Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strains

[Alkhemist]

WELCOME!

at this stage i am starting with this, a prelude to my next and current grow..

this will be V2 of this recirculating top feed hydroponic system proper, i have moved from a shed grow space to a 3m(wide) x 1.5m(deep) x 2m(high) tent.

i'll be catering for the needs of:

4x HGK(Holy Grail Kush): DNA genetics
1x Somango x Critical: ??
1x Black Domina x Cheese: ??
1x White widow x OG Kush: ??
1x Big Bud x White widow: x-line- female seeds
2x cinderella 99 hybrids: x-line- female seeds

thats the plan anyway ;] whether they will all prove to be fems only time will tell, i have others on standby if need be But this is what im going with at present- all except the HGK & cindies are freebies so i wanted to use them up first. i will go with Critical mass, blue dream and THC bomb in my next grow. i'll be aiming to take these little ladies to their limit in terms of yield and quality.. but as always- we'll see ;]

the equipment is much the same as my last grow.. magnetic 600W ballasts x3- 600W HPS bulbs, prima klima Cent fan and carbon filter.. same hydro setup as my last grow.. going with flairform nutrients again.. the only thing that is different really is the tent, the configuration of my hydro pots(not much different just inline as opposed to staggered due to space restrictions) and introducing a growth promotant using gibberellic acid and triancontanol- introducing both in a formulation to the reservoir every res change(once per week), i will also be experimenting with an additional growth hormone via foliar spray to only 2 of the 4 HGK plants- 2 weeks before flip to flower and 4 weeks before harvest, i will not name this hormone at this stage but will name it at the end if i see results- sorry to be so secretive! LOL

i'll be going with a GLR light cycle this time, LST as i did in my last grow and decline light times by 30 mins each week of flower.

pics to date:
tent-

with pots set up-

and with lights-

fan and filter-

intake vent for intake fan, feedline from res and return line back to res-

nutes etc-

res linked up-

ballasts set up-

intake fan-

beans put to bed just yesterday(cindies not shown)-

so! almost setup for the next grow! will be a few days before they are all in place but i just wanted to get this journal on the road.. or atleast aimed in that direction!

peace good folks!!

 

[KingJohnC]

re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strains

subscribed

 

[Alkhemist]

re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strains

hey there KingJC! and glad to have ya along for the ride bro! i'll be slow to start with this one as the magick beans are JUST sprouting... can hardly wait

 

[Alkhemist]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

a diagram of the lighting cycle i will be using with this grow:

 

[jon705]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

sweet! front row seat! im definetly subbed for this one

 

[Alkhemist]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

hey Jon! welcome aboard brother! it'll be a little while before this is fully underway but im still in journal mode from my last grow and just HAVE to do something! hahaha it feels strange to not be documenting SOMETHING

 

[Alkhemist]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

just something from a previous journal, i found over at UK420- the theory of GLR for those that dont know it:
*all comments in brackets are mine.


"The Gas Lantern Routine

This information will seem quite revolutionary to growers who have been using the standard cycles to produce cannabis, seemingly with little or no trouble at all. Actually, in a grow that more closely mimics the outdoor growing environment under indoor lighting conditions, the plants may be maintained in vegetative cycle using only a total of 13 hours of light daily, which dramatically reduces the cost of production.

The less is more approach of the Gas Lantern Routine provides the growing plant with adequate darkness to promote health, and by inserting a full hour of light in the center of the dark period, the plants are tricked, and neither flower nor express hermaphrodites. The growing plants get more than the average amount of rest, thus reducing stress, and improving plant yield(yet to be seen but i certainly hope so!), overall performance, and medicinal quality.

Seedlings and Cuttings

The Gas Lantern Routine is applicable in seedling phases of plant growth. As stated before, nowhere in nature does the springtime ever provide an 18-hour photosynthesis length(i have to interject here, they obviously dont know that cannabis can be grown in alaska and where some spots in canada have upto 16-18 hours of light); rather, the growing spring light may in fact be 12 hours or less. Lighting for seedlings and cuttings needs to be bright, but compact fluorescent or T5 lighting may be used while in the seedling phase. Rooted mature cuttings can immediately light with HID lighting.

The Vegetative Schedule

This method is quite simple: 12 hours of light, followed by five and one half hours of darkness, a single hour of light exactly, and then a second period of five and one half hours of darkness. Placing a full hour of light in the very center of a 12-hour dark period tricks the plant and interrupts the buildup up of sensitive floral hormones, which would normally trigger flowering by destroying them. The grower simply raises the plants to the desired size before switching to the fall schedule to bloom.

Using this method, vegetative duration may be also reduced, and with a shorter growth cycle comes more frequent and better production. Vegetative cycles can be shortened by one to two weeks, and flowering may also be shortened a week or more using this method in con- junction with a diminishing light schedule.(considering the GLR triggers flower production much quicker- even within a matter of days, i can see the logic in being able to reduce flowering by a week or so.. but i will have to wait and see what the trichs say about that ;p)

For patients growing their own medicine or for compassionate cannabis providers, production turnover may be increased from four to five crops per year or more using rotation, and power consumption can be reduced even further by the use of high-intensity fluorescent lighting during vegetation, and overall, power consumption savings can be 50 percent or more.(sounds good to me!! ;p)

The Flowering Schedule

Plants that have been grown up using the Gas Lantern Routine are now supercharged with floral hormones, and ready to go into flower with the slightest provocation. The interruption of the dark period has been destroying enough of the naturally building hormones to keep the plant from expressing sex, and the well-rested plant now has plenty of stored nutrients and energy to finish its life cycle and flower. Triggering the plants is essentially just a matter of removing the interrupting light period, so the plants may now experience the full buildup of hormones that will trigger blooming.

In keeping with providing all the correct organic biological and environmental needs of the plant, the diminishing fall schedule should be employed to take full advantage of the hormonal preparation created by using the Gas Lantern Routine. The diminishing hours of light in nature trigger acceleration in the production of hormones in the plant, making it flower with increasing speed and power.

The Diminishing Lighting Schedule

The diminishing fall schedule begins with an evenly halved light schedule, using 12 hours for the first two weeks to trigger the plant into bloom, and then further reducing the lighting for increasing darkness time by one half hour every week.

The final week of flowering will provide the plants with a mere nine hours of light, with 15 hours of darkness, forcing a resulting final explosive hormonal buildup. This sends the plant into blooming overdrive and produces resin far beyond the normal plant's limits.
When the Gas Lantern Routine and Diminishing Light Schedule are used together, they create healthier, more naturally robust plants. These important and historical botanical techniques are soon going to become very important techniques in the coming years as medicinal cannabis research continues to advance(should be interesting to see). When viewed from cost of production, organics, and medicinal needs, the methods currently being promoted can be seen counter to the interests of growing healthy plants. Understanding your plants is the best way to grow the best medicine, and looking for solutions to growing problems by observing nature always provides the right answers.

Pro:

Saves electricity (11hrs of saving from 24/0, 5hrs of saving from 18/6)
Promote healthy plants. Any deficiency it has the plant will be able to bounce back with new growth after adjustment is made
Promote plants growth, 2x more than 18/6, and 3-4x more from 24/0(hmmmms not sure about that but will soon see :])
Cuttings will root much faster with thicker roots and more hairs
Clones under bloom (12/12) will induce flowering much sooner
Less on hours = less heat = stealth

Con:

Must have good ventilation if the tent is closed or the tent has to be left open for the 1hr on between the dark cycle.(n/a)
Must have good odor control. Healthy plants produce more aroma even in veg.(n/a)
Plants in small container may get root bound due to rapid growth

Some tips using GLR (theory):

Have the light on a timer so the on/off is consistent daily. Manual on/off may induce flowering.
Use mix light or MH. Try not to use just HPS. The spectrum from HPS may induce flowering even with the 1 hour on between the dark cycle.(interesting! hmmms)
For the 1 hour on use a cheap light source like Fluorescent light or CFL instead of using HID light. Have it on a separate timer only turn on 1hr between the dark cycle and have the HID light set at 12/12. Normally with any other light cycle the ballast is turned on once in 24hrs, with GLR it turned on twice. This may shorten the lifespan of the ballast and bulb. If you decided to run Fluo/CFL then make sure the tent is well lit any shaded area or area left in the dark may induce flowering. The 1 hour on between dark cycle help destroy floral hormone, lack of light will not be able to destroy the hormone and will send your plants in bloom.(makes sense but i'll be staying with HID for the 1hour on)"


i have seen others talk about starting flowering with a 13/11 cycle.. and break the light cycle down by an hour every 2 weeks.. but i will go with 12/12 into flower, by just removing the 1 hour on, and decline by 30 mins every week.

peace y'all

 

[Alkhemist]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

just a little info on the use of triacontanol:

"Experiment #2 — Growth of Plants

Although some scientists and plant growers have seen remarkable increases in growth and production of plants from alfalfa and triacontanol, subsequent field tests by Ries and by other scientists from the U.S.D.A., universities and chemical companies have proved inconsistent and disappointing. Ries attributes most of the problems to the methods of formulation of triacontanol in that the long chain alcohol is very insoluble in water and in most other solvents. Ries and others have used combinations of solvents, detergents and surfactants in efforts to keep triacontanol in solution. The authors had a batch of triacontanol that had been opened for several months and this sample defied all attempts to get it in solution. A.J. Welebir is reported to have found additional requirements such as a solution at a pH of 8 or higher and the presence of metal ions such as calcium in the triacontanol solution. Using a solution of triacontanol with the above additions, Welebir has produced even more amazing growth and production than others have achieved and has done it consistently.

Materials for experiment #2 consisted of eight first-year rooted cuttings (clones) of genetically identical plants of W. Delp's hybrid rhododendron (R. pink carolinianum x R. scintillans) #1. The cuttings were about the same size, consisting of one or two stems, small leaves and fairly uniform small root systems. They were placed in a rooting bed in a cold greenhouse (minimum temperature was 40°F.) The soil mixture was equal parts of peat and perlite. Bottom heat of 80°F was present. One mg of 1-triacontanol was dissolved in one ml of chloroform, carefully diluted with de-ionized water to make a 0.1 mg/liter solution. (Ries had found that aqueous solutions containing small amounts of chloroform had no effect on plants.) The pH of the solution was 5.3. The pH of the rooting mixture was 5.5. No calcium ions were present except in buffers found in the well-water (pH 7) with which the plants were sprayed at frequent intervals.

The trial began in mid-January when plants were dormant. Six of the eight plants were painted thoroughly with the triacontanol solution and this was repeated in one week and again in mid-April. In May the rooted cuttings were transplanted to individual pots. In June only four of the 8 plants were sprayed and in August only 2 of the 8 plants were sprayed making 5 the maximum number of doses for two of the plants.

Figure II illustrates the difference in growth between the total controls and the plants receiving 5 treatments. Five different measurements of growth were taken in early October.


Figure II Measurements of five different aspects of growth of rooted cuttings of a rhododendron hybrid, both untreated and treated with 0.1 mg triacontanol/liter.
TYPE OF MEASUREMENT------CONTROL PLANTS--PLANTS TREATED 5 TIMES--INCREASE
Total Weight (minus soil)------30.2 g-------------83.1 g---------------------275%
Diameter of trunk at base-----4.0 mm------------8.0mm---------------------100%
Number of branches-----------4------------------10------------------------150%
Number of leaves-------------62-----------------167------------------------269%
Number of flower buds---------4------------------8-------------------------100%

The first results of the experiment was an obvious premature break in dormancy within the first two weeks in the triacontanol treated plants (end of January), whereas dormancy did not end until early May in the control plants. After 2 months the growth in treated plants was double that of the untreated plants. At the end of the growing season the amount of growth roughly paralleled the number and duration of treatments. A fantastic amount of growth had occurred especially in those plants which had 4 and 5 treatments over most of the growing season. Those receiving 5 treatments had tertiary branching as compared to secondary branching in those with 3 and 4 treatments and primary branching in the remainder. The root system after 5 treatments appeared proportionately larger than other aspects of the plant. One of the most profound differences was that of a total weight of 2¾ times greater in maximally treated plants as compared to untreated plants. Of great interest also was the double number of blossom buds in maximally treated plants and the diameter of those buds was twice that of the untreated plants.

Scientists have been mystified by the mechanism of action of triacontanol on plants. We have nothing to add to solve the mystery of why the addition of trace amounts of triacontanol to a plant which already had much greater amounts of this chemical will produce doubling or tripling of growth in some instances. Why or how does it increase flowering and productivity? How does triacontanol replace light, produce growth in the dark and break dormancy in plants? All of these are highly desirable qualities.

Crop production, like blossom and seed production, is dramatically increased and at trifling cost. Rooting of cuttings and seedling production is enhanced.

It is obvious that the proper use of 1-triacontanol and other newly discovered natural substances will revolutionize the plant and farming industries. The world-wide mass starvation of people, which has been predicted because of our destruction of farmland, may be delayed.

Nurserymen can produce larger, healthier and more mature plants in much less time and less expense than at present, also they will be able to force a greater variety of plants with more numerous and larger flowers than formerly possible. These changes do not appear to reduce hardiness in the plants. These are but a few examples of changes which will guarantee a revolution in the plant industry with the use of these new plant growth regulators."

*source: JARS v36n3 - Triacontanol as a Growth Stimulant - A Report of Two Experiments

 

[Alkhemist]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

a little info on gibberellic acid:

Gibberellic acid was first discovered in Japan in 1935 as a result of the study of a condition common in rice plants called "foolish seedling" disease, which caused the plants to grow much taller than normal. The effects of gibberellins weren't widely understood until years later. Gibberellic acid, GA3 is a naturally occurring plant hormone that regulates the growth of plants, including triggering seed germination. Gibberellic Acid is not manufactured; it's a natural product extracted from the Gibberella fujikuroi fungus. There are over 100 known forms of gibberellic acid; GA3 is the most effective.

The following information is taken from a article by John M. Riley that appeared in the 1987 CRFG Journal (vol. 19, pp. 10-12). Gibberellic Acid for Fruit Set and Seed Germination

The Germination Process

The first stage of germination consists of ingesting water and an awakening or activation of the germ plasma. Protein components of the cells that were formed as the seed developed, became inactive as it matured. After an uptake of water, the system is reactivated and protein synthesis resumes. Enzymes and hormones appear and begin to digest reserve substances in the storage tissues and to translocate the digested substances in the storage tissues to the growing points of the embryo. The sequence of the metabolic pattern than occurs during germination involves the activation of specific enzymes at the proper time and regulation of their activity.
Control is exercised by four classes of plant hormones: inhibitors such as abscissic acid which block germination; auxins which control root formation and growth; the gibberellins which regulate protein synthesis and stem elongation; and cytokinins that control organ differentiation. Ethylene is also believed to have a control function in some plants. Sometimes the last three controls are used together to crash through dormancy in germinating difficult seed.

Gibberellic Acid

Gibberellic acid (actually a group of related substances called gibberellins) was discovered as a metabolic byproduct of the fungus Gibberella fujikuroi, which causes the stems of growing rice to elongate so rapidly the plant collapsed. Synthetic forms of gibberellic acid are available commercially.
Gibberellic acid (GA) is a very potent hormone whose natural occurrence in plants controls their development. Since GA regulates growth, applications of very low concentrations can have a profound effect. Timing is critical: too much GA may have an opposite effect from that desired; too little may require the plant to be repeatedly treated to sustain desired levels of GA.

Effects of Gibberellic Acid

1) Overcoming dormancy. Treatment with high concentrations of GA is effective in overcoming dormancy and causing rapid germination of seed. Concentrations of about 2 ppm can cause tubers to sprout earlier.
2) Premature flowering. If a plant is sufficiently developed, premature flowering may be induced by direct application of GA to young plants. This action is not sustained and treatment may have to be repeated. Formation of male flowers is generally promoted by concentrations of 10 to 200 ppm.(yet retain the female chromosome!), female flowers by concentrations of 200 to 300 ppm. Concentrations of more than 600 ppm markedly suppresses initiation of both male and female flowers.
3) Increased fruit set. When there is difficulty with fruit set because of incomplete pollination, GA may be effectively used to increase fruit set. The resulting fruit maybe partially or entirely seedless. GA has increased the total yield in greenhouse tomato crops both as a result of increased fruit set and more rapid growth of the fruit.
4) Hybridizing. Pollination within self-incompatible clones and between closely related species may some times be forced by the application of GA and cytokinin to the blooms at the time of hand pollination.
5) Increased growth. GA applied near the terminal bud of trees may increase the rate of growth by stimulating more or less constant growth during the season. In a Department of Agriculture experiment, the GA was applied as a 1% paste in a band around the terminal bud of trees. Treatment was repeated three times during the summer. Walnut tree growth was 8.5 ft. for treated trees, 1.5 ft. for untreated trees.
6) Frost protection. Spraying fruit trees at full-blossom or when the blossoms begin to wither can offset the detrimental effects of frost.
7) Root formation. GA inhibits the formation of roots in cuttings.

 

[Billy420]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

I'm in too !! Hell, nice set up buddy !!!

 

[Alkhemist]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

hey Billy! welcome bro.. in time for a good seat at discounted prices

 

[Dasher]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

Thats some amazing info mate, those yield increases were off the richter and so many applications, astounding stuff.

 

[Alkhemist]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

yeah bro, its fascinating stuff! you can get Triacontanol and gibberellic acid in relatively pure forms, usually powder or tablets but you can get them in various formulations also.. for example: Gibberellic Acid Powder (GA3 90%) and triacontanol product information Page 1 you can get it locally too... i havent used these before but i'll be interested to test them out and see what i can get them to do the pros of going with a formulation already made for a horticultural co. is that they have tested various applications and can give quite clear instructions on best use and the best way to apply it and when.
Soma has used GA to produce fem seeds(among many other tricks) but he describes it as stressing the plant too much and goes with silver thiosulphate solution(=STS) now instead of GA. i was quite keen to test it out for this purpose too.. but i think i'll stick with basic colloidal silver OR STS- if i can source a local supply of silver nitrate and sodium thiosulphate.. ordinarily the local chemical supply store would have it stocked but they havent been able to get it in for a few months now so im gonna have to look further abroad
im just curious to see what the stuff can do to add weight.. possibly adding more flowering sites and larger flowers.. i can hardly wait, if it works then SHWEEEET!! if not so much then thats all good too.. i can look to re-examine where i may have gone wrong :]]

 

[Dasher]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

Im extremely interested what weight it could add looking at the figures, im going to check those links and find out a bit more especially if its available to me in a useable form. Hey as well bro just wanna ask about LST im keen to try it on my grow and was wondering if u thought it would be suitable for me being my first indoor, i cant go past the power saving and i do like low stress methods, the plants cop enough already. I havn't worked with Fems before or the strain (Green Poison) which 8 of mine are so alot of unknowns for me already, Im going to follow the light reduction schedule you posted on my just flipped plants when its time. id prefer to simulate nature as much as i can as long as it doesnt cost yield, if it increases it im stoked.

 

[Alkhemist]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

Im extremely interested what weight it could add looking at the figures, im going to check those links and find out a bit more especially if its available to me in a useable form. Hey as well bro just wanna ask about LST im keen to try it on my grow and was wondering if u thought it would be suitable for me being my first indoor, i cant go past the power saving and i do like low stress methods, the plants cop enough already. I havn't worked with Fems before or the strain (Green Poison) which 8 of mine are so alot of unknowns for me already, Im going to follow the light reduction schedule you posted on my just flipped plants when its time. id prefer to simulate nature as much as i can as long as it doesnt cost yield, if it increases it im stoked.

hey brother!
yeah i think you can benefit from some LST with your ladies, its primarily about opening the lower nodes up to light and allowing them equal access to light as the main colas.. it lets light penetrate more deeply into the lower areas of the plant.. and it also stimulates nutrient flow to the tips and/or dominant part of the branch.
if you bend a plants branch or main leader over a little it will stimulate growth to the dominant part of that branch- generally the tip.. and if you train it down even further so that its atleast horizontal or the tip is bent right over and lower than its position on the main trunk it will begin to slow its growth to the tip of the branch(this will depend on how vigorous the strain is) and focus more on pushing growth through the apex area of the bent branch- which then becomes the dominant area and the shoots in that area will grow with much more vigour.. i'll put up a bit of a clip when i lst mine again to show what i mean.
there are a few variations of lst'ing and you can find ALOT of information on this site as well as others on lst methods and variations.
it works well if you want to create an even canopy of colas and you want to control the direction and growth of the plant more than just leaving it to grow 'au natural' and if you have limited space, especially height in your grow space. but imho, if you have alot of height in your grow space and have room to play with it really isnt so necessary.. you have alot of room to let them grow taller and with good reflective surfaces you can still get light, albeit shaded, down to lower areas of the plant... and because you have room to play with you have greater potential to add weight and thus yield more per plant(although a well set up SOG grow can yield high amounts per m2). this is where our lollipopping techniques and really cleaning out underneath comes in too, which is pretty darn important imho if you are going to let your plants grow taller, but even with smaller plants it plays an important role.
i hope this helps bro! ive seen great plants that have been grown with lst methods.. and without. plants that have been heavily defoliated.. and plants that havent. i think alot comes from the strain we are growing, the pheno types.. the genetic potential for vigorous growth.. as well as other obvious environmental factors, like lighting, humidity, temp control etc.. but at the end of the day, i think we can all agree that we all want the greatest yield possible from each strain without compromising on quality and taste.. and so many great growers here have there particular ways of growing and swear by them, me i tend to try and keep it simple, yet stick with what i know.. which is usually lighter defoliation, lst'ing, sometimes topping if needed, lollipopping or cleaning out the undersides to allow the plant to send all of her goodness to the tips and colas... and thats about me
all i could truly recommend for you bro, is to take a good look at different methods of growing herre at 420, there are some damned cooL journals as you have no doubt seen... or online generally, look at the pro's and con's of each method and system, see what suits you the most with your grow space and size and budget etc.. and commit to your decision! we'll all support you bro, what ever you decide
all the best with your decision bro! i know when it comes to my own decisions i can sometimes change my mind 20+ times a day before i actually go with a choice! loL and then i can change my mind after ive already started! gawd ;]

 

[Alkhemist]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

clip of the final test run.. checking irrigation system and nutrient tank, recirc return line etc.. good thing too! i realized i had put my extractor fan in backwards.. noticed my tent was blowing up like a balloon when i turned it on! LOL

recirc top feed hydro_3mx1.5mx2m tent_assorted strains - YouTube

 

[Alkhemist]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

just a shot of the seedlings, ready to put into the tent. the cindies and the WW x BB are taking their slow arse time to germ fully... so far 4x HGK, black dominaxcheese, OGKxwhite widow and the somangoxcritical are all go! i'll probably put them in tonight and get the show underway

 

[Dasher]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

hey brother!
yeah i think you can benefit from some LST with your ladies, its primarily about opening the lower nodes up to light and allowing them equal access to light as the main colas.. it lets light penetrate more deeply into the lower areas of the plant.. and it also stimulates nutrient flow to the tips and/or dominant part of the branch.
if you bend a plants branch or main leader over a little it will stimulate growth to the dominant part of that branch- generally the tip.. and if you train it down even further so that its atleast horizontal or the tip is bent right over and lower than its position on the main trunk it will begin to slow its growth to the tip of the branch(this will depend on how vigorous the strain is) and focus more on pushing growth through the apex area of the bent branch- which then becomes the dominant area and the shoots in that area will grow with much more vigour.. i'll put up a bit of a clip when i lst mine again to show what i mean.
there are a few variations of lst'ing and you can find ALOT of information on this site as well as others on lst methods and variations.
it works well if you want to create an even canopy of colas and you want to control the direction and growth of the plant more than just leaving it to grow 'au natural' and if you have limited space, especially height in your grow space. but imho, if you have alot of height in your grow space and have room to play with it really isnt so necessary.. you have alot of room to let them grow taller and with good reflective surfaces you can still get light, albeit shaded, down to lower areas of the plant... and because you have room to play with you have greater potential to add weight and thus yield more per plant(although a well set up SOG grow can yield high amounts per m2). this is where our lollipopping techniques and really cleaning out underneath comes in too, which is pretty darn important imho if you are going to let your plants grow taller, but even with smaller plants it plays an important role.
i hope this helps bro! ive seen great plants that have been grown with lst methods.. and without. plants that have been heavily defoliated.. and plants that havent. i think alot comes from the strain we are growing, the pheno types.. the genetic potential for vigorous growth.. as well as other obvious environmental factors, like lighting, humidity, temp control etc.. but at the end of the day, i think we can all agree that we all want the greatest yield possible from each strain without compromising on quality and taste.. and so many great growers here have there particular ways of growing and swear by them, me i tend to try and keep it simple, yet stick with what i know.. which is usually lighter defoliation, lst'ing, sometimes topping if needed, lollipopping or cleaning out the undersides to allow the plant to send all of her goodness to the tips and colas... and thats about me
all i could truly recommend for you bro, is to take a good look at different methods of growing herre at 420, there are some damned cooL journals as you have no doubt seen... or online generally, look at the pro's and con's of each method and system, see what suits you the most with your grow space and size and budget etc.. and commit to your decision! we'll all support you bro, what ever you decide
all the best with your decision bro! i know when it comes to my own decisions i can sometimes change my mind 20+ times a day before i actually go with a choice! loL and then i can change my mind after ive already started! gawd ;]

Thanks for taking the time to explain the techniques and choices with great details and realise the whys are as important as the hows, i tried a couple of bends on one of the Cream Caramels 5 days ago and iv'e been watching how they react and its doing exactly what your descriing. Watched a couple of online vids but they were crap, one bloke was more interested in making the branch snapping noise than explaining the theory. so i just bent the ones that would fill the open areas below, Was a bit worried as it was only a couple of day's before blooming but now i wish i had of done a few more piqued my interest in incorporating that with my clones just starting veg now. Not sure of the dangers of doing that bending close to bloom, i just hope it doesn't give them a tendency to herm somehow, there's so much i want to try but so much to know first. I'm searching through journals for specific basic information and get led onto something else totally different lol stuffs so informative and interesting even ended up reading one of DocBuds Hi-Brix journals, not really sort of stuff i need to know right now but fascinating for me and some principles apply throughout the array of methods and techniques of all the grows so my general knowledge is improving all the time. Once again thanks for the great reply Alkhemist Im sure now LST will be a part my grow in one form or another.

 

[Alkhemist]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

all good ma man!

yeah there are some things which are relevant and can be applied directly to MMJ in quite clear and almost obvious ways and some things that just seem like a "fad" trying to reinvent the wheel when its quite unnecessary and their relevance to smoking MMJ just seems pointless... we have to remember that MMJ is usually something we smoke in one form or another... not like a vegetable that we eat everyday! although obviously there are many that enjoy MMJ edibles :] sugar and mineral content isnt "flame-soluble" loL personally i dont prepare and cook my MMJ as i would my broccoli or carrots(hi-brix)! but thats a bit different, my opinion tho!

 

[Alkhemist]

Re: Recirc Top Feed Hydro - 3m x 1.5m x 2m Tent - GLR & LST - 1800W - Assorted Strain

howdy folks!

20/4/2013.. happy 420 to all! ok, so being 420 n all ive chosen this auspicious day to make day 1 of this grow.. planted them into their pots and gave their first watering. i'll be feeding them 3x per day(as opposed to 5x per day for glr at full strength) at 10mins each watering..

ive started with(per 50 L):
-25mils of flairform "grostorm" (1/3rd normal dose),
-5 mils of "silika magic"(1/3rd),
-5 mils of "pythoff"(1/3rd) and
-25mils or OGP-"organic growth promotant"(1/3rd) which contains both gibberellic acid(GA-3) and triacontanol.

ph is set at 5.8
nute temp is 20celcius(68f)
ec reads at .7 EC after nutes added
ambient temp is approx 20(start)-27c(full on) at lights on and 15 at min temp with lights off

they are pretty darn cute at this early stage little babies that need to be nurtured and loved ;] i'll probably be in to check on them 20+times per day at this stage... dont wanna risk burning the liL things..

thought i would include some info on Pythoff-nutrient conditioner, i havent used this before so will be interested to see if there are any discernible differences with my last grow:

Pythoff maximizes the effective working life of water and nutrient, and helps prevent plumbing blockages (e.g. drippers, jets, filters, pumps).
Pythoff’s formulation is a result of our extensive experience as water treatment consultants since 1966.

Pythoff is safe and non-toxic:
- Non systemic: This enables dosing throughout the fruiting period, and compliance with ‘organic' farming guidelines that prohibit the use of systemic chemicals.

- Safe to use from seed to harvest: Ensures maximum performance throughout.

Compatible with all systems and substrates
* Note, Pythoff is not compatible with hydrogen peroxide or beneficial bacteria. As with all products it is advisable to test compatibility prior to routine usage.

Easy to use: Pre-dilute with water prior to adding to the working nutrient. The nutrient pump then delivers Pythoff throughout the system.

normal dosage of 0.1-0.2mils per Litre

link: Pythoff: Hydroponic nutrient conditioner