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negatives DWC adventure....Blue Dream.

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
Woot woot and welcome all!! negative here and ready to roll out with some DWC goodness. Long time grower here but never in Hydro till last run.....WTF have I been missing! The growth rates were ridiculous and plant was in the best health till I undernuted it and it yellowed early, but you learn....
I did a simple DWC bucket with a GG4 clone. It filled the room nicely touching the walls. I was very impressed at the quality of the lower branches as well. Much better than in my other grows. Very worthy of keeping. Many advantages to this style of growing to.
A couple shots of the GG4 from last run.
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She produced some sweet Glue nugs that were so fire.
So excited to run the Blue Dream this way. This style of growing is making me switch 100% to hydro. We will get into room specs and strain history next post. Plus I have some additions to my nutrient line to test out this run.:woohoo:
peace, negative
 

Easy7

Active member
Veteran
What nutrients?

Hydro is fast and yields heavy. She's expensive and tedious though. Not good for anything other than proven cuts, monocroped.
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
Lights, controls and such.

Lights, controls and such.

If you have seen any of my other threads/diaries you will know my specs and they have not changed much. I am in a roughly 4x5x8 room. I use separate 6 inch in and out fans for air exchange through a carbon scrubber. Dual air cooled hoods with 400 or 600 watt lamps depending on time of year. Summer I run the 400's for obvious reasons. I go mixed spectrum. 1 metal halide, Sun Master Cool Delux, and 1 HPS, Solarmax. I love the mixed spectrum and I feel it gives me better results. Plus I have 2 points of light for better coverage. I keep all equipment out of the room to reduce heat and it keeps it neat and tidy for me.
Here is the cabinet I keep stuff in.
Old picture but things are virtually the same except for the timers. Went all digital lighting controller set up a awhile back.
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Light setup, again older picture but all is virtually the same except for carbon scrubber hooked up
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The strain is Blue Dream from a mom I have had for 3 years or so. Sourced from a local Medical co-op. Baby pic...5 days from transplant from clone. I have not flowered it yet so really excited to see the results...3 years and not flowered..lol.
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I am flowering the mom in a soiless medium at the same time so it will be interesting to see the difference.
peace, negative.
 
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negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
Lights on and the upgraded digitals...I run digital ballasts as well from galaxy.
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peace, negative.
 
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negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
What nutrients?

Hydro is fast and yields heavy. She's expensive and tedious though. Not good for anything other than proven cuts, monocroped.

Thanks for that Easy7. hope your day is going well.
I use mostly Advanced Nutrients. I use the old school Sensi Line.
A&B Bloom
Calmag from Bontanicare
Vodoo
Big Bud
B-52
Overdrive
Piranha
Sweet from Bontanicare
Flawless Finish
Last 2 for the first time....
Rhino Skin
Nirvana
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I just grow for myself so I am not to concerned with high production. I have been absolutely fing amazed at the growth over soiless. I mean there is NO comparison. It makes me smile to open the door and see the growth shoot up. First time I have ever run BD in hydro. It will be a good learner for me and next time I will kill it.
Anyone with advice or tips feel free to chime in. You do not get better without fails and problems and I am not perfect. Love to hear what anyone has to say. I am total noob at hydro so there's that.....but I do know how to read real well....and I am pretty good at comprehension...lol.
peace, negative.
 
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negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
What I started with...

What I started with...

So here is what we started with. 3 old(3 plus years)moms that had bugs and problems. Cut them way back and did some sprays and other methods. I only use the good stuff like Neem, Azamax, Diatomeceous Eartrh, some SNS products and the like.
5-27-18. GG4 on the left, Blue Dream in the back and a unknown strain on the right.
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Funny story on the unknown. Picked up some GG4 cuts and grew them out and ended up with some that were not. So mislabeled cuts...lol. So I just call it Unknown and keep it because it is good and is a heavy yielding Indy.
6-8-18. Making progress. My ghetto scrog tech. Trying to spread these out a bit. On a real tight budget right now so trying to save where I can.
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I know your like where is the hydro plant dude....well here she is. She had to veg up a bit in the tent before coming to play with the so called "big girls."
6-15-18. Day 1 in the room under 800 watts. Blue Dream DWC.
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Very standard 5 gallon setup with dual outlet air pump and hydroton in a net lid. Pretty basic stuff. She is 10 days old since transplant from clone.:dance013:
6-20-18. Whole room.
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Going along well. Have a spectacular day.
peace, negative.
 
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negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
Nute levels week 2 in Vegetative.

Nute levels week 2 in Vegetative.

Made a mistake and started at around 1100 PPM and the tips started to curl down...lowered it to about 750 and the new growth was looking much better.
6-27-18. Putting on size. Just starting to tuck her under the canes.
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7-2-18...going ballistic 27 days in.
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Completely outgrowing the other 3 like they were not even there...WOW!:laughing:
7-8-18. Whole room.
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DWC ftw!!
Couple budsites here....been going with full strength AN nutrients for the soiless and about half for the DWC.
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peace, negative.
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
Some root porn and flip time!!

Some root porn and flip time!!

:biggrin:this was at 10 days in.
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Liking what I see.
7-11-18. She is "Beasting"...that's for you Zack.....
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7-15-18. Little light on the nutes. Ready for flip today. Very excited. You cannot even see the plants in the back...hydro #1.
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I am thinking that 3/4 is about the right strength. Around 900 ppm. I am working with a Hanna meter that has a .7 conversion factor just FYI.
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
Flip day and celebration time!

Flip day and celebration time!

So today is the flip. Day zero of 12/12.:woohoo: Celebration time.
From left to right we have some Glue high terp sugar, Lost Cookies cake batter and Mad Misty snap n pull. Cheers dawg.
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Cake batter hits soooo hard. Whoa baby.:huggg:
It is a carpet...I could walk on it in there....lol. LIGHTS OUT!!
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Did a small upgrade to my air delivery system...lmao. 1.5 lpm to 25 lpm. Will factor this into nutrient levels. Anything over 1.25 lpm is considered "hyperaerated" so nute levels need to be lowered. I think this might only apply to RDWC but not positive. Doing more research today. Water temps have been sweet considering I do not have a chiller...69 to 71. Roots have filled up the bucket from what I can see. Shes scrogged down so cannot really pull up the lid to root porn out....
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Does anyone else get a chub when I say Hyper aerated RDWC covered by Fluence Bioengineering LED's??......mmmmmm baby. I will be back, I need a minute. Will be running that type of system someday.
peace, negative.
 
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negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
Some thoughts on growing.

Some thoughts on growing.

I really believe in environment first. If you get that right the rest will go EASIER. I did not say easy, I said easier. You are handcuffing yourself right from the start if you do not have it right.
Lighting is important. What type not so much, but the correct amount for your space and spectrum is VERY important.
Strain. Cannot stress how important this is. No matter how good of a grower you are you cannot get a plant to express more of itself than its genetics will allow. You can grow it perfect, but if it is ditch weed...it is ditch weed...lol. Plus with all the different micro varietals rolling about its pretty easy to get one you really love or works for you.
Cultivation method is really a personal preference. Depends on what you are willing to deal with. All methods will get you meds in the end. Lots of ways to get to New York if ya get my meaning...
Nutrients...go with what you like and know.
Mixing up my nutrient change out to bloom goodies this PM.
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Went 3/4 strength so about 1.87 EC or 1310 PPM. Nice chilly water temps.
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While mixing up nutes hitting on some nearly 3 year old Black Skunk outdoor buds. Fall of '15 harvest. Not much to look at except up real close. Still packs a good punch in a bong.
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Here is the plant it came off of. I was impressed.
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Off to rip some more dabs with a touch o the Black Skunk.
peace, negative.
 
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insomniac_AU

Active member
I really believe in environment first. If you get that right the rest will go EASIER. I did not say easy, I said easier. You are handcuffing yourself right from the start if you do not have it right.
Lighting is important. What type not so much, but the correct amount for your space and spectrum is VERY important.
Strain. Cannot stress how important this is. No matter how good of a grower you are you cannot get a plant to express more of itself than its genetics will allow. You can grow it perfect, but if it is ditch weed...it is ditch weed...lol. Plus with all the different micro varietals rolling about its pretty easy to get one you really love or works for you.
Cultivation method is really a personal preference. Depends on what you are willing to deal with. All methods will get you meds in the end. Lots of ways to get to New York if ya get my meaning...
Nutrients...go with what you like and know.
Mixing up my nutrient change out to bloom goodies this PM.
View Image
Went 3/4 strength so about 1.87 EC or 1310 PPM. Nice chilly water temps.
View Image
While mixing up nutes hitting on some nearly 3 year old Black Skunk outdoor buds. Fall of '15 harvest. Not much to look at except up real close. Still packs a good punch in a bong.
View Image
Here is the plant it came off of. I was impressed.
View Image
Off to rip some more dabs with a touch o the Black Skunk.
peace, negative.


Great philosophy. Nice garden too, congrats. :tiphat:
 

SKUD

New member
Ya man

Nice set up, the srcog is gona be crazy, jungle !!!

The skunk bud look very nice for 3 year... What about the hight there is still here ?
All the things i find after years of lost were yellow, very soft smoke, with little tatse and a little high. The texture of the smoke is like vaporisation a high température i find.

I have a question about AN nutrients, i dont use them before many years and just start again with. But i find that they are not very concentrated like before, especialy the grow and bloom (i use connoisser}.
Do you use them for long ? what do you think about concentration ?

Nice day man

Vibes
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
Good job :)


I'm glad you're enjoying DWC and cannabis, it's my favorite hydro setup. :) Might want to try dialing back on the nutes a bit and see if the plants maintain their same growth rate (or pick up in speed a bit). Cannabis does more with less nutrients. ;) After 16 years of DWC, I've found most plants max out at 750ppm or below, and when you combine the lower feed with a full pH swing from 5.4-6.0, you'll keep the quality at the peak.


Shoot for the lowest nutrient strength the plants can still vigorously grow with, you'll have the highest quality for that environment. :)
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
Great philosophy. Nice garden too, congrats. :tiphat:
Thanks so much for that insomniac_AU. Really appreciate the kind words.
Ya man

Nice set up, the srcog is gona be crazy, jungle !!!

The skunk bud look very nice for 3 year... What about the hight there is still here ?
All the things i find after years of lost were yellow, very soft smoke, with little tatse and a little high. The texture of the smoke is like vaporisation a high température i find.

I have a question about AN nutrients, i dont use them before many years and just start again with. But i find that they are not very concentrated like before, especialy the grow and bloom (i use connoisser}.
Do you use them for long ? what do you think about concentration ?

Nice day man

Vibes
Thanks for the interest comments and questions SKUD. The smoke still had a great kick to it. Very sleepy though. This probably comes from trichome degradation over time. Kept in vacuum bags in a dark cool place the whole time.
About the AN. I use old school Sensi line and my gallons are old!! I am not kidding when I say at least 3 years old. So I cannot say anything about the coni line. Lots of good nute companies out there. No need to stick with one you are not happy with.
The room went a bit long on veg but that's ok...I have pruners..lol. It is a carpet and very thick canopy. Gonna be fun.

Good job :)


I'm glad you're enjoying DWC and cannabis, it's my favorite hydro setup. :) Might want to try dialing back on the nutes a bit and see if the plants maintain their same growth rate (or pick up in speed a bit). Cannabis does more with less nutrients. ;) After 16 years of DWC, I've found most plants max out at 750ppm or below, and when you combine the lower feed with a full pH swing from 5.4-6.0, you'll keep the quality at the peak.


Shoot for the lowest nutrient strength the plants can still vigorously grow with, you'll have the highest quality for that environment. :)

Thanks so much for the advice Douglas.Curtis. I really appreciate it. So I am at 1300 plus on my ppm with this change out...that's very high compared to what you recommended...I found that it was slightly yellowing at 750-800 in veg. I went with a 3/4 strength feed off of AN feeding charts. Now with the adds giving me over 400 ppm to start, the actual amount of A&B is 900 or so. Am I thinking right here?? I will keep a close watch on it and adjust as needed. Thanks so much. I can use all the help/advice I can get with the hydro.
 
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green404

Member
Nice set up. I had a Santa Cruz Blue Dream in RDWC a while back. It went crazy.. it straight up loved hydro. I ran it about 600-900ppm, it stopped eating at about 7weeks, so I flushed for 2 days and after it came back hungry as a beast.

It totally bullied the other plants in the tent and pushed into their space. I got more then 3/4lb from the one plant sharing space and a 600watt light.

5-gal bucket worked fine but the roots were restricted it could of used a bigger container. 10 gal tote and it's own light it would of cleared a 1lb of flower easy.
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
Nice set up. I had a Santa Cruz Blue Dream in RDWC a while back. It went crazy.. it straight up loved hydro. I ran it about 600-900ppm, it stopped eating at about 7weeks, so I flushed for 2 days and after it came back hungry as a beast.

It totally bullied the other plants in the tent and pushed into their space. I got more then 3/4lb from the one plant sharing space and a 600watt light.

5-gal bucket worked fine but the roots were restricted it could of used a bigger container. 10 gal tote and it's own light it would of cleared a 1lb of flower easy.

Thanks so much for those comments/advice green404. That is funny because mine is doing the same thing...big bully. I have had to trim back several branches to make more room for her. Normally I do not prefer big girls but in this case.....
She makes the other 3 look sad by comparison. Will be interesting to see the difference between the soiless and hydro BD plants at the end. Right now....not even close. Hydro for the win!!! If I recall I pulled 11oz from the GG4 first run DWC. Would have been much better if I knew what I was doing and would have scrogged it. Your right, roots fill out the 5 gallon pretty quickly.
You all have a great day. Is hitting 100 plus here today so I am headed to the river with the hounds to chill, dab and swim.
Big up for bikinis:woohoo:
peace, negative
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
If you will indulge me I am going to talk more of growing theory/style. You kind of have to...it is my thread...just kidding.
Cleanliness. Go overboard. It is vital. Have a good supply of items you will need to clean properly. Keep those items sterile as well. Have a schedule and keep to it.
IPM. Just do it!! If you do not you will be unhappy at some point. I mean the big boys do it for a reason. Plenty of weapons at your disposal that are safe. No reason you cannot employ the tech they use on your small scale grow. I do.
Security. Cameras systems are cheap and excellent. Since putting up a 8 cam system on my property I would never go back to not having it. Never. Always on the big screen in the living room. Can access them via the net on any device. When I sit at my computer I have window open on third monitor so I can watch all the time. Priceless. Night vision equipped as well.
Have a great day ya all. Little parting shot for you.
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peace, negative.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
IPM. Just do it!! If you do not you will be unhappy at some point. I mean the big boys do it for a reason. Plenty of weapons at your disposal that are safe. No reason you cannot employ the tech they use on your small scale grow. I do.
The cannabis industry is slowly awakening to the fact cannabis is rather different than most of the plants IPM routines were developed for. Cannabis accumulates and preserves molecules and elements rather well. Just ask those who treated in veg with various products, and were still hit with positives at harvest time.


That, and it produces the gross and unhealthy product you find in dispensaries. Why would you want to emulate the poor quality the big boys are creating??


Deficiencies in flower at less than 900ppm are usually due to an incomplete or un-natural pH swing. 5.4 is your starting pH, and it slowly climbs from there to the 6.0 range. Add your nutes back to the starting concentration and your pH is back at 5.4. R/O water only, with pure top offs every day before checking your pH/ppm.


It can be difficult to use additives without interrupting the natural pH swing the plants create for themselves.
 

negative37dBA

Well-known member
Veteran
The cannabis industry is slowly awakening to the fact cannabis is rather different than most of the plants IPM routines were developed for. Cannabis accumulates and preserves molecules and elements rather well. Just ask those who treated in veg with various products, and were still hit with positives at harvest time.


That, and it produces the gross and unhealthy product you find in dispensaries. Why would you want to emulate the poor quality the big boys are creating??


Deficiencies in flower at less than 900ppm are usually due to an incomplete or un-natural pH swing. 5.4 is your starting pH, and it slowly climbs from there to the 6.0 range. Add your nutes back to the starting concentration and your pH is back at 5.4. R/O water only, with pure top offs every day before checking your pH/ppm.


It can be difficult to use additives without interrupting the natural pH swing the plants create for themselves.

Thanks for the thoughts/ideas Douglas.Curtis I am aware of the way cannabis holds items and passes them to clones. I was under the impression that the items I use do not do that. I may be wrong and hope to learn something here if I am.
In a earlier post I had listed some of the items I have used. I thought that neems and oils and soaps were ok to use and would not transfer on to clones. I do not want to produce what I have seen come from some big growers.
I generally agree with your statement of how the industry just produces garbage. Yes, I have seen some crap that makes me VERY happy I grow my own. I have also seen a select few do it right though. It amazes me what money does to peoples morals:eek:
I appreciate the inputs and I do not mean to anger anyone with my thoughts, just start a healthy exchange of ideas that lead us as growers forward. :tiphat:

Ok, I get what your are saying about the pH and the nutes and R/O water. That makes sense. Thanks for that. I do use only R/O water as my well is way to high PPM to start with.
This is great, learning things and growing and having fun. Thanks all for contributing to the thread.
I am starting my day right, not sure how much I will get done though...
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Lost Cookies cake batter on a Mad Misty shatter platter...lmao
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peace, negative.
 
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Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
Your posts are clear and concise, while my thoughts still get interpolated by my autism. lol That and my diplomacy still needs more work. ;)


Most of the oils are perfectly fine in veg, you're correct. The currently debatable topic is how much of a contribution azadirachtin has with CHS and other issues. The azadirachtin in un-clarified neem oil, neem seed meal and aza extracts seems to be readily absorbed by cannabis. The downside is the natural light/oxygen/exposure breakdown aza goes through doesn't seem to happen as quickly 'inside' the plant. Plants treated weeks before flower can still have enough aza at harvest to cause issues. Tainted cannabis which triggers CHS has been shown to become much less toxic when exposed to flourescent/sunlight for 12-24hrs.


Anyone who keeps their flowers pristine is ok in my book. :) Use clarified neem oil (azadirachtin removed) and I doubt I'd have any issues with your flowers. :D
 
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