TheRoach - DIY Indoor Grow - 20 Plants - SOG - 600W HPS - Grow - Organic Soil

[TheRoach]

Hello everybody, I have been away for a few months and the first thing I want to say is I missed everybody, specially Sue and weaseelcracker.
420mag has been my main cannabis related site during the last 10 years and I feel I am missing a part of my life when I am away.
During the last couple months I relocated to a new home, where I can grow outside too. Today I wannt to show you guys my current indoor grow.
I feel it is a bit crowded, next time i wont wait that much before switching to 12/12
For those that dont know me, I am from Costa Rica, I have been growing for the last 9 years or so. In 2014 I had an accident and suffered a disabling spinal cord injury. I suffered pain and dispair beyond my own words, as I felt my world falling apart. Therapy and determination helped me regain movility of my legs, and now Im able to walk with the aid of an assistive device.
I was working when said accident happened, so I was given indemnization for life and basically wont have to work again or worry about expenses anymore.
That leaves me with LOTS of time to take care of my proyects.
I wanted to share my grow with you guys, as it may be of help for someone.
Most of the things I use are homemade, as I want to be able to grow even if I dont have access to cannabis specific gear.
English is not my native language so you may find grammatical errors or mispelled words. I appreciate when someone corrects my as it only helps improve my fluency with your language.
I guess its about time to get started, so lets get going.
Pura Vida!

What strain is it? Green poison, bubblegum, northern lights, blackjack, kalashnikova.

Is it Indica, Sativa or Hybrid? What percentages? mostly hybrids.

Is it in Veg or Flower stage? It is in flower.

If in Flower stage... For how long? 5th week of flowering

Indoor or outdoor? indoor

Soil or Hydro? soil

If soil... what is in your mix? peat moss, worm castings, rice hulls, rabbit feed, oats bran, sea weed, crustacean shells, other stuff I cant recall

If soil... What size pot? 6.5 liters fabric pots, hand made.

Size of light? 600w dimmable hps

Is it aircooled? no, but the grow tent has an air conditioner attached to it.

Temp of Room/cab? 19 to 25 celcius, 66 to 77 farenheit

RH of Room/cab? 46% to 80%

PH of media or res? I have a ph tester, but never test ph

Any Pests ? none

How often are you watering? I have a gravity fed watering system, I usually water daily or every other day, depending on stage of development.

Type and strength of ferts used? handmade fermented fertilizers, different formulas for bloom and veg, once or twice a week, three tablespoons per 5 gal bucket, also other befinicial microorganisms


Some pictures of how the closet looks as of today

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[SweetSue]

I'm first through the door.

Welcome back friend.

We missed you too. Nice list and pretty pictures. Let me take a space over here on the floor. I stopped sitting on furniture over a year ago.

Soooooooo good to have you back Roach.

 

[SweetSue]

I was going to ask how you keep your humidity high and then it just made me double over with laughter. Costa Rica. Duh!

 

[Weaselcracker]

Ha. Just notice of this pop up.
Got the seat next to Sue too, again. Deja vu.

 

[SweetSue]

Ha. Just notice of this pop up.
Got the seat next to Sue too, again. Deja vu.

Hey Weaselcracker.

I think it's appropriate that you and I be the first in the room, don't you? Ok, *contented sigh* everything's good now.

 

[TheRoach]

I will make sure I see this journal through. I hope I wont have to move again in the next 3 years or so, haha.
Thank you guys for always being around. It is really good to chat with you again.
We are in the rainy season and it has been raining for 48 hrs non stop now. There have been floods in some areas of my country, thankfuly material loses only.
Humidity goes up in the lights off period, because I turn off the ac and I dont have a dehumidifier. Do you guys think it will affect the outcome of my grow?
I see yellowing in some of the plants. I am at week five, and some of the strains are early finishers, others go to 8 or 9 weeks. Should I worry about the yellowing at week 5 of flowering?
Also, Im not very strict with my feeding regime, and I never test ph of my water. I feed on fridays with some 3 or 4 tablespoons of fermented flowering fertilizer (made with bananas, papaya and pumpkin seeds, sugarcane honey, some beneficial microorganisms and lacto serum, also mixed with a fermented leaves extract I made using a lot of leaves I harvested from last round) I feel being my fertilizer a fermented fruit extract it has to be acidic. should I rectify the ph using lime (calcium carbonate) or baking soda in the reservoir I keep for watering? should I use the lime directly in the soil?

 

[Weaselcracker]

Yeah I was worried when you disappeared and said you had to move. Lovely to see you back.

I'll just answer off the top of my head- not necessarily with great knowledge of what I'm talking about. As usual. I wouldn't worry much about the yellowing leaves as long as it's not extreme, since I don't think that will affect your buds at this point- at least not negatively - and maybe even positively.


The RH thing is something I do have quite a bit of experience with. You can maybe get away with 80% humidity at night - but at best almost/barely. Some strains get budrot and mold easier than others. Some are amazingly resistant and some are easily succeptible.
Constant air flow 24/7 from several oscillating fans is essential and can work wonders.
I ended up putting in a dehumidifier which drops the RH a little more and pretty much saves my ass. I started a thread on it somewhere if you are thinking of going that route.

Instinct says to mix the lime in the soil, not the reservoir. Plants like that movement- a range from a little acidic to a little alkaline. So if you water acidic it will be corrected by the soil. If you put it in the res - always at 7 which is not so good.
I would think best would be to put it in the initial soil mix well before planting- but people do top-dress with it.

 

[SweetSue]

I'd mix it into the soil. It becomes the buffer for ph. You aren't using bottled nutrients, are you? No you aren't. You're growing in a living organic soil. The soil takes care of the ph, so you don't have to think about it.

I just started using LABS today. Need to start the next batch. You're feeding schedule looks wonderful. I'm a little envious. I should start fermenting something.

I agree with Weaselcracker about the yellowing leaves. Unless it's pronounced I'd ignore it and expect a stellar harvest. I looked back, and I see why you're concerned, but they look like necrotic leaves to me, so this may be a strain expression of maturity.

Get some of those oscillating fans going to help with the humidity and we'll send lots of positive vibrations your way and it'll all pan out for the best anyway, because that's the way the universe works.

 

[TheRoach]

Thanks guys, I hope the humidity does not become an issue.
I will take your word and add a couple oscilating fans. I was using a single fix fan and the ac fan, and usint the ac cooling only during lights on.
I usually add lime to my soil between runs, along with all the other amenments I use. I hope it is enough to keep things nice for the plants.
Sue excuse my ignorance, what is LABS?
Weaselcracker, does the dehumidifier lower the RH even with exhaust fans on?

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[Nismo12]

I wanna join in on this fun! I've been to Costa Rica. Very beautiful country.

 

[SweetSue]

Thanks guys, I hope the humidity does not become an issue.
I will take your word and add a couple oscilating fans. I was using a single fix fan and the ac fan, and usint the ac cooling only during lights on.
I usually add lime to my soil between runs, along with all the other amenments I use. I hope it is enough to keep things nice for the plants.
Sue excuse my ignorance, what is LABS?
Weaselcracker, does the dehumidifier lower the RH even with exhaust fans on?

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LABS= lactobacillus serum. I'm sure you have some already. If not, start some now.

The Unconventional Farmer: recipe - lactobacillus serum

 

[TheRoach]

I wanna join in on this fun! I've been to Costa Rica. Very beautiful country.

Thanks nismo12, welcome aboard. Did you like our country? what part did you visit?

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[TheRoach]

LABS= lactobacillus serum. I'm sure you have some already. If not, start some now.

The Unconventional Farmer: recipe - lactobacillus serum

Thank you, I do use LABS then, as part of the beneficial microorganisms brew and alone, in a monthy basis. They are also a very important part in the fermentation of the nutrients I use.
Those little baddies really have a lot of uses

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[Gaffle]

I will also hop aboard Roach. A 20 plant sog sounds mighty fine. Also, your English/grammar is pretty damn good pal!

 

[TheRoach]

I will also hop aboard Roach. A 20 plant sog sounds mighty fine. Also, your English/grammar is pretty damn good pal!

Thanks Gaffle, I learned english playing video games. I had a PS for christmas back when I was 11 or 12, had to learn because english was like chinese to me and metal gear, silent hill and final fantasy VII were all available in english.
I hope to get a significant yield from this run, I recently made some upgrades to the gravity fed irrigation system (now with obtruction-proof watering spikes!), the flowering fertilizer formula (now fortified with cannabis leaf extract and magnesium!) and also added the air conditioner to keep things cool and dry during the lights-on period.
Again thank you very much for stopping by to read my journal!

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[Weaselcracker]

Weaselcracker, does the dehumidifier lower the RH even with exhaust fans on?

Well- I doubt it would be very effective while the fans are on bringing in more humid air, but I only run it during lights-off. During lights on there is plenty of heat in there and fans kick in often - lots of air circulation and the light make it dryer too. RH is low enough during lights on. Lights off is when temps drop and RH rises with cooler temps and the evaporation and transpiration in the grow. Besides- I feel like I'll be pushing my power consumption if I add the dehumidifier to the draw while the lights are going.

 

[TheRoach]

Well- I doubt it would make a huge difference, but I only run it during lights-off. During lights on there is plenty of heat in there and fans kick in often - lots of air circulation and the light make it dryer too. RH is low enough during lights on. Lights off is when temps drop and RH rises with cooler temps and the evaporation and transpiration in the grow. Besides- I feel like I'll be pushing my power consumption if I add the dehumidifier to the draw while the lights are going.

Thats right, I forgot the heat from the lamp helps lowering the rh.
Lately I have been watering with the AC runoff water only. It is set up in such a way that water drips directly into a 5 gal bucket connected to the gravity fed watering system. I was wondering about the lack of calcium and magnesium in the water, as I figure AC water run-off might be very low on these. What do you think of it? Have you seen other people using AC water like that?
I think I should go and make a google search too.

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[Weaselcracker]

That I do not know. If it's been through an evaporation process then it will be the same as rainwater which is what I use. I definitely have to supllement cal/mag, but soil is usually more forgiving than soilless and hydro.

 

[TheRoach]

Yeah, I guess I should get a cal mag suplement

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[SweetSue]

I'd keep an eye for early signs of cal/mag deficiency and adjust at that point. Let the soil do what it's evolved to do and help it along only if necessary. It's a community and you're the supply train, but they have somewhat limited storage fascilities and you don't want to overload them with something they may not need.