I did!

 

[StoneOtter]

You are ruff and ready!

 

[Delps8]

Thank you for your perspective @Delps8.

Next time I'll tell you how I really feel.

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

Hello all.

It's Day 34 for the 4 New Trick girls and I'm 75% pleased with what's going on!

The Cosmic Lights accounts for the remaining 25% of my feelings. She's on Grow Dots and continues her struggling ways. I'll be removing her from the group soon, as the rest will be getting flipped shortly and she ain't ready. I can put her in the 2x2 and go about trying to save her. But if my efforts don't result in some immediate, noticeable improvement, I may do something completely out of character and toss her in the trash. It's up to her.

The Blue Cindy (the other Grow Dotted plant) continues to show signs of recovery from whatever was ailing her. She's to the point where I'd have no misgivings about flipping her.

The Lemon Bubble & Hash Lover look decent. They seem to like the Strive nutrients, the environment and, now, even the light.

Back: CL then BC
Front: LB then HL

-------------------------------------

I'm dropping the seeds for Phase II today. They're in shot glasses now and will be placed in Rapid Rooters tomorrow, tap roots or not.

I had another minor COP (Change of Plans) regarding Phase II, and the Chemdog #4 got bumped out of the mix. I decided instead to go with the Cap Junky and 3 more seeds from among all the freebies I have on hand. (That's another COP. I had said Phase II would be 2 plants in 5 gallon pots, now it'll be four if all goes well. (Pot sizes TBD.)

I had a lot of freebies from which to choose. Too many!

I ended up going with Godberry, Candy Dawg and (maybe) Fat Kids Cake. I'll say more about the strains if/when I have seedlings alive.

BTW, I say "maybe" Fat Kids Cake because I'm hoping that's what it is. A few years back, I lost track of the FKC seeds. They had come out of their package. At the time I just blew it off and picked another seed to grow. But a few months later I spotted two loose seeds in my stash bag. I grabbed, bagged and labeled them at that time. I'm thinking/hoping they're the Cakes.

---------------------------------

I've gotta' say, aside from the learning curve with the new light and the Swicks and the coco, the doubts about my light meter, the odd growth of the Dotted plants and the unexpected travails of daily pHing and monitoring pH drift, this grow has been pretty smooth! (How ya' like my rose-colored glasses! )

Right now I'm thinking that if you ever again see me handling some coco, I'll be making a cup of hot chocolate.
I would not trade this experience, nor would I repeat it.

Thanks for stopping by.

PEACE

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

Next time I'll tell you how I really feel.

I can't imagine. You seem as subtle as a freight train!

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

Everclear sounds real fire water, I wish it was available here. My sister has used 40% vodka but I think having the higher strength of Everclear would do the job nicely for tincture making.

"Fire Water" would be a good name for it Stunger!

 

[InTheShed]

100% congrats on 75% of your grow! And I'm sure you will get the CL healthy enough to get some clones rooted and grow them in an "old dog old tricks" method.

Nice glasses by the way!