First Time Coco Grow - 400W HPS - Different Auto-Strains

[Rukus]

Hi everyone!
At last I decided to start a new thread about my growing adventures.
My setup is:
400W HPS Green Power
3 Air Pots x 20L
1 smartbagx15L
Coco coir UGRO RHIZA
BAC COCO for veg
HESI COCO BLOOM for bloom
Auto-dripping system made by myself
Feeding them with tap water, adjusted to 5,6-5,8Ph, from 400ppm at the beggining of veg to 1000ppm at pre-flowering stage.
Drain DIY system
Strains are:
BLOODY SKUNK BY SWEET SEEDS
PINEAPPLE EXPRESS BY FASTBUDS
LA DIVA BY DELICIOUS SEEDS
GRAPE MUERTE BY BARNEY'S FARM
Growbox is Secret Jardin 60x60x140
Check out teh picheeeeez
Seedlings sprouted@28th Dec
Blood skunk On the left front, pineapple is on the right front
LaDiva is on the rear left and Grapemuerte is on the rear right

Here they are within 9 days, veg stage is began

14th day from sprouting, 3rd day of veg

16th day from sprouting, 5th day of veg

18th day from sprouting, 7th day of veg

21th day from sprouting, 10th day of veg, calyxes are visible

25th day from sprouting, 14th day of veg, buds are developing now, feeding them with HESI COCO from now and using my SCROG. Need any advice about SCROG, what's the best way to bend plants? What's the tips?

Thanks for watcheen,
Rukus

 

[Rukus]

Ah yes, the fresh one update.
27th day from sprouting, 16th day of veg, 2nd day of flowering I guess?

 

[Rukus]

Can anyone advice if it's good to cut fan leaves when doing scrog?

 

[Rukus]

anyone??

 

[Mono]

Hey buddy!

Things are looking nice and healthy . As I understand it when doing a scrog you want a bud site in each hole of the net so I would say yes, cut off the fan leave ifbit cant be bent or tucked out of the way

 

[Rukus]

Hey bro, I'm really amazed how easy growing could be and it's pretty fast, faster than all my previous grows.

 

[Mono]

Things are looking super healthy. Looks like you are being rewarded by fast growth

 

[Rukus]

Actually I have some issues with PH and PPM levels of drain when I was watering them in the beginning with tap water (p.h.5,8 and PPM 250) PH was about 6,7-6,9 and PPM about 400, color of drained water was like black tea, thats because I did not rinsed coco coir properly, so at first Bloody skunk had very light green color, but after I started feeding she responsed good and began to grow rapidly. First pair of leaves still green

 

[KingJohnC]

Subscribed. Thank you for the invitation!

Can anyone advice if it's good to cut fan leaves when doing scrog?

I have a much different understanding of defoliation applied at the proper time line to enhance vegetative growth and flowering. You can see examples of how I defoliate and train my plants in my Grow Journals and Reviews. I would defoliate in vegetative growth 10-14 days before flowering to remove excess fan leaves and open more light to branches and nodes that become bud sites and colas. I defoliate in vegetative growth by removing any fan leaves that are excessively shading the branches and nodes to encourage the nodes to grow larger and produce more colas. I use Low Stress Training to tie the branches of my plants to the outer edge of the rim of the pots and each branch becomes its own bud site and cola. When I defoliate in preparation for flower I leave no more then 4 fan leaves at each growing top and remove the majority of the fan leaves, any fan leaf that shades a top and lower growth, this is a perfect time to select cuttings to root as clones from the plants you are about to place into flower. I defoliate in flower at days 21-25 of flower when the stretch phase has ended by removing lower growth that will not produce anything except for popcorn bud and any fan leaf that shades a bud site and again if required at day 45.

KingJohnC's 400 Watt LA Confidential Seed Cabinet Soil Indoor Grow Journal

KingJohnC's Brainstorm Haze Soil Indoor Grow Journal

KingJohnC's Lush Lighting LED Dominator 2x Soil Indoor Grow Journal & Review

KingJohnC's Lush Lighting LED Lumenator 2x Black Widow Grow Journal & Review

 

[Rukus]

That's what I called TEH EXPLANATION
Thanks for info, mate!

 

[b.real]

looking good.

 

[Mono]

How you finding the airpots?

 

[Rukus]

How you finding the airpots?

Easy to assemble, excellent drainage, especially good for drip watering system and seems like plants are happy to be in it.
But you know, I also have 15L growbag there, and no issues too, plant maybe smaller than in airpot, but I think that's because of volume of pot.
So all in all airpots are good, but can't say that it is extraordinary better than growbags.

 

[Mono]

Have always thought of using the airpots then changed my mind as soon as I seen the price. Thought they might be some super new thing creating massive yields but most people I have spoke to have said the same as you. They are good, but not amazing compare to regular pots....

 

[Rukus]

Thats true, I think pot shape is less important than proper PH and PPM or light and temperature, there are so many other ways to improve yields.
And I choosed them because of funky shape and netlike bottom which is good for drainage

 

[Hiker]

Yes, you should defoliate, and lollipop, when using a screen. The timing IS important though.

You just started flowering. Most growers who use this technique (defoliation) wait until after the 'stretch' to defoliate in flower. The only exception I make is if I have a runaway plant, ie getting too tall, I may defoliate earlier to reduce the stretch on that branch/plant. While I think your plants DO need some cleaning up, I'm reluctant to advise you do it now.

OK. I've been trying to imagine what I would do if I was handed your situation... I would clean up the understory, ie lollipop, but only very low stuff that isn't going to produce anyway. I would also raise my light(s) a little to actually encourage some stretch.

KJC is right about the timing for veg defoliation. You sort of missed the ideal window. You haven't messed anything up though. Just ride things out for a couple more weeks and then you can take out the large shade leaves.

The plants look OK. I can't help with the coco. I know hydro and don't like to advise on other styles.

Lastly, I have to express my concern about that fan wiring. You have an automated watering system combined with a live cord secured only by the friction of a couple wires shoved into the plug!
Please, at the very least, tie some string or wire to both wires so they can't come apart, or wrap the connection in some electrical tape. Ideally, put a plug on the fan?

 

[Rukus]

Regarding that fan, it is actually not bare wires, it fitted with the wire ends like this

And these ends plugged in socket of 12V power supply, so it cannot do any harm, but you're right in general, will use duct tape to make some lame insulation at least
Regarding defoliation, you say I have to clean up my plants, should I also cut leaves marked by red on this pic?

Seems like I'm out of space now, can lift up my cooltube not more than for 5cm. Distance from top to lamp is about 15cm.
I should use smaller pots next time

 

[Light Addict]

Subbed up my friend, glad your back at it!

 

[Rukus]

30th day from sprouting, 5th day of flowering

 

[Rukus]

Flowers time yeaahh