Hyena's Never-Ending Adventures In Growing

[Hyena Merica]

My jaw drops in awe.

I wanna be you when I grow up. Nothing but net. Beautiful.

Rifle my man! Glad to have you drop by.

And thanks. I guess my game has been upped a bit lately but you're still one of my original inspirations. Inspirators. Whatever the word is you're that dude.

I'd love to see what YOU could do with a 10x10. Field of DDA?

Stay tuned for the finish.

Peace, Hyena

 

[Hyena Merica]

Here goes...another

HYENA'S GROW HOUSE update!

5:30 am Monday morning I got in my car and drove to the GH. 8:30 when I walked in. By 8:31 I was once again the happiest man in the world...

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

It's unreal... like being in a movie about weed. I can hardly wrap my mind around the reality that this grow is mine. I just stood there for about 5 minutes, surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of fat colas, drinking in the aroma and just feeling thankful. Considering I made two semi-huge mistakes in this first effort I'm awfully happy they all look so good.

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

Even from the back everything looks like it is filling in everywhere, high and low, absolutely everywhere there are nuggy colas swelling.

I am even seeing great development down low, I am very surprised at the number of nugs I'm getting that are tight, not larfy at all, all throughout the periphery of the hedge. I have never got such robust interior/peripheral development before and I can only guess it's...those lights. Monsters. They are set on 50% power yet still making everyone happy apparently.

How about some bud porn?

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

Getting very good frost on everything with most also surprisingly tight. The nugs are quite firm and I see a couple plants already unable to fully support the weight...

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

Branches just laying over each other, but still looking healthy and putting on weight...I swear cannabis can grow upside down.

Some schoolyard bullies looking like they might take my lunch money:

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

I have allowed some of the Super Bud plants to remain within a foot of the light and I see no difference in the structure of those buds vs others. Maybe a little earlier yellowing of the leaves but I have never grown two of these varieties including Super Bud so I'm not really sure if the general yellowing and fading of fan leaves I am observing is normal attrition or if I'm doing something wrong. But from the look of the buds I think it's probably normal.

White Widow nugging up...

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

Huge chunkers that already can't stand up...

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

Even the scrawny little plant of unknown lineage in the right front is growing some impressive nuggers.

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

The foxtail plant is making my mouth water...awesomely chunky...

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

Okay, now I'm just rubbing it in...

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

Whew. I hope that was good for you, too!

MEANWHILE, Phase Two...is rocking!

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

I only took one picture because I had to bust ass for almost an hour to do the final defol and weaving of this canopy. The Super Bud is again so tall it will become unmanageable unless I flip now. The rest is spread out pretty evenly and I have good secondary (and thirdary?) branching everywhere so three more weeks of gradually-slowing upward growth should give me a nice forest even if a lot of it will stay as low as Phase One. I flipped them to 12/12 because the amazing penetration of these lights allows such full interior development I feel confident the canopy will be very productive, if the other tent is any indication.

Overall, I still don't exactly know how long to go and how long to flower...I'm observing and learning like everybody else. My best guess is another two weeks of flowering in the P1 tent. My best guess on when to flip P2 was based on how it looks and my instincts. I drove home wondering if I had flipped too soon. I really want to mirror what I'm doing in P1 and perhaps I should have checked to compare the number of days in veg. When I got home I pulled out my calendars (I keep exact notes on each of these grows) and counted...P1 went 5 weeks and 2 days from transplant to the flip. It turns out P2 has been exactly 5 weeks and 3 days. Perfect. I guess my instincts are getting pretty good. Should have known that before I went up, I admonished myself.

But MEANWHILE...in the attic lab...

Upstairs I went and saw I now have some babies!

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

All the Blueberry came up (7), along with 2 Bud Bud Bling Tings I started as insurance. Glad I did because only 2 of 6 Critical seeds popped and I still haven't seen those two emerge. I really want 12 plants to be about the same age, within 4-5 days max, to keep everything on track in later phases. So I placed six more seeds in water the other night just for backup and three more BBBTs sprouted immediately and I planted those. I have 3 White Widows and of course the Criticals might still show some life so it's a race for the last few spots.

I had to recon the lab, cleaned everything and rebooted the water, everything set except filling the 12 1-gallon pots to plant the babies and get Phase Three going. I'll do that in a day or two once I have 12 ready.

The whole thing is getting to a point of automation where it's actually looking like I won't be a slave to the project after all. Getting this to where I only have to go up once a week, and I'm almost there. The water uptake of Phase One has slowed dramatically. I don't mean to seem like this is all new but it's interesting to observe how much water they go through during full veg vs now later in flower. P1 tent used around 60+ gallons a week during full veg and now uses only 20. I attribute that to less fan leaves in general, I have removed many hundreds but also they seem to be yellowing and losing function generally everywhere. Earlier than I am used to, but maybe it's because these varieties mature earlier. Learning. It's so fun.

So I spent several more hours finishing the drying/curing room. It's a big walk-in closet in the P2 room. Instead of installing another fan and filter, I just put an exhaust opening up high in one corner and ducted it into the P2 tent. A filtered intake down low at the other end makes for a gentle airflow through the entire closet and up and out into the P2 tentand out through the 80-lb carbon filter. So smell issue solved. It has a couple small circulation fans I can adjust anywhere.

Well that's the update. I plan to go up to the far-Northern command with Wifey this Friday for a weekend combining my two favorite things: smoking lots of tasty weed, and love.

luv weed.gif

• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

We will hit the GH on the way up, then again coming back Tuesday. That means a week probably until there's more to relate. I wish I could write more often but I don't want to endlessly repeat myself (though I could). But I am truly enjoying sharing this adventure with you. Big finish coming up!

Meanwhile, tonight...

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

Nothing like having a plan. Hope you all have a great week my friends.

Peace, Hyena

 

[multiVortex]

I am even seeing great development down low, I am very surprised at the number of nugs I'm getting that are tight, not larfy at all, all throughout the periphery of the hedge. I have never got such robust interior/peripheral development before and I can only guess it's...those lights. Monsters. They are set on 50% power yet still making everyone happy apparently.

(Emphasis mine.)

This is the part that is still blowing my mind. Your QB's are rocking it out at 50%. That's just insane and speaks to the validity of these lights. Amazing. I know you consider it a big f-up, but it's turning out so damn well for you man. Kind of like science. What initially appears to be a mistake turns out to be life altering. I'm really enjoying reading this ride. Thanks for keeping it going!



With you only showing up at the house now and then, and not (usually) staying too long, do you think any of the neighbors are getting curious about what you're up to? Or maybe I missed if it's more of a "vacation" type area where people are around a day or two only now and then?

If you decide on hooking up internet (or did you?) might I suggest a camera system that uses PoE (Power over Ethernet) and record locally. You get a special ethernet switch that powers the camera as well as runs your data. One cable to manage, don't need a power outlet close to each cam, and no worries about batteries dying.

You can also remote into the system, but don't have to worry about losing video if the internet goes down. Plus you can hide the DVR the cameras records to, etc. Depending on sensitivity and disk size, you can easily store several weeks worth of footage. So if you're going up once every week to ten days, you'd be golden. They also have a live view capability, so you could put a cam in each tent and keep an eye out.

 

[Hyena Merica]

(Emphasis mine.)

This is the part that is still blowing my mind. Your QB's are rocking it out at 50%. That's just insane and speaks to the validity of these lights. Amazing. I know you consider it a big f-up, but it's turning out so damn well for you man. Kind of like science. What initially appears to be a mistake turns out to be life altering. I'm really enjoying reading this ride. Thanks for keeping it going!



With you only showing up at the house now and then, and not (usually) staying too long, do you think any of the neighbors are getting curious about what you're up to? Or maybe I missed if it's more of a "vacation" type area where people are around a day or two only now and then?

If you decide on hooking up internet (or did you?) might I suggest a camera system that uses PoE (Power over Ethernet) and record locally. You get a special ethernet switch that powers the camera as well as runs your data. One cable to manage, don't need a power outlet close to each cam, and no worries about batteries dying.

You can also remote into the system, but don't have to worry about losing video if the internet goes down. Plus you can hide the DVR the cameras records to, etc. Depending on sensitivity and disk size, you can easily store several weeks worth of footage. So if you're going up once every week to ten days, you'd be golden. They also have a live view capability, so you could put a cam in each tent and keep an eye out.

Hey Vortex thanks and good questions.

I know my neighbors and see them regularly, it's completely plausible that we bought this place because it's halfway between our vacation place in Northern Michigan and our home, a relatively small investment for a place to stop and blunt the 7-hour drive I'm getting too old for. I show up every week and mow the lawn, etc. The secret to growing, even in a legal environment like mine, is no tells, because the number one risk in all environments is getting ripped off. My place gives absolutely no clue in any way that I am growing.

However, I AM considering internet and with it the kind of video cameras you suggest. Not that it would do much for security...except maybe help identify guys who already stole my weed...but the live feed to my phone would be a smokin' way to monitor my girls and for that reason I'm considering it. If I can figure out a way to also visually confirm the water level in my reservoirs it would REALLY help. So stay tuned for that before long.

Peace, Hyena

 

[multiVortex]

I know my neighbors and see them regularly, it's completely plausible that we bought this place because it's halfway between our vacation place in Northern Michigan and our home, a relatively small investment for a place to stop and blunt the 7-hour drive I'm getting too old for. I show up every week and mow the lawn, etc. The secret to growing, even in a legal environment like mine, is no tells, because the number one risk in all environments is getting ripped off. My place gives absolutely no clue in any way that I am growing.

Absolutely. No tell is the safest way for sure. Being a good neighbor, and knowing yours is also good. Not just as a cover, but just in the general nature of being good people. Plus it lets you float the "rest stop" and such things, to help steer any thoughts. Good on ya!

However, I AM considering internet and with it the kind of video cameras you suggest. Not that it would do much for security...except maybe help identify guys who already stole my weed...but the live feed to my phone would be a smokin' way to monitor my girls and for that reason I'm considering it. If I can figure out a way to also visually confirm the water level in my reservoirs it would REALLY help. So stay tuned for that before long.

Excellent. I have a PoE system (although it's small for now) and I love it. Now I wasn't a fan of running all the dang cables, we used to make the newbs do all that (lol), but nothing out of the scope of my capabilities. I'd be running cables anyway, as I don't trust wireless connectivity for things like that.

Camera watching can be fun. I also have one of those ring doorbells, and love it. Sure it works, and I also have one of my PoE cams covering that area, but man the things I've seen on that ring makes it fun! Had a dove land on my door lever and sit for a bit, a snake fall off the roof (although no idea what it was doing up there or how it got up there), a raccoon sniffing around like a cat.. the list goes on of things I would have never known were happening. Including the number of solicitors/door knockers that walk up, see the "NO soliciting/politics/religion/blah blah" sign above the door bell, look at the ring, and walk away. Love that part. I call it the walk of rejection.

Or when company comes over, and I mess with them. That's fun too.


Now that water level, that's a different beast. The easy answer is a sight glass, but you would have to be able to read it via the camera. I "think" maybe if it were a pan and tilt style camera, with a decent zoom, it would work. Other option would be a float switch, connected to a Pi micro computer, that emails and/or texts you when it's triggered. That might be taking it a bit far though.

Of course with a sight glass you may have an algae concern, but if it's blue tube then maybe not so much. Of course another hole is another place a leak could happen, so I dunno. Maybe a grommet, but also a little bead of clear silicone around it to further seal it up? I use grommets fine, but always worry. Haven't had one leak yet, but I do take care of them as well. As long as they remain pliable and don't dry out, you're good. Once they start to dry rot, that's then there's issues.

Maybe a float switch that trips a little LED indicator? Easier than a Pi, less risk than a sight glass?

Hmmm...

 

[Hyena Merica]

I have a PoE system (although it's small for now) and I love it. Now I wasn't a fan of running all the dang cables, we used to make the newbs do all that (lol), but nothing out of the scope of my capabilities. I'd be running cables anyway, as I don't trust wireless connectivity for things like that.

I was going to mention earlier my chief concern is a wireless signal being intercepted and someone getting a great picture of my grow room. So only a hard wired system will do but I'm looking into them following your input.

Thanks!

Peace, Hyena

 

[Van Stank]

Just remember, anything you can see.....big brother can see too. Just saying.

I understand the appeal of wanting to see the grow, but if you are in an illegal state I would very skeptical of having video feeds of your grow. Just my .02

 

[multiVortex]

I was going to mention earlier my chief concern is a wireless signal being intercepted and someone getting a great picture of my grow room. So only a hard wired system will do but I'm looking into them following your input.

Thanks!

Peace, Hyena

Exactly. Granted, nothing is 100% fool-proof, but the PoE stuff is really good with a proper setup. (It's hard wired, just so we're on the same page. )

There are various brands out there. Mine are Lorex (made by FLIR, IIRC) from lorextechnology.com (not affiliated, for informational purposes only.) Check the HD IP systems (PoE).

Biggest thing is having enough harddrive space on the recorder so you could record everything for up to 2 weeks if you wanted. Then you'll have plenty of space to last the week. You should be able to set it up with motion detection, so that makes it even better. Try not to monitor a bush or tree, as the heat from the leaves plus a good wind can trip a motion sensor.

Just remember, anything you can see.....big brother can see too. Just saying.

I understand the appeal of wanting to see the grow, but if you are in an illegal state I would very skeptical of having video feeds of your grow. Just my .02

He's in a fully legal state, but you're quite right. Gotta keep your stuff secure, even when it's legal. Granted, my cams aren't on my grow space (yet), but for me to log into my cams I have to be logged into my home network. Which means I have to connect to my personal VPN, then to access internal systems I have another layer of authentication, plus hardware signature identification. It's overkill, but it works.

 

[Latitude17]

Make sure you get a system that supports an encrypted file system and a full end-to-end-encrypted connection if you decide to remotely monitor. Especially if you're going to be storing 2 weeks worth of growing weed.

 

[multiVortex]

So this was on my mind today, and had some fun thoughts. Nothing really about monitoring the water level, but if you added a monitoring unit for temp/ph/tds (or ec) you could watch your params remotely, on top of water level. Add in a hygrometer to the picture for even more remote data.

For security purposes, one option is to only allow it via the local network and then set up a VPN connection to the house. Remote in, and then only allow your devices to access the feeds. That would give you 2 layers of access protection, plus the encryption of being on the VPN to the house.

I use a similar setup to access my local network when I'm working from remote locations. Nothing is directly accessible, and first I have to be connected to my VPN. At that point, my internal network recognizes my device(s), and allows local access to my internal network. (File server, media/streaming server, DVR, etc.)

What got me sidetracked was looking at a monitoring setup for my own res, which lead down the rabbit hole and somehow ended up getting me thinking about your setup.

 

[Hyena Merica]

Here's the holiday edition of the

HYENA'S GROW HOUSE update!

Happy Labor Day!

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• Hyena Merica
• Sep 2, 2019

Just got back from four days in the Great Northern territories with the Missus. The Grow Haus is almost exactly between our house and our Northern Michigan vacation house. Which meant a convenient stop at the GH on the way up and on the way back this morning. At this point I'm pretty confident nothing will burn down or blow up while I'm away, and yet it's still a relief every time I unzip the Phase One tent...

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• Hyena Merica
• Sep 2, 2019
• 1

What do ya think? Me too!

It's against my experience and basic nature to trust the maturation data on a seed pack, but to my amazement this grow is this big at 53 days into flower...I'm kind of stunned they all might actually be ready in the predicted 55-60 days (all three were in that range). I don't know how long to let them go...the buds look great and still have pretty clear trichomes but the fan leaves everywhere are yellowing at a faster and faster pace so jeez I just don't know!

White Widow...

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• Hyena Merica
• Sep 2, 2019

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• Hyena Merica
• Sep 2, 2019

Not the tallest plants, I would have loved if they went up another foot but you learn by doing and hopefully they will produce weight beyond their stature. The nugs are tight and still seem to be growing. All four WW plants are pretty similar and so beautiful as they put on their Fall colors.

Now, for the most interesting part of this grow...here's the "Bud Bud Bling Tings", amazingly, I got FOUR different phenos out of four plants!

First pheno is a beautiful, fragrant plant...nice buds and such an aroma...fruitylicious...

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• Hyena Merica
• Sep 2, 2019

Then there's one that is taller and has interestingly puffy buds that have a piney fragrance. The leaves on these tall colas are literally fried so I'm really looking at hacking this plant first when the trichomes start to turn...

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• Hyena Merica
• Sep 2, 2019

Third pheno is a shorter foxtailing girl. All the buds are like stinky puffballs. It's too far to touch from either side so I hope the buds are meaty. They look meaty. ..

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• Hyena Merica
• Sep 2, 2019

Then number four is the short, sativa-looking plant in the front. It's getting pretty frost all over its thin, sativa-like leaves...

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• Hyena Merica
• Aug 27, 2019

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• Hyena Merica
• Sep 2, 2019

We will see what all four are like and compare production, taste, and buzz. Can't wait to do dat!

Now here's some love from the Super Bud. Several different phenos but in general all tall and nuggy and looking very productive. ..

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• Hyena Merica
• Sep 2, 2019

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• Hyena Merica
• Sep 2, 2019

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• Hyena Merica
• Sep 2, 2019

I chopped one sample from the Super Bud. The nugs are very solid and super sticky. Even the stem is sticky!

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• Hyena Merica
• Sep 2, 2019

Hung it up in the now-completed drying room, I plan to return probably Friday to see the dryness and judge the performance of the drying chamber. It won't give me an exact answer to the length of time I have to dry this harvest but it will give me some idea. If a more thorough microscopic examination of samples from all three varieties reveals some amber trichomes I will start the chop, baby! And likely stay for two full days as that's probably what it will require to wet-trim the entire crop and hang it. Then comes the probably really shitty chore of breaking the entire grow room down, cleaning everyhting, and rebooting the whole thing. With absolutely no idea how hard that will be nor how I might shorten and streamilne my procedure, I imagine it will probably be harder and take longer than I think.

Murphy's law all the way. Like most everything. But we'll see!

MEANWHILE...in Phase Two...

Wow, I almost forgot I flipped this grow a week ago and shit mon, it's stretching everywhere!

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• Hyena Merica
• Sep 2, 2019

It's like everything just jumped up a foot! Little flower pistils starting to work their precious way out of the growing tips...it's happening! Under eight weeks away from this whole room being like Phase One!!

I didn't even have time for a defol because we were already tired from four hours of driving and with three more to go, wanted to miss the crush of returning travelers that were surely about to descend on the freeway. So I zipped everything up, reluctantly since I love to take a few loving moments to just admire the girls but not this time. Luckily, we beat the traffic, finished the long trip, and here I sit updating the grow journal. And now that's done. Whew.

The next trip up could be the payoff. But patience is a virtue even though it's a bitch...and the trichomes alone will tell the truthful tale. This Friday.

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• Hyena Merica
• Jun 15, 2019

It's so close I can taste it...! DOH!

Peace, Hyena

 

[MagicJim]

Crazy wild goodness there man. Great job. Not a clue about the fade. Mine usually due to inconsistent watering with a little heat spike.

 

[LordDWC]

I like your life! Phase one looks really sexy

 

[Pennywise]

They’ll still pack on more weight by the looks of the pistils.

 

[425jesse]

Bow Down to the HYENA!

Cheers

 

[OverGrower]

Looking so great in there, @Hyena Merica

I'd recommend absolutely never connecting any camera system at all to your home network. Better to lose that remote viewing convenience than to have your camera device port scanned and pwned, which will happen whether you know it or not. Don't do it.

They do look like they have a few more days of shooting pistils, but if commercial and not a headstash, I'd certainly cut at 50% withered pistils and keep it moving, although I know you don't cut clones and so you aren't itching to dump 12 new clones in there anyway, so that's a call of what's convenient as far as making it back to the GH. (I'd recommend cutting clones of them for the attic space so you can pheno-save the ones you really like instead of growing from seed plus shave a full week off the time overall.)

Rock on, brother!

 

[multiVortex]

I'd recommend absolutely never connecting any camera system at all to your home network. Better to lose that remote viewing convenience than to have your camera device port scanned and pwned, which will happen whether you know it or not. Don't do it.

If you make it only available locally, and set up a VPN to connect to the local network from outside, and then on top of that only allow specific devices, it's more than fine. Of course you need high quality passwords and secrets on your VPN, but the device identification helps to back that up.

Set up like that, there's no outside port to scan, as the cams aren't accessible to the WAN, just the LAN.

 

[Hyena Merica]

Looking so great in there, @Hyena Merica

I'd recommend absolutely never connecting any camera system at all to your home network. Better to lose that remote viewing convenience than to have your camera device port scanned and pwned, which will happen whether you know it or not. Don't do it.

Regardless of the level of security, I can't argue with that...it might be useful occasionally to check in by video, but when human beings create a "secure" system, other human beings can and will find a way to hack into it. The biggest risk to any grow, legal or not, is getting ripped off. It's simply another risk to have a video stream of my grow rooms available.

Not going to do cameras for now.

Peace, Hyena

 

[Van Stank]

As appealing as having video access to your grow site, thats just a scary thought to me....even in a legal state. I think you are making the right decision in not putting cameras up.

Plus how great is it to show up there after not seeing it for a while and then you get hit square in the face by those gorgeous tents!

 

[multiVortex]

As appealing as having video access to your grow site, thats just a scary thought to me....even in a legal state. I think you are making the right decision in not putting cameras up.

In the long run, maybe. Obviously can't get hacked if there isn't anything there to hack into in the first place. (Going to start an off-shoot thread in the Growers Lounge for camera/security side-track.)