Dapper's Second Attempt - Thin Mints - LED - Soil

[DapperNomad]

My first attempt at growing which I documented in this journal:Thin Mints - GalaxyHydro LED - Happy Frog ended with a total loss.

I did try to get help along the way: Please Help! First Grow - Droopy Thin Mints

And to learn from my mistakes:What went wrong?

It seems that my biggest issue was overwatering with a low quantity higher frequency technique, so I'm starting over again today from seeds.

Still using the 4x2 Apollo Grow Tent and two GalaxyHydro 300w LED, but this time around I'm starting in rockwool and then going to 1 gallon smart pots. The soil is a mix of 1/3 Happy Frog 1/3 Ocean Forest and 1/3 Perlite.

 

[DapperNomad]

4 days later and I have germination on all 6 of the seeds I put into rockwool. Two are already "above ground" and have leaves which is exciting.

Bad news is it's been very hot here lately 90+ degrees outside and it will remain that way for the rest of the summer. My AC has been running and I've been keeping the temps in my house at around 74 but the temps inside the tent are as high as 95. This has created the additional problem of forcing my AC to work harder and causing it to trip the fuse box on my house. I didn't even realize the correlation until after having my landlord spend $100 to have a technician come out and check the unit, tell us nothing is wrong with it despite it being very old and that if it keeps tripping off like this that it's a fire hazard. He was asking if I'm using any heat lamps or other things that might be competing with the AC and of course I just said no. I'd hate to have my landlord spend thousands of dollars upgrading the AC unnecessarily and at the same time don't want to just throw away another set of seeds. I'm thinking of putting the seedlings into the smart pots and outside in the backyard for an outdoor grow then waiting for the fall to try indoor again.

 

[DapperNomad]

I already get the feeling this setup on my balcony just isn't going to work given that the two seedlings that were growing the fastest have fallen over onto their sides and the growth on the others appears to have stopped overnight from when I put them outside yesterday afternoon and when I took this pic just a few minutes ago. Perhaps they will recover and grow and perhaps I've wasted more seeds and I'll just be waiting until the fall to try indoor again. Sighhhhhh

 

[Bud Good]

That sucks about the plants, I know how that feels all too well.

On the A/C... that's NOT normal. Just to clear something up - fuses blow, breakers trip. Is the fuse blowing or is the breaker tripping? A/C units use the most energy in the first couple seconds when they kick on. From an amperage standpoint, there is no difference if it's been running for a minute or 90 days. Something IS wrong if the breaker is tripping (or fuse blowing). Breakers work on the principle that more amperage=more heat. It's the heat that causes the breaker to open. As they age, they get corrosion on the contacts which causes resistance which causes heat which can cause them to trip at a lower amperage. And of course it takes time for them to heat up to the point where they trip. The motor on the A/C may also be getting hot and the windings shorting out after it runs for hours continuously, bare wires may be vibrating and touching somewhere, maybe it's just a bad breaker.

I'd find an electrical/DIY forum and ask about the A/C there and show the answers to your landlord.

 

[Bud Good]

Come to think of it, if the 600w (is that actual watts or equivalent watts?) is only about 2,000 BTU if converted entirely to heat. That's probably only a small fraction of the A/C's capacity - most small window A/C units start around 5,000 BTU.

 

[David Bowman]

Hope all is well in your world.

Is this grow still alive?

We would love to be updated with some pictures and info.

How about posting a 420 Strain Review?

If you need any help with posting photos, please read our Photo Gallery Tutorial.

I am moving this to Abandoned Journals until we get updates.

Sending you lots of love and positive energy.