FIRST GROW! Hydro, Drip System, Indoors

fireboytommy7 · 02-06-2009, 09:13 AM

Hey guys! This is my first grow but I have done a lot of research...anyways here we go this is my setup..

Emily's Garden (modified)
GH Flora Nova Grow (2.5 ml/gl)
GH Flora Nova Bloom(1.5 ml/gl)
Maxicrop's Liquid Seaweed (oh yeah no expl. necessary)
Canna's Cannazym (breaks down dead roots, protects against pythium, aids in root generation)

It began as a standard wick system, but I decided that it wouldn't be enough. It already has a dual airstone tubing with an air pump, so I just added a 65gph water pump that runs every 2 hours for 10 min during light time and every 3 during dark. Im running a 18/6 schedule. so yeah.

Kind of out of date. No alum foil. There is mylar. (you can see from day 9 pics) Right side is right next to window. Medically licensed so no worries.

Here is the piping for my drip system. Simple really. Blue tube connects to pump, its 1/2", and i shoved in 2 1/4 vinyl tubing, one leads to a disperser (recirculates nutrients and creates backpressure) and the other leads to the drip system, connected to the line which goes thru the lid and splits into two, which have their own valves to adjust flow. They are strapped down with binder clips. (see day 9)

Heres a picture of day one. Very sad setup with a pathetic 14W LED and one 23W 5000K CFL. No Drip system yet. I have proof that LED's took about a week to grow what my 400W MH does in about a day. Anyways

A new home! Grapefruit Diesel on the Left. The Purps (2004 cannabis cup winner) on the right.

Day 3

Cutting to the chase to day 7

See. BARELY any growth. sad! So then i decided to screw LED's. if you cant beat em join em...

Now. Day 9 w/ 400W MH.

Amazing. By the way, GF Diesel on the Right. Purps on Left.

Here are some concerns. My temps are good, kept around 79 or so. Humidity is about 40%. pH i maintain at about 5.4.

At the end of the day, my plant's leaves droop a little bit. People have told me that with a drip system it is nearly impossible to overwater, so am I underwatering? It goes off every 2 hours for 10 min and every 3 during night cycle. They don't really seem discolored, but the tips are slightly yellow. I was thinking perhaps heat stress? Or maybe at the end of the day they had enough light so they curl to absorb less? If someone could help me out that would be sweet. Also, I had reflective materials on the reservoir lid to lower temps, but my friend who studied botany said that light from under the leaves is not good for the plant so I removed it. Any opinions?

fireboytommy7 · 02-09-2009, 04:49 AM

Update. 400W MH are awesome. In 3 days my plants already opened their new canopy. Very nice. Slight yellowing on purps but not on GF diesel. hmm.

flyfishinrock · 02-09-2009, 02:18 PM

Been very curious about the purps for a few years, glad to see a journal of it!! I may be wrong as I'm not a drip system guy; but I think they run continuously when lights on and optional at light off. When the lil drips run over the rocks they grab oxygen with them so you shouldnt be able to drown em. You might consider the drip rings as the are supposed to spread the drips out to the roots more evenly. Overwatering has the same symptom as underwatering, droopy leaves. I flush for 15 minutes every hour to hour and a half (I'm experimenting with the timing) in my ebb and flow; the every hour plants by the way are doing much better. Hope this helps, and good luck on your grow!!

fireboytommy7 · 02-12-2009, 01:05 AM

Doing good but the purple stems on both and the yellowing on the purps isn't going away. It actually seems to be getting worse.

PHATBLUNT420 · 02-12-2009, 01:37 AM

not sure whats goin on with ur purps....
but compare to this thread!! .
hopefully it helps

PLANT ABUSEl

fireboytommy7 · 02-14-2009, 05:41 AM

Update!! Day 17...Grapefruit Diesel going on strong!!

Did some more research. Grapefruit Diesel is a mix between NYCD and Grapefruit from BC. Very resilient plant.

Nice bushy GFD.

Canopy shot.

GFD!

Purps! :/

fireboytommy7 · 02-24-2009, 02:10 AM

update!

made a grow box... here are some pics.

got wood for 8 bucks for 4 x 8. dimensions are 3 x 2 1/2 x 7. Doors are 5 1/2 feet high.

check it out.

putting it together...

The plants like it very much in there.

Got a vortex 4 inch fan running active intake but temps are too hot. thinking of getting oscillating fan or getting 6 inch 240 cfm fan for exhaust. what doy ou think?

fireboytommy7 · 02-24-2009, 02:20 AM

okay update update.

day 24 pics.

purps

gfd

day 26

purps

gfd

day 28

NEW SETUP

gfd

purps

Found out my problem with the purps was totally deficiency. I was running 400 ppm and I bumped up to 900 and its LOVING it. Everyone said it was nute burn but my leaves were a uniform light green so it was actually a deficiency. Plants are EXPLODING!! you can see already!!

PHATBLUNT420 · 02-24-2009, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fireboytommy7

Found out my problem with the purps was totally deficiency. I was running 400 ppm and I bumped up to 900 and its LOVING it. Everyone said it was nute burn but my leaves were a uniform light green so it was actually a deficiency. Plants are EXPLODING!! you can see already!!

i gave you a link to the thread like TWO WEEKS ago bro. i hope you didnt ignore it and looked at it! lol

fireboytommy7 · 02-24-2009, 04:56 AM

yeah i know i looked at it and honestly it was such a hard decision between nute deficiency and nute burn. i realized the all around light green was probably nitrogen deficiency and under fertilizing. none of th epictures looked like my plant though.

four20friend · 02-24-2009, 07:45 PM

I would reduce the delay between waterflow. I would not go longer than 30 mins between watering with the lights on. once they get a decent root system I run my drip 24/7. they love it, if the ph is right. with an airstone in the res you should not have any problems. Things look good the only other thing I wanted to say is try wrapping up the clear lines that run the nutes under the lights or any lines that are exposed to light. Things will start to grow in there fast and clogs your lines or just make them clog.gh also makes a blue nute line that seems to prevent that problem in a half inch size. hope it helps... nice grow.

fireboytommy7 · 02-25-2009, 03:27 AM

thanks yeah i have some cardboard covers that i made. i definitely noticed the growth inside because i also put beneficial mycorrhizae. the covers solved the problem. ill update again soon!

fireboytommy7 · 02-28-2009, 10:37 AM

Update again.

Temps started running up so that was a nono. Picked up a sunsystem super sun hood for 50 and got glass for 15. rewired the hood with old ballast and lengthened the line, so ballast sits out now. Got the air intake the directly cool the hood. Can keep the light 10 inches away and have no problems with heat! Check this out

nice nice day 32

box open

box closed

[IMG]http://www.420magazine.com/gallery/data/500/medium/boxc***32.jpg[/IMG]

day 32 mind you

gfd

purps

Having problem with purps. Anyone know what this is? Running about 5.8 pH with 1000 ppm. Cutting edge solutions 3 part.