T5, Maxigrow and Waterfarm grow.

[Dank99]

holy tree trunks. Nice grow. Those girls must be drinking a lot of water st that size. Those waterfarms can be a pain to change out the nutrients individually when the plants get huge, but it looks like you have it figured out.

 

[2 Legal Co]

I forget who it was that posted here . . . he tested grows using all bloom T5 lamps during flower, half-n-half, and 6500K. The best yield was 6500K all the way through.

ZZTops has done some testing... don't know if that's who you read or not.



C.S. ;; The bloom for me is a bit extended (a week or so maybe), so that's an offset to the expense. I expect that at your illumination that will not occur.

Just remember that the Flouro light doesn't/isn't effective at longer ranges (about 18"s is effective longest distance). I like mine at 8-10"s and flattop them. I also use a piece of wire fencing (2.5"s X 4"s??? IIRC), welded galvanized wire. Didn't like the larger size holes, as it seemed to be less flexible in keeping the tops Under the wire.

I only let the tops above the wire when they start to make serious bud. Check my album if you'd like here on ICMag it's public/open.

I also tend to prune the large fans and small branches from the bottom of the plants, as I don't feel they get sufficient light to be useful. More interested in Bud than leaves. lol It is more work however to prune that much.

Congrats on the elec. savings! By the way.

 

[2 Legal Co]

C.S. Just went and looked at your albums. NICE, bushes are way more photogenic. lol

Mine are way more severe,,,, just bud mostly,,, and whatever leaves grow from the Colas. Not so pretty, but makes the cut less labor intensive, perhaps.

 

[CaStoner]

Thanks guys yeah I know but I hate to waste the $112 I spent on bloom bulbs, they also make a super veg bulb I don't know how that will do, maybe next time I'll do a side by side one with bloom and grow just too see for myself.

I have grown many different ways sometimes I defoliated a lot sometime a lot less I feel defoliated decrease my yield a little. The real bushy one if you looked from the inside from bottom up it was trying to rid of most of the shade leaves that wasn't receiving any light so I removed those and them spread her out some.

Well the buds looks more vibrant ever since I added the sea-crop will see how it does.

Side Lighting is the key to bigger yields.

Nice bud structure.

I might have veg a bit too long, looks like I might have to get a little creative.

 

[2 Legal Co]

CaStoner;

Can you estimate how many watts of side lighting produces...'How much more?'

I don't have the level of experience that you have, so have not seen 'sidelighting' used but a couple of times. It was apparent that it helped but wasn't sure it was worth the effort and electricity.

Also the efficiency of T8s, comes to question, as well. Not sure I'd want to contend with the additional heat of the T5s... But then, I have space contraints as well, since I haven't dedicated a large enough area yet.

I do greatly appreciate your detailed reports of how you are doing it.

 

[2 Legal Co]

by th bye

I have started a couple of buckets with water and airstones. Being a cheap SOB, I used red lava rock in place of hydroton,,,, cause it was cheaper. Went to the landscaper rock yard and picked up a couple of 'Homers' for $2.90.

lol At least now I know what my PU weighs......

Thx for mentioning the salt build up. I may just pitch the rock after each use and use fresh to avoid the salts. It looks like I have enough on hand, to fill the 6" net pots 10-15 times.

It's not screened as small as I'd like but it seems to be working well anyway.

 

[CaStoner]

I have no idea since this really the 1st time I tried side lighting with T5. I will report on the yield compared to the total amount of wattage used 864 watts. If I do over 2 pounds close to a gram a watt.

I tried Lava rocks before plants loved them But I hate the weight, weight a ton compare to Hydroton now I use them for outside gardening.

 

[CaStoner]

Week 4 update. The Bushy one pic taken through Lumii grow room glasses.

Sea-crop 1st thing I notice was the flagrance it brought out. The sweet smell and more vibrant flowers.

It's been cold at night lately.

 

[AshitMyself]

excellent looking plants i have bought a waterfarm i will try out the 30mins on 30mins off on my kali mist seed Peace Ash

 

[CaStoner]

5 Week update.

Backed off on the sea crop to 12 mils per 5 Gallons, it did burn some tips at 30 mil per 5 gallons.

I got another 4x4 lighting coming in sometime this week.

I did some pruning inside each plant.

 

[2 Legal Co]

Stoner:
Looking good!

I'm not familiar with Sea Crop,,, what does the jug call for? Thx

 

[CaStoner]

Thanks, The direction for use calls for 1% to 5% strength. One gallon added to 99 gallons of water makes 1% solution. Two and a half tablespoons per gallon equals a 1% solution, way too strong even a 6 mils per gallon started burning.

For Hydroponic's: Sea-crop should be added to the regular broth weekly at a rate of 3 milliliters to 5 milliliters per square meter of greenhouse area. Foliar treatment may also be used.


At 30 mil per 5 gallon I got an rotten egg smell like sulfur so I decided to back off, hopefully it from the sea crop.

Right now I'm using about 10 mils per 5 gallons.

 

[2 Legal Co]

Thx, I'm just starting to try to wrap my brain around some of the Hydro stuff.

Trying to limit my mistakes to paper,,,, instead of burning up my plants. lol

 

[CaStoner]

1 teaspoon equal 5 mils. I just use a syringe measure up to 50 mils. I was worried about the rotten egg smell I changed out seems to be good now I think it was the sea-crop maybe it also eats dead roots?, but the smell is gone at 10 mils per 5 gallons. If you can just feed her what she wants I think you should be good, just got to monitor for awhile to see what she like to feed on also, too much sea-crop caused E.C to rise at slightly higher rate, both plants are steady all day long in the 1.5 e.c range.

 

[Bud Green]

Very Impressive, CaStoner...
I got rid of my MH and HPS years ago, and just work outside... However, i like to crack the marbles indoors and grow 'em to about 2 ft. tall inside and get 'em ready to go in the ground in May...I've been using regular old T12's for years for that, but just bought 2 fixtures of 4 tube x 4ft. with 54 watt 5000k's... Your pictures make me realise I made a wise purchase... Thanks..

 

[2 Legal Co]

Very Impressive, CaStoner...
I got rid of my MH and HPS years ago, and just work outside... However, i like to crack the marbles indoors and grow 'em to about 2 ft. tall inside and get 'em ready to go in the ground in May...I've been using regular old T12's for years for that, but just bought 2 fixtures of 4 tube x 4ft. with 54 watt 5000k's... Your pictures make me realise I made a wise purchase... Thanks..

You 'done' good. I use 4 of the 8 tubes in mine for Veg as well. Saves electricity until they get bigger/bloom. I do use all 6500K tubes (full run), don't think you could notice a difference however (using the 5000k's).

 

[CaStoner]

Thanks! I'm glad I could help. I found out what was wrong with my grow the massive root system wasn't allowing the solution to drain back into the reservoir fast enough so it would just sit there and pool, I actually had to lift the feed pipe slightly so it would drain back, main stems always stayed submerged.

So no more top drip, just the bubbler, to dry and harden the main stem and top roots.

2 lights per plant a little over 500 watts per each plant.

 

[2 Legal Co]

From the pics, is seems you'll have a good amount of harvest.

Are the lower buds responding well to the side lighting?

What strain is the bottom pic.? Looks like it may produce 'high times' really well. lol

 

[tleaf jr.]

hey CA do you have any threads you could refer me too or if you would like to explain to me your bucket design you use does in differ in anyway from traditional DWC

 

[CaStoner]

Thanks Guys, Time will tell if the side lighting helped. The strain I have no idea this is from seeds from all my past grows combination of PPP,MK Ultra and the Mandala strain so who knows. The short bushy one more like Satori strain.

This is just the basic GH 8 Pack waterfarm kit, or you can buy the individual no other mods except a few more drill holes for the roots and a added air stone through the feed pipe.

I had them all linked up before and it just really just got in the way lines running everywhere. I like separated also if one develops root rot it doesn't spread to the others.