Ganja_smoker's Hydroponic Grow Journal

[ganja_smoker]

I got a new camera today.

 

[ganja_smoker]

 

[Blob]

Its starting to look pretty dank! Keep up the good work.

 

[ganja_smoker]

Here's another photo update.....

They're about halfway through the budding cycle​

This is so much fun ​

 

[Janjaweed]

so thats a ww? looking great!

 

[ganja_smoker]

yep, it's White Widow
thanks for the compliments janjaweed and blob

I'll keep the photos coming every few days.

 

[ganja_smoker]

 

[glassONglass]

i love these updates. definitely look forward to every one

peace

 

[CharlieMopps]

It's the stage where i had to cut down my plant. I was pissed i couldn't let it mature. Security. Oh well. Looks awesome. I may do a hydro grow next year.

 

[GanjaMan417]

looking good man

 

[ganja_smoker]

Here's a new photo for you.....

I changed out the nutrient solution AGAIN yesterday. They have been drinking so much! My reservior is 10 gallons, and after only a week, it's below the 5 gallon mark, even after adding an extra gallon. I guess I'm just surprised at how much water they go through.

 

[big_timer69er]

looking good bro bet you cant wait

 

[fallen]

ganja_smoker, i have a question, i really like your setup and would love to know the exact details of it.. including how you ensure 100% darkness during the 12 hour night cycle, and how you seal it all off from everything.


thanks alot =]

 

[ganja_smoker]

----GROW RECAP----
as requested by fallen

Keep in mind, this is a "first grow" There are MANY things I would do differently now that I've got some experience.

To start my growroom, I first decided where it would go and how big. Drew up some plans and headed to Home Depot for some 2 X 4's and plywood. I framed out the space and covered the inside with black plastic and mylar.

------Vegetation------

36" X 28" X 8' room
All walls are lined with black plastic and mylar.
24" X 24" tray

Lighting

T5 High Output Fluorescent Light
Buy New Wave T5 Fluorescent Grow Light 2ft 4 Bulb 192W
8 2foot bulbs - (4)6500K & (4)3000K
18 hours of light per day (6am - midnight)​

Hydroponic System

My hydroponic system is a drip/recovery system. The drippers are 1 GPH. They drip for half an hour, 3 times a day (7am, 3pm, and 11pm). (Water Pump is 150 GPH). The reservior holds 10 gallons. I use the "Flora" Advanced Nutrient System from General Hydroponics - I'm just following the instructions on the bottle for vegetative growth.​

Germinated seeds in a damp paper towel and then planted them in 1" rockwool cubes. Transferred those into 4" cubes. Those were put into 1 gallon pots filled with hydroton. After about a month and a half I was able to ID 3 of my 4 plants as female. So I decided which one I wanted to keep as my mother and I threw the other 2 plants into the flower room.......



------Flower------

36" X 28" X 8' room
24" X 24" tray

First thing I did when I was setting up the flowering room was to make sure it would be totally dark with the lights off. I decided to use doors. I just put hinges on some plywood, covered the inside with black plastic and mylar. Then I got inside and closed the door and checked for total darkness. I had to plug a few leaks. I use the black plastic rolled up into a tube as "weather stripping" around the edges of the door.

Hydroponic System

Flood and drain
2' X 2' tray is filled with hydroton
10 gallon reservior
"Flora" Advanced Nutrient System from General Hydroponics ("blooming and ripening" mix)​

Light

400 watt High Pressure Sodium (HPS)
coolable hood
4" duct fan​

The flower room is the same size as the vegetation room (but I wish it was at least a little bit bigger). I'm using a 400W HPS light with a coolable hood. The coolable hood was definitely a necessity. Without a fan sucking out the heat from the HPS bulb, it would be way too hot. I keep that fan on all the time. There's also another fan in the back blowing air up to circulate. A third fan is outside blowing in at the plants.

The light is on 12 hours a day (7am - 7pm)

The tray floods 3 times a day (8am, 1pm and 5:30pm) for a half an hour. The pump I bought for this was too strong (150 GPH) so I swapped it with the one I had on the drip system. (130 GPH I think).

One thing that kinda sucks is that I have to open the door every morning at 7am and close it up at 7pm. I am still trying to come up with a way to automate that. Maybe with a garage door opener or something on a timer.

​

 

[fallen]

you sir are a lifesaver.

thanks bro

 

[ganja_smoker]

 

[ganja_smoker]

My cuttings started showing roots yesterday....

I'm using Oasis cubes and Olivia's Cloning Gel. A mild nutrient solution. Inside a Humidity dome. They have been in there about ten days. I took more cuttings than I needed. I'll only have room for four of them.
White widow clones anyone???

​

 

[ganja_smoker]

Here are my first three clones....

It's like a TETRIS game in there. I've got my mother, cuttings and clones all sharing the same space.

I think I want to try to fit four of these clones into my flowering room this time. And just try to keep them smaller/shorter. My current crop is too tall for the room it's in. I've ran out of space to raise up the light.

​

 

[fallen]

congrats bro!

looks amazing =]

 

[fallen]

what's your camera settings on these shots?

aperture, film speed, all that