United's 1st ever grow - 250 cfl in small tent, LST &/or SCROG ?!

[unitedrule]

Hi alll....

After all the reading on this forum and seeing someone do it in the flesh I thought it was about time I started to get green fingers.....
So I have now decided to start up a grow diary.... I also thought it was better I did this than keep posting questions around the site.

So I think this is how you usually start these diaries....

Area - Budbox small grow tent - 75cm x 75cm x 100cm
Lights - 2 x 125 cfl (2 x blue veg & 2 x red flower)
Extraction - 4" RVK 100 fan and carbon filter
Soil - Canna Terra Professional Plus
Strain - Fem'd WR by GHS
Lights on 18-6 Veg and the 12/12 Flower

Sorry in advance about photo's... I only have camera phone at moment.

Ok so my enviroment was tested for a week prior to the start to check on temps and humidity.... unfortunately I am in a loft/attic so my temps have been quite high.... but I'll get on to that later.....

Pics of set up.... comments always appreciated!!


So 3 seeds were soaked in ph checked water and then put in paper towel... 48 hours later planted into soil....
Pics 1 day after planted


After 5 days in soil and my temps had gone up to 90f+.... I then also had stretch issues. I think this was my fault for not putting them close enough to the light!!


To correct this stretch issue I moved them closer to light (4")...cant understand why I had them so far from the light in the first place but you live and learn and this is a 1st time so... I wont be doing that again.
I also found a cheap fan which blows across a frozen bottle of water (ebay) which has brought my temps down to around 80f now... well pleased with it considering it was cheap.
They also got their first feeding of 1/4 strength plant start....as the pro plus has little to no nutes!!

7days from planting with new supports to help them stand up...


Now after a further 5 days.... I have some healthy looking seedlings.... today I watered again with 1/2 strength plant start and sorted out some new supports (after reading icmag some more)


These are now around 3-4" tall and I'm very happy with how they look... I was a bit worried to begin with them stretching so much but they are now loving the light.

Pic as closing up for the night



Comments are always appreciated!! There are so many people on this site who I'm sure have an opinion so please let me hear it....

If I'm doing something wrong I'd rather know now...

Smoke on??!

 

[Work2much]

Nice babies.

Might want to add perlite into that soil to lighten it up and let the roots breathe a bit.

Young plants are born out in natural sunlight, they laugh at those 125W CFL's if they aren't 1-2" off the tops. Keep em close, just don't let them actually touch unless you like you're buds well done. It'll help with the strecth, although that can be largely strain dependent.

What kind of nutes?

LST or SCROG? Either way a long veg, but I'd go with a top at the fifth node and then LST. As this is your first grow you'll practically live in the tent with the plants so LST is a great learning experience.

Happy growing.

 

[unitedrule]

Work2much - Thanks for the compliment!! I'm using Canna Terra Professional plus soil which is already quite airy and light, its full of fibre material. I was told that I dont need perlite using this soil but I think I will add some when transplanting. Anyone else agree??

I'm using the Canna Terra vega and flores as nutes.... have started them on GH plant start.... but wil soon be moving to vega as I think they nearly look ready.. Whats everyones opinion??? When would you move up??

Not sure on LST or scrog yet... I will def be topping and vegging for at least 4wks though... I need to keep them short. WR is a short bushy plant so hopefully I can keep it that way.

I'm now waiting for delivery of the shelf which fits into the tent, meaning I can move plants up and down as I wish, much better than the boxes I'm currently using.... They also sell a yeild shelf which I might use for the scrog.

I've seen a great thread on icmag about someone making an individual scrog device. I think it was made using bamboo for the legs (which were screwed to plant pot), 1/4" wood mitred into a square and then string to create the netting.... anyone know the one I'm on about??? Or recommend another way??

 

[loko17]

Hey there! Very nice! First pcs show a lot of stretch due to lights being to far away but I can see you already figured that out. My question is whats the temp at the canopy?

 

[sito007]

nice setup, whats nutes are you using

 

[unitedrule]

Hey there! Very nice! First pcs show a lot of stretch due to lights being to far away but I can see you already figured that out. My question is whats the temp at the canopy?

Hi there and many thanks... Temps in the attic have ranged from 65f to over 100f at times....
but I have managed to keep them between 70f and 85f for the last 7-10days

I have a small fan (ebay) that you put a frozen bottle of water in, which has kept the temps down in the day and the lights keep it hot enough at night.

nice setup, whats nutes are you using

Hi there.... I'm using all Canna Terra products, inc plant start, terra vega/flores & pk 13/14. With Canna professional plus growing medium.


UPDATE TIME

So just 3 days on and they are really coming on, I increased plant start with the last watering/feeding and then today fed with Canna Terra Vega for the first time(1.5ml per 1 ltr)....


What do you think???

Maybe need a transplant soon Thoughts??

I'm still looking for a good single plant pot scrog design... I've seen some around... just cant find the one I want now!!

 

[Work2much]

Looking proper.

I'd give it two more days dry for the roots to get crowded then transplant.

I've seen all sorts of good individual scrog links but can't think of any off hand. For myself I know I like simple and durable so I'd probably go with a plastic pipe design with the four legs resting on the ground tight up against the pot and with an open square at the top that I'd put chickenwire across to form my scrog screen.

 

[unitedrule]

UPDATE

UPDATE

Another update for you....



Last pic of all 3 was taken straight after transplanting and the individuals are 2 days later. I used Canna Rhizotonic with the feed while transplanting.

All seems to be going well apart from some yellowing of the plants original leaves. I thought I spotted this a while ago as it had some, what looked like little white circles on the leaves. The circles were about 2mm across and looked oily in comparison to the rest of the leaf. This has only happened with one plant and I'm keeping close eye on it. I thought it may be a mag def from posts and pics I've seen but most the pics I find are at stages where it is really bad... Can anyone I'll try and get some photos up soon but this wont be for a few days.

For reference at the moment my growing medium is Canna Terra Pro Plus with some perlite in (not sure on quantity), Feed is 1.5ml Canna Terra Vega per litre and 4ml Canna Rhizotonic.

 

[unitedrule]

UPDATE

UPDATE

Bump!! Its also been very quiet here... I thought I would of had some more responses??

Well here's another update for you all.... hopefully this might stir some people up....

Plants are now in 1 gallon pots, with Canna Terra Pro Plus and perlite mix. Being fed with 1 ltr of ph'd water/canna terra vega (2ml per ltr) every 2-3 days (when the soil is dry). Lights on 18-6, Temps ranging from 65f-80f and growth is good.

1 week on from last pics.


All 3 are looking healthy and I am happy with progress...

Today I topped 2 of the plants as they have grown a little quicker... I will top the 3rd plant as soon as it reaches the same height.

The 2 topped plants


I also cleaned out my tent and gave them a spray with some 'blockout' bug killer and defence stuff.... I had seen a few bugs and spiders in my tent and got a little worried. After reading ICMag I thought prevention was better than cure!!

Any ideas what this is on one of my leaves?? I thought it may be where some mist has dried on the leaf but wasn't 100%


How about this??? Little nute burn maybe?? Wind burn?? Again I wanted to make sure...


All help appreciated!!

I have removed all of the lower leaves now and have just built the first part to my individual scrog shelves. I will update next week.

Back soon..

 

[VerdantGreen]

hi mate those plants are looking good! - you should be over the worst of the hot temps by now - in an attic one way to bring them down is to have your intake ducted through the ceiling from the floor below. pretty easy to do - best is a cupboard or built in wardrobe and cut a hole in the ceiling inside. (then you can use the cupboard to dry yout buds too and there is no smell

good luck

V.

 

[unitedrule]

hi mate those plants are looking good! - you should be over the worst of the hot temps by now - in an attic one way to bring them down is to have your intake ducted through the ceiling from the floor below. pretty easy to do - best is a cupboard or built in wardrobe and cut a hole in the ceiling inside. (then you can use the cupboard to dry yout buds too and there is no smell

good luck

V.

Hey VerdantGreen. Thanks....getting ready to attach the new scrog screen now its semi-built.
I had thought about running an extractor fan from the bathroom (not really used as its a 2nd bathroom) into the tent but the venting will be around 10-15mtrs long. I'm getting worried about dropping temps as we move into autumn/winter so plan on completing some eave insultion over the next few days. Any ideas if the tempreture of the air vented from the bathroom will be effected by the amount of venting it would have to pass through before reaching the tent??

..and I've just been reading your diary and have realised it was your scrog design I have been looking for!! so thanks again for the post and great design of your individual scrog screen!!

 

[VerdantGreen]

excellent mate glad to be of help!. you dont need a fan on the intake - you can just have a passive one and the fan extracting through the filter from the cab.
if you read my diary through there are some posts about how i deal with winter temps etc and feel free to ask questions. the air coming up from the house in winter will be warmer than the loft but yes it will be effected by going through more ducting and the more ducting the less efficient it is. have you not got somewhere closer that you can put a passive vent (basically a hole)?

 

[unitedrule]

I think I may have... just not to stealth thats the problem!!

As my tent only has one 4" intake and then two 8"x6" side vents do you think I could then just use the one 4" intake from the lower floor into the tent and close the side vents? If I did this will it not cause an issue with air pressure?? I've read I need at least twice the intake as outtake?? And if I open the side vent it will just suck the colder air through there....cooling down the warm air I'm also pulling through from the lower floor.....mmmmm need to go have a read around I think.

Anyone else shed any light on this subject/issue??

 

[VerdantGreen]

i started off by insulating a 4 ft slice of the end of my loft and putting a silver bubble insulation curtain accross - making a little 'room' for my cab. i then put a greenhouse heater in it and this was fine all winter just intaking the air from the loft. it was when the temps were hot in the summer that it didnt work because the ambient temps in the loft were 90+ so the only way to get that down without aircon was to draw the cooler air from the house below.

so from now till next may you would be fine up there without the unstealthy intake - that gives you plenty of time to work out what to do for next summer

hope that helps

V.

p.s. my 250 cab has a 5" passive intake and 4" out. you would be ok with 4" in 4" out i think, although yes it is better to have a bigger intake than your out.

 

[unitedrule]

UPDATE

UPDATE

Another quick update for you....



The three of them 2 days ago.... growth is definately going well at the moment....


As you can see I have constructed the scrog screens (VG....big )... screens are 12" long so plant looks about 8"-9" tall at present.

My problem now is have I waited too long to scrog? And I've only topped once.... is that enough when wanting to scrog?
Or do you think I can attach the screens now and then switch to flower to fill the screens?
Or do I attach screens and carry on veg to fill the screen a bit then flower???
What do you think??

VG - How big do you leave plants before attaching screen? How big are they? Hopefully you can help me here.... please

Pic of cab with plants on tent floor....

 

[smokeymacpot]

i would bring them alot closer to the lights, let them carry on in veg for another couple of weeks and then add the screen, veg more then flower. at the moment you have nothing to weave in the scrog screen.

for next time, dont top them, but LST them, tie the top down at 90degrees and it will bush out ready to fill a screen easier than a plant with an upright stem

 

[growMEDS]

Nice setup and good lookin plants

 

[unitedrule]

i would bring them alot closer to the lights, let them carry on in veg for another couple of weeks and then add the screen, veg more then flower. at the moment you have nothing to weave in the scrog screen.

They are usually close the the light... I just moved them down to show space. And veg another couple of weeks before adding screen??? They are growing about 2"-3" a week in that case I will out grow myself.... I only have 1mtr of height total. Do you still advise the same? Not to knock your comments back but not what I've read on other threads thats all.

Nice setup and good lookin plants

Thanks GrowMEDS - They seem to be doing ok.

 

[smokeymacpot]

well i dont see any of your growth tips being big enough to weave through a screen yet, so you do not need to add it at the moment.

 

[VerdantGreen]

My problem now is have I waited too long to scrog? And I've only topped once.... is that enough when wanting to scrog?
Or do you think I can attach the screens now and then switch to flower to fill the screens?
Or do I attach screens and carry on veg to fill the screen a bit then flower???
What do you think??

VG - How big do you leave plants before attaching screen? How big are they? Hopefully you can help me here.... please

hi mate - looking good! - have you worked out how you are going to attach screens to pot yet? or are you going to repot again before that?

topping is fine before scrog - you just need to train any tips that reach the screen back under it. kind of one of those things that looks complicated but you just need to take a deep breath and pull the plant/tops around under there to try and space out the budsites. easiest way to learn is to do it.
when to flip is a tough one and depeneds on the strain - what are your strains??. i tend to repot, fit the screen and flip at the same time - i find that the repot encourages some stretch.

if in doubt i would make sure 2 or 3 tops have got up to the level of the screen or a bit further before you flip them.

by the time i attach the screen my plants are already taller so i attach the screen and bend the plant under at the same time so i guess i usually have around half the screen filled when i attach the screen and flip them.

its a lot more forgiving method than it looks - the plants look terrible for a day or 2 until they bend back up to the light.

i tend to veg may plant for a a few weeks - possibly a bit too much but i prefer to err on the side of over vegging. if there is too much plant matter/bud sites then i'n not scared of snipping a few off. you cant get 2 buds to grow in the same space

hope that helps - feel free to ask more questions or pop over to my thread and ask them.

scrog is wierd - kind of looks like it's never going to work but then it sorts itself out like magic - you'll see what i mean....

V.