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Ace Seeds Malawi...1st pure sativa grow

Smell was ever-changing and hard to place. Very spicy and cinnamon. The taste was very smooth and light. It made my teeth buzz. Very electric effects with no paranoia.
 

Old Toker

Well-known member
Day 45 from seed. Finally ran the drip lines and setup the manifold. 55 gal reservoir comes tomorrow and that should be the end of hand watering for awhile.

Going to prune and tie back to the screen in the next day or so. A couple days later I'll switch to 12/12. Hopefully next Sunday I'll have some pictures of early flowering. If I were more organized I probably should have switched them a week or two ago. Oh well......I'm in no hurry.

Once again....sorry about the quality of the photos. Here is an overall view of all 8.

The Malawi is in the green container at the very top of the first pic.....to the left of the blue container. This is the taller one.
The other, more bushy Malawi is shown in the 2nd pic. It is in the blue container at the top left....just to the L of the green container. Clear as mud?
 

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Lammy

Member
Hi old toker, if you don't mind I'll comment about my experience. primarily with the drippers.if you're using actual drip emitters they will clog up from time to time. I lost a bunch of different plants like that. I found that the system is more reliable if you just leave the drip emitters out. drip systems are really good for running equal amounts of water to all your plants. that is most useful if you're running all clones from the same thing or similar plants. if you're running very different genetics or different size pots you may need different amounts of water to each plant which you might be able to accomplish by running additional drippers or maybe it won't matter so much. sometimes your pump might suck something out of the reservoir and cause your drippers or your dripperless drip system to get clogged up. so just keep an eye on it. I've been just using a garden hose with a three foot PVC pipe on one end and the other end connected to a 700 GPH pump in a 50 gallon Rubbermaid stock feed tank. that's what I call hand-watering.

it looks like you're doing pretty good. You've got the pictures right side up :) perhaps you know the lines on the camera is because of the magnetic ballast.

Good luck with everything.
 

Old Toker

Well-known member
You've got the pictures right side up :) perhaps you know the lines on the camera is because of the magnetic ballast.
Hi Lammy!

Figured it was because of the light. Didn't realize it was actually the ballast. Thanks!:tiphat:

I've run two 1/4" feed lines (equal length) to each pot. At the end of each feed line is a T......and then open from there. Four water points for each two gal pot. I may eventually use halos or something similar.....but for right now....open lines. I've heard LOTS of horror stories about drippers and Blumats that have failed for one reason or another. For now I'm trying to keep it simple.

I am using a filter before the manifold and putting my pump in a filter bag to minimize what might get sucked up. Fortunately with open lines.....and DTW I can see if water is coming out and hopefully catch any blockages. Hopefully.

Thanks for the suggestions! BTW - I never mind someone sharing their experiences or opinions. Newbs like me can use all we can get.:)
 

Lammy

Member
it sounds like you got it under control. I haven't used drippers for a while. I was planning on doing something similar to yours with a tee feeding each pot in my setup I wanted it coming directly off the half inch main line that I would have running across the tops of the pots. with a small set up like yours you shouldn't have a problem as long as you keep an eye on it. whenever I had problems I was running two or three different flower rooms and my reservoir was in another room. so very often I would mix up a reservoir and started watering without the lights even being on in my flower room so I couldn't check on it.

the filter around the pump and on the line is a good idea.I still had problems using that setup because water will sit in your dripper lines and since you added nutrients to it it's the perfect environment for mold or whatever kind of Gunk to grow. so randomly particles will break off and clog up drippers or even the tee's. I wanted to replace the dripper lines periodically but I rarely ever did
 

Ramsthepharoah

Active member
Sounds good

Sounds good

Hi Lammy!

Figured it was because of the light. Didn't realize it was actually the ballast. Thanks!:tiphat:

I've run two 1/4" feed lines (equal length) to each pot. At the end of each feed line is a T......and then open from there. Four water points for each two gal pot. I may eventually use halos or something similar.....but for right now....open lines. I've heard LOTS of horror stories about drippers and Blumats that have failed for one reason or another. For now I'm trying to keep it simple.

I am using a filter before the manifold and putting my pump in a filter bag to minimize what might get sucked up. Fortunately with open lines.....and DTW I can see if water is coming out and hopefully catch any blockages. Hopefully.

Thanks for the suggestions! BTW - I never mind someone sharing their experiences or opinions. Newbs like me can use all we can get.:)

Sounds like an interesting set up. I've never ran a drip system. I've always hand watered everything. Seems like you have way better efficiency in your set up. Does it make it a little bit easier for you to manage that way?? Seems like it would cut down the time you spend in the garden worrying about whether to water or not. Anyway, the plants look nice and full from what I see!!
 

Ramsthepharoah

Active member
it sounds like you got it under control. I haven't used drippers for a while. I was planning on doing something similar to yours with a tee feeding each pot in my setup I wanted it coming directly off the half inch main line that I would have running across the tops of the pots. with a small set up like yours you shouldn't have a problem as long as you keep an eye on it. whenever I had problems I was running two or three different flower rooms and my reservoir was in another room. so very often I would mix up a reservoir and started watering without the lights even being on in my flower room so I couldn't check on it.

the filter around the pump and on the line is a good idea.I still had problems using that setup because water will sit in your dripper lines and since you added nutrients to it it's the perfect environment for mold or whatever kind of Gunk to grow. so randomly particles will break off and clog up drippers or even the tee's. I wanted to replace the dripper lines periodically but I rarely ever did

Sounds like you really know and under stand this method of watering and growing cannabis. What set up do you currently have??
 

Ramsthepharoah

Active member
Day 55

Day 55

It is now day 55 of Malawi being in veg above soil. The broader leaved taller Malawi is now at 16 1/2" and the Malawi with the thinner leaf structure is 1 inch shorter at 15 1/2" that's. they have grown about .45 inches per day since my last measurement. Almost a half inch per day isn't bad considering I've topped them and have been pinching and bending to promote shorter, bushy, and more manageable plants. The smell is still the same; broader leaf pheno still has a spicy citrus/grapefruits smell and the thinner leaf pheno is still herb-ish kind of sage like, but now they both have this undertone that kind of hits you now and then. It's kind of weird, it almost smells like when you smell marijuana smoke off in the distance or you walk into a place where you know someone has been smoking herb. (I don't know it kind of smells like Its lit or something lol) It's very hard to describe. Anyway, What do you guys think?? Should I flip it to 12/12 now or wait until day 60 which is the 2 month mark?? Or should I let them go about 3 more weeks to really develop into a bush (with more topping and training of course) before I induce flowering?? Just curious to known what the family thinks.

Peace!!

-Pharoah:dance013:
 

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Ramsthepharoah

Active member
Clones rooted!!

Clones rooted!!

Also very proud to report that my homemade aero cloner is doing very well. I have the 5 cherry pie have successfully sprouted tap roots. Some in a little less than 10 days and others right at about 11/12 days. The only other small issue is that they are droopy looking. They're still growing leaves and are green, but some are yellowing a bit and all are drooping. I put the humidity dome over them, but that doesn't help as much as I would like it to. I want to see perky happy rooted clones!! Below is a pic of the taproots along with a pic of the mother that I took them from. Since my sour cheese was a male; I took pollen from him and I went to the grower that gave him to me and took cuts of of one of his female plants , so I will now have sour cheese seeds. I also took cuts from his sour diesel plant. I will be hitting her with the sour cheese pollen as well and then crossing the offspring back the the sour diesel and also crossing them to the sour cheese. It'll be an exciting year this year with the Malawi, black eyed Katy, cherry pie, and the sour cheese and sour Diesel. The super Lemon Haze is some of my favorite smoke, so I'm just going to keep her around for fun. Peace!!

-Pharoah:dance013:
 

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Old Toker

Well-known member
What do you guys think?? Should I flip it to 12/12 now or wait until day 60 which is the 2 month mark?? Or should I let them go about 3 more weeks to really develop into a bush (with more topping and training of course) before I induce flowering??
My inexperienced suggestion would be that whether to flower now depends on how much room you'll have in the tent for them, and how soon you need to harvest them for whatever is coming in next. If you have the time and space....I'd veg them as long as possible to get the greatest yield. JMPO.....:tiphat:
 

Old Toker

Well-known member
I still had problems using that setup because water will sit in your dripper lines and since you added nutrients to it it's the perfect environment for mold or whatever kind of Gunk to grow. so randomly particles will break off and clog up drippers or even the tee's. I wanted to replace the dripper lines periodically but I rarely ever did
I've wondered whether the nutes sitting in the lines would be a problem. Considered using drip clean....or I've heard some people add a small amount of bleach to their reservoir. I'm hoping to avoid adding anything else to my feed.....so far it's just Pro-TeKt, nutes and Ph down. Again.....during my first run.....just trying to keep it simple. Fortunately all the manifold and feeder lines are black so that should hopefully prevent light from helping any undesirables (gunk) from growing in them. But I appreciate the information and I'll keep an eye on them. :tiphat:
 

Old Toker

Well-known member
Sounds like an interesting set up. I've never ran a drip system. I've always hand watered everything. Seems like you have way better efficiency in your set up. Does it make it a little bit easier for you to manage that way?? Seems like it would cut down the time you spend in the garden worrying about whether to water or not. Anyway, the plants look nice and full from what I see!!
The main benefit to me of the drip system is that I can automatically water multiple times a day and not need to be home for it. If I can figure out how to stabilize my Ph I may actually be able to leave town for 3/4 days. However, if it weren't for the above benefits I really wouldn't mind hand watering. Probably would still use a reservoir with a wand and a pump though.

Your plants look great! Very healthy and full. :tiphat:
 

Lammy

Member
The main benefit to me of the drip system is that I can automatically water multiple times a day and not need to be home for it. If I can figure out how to stabilize my Ph I may actually be able to leave town for 3/4 days. However, if it weren't for the above benefits I really wouldn't mind hand watering. Probably would still use a reservoir with a wand and a pump though.

Your plants look great! Very healthy and full. :tiphat:
Does your ph change in your rez? Are you bubbling it? carbon dioxide is used as either up or down I don't recall which. putting your bubbler on a cycle timer should increase the amount of time before the pH gets out of whack. maybe just put the bubbler right in front of your pump and plug it into the same timer as your pump. perhaps adding hydrogen peroxide to your Reservoir would accomplish what you want instead. It would add oxygen to the water and sterilize it.

don't let me scare you too much with the dripper. my mind may be overly critical. I try and come up with a set up that will have close to 0% failure.
 

Old Toker

Well-known member
I try and come up with a set up that will have close to 0% failure.
Hi Lammy!

My Ph had been rising in the 5 gal bucket that I was using for a reservoir. Was not bubbling it.
Just setup a 55 gal rez this afternoon and I do have an air-stone in it.....however I plan on using a timer with it. I'll have to see how fast it rises. Need to leave town in April for 4 days....and there won't be anyone around to nursemaid my system. Hopefully by then I'll have a system worked out that can last 4 days. Otherwise I may have to violate the first commandment of coco growing.
1. Once thous roots are fully developed, thou shall NOT allow thy coco to dry out.
Don't worry about scaring me about drippers or anything else. ALL advice and cautionary tales are welcome......and NEEDED.:tiphat:

Good luck with the 0% failure thing. I set the bar much lower: Will enough of my plants survive my newbiness and still have enough yield and potency to keep me medicated.....until the next harvest? Like I said....my bar is quite low. :)
 

Lammy

Member
Interesting. I wish I could leave town but there's no chance of that. I haven't left water sitting in a Reservoir in a long time. i mix mine up and use it right away.
but I'm curious how long it would take for your pH to change and what would the starting and ending values be? hopefully the larger Reservoir will make a difference. sometimes the bio slime or whatever grows in the water will change the pH. perhaps when you go out of town filling your Reservoir with straight water and some peroxide would keep it stable.
 

Levitationofme

Active member
I found my nutrient mix would slowly rise in PH over time. It turns out the nutrients I use react with each other and cause it to slowly rise. I would start at the lower end of the PH and let it slowly drift up over a few days.
When I used DWC it tended to rise faster, the roots exude waste into the water, but I never adjusted it. I would swap out a fresh lower bucket.
I would think if there is enough Lime in the soil mix it would buffer the nutrient mix and keep it in a decent PH range once it is dispensed.

I moved to a soil mix so I could have a little flexibility. I can use some Blumats with water when I go, to back up the SIP which hold less then a gallon. I have gone for 5 days with no ill effects. That was pushing it.

Also, as I am only feeding my own head, pushing plants to maximize yield is not needed.
Once I had a good stash of several nice grows, I slowed it down.

I also found that the Nutrients I use work best in a soil medium. I really like them and I have noticed I hit a good flavor button when I use them compared to the pure chem nutrients I used. Way too many variables to say for sure it's the nutrients that have been the trick. When I grew out a bunch of different varieties in the chem nutrients I had ZERO nutrient issues. Big ass plants which kicked my butt trying to control them.
Now I am just finishing the flowering with NFTG, and using a much nicer soil which needs a little help as its still in a smallish bucket.
 

Old Toker

Well-known member
Thank you Lammy & LVT! Appreciate the suggestions.:tiphat:

I'm going to start keeping track of the rate of Ph rise. Not sure how I can eliminate or slow it down as I'm only using ProTeKT and nutes (and Ph down). After I get some idea of how fast it's rising, I will try reducing the ProTeKt and see if that helps. I still have 5/6 weeks to figure something out.
 
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