Say Cheese You CBD Mass Afghan Cow! RDWC LED Grow

[b0rker]

I've successfully gifted away most of the last crop to friends, family and the like.. It's always good to share your success with people! Now it's time to get another grow under way!

This time around I want to try doing a Cheese Breed and a High CBD strain.. But as the CBD has already popped (about 30hrs with two plates wet towels and darkness) but the Cheese hasn't so I put in an Afghan Cow just as a backup.. I can only do two plants.. so.. if they all three do pop.. I will put one outside in the ground. I have a Purple Kush outside right now (not really anything special with her so I didn't start a Journal about that.. but I'll get some photos in the upcoming posts as it's dark out now) Here's their flyers

For the hardware I'll be reusing the same 36 gallon RDWC Setup
For Nutrients - General Hydroponics Flora Series, CALiMAGic, Liquid KoolBloom & Floralicious Bloom
Lighting will be the 400w LED i've always been using. I want to upgrade but seeing as I spent quite a penny on this I just don't see a need. LED hardware from my research hasn't changed much so I'll stick with this for now.

One thing I will be adding in a UVB light. Just need to do a little more research on them and when to add.. which is a few weeks away.

I'll also be replacing the res's 792gph power head with a 2642gph one! circulate those nutrients baby!

After draining the last setup.. I let my ph probe dry out.. =/ oops.. I completely overlooked that.. I've left it in res for 24 hrs and calibrated it twice.. it's reading still, just not 100% sure if I am going to need to replace it.. My water doesn't fluctuates that much so I know how much ph up / down I should add on changes.. just have to keep an eye on it.. New ones are $50 which isn't that bad.. but not something I wanna do just cause _they_ say to. Here's the current water numbers

The ph is spot on with the liquid tester I did so fingers crossed! I'll drop it down to 5.8 when the Seedlings go into the baskets.

The only changes I'm doing this time is I'm upgrading to flat air stones for the plant tubs. I don't like how the roots get all bound up in the round ones so I figured I'd try this route.. For the res I'll leave 2 of the round ones. Here's a comparison (you can see the brown on the round one from the sludge fest I had in the last go round.. fingers crossed that doesn't happen again!)

And some comparison of the spread.. left is the round which does give off more air bubbles but I'll see how it goes. Sometimes more isn't always better.

And here are some photos of the setup.. Water comes up about 1" from bottom of basket.

The Res

And how I drain the system into the shower who's sole purpose is this setup ;p

I have the towels on the top of the res to block out light from the yellow top.

Now I wait for the Seeds to germinate.. Will update as things happen or don't happen! It's all part of the fun.

Till then.

 

[TorturedSoul]

I've been hoping to see an indoor grow of Afghan Cow, so I hope it's one of the lucky ones, lol. Good luck on your grow!

 

[b0rker]

I've been hoping to see an indoor grow of Afghan Cow, so I hope it's one of the lucky ones, lol. Good luck on your grow!

Fingers Crossed! it's the only see I have of the strain =(

It's the bigger seed on the left, but after 24hrs it's still no luck.. I also put on top of a heating pad to help things along.. If no pop by tomorrow I'll try another random seed.

The CBD is in her plug though.

And Under a LED Desk lamp to get some starter roots/leaves

Here's the outside Purple Kush

I've noticed the last week or 2 she's started stretching real nice.. About 4' tall now.

Don't mind the Elephant Ears listening.. they keep her company

 

[JollyRodger]

I'm going to pay attention to this. Not because I can offer much help, but because I'll be running a very similar setup and I want to see how it goes. What light are you using?

 

[b0rker]

Lol. Welcome! All the more reason! When I get back to my desk ill check it out! Always enjoy other like grows.. Will pm you details as the forum doesn't like promoting non sponsors which is understandable. Also make sure you add to your signature your journal.. Makes easier to find ya

 

[b0rker]

finally!

The Afghan Popped! the curl is bothering me though.. I want to try and straighten it out but I'm not gonna touch it cause it could break off..

Into the seed Pop she goes.

and into the humidity dome with the CBD Mass

The Super Cheese is a bust.. I'll leave it in the papertowel a few more days to see if it sprouts but I'm going to rule that cheese as dead.

Now one I start to see some roots forming outside the pods I'll transfer them to the nets in the tent.

Moving along!

 

[JollyRodger]

Do you wet those plugs before you put the seeds in?

 

[b0rker]

Do you wet those plugs before you put the seeds in?

Yep soaking wet as they were dried out and they are now sitting on a tray of water.. The plugs usually never get dry

 

[b0rker]

Time to move the pod to the rocks!

root development went out to the side rather than straight down on this one..

And after into the pod

and sitting pretty

I also did a complete drain of the system (well less a gallon or 2 of what was unable to get out) as the water was cloudy from circulating over the past few days..

Started with 190ppm 80ºF and 7 ph..
I started off with 20mL each of the z7 and for the Nutrients it called for 90mL each of the Trio but I did 80mL of Micro / Grow / Bloom / Calimag. Always better to go under than over.

Water is sitting at 560 / 76º / 6.0ph. I'll adjust the ph down to 5.8 over the next day.. Gonna let it cycle over night and run a vile ph test to see how the meter / probe is holding up.

Hope to have both in the tent by over the next 2 days but will just have to wait and see.

 

[b0rker]

This post will be why I love growing..

Woke up this AM to this

to which I figured I better do this

(pulled her head out)

then pulled the plug and saw this

To which I then did this

And a few hrs later she looked like this!

=) All is well with the Cow!

Hoping she'll straighten herself out over the next day or two.. but if not.. she'll be alright

I ended up ordering a new ph probe today as well.. ph showed 6.4 on the meter but a water test rendered 4.0 =( so I found one for $35 and will be here tomorrow. I raised up to what looks like 6.0 but will be able to nail it down tomorrow. I'm not to worried about getting it to 5.8 as there are no roots in the water but lesson learned.. don't let the probe dry out!

 

[b0rker]

New ph Probe came and PH is now sitting at a comfortable 5.8. Nothing new to report other than that.. here's some updated photos

Oh.. she's even out that's something new! =)

Hopefully she catches up with her neighbor

 

[b0rker]

Noticed this am that the Cow has a minor def.. but not to worried about it.. her roots will eventually catch up and get things back to normal.. I did top feed each with a cup of water to help get them saturated..

 

[JollyRodger]

Lookin like a great start!

 

[b0rker]

New leaves are coming in and looking a ok.

No sign of roots yet so continue to top feed with a glass of water. I noticed the water level has went down about 2" and there is a line of brown gunk where the water originally was.. ugg.. And all the stuff inside the res has brown gunk startign to form =( What is it with this brown slime! annoying.. My res temp is at 67ºF so I'm going to try something new.. gonna lower it to 63-64º and see if that helps.

 

[b0rker]

Roots have started popping out the bottoms! Things are moving right along.. RES is sitting at 600/65/5.9 So not going to touch that till it gets lower in water.

Here are some updated shots

And the outside plant is starting to get some Purple!

 

[b0rker]

Feels like it's time to up the nutrients! The water hasn't went down much but they've had roots for over a week so time to give them food!

The brown slime / sludge is seen along the top but since lowering the temp I haven't seen any new.

I drained and refilled with tap water..

Nice lil cyclone going with the powerhead which makes mixing things up a breeze!

Water added it came to 320ppm 72ºF 6.6. to which I added in order

15mL ph Down
12mL Z7 (1&2)
30mL CaliMag
90mL Micro
120mL Gro
30mL Bloom
12mL Floralicious

Which brought the ph originally down to 5.8 but then put me at 1090 / 77º / 5.5ph

Flipped all switched and now recirculating it's setting at 800 / 70º / 5.9. Over the next few hrs the temp will drop and if the ph needs dropped I will drop it to 5.8.

Here's the Cow.

There are some new yellow leaves after the first one.. but as I've noticed it's just because of the lack of roots when they were forming.. and as we all have learned.. you can't fix leaves already ruined. Just look at the new!

And now the CBD Mass

Her leaves are curling upish .. which again, I'm not to worried about as this usually means over watering I believe. Which she'll just have to get used to it! =p

After growing and topping Auto Flowers the past few times.. I need to remind myself this is not an Auto Flower so Top away! I'll handle that later this week.. I want to let them grow a little more before stressing them out.

And here are some roots!

Not that it's time for the UVB.. But I ordered the tub fixture yesterday so I can have on hand when needed. Also need to figure out what is the best way to hag it.. as it's suppose to retrofit to the LED but I don't think they include that hardware.

All for now!

 

[b0rker]

Time to cut!

The more dramatic transformation is with the CBD.

Her stalk was very pliable so rather than cutting lower I just bent the stem mid way and tipped her down. I've yet to get the hang of how to do this exactly.. but I think she'll give me some good results from this. I also snipped the top off

And now the Cow

You can tell she's a different plant.. much more squatty of a plant. Will make for an interesting Tent.

And Took off the top of her too

I did notice the top most leaves are still showing that deficiency so not sure what to make of that.. not going to let it worry me to much as it could just be a Cow thing .. Cows come in colors right!

I couldn't bring myself to just pitch the tops.. so I dipped them in rooting hormone and put them into some pods

If they grow, I'll plant them outside for SnG. otherwise oh well! =)

Res is sitting solid at 790-65-5.8 and hasn't gone down past the powerhead so leaving that be for now.

Till the next update!

 

[CattleTurd]

I like the idea of cloning the tops. And I like the idea of using that toilet where the DWC is setup..

 

[b0rker]

I like the idea of cloning the tops. And I like the idea of using that toilet where the DWC is setup..

it's just an extra bathroom off the room.. already have 2 others.. so why not! the shower drain makes quick work of the draining!! =)

 

[TorturedSoul]

Updates? How's that bovine indicativa doing? And how's it look? Did your cut tops root?

EDIT: And does it smell like Skittles, lol? I saw a comment about that when searching for reviews (of which there seem to be very few, anywhere - so please consider doing a review / consumption report after harvest/cure).