Magnus8's Coco Coir Big Bud & Pineapple Express, First Grow Ever! Grow Journal

[Magnus8]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

Thanks, Rideouts. I'm doing research on the ones that Kush suggested right now. I'll check out the Brian Berry Cough, too. Do you have any idea where I could get seeds for it? Or, gawd forbid, a couple of cuttings?

 

[kushnoj27]

Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow...

Hey Kush -- is that a fluorescent light you're using on your mother? I can't imagine using anything stronger in that small space. I like your idea of the small tent or another small grow space for a mother. I just have to find the right strain for my use. I'm not too impressed with so many of the strains that they sell at the dispensaries, mind you. I'd be more willing to try some of the strains you've suggested.

Yup it's an Agrobrite T5 4 bulb 2 foot fixture I got off amazon for $150. Puts out 8000 lumens, 6400k full daylight spectrum perfect for mothers, seedlings and clones. The tent I have is a DP90 secret jardin tent 3x2x3 ($140) with 2 small clip fans inside.

Main room (tucked away in a closet, can close the doors at anytime for full stealth mode):
- 2x4x5.8' Gorilla Grow Shorty Tent
- 600w Kind LED Light
- 4" Carbon Filter
- 4" Inline Stealth Fan
- Small Clip Fan
- Large hanging fan
- Exhaust Silencer
- Insulated Ducting

I'll show you some pics below of what it all looks like. I was planning on doing a 2 plant DWC grow but changed my plans after the seeds sprouted and turned the 1 into a mother and scrapped the rest. Used 20 clones from a friend.

So far I'm averaging 10-13 ounces per harvest. Trying to reach that 1lb goal.

Here are a couple pics of the finished product last harvest

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[Magnus8]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

Nice setup! I've got a very different setup in the works, I think. Probably because the tent will be so much bigger, I suppose it'll just look different. Can't wait for my tent to arrive tomorrow or Tuesday. I've got a 600w LED from some no-name company in China. Seems to work well, though. I just couldn't afford the Kind lights, nor the other ones that are supposed to be the best lights on the market. Had to go with what I found on Ebay.

I'm planning on purchasing another light, too. A 1000w grow light LED from the same company in China -- if this one works out well enough. It'll cost me about $130 CAD, which is about all I can afford. It'll eventually go in the big tent. The 600w LED will go back into the closet. And a fluorescent for the desk, where the heating pad and germination tray will sit. I'll germinate or root clones in the tray on the desk. I'll then move them over to the closet where they'll veg. Then they'll move into the tent with the 1000w LED for flowering. That's my plan, anyway. I'll have a perpetual harvest going on, too.

I've thought and thought and thought so much about it and this is the best solution I can come up with. I can have vegging going on in the closet. I can have flowering going on in the tent. And when they're about 3 weeks in the flowering tent, I can take clones and set them up on the desk with the fluorescent. I know they won't like going from the LED to the fluorescent, but they'll live. They won't exactly flourish, but they'll move fast enough into the closet and that LED soon enough. There they'll rest and grow about as long as their mothers are in the flowering tent, blooming up a storm.

I think it'll work. It's a lot going on at one time, though. Luckily, my wife-bot and I don't live the kind of life where we have people coming to visit much (ever). We're kind of loners as far as that goes. And the landlady, for as often as she comes by, never comes into the house and never goes out back (it's farmland and she's 90 years old). Her sons might be the problem, however. They keep cattle out back in the pasture, but the entrance to the pasture is quite a distance from the house. So if we blow our inline fans into the room rather than outside, then I think we should be okay. About as stealthy as we can possibly be. As much as I hate living here, it's a good place to grow weed!

 

[Magnus8]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow...

Oh, and I'm planning on setting up some solar panels with some deep cycle batteries to control the electricity used. Right now, we've got one solar panel and one deep cycle battery, but it's not set up and we don't yet have an inverter. An inverter will cost me about $85 CAD and I don't remember how much we paid for the solar panel. I expect we'll need another solar panel to help recharge the battery during the day more quickly than our current one does, but i really don't know how to calculate electricity and how quickly batteries recharge and how many solar panels we'll have to daisy chain to do it all. Actually, I'd like to use solar panels to cut down on much of our electricity bill, but again, I just don't know how to calculate our needs.

If anyone knows anything about solar panels and deep cycle batteries, hey, please let me know! I could sure use some help in that department.

 

[kushnoj27]

Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow...

You are definitely on the right track, it's just a matter of getting it done and executing the plan. I think you will be very happy with the results, just make sure you keep your plants dialed in correctly and you're set.

Good thing with leds is you will not use nearly any electricity, the spike won't be very drastic at all. My 600w only puts out 330w total. With the cheaper Chinese watts 300 is more like 100w actual usage, 600w probably around 250w. You will see once you start using them

I'm curious to see how the lights work for you. Was thinking of buying one of those cheap 1000w or 600w Chinese leds to add to my current setup, just want huge buds!! Haha.


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[Magnus8]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

Well, you'll see what the light does for me. It'll be until at least after my first harvest before I can purchase the 1000w led, so you'll see how the 600w does all on its own.

I see nothing wrong with wanting huge buds. That's what we're all after, now isn't it? I wouldn't mind a few huge buds myself, actually, but don't know what to expect with this light and this closet setup. Soon enough we'll be moving into the tent, though. And my demented little girls are beginning to grow a bit faster these past two days. I've been following the watering/feeding regime set out in that video that was placed by some guy at the beginning of your last grow. You know, the one on growing in coco coir? I've been practicing it since yesterday, and already I'm seeing a difference. Either that, or I'm just nuts. Could be that I'm just nuts, now couldn't it? Anyway, off to water/feed my demented little girls now...

 

[Magnus8]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

How long do you all veg your babies for? I'm thinking 6 or 7 weeks. I know it depends on how they're doing and all, how big they've grown, how well they've developed, etc. But I'm thinking about as a general rule, what do you aim for? I know a lot of people veg for only 3 weeks and then flip into flower, but that seems like such a short time to me.

I'm also thinking that most people veg for a certain amount of time depending upon space. But I'm thinking about scrogging, not letting them grow tall at all. So I don't think that height is going to be an issue for me. Besides, I've got a 6.5 foot tall tent coming in this week, where they'll spend most of their demented little lives in rather than this closet that I'm going to continue to use for vegging.

Would love to hear from other growers their thoughts on how long they veg for and why...

 

[rideouts]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

Well the two girls I'm growing right now have been in veg for 11 weeks. That's an excessive amount of time I feel. But that being said. I will wait and let the plant decide. My white cookies has been LST'd and topped once and is 16.5" and my maui-waui is also been LST'd and topped once and she is 17" tall. Then add the I think 9" of the 5 gallon pots I'm using. Keep in mind Lst can slow your growth a little. Now that all being said, my tent is 4 by 4 by 6.5, same as yours I think? So by me saying I let my girls decide I let them get to a certain size then base it off of the plant dbling in size during the flower stretch. Def could be less but better safe then sorry. So 6 to 8 weeks is def a decent veg time for some good lookin girls



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[rideouts]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

To add a visual example

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[kushnoj27]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

for bigger plants 4-6 week veg time is the average. All depends on space and how much room you have for root growth. I had my sea of green topped twice and vegged for 4-5 weeks. For next time I might flip straight from clone and not do any training. Just have 1 nice big cola per plant (x20). Better light penetration this way too


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[Magnus8]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

Rideouts, thanks for that info. And hey! Thanks for the visuals! I never seem to tire of seeing beautiful plants growing healthy and strong.

So you say that lst will slow down a plant? I think of lst as being bending branches over and securing them into new positions, or turning leaves aside to allow for light to get down into the nether regions of the plant. How does this slow down a plant? I'm very curious. I can see how topping a girl could slow her down in her growth. That I find easy to understand. I'm not disagreeing with you, or challenging you in any way. I just don't understand how bending a branch can slow down a plant. Mind you, the finer points of agriculture, despite growing up in Alberta farmland, eludes me.

It may be because of the angle you took the pic at, but those plants don't look tall enough to pose a spacial problem if you were to flower them right now. If they're 11 weeks old already, why don't you flip them into flower now? I mean, I would have such a problem being patient with them... Mind you, I have no weed right now, and haven't had any in months, so I'm a little impatient (as you can imagine). You must have your reasons, I'm just curious as to what they are.

Nice to hear from you again, btw!

 

[kushnoj27]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

LST won't hurt your plant or slow them down, unless what you're using to tie them down cuts the stems. Within hours they will be pointing straight up again. Topping / supercropping will stunt your plant for a short period of time up to a week. Sometimes they recover within a day or two. all depends on how much damage you do and how strong the strain/phenotype is


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[Magnus8]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

I just lowered my light. I've been thinking about doing it all day. It just hit me last night that it might be too far away from my demented little girls.

Light is food.

So I lowered it about 5 or 6 inches, then measured.

I had thought it was at 18 inches before, but apparently not. It now sits at 17 inches from my plants, after lowering it 5 or 6 inches! It must have been at least 22 inches from my plants... The directions that came with the light said to keep it between 12 and 18 inches from the plants. My babies haven't been growing because I haven't been feeding them enough light-food!

Aaaurgh! I'm such a terrible parent. I should be taken out to the woodshed and whipped.

 

[Magnus8]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

I've got 5 gallon fabric pots coming in soon from China, I think. I think that should give me adequate room for root growth. And I was thinking about 7 or 8 weeks to veg. I was hoping to completely use up a screen (scrog) above the plants so that I can get tons of colas. We'll see, won't we?

When I was researching, scrogging seemed like the best way to get the most weed out of a grow with only about 3 or 4 plants.

Rideouts: My tent is a little bigger than yours, coming in at 5x5x6.5 feet. My scrogging net will be 4x4 for four plants. I'm hoping it is big enough.

I'm thinking now I'll lower my light about 2 or 3 more inches. Manufacturers directions said between 12 - 18 inches. If I'm at 17 inches now, dropping it down 2 or 3 more inches will bring me in at 14 or 15 inches, still within the safe guidelines.

What do you all think, given the age and height of the plants currently? They're 13 days old, and somewhat stunted in growth (probably because of the light height, I think).

 

[rideouts]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

When I say it slows it's growth I mean in my case when I first start LSTing I'm adjusting my plant daily. So daily it's using energy to readjust itself to the light again plus other parts of the plant start to consume more energy ( parts that were not receiving as much light as befor ). Topping def slows growth but it's worth it.
They def don't look like they will create a problem but remember 17" can turn into as much as 51" very fast right. Plus a sativa plant like maui-waui vs an indica plant like white cookies can also be a spacial problem. I want your tent it's bigger lol.

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[kushnoj27]

Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow...

Sorry which lights were you using for them currently? If your using the LED then they should be 24-36" away until they have several sets of leaves. Any closer can stunt growth. T5 fluorescent you can keep 6-12" away. Fabric pots are good I use those for my bigger plants. scrog is the best method for sure, 7-8 weeks will be good for what you're doing


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[rideouts]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

Kushnoj27 with those fabric pots, hope this ant a dumb question lol, are they messy at first to use at all. I have been considering switching to them

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[kushnoj27]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

Kushnoj27 with those fabric pots, hope this ant a dumb question lol, are they messy at first to use at all. I have been considering switching to them

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They can be messy if you water them by hand and you do it quickly, the water can spill out the sides very easily so if your saucer isn't big or you don't have a flood table, you can spill water everywhere haha. as far as soil or coco falling out there's no issues unless you've completely filled the pot and are watering intensely causing soil/coco to spill out.

Here is a pic of my mother plants roots coming out the bottom of this 5 gallon fabric pot. There's also a 6" rockwool cube inside.

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[rideouts]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

Guess I'm switching to fabric pots in that case then

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[kushnoj27]

Re: Magnus8's - Coco Coir - Big Bud & Pineapple Express - First Grow Ever! - Grow Jou

Hey do you wear LED glasses at all? Just a tip.. if u don't have em, buy em! Leds will ruin your eyes very quickly if you spend a lot of time in the grow room without the proper glasses. The method 7 sunglasses are perfect for the job, you can see the plant in its true color but most importantly it protects your eyes.


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