Mixing White & Multi Spectrum Chip LEDs to Grow MedMan Silver Skunk BX1

PetFlora · Mar 23, 2014

Seedling Update + roots from my High Performance F & D

The middle seedling on the let is a bit behind. The tap root formed an 'S', so more of it is below the starter cube. Time will tell how it responds

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High Performance F & D

I harvested 2 plants Monday of last week. They were each grown in 1 liter Air Pots that were transferred into 4 liter Air Pots. As you can see, there are hardly any roots, but plants were >4ft tall. Each will likely yield > 1/3 pound dry

Due to short burst feeding ~ 30 sec every 30 minutes, little energy is expended on root development

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PetFlora · Mar 25, 2014

I didn't plan on posting new pics but roots are already > 3", and one 4"

I trim them to ~ 2", which forces more roots to develop

How do they look for 4th day in the bubbler?

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med-man · Mar 25, 2014

hry pet flora

i am stoked you are doing hydro man. these piggies love hydro

med-man

PetFlora · Mar 28, 2014

7th day from placing seedlings in bubbler

The runt is so far behind that it will likely get the hook, but for now it has finally started growing, so will see.

Roughly 1 .5 liter of water has evaporated

Refill nute ppm 300ppm.

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Root Update

Here's what happens when roots are trimmed early on; fish bones are developing along the tap root, which provides more surface area for nutes to be taken up. I trimmed again, but maybe only once more

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budelight · Mar 28, 2014

Hey pf,
Tell us (me) more about this root trimming you do

BeL

PetFlora · Mar 28, 2014

Hmm, the pics reveal why, but basically a plant sends out a single tap root (see pic 3/21), which searches for moisture.

But, as you can see in the pic there are other roots peaking out of the starter cube. By carefully trimming the dominant root (not too short), it forces the others to develop in order to protect the plant

Trimming those after a few days will force each to develop lateral roots called fish bones, which are beginning to develop

Fish Bones increase the amount of root mass exposed to the nutrients

More roots = more food = rapid growth

One more reason why hydro rules

MedMan, I just read your article in the new IC Mag. The more I find out about you, the more I like and respect you

budelight said:
Hey pf,
Tell us (me) more about this root trimming you do
BeL

med-man · Mar 28, 2014

hey pet flora

thanks buddy

i have seen that method used with trees in buckets. guys will cut off the whole mass right before flipping the lights. encouraging lateral roots and preventing drian blockage.

i run nutirnet film, so this philosophy doesnt work for me. the larger the root matt in med-man tables the better

peace

med-man

PetFlora · Mar 29, 2014

Now that they have some good leaf structure they can process more light, so, I just raised the seedlings ~ 8" closer to the leds, as these do not have lenses so light is diffused

Also, I cut light schedule back yesterday to 20/4

Here's a few pics of a proper result from root trimming

Camera has trouble auto-focusing since I dropped it, but you get the picture.

These short roots are above the water line, getting bombarded with nutes+ DO 24/7

Had I let them grow, I would have just a couple spaghetti string roots deep into the nutes

Maybe I should call the method- Speed Balling

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LyryC · Mar 30, 2014

i think u got us all beat on root size

lets see the seedlings lol

LEDs have always been a laughing matter.

Radiant heat brother. Gotta have something that feels liek the sun too - not just look like it.

Great setup and nice root pruning techniques.

PetFlora · Mar 30, 2014

Scroll down to pics on 3/28

They are already considerably bigger.

New pics Tuesday/Wedsnesday

Been using leds for 5 grows, and hot5s longer

My harvests are potent, and have not missed radiant heat, BUT, where I live it is warm most of the year.

Temps inside tent with open flaps + fans is 85*s

LyryC said:
i think u got us all beat on root size

lets see the seedlings lol

LEDs have always been a laughing matter.

Radiant heat brother. Gotta have something that feels liek the sun too - not just look like it.

Great setup and nice root pruning techniques.

med-man · Mar 30, 2014

for leds

i remember taking a crop full harvest in a heat wave and the hps room got culled do to stress, so they def have there place and time

med-man

PetFlora · Mar 31, 2014

My seedlings are a lot shorter than all the others who are testing

I don't see that as a bad thing as they are very healthy with fat leafs.

However, I decided to unplug the 5000K ufo for a few days and let them bask in 3500K for a bit of stretch

What the hell, here's 2 pics, so we can see the result

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LyryC · Mar 31, 2014

Mines aren't stretching much either BUT the nodes are very tight.

maybe their building up the roots to later anchor them cause they know they ganna be big bitches

These seem like they'll be bushy/compact and probably stretch up in bloom.

They look great dude! :good:

PetFlora · Mar 31, 2014

Thanks

Red or Blue spectrums do act like accelerators or decelerators, but these could just be a squatter pheno.

A few days under 3500K certainly won't hurt anything

LyryC said:
Mines aren't stretching much either BUT the nodes are very tight.

maybe their building up the roots to later anchor them cause they know they ganna be big bitches

These seem like they'll be bushy/compact and probably stretch up in bloom.

They look great dude!

PetFlora · Apr 2, 2014

Not sure dropping the 3500 made any difference, but damn they are growin out of the net pots :woohoo:

I'll be moving them into 1 liter APs shortly

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PetFlora · Apr 2, 2014

Babies were literally bustin out of their net pots, time for phase 2- moving each into a 1 liter Air Pot

Move complete

It's pretty straight forward now that I know the 3" net pots drop right into the 1 liter Air Pots (Pic 1)

FYI I did more root trim

I add a ~ 2" layer of ornamental rock in the bottom of each AP, then just drop the whole net pot inside. Virtually no trauma to the plants (Pic 2)

What's new for me is the final step, where I simply put them all in the bubbler (Pic 3)

Counting on the canopy to prevent light getting into the nutes

Now on algae patrol

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med-man · Apr 2, 2014

hey pet flora

they look awesome man

med-man

PetFlora · Apr 3, 2014

Since plants are outgrowing the original tote I had to get creative fast

Using things I had on hand, for different purposes, I cobbled together a set up that I will start with from now on

I had to go back to my 4 large Oxystones (laid sideways) as the cheap chinese flat stones were barely functioning

Light grate was cut to fit and rests on top of the 4 oxystones, forming a perfect base for the APs + nutes to bubble through

The Coleman beer cooler (also keeps temps cooler) holds 6 @ 1 liter APs, but the runt's root system is not ready to be placed in one

Nutes now at ~ 400ppm

Edit I turned the 5000K back on

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PetFlora · Apr 6, 2014

Yesterday I cut a hole in the top of my tent above the 2 ufos.

I dropped in a 6" net pot lid and hung my twin fan (one on top the other on the bottom) but the temp did not change, so I wrapped the net pot portion (sticking down into the tent) with Reflectex (AL foil would likely work too).

Temps dropped ~ 3*s, now 82.6*s

Note the close up of one plant. The main stem fused and stopped growing. I just pinched it in hopes of forcing bifurcation

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med-man · Apr 6, 2014

hey pet flora

why not try using one fan to bring in fresh cool air from a hole at the bottom of the tent, and keep just one where you cut the hole.

the fusing is common with the ss as well. not slot, but present none the less

med-man

Mixing White & Multi Spectrum Chip LEDs to Grow MedMan Silver Skunk BX1

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