Grow 3 - 10 Recent Auto Strains - LEDs Mars Hydro II 1200 - Box 120x120/4x4

[spacef]

Project for 1 grow session
Organic goes without saying. It is even "almost vegan".

Fast Buds (Auto) California Snow,
Fast Buds (Auto) West Coast Og,
Fast Buds (Auto) Girl Scout Cookies,
Fast Buds (Auto) Mexican Airline (gift pack)
Sweet Seeds Cream Mandarine XL Auto,
Sweet Seeds Jack 47 Auto,
Sweet Seeds Blow Mind Auto
Dutch Passion AutoColorado Cookie,
Dutch Passion AutoNight Queen
Dinafem Auto Amnesia XXL

Mars Hydro II 1200 (still shipping)
Box 120*120*200 (4*4*7?) (still shipping)

Should be 12 plant and 1 or 2 more if there is room. May be other strains .

I will begin to update this journal in a few weeks only, may be in 1 month or 6 weeks, when the strains are stable and "final" (ie, some might die and be replaced by others)... A few stuff is not received yet though

Thanks to subscribe in the meantime - especially if you are growing AutoColorado Cookies.
So I will see that there is interest to see what happens otherwise, well, wait and see.

See you

 

[420Guardian]

 

[smokiebear]

There's a few strains you've got that are on my to grow list. Hope you don't mind if I pull up a seat in anticipation!

 

[thebeast27]

Im in mate nice selection of beans

 

[spacef]

Sorry I couldn't wait to show the installation, now that it is almost done.
I look at it, and say "wow look at that", so i'm looking at it again, and think that i was really stone when I ordered those.... it's big, and it's in my living room :-o !! But it is for 1 session until April/May, then next year only for 2 sessions. I hope to produce enough for 6 / 8 monthes of personal use.

Anyway....

The Mars Hydro 1200 panel is very heavy, I used 4 rachets. The supporting bars were bending too much, so I attached them to the one that is perpendicular to them (not sure how to explain that, a picture is better, see below ), using the steel cables that came with the mars panel or "gardening metal wire". I'm in the EU, but the panel does have the Grow/Bloom switch, so that's awesome!

Today I have seeded 11 seeds in that box. There is room for 1 or 2 others may be, but I've ran out of soil (Gold Label Light Mix).
1 California Snow
1 Girl Scout Cookie
1 West Coast OG
1 Mexican Airlines
2 Jack 47 Auto
1 Blow Mind Auto
1 Cream Mandarine XL Auto
1 Amnesia XXL auto
1 AutoNight Queen
1 Auto Colorado Cookie

I also have another box with 4 plants (1 AutoNight Queen, 1 Amnesia XXL, 1 California Snow, 1 AutoColorado Cookie).

NB: photos are processed to get the best white balance, and to actually see something and a few colors. Otherwie, it is irradiated with purple light.

See you in a few weeks, or sooner...

 

[thebeast27]

Looking sweet good luck

 

[steppedinds]

lookin good

 

[spacef]

Hi all !

Just an update on my light set and the Mars II 1200.

For the moment, I did not find the correct height for the Mars Hydro and seeds. It was 4 feet above this morning, now 3 feet. It was in veg mode, now full spectrum.

The coverage of the panel is not fantastic: it's perfect for 3*3 tent, I have a 4*4. That's why I've put the CFL back at work in the corners, until I find the correct height for the mars hydro. The reflectors of the CFL could be removed, the mylar of the tent is better. I will try that one day

We have more than 780W (real draw) of various lights in here .... 11 plants... might be 2 more plants than possible...9 is enough, too bad I ordered soil last week, to make a 12th pot, lol... One pot has moved to the other small box. So we have 11 left in there. 9 would be perfect for the mars 1200.
It is not the most efficient setup, but that's all I Have for the moment! Consolation: I don't have to deal with heat extraction of a 1000W tube, or 2*400. sigh... I wish I had a spectrum king led to add to the Mars now.... lol...

All seeds have popped and we are at day 2. The Blow Mind was late, I had to help it a bit by digging the soil... I am not sure it would have popped without this help, it was too deep. But now it looks like it could be a big fat baby .

 

[spacef]

A message to friends from The Auto-Topping Thread

I think I will top one.... may be 2.... it will be one in the the large containers: so the choice is between Mexican Airline, or West Coast OG, or Blow Mind, or Girl Scout Cookie, or Amnesia XXL. I have made "tall" 11 liters containers by putting slices of a smaller pot at the top. Any preference ? (yes, imagine, YOU will be smoking all that soon: which do you choose? lol)

So I have 2 Containers of 11 which contain 12/13 at least and which are very high : they say it is recommended for auto (pots longer than large), and they don't sell them cheap. This is the DIY cheap way. but I don't see how taller it could be without being a mess when grown with the others. Those pots are around 2 inch higher than the 11Liters without this added-top-pot.

Those two pots are at the top-right and bottom-left corners and contain a jack457Auto and an auto Night Queen. Could be 2 other candidates for topping. I know the Jack 47Auto and i LOVE this strain....so....

 

[steppedinds]

you usually don't want to top autos. it puts them in shock and increases finishing time. i suggest researching LST techniques and maybe a scrog or even ponytailing. Here We Grow Again! - A-train's DP Auto Ultimate x 2 is a really helpful journal for learning autos. good luck brah

 

[arteekay]

Hey spacef,

Mars says to hang your 1200 at 24" - 30" and it should cover a 4x4.

As for the CFLs, they don't work very well vertically for a plant under them, there's just not a lot of light generated at the end. If you feel you still need then they need to be hung horizontally and much closer to the plants. Of course you don't want to block the light from the LED with the reflector, so it'd be a challenge for sure.

 

[arteekay]

you usually don't want to top autos. it puts them in shock and increases finishing time. i suggest researching LST techniques and maybe a scrog or even ponytailing. Here We Grow Again! - A-train's DP Auto Ultimate x 2 is a really helpful journal for learning autos. good luck brah

To be fair, topping any plant will put it into a temporary state of shock. I know Atrain is against topping autos and has generated some incredible plants with just LST and ponytailing, but others including myself have also had some great results from an early topping before LSTing and even supercropping.

Like just about everything involved with growing this incredible plant, there are varying opinions and levels of success with a huge range of methods and procedures.

 

[steppedinds]

Like just about everything involved with growing this incredible plant, there are varying opinions and levels of success with a huge range or methods and procedures.

true that.

 

[steppedinds]

somehow i missed your sig. checking out your last grow. amazing stuff

 

[thebeast27]

Autos love to be topped its a fact.i have proved it.and as days go by more and more growers topping autos with great results its were its at!!! This shit is real ha ha keep up the great work growers.happy growing every1

 

[thebeast27]

Well said arteekay u know the scoregood work keep it up

 

[Xenonrae]

 

[spacef]

Hey spacef,
Mars says to hang your 1200 at 24" - 30" and it should cover a 4x4.

Thanks I need to convert those " into cm I'm at 90cm now (30").
The seedlings in the back corners are bending a bit so it is either too far or the coverage is not enough (in terms of intensity). I am doing things progressively because i noticed that leds too close can stress the plant too (like leaves won't grow - I had this with a COB, or at least, I think that's what I experienced, i needed to put it back under CFL for a few more days until it was solid enough to take the COB power).

As for the CFLs, they don't work very well vertically for a plant under them, there's just not a lot of light generated at the end.

Yes as you say, the reflector would block the leds. But I need them to throw light at the back and in any case I do not have anything more to hang them so that's all i can do now.

The CFL vertically: they could be useful at a later stage to light the back of a few plants (the side that will be in the shades).

But I can guarantee to you that there is much moire light in the front half of those CFLs than at the back (base) where there is really not much going on. Vertically, they are better for vertical growing, and with a dish reflector. That's why I could use them vertically to give light in some parts that are not accessed by the led. I suppose.

Also, here they throw light away from them - not under - but where the reflector is facing.
it lights enough under, and can reach the next container.

It's too f..ing hot anyway, I just unplugged one of them and gained 2 Celsius degrees less (from 28 to 26, that's from 82 to 78 F


Thanks for your input !

 

[spacef]

I was bored so I seeded a 12th plant. It is another Cream Mandarine XL Auto. I've seen a video on youtube and i love the potential final result (video title= Autoflorecientes: Cream Mandarine XL Auto, resumen de su cultivo con fotos de tricomas ).
I used a 6/7 liters pots with added slices of another container, to make it taller. It is 9/10 liters I guess.

The "tall pots" are inspired by a commercial pot specially made for autos (as they say) and which is quite tall (28*28*40, that's 9*9*13). Mine are smaller, but it is the same "technic". They say it will improve yield. So I cut a couple of pots into slices, and use the slices to make any pot taller. I used it on 11 and 6 liters pots, I hope it is useful. I also drilled small holes on a few of the 11L containers (12/15 * 3mm holes per side). Here you go, I have my "aired-pot" I did not do this for roots, but for a chance to have them dry faster.

I also removed the Blow Mind Auto, and seeded a new one, hoping it will look better: yeah, I don't want to loose 1 day if I see a plant growing weird, and if I have more seeds, then I remove the weirdo, and i seed a new one for the better. I had a dwarf once, and unless it is for urban-balcony-guerilla , it is a waste of space, time, money etc.


Quote from the shop Alchimia (Automatic Plant Pot 18L)

Deep, square, black flowerpot, made ​​of durable plastic with an 18L capacity.
This pot is different from the rest in the way its volume is distributed, making it taller but narrower.
This difference in shape, achieves a better development of our auto-flowering marijuana plants , because their roots will develop more as a network and less as a spiral, having more of and a deeper substrate in which to grow. This will reflect in its growth, and especially in its final yield.

Pic of the day

 

[spacef]

Just an update on the Mars Hydro 1200.

It is way too powerful for seedlings at the max height recommended by the maker.

I had to put it back to 4 feet high and in Grow mode only, after 2 days without leds and only CFLs (they kick ass for the 10 first days (I guess T5 is even better) ).

The leaves are growing again, after 4 days of being "frozen".

I don't think i'll ever use the leds again before 10 / 15 days after germination (2nd node).

Or at least, I'm not experienced enough to make it a sure thing...


Casualties so far:
- 1 Girl Scout Cookie: could not stand the powerful led light, looked like a dwarf, burnt at the center, replaced by a new seed of the same kind.
- 2 AutoColorado Cookies: various genetic malformations as reported in another thread. Only 1 seed is still alive and I hope it will remain "normal" .
- 1 Blow Mind: as reported before but nothing to do with the light or genetics, just that I did not like how the root began to develop and it could be a problem later (plant could be too small to be worth it).

I had to replace one dead AutoColorado by the last GSC seed I had.... I had high expectation for the AutoCOlorado, and I'm frustrated because it seems to work for other people. :-(
Well, I still have 1 , so I'm still growing 10 different strains