Eki's Autoflowering - Northern Express & Jack 47 - 2013 - UK

[ekinus]

Hello everyone!

I am making this journal for mainly my and others benefit, I wanna take advices from others, and help others see my faults.

This is my first grow, I've asked a few questions on this forum before, but now I am set and growing.
These girls are both auto flower and feminized.


What strain is it? Jack 47 (AK 47 x Jack Herer x Ruderalis) and Northern Express (NL x Ruderalis)

Is it Indica, Sativa or Hybrid? What percentages? Both Indica.
Is it in Veg or Flower stage? Veg
If in Veg... For how long? ??
If in Flower stage... For how long? ???
Indoor or outdoor? Indoor.
Soil or Hydro? Soil.
If soil... what is in your mix? Bio Bizz Earth, didn’t mix it with anything.
If soil... What size pot? 7L
Size of light? 300W CFL Dual
Is it air-cooled? Yes
Temp of Room/cab? 29-32C
RH of Room/cab? ???
PH of media or res? ??
Any Pests ? No/not yet
How often are you watering? When I touch the earth and feel it needs water.
Type and strength of ferts used? Not used any yet, but Bio Bizz Bio Bloom Organic is the one I have.

My grow TENT, is 80x80x120CM, and only having two plants. I have only a air EXTRACTOR , which gets the old air out. I couldn’t afford an another fan, sorry.

My whole grow stuff costed 250£ with the 10£ worth seeds.

I germinated by a less riskier but more healthier practice, where I put my seeds in a cup of not to hot and not too cold water during a night, and the day after, the seeds sink down, so they were ready to put inside a pot. They popped out in like a week, and put them straight under light.


Here I filled in the bits which I could. However, where I put ??? marks are the ones which I don’t get why would I need it, or what it is, like PH of media or res? etc.

But my main question would be, how should I do the lighting? It is now the second week and I had the light on for 24 hour a day, however, I read that the best practice would 18 hours on and 6 hours off a day.

My question is, WHEN to start using this “new” light cycle? In which week shall I change that, and which week should I put some bio-bizz

Also, I would like to know from other UK(London) users that is it OK if I use just water from the tap for the plants? Or should I use on of these water cleaners first to let the water go thru it and then I can water the plants with it?

Also would be nice to know when is vegetative and flowering period? Does it matter for auto flowers? Oh, and I also read that high humidity can cause problems, however low humidity (dry climate like) cause more crystals, and I am happy that my humidity is around 20-25%.

Cheers,

G

 

[Jimmy6000]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Hi,eki,and welcome to You have a nice clean set-up.When you get some extra cash,I would put a small fan in.Not just for air circulation but also will help to strengthen stem's.Auto flower's will do just that.Flower with any light schedule.I do not do auto's but I believe 18/6 is what most auto guy's are going with.You will get a better light coverage if you hang your cfl side way's,instead of up/down.Cfl's put out more usable light from the side.89 degree is a little high.The fan should help with that.Try to shot for around 82 when light's are on.You want to have about a 10 degree difference between Day/night temp's.Your humidity is a little low for this stage.60 to 70 would be idea,until flowering start's.Then you will want to drop it down to around 35-55,any higher and you risk causing mold.Lower temp's/higher humidity.Again have not done auto's,it just my opinion.There are a lot of auto grow's here that will help you greatly.I'll be around to help if I think I know what I'm talking about.

 

[ekinus]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Thank you very much for the decent reply, Yes I was thinking just the same, however, I (not sure) think that as this is a dual light, its might not be a good idea just to use one side of it, but what I wanted to do is, buying some aluminum foil, wrap it a bit (not tightly) the lamp, so it reflects everything downside to the plants, keeping the function of being dual.

So you say, when it starts to show flowers, its better to change the light schedule to 18/6?

Would a fan on a clip do that? I could attach it to the top, cooling both the tent and targeting to the lamp, as I found it getting a bit hot, I can keep my hands on the plastic case, but I would prefer having colder, and it would help with the tent temperature.

Is it a good idea to increase the humidity till the flowering period by using a wet towel?

Also, I wanted to tell everyone, that this tent is right next to a radiator, as it keeps it hot, otherwise theres too cold inside. (better being in hot than cold huh?) So if its necessary, I can move it a few centimeters away from the radiator to keep it a bit cooler.

 

[Jimmy6000]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

The duel spectrum simply mean's it will work for grow and flower stage's.I would not recommend using foil for a reflector.It will cause hot spot's and does not reflect light like you may think it does.I would move tent to get temp's down some but I would try fan first.The idea in most case's is to get clean air in from bottom and heat out of the top.Here is a link to an auto grow I think will help you.I am not abandoning you,I just do not want to give you any false info on auto's.I have never tried the wet towel,so I have no clue.Lot's of info here at 420 on how to raise humidity tho.If I find one I think will work in your case ,Ill let ya know.
Link.....My 1st Attempt At AutoFlowers! (Not my journal)

 

[ekinus]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Alright! Do you know any good method how I can make it horizontal? My friend made a hole like of simple copper wire, which holds the top of the light. Do you think it will do? Isn't it a problem that the light is going to be contracted with copper? I know that fingerprints and your hand can kill these lights, so I never touched it.

Other thing which I could do, is changing the fan's direction. So I won't have an extrator fan just a intake fan. Even, I can grab the air straight from the street, but its gonna get colder by the winter. Would that be a good idea? Still keeping the tent next to the radiator, but having literally fresh air coming in, rather than sucking air from my room, going thru the tent, and then to the street.?

When should I use my GROWING BIOBIZZ flask?


ui: how close should be my plants from the light? I am planning putting them on books or on a paper box, which would increase their height, so the easier to water them and make photos.
Thanks for the answers by the way, even a little adjustments helps a lot!

 

[ekinus]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Isn't anyone here? I would really need replies now, as I seem to be facing slow growth in the last days.

 

[Jimmy6000]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Sorry Eki,been a little under the weather.Yes you can hang you light directly form bulb,it will not get hot enough to burn wire.I would suggest taking a look at some of the DIY cfl reflector's guy's are making.Also finger print's will not hurt cfl bulbs.You can try to change fan to intake and see what happen's.What is a bio bizz flask?You should hang the light 3-4 inche's away from top of plant.

 

[Jimmy6000]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Looking again,I would hang about 6-8 inche's as they are just seedlings.

 

[ekinus]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Thanks for the reply! At least someone is here to help I hope you are better now!

Is this lack of reflector could be the problem for the slow growth? I have changed the fan, now it sucks air from the streets and its extracted to my room (odour is NOT a problem, as we regulalry smoke weed here and no one cares)

BioBizz Grow is the nutrition for the plant, I bought one for grow period and one for blooming. I made like half ml/liter of it, and watered the plants with it, I know that too much can hurt a lot, and too little just can't. Just to see if it progresses as if not, I have a problem with something else.

 

[Cerdito]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Hey, sorry, I would have tried to help, but I've not been around much for a few days. Your lack of reflector doesn't help things - but it shouldn't make too much difference. I would still hang your light horizontal, and I would diy a reflector out of some bent metal, or even some white painted wood, but you are still fine I think.

I am almost 3 weeks in with Autos on my first grow, and they are looking fine now, and I really don't think yours are too much difference to mine at that stage

xx

 

[Cerdito]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Oh, and I have two plants in about the same area, and also draw air from outside - but with a passive intake - it seemed to work much better than a forced intake - I would go back to using the extractor as an extractor, and have a passive intake coming in. But just my experience - I tried both and that way worked much better for me

xx

 

[Jimmy6000]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

I would not feed any nutrient's.They are way too young.What does your bio bizz soil have in it?

 

[ekinus]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Thank you guys for the answeres! I ended up ordering a cheap reflector £20. Okey, I wont feed them with it anymore!

I am using the extractor fan at the bottom now, sucking air FROM the tent. I know it would be better to use it at the top(which I will do when I will have the reflector in place as I have to reconfigure a few things. So you guys agree that its the best practice to have the fan suck air from the tent at the top, and I will put my tube on the bottom, so it gets air from the street.

I have made a few new pics, I will make some every thursday.these ones are from last thursday)

 

[ekinus]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Here we go with the pictures JUST taken.:

can someone tell me what to do with the leaves? Its frustrating a bit that they are curling up a bit

 

[Jimmy6000]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Hey eki,They are looking good.How much are you watering?Let the pot's dry out almost completely,before watering again.With those big pot's it should take day's.

 

[ekinus]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Okay, I stopped watering like a week ago. I did put the soil pretty hard inside the pot, so the plant will grow a bit harder, but the roots of hers are gonna be tougher. Correct? I will dry the soil anyway.

 

[Jimmy6000]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Just let it dry out until the pot fill's lite when you pic it up.

 

[ekinus]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

Alright, cheers. I will, I did read about the leaf curling, and this is what I wanted to do, as the pots are pretty have tho

 

[Cerdito]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

I've been pretty hard on my plants too, I really only water when they really ask for it, and they are doing ok (not the best advice I know - but I am only new to this game too!)

xx

 

[Jimmy6000]

Re: eki's autoflowering, Northern Express and Jack 47, 2013, UK

The purpose of letting dry out is,you want the root's to have to search for the water/food.Kind of make them work for it.