Having trouble getting dense buds with hydroponics

[Greenthumb420]

I am currently running a 400 watt full spectrum bulb hps from Hid Hut . I have my plants in a drip system that get watered every 6 hours for 30 mins and inbetween all those waterings it gets 15 mins of watering so it goes from 30 mins to 15 mins every 3 hours. I am currently using sensi bloom 2 part nutrient with amazing results in growth i went strait to bud with 4 inch clones i took from my cloner and im now 4 weeks and 6 days and it shot up to 5 feet but i cant seem to get any density its like they wana grow to fast and not fill in. I still get kick ass weed but im looken for denser nugs if ne one has ne advice i would appreciate it

 

[tronix]

How close is your light? I run an almost identical setup (light and irrigation) and only need to water mine twice a day for 20 mins per, whats your growing medium? What kind of strain is it, indica or Sativa? (I have one of each, the Indica, grew short, with dense buds, the Sativa is still going, but taking much longer to fill in)

Depending on what those answers are, I'd say it's a combination of strain genetics and possibly nutrient ratios (OTC nutes, aren't exactly designed for MJ use, except Advanced Nutrient brand, which proudly boasts MJ usage). Check my grow link for an example..the pics are about a month old, I am going to update with new pics tomorrow, the buds are much larger and much more dense now.

 

[Greenthumb420]

i am able to keep my light within a foot of all the plants without burning ne tops, I grow in straight rocks ( rainbow river rocks to be exact). I take em straight from my homemade aeroponics cloner (which i always have 100% Sucess) and then i put em into my budding system. I have a strain called black dog, some sour diesel, and a couple northern lights in the mix. the black dog and the diesel are definetly sativa because they are huge now. My northern just got placed in there a few days ago so idk how it will do im hopin it wont grow so big because i never planned on my 4 in clones turning into 4 feet tall plants in 4 weeks i only wanted them to grow a few feet.

 

[Strain Hunter]

Try topping your girls when they reach your desired hight, im running 2x wilma 8 pot systems with clay pebbles and the complete range of advanced nutes my first grow was very loose bud but since then ive invested in advanced nutes big bud, overdrive, vodoo juice, pk 13/14 and a lot of other addivites and my buds went from loose to rock hard so try a fue boosters along with topping and that should give you rock hard colas

Peace

 

[Greenthumb420]

Well i Prefer to just bend the stems over instead of topping them, plus my plants didnt just grow up tall they grew out in every direction and are very bushy i might post some pics of them. And ive been thinken about it for awhile now to buy some more supplements for them so im probably going to

 

[fatigues]

You are only running a 400w ballast, so using CMH to grow your plants is an option for you. Have you considered switching to a Ceramic Metal Halide bulb for both veg and flower? The large majority of reports by CMH growers report better growth and denser buds than those using MH, HPS or both during their grows.

Note: you will NOT be able to use a CMH bulb if your ballast is electronic. This is one of those times that the new tech won't work with new tech. (In a nutshell, e-ballasts sold to the hydro industry operate art frequency levels that are too high for CMH bulbs).

If you own a traditional 400w HPS core and coil ballast? You're good to go with CMH.

In addition, there are hormonal additives you can turn to at the onset of flowering that can assist you in producing bud sites and retaining density. Bushmater, Gravity, etc.. Read the product reviews on those supplements here on 420.

They do work. There are some who are opposed to the use of such horomonal treatment of marijuana on philosophical grounds - but opposition to hormonal additives on that basis addresses a different point. Those products do, in fact, work and may be of help to you in getting the results you prefer.

 

[DJ420]

If your temp is too high, this can decrease the density of your buds. try keeping the temp around 80 degrees or less. Also, if you are running at 12 on 12 off, try running at 10 on 14 off. This should help.

 

[Krhyme]

that's insane amounts of stretching. Is your bulb old? You can probably keep the light closer too.

 

[horribleherk]

are you getting light from outside source ??? possibly from vent or door crack ???

 

[horribleherk]

4-got to ask how much area are you covering with that 400w.???

 

[SnowBender]

FWIW the OP's last post in this thread was in the fall of 2009....

 

[horribleherk]

good point i guess i better start paying better attention[lol]

 

[Perfect Sun LED]

Add LED supplimental lighting. I have a test grow going now. The LED nugs are way harder than the 400w HPS nugs. Also they make aditives just for dense buds.

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

If using a HPS for vegging that will cause stretch which is a reasonable well known fact !

Strain genetics may also play a part along with sativa dominate strains.

 

[Voltrom]

I don't even know why people waste veg time making plants 5 feet tall? Is this a sativa? Obviously genetics made it do this. Have the light as close as you can. 6500k or 7200k at least MH in that 400watter.