It Is Cold Outside: DWC Auto Variety Grow

BirdieNumNum

Well-Known Member
DWC - Growing a bunch of autos in grow a tent in an unheated garage here in the UK during winter.

The seed line up is

Purple Punch Auto​
Blueberry Cheese Auto​
Tangerine Dream Auto​
Wedding Cake Auto​
Gorilla Zkittelz Auto​
Dos Si Dos Auto​

I have had no success growing at this time of the year but with my other main grow coming to harvest I should be able to wallop these into a 4 x 3 tent and keep it warm.

I may or may not be able to refill my CO2 tank to supplement with CO2 once they get out of the seedling phase and I can fire up lots of light to push the heat up.

Going to try and avoid killing them all through neglect or transplanting too early from my small tent/propagator.
going to try get some greenhouse tubular heaters and strap a seeding mat to the side of my water tanks....

Currently in mugs of water on a heated seed mat to be planted in Rootit! cubes once.if they germinate.

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:welcome: Lets see what happens ---concrete floor -- average to good tent...large 100l DWC tanks ...some enviro controls...and not too much worry about heating costs as long as I am not running a 2000w electric heater 24/7.

So....bought a high unheated propagator and another heated seed mat, stuck the seeds into rooting sponges soaked in RO water, put them in the mugs. Idea is I want to try and get the sponges more filled out with roots before moving them into a DWC tank. The mugs should make it easier to control water to each sponge and stop roots growing into each so they should be easier to transplant.

Planning for the tent... I think I can strap the seed mats to the side of my 2 x 100l tanks - this should keep them dry enough and provide some heat to the reservoirs. I do have an aquarium heater but I am wary of using it as my tanks are made of a plastic cloth not solid plastic. I will use it to pre heat any water I add to the tanks instead.

I am going to buy a tube heater - about 1 metre long and something like 160w...I can put this on the floor or suspend it somewhere in the tent. I can add another if temp cant be kept up plus I have a reptile ceramic bulb I can also use. I am very short of floor space as the two tanks only leave something like 10cm of floor space..

I can probably buy something else to provide heat but obviously running costs and safety are an issue.

I have some anti vibration mats I can use to raise the tanks off the concrete floor and insulate them a bit ---probably going to get out the aluminium foil and some old carpet etc too...

I may have a look in my local DIY store for some insulation board if it isnt too pricey and sit the whole tent on top of that.

Thinking about insulating the tent - I assume an old duvet, perhaps a foil survival blanket or two and or some normal blankets etc will do if things get cool. You dont see polystyrene much these days because some sheets of that and a pile of duct tape would probably work..

Then it is maximum lights - I am using 4 x 145w quantum boards if i can get this lot to sufficient size as seedlings.

I may also add CO2 and drastically reduce the exhaust fan use so I am not just venting the CO2 straight out and sucking in less cold air that will have a chance to heat up. Regular grow lights and a ballast are an option too but I dont really want to buy them all over again if I can avoid it.
 
All but 2 popped so far (1 of Dos Si Dos and the Purple Punch).

Now in a dog crate with a 90w QB type light on dim with one seed mat underneath and the other at the side in a tall propagator.

Just watered with warm RO water prior to taking the pics

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Best of luck and thank you for posting. I look forward to seeing how the Purple Punch does because I would love to try that 1 on a future grow. One of my favs, curious to see how (if?) the auto version varies at all from the non-auto when consuming. Thanks again.
 
Hi ! The purple punch was one of two seeds that hadn't popped until a day ago...this one might not make it but it has sprouted .... Why is it a fav btw ?
 
Well good luck with it. I guess it's a fav because both it's parents are favs? I love both Larry OG and Grand Daddy Purple. Larry comes around once in a while but GPD is very very rare. Same with Purple Punch, a rare treat. I guess it is the flavor and effect that suits me. Also, it's very similar to, or another name for Shoreline (a favorite with lots of good Amsterdam memories)
 
This one Purple Punch seed has sprouted but I am going to pop another one in a cube because I am damned if i am going to ,is out on a personal recommendation ! Plus the mrs likes purple and i am encouraging her to become a part time pothead so .. you know...
 
My main tent is now free so

It is a 1.2m x 60cm x 2m tall tent.

My tanks are 2 x 100l approx 45cm x 45cm and about the same tall So there is not a lot of floor space in there.

Cleaning out the tent - tanks emptied, clay pebble,net pots. tanks, tent floor cleaned and disinfected​
Storing remaining bloom tank water after running an ozone through it using ozone generator and air pump/stones - I dont want to chuck away 100litres of bloom nute water just for the sake of it and the ozone plus low temps should kill or reduce the reproduction rate any nasties in there. Those flowering enhancers are not cheap...​
I have placed triple layer of foam carpet underlay on the bottom of the tent to sit the reservoirs on​
I am putting a 180w 90cm tube heater with thermostat in the tent attached to an inkbird heat/cool controller. By placing this between the two reservoir tanks, in the middle of the back wall of the tent, vertically and inside a 60cm metal ducting silencer resting on top of a tile on the tent floor......:nomo: - I think I have a cheap and safe heating solution.​
If I just leave the tube heater as is or suspend it in the tent it is going to risk burning a hole in something and or get in the way too much.​
Then I will put the reservoirs in and fill them with grow/veg nutes​
Aquarium heaters in the reservoirs to bring the water temp up to 20 degrees and leave them in the reservoirs to use if needed or stick those heaters on a timer to keep the reservoir temps decent so the water isnt so cold as to stop growth or shock the plants.​
I am going to see how temps are once that is all set up.​
As the grow progresses. I will be able to insulate the top and sides of the grow tent as well as reduce drafts coming in from outside the garage​
I am going to try get some CO2 (ran out on my last grow) so I can use that to reduce the need for output and input fans to be running so frequently - since that obviously replaces warm air in the tent with cold air from the garage.​
 
My main tent is now free so

Cleaning out the tent - tanks emptied, clay pebble,net pots. tanks, tent floor cleaned and disinfected​
Storing remaining bloom tank water after running an ozone through it using ozone generator and air pump/stones​
I have placed triple layer of foam carpet underlay on the bottom of the tent to sit the reservoirs on​
I am putting a 180w 90cm tube heater with thermostat in the tent attached to an inkbird heat/cool controller​
Then I will put the reservoirs in and fill them with grow/veg nutes​
Aquarium heaters in the reservoirs to bring the water temp up and leave them in the reservoirs to use if needed​
I am going to see how temps are once that is all set up.​
As the grow progresses. I will be able to insulate the top and sides of the grow tent as well as reduce drafts coming in from outside the garage​
I am going to try get some CO2 (ran out on my last grow) so I can use that to reduce the need for output and input fans to be running so frequently - since that obviously replaces warm air in the tent with cold air from the garage.​
Just curious, what method do you use to disinfect the hydroton?
 
Cleaning the hydroton I used a standard household disinfectant and then rinsed and soaked it in plain tape water to make sure it is all out.

I guess you could nuke it in the microwave or toast in in an oven too as well as using hydogen peroxide - ran out of

RIP for the Gorilla and the purple Punch. Just not thrived - probably too chilly.

Moving the rest into the tent ASAP....

The Blueberry cheese is not likely to survive but its roots look ok and its got some alive looking leaves on it...

Tangerine Dream has 3 inch roots - others all have shorter roots but plenty of strands growing out of the rooting sponges

If two or more thrive - that's good enough for me.

2 x aquarium heaters set to 20 degrees C

1 x 180w tube heater - which will no doubt run 24/7 as it is set to 34 degrees

Input and an output fan both on a variac fan controller set to about 20 percent throttle..

Humidifier set to low and not on a controller so running until reservoir dries out

480w of QB-type lighting set at least 36 inches of the plants - couldn't be bothered to lower them and drop the intensity to save some electricity. Light mover isnt on so they are obviously static.

Temp when I closed the tent door was 13 degrees C...lets see what we get to in a couple of hours

Reservoirs set to 1.2 EC and 5.8 ph - possibly a too high on the EC but we will see.

Dutch Pro - Auto flower A and B grow nutes

Some Potsil silica

Canna - Cal mag

House & Garden Roots Excelurator Gold - 1st time using

RO water

and a few dead house flies


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So here is the problem...

Temp probe is telling me that internal tent temps are about 21 degrees C rising to 23. that probe is about 8 inches off the tops of the plants.

Reservoir temps are set to 20 degrees c

I am getting the same type of stunted growth i saw last year trying to grow at this time of year in an unheated house.

The plants have several nodes and are a few inches high but they are dwarfs,

Showing deficiencies on the leaves - despite foliar spray and roots in the water.

The EC is 1.12 PH is 5.8

Now dont get me long, I love my MMORPGs and have happily played dwarves for months of my life but I dont want dwarf cannabis plants !


So what is going on ?


I am thinking of putting in a 2000w heater and fixing it up to the temp controller to keep temps in the 24 to 26 range see if that makes a difference.
 
So here is the problem...

Temp probe is telling me that internal tent temps are about 21 degrees C rising to 23. that probe is about 8 inches off the tops of the plants.

Reservoir temps are set to 20 degrees c

I am getting the same type of stunted growth i saw last year trying to grow at this time of year in an unheated house.

The plants have several nodes and are a few inches high but they are dwarfs,

Showing deficiencies on the leaves - despite foliar spray and roots in the water.

The EC is 1.12 PH is 5.8

Now dont get me long, I love my MMORPGs and have happily played dwarves for months of my life but I dont want dwarf cannabis plants !


So what is going on ?


I am thinking of putting in a 2000w heater and fixing it up to the temp controller to keep temps in the 24 to 26 range see if that makes a difference.

How's your RH been? I've been fighting low RH and I've noticed slower growth.
I (while still a noob) think at that age of a plant, they'll do better in a warmer enviroment.
 
I havent been doing much with RH after sticking a humidifier in and letting it run out. I figure with roots in the water they should be ok.

It is a challenge to get cold air in and warmed up and blown out the tent without trying to manage the humidity too. I have found significant water condensed on the tent ceiling, sides and in air duct pipe after airs been sucked out of the tent.

Reducing the speed of the fans increases condensation levels in the tent to the point the floor outside gets wet and it is dripping inside on top of the lights - which are not especially waterproof..so it is a balancing act.

----------------------------------------

Getting singed leaves next to the main heater and some nute deficiencies which i will try to sort out today by adding some more grow nutes.

I have a second grow in a tent half the size of this and have now re routed the exhaust from the main tent above to go into the bottom of the smaller tent. That grow is in my sig below

I have removed a 300w reptile bulb heater out of the small tent and put it in this tent, where it is on 24.7 The idea being that the large 1000w heater you can just see on the left of the pic, will be cycling on and off less and venting the warm air into the smaller tent will reduce condensation problems i am having in there. I have moved a smaller 50w reptile lamp from the main tent to the smaller tent to give some in tent direct heating but there is no temp controler for that second tent...

There is a smaller exhaust fan on the smaller tent but with the first tent fan set to just under 50 percent and the smaller tents exhaust on full blast I am getting a sucked in main tent and a puffed up small tent which is probably ok..

Outside tent temps are about zero atm most of the night and not much above during the day.

In a a day or so will have sufficient data on how the temps in the main tent have been holding up and as the smaller tent has just been switched to 12/12 to kick off flowering wit ha bit of luck things will be ok.

The main tent now has a 1000w heater attached to the temp controller that is cycling on an off to maintain 24 to 26 degrees and a 180w tube heater and a 300w reptile heater on 24.7.

My Inkbird app tells me my temp controller was cycling on for 20 mins and then on for same before these changes








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Nice job! :) ... Getting them this far to 12/12 schedule time... That's awesome to me your doing it growing in a kinda unheated garage in middle of winter with DWC system!
 
Thanks dude...I hate to think what the electricity bill is going to be but since my brother in law is paying for it (and he is a spoilt tosser who's refused to let my wife get the utilities in her name) I am not losing sleep over it..!

Anyway....here we are...stuffed tent. 5 Autos in here 3 in the right tank two in the left.

The smaller tent that the exhaust from this tent is feeding in to is also going great = there is sufficient heat from this tent to grow that plant on 12/12 light schedule (with only an extra 50w reptile lamp as additional heat).

I have done no training or leaf stripping in this auto tent.

I am protecting the plants on the left from direct contact with the body of the controlled heater (which flicks on and off as the temp fluctuates) with a clear tote lid.

I have also dropped the temp the heater attached to the temp controller turns on at to 22 degrees or less (from 26 degrees or less) - to save some electricity as everything seems to be growing well enough.

Plenty of room to stretch here

Main concern is that the little white fan (left)has broken) leaving a 8 inch or so desk fan (bottom right) rested on the top of the right tank - that's blowing air about....so I will possibly have some weak stems...

I may need to get creative and dangle another - less suitable fan somewhere - as I don't want to buy a new fan just yet

Still cold here in the UK wit h some nights down to -4 degrees and days around freezing but fluctuating to 6 degrees and 12 in the day all within a week..



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I think we are 3 weeks or so from harvest...which would make about 90 days from seed....which isnt bad considering I lost a week or so in the cold...

In a few days until harvest, I am going to start frying them with a UVB lamp for many hours a day. It was useful for killing covid for as few months last year as well as its role trying to boost resin production..:roorrip:

Topped up the tanks with 50l of finest Birdie Num Num flowering nutes = Dutch Pro Auto Bloom A + B, Canna PK 13/14, Potsil silica, Canna Calmag, Canna Boost - 150ml (ouch said the wallet) in RO water.

Defoliated a bit at the top and kiddiepopped the bottom (light lollipop)

Lot of variety in the size and structure of the plants but we have 4 varieties in here and the objective was to get several different strains to add to the collection so as long as I get a harvest from each I will count this as a winter success.

The Tangerine Dream is front left and doing very well. Wedding cake front right (middle) is spartan, two Dos Si Dos are back left and back middle doing well, Blueberry back right is also wispy..

I am being very lax on checking the PH and EC/PPM - monitor is back left with probes in the left tank it is one of the cheap jobbies that seem to be ok for a grow or two then start messing up...I know my nutes are not far off - despite the leaf issues on the right and this California Ph study has me largely unconcerned that the Ph is miles off.

I am going to buy another BlueLab or similar quality when I move house and set up there sometime ion 2023 at this pandemic rate ...

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All harvested dried and in the jar.

I had too many plants - with two growing stunted - due to positioning, genetics, winter grow, sharing a tank with other plants, slow start etc... who knows...

Approximately 1/4 of my floor space was taken up by electric heaters

1.2m x 60cm tent floor space

As I grow for personal, i tend to wet trim these days and throw out a lot of the larf etc

2 x Dos Si Dos Auto - yielded approx 4oz dried bud - Were positioned in the rear middle of the tent
1 x Tangerine Dream Auto - yielded approx 3oz dried bud - was positioned front middle
1 X Blueberry Cheese Auto - yielded approx 1oz dried bud - positioned rear right of tent
1 x Wedding cake Auto - yielded approx 1oz dried bud - positioned front middle of tent

All a good smoke...so I count this grow as a success but it is going to have cost a lot in electricity as i have had to have approx 500w of heater on 24/7 and another 1000w heater cycling on and off 6 to 12 hours a day...

So heating will have cost me circa US $300 to $400 for this grow although much of the heat was also directed to another smaller tent and helped 75% of the heating costs of a 2 x 2ft single plant grow...

if it hadnt been for Covid restrictions making it to much bother to get my CO2 tank topped up, I would probably have used CO2 suplimentation and increased the yield...

Pretty sure my nutrients have been decent but mixing strains in the same tank and the damage aquarium tank heaters might have done to roots wont have helped overall yield...

If I was going to do this type of over winter grow again I would personally try and do it inside the house, smaller tent, fewer plants, CO2 or go for a much bigger grow in a whole room and try and use the heat to heat the house over winter !!! Oh and probably not do it in DWC....
 
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