PhotoTron Grow with Ebb N Flow

[Munki]

LST them and you'll be fine. Makes sure you switch to 12/12 when the screen hits 50% full. Do you have another light you plan on using? Maybe i missed it.

Yeah, a 400 watt HPS. You will get to see the whole setup soon. I'm going to take some pictures in a few more hours. The phototron and all the floros will be replaced with the HPS. Lets see how they respond to being under this more intense, but longer wavelength light. They are losing some blue light that they grew up on. In nature, this would be one major aspect noted in the autumn months as the light rays come in from a lower point in the sky, filtering out shorter wavelengths. By the time I hit the lights to 12/12, they'll be itchin' to flower.

Question: I've had my light cycle on 16/8 per the PI grow instructions. Now that I'm out of that unit, should I cycle up to 18/6 first or just stay at 16/8. I don't want to mess with the plant's photoperiod too much as they have already gone from 24/0 to 16/8 and will in the next few weeks go 12/12.

So, do you think it is worth it to go 18/6 from where I'm at now? I still have the screen to fill.

 

[CharlieMopps]

Yeah, put them 18/6. Thats what alot of growers use for veg. Don't be surprised when you find your plants growing very fast.

 

[TorturedSoul]

We'll see how the training goes. I have the screen about 8 inches above the plants. I'm pushing the tops out to the sides right now. Is it best to cut the top off the plants or just LST it around?

Don't cut your plants lol. Or at least don't cut anything that is getting any light.

Just stick the tops under the screen - along with all future growth - until the buds start growing up through the holes.

Kind of the whole point of a scrog. One of them anyway.

You will note the improvement almost immediately, I bet. Just be careful introducing your new light source.

As for missing the blue, maybe you can take the 'tron apart and use them for supplemental lighting. If they're 6500k or close to it that would help you keep your nodal spacing tighter.

And as far as your screen being "too big," well... You are still in the vegetative phase, yes? If so then you just need to let your girls grow some more lmao. As long as the screen isn't bigger than your light can support. I wouldn't drop below 50 watts per square foot of illumination. They'll need it when you switch to flower.

 

[Munki]

Don't cut your plants lol. Or at least don't cut anything that is getting any light.

Just stick the tops under the screen - along with all future growth - until the buds start growing up through the holes.

Kind of the whole point of a scrog. One of them anyway.

You will note the improvement almost immediately, I bet. Just be careful introducing your new light source.

As for missing the blue, maybe you can take the 'tron apart and use them for supplemental lighting. If they're 6500k or close to it that would help you keep your nodal spacing tighter.

And as far as your screen being "too big," well... You are still in the vegetative phase, yes? If so then you just need to let your girls grow some more lmao. As long as the screen isn't bigger than your light can support. I wouldn't drop below 50 watts per square foot of illumination. They'll need it when you switch to flower.

I read someone's writeup on SCROG and they topped the plant's early and more than once. It may encourage lateral branching which could result in quickening the bud sites in the screen. That is why I brought it up.

For this grow though, I do need to consider the maximum root mass I can obtain. Both plant's roots are contained in an 11 quart bucket. Do you think I will have the root mass to support a 9 square foot screen? Well, I guess I won't if I'm aiming for 50 watts/ sq. ft. as that would be 8 sq. ft. max. for my 400 watter.

I'm not going to piddle about with adding CFL's or busting up the tron. It can be resold. It does work and got me started. I just had the ability to ramp up a bit faster than phototron grow was going to take.

Thanks for the advice on introducing the plants to the new light. I remember how the clones did when I first put them in the tron. Got some leaf stress. Now, I got better roots now, but I tested for a couple of hours at 18 inches over the screen without trouble. So I should lower the lamp like 1 -2 inches a day until I get it to where I want it (watching for plant stress of course)?

When I get the pics up, you will be able to see how I suspended one of those tall, cylinder type house fans that are basically a long squirrel cage fan. I have it horizontally suspended over the back edge of the canopy blowing across the top. I'm hoping it will ultimately allow me to lower the lamp a couple inches lower than I could with out the fan. I'd really like to get the lamp below 12 inches.

I better watch my res levels closely though as I expect higher moisture loss in the future.

 

[Munki]

Yeah, put them 18/6. Thats what alot of growers use for veg. Don't be surprised when you find your plants growing very fast.

Oh I will go 18/6 on future grows for certain, just wondering if having too many variations in the light cycle especially with the dark period going from 0 to 8 to 6 to 12. I just have this worry that I will stress the plant somehow and make it hermie. Maybe it is an irrational fear, but I do feel it. Ah, to hell with it. I'll go to the 18/6 cycle. That way, I'll wake em up in 40 minutes.

Ahh, it is 4:20 PM.

 

[Munki]

New Journal has been started. Come on over and say "High!"

Ebb n Flow SCROG 400W HPS


Moderators: This journal can be moved to the "abandoned journals".

 

[Keith Lake]

Thanks for the update Munki

I've moved your journal to the Completed Journals Forum and will be subscribing to your continuation in the new thread.

 

[Munki]

Thanks for the update Munki

I've moved your journal to the Completed Journals Forum and will be subscribing to your continuation in the new thread.

Thanks Soniq420.

 

[greenisland]

I realize this is probably waaay to late in the grow to be saying this but maybe next time you veg you can use it. Why do they have glass in between the lights on the phototron? Wouldnt it help greatly to have some kind of flat white paint or mylar? Im sure its just for looks but I would think that with the glass covered in reflective material could increase the efficiency of the phototron a lot! Like maybe take 20-40% off the vegging time even. Just my two cents. Maybe for your next veg cycle you could try it out, I bet it would help a whole lot. Just my two (out of place) cents. Keep up the good work man!

 

[Munki]

I realize this is probably waaay to late in the grow to be saying this but maybe next time you veg you can use it. Why do they have glass in between the lights on the phototron? Wouldnt it help greatly to have some kind of flat white paint or mylar? Im sure its just for looks but I would think that with the glass covered in reflective material could increase the efficiency of the phototron a lot! Like maybe take 20-40% off the vegging time even. Just my two cents. Maybe for your next veg cycle you could try it out, I bet it would help a whole lot. Just my two (out of place) cents. Keep up the good work man!

Wow. Thanks for reading my old journal. The tron is in storage right now. All the bulbs are inside the unit and directly shine on the plants. The side panels can be removed for access and they let some light through but have a reflective tint applied to the inside surfaces to reflect most of the light.

It can be used as a veg room but there is no easy way to control how many of the bulbs light without unplugging each one. It isn't very efficient to use at least early on but can be a good mother chamber.

 

[greenisland]

Honestly I would probably just take the floros out of the unit and use them as per usual for veging. Theres like 6 floros right? Are they T5's or T12 or what? Either way they could be used more efficiently outside of the chamber there in now I would suspect. So I didnt see any pics of your new setup. Am I just missing it? Or is it in another journal?

Nevermind. Just answered my own question.

 

[Munki]

Honestly I would probably just take the floros out of the unit and use them as per usual for veging. Theres like 6 floros right? Are they T5's or T12 or what? Either way they could be used more efficiently outside of the chamber there in now I would suspect. So I didnt see any pics of your new setup. Am I just missing it? Or is it in another journal?

Nevermind. Just answered my own question.

Oh this grow was halted and my current grow used the plants from this in it. Both journals are in my SIG.

The phototron I have uses Biax bulbs. 6 55 watt bulbs and 6 24 watt bulbs. An example of what they look like can be found here.

55 Watt PL-L 6500K Daylight

The lighting is all vertical except for CFL's that can be attached to a plug that is suspended from the ceiling of the tron.

 

[greenisland]

Hmmm. Those are some crazy floros. Ive seen people use them a long long time ago, those and the horshoe shaped floros but I havent seen it recently being used. I gotta say they did look very healthy though. Thanks for responding so quickly to all my questions. You truly are a great addition to the community munkee. Keep up the good work!

 

[Munki]

Hmmm. Those are some crazy floros. Ive seen people use them a long long time ago, those and the horshoe shaped floros but I havent seen it recently being used. I gotta say they did look very healthy though. Thanks for responding so quickly to all my questions. You truly are a great addition to the community munkee. Keep up the good work!

Thanks dude. I've seen you in my current grow so you know how these plants now look. I should have many frosty nugs by the end of the month.

EDIT: I just checked and I don't have a posting from you in my current grow. For Shame! Come on over and give my Ebb n Flow ScrOG 400W HPS grow a read. It starts where this grow left off. It is the link at the bottom of my Signature and it is looking pretty sweet.

 

[RageMonkey]

Did you consider using deep water culture instead of ebb and flow? I posted a grow journal about 8 months ago that used deep water culture in a phototron. It was very easy. Here's the link if your interested: RageMonkey's Phototron & homeade bubbler experiment Northern Lights

Nice grow though I'll definitley be keeping an eye on this one. When you get into flowering, this phototron will get jammed - especially with 2 plants. hehe =)

 

[Munki]

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out. I went with this tried and true solution for the tron.

CannaStats - Tron2Hydro - Going Hydro With A Phototron

I like ebb and flow as I don't have to worry about the nutrient temp. Very easy to get the roots all the oxygen they need with nearly zero chance at root rot. The big downside I have it needing the flood tray (or buckets) to be above the reservoir so gravity can drain them.

 

[Ray Gunn]

Yo Munki,

I just finished reading this journal too. Man I am kicking myself in the ass as I wish I would have read this thread from the first. I just put my girls into 12/12 on 11/6 and my scrog was finished yesterday. I read where the screen should be filled up 50% before going into 12/12. Is that what you ultimately did? I did note that you started flowering 8/5 or 8/6. I hope I didnt start my 12/12 too soon. I have enough growth where I can probably fix it by cutting the legs down or just anticipate the stretch I built a 48" octagon and used a piece of 3X4 fencing. My room is 6 x 6 and I am using a supersoaker hood which is a 48" octagon. This scrog should be good as I am growing 6 plants. I probably have too many plants but I had so much sucess with cloning I had to use them. I have talked about my set up in your other threads and I am doing things totally differently this time around. My last grow was almost exactly the same time as your last one too but I didnt have the greatest results. I got some buds but more importantly I learned a tremendous amount of info reading your threads. My first mistake was trying to plant all 20 of my seeds. I felt like Tim the toolman Oww Oww Oww more equals more buds lol. After they sexed, I still had 13 plants which practically turned into trees as the varying canopy staggered as I grew 2 different strains which one variety was an outdoor type. I guess I didnt read the description well enough. &#%#$#%*^$ But the bonus seeds that I got was an excellent strain and thats what my current grow is. Its the KC Brain seed. It was like 7 of the other strain and 6 of this strain. I was lucky that my grow room has a 9 foot ceiling. 6 weeks into flowering, my light was already at the top and a couple of these monsters were touching the hood. I know you wanted to see pics of my current grow but I dont have a decent digital camera, but that should hopefully change pretty soon. I know I am rambling, its 4:20 Monday morning and I've been rereading your journals for several hours as I am going to make your ebb and flow dist system and also reading about your technique for how to get the scrog to fill up and watering times. Ok man late.....

 

[Munki]

Yo Munki,

I just finished reading this journal too. Man I am kicking myself in the ass as I wish I would have read this thread from the first. I just put my girls into 12/12 on 11/6 and my scrog was finished yesterday. I read where the screen should be filled up 50% before going into 12/12. Is that what you ultimately did? I did note that you started flowering 8/5 or 8/6. I hope I didnt start my 12/12 too soon. I have enough growth where I can probably fix it by cutting the legs down or just anticipate the stretch I built a 48" octagon and used a piece of 3X4 fencing. My room is 6 x 6 and I am using a supersoaker hood which is a 48" octagon. This scrog should be good as I am growing 6 plants. I probably have too many plants but I had so much sucess with cloning I had to use them. I have talked about my set up in your other threads and I am doing things totally differently this time around. My last grow was almost exactly the same time as your last one too but I didnt have the greatest results. I got some buds but more importantly I learned a tremendous amount of info reading your threads. My first mistake was trying to plant all 20 of my seeds. I felt like Tim the toolman Oww Oww Oww more equals more buds lol. After they sexed, I still had 13 plants which practically turned into trees as the varying canopy staggered as I grew 2 different strains which one variety was an outdoor type. I guess I didnt read the description well enough. &#%#$#%*^$ But the bonus seeds that I got was an excellent strain and thats what my current grow is. Its the KC Brain seed. It was like 7 of the other strain and 6 of this strain. I was lucky that my grow room has a 9 foot ceiling. 6 weeks into flowering, my light was already at the top and a couple of these monsters were touching the hood. I know you wanted to see pics of my current grow but I dont have a decent digital camera, but that should hopefully change pretty soon. I know I am rambling, its 4:20 Monday morning and I've been rereading your journals for several hours as I am going to make your ebb and flow dist system and also reading about your technique for how to get the scrog to fill up and watering times. Ok man late.....

Wow. Thanks for taking the time to read through everything. I did partially fill my screen before the flip and I did read that the timing on the flip is important. In my last grow, I was concerned with the bucket size not being large enough for the root mass of two plants that could fill the 3 x 3 screen. I flipped a bit early and didn't fill the screen but it was still a good time to flip as you can see that my roots did fill the available space in the grow media.

Yes, there can be too many plants. Growing out a set of seeds searching for a quality mother is worthwhile though. You just have to have the stomach to throw away plants. After sexing, look to the remaining females for desirable growth characteristics. Once you have found them, the other plants should have been culled and the remaining vegged out for cuttings. Those cuttings would then have made for a uniform ScrOG grow. Good luck and I hope to soon see pictures of your setup and grows.