GC's First Indoor Cabinet Grow

[Governmentchz]

Thanks b. Honestly, I didn't go into this grow with any pre-conceived notions on exactly how I was going to do everything (i.e. pruning, topping, expectations of success, etc,) and just did what seemed best at the time. I would sit and look at them under the light and try to determine where the light was restricted and what I could do to help. Sometimes I could move a branch or leaf. Other times, I felt I HAD to prune and once I saw the lower area wasn't getting enough light to grow well I just started trimming lol.

My light is a Mars II 140x5w standard spectrum. It pulls 300w on the killawatt meter and has made my plants happy and healthy.

 

[b.real]

kill a watt meter. I want one lol

 

[GrizzWald]

Kill a watt meter, I'd like to attach one to my meter box

 

[Governmentchz]

Lights are out right now, so, bud porn will have to wait until the morning, but I shot a few pics of my ONA bucket and the loupe I picked up.

The little LED light on this thing is really bright. You'll see spots if you stare through it for very long

...and the bucket. I used a 1/2" drill bit and only put about 25 holes, but this fan isn't a tornado, nor do you need one for this application, so 25 is plenty. Also, this fan simply sits on top of the bucket and is stable as hell because the outer convex edge of the fan itself sits perfectly inside the lip of the bucket. No tape, no zip ties. Just plain old gravity.

I went straight to 5 cups water, 1/4 cup ONA concentrate, 1/2 cup Soil Moist crystals. It only comes up about 3 inches, but has been on for about 28 hours and is still quite wet. This recipe is supposed to last 3-5 days depending on cfm.

 

[Governmentchz]

And some greenery pictures (with some snow to get into the holiday spirit)...

These still aren't very good pics. I was half asleep and half medicated this morning. I'll try to get some better, clearer pics this afternoon.

So, I started the flush on Little Sis this morning. I used 1 gal RO pH 5.8 and decided to NOT use the floraKleen just yet. I may even forego the flushing agent altogether and just give 3 good flushes this week. I'll just keep a really close eye on her the next few days and see how she finishes. Big Sis, showed the slightest leaftip burn this morning and I'm certain it was from the heavy feedings she's gotten the last 2 times so I backed off her food a bit this morning and fed her at 650 ppm, pH 5.8 consisting of 2ML CaliMagic, 3ML part A, 4ML part B, 3ML LK, 2ML flora Nectar.

Timing here looks pretty good as I expect to harvest Little Sis sometime this coming week. By that time, Big Sis should start to indicate readiness and be close to her 2 weaning-feedings herself. Fingers-crossed, I hope I don't butcher them too badly.

 

[shottafire]

I like that ona bucket and I really like that big old towering cola. great job GC.

+reps and happy holidays bro

 

[Governmentchz]

Thanks Shotta, and a very merry Christmas to you bud!

 

[Crawdaddy]

Nice plants man, Should have checked you out long ago. Impressive results.

I am thinking about a 240X5W Mars II for my next 4X4 grow tent, may buy around first of year.

 

[Governmentchz]

Thanks Crawdaddy. I look at LED's now like big-screen TV's...there really isn't one too large. As long as you can control the heat, getting more direct vertical coverage can only be a good thing. My 700 has done an excellent job covering this 2.5'x3.5' area and I've no doubts with a little better lst I could improve on this grow so far. All the nugs are hard as rocks and so sticky it's almost dripping off lol. It's hard to see in the pics, but while little sis has gotten impressive lately, she has a few inches between bud sites and a good bit of exposed stem. Whereas big sis has slightly smaller main colas (she was topped, remember), her bud-spacing is so tight you can't see any stem on many of them.

Given the last 12 weeks, if I had a 4x4 square area I wanted to cover, I would look at the 900 as a minimum and the 1200 as optimum for my uses.

 

[Crawdaddy]

Thanks for the opinion, the price for that wattage sure is right with TopLED.

 

[GrizzWald]

G'day gov, I think that's just the way lil sis is, we all look different. Went back and page 7,4th photo really shows lil sis and the spacing she was going to have. Maybe you could have toped her then or a bit before as I think you were flowering at this stage but she would have been so far behind. Clones of big sis would have been nice when you topped her, need the space to grow them though I guess. Not many sleeps left now. Peace man

 

[Governmentchz]

Yes, I had planned on topping one and super-cropping the other to compare results, but Little Sis recovered from her super-crop so quickly and so strongly, I just didn't have it in me to crack it again. I probably should have, but her main cola is as thick as my wrist and solid as granite right now, and given I'm on a daily countdown, I'm excited to get this one in the containers and assess it all in retrospect.

 

[Governmentchz]

2nd flush this morning and it looks like Little Sis is showing some signs. Her leaves were sagging ever so slightly this morning and perked up a bit right after I watered. Most of her branches are starting to sag badly as they're getting so heavy. I suppose going from 400ppm to 0 is kind of shocking to her, but that's the plan... in a way. Still looking at Christmas or day after for her...tick tock. I dropped Big Sis' food to 600ppm today as I was scrambling around trying to get everything sorted before heading to the salt mines (last day for a week! w00t!!) and getting pH in plain water with no buffer to settle right on a desired number is kind of like stacking golf balls (you can do it, but DAMN is it hard).

Once I get Little Sis in the dryer, I will be able to maneuver Big Sis to be a bit more centered in the light and will be able to get a really good look at her from all angles then.

 

[ronnie6690]

looking great GC +reps bro

 

[Governmentchz]

looking great GC +reps bro

 

[Governmentchz]

O.K., this is the last time these two will be seen together. Tomorrow is Christmas and then it's the ol' holiday hatchet. In pre-memorium (I just invented that concept btw), here are some random shots from this morning...

Happy Holidays all!! Next update should be post-harvest.

 

[b.real]

they look great, but they have some more growing to do! you can't leave them another week?

 

[B A R]

 

[Governmentchz]

lol...that's kinda what I needed to hear. I know it's at least 2 days away, and that's just Little Sis. Big Sis has at least a week.

#1 mistake new growers make...over watering
#2 mistake new growers make...harvesting too early

I already hedged my bets on #1 by going hempy, lol, and for #2, it's just that I see such change every day and have a subconscious urge to not fook it up and let her get too dry. I still need to follow my own gut and let the trichs decide. I saw my first amber ones this morning so, you're probably right in that she needs a few more days at least.

 

[Crawdaddy]

Really liking your results so far, if I asked or you said before please forgive me, did you get the standard spectrum on your MARS II?