TheOrchard
New Member
Hi everybody!
I have been a long-time reader of journals on this site. The majority of my growing knowledge was learned right here!
So, I finally decided it was time for me to contribute my own journal. It is my hope that I can improve as a grower, and that others can learn from my countless mistakes.
In this first post, I'll introduce my equipment as I finish construction and get ready to start growing this weekend.
The grow room
Grow tent:
I will be growing inside of a 4'x8' tent. The tent is a cheap off-brand I got on Amazon for about ~$105. It has served me well so far.
This is my previous grow in the tent:
Lights:
I will be using two non-matching lights.
First, I have a Vivosun 1000w ballast and air-cooled single-ended reflector (another cheap Amazon pickup). For veg, I will use a Vivosun MH 1000w that came with the ballast. For flower, I'll switch to hps (duh). The HPS bulb I have now is ready to be replaced. I'm going to pick up a new one tonight. I was planning to get an eye hortilux, but if anyone has a different suggestion, I would be open to try something else. This light will be dimmed to 600w for the entire grow (don't have enough amperage left on the circuit I am using)
My second light is a Grower's choice double-ended 630w CMH (3k-R). I picked this up with a GC 630w LFSW ballast on sale for about $275. I will be running it in a nock-off Chinese AC/DE reflector I picked up for about $100 (if anyone wants a review of the reflector, let me know, seems like a no-brainer vs the $250 acde from sun system)
RDWC system:
My girls are going to be living in my DIY RDWC system. Basically, the system consists of 8x 5-gal buckets, connected via 2" PVC to a 27gal tote (resivior). I have half-inch tubing, connected to an eco plus 1000gph pump, supplying fresh nutrient solution to each bucket.
Here's a photo of the system:
Only 4 buckets are built right now, I'm going to add the other 4 this weekend.
I have an EcoPlus commercial 5 air pump, connected to an 8" air-stone in each bucket, with 2 in the res.
I am running an EcoPlus 1/4hp chiller that I picked up on Craigslist with a broken thermostat for $80. I hacked the chiller up so the thermistor from the new thermostat sits in the resivior, rather than inside the chiller. I keep it set to turn on at 68 and off at 66.
Nutrients
This is the part where I feel completely lost. It it so hard to find good, unbiased/sponsored information about what the best nutrients are for our plants.
Here are the products I am currently planning to use throughout this grow:
- Base nute (I currently have Botanicare PBP, but will be purchasing something different before starting this grow. I have not been satisfied with the results from the PBP so far) Right now, I am considering CANNA Aqua or Substra. If anyone has a better suggestion, please share it
- Botanicare Cal-Mag (necessary as I use RO water)
- GH Armor Si
- Botanicare Sweet raw
- Great White & Hydroguard
- GH Rapid start
- Cannazym
- Bloom Booster (?) Tbd
I'm also looking for a new preventative pest spray. Vegamatrix FTB looks pretty cool, they claim to use cannabis terpenes as it's active ingredient. Has anyone tried this stuff?
Or, does anyone have a different suggestion? I want something that's organic and can be used safely in flower.
The Ladies
I'm going to start with clones from a local dispensary, as I don't want to deal with seeds just yet.
Most of the clubs where I live get their clones from Dark Heart Nursery. Does anyone have any recommendations from their genetics?
I am hoping for two high-yielding, big-cola, frosty, short Indica strains.
Strain Catalogue | Dark Heart Nursery
...
Thanks for coming on this journey with me everyone! I will post updates and more pictures very soon.
If anyone has any questions on anything I am doing, feel free to ask.
I have been a long-time reader of journals on this site. The majority of my growing knowledge was learned right here!
So, I finally decided it was time for me to contribute my own journal. It is my hope that I can improve as a grower, and that others can learn from my countless mistakes.
In this first post, I'll introduce my equipment as I finish construction and get ready to start growing this weekend.
The grow room
Grow tent:
I will be growing inside of a 4'x8' tent. The tent is a cheap off-brand I got on Amazon for about ~$105. It has served me well so far.
This is my previous grow in the tent:
Lights:
I will be using two non-matching lights.
First, I have a Vivosun 1000w ballast and air-cooled single-ended reflector (another cheap Amazon pickup). For veg, I will use a Vivosun MH 1000w that came with the ballast. For flower, I'll switch to hps (duh). The HPS bulb I have now is ready to be replaced. I'm going to pick up a new one tonight. I was planning to get an eye hortilux, but if anyone has a different suggestion, I would be open to try something else. This light will be dimmed to 600w for the entire grow (don't have enough amperage left on the circuit I am using)
My second light is a Grower's choice double-ended 630w CMH (3k-R). I picked this up with a GC 630w LFSW ballast on sale for about $275. I will be running it in a nock-off Chinese AC/DE reflector I picked up for about $100 (if anyone wants a review of the reflector, let me know, seems like a no-brainer vs the $250 acde from sun system)
RDWC system:
My girls are going to be living in my DIY RDWC system. Basically, the system consists of 8x 5-gal buckets, connected via 2" PVC to a 27gal tote (resivior). I have half-inch tubing, connected to an eco plus 1000gph pump, supplying fresh nutrient solution to each bucket.
Here's a photo of the system:
Only 4 buckets are built right now, I'm going to add the other 4 this weekend.
I have an EcoPlus commercial 5 air pump, connected to an 8" air-stone in each bucket, with 2 in the res.
I am running an EcoPlus 1/4hp chiller that I picked up on Craigslist with a broken thermostat for $80. I hacked the chiller up so the thermistor from the new thermostat sits in the resivior, rather than inside the chiller. I keep it set to turn on at 68 and off at 66.
Nutrients
This is the part where I feel completely lost. It it so hard to find good, unbiased/sponsored information about what the best nutrients are for our plants.
Here are the products I am currently planning to use throughout this grow:
- Base nute (I currently have Botanicare PBP, but will be purchasing something different before starting this grow. I have not been satisfied with the results from the PBP so far) Right now, I am considering CANNA Aqua or Substra. If anyone has a better suggestion, please share it
- Botanicare Cal-Mag (necessary as I use RO water)
- GH Armor Si
- Botanicare Sweet raw
- Great White & Hydroguard
- GH Rapid start
- Cannazym
- Bloom Booster (?) Tbd
I'm also looking for a new preventative pest spray. Vegamatrix FTB looks pretty cool, they claim to use cannabis terpenes as it's active ingredient. Has anyone tried this stuff?
Or, does anyone have a different suggestion? I want something that's organic and can be used safely in flower.
The Ladies
I'm going to start with clones from a local dispensary, as I don't want to deal with seeds just yet.
Most of the clubs where I live get their clones from Dark Heart Nursery. Does anyone have any recommendations from their genetics?
I am hoping for two high-yielding, big-cola, frosty, short Indica strains.
Strain Catalogue | Dark Heart Nursery
...
Thanks for coming on this journey with me everyone! I will post updates and more pictures very soon.
If anyone has any questions on anything I am doing, feel free to ask.