GMSkunk's 2nd Grow (Hydro: White Widow + Northern Lights)

[gmskunk]

Starting my second grow. Have a look at my first grow journal for details. This grow will be using the same setup, same genetics, but fortunately a much higher education level. To be certain, I am still no expert and am sure to learn a ton more with this grow, but the lessons learned in the first grow were tremendous.

As of this morning, the box/room has been scrubbed and prep'd and is ready for the germinated seeds which should be ready with in the next 8 hours or so.

- bottom left rectangle is the active AC'd intake
- upper right rectangle is where I have suspended the air pumps to reduce noise.​

Here's a quick look at the cache of nutes that will be used in this grow.

Goals of this grow...

1. Increased Yield
My first grow, while a success in my opinion, did not produce the yield that I was expecting (read details). I ended up with just over 3.5 oz of Northern Lights and roughly 2oz of White Widow. This time, I'll be shooting for ~4oz / plant and plan on accomplishing this goal by

1. maintaining a much tighter pH range (thus preventing any lockout/burn issues and keeping nute intake nice and steady)
2. vegging for a much shorter period of time (thus not allowing the plants to over grow given the space constraints).
3. listening more closely as my girls tell me what they need.​

2. Increased Density
Buds from the first harvest were much to fluffy for my liking. Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for that vacuum sealed Mexican dirt we all smoked back in high school, but I would like something with a little weight on it. I don't think 3.5 oz should come close to filling an entire gallon zip lock bag. To accomplish this goal, I will be... doing more research to see how I can accomplish this goal and pray that results for this metric are not dictated by starting genetics.​

 

[Retired One]

To accomplish this goal, I will be... doing more research to see how I can accomplish this goal and pray that results for this metric are not dictated by starting genetics.[/indent]

More usable light. Light=bud production, and cfls don't penetrate very well, nowhere near penetration of HID. Having said that, genetics are the single most important determining factor in what a plant can produce. If your plan is to use the same 400w hid for flower, check the bulb...may be time to replace it.

 

[deffedtx]

Did you ever figure out what was wrong with the WW? My plant looks exactly the same but my ph has not got over 6. I am thinking about getting come of the cal mag you have in the photo

 

[gmskunk]

More usable light. Light=bud production, and cfls don't penetrate very well, nowhere near penetration of HID. Having said that, genetics are the single most important determining factor in what a plant can produce. If your plan is to use the same 400w hid for flower, check the bulb...may be time to replace it.

TY. Hopefully I will see significant results from a much shorter veg time.

Did you ever figure out what was wrong with the WW? My plant looks exactly the same but my ph has not got over 6. I am thinking about getting come of the cal mag you have in the photo

I cannot say with certainty what caused the problems with my widow. pH lockout is what I think was the initial problem, but shortly after my plants began to display signs of Mg and Ca deficiency. Eventually (after some crucial advice from McBudz), I flushed her and began supplimenting lightly with Ca + Mg. Results improved, but substantial damage had already be done. I'm extremely eager to have another shot at White Widow.

Do you have a pic of your issue? You say your pH never got over 6, but did it ever go lower than say 5.4?

 

[gmskunk]

Seedlings were placed in the buckets today after germinating in paper towels for ~48 hours. NL2 is out to an excellent start. The tap root is already over 1.5" long. WW1 is just under 1".

// Environment is nice

// Seedlings meet their new home (for the next 3-3.5 months)

Questions
1. What is the consensus on when to start introducing nutes? Last time I waited nearly 1.5-2 weeks after placing the seedlings before I introduced nutes...and I think this is too long to wait. I think some journals intro nutes immediately but those were grows from clones as opposed to seeds.

2. I've seen some debate between an 18 vs 24 hr lights-on cycle during veg...is there a concensus as to which is best? Last time I keep the lights on 24hrs/day from the time the seedlings poked up out of the rockwool until I introduced nutes (~1.5 wks) at which time I turned the ON cycle down to 18 hrs/day.

 

[Ms.Fox]

You should add a light dose of nutes right away. ;-) Soil growers should wait at least 2 weeks before adding nutes.

I prefer 18/6, but if you like 24/0 that's ok, too. ;-) It's really up to you.

 

[gmskunk]

You should add a light dose of nutes right away. ;-) Soil growers should wait at least 2 weeks before adding nutes.

I prefer 18/6, but if you like 24/0 that's ok, too. ;-) It's really up to you.

Thanks Fox. I just added the ANS Grow (1/2 tsp A + 1/2 tsp B) and adjusted the pH to around 5.6 to 5.7 for each bucket...which are currently holding 2.5 gals. I'm going to wait at least a week or 2 before I begin adding the CalMag.

Environment
Temp: 83 F (just turned up the exhaust fan to bring that down a bit)
RH: 33 (turned on the humidifier to raise this up a bit)
Res. Temp: 81 F (added frozen water bottles to bring this down a bit)

Plants
NL1: sitting tall at 1" above the rockwool. the first 2 "real" leaves have formed.

WW1: still hiding in the rockwool. I've added a humidity dome to help coax the little lady out into the fresh air...then I'll smack that ho with the CFLs.


Note: pics at this stage are boring IMO. but I am taking them so they are available upon request.

 

[deffedtx]

Here's a photo of mine at 5 weeks straight 12/12. Is this what your white widow looked light?

 

[gmskunk]

Hard to tell from that pic...

1. It looks like it has faded spots between the veins in the leaves...is that correct?
2. Did it start with the oldest biggest leaves? (the smaller younger ones look more vibrant)
3. Do you see areas of purple on the stems or branches?

 

[deffedtx]

it is the older leaves have small (like a pin head) brown spots
there is no purple on the stems
the younger leaves look light green
there is some small yellow spots on some of the leaves in the middle of the plant

I put a little maxi crop 1/2 a cap to 3 gal
I dont know why hoping there might be some trace minerals in it that the plant was needing. That was last night but no results yet

 

[gmskunk]

it is the older leaves have small (like a pin head) brown spots
there is no purple on the stems
the younger leaves look light green
there is some small yellow spots on some of the leaves in the middle of the plant

sounds like Ca deficiency. Have you checked out the Cannabis Plant and Pest Problem Solver - Pictorial post? Are you using R/O water? It lacks a lot of the trace minerals...might wanna order some "CalMag" and add it to you nute recipe.

Pictures 1-2 shows calcium deficiencies. First one shows late, 2nd one shows early development.

 

[gmskunk]

Update: Day 3

Environment
Temp: 78 F
RH: 45
Res. Temp: 74 F

Plants
Adjusted the pH of both buckets which had crept back up just over 6.0.

NL2:

WW2: she's finally awake!

 

[poker shark]

I think I'll tag along for this one...nice set-up!

 

[deffedtx]

that looks close to what is going on.
I am going to pick up some of the calmag and see if that works.
Thanks for your help

 

[gmskunk]

I think I'll tag along for this one...nice set-up!

thank you and welcome aboard.

 

[gmskunk]

Update: Day 4
keep having to drop the pH daily to keep it around 5.8 -- guessing its the hydroton or rockwool causing that push up since the nute level is so low (~75ppm)

Environment
Temp: 78 F
RH: 45-48
Res. Temp: 76 F

Plants
NL2: leaves are growing and main root extends ~5" out of the rockwool.

WW2: 1st set of "adult" leaves are showing and main root is ~3" out of rockwool.

 

[gmskunk]

Update: Day 5
definitely ditching the hydroton and rockwool next cycle for some suretogrow products...having to toy with the pH at this stage is just annoying. I came across suretogrow when I was randomly searching youtube for tips on curing post harvest. I was already jones'ing for an ebbngrow system and then this. oh boy. but I was still in the late stages of flowering on my first grow and so with time, I surely forgot. Then I received a magazine with my CalMag purchase...which I finally got around to reading this morning...and saw an advertisement for suretogrow claiming its superiority over rockwool/hydroton with regards to pH drift. So its a sure thing...no more rockwool/hydroton for this gardener.

In fact I think they even sell it out of a local store so I can just stroll over cash in hand. (that's one thing I haven't been too careful with...buying most stuff online w/ credit card...meh...live life/taste death!!!)

Environment
in the words of one of my favorite singers "Same as it ever was"

Plants
NL2: second set of "adult" leaves are showing.

WW2: 1st set of "adult" leaves are growing.

 

[gmskunk]

Update: Day 6
nada

NL2

WW1

 

[gmskunk]

decided to go ahead and add some hydrogen peroxide to the reservoirs and implement a 20-ON/4-OFF light cycle since the temp seems to keep creeping up at night. If this seems counter-intuitive, rest-assured you are not going crazy...

because my setup is in the attic, I have to pump cold air into the box by tapping into a nearby AC line. Thus my box is only getting cold air when the AC is on. So as long as it stays hot outside (>71 F), my AC runs enough to keep the box at a nice temp. But when it gets cool at night/early morning, the AC stops running for long durations which allows the box temp to increase to about 80-84F from the lights.

In the colder months, I will close the AC intake and open another intake which pulls (68F) air from the living space into the box.

 

[gmskunk]

Update: Day 8
Plants look good and are filling in nicely, pH is not drifting up as high over the 24hr period.

I usually change the reservoirs every week, but I think I'm going to let this one go another week. Then I'll replace while increasing the strength as well.