190W-235W CFL - Nirvana NL5 in a rubbermaid tub

[threeeleven]

Hey guys... long time OG lurker, first time IC poster (about my grow, at least). This is basically my first real grow... Set myself up with a CFL rubbermaid based on the ideas posted in Red_Greenery's rubbermaid thread (props). I got 3 Nirvana NL, 1 that has been vegging for 4-5 weeks and the two others 3-4 weeks (from when I soaked the seeds).

*Using 1/2 FFOF mixed with 1/2 FFLW for medium
*1-85W 6500K CFL
*1-105W 5000K CFL
*When I start to see flowers, I will be switching the 85W 6500K CFL out for a 85W 3000K CFL and adding a 45W 2700W when I can drop temps some more
*I just finished my second feeding with Flora Nova Grow / Cal-Mag (waited a tad too long to get nutes, I know)
*Reflectix for lightproof/reflection (so so so much better than Emergency blanket)
*120mm 79CFM computer fan
*Temps hovering around 78-84 at the plants' top level

Just figured I'd start a grow log to keep some dates, etc since I'm pretty lax on keeping my own log...

Here's a pic I took around 9 days ago.. I will get more recent ones up soon!


Switching to 12/12 tomorrow - wish me luck and comments/suggestions are more than welcome!

 

[Connoisseur300]

those are some very beautifull ladies. What do you expect to yield? And do you have any more pic to show us around you secret tub.

 

[threeeleven]

Thanks for stopping by Connoisseur, and also thanks for the kind words! I really hope they are ladies (at least one!)... I should be finding out within the next few weeks! This is my first grow so I'm not too sure about the yield... I'm hoping for at least an ounce but if everything goes as planned it should be more than that... I'll be taking more pictures on wednesday since I'll be out of town tomorrow night....

 

[Connoisseur300]

you have the light for a couple oz in there. What grow style are you choosing??

 

[threeeleven]

I'm not too sure on that one... I waited a tad too long to start flowering, so I believe the big plant of the 3 will stretch too high during flowering. If the big one turns out to be a female, I think I will throw in a scrog screen and train the growth tips through it.. If the small ones turn out female I will most likely let them grow as they are due to sufficient height. I've been letting them grow au natural because this is my first full grow and I'm not worried as much about maximizing yield than I am just finishing my first time.

thanks for your interest!

 

[Connoisseur300]

I'm not too sure on that one... I waited a tad too long to start flowering, so I believe the big plant of the 3 will stretch too high during flowering. If the big one turns out to be a female, I think I will throw in a scrog screen and train the growth tips through it.. If the small ones turn out female I will most likely let them grow as they are due to sufficient height. I've been letting them grow au natural because this is my first full grow and I'm not worried as much about maximizing yield than I am just finishing my first time.

thanks for your interest!

I also did the all natural my first time around. you could also top the biggest one and if it's a female it will already have more tops than now which will give you a larger yield. what if all of them are female??? what will you do ? I would try to keep them all the same hight incase you start getting staggerd tops that block out much needed light, also to use all my light.

 

[threeeleven]

Just a small update:

Today is Day 4 of 12/12 .. I went ahead and switched the light cycle and I'm hoping to see some signs of female life soon... Here's a picture i took a few minutes ago.. I'll be pulling them out and taking individual photos soon. Using 6ml/g Floranova grow and 4ml/g Cal-Mag for the big plant (A) and 3-4mg/g FN grow and 3ml/g Cal-Mag for the 2 smaller plants (B,C). Currently I'm feeding every other watering... I'm really afraid to overdo it and nuke them.. I'll continue using FN grow for another week to 10 days and then I'll switch to FN bloom. Comments/suggestions always welcomed!!

Enjoy!

(The picture came out crappy and the plants look yellowed but I assure you they are still as green as the previous pics in the thread, my camera sucks and will be upgrading soon.)

 

[threeeleven]

post-watering sexing check

post-watering sexing check

Another quick post.... I just inspected for preflowers and as I figured it might be too early to see any... I'm pretty sure I'm seeing 2 females and one male. I don't have a camera with macro right now but I will soon. The large plant (A, bottom on the pic in my last post) is showing a few tiny pistils emerging from a pear shaped growth. The "runt" of the litter (C - top left) also is showing the same female traits as A. Unfortunately, the plant showing the best characteristics and traits (B - top right) is showing some balls with no hairs protruding, but it might be too early to tell.

peace!

 

[Berry_Coughin']

Dang, lookin' great there threeeleven......

so you seem to be keepin' temps in check with that little fan 'eh... how much you pay for that?

Keep us updated....and good luck on the male/female hunt....

 

[threeeleven]

Dang, lookin' great there threeeleven......

so you seem to be keepin' temps in check with that little fan 'eh... how much you pay for that?

Keep us updated....and good luck on the male/female hunt....

thanks for the kind words berry_coughin... Now that the temps in my area have dropped significantly the top of the plants are in the range of 69-73 with lights off and 76-81 with the lights on. The fan is an Antec 120mm PC case fan, I paid about $15 and it blows a good amount of air. When I put the top rubbermaid on, I can hear the fan change tone. I have 3 2" intakes and might add another one, but temps seem to be in a good zone now.

 

[Berry_Coughin']

3x 2" intakes is all? Do you exhaust out 1 hole, and how big is that? Does your cab have negative pressure?

EDIT: I'm assuming the intake is passive, with the 120mm fan mounted at the point of exhaust?

 

[threeeleven]

You're assumption is correct. I have the 120mm exhaust hole/fan at the top of the tub directly above the lights blowing out the hot air. The tub definitely has negative pressure - when I put the top rubbermaid on I hear a sucking noise, the plants are wiggling slightly and air is rushing in the 2" passive pvc intakes. Thanks for your concern, I will probably add another passive intake when I add the 3rd CFL which will be very soon.

stay safe!

 

[threeeleven]

Day 6 of 12/12 ...

My computer fan fell a bit out of its place and I wasn't getting pressure, so when I checked my temps it was 110 inside. It must have only been for a few minutes because while it felt rain forest like inside, the plants look lush, happy, healthy and ready to start flowering. They are stretching a good bit so far but nothing unmanageable and when I cull the one I suspect is male (B), I will bend over the top of the large plant (A).

Looked for preflowers, A and C are looking pretty sexy and B either hasnt popped the pistils or they are balls, they are kinda too small to tell so i'll wait a bit to make sure.

peace!


(i swear i'll get better pics soon)

 

[Guest]

nice grow "threeeleven" i would love to see your grow tub setup a little better

 

[threeeleven]

thanks for the kind words pothead2 - I swear I will post pics of my setup when I borrow a better camera, I am working on that now.

A little update, Day 19 of 12/12. Stupidly I went away for 3 days, and when I came back the fan leaves on the topmost growth on plant A were burnt to a crisp (halfway down each leaf). I let it grow right into the CFL, something I PROMISED myself would never happen. So I tied down Plant A, the main growth tip is in the top right of this picture, you can kinda make out the burnt leaves.

Anyway, I just gave them a thorough flush a few days ago and will start with flowering nutes next watering (FloraNova Bloom). If they stop stretching soon and start building buds it would be perfect because the minor LST'ing totally leveled the canopy and I think I could get decent buds if it doesnt grow upward that much anymore.

On a side note, I switched out the 85W 6500K CFL for the 85W 3000K CFL about 2 days ago.

Comments, questions, random banter always appreciated

(PS: IC is giving me trouble trying to upload a picture, but I'll post it right when I'm able to!)

 

[gromer]

Nice grow mang Im luvin these tub grows.Could we get a shot of the inside of the top tub Id like to see your method for mounting the larger cfls.I been checkin out Lifeless's tubs with the 4 42 watters which seems sufficent and his mounting method is awesome but Id like to see others methods with the larger cfls.Man whod a thought such yields of killer smoke would be possible with such a small space and cheap limited equiptment.Keep the pics comin brutha,Peace and stay small and safe!!!

 

[panopticist]

This is my first grow so I'm not too sure about the yield... I'm hoping for at least an ounce but if everything goes as planned it should be more than that...

Aim for the stars...
but chances are you won't see a full O out of a rubbermaid your first time around.

However, you've got your tubs looking good and I'm sure after you've gotten your first grow under your belt, you'll do well.

 

[threeeleven]

Thanks for stopping buy gromer and panopticist...

Gromer: I will be getting better pictures of the whole setup and how the lights are setup when I either buy or borrow a camera... I've just been too busy to get one as of now... Thanks for the encouragement!

Panopticist: I'm pretty much hoping for any decent smoke from my first time around - next time I will be keeping up with pH all the time so I should have better results from what I've learned. Thanks for the kind words, too

Now for the small update: Day 25 of 12/12. I watered yesterday with a nice dose of Floranova Bloom (9ml/g for the big plant, 6ml/g for the smaller one)... I'm seeing some yellowing/browning on older leaves, but the newer leaves looks nice and green... I don't think its too much of a problem but I wish I had gotten a pH pen so I'm not flying blindly. Other than that, more and more hairs are popping daily and trichs are starting to coat the leaves near the hair growth. Sorry again for the god awful picture.

 

[guest5703]

Looks good bro. No worries on the lack of color as long as it's the lower leaves only. They'll probably just die off.

The PH thing though, I must say I have seen my buddy grow without PH'ing and I have always PH'd only with a normal PH kit tester where I mix colors bla bla I am so used to it now it's a breeze.

But my friend who didn't PH really had nute lock out toward the end and the buds went no where....The frost level was completely gone even on the Pre-calyxs that usually frost up first.....I noticed this first around 3 weeks, no frost on the calyxs....The leaves were fine but not frosty enough.

I took the same clones he grew and they came out bomb as hell using a regular old PH tester. I advise you to go to a pet store or something, get a PH test kit it's probably not that much money....But it's waaay worth it man. Good luck hope to see this shit rock! PEACE

EDIT-Might as well add that I've read about not PHing elsewhere and they say that it can't totally block out all the nutrients your giving the plant so it won't be able to uptake the food anyway....Making your nutrients pointless with out a PH meter. GET IT BRO!!!! Oh by the way, I know your in soil right? Well I used a rubber maid my first grow, but it was hydro and I yielded two ounces. Try to shoot for the stars, but usually I aim lower than I think I will get so when I harvest I'm always stoked! haha PEACE AGAIN

 

[Berry_Coughin']

Sweet grow 311

Hopefully I can get some pretty girls like yours in my attempt at a micro....