how to get her flowers more beefy/bigger

#1cheesebuds · Jun 9, 2015

Ok so I need something to help her buds get more beefy/bigger. For DWC what would you use to do this? I don't have much money to spend at all.

now she gets fed GH bloom along with cal+mag. flowering under a 200 watt cob led lamp.
Wanted to give her something extra to help boost her flowers into high gear but without spending the extra $$. what about trying molasses. some ppl say don't us it in DWC. also what about foliar feeding with molasses?

btw shes 6 weeks flower not looking as beefy as hoped for.

Balance · Jun 9, 2015

I hate to say this bro, but your leaf tips are burnt from too much fertilizer. The leaves are not lush green, in fact yellowing from ph lockout probably. Additionally the leaves are drooping with spots showing a very unhappy plant.

If it were me, i'd dump the rez and start with ph balanced water. Not even adding bloom until your plants looked better.

I'd never foliar @ six weeks flower.

You can also post your photos in the sick plant infirmary, gl.

Lester Beans · Jun 9, 2015

There is a pH issue going on and if you are using tap water adding the cal/mag may not be the best idea. Res change, pH to 5.8 and just the bloom food.

As for a cheap way to fatten them up some you can buy some bakers yeast and put a bucket of water and the yeast in your room for some co2.

Most strains begin to bulk up in the 7-9th week anyway. I would get the pH ironed out and I think you will see some good results.

FlowerFarmer · Jun 10, 2015

Want bigger and beefier buds? Get yourself a HID! A 200w LED light just isn't going to give you huge buds. As soon as you can scrounge up the cash, get an HPS light.

Are you using the FloraMicro, or are you using their stand alone Floranova bloom?
Don't add molasses to your DWC.. it'll be a mess. I'd drop the CalMag too, it isn't needed.

I'd just try to get through this one and take what ya can get. Then, ditch the LED.. get an HID (say even a 400w unit), use Floranova Bloom ~8mL start to finish once under HID light. Keep rez temp 68F and let pH move between a range of 5.2 to 6.2, topping up with plain RO water as the plant depletes the rez. Dump/refresh once you rise to 6.2 pH with a fresh batch of nutes...starting over again with pH in the lower 5s and letting it drift up over the course of the week.

The same can be done with MaxiBloom at 7g/Gal
or the original Flora Series - Micro 8mL/Gal & Bloom 16mL/Gal

Your aim is around 1.8EC in hydro under HID lighting.

*these methods typically work best with RO water, but have worked well in lower EC tap for others.

Are you familiar with the Lucas formula/method? See the below:

http://lucasformula.com/
http://www.lucasformulacalculator.com/

see here for advanced learning
http://cannastats.com/

I hope this helps.

zachrockbadenof · Jun 11, 2015

FlowerFarmer said:
use Floranova Bloom ~8mL start to finish once under HID light. Keep rez temp 68F and let pH move between a range of 5.2 to 6.2, topping up with plain RO water as the plant depletes the rez. Dump/refresh once you rise to 6.2 pH with a fresh batch of nutes...starting over again with pH in the lower 5s and letting it drift up over the course of the week.

The same can be done with MaxiBloom at 7g/Gal
or the original Flora Series - Micro 8mL/Gal & Bloom 16mL/Gal

Your aim is around 1.8EC in hydro under HID lighting.

we grow in waterfarms, using GH nutes, under 3000k... we make a
batch of nutes , ph into the lower/mid 5's and let it drift up to low
6's, when we change the nutes..

we 'thought' we had the plants (mainly sdkush) 'dialed-in' , as the ppm's we start with are around 400, and when we are changing the nutes, its still around the 400level... ie eating an equal amount of water/nutes..
however we have not been happy with the density of the buds.

this time around , we increase the ppm's to 800, and lo and behold, the plant is eating the nutes and water at an equal rate... so much for thinking we were dialed in... and the buds are now twice as large, and rock solid...

I would have thought if the 400ppm's were too low, when checking them, they would be lower.. ie the plant eating more nutes then water, but that was not the case..

as u can see , bit confused...

#1cheesebuds · Jun 13, 2015

Lester Beans said:
There is a pH issue going on and if you are using tap water adding the cal/mag may not be the best idea. Res change, pH to 5.8 and just the bloom food.

As for a cheap way to fatten them up some you can buy some bakers yeast and put a bucket of water and the yeast in your room for some co2.

Most strains begin to bulk up in the 7-9th week anyway. I would get the pH ironed out and I think you will see some good results.

Ok so dumped out the water and gave new water with no bloom nuts or cal+mag. ph is now round 5.8 5.9. will see what happens.

and a few grows ago a plant had most of the big fan leafs fell around the 7th week flower but the flowers kept flowering for another 3-4 more weeks.

so think the one now will do ok and will take what can get something is better than nothing.

will update her in a week or so.

plutosmoke · Jun 13, 2015

considering every other factors are taken care of, the easiest, most effective, most natural and inexpensive way is supply more co2. sugar, water, and yeast.

excon · Jun 15, 2015

more light - less ferts - some co2

NO molasses in DWC homie -

in general more nutes doesn't make the plants go jump

BadRabbit · Jun 15, 2015

FlowerFarmer said:
Want bigger and beefier buds? Get yourself a HID! A 200w LED light just isn't going to give you huge buds. As soon as you can scrounge up the cash, get an HPS light.
.

I agree that nutes may be too high, but FF is completely right in the first comment ... the lighting is far and away the number one influence here. Save the money you might spend on CO2 tanks and buy a nice 400W HID. Problem solved.

UberPooner · Jun 16, 2015

zachrockbadenof said:
we grow in waterfarms, using GH nutes, under 3000k... we make a
batch of nutes , ph into the lower/mid 5's and let it drift up to low
6's, when we change the nutes..

we 'thought' we had the plants (mainly sdkush) 'dialed-in' , as the ppm's we start with are around 400, and when we are changing the nutes, its still around the 400level... ie eating an equal amount of water/nutes..
however we have not been happy with the density of the buds.

this time around , we increase the ppm's to 800, and lo and behold, the plant is eating the nutes and water at an equal rate... so much for thinking we were dialed in... and the buds are now twice as large, and rock solid...

I would have thought if the 400ppm's were too low, when checking them, they would be lower.. ie the plant eating more nutes then water, but that was not the case..

as u can see , bit confused...

This is exactly what happened to me in my last run and I thought the same as you that its eating equal so its good.

Does anyone have info on this?

vitamingreeninc · Jun 16, 2015

How close is your light? 200w cob should cover 4 sq feet adequately...idk why all these
Guys are saying you can't get dense buds? Whatever, just fix the other stuff, and keep the light within 12-14 inches?

ChasingGreen · Jun 16, 2015

Since you don't have a lot of money to spend, I'd go with some supplimental CFL bulbs, 42W to be exact, they are the most cost effective for the lumens and easily available at Ace Hardware (not HD or Lowes in my area). Get a $8 lamp cord /socket with a reflector, take off the reflector, add a splitter, add 2 42w bulbs, hang and enjoy. I'd add 4 of the 42W at the least. You're so far into flower I don't think you can really help this one, but maybe your next?

BadRabbit · Jun 16, 2015

vitamingreeninc said:
[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=58871&pictureid=1422513&thumb=1]View Image[/url] [URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=58871&pictureid=1428267&thumb=1]View Image[/url] [URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=58871&pictureid=1429841&thumb=1]View Image[/url]

How close is your light? 200w cob should cover 4 sq feet adequately...idk why all these
Guys are saying you can't get dense buds? Whatever, just fix the other stuff, and keep the light within 12-14 inches?

That's the growth on THAT plant, nice honker, I bet it delivers big buds under most any light. But HIS viney/kushy plant isn't going to deliver that under any lighting.

Strong growth, and bigger buds, should result from around 5000 lumens per sq foot and I doubt a 200w LED get's him there. In any case, its not going to deliver the results a basic HID will. If money is a problem (although a basic 400 unit isn't all that expensive), I think the previous advice about adding some CLF's is helpful.

cheers,
rabbit

vitamingreeninc · Jun 16, 2015

So, the correct answer would NOT be more light, it would be better GENETICS...and if you read the OP, it clearly states "I don't have a lot of money." I only put up a few pics lol, or you can go on Other parts of the web and see even better growers than myself out pull HPS with quicker finish times and higher THC content...don't be fooled, that COB LED is capable of outpulling a 400w HPS in the proper hands and with the correct Genetics and proper watering/feeding regimine

Lumens and LED is not how it works...a good standing rule of thumb is 30-35w of QUALITY LED per sq foot. If his light is 200w actual of Cree or Vero then he has plenty of light, as long as it's a proper distance away from the canopy

BadRabbit · Jun 16, 2015

vitamingreeninc said:
So, the correct answer would NOT be more light, it would be better GENETICS...and if you read the OP, it clearly states "I don't have a lot of money." I only put up a few pics lol, or you can go on Other parts of the web and see even better growers than myself out pull HPS with quicker finish times and higher THC content...don't be fooled, that COB LED is capable of outpulling a 400w HPS in the proper hands and with the correct Genetics and proper watering/feeding regimine

Lumens and LED is not how it works...a good standing rule of thumb is 30-35w of QUALITY LED per sq foot. If his light is 200w actual of Cree or Vero then he has plenty of light, as long as it's a proper distance away from the canopy

I've no wish to debate and write crap in caps ace; let's keep it to a civil conversation. I've been growing for many years and I'll take an HID over an LED anytime and everytime. And that, to this day, is the conclusion of the vast majority of growers and it is the advice I'd give to any grower looking for best possible results.

There's many great qualities to LED's that may make them the best choice for some growers, and they may be the best choice in the future, but currently they don't outperform HID by any stretch.

vitamingreeninc · Jun 16, 2015

That's totally wrong. LED is already outperforming HPS, it's just no one wants to pay the initial investment. Idk about the rules for ICMag, but I can give you a direct link to a 1000w HPS vs a 600w Apache Tech LED grow off, with lab test results that prove higher THC %...PM me if you want it or Google Greengenes Garden and its on RIU

Btw, the Caps were used properly, for emphasis, as they should be. That's why the whole message wasn't in caps, just certain key words.

HPS is a bludgeon, and LeD is more efficient in multiple areas, including, draw wattge, cooling costs, and it's easier to have perpetual grows going as multiple LED panels are better than 1 big one...or OP could look at LEC, that's another MOrE efficient system than HPS.

BadRabbit · Jun 16, 2015

vitamingreeninc said:
That's totally wrong. LED is already outperforming HPS, it's just no one wants to pay the initial investment. Idk about the rules for ICMag, but I can give you a direct link to a 1000w HPS vs a 600w Apache Tech LED grow off, with lab test results that prove higher THC %...PM me if you want it or Google Greengenes Garden and its on RIU

Btw, the Caps were used properly, for emphasis, as they should be. That's why the whole message wasn't in caps, just certain key words.

HPS is a bludgeon, and LeD is more efficient in multiple areas, including, draw wattge, cooling costs, and it's easier to have perpetual grows going as multiple LED panels are better than 1 big one...or OP could look at LEC, that's another MOrE efficient system than HPS.

Fair enough. I don't question the efficiency and heat/cool advantages, but most of the "wow, LED blows away (or ties) HID" tests are sponsored by people selling LED's. I also found plenty of independent experts and experienced growers saying they've tried it and still prefer HID, some of them acknowledging it's closer than they expected.

I will say though, after doing some research and reading, that it looks like there's been a lot of improvement in the LED's in the last couple of years and enough claims of equal or superior performance that it's worth taking a hard look at it.

stoned-trout · Jun 16, 2015

get a more powerfull light.....yeehaw...led is still too expensive...led has its advantages and disadvantages... I am still waiting a few more years .. till then hid kicks ass

BadRabbit · Jun 16, 2015

vitamingreeninc said:
That's totally wrong. LED is already outperforming HPS, it's just no one wants to pay the initial investment. .

And holeee sheeet .... I just went and looked at prices on the brands folks recommend as the latest and best LED ...wow. Even with the savings on power costs, that's going to take a long time to pay off that much of a entry fee.

vitamingreeninc · Jun 16, 2015

BadRabbit said:
And holeee sheeet .... I just went and looked at prices on the brands folks recommend as the latest and best LED ...wow. Even with the savings on power costs, that's going to take a long time to pay off that much of a entry fee.

Yeah, that's the only real issue I see. But you have to figure, those LeDs will last a long long time, like 3-5 years at something like 75% efficiency? Don't qoute me on that btw...and now how often do you have to replace that bulb? 3x? 4x? At idk, I always estimate low, so 45$ a bulb, that's at least 120+ initial investment of 75$ For the light is cutting into that financing/profit plan a good little chunk there, then you factor smaller/lower fan necesity, lower AC costs, AND it pulls 1 GPW+ at a lower wattage CONSISTANTLY? LED to me eliminates the lighting factor/variable in experiments because it is so efficient and lasts so long at that same efficiemcy

Alot of "big," growers disdain even looking into small spaces, but if you learn on a small scale and can max that out, as you move up in space, logically you will be consistant with your growing abilities/numbers...if you start in a big space and never learn how to max it, then logically as you move up in space you become progressively worse. Just some food for thought :tiphat:

how to get her flowers more beefy/bigger

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