Curious' 5th Grow Journal With GSC, Critical+ & A Couple Autos Train Wreck & Bruce Banner

[Curiousnoob]

Now that I have my hands a little dirty and I have completed four runs with Strawberry Cough. I feel it is time to try my hand at some other strains . This run the 5 x 5 will be running 2 x GSC and 2 x Critical + clones that were generously exchanged for 2 x Strawberry Cough clones. The 2 x 4 will be running 2 x autos from Yantra Seeds, 1 x Train Wreck & 1 x Bruce Banner.
I will be running coco/perlite media with a high frequency, high fertigation schedule with weekly/bi-weekly flushing. This in comparison to my other runs had a much lower EC, no flushing and fertigating when dry. I have read alot of mixed reviews on this and have decided to see roughly the pros and cons of both and what works best for my environment.

Specs for 5x5:
Strain: Girl Scout Cookies, Critical + (unknown breeder/genetics so info is from Leafly)
Vege/flower: Currently in vege
THC content: GSC 16-24%, Critical + 20%
Height: GSC 180cm-220cm Critical + medium
Flowering Time: GSC 8-9wks, Critical + 8 wks.
Yield: GSC 450g/m2, Critical + 500-600g/m2
Medium: Coco with 30% perlite.
Potting: 4 x 28litre rocket pots/air pots, feed rings to one 200L resovoir and run to waste system.
Tent: 1.45 x 1.45 x 2m Seahawk tent
Lighting: 2 x Lumatek 600w/240v digital ballast running 2 x 400w MH globes for vege and
2 x Phillips Son T 600w hps for flower, through 2 x 150mm cool tubes.
Exhaust: Max fan pro 150, 2 speed, pulling through can-lite 6" carbon filter, out through cool tubes out of tent.
Intake: 2 x 150mm cultiv8 fan drawing in external air. 2 x vortex fans (awesome) one up top one down below.

Specs for 2 x 4;
strain: 1 x Train Wreck auto , 1 x Bruce Banner auto. Yantra seeds.
Vege/flower: Currently both in vege.
THC: Bruce 15-20%, Train 18%
CBD: Bruce 1-2%, Train 0.5%
Height: Bruce approx 100cm, Train 60-120cm
flowering time: Bruce 10wks, Train 8-9 wks
Yield: Bruce 400-500g/m2, Train 350-550g/m2
Medium: Coco/Perlite 30%
Potting: 2 x 18L rocket/air pots, feed rings to 100L res with run to waste system.
Tent: Homemade cupboard from a level adjusting shelf.
Lighting: 1 x 400w MH for vege, 1 x 400w HPS for flower, 150mm cool tube, Schedule will be 20/4 through whole grow.
Exhaust: Air will be pulled through cool tube that has a pre filter over the hole exiting tent into a can fan RS150 out through can lite 6" carbon filter.
Intake: 1 x 150mm cultiv8 drawing external air in. Plus a seahawk clip fan for circulation.

Nutrients/additives: High frequency, high fertigation schedule from Glandore Hydro.
5 x 5 - 200L reclaimed pickle barrell
2 x 4 - 100L resovoir (water tank bunnings).
BAC coco A & B, vege C, F1 Extreme booster, Pro active, Uwaroo, Rotalumits, weekly scirup. Ryzo & Organic aminos. Calimagic (cal/mag) and PSI (pure mono silica acid). Power rock, NTS fulvic, frooting power.
Preventative care: gnatural (gnats), fungirid (fungacide), kryptomite (spidermites).

Time for the fun stuff
5×5

01/10 these ladies were repotted Into there new and final homes after spending about a week under a flourescent.
07/10 they received their first round of LST. Nutrients have been at 600ppm with a PH 5.5 from what I read 5.5 is better for nitrogen absorption?

2 × 4
Autos were started in paper towel and placed in a snap bag placed in a dark cup board, with just enough water to wet everything.
07/10 We have tap roots

I'm not sure if this is a good idea but I planted them directly into their final homes (18L)

 

[Curiousnoob]

14/10
5 × 5
2 weeks of vege now l, nutrients at 800ppm and ph5.5 fertigating twice a day, I have found some signs of thrips so everythig received a light spray of neem oil and a spidermite control.

(Quick look at the top set up)

Some leaves are starting to get a nice shine on some of the leaves.

2 x 4
14/10 5 days since they broke surface, I may have mixed them up but look at the shell I think this is what they are. They are on plain tap water atm.

 

[Curiousnoob]

5 X 5
21/10 Nutrients are up EC1.2, PH5.5 watering 3 times daily now. Everything is looking really good atm the best I have had any strain at this stage growth is exploding, nice shine on the leaves. I will be scrogging them think I better set it before it gets out of control. (20/4 light schedule)

2 x 4
21/10 Nutrients have been added to the resovoir now with a PPM400 and PH5.5 watering twice daily 20/4 light schedule

 

[Curiousnoob]

27/10
5 x 5 week 4 of vege day 26 from potting
This is the first time the 200L barrell has been used and what a life saver it has been! It lasted about 8.2 days which works out at approximately 25L a day. 200L resovoir will recieve a light clean and pots will recieve a flush with water and a little BAC scirup for breaking down left overs.
Feeding will resume at 3:30am 1/2 hr after lights on. Nutrient schedule will be 3 x daily @ EC1.8 PH5.5.

The screen has also been placed and sits approximating 180-200cm (70") above the media. Made of thin welded wire coated in PVC, which spaced at 100mm x 100mm (3.93")

Being used to 50mm x 50mm (2") screen that worked really well for canopy uniform, it was a little hard to work with aswell as cutting out on harvest day. Now that It is set, it may be a little to spaced? Possibly with an issue of not as many colas? Not sure if It should be changed back or leave as is, as not used to these strains?

2 x 4
These ladies have just opened their first set of "real" leaves so we'll call this week one of vege. They were pushed a little hard with a PPM400. leaves are showing a little sign of stress but other that that looking really good.

They also will receive a flush today with feeding resuming at 3:30am just after lights on. Nutrients will move to PPM600 PH5.5 twice daily.

 

[Curiousnoob]

Proud daddy moment. I have never had ladies get this far before without having lockout/deficiency or major pest issues.
31/10
5 X 5 Starting week 5, day 30 of vege.
Nutrients are at EC1.8, PPM900, PH 5.5.
For the first few weeks of vege I have been adding BAC uwaroo (roots) with plain water once a week with added Gnat protection once a week or Fungarid, as Gnats are my biggest pest problem in recent grows and prevention is definetly better than cure.

I have alternated each week with fungarid or with Gnatural and will continue this for the term of vege. then In flower I will move to every second week alternating each.

2 x 4
These girls are at 22 days from when they first broke the surface.
Nutrients are dialled in at an EC1.0, PPM500, PH5.5 they too have received fungus and gnat treatment with BAC Uwaroo (roots) only this is their first week of. LST started as well, I will not be topping these autos as I have seen great results with just this. Also only having a short time to vege I would like to take advantage of all the vege time I can get.

After a little recovery time (1 day)

Oh, I have also noticed pistols on the TW I do hope this is not the start of flowering as I would love them to grow a little more, can anyone tell me if this is the start of flowering?

I have used the 400w MH globe since the start, I was concerned it would be to much but they have handled it well the light sits right at the top of area.

 

[Curiousnoob]

02/11
5 x 5 day 32 of vege (4.5 weeks)
Opened her up yesterday and was hit with a reasonably strong smell of lemony fresh cookies, was very surprised to have any odors at all apart from when you rub the stalks. Yesterday was time for another round of some tucking. GSC seems to growing alot more bushier then the Critical plus making it alot easier to scrog.
Before:

After

Now

Time to do a little lollipopping. Thinking they might be just about ready to flip.
Before

After

There are also have 2 x XL CO2 Exhale bags.

After the trim up a foliar spray half hour before lights out was applied to help with repairs.

With the cuttings that were taken the viable clone cuttings were placed straight into cups with water, then when they were ready to be potted they were placed in a cloning gel for 5 mins. Only GSC cuttings will be ised this round for clones, Critical will get a chance later on.

 

[Curiousnoob]

With a little spare time it was probably a good idea to check the EC/PPM run off/out-flow against the resovoir in-flow (run to waste system). Measuring the nutrient in-flow from the 5 x 5 resovoir I have noticed that over the week the EC/PPM had increased from EC 1.8-2.0 PPM900-1000 to a EC2.2 PPM1100.

From what I read the PPM/EC shouldn't rise anymore than +300-400? If it does it is due to a too high nutrient EC/PPM schedule or inadequate fertigating frequency. The outflow should ideally sit around +100-200? If anyone can chime in and help me out in regards to this it would be appreciated.

Having the out-flow EC lower than the in-flow is a fluctuation or a possibility of not enough distribution?
The 2 x 4 resovoir was adjusted to EC1.0, PPM500. Which was still the case.

With the out-flow exactly the same is this due to to high a frequency in fertigating?
2 x 4
The two autos had some LST, their guest is a strawberry cough mother that was kicked out of the clone tent. She will be flowered out after the autos have completed flowering as the last run of Starwberry cough developed "specious flowers in the last couple of weeks of flower.

 

[Carcass]

Beautiful plants,Curious !
I see another (at least) 1000 gram grow coming up!
and that doesn't include those awesome autos!

 

[Curiousnoob]

Thanks mate! Thinking the main may be about to get a little out of hand. Not sure how they will react when they start to stretch. Guess I'll will flip and find out, thanks for stopping by @carcass and @candycane.

 

[candycane]

Thanks mate! Thinking the main may be about to get a little out of hand. Not sure how they will react when they start to stretch. Guess I'll will flip and find out, thanks for stopping by @carcass and @candycane.

Absolutely! I’m pretty quiet for the most part but am usually creepin about on journals Girls are looking good!

 

[SlyTown420]

Hey @Curiousnoob, it looks like you have a nice set of tents running. Good luck on your grow!

 

[Curiousnoob]

Thanks @SlyTown420 they are running ok for now fingers crossed it stay that way.

 

[Curiousnoob]

07/11
5 x 5
5 days after trim I'm thinking they have recovered. With 90% of the screen filled and not knowing how these strains will stretch I decided to flip them over to 12/12. I will leave the 2 x 400w MH globes in for the first week which should keep them stretching to much and keep internodes tight from what I read.

09/11
Two days Into flower and the top of the canopy is sitting about 30cm (11-12') above the screen.

And they are all sitting very happily.

Screen is full and internode spacing is reasonably tight.

The critical plus under the fan is showing a few signs of abnormalities. I'm not sure if this is from wind burn or a deficiency? If anyone has any ideas? It's strange the rest are showing now signs at all.

2 x 4
Train Wreck is definetly into flowering now I probably should have changed over from a 400w MH to a 400w HPS sooner probably could have gotten a little more stretch out of it.

Bruce Banner is starting to pre-flower I think hopefully she stretches a little more.

Either way should be fun to see how much flower they can push out.

Nutrients in the 200L barrell for the 5 x 5 have just been rinsed and refilled with a EC1.8 PH 5.5 I will continue the vege schedule for another week before adding flowering nutes.

Nutrients in the 2 x 4 100L are sitting at a 1/4 strength schedule with a EC 1.0 PPM500 PH5.5 this will increase next week.

 

[SlyTown420]

Nice lush forest you have there!

 

[candycane]

Everything looks beautiful in there! That leaf looks like a calmag deficiency to me but if it’s the only one maybe just keep a close eye and see if other leaves start showing anything like it. Otherwise again everything looks beautiful, lush and green.

 

[Curiousnoob]

Thanks @candycane I have been running quite low on the the calimagic, I will increase the strength by a 1/4 and see how they react. Yeah @SlyTown420 I'm a little it's going to turn into the Congo

 

[Curiousnoob]

Little update trying to keep the canopy as even as possible I started SuperCropping a few leaders. From what I read on @seedlingmtl journal, @Duggan tells you should only SC in the top two nodes without breaking the the skin? To no further than 90degrees? Does this look ok guys? Do you need a fold in the stem? Is it better to do this before lights on lights out?

Little picture of lights out to get a a decent look at the colour of the foliage.

 

[Seedlingmtl]

Little update trying to keep the canopy as even as possible I started SuperCropping a few leaders. From what I read on @seedlingmtl journal, @Duggan tells you should only SC in the top two nodes without breaking the the skin? To no further than 90degrees? Does this look ok guys? Do you need a fold in the stem? Is it better to do this before lights on lights out?

Little picture of lights out to get a a decent look at the colour of the foliage.

Healthy looking plants Curious! Glad you got to gleen some info off my journal. When I sc a branch now I really pinch the stem and kind of mash the tissue and the bend is really easy after. If I don't mash it up they seem to bounce back too quick and don't form that knuckle. I am still trying to get a handle on it myself....so Duggs might have better insight. Loving the colors in your garden....keep up the good work.

 

[Curiousnoob]

Thanks mate, appreciate it. You have a great journal very thorough and informative. Great for someone who maybe interested in doing a high brix later down the track. Ok then think they'll need a bit more of a mash up, will wait to lights on and give them a little massage. Was kind of a little scared that I would break it clean in half.

 

[Seedlingmtl]

Thanks mate, appreciate it. You have a great journal very thorough and informative. Great for someone who maybe interested in doing a high brix later down the track. Ok then think they'll need a bit more of a mash up, will wait to lights on and give them a little massage. Was kind of a little scared that I would break it clean in half.

Yup....that is what the mashing does....it just softens the tissue and let's it bend over without breaking. It takes time to get a feel for it. I snap one every once in a while. Not clean off....but the outside of the bend can tear. A little electrical tape to hold it together and it fuses back and pumps up into a knuckle.