2nd Diary: Anything Goes...

[spiritlevel]

This is the second grow Diary I'll be maintaining with ICMag. I'll be doing things a little different {(for 2009)} to what I'd ordinarily do, but lets see how it grows. Any help will be appreciated and all queries will be answered.

 

[spiritlevel]

Lets get to the spec

I'm currently, and hope to perpetually be, vegging in a

Small BudBox Grow Tent (75cm x 75cm x 100cm)​

in which will be contained

1 x 8" Fan
1 x 5" Exhaust
4 x 125w 6400K CFLs
1 x 20 Site Aeroponic Propagator
1 x Max/Min Submersible Thermometer
1 x 50w Water Heater
​

with inside it

24 x Cheese (of some description) clones
1 x Alaskan Ice apparently 3 weeks from seed​

 

[spiritlevel]

There isn't much to see at the moment. But I'll be updating this thread regular regardless of that.

 

[MRBIg$]

Hey spirit just read your cheese thread from last year turnd out really nice man just took 1 cheese @ 68 days flower and it was only 20% amber 80% cloudy have you let them go that long??? still got three more @ 63 days just driying out pots then i will harvest them are you doing the cheese again or what are you going to grow??? ok peace brotha

 

[spiritlevel]

The clones were taken, 2nd/01/2009, so they are now 3 days in the aeroponic propagator.

I haven't Ph'd the water in the reservoir... should I?

I haven't added any nute to the reservoir... should I?

I haven't misted them... should I?

I took the clones and dipped them in clonex and planted them into Root Riot cubes. The root riot cubes are in the net pots in the propagator.

There is only tap water in the reservoir. I've been told I ought to wait until I see signs of roots before adding nutes and going through the Ph process.

Over the next few days I shall be assembling the bloom room which will be equipped with

4 x 600 hps with standard shades
1 x 10" exhaust
1 x 8" filter

just to present an idea. The space will not be great and I shall endeavour to harvest 15 plants every 4 weeks. Updates will follow.

 

[MRBIg$]

Lets get to the spec

I'm currently, and hope to perpetually be, vegging in a

Small BudBox Grow Tent (75cm x 75cm x 100cm)​

in which will be contained

1 x 8" Fan
1 x 5" Exhaust
4 x 125w 6400K CFLs
1 x 20 Site Aeroponic Propagator
1 x Max/Min Submersible Thermometer
1 x 50w Water Heater
​

with inside it

24 x Cheese (of some description) clones
1 x Alaskan Ice apparently 3 weeks from seed​

right on brotha sounds like it should be a good show tag it up peace brotha

 

[spiritlevel]

Hey spirit just read your cheese thread from last year turnd out really nice man just took 1 cheese @ 68 days flower and it was only 20% amber 80% cloudy have you let them go that long??? still got three more @ 63 days just driying out pots then i will harvest them are you doing the cheese again or what are you going to grow??? ok peace brotha

High MRBIg$, thanks for dropping by. Yeah the cheese wasn't that bad really, I only wish I had done more, a hell of a lot more. But here I go again!

68 days? I tend to see mine finish early tbh. 60 days would be probably my limit. However, a fellow medical user was able to yield on average 5 ounce per plant of the same genetics. They let theirs go for an extra week to two weeks of mainly flushing after a pretty long veg period. I was quite amazed that they harvest literally double what I was used to seeing per plant.

I'm planning to utilise the extended veg and bloom periods to see it my final weight increases. The genetics are still the same as I was able to reclaim a number of clones from their vegging plants. It is not the same cheese, as far as I'm aware, as the cheese I grew in the previous thread.

Smok£ it uP

>> edit << your cheese looks great btw, as do the other strains in your current thread.. sweet growing!!

 

[spiritlevel]

The cuttings are now 4 days in the propagator.

I've been asking questions at my local newsagent, and also someone with limited experience with aero.

Today, I've switched on the water heater. With this I should see an increase in humidity and a better 'root development' environment, I hope. The heater is set to 24C/75.2F. Is that good ok?

The misters have been turned off on the advice from the newsagent. She said my root riot cubes will become overly saturated with water. I squeezed a few cubes and they were ringing wet. I shall endeavour to squeeze them all so that they are just damp. Is that the right idea?

An extra pump has been added to the reservoir to try and maintain a bit of circulation and an even water temperature without the misters doing the recirculating.

I've added a 2nd CFL to the tent, now there is 250w total. The fan is constantly on as to move the air around a bit. The Alaskan is now situated between the two lamps.

I've added a water thermometer with max/min functions to the reservoir. The initial reading was around 15C, with a tent temp of 17C. This should now rise to a more productive temperature with the extra CFL and the water heater.

I have not installed an extractor. Is that ok? Will my tent humidity reach problematic levels for my other electrical equipment or will the propagator contain the majority of the humidity. I dun't wanna blow any circuits, so any advice is welcome.

Images to follow.

 

[spiritlevel]

There isn't much to see right now, but any comments are welcome

 

[spiritlevel]

After running the upgraded system I'm finding my tent temperature is 25C and the water is at 20C. I think those figures should be ok, anyone disagree?

I will commence misting for 15minutes daily until roots show

 

[FreezerBoy]

I'm NOT a cfl guy but, hung vertically above the plants without reflectors, aren't you wasting 98% of the light? Because of the curl at the ends, there is a minute amount of light thrown "forward" but, minute would be the operative term. If hung horizontally, you'd only be wasting 75% of the light. With a refector you can cut waste to 5-10%.

... said the HID guy that doesn't use cfls .....

 

[spiritlevel]

Orite FreezerBoy

I get your logic. Its a very small tent so I wasn't about to try and put reflectors in there as I'll eventually be running 4 x 125w CFLs in the there. I dont think I've got the space.

I do, however have the space to put a customised frame inside and then mount all 4 bulbs horizontally. I'll probably then line the one side of the frame with mylar. I will greatly consider getting the bulbs mounted horizontally. I don't normally work in this fashion but its nice to feel human again...

Stick around as I'll be prepping the bloom room soon and I may benefit from some more lighting advice.

Smok£ it uP

 

[piosh]

Im going to look here man to see what will come out of the GH alaskan ice seed (I have 5fem of them so its really interesting for me) .
Good luck.

 

[spiritlevel]

Thanks for dropping in piosh and good luck with your Alaskan grow.

 

[spiritlevel]

Early Problems

Early Problems

Being new to this aeroponic method of propagation is rearing a few problems.

I'm not sure what the problem is, any help would be welcome.

So far, after spotting the problem this evening, I ph'd to 5.5, squeezed excess moisture from all the cubes, pulled out a few cuttings and saw nothing happening (probably a bad move), and on top of that I have re-dipped them all into clonex and planted them a little deeper where possible, I gave them a light mist with water and less than 0.5ml of formulex to the litre of water. I ran the jets for around 1 minute to re dampen the cubes and replaced the lid.

I also removed the leaf with the black spots.

I think I'm going wrong and could do with some help. It's day 6 and I'd like to save them with a bit of assistance...

 

[mexilandrace]

if you are new to growing why on earth are you planning to go commercial so soon, 4x600 watters already? Kudos on your confidence but you gotta learn to crawl before you walk.

edit: lol, nvm new to aero cloning not to growing.

why not use your old cloning method if it worked? no need to get fancy with clones in my experience

 

[hydroclops]

Please take all i say as being ment to help.

First why the cubes for the clones?
Didn't the areo system come with neoprene disks.
If i were you I would get the disks, and leave the pump running all the time.


Also with an areo unit you really don't need the cloning gel, not saying it hurts but I have found it jusrt washes away.
Also I just went back and looked at youe areo unit more closly, you don't need a dome with and areo system, or a bubbler wich is what I use, only reason I go with a bubbler is some times the pump raises the temps to much.

When cloning you do not want to mist at all espeacally with and areo unit,
You need to let the plant force it self to root and if you mist it that is defeeting the perpose.


Again everything is just trying to help so if maybe I come off wrong nothing bad is intended



I f I can help with anything else please don't hesitate to ask.






Stay safe and high.
.......HYDRO......

 

[spiritlevel]

if you are new to growing why on earth are you planning to go commercial so soon, 4x600 watters already? Kudos on your confidence but you gotta learn to crawl before you walk.

edit: lol, nvm new to aero cloning not to growing.

why not use your old cloning method if it worked? no need to get fancy with clones in my experience

OK mexilandrace... I think that Is a very good point and I am very tempted to revert back to the other method in 1-2 days time if nothing develops. I was just trying my luck.

Cheers

 

[spiritlevel]

Please take all i say as being ment to help.

First why the cubes for the clones?
Didn't the areo system come with neoprene disks.
If i were you I would get the disks, and leave the pump running all the time.


Also with an areo unit you really don't need the cloning gel, not saying it hurts but I have found it jusrt washes away.
Also I just went back and looked at youe areo unit more closly, you don't need a dome with and areo system, or a bubbler wich is what I use, only reason I go with a bubbler is some times the pump raises the temps to much.

When cloning you do not want to mist at all espeacally with and areo unit,
You need to let the plant force it self to root and if you mist it that is defeeting the perpose.


Again everything is just trying to help so if maybe I come off wrong nothing bad is intended



I f I can help with anything else please don't hesitate to ask.






Stay safe and high.
.......HYDRO......

Orite Hydrofome420...
First why the cubes for the clones?

- I acquired cutting from a remote location. I wanted to try this aeroponics. I needed a way to transport my cuttings from A to B, so I took them and stuck em in the root riot cubes. I then moved the cutting from A to B and put the cubes into the net pots.

Didn't the areo system come with neoprene disks.

- Yes it did come with the disks. I have then to hand. But the size of the cuttings stems are not quite long enough to benefit from running the pump.

If i were you I would get the disks, and leave the pump running all the time.

- I did get the disks out last night and that was when I realised the cuttings were a bit short.

After yesterdays modification... ph, cube squeezing and misting... the cuttings look a little healthier. The pump has not been running and the cubes are damp, but not soaking.. You mentioned that I don't need the lid? Should I remove the lid? Bare in mind its just being used as a normal propagator at the moment with a pool of warm water in the reservoir. I pump is not running the sprayers.

Should I be worried that my reservoir temperature is higher than the tent temperature during the dark period? Should I turn off my water heater at night for a better balance?

The reservoir temps obviously affect the propagator temperatures so I'm wondering if this is important.

If I keep it as is with no more misting & pump cycles, is that enough for the system to start acting as a normal heated propagator... ? I'm not going to give up with the aero, but if it isn't working for me at the moment that maybe I ought to save these babies and try again when I have more plant matter to dedicate towards experimentation...

Cheers

 

[hydroclops]

Good point, if the pump is not running and using it as just a propagator,
then I would say leave the lid, but that being said Just mist the dome when you see no water droplets on the inside. and not the cuttings.

What are the temps when you are running the pump?

If the temps at night are low where you are then maybee you need the
heater.

when you go again try and get the cuttings alittle longer so you can use the disks.
But my bubbler has just an air stone and air pump, and I got roots in seven days, with little root nubs after 5 days.


I hope you don't mind me posting couple of pics of my bubbler just to give you and idea.

















Stay safe and high.
........HYDRO.......