ilikeweed21
Member
Hello folks, i have been a while in this wonderful forum and i thought it would be good to start a journal because i have noticed that there are many helpful people here 
.
I have done 2 grows in the past with mediocre results (0.4-0.5 grams/watt). This time i thought i should give vertical a try considering it as a way to boost my yields among the rest.
Setup
I have a growtent that is 3x3x9.5 feet high (it was 3x3x6 but i modified it a bit).
I have 3 bulbs stacked in it. 1x250w CFL 2700 K, 1x250w HPS, 1x400w HPS. I have been using 1x4"RVK Fan (extracting 330m3/h) for the two HPS bulbs that are cooltubed.
I also use 2x4" RVK Fans for the exhaust of my growtent. I have 1xCarbon filter and planning on buying a second one soon.
Strains
The reason i have a tent so tall is because i have 3 babies growing for 3.5-4 months now (from the smallest to the oldest one). The strains i am growing are:
1)Acapulco Gold (6 feet high)
2)California Dream (6.5 feet high)
3)Original Skunk #1 (5.5 feet high)
In terms of height i am ok but keeping them away from the bulbs is a pain in the ass (especially considering their lower parts with the 250w CFL next to them...). I tie them extensively, still i have lost quite a few leaves because of them burning by the bulbs.
Growing Medium+Feeding
I am using Biobizz potting soil (Biobizz All-Mix 50%+Biobizz Light-Mix 30%+Perlite 20%).
I have changed 3 different brands of fertilizers during these 4 months. Biobizz, Atami, and now GH Floranova-Bloom. I am currently using the Lucas Formula considering Floranova.
Usually i give them feedings of 1000-1100 PPM's. I have an EC meter+PH meter to check the runoff of my soil. Up until recently i was feeding them until runoff was at 1250-1300 PPM. I recently lowered feeding a bit keeping it at 1100-1200 PPM.
They have some burnt tips, new growth seems ok, they are growing a bit slowly (that's what i want, they are already very tall, i have the time regimen set to 15/9).
Problems
I don't know where to begin with...I made a short list of them:
1)Temperature
I started this grow at 15 April with Acapulco Gold. California Dream was started at 1 May and Original Skunk #1 at 15 May. I don't have an a/c, so keeping temps to the safe side was a pain in the ass. I got 2 air coolers to help me, they managed to keep temps to 85-90 F, 60%+ humidity...I removed them recently.... Temps are sitting at 87-90 F and RH is at 30%.
2)Insects
I got a thrips infestation, fought it with neem+pyrethrum at the beginning, it slowed them down but those fuckers keep coming back. I then got to buying Spinosad but i was finally not able to get it. Recently i used Imidacloprid, hope i will kiss these bastards goodbye.
I am also thinking on using Abamectin as precaution, because with the use of Imid spider-mites get more favourable conditions (still did not have any but you never know...)
3)Root issues
I have the same soil for 4 months now, with the watering from time to time it has receded and i sometimes can see some of the roots of my babies when i am watering. They are not bright white, they have a darker white color, they don't smell or anything like that, still i am suspicious...Ordered Ridomil and maybe later i will add beneficials such as GHE Subculture...
Does anyone know if it's ok to use beneficials it in the case that i have used Ridomil in my soil before or if it is nescessary at all? Member Avant Gardener was kind enough to provide me with info on the subject, i thank him very much.
4)Overfeeding
From time to time i had runoff that got to 1400 PPM. I have read that i should aim for about 1000 PPM at veg stage, still considering the age of the plants and how they respond to feeding i thought they needed a bit more. If someone has any experience with plants being in the veg phase for that long considerig their food i would like to hear it.
I have posted some pics with sick leaves, would like any input.
5)Underwatering
There were times that plants got severly underwatered, all their leafs wilted very badly. 1 hour after watering they would get back to normal. Each time Acapulco Gold seemed to be losing many leaves that are getting dry because of this situation. There are still many leaves of it that are getting dried up and dying.
6)Bulb proximity to plants
Things to do
I am waiting for weather to get a bit cooler and fight the thrips problem before i switch them to flower. I also have to buy a second carbon filter and cover all sides of my growtent to be light-proof (i don't have a light in my bedroom where the growtent is, but i want to be extra careful). I am giving them 1 week max before i switch them to flower.
This sums it up, i would love to hear anything considering my grow
.
Some photos (not all plants can be seen because of the way the lights are put).
General Overview of growtent
Bottom view of growtent
Pic from above including Original Skunk #1
.I have done 2 grows in the past with mediocre results (0.4-0.5 grams/watt). This time i thought i should give vertical a try considering it as a way to boost my yields among the rest.
Setup
I have a growtent that is 3x3x9.5 feet high (it was 3x3x6 but i modified it a bit).
I have 3 bulbs stacked in it. 1x250w CFL 2700 K, 1x250w HPS, 1x400w HPS. I have been using 1x4"RVK Fan (extracting 330m3/h) for the two HPS bulbs that are cooltubed.
I also use 2x4" RVK Fans for the exhaust of my growtent. I have 1xCarbon filter and planning on buying a second one soon.
Strains
The reason i have a tent so tall is because i have 3 babies growing for 3.5-4 months now (from the smallest to the oldest one). The strains i am growing are:
1)Acapulco Gold (6 feet high)
2)California Dream (6.5 feet high)
3)Original Skunk #1 (5.5 feet high)
In terms of height i am ok but keeping them away from the bulbs is a pain in the ass (especially considering their lower parts with the 250w CFL next to them...). I tie them extensively, still i have lost quite a few leaves because of them burning by the bulbs.
Growing Medium+Feeding
I am using Biobizz potting soil (Biobizz All-Mix 50%+Biobizz Light-Mix 30%+Perlite 20%).
I have changed 3 different brands of fertilizers during these 4 months. Biobizz, Atami, and now GH Floranova-Bloom. I am currently using the Lucas Formula considering Floranova.
Usually i give them feedings of 1000-1100 PPM's. I have an EC meter+PH meter to check the runoff of my soil. Up until recently i was feeding them until runoff was at 1250-1300 PPM. I recently lowered feeding a bit keeping it at 1100-1200 PPM.
They have some burnt tips, new growth seems ok, they are growing a bit slowly (that's what i want, they are already very tall, i have the time regimen set to 15/9).
Problems
I don't know where to begin with...I made a short list of them:
1)Temperature
I started this grow at 15 April with Acapulco Gold. California Dream was started at 1 May and Original Skunk #1 at 15 May. I don't have an a/c, so keeping temps to the safe side was a pain in the ass. I got 2 air coolers to help me, they managed to keep temps to 85-90 F, 60%+ humidity...I removed them recently.... Temps are sitting at 87-90 F and RH is at 30%.
2)Insects
I got a thrips infestation, fought it with neem+pyrethrum at the beginning, it slowed them down but those fuckers keep coming back. I then got to buying Spinosad but i was finally not able to get it. Recently i used Imidacloprid, hope i will kiss these bastards goodbye.
I am also thinking on using Abamectin as precaution, because with the use of Imid spider-mites get more favourable conditions (still did not have any but you never know...)
3)Root issues
I have the same soil for 4 months now, with the watering from time to time it has receded and i sometimes can see some of the roots of my babies when i am watering. They are not bright white, they have a darker white color, they don't smell or anything like that, still i am suspicious...Ordered Ridomil and maybe later i will add beneficials such as GHE Subculture...
Does anyone know if it's ok to use beneficials it in the case that i have used Ridomil in my soil before or if it is nescessary at all? Member Avant Gardener was kind enough to provide me with info on the subject, i thank him very much.
4)Overfeeding
From time to time i had runoff that got to 1400 PPM. I have read that i should aim for about 1000 PPM at veg stage, still considering the age of the plants and how they respond to feeding i thought they needed a bit more. If someone has any experience with plants being in the veg phase for that long considerig their food i would like to hear it.
I have posted some pics with sick leaves, would like any input.
5)Underwatering
There were times that plants got severly underwatered, all their leafs wilted very badly. 1 hour after watering they would get back to normal. Each time Acapulco Gold seemed to be losing many leaves that are getting dry because of this situation. There are still many leaves of it that are getting dried up and dying.
6)Bulb proximity to plants
Things to do
I am waiting for weather to get a bit cooler and fight the thrips problem before i switch them to flower. I also have to buy a second carbon filter and cover all sides of my growtent to be light-proof (i don't have a light in my bedroom where the growtent is, but i want to be extra careful). I am giving them 1 week max before i switch them to flower.
This sums it up, i would love to hear anything considering my grow
.Some photos (not all plants can be seen because of the way the lights are put).
General Overview of growtent
Bottom view of growtent
Pic from above including Original Skunk #1
