SoCalPianoMan's- Indoor - LED - Pineapple Chunk AF - Grow Journal - 2015

[SoCalPianoMan]

Looks awesome, yah a bit overkill but cool setup.

Yeah, I know, but with kids around at times, I wanted it not to stand out too much (or smell too much!). At this point, most don't even notice it anymore, know what it is, or even care about it. That could change when the lovely "scent" starts to be more prevalent!

 

[spacef]

Very nice, subscribed !

I really like the

activated carbon pre filter fabric used on all bottom screen vent intakes and on both 6" upper round intakes

Cool idea ! I will have to try that

May be I missed something but you don't use a filter inside the tent before sending the air outside ?

 

[SoCalPianoMan]

May be I missed something but you don't use a filter inside the tent before sending the air outside ?

At this stage, the lovely "aroma" of mature plants has not yet begun. At some point I will likely use some sort of scrubber filter system to reduce the smell.

 

[SoCalPianoMan]

Time for another grow journal update!

For the next phase, I had intended to place the plants into 2 gallon plastic containers before transplanting the final time into the 5 gallon Phat Sacks. However, after seeing how rapidly the plant roots saturated the 32 oz. containers within days after transplanting from the 16 oz. cups, I decided to go directly to the Phat Sacks.

I chose Phat sacks because they're much wider rather than tall, which I like for an indoor tent grow. I've got them filled over 2/3, so basicly about 3-3.5 gallons of coco coir/perlite mixture.

In the days leading up to the transplant, my "girls" were struggling for space with the remaining few tomato plants,

Jan. 21, 2016

Jan. 22, 2016

plus their roots were looking a little cramped, too. (Jan. 22, as well)

You may see the first pair of shade leaves on each of the earlier plants are also dying off here.

So, taking a look at the plants, just before what is to be the final transplanting into the 5 gallon Phat Sacks, are:

Pineapple Chunk autoflower, planting #2, the smaller of the 2 surviving plants from that round (PCAF2s)...

The roots of the same PCAF2s just before final transplanting...

The roots of the PCAF2B just before final transplanting (the larger of the 2 surviving plants from that 2nd round)...

The roots of the only surviving plant from the first round of seeds, Pineapple Chunk autoflower (PCAF1), just before final transplanting...

(Perhaps the best looking roots of all four plants.)

Then finally, the roots of the Tangerine Dreams plant, from round #2 of those types of seeds...

I pretty much made up the same coco coir / perlite mixture, finally using up the rest of the brick I bought, along with about 5 gallons of watering medium that got soaked up in it quickly. I let the girls all get one last "drink" in their 32 oz. containers, with the same watering blend I spoke about before, along with the addition of about 1tsp. / gallon of Tarantula to promote root growth after transplanting. This was also included in the coco coir / perlite blend for initial hydration, at a pH of about 5.5 (as normal).

Now the girls have lots more room to grow without anyone else getting in their way. This was taken Jan. 23, 2016, right after transplanting.

On Jan. 24, 2016, I decided to turn on the Bloom light spectrum switch, in addition to the Grow one that had been on 24/7, on the Mars II 400w from Mars Hydro.

Here they are on Jan. 25, 2016. Two days after final transplanting, and 24 hours after going on with both light spectrum switches.

I checked the moisture again on Jan. 25, 2016, and the coir was slightly damp, but I gave each plant about 16-18 ozs. of the normal watering medium (w/o Tarantula). After all, you (almost) can't overwater in coco coir.

Here's another shot of the girls, taken on Jan. 25...

Don't they look happy?

I think so!

More to come...

 

[SoCalPianoMan]

BTW, for identifying purposes. The plants in the grow tent are, from upper left around clockwise:

Tangerine Dreams - feminized

Pineapple Chunk autoflower (Big) #2 planting

Pineapple Chunk autoflower #1 planting

Pineapple Chunk autoflower (small) #2 planting


Just in case anyone wanted to know...

I don't expect to be moving them from this point on, so that positioning should remain throughout the rest of the grow.

 

[TheBlaze]

Huge improvement since the transplant.

 

[SoCalPianoMan]

Huge improvement since the transplant.

 

[SoCalPianoMan]

Well, the journey continues...

I've had to raise the lights slightly, twice, because the plants are doing so well in their new Phat Sacks.

Jan. 27, 2016 - Top view photo

They're really starting to grow taller and thicker, quite quickly...

Jan. 28, 2016 - Top view photo

...and another Top view photo again on Jan 30, 2016 - just one week since final transplant

...and Feb. 1, 2016 - Top view photo

You can also really see some of the daily growth progress from the elevated front side view photos, starting with...

Jan. 27, 2016

Jan. 29, 2016

Jan. 30, 2016

...and most recently, on Feb. 1, 2016

Here's one of those weird leaves that came off the PCAF1 plant

It just grew that way, and the other one was wider with a single leaf.

The girls are just starting to smell, ever so slightly when I water, which I'm doing now about 1 full gallon (32 oz. each plant) every 1-1/2 - 2 days, since the transplanting.

I've done the same mixture of nutes, without the seaweed extract and Foxfarms, but adding the Bloom part of the 3-part system I'm using, keeping the pH around 5.5 for the coco coir.

I've started noticing an ever slight tinge of brown on the pointed and serrated tips, indicative of the beginning of nute burn, so I'll be dropping back the nutes a bit next time (cutting them in half, except the CalMag).

The lights are still both on, 24/7, and the growth is so good I've had to raise them a couple of times.

Not too bad for a first-time grow with: 1) coco coir; 2) LED lights; 3) indoor grow tent.

While I've grown outdoors and indoors for many years, this is somewhat different, with its own things to watch out for, but I'd say it appears so far to be the best I've tried.

With all of the hiccups in the beginning, it's been (and will likely continue to be) a good learning experience.

I do plan on cloning some of the Tangerine Dreams plant sometime soon, and maybe starting a couple of new varieties for the next round after this one.

As a side note, those tomatoes are insane, some as tall as 4 feet already, transplanted into pots.

 

[SoCalPianoMan]

February 7, 2016 Update (in the wee hours):

I'm still running reduced nutes, and the girls got a little dry, so they took about 1/2 gal. each on 2/5/16.

Feb. 5, 2016 - Top view photo: A few older leaves that had already exhibited the beginning stages of nute burn on the tips, dried a bit when the coir got a little dry, and very light wilting on newer growth was starting to occur.

Due to the weight of the flanges on the upper vents, the sides had been pushing into the tent, so less light was getting beneath the thickening "canopy." As an experimental remedy, I took a sturdy cardboard tube with heavy white paper, covered most of it with heavy duty foil, and rested it just above the tops of he Phat sacks and lower side vents.

It pushes it out just enough to bring a lot more light to the lower part of the plants, and I noticed a huge difference of light reflectivity before and after the foil wrap, after adjusting the size.

Feb. 5, 2016 - Photo of "spacer" between the plants

I keep rotating the plants slightly almost every day, so they get light through different areas, such as the corners of the tent.

After giving them that 2 gallons, split equally between all 4 (which made them wet at the bottom of the Phat sacks), the "girls" responded nicely to that and the added light reflectivity from the "spacer." I noticed new little growth already starting in lower areas.

Feb. 6, 2016 - Elevated side view of the "girls"

Feb. 6, 2016 - Top view photo - The girls are looking very happy, and the Phat sacks are still very moist on the bottom. Maybe more water tomorrow.

Feb. 6, 2016 - An overall shot with the lights on, no color correction

That's the latest update, stay tuned!

 

[SoCalPianoMan]

Valentine's Day has just past, so I figured I should post an update, since it's been a week.

In that time, since the last post, the plants have gotten too close to the lights, so I had to raise them toward the very top of the grow tent. The plants caught up quickly anyway. I've noticed some of the leaves & growth nearest the bottom of the plants are withering and starting to atrophy and fall off. A big part of this is there is little light with some of these huge fan leaves, up to 12"+ across. The plants have also stretched out to get toward the light, and with 4 plants in this little tent, it's crowded for light. I still turn the plants about 1/4 turn a day to keep the plants exposed to the light all around, moving what was against the wall of the tent toward the middle.

Now the photos...

First the consecutive top view photos:

Feb. 9, 2016 - Top view of the plants

Feb. 10, 2016 - Top view, prior to raising the lights all the way up

Feb. 12, 2016 - Top view, with the lights raised all the way up

Feb. 13, 2016 - Top view, a little closer up to see how much better the new growth is with the lowered and balanced nutrients

That fan leaf in the foreground is over 12" across, for reference.

Feb. 9, 2016 - Here's a photo of a smaller fan leaf that's only over 10" across, with ruler

Feb. 10, 2016 - Photo of the plants with lights on, relative to the tent size, before raising the lights

Feb. 12, 2016 - Lights on, raised as high as they can go

Feb. 12, 2016 - The plant and light elevation relative to the tent

The plants have been consuming 2 gallons per watering, and I've raised the pH very slightly to 5.9-6.0 now, with slightly reduced nutrients. I'm watering about every 24-36 hours or so, otherwise they start to dry out.

The temperature is staying between 68 & 76F, with humidity varying here in So Cal, from 56% to 80%+.

I've started cutting back the lights a little, to 18 hours on and 6 hours off, because I really can't handle these getting any taller in this tent. Time to flower...

When I rub my finger along the main stems about 6" up from the coco, I'm getting some great smells, especially that sweetness of the Pineapple Chunk.

Can't wait...

 

[spacef]

Impressive jungle

 

[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.