KeepORgreen's Indoor Soil Grow Journal 2016

[KeepORgreen]

This is my first grow. I built a 4'x8' (7' tall) grow box of 5/4" framework with 1/4" reflective mylar (kind of like bubble-wrap) covering the framework. I have active intake pulling air from inside the house (the grow box is in the adjacent converted garage).

Specs:
Intake: Vortex 449 cfm
Exhaust: Vortex 747 cfm
Lights: (2) Mars Hydro II 900's side-by-side on a Light-rail
Circulation: (2) 8" oscillating fans, one at each end
Pots: 7 gal. fabric
Medium: Fox Farm Ocean Forest (nothing added)
Nutrients: FloraNova Grow/Bloom
Strains: Lemon Kush (hybrid), Nepali (sativa), Go Time (hybrid), Hot Rod, and Space Cakes. The last two are hybrid and sativa, just can't remember which is which!
Environment: 60-75F degrees, 45-60% rh.
Watering: every 3 days usually (just nutes)
PH: assuming my meter is working, it's always 7.0
Grow style: SOG/SCROG (not sure what to call it) with 8 ladies.

I had been running my temperature higher (up to 78 degrees) just prior to 12-12 flip when I discovered spider mites. After consulting with the local Hydro store, I sprayed with a one-gallon mix of de-chlor water, 2 Tbsp Azamax, 2 Tbsp NEEM oil, and 1/4 cup of food grade diatomaceous earth. I sprayed them good, because the canopy is thick and I wanted to get 100% coverage. I delayed the flip for a week, but neglected to get a loupe and carefully inspect. It has now been 8 days into flower and I got a loupe and sure enough, they're back! This time I just used Azamax and NEEM oil to spray them. I will sprinkle DE on the soil in each of the pots, but not putting this on the leaves again (it doesn't come off and makes it difficult to notice spots and such). I'll add pictures once I figure out how to do that.

 

[Wallykazam]

Im a newb here too ill tag along if its cool

 

[Wallykazam]

There is instructions how to post pics somewhere just gotta find it lol

 

[Wallykazam]

Im no expert but your a little high on ph for soil....not far off though 6.5 is optimal

 

[Wallykazam]

Whats the runoff at are you testing both?

 

[KeepORgreen]

Im no expert but your a little high on ph for soil....not far off though 6.5 is optimal

Yes, this is something I should probably address. They are healthy and strong, so I didn't yet.

 

[KeepORgreen]

Whats the runoff at are you testing both?

I am testing the runoff, but I'm not sure it's valid, since all 8 pots are contained on a low 'drip table' so even though I usually water them one-by-one, who knows what got mixed into it off the table. I started checking the effluent after realizing I had been overfeeding for a couple of weeks. Then I got a PPM meter and found it was off the charts. My meter goes up to 9999 PPM and it was out of range. I immediately flushed all of them until I was down to about 4000. I dropped my nutes from 3000 or so (when I was measuring by the teaspoon and had no meter) to about 700 PPM for the next few weeks, and now I'm feeding at about 1000 PPM (effluent has been running about 4000 PPM). I haven't researched what these numbers mean on the effluent, but plan to.

 

[KeepORgreen]

 

[Big Sparks]

You know... I have to admit that I really like your set-up. Its not too too expensive, but should put out some decent buds for the area that you've got going.Simple, yet perfect! I also use mars hydro with pretty good results...but Im such a lazy ass and havent uploaded pics from my phone in SOOO long. Soon, maybe I'll even start a damn journal for once. But enough about me. Great set-up. Have some reps on me!

 

[KeepORgreen]

You know... I have to admit that I really like your set-up. Its not too too expensive, but should put out some decent buds for the area that you've got going.Simple, yet perfect! I also use mars hydro with pretty good results...but Im such a lazy ass and havent uploaded pics from my phone in SOOO long. Soon, maybe I'll even start a damn journal for once. But enough about me. Great set-up. Have some reps on me!

Yes, big dense buds! That's what I'm going for, but since this is my first time I don't know what to expect. Others have advised that I include MH lighting to augment my LEDs, but it's not going to be possible with my setup. I just hope my LEDs can go the distance in giving me big, dense bud.

 

[Big Sparks]

You'll do fine with those 900's blazing away in there on that mover. I stuff a 700 and a reflector 96 (both Mars) into a 3x3 tent (also Mars) but without a mover. I think you'll do half pound to pound and a half in that area. And even more once you refine your technique and/or run clones of same strain tweeking and changing only small things at a time to help increase your terpines, and eventually yield. But I think your off to a great friggin start and am will be watching with envy.

 

[Big Sparks]

And dont forget to keep plenty of good fresh air blowing about those babys so they can dance away under the disco lights! Hahaha! Hope you all enjoy your Sunday. Maybe watch a lil football....GO RAMS! sorry...couldnt resist. Im out.
Sparks.

 

[KeepORgreen]

I started with a 16" hurricane fan at one end. It was too intense at such close range (so said the girls) and I replaced it with two 8" fans, one at each end. Yesterday I added the 16" back in there, but not blowing directly on the foliage, but underneath. Great circulation now!


Sent from my iPad using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[KeepORgreen]

I have only my 4'x8' grow box but was considering expanding it or adding another area, but probably don't have time for that now so I will attempt to harvest buds as they mature and just stay in flower and keep harvesting. I've heard of others doing it this way. Next grow I will use two areas because I want to get a continuous cycle going.


Sent from my iPad using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[KeepORgreen]

Jeez, I'm not even stoned and I am confused about uploading pictures! I finally ran across the 'upload' button, selected a half-dozen images but only one of them made it. I'll try again. Hopefully I can recall how I got the first one from the gallery to my journal.


Sent from my iPad using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[Big Sparks]

Im not too computer saavy myself and so its not too easy for me either. For some reason I always get to thinkin about that show "are you smarter than a 5th grader" In all fairness there wasnt any computers in school when I was a kid because they didnt exist yet! Sucks when I need to have my kids or nieces/nephews to help me figure out what they say is some of the easiest stuff on my phone, laptop, ect. ect.....
it makes for a humbling moment in my life. Lol! Good luck to you sir. *tips hat*

Sent from my SM-N920P using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[KeepORgreen]

KeepORgreen's Indoor Soil Grow Journal - 2016

I didn't realize how easy it was to take clones. Being a first time grower, I just hated throwing away what I pruned from the lower branches. Since I was not prepared for it, I just dipped the cuttings in honey (something I read on the internet) and stuck them into small pots filled with FFOF. After a week or two they looked like they were dying, so I said "experiment over" and tossed them in a bucket on the patio. They were enclosed in "roast chicken plastic containers" with holes punched in them. A few weeks later, I walked past the bucket on the patio and noticed they were quite healthy looking. They have apparently taken root and are just waiting for me to do something with them. Awesome!


Sent from my iPad using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[David Bowman]

Hope all is well in your world.

Is this grow still alive?

We would love to be updated with some pictures and info.

How about posting a 420 Strain Review?

If you need any help with posting photos, please read our Photo Gallery Tutorial.

I am moving this to Abandoned Journals until we get updates.

Sending you lots of love and positive energy.

 

[KeepORgreen]

My bad for not keeping up on my journal. The hard copy journal in my grow room is meticulously updated, so sorry I forgot about you guys! Didn't seem like anybody was viewing and I had difficulties taking decent pictures, difficulties with iCloud on my PC, and the app on my iPhone (or 420Mag on Safari) were significantly different that in the browser on my PC and I could not figure out how to upload. I have things ironed out so posting pictures soon.

Aside from the technical difficulties, I've had issues in my grow room as well, and that was preventing me from solving the upload problem. The biggest issue is those tenacious mites. I've been fighting them with various combinations of Azamax, Neem Oil, and Diatomaceous Earth. I've also been keeping the temperatures lower than I wanted (about 58-70 degrees) to keep the mites in check. That has been quite effective, but the spraying has not, because it is impossible to get anywhere close to 100% coverage in my scrog grow. Mostly I'm afraid to spray near the buds and that makes it increasingly difficult to spray the affected leaves since the buggers are moving closer to the colas. Initially the mites were limited to one or two plants at the far end near the intake duct. Slowly they have moved towards the center of the scrog, and now I see them on the near end of the scrog and have found them very close to the buds. I'm in week 6 of flower and decided to up the temperatures about 5 degrees because the cold seems to be inhibiting growth. I'm sure this will cause the mites to reproduce faster and I'm not sure what more I can do about that. A buddy who grows (mostly outdoors) said don't worry too much about them. He said when you harvest they will climb to the highest part of the stem when buds are hung to dry. I hope he's right, because I don't see how I can get rid of them at this point. I must be only a few weeks from harvest (I'll post pictures). To put this in perspective, I have upwards of 50 colas in a 4x5 area, and only about 15% of the leaves show mite damage in the entire scrog. I'm fairly confident I'll get a good harvest even though this is my first time. I'm just bracing for an onslaught of mites as we race to the finish line!

 

[KeepORgreen]

Some closeups at week 7 of flower. I've been noticing burnt leaf tips shown in these photos. Near as I can tell this must be nute burn, so I'm flushing them all with de-chlorinated water today and yesterday (2 gallons each into 7 gallon fabric pots). For all I know, these could just be changes cannabis goes through during the flowering stage, but I doubt that, so I'm flushing to be safe. Next feeding I will be giving them reduced nutes (Floranova bloom at 900 ppm, I'm thinking). I'm totally flying by the seat of my pants, so if any experienced growers want to chime in, I'm all ears. I know I have multiple issues going on here. Shooting more/better pictures today.