CalBear4Life's Grow Diary (Flood/Drain: OG Kush and ChemDawg D)

[CalBear4Life]

Running a 1KW aircooled that close (10 inches) IMHO puts you at risk for light bleaching, and I think its wasteful, that style reflector penetrates, but does not spread evenly, (like a vertical bulb) so I wouldn't work it that close.

Side note: Notice over the years how aircooled hoods have been getting larger and larger over the years, I think they have realized that lights seem to penetrate more at the expense of spread. In fact one of my buddies is running a 600W aircooled horizontal light in his SOG, and he claims to have lost yield, in a tent and hydro setup similar to yours. He is going back to vertical lights. (I actually think he should go to vertizontal.

Light bleaching/heat stress is just a guess, you'll have to find out if that strain can tolerate that close distance and or the heat. Thats kinda the drawback of 1KW's seems like its more heat than light. But the canopy penetration is _excellent_ in the 1KW range.

Lowering the table might be helpful considering 1KW's can penetrate well so you can have a longer veg time, but you can only take it so far. Dont expect miracles from a couple extra weeks of veg. This is a 1st run from what it looks like and you'll have to dial it in.

Alright GrowerGoneWild, thanks for the help! I am going to veg for one more week before flipping just to make sure that the spidermites are eliminated and in order to give some of the stragglers time to catch up. I am going to cut my table legs down and keep them at your recommended distance of 18". These things are probably going to get too big, but it should be really close.

Cheers!

 

[CalBear4Life]

Day 29 Update
73 degrees
5.8ph 1300 ppm

I have been looking back at the last month and I have to say that I am astonished at the turnaround that these plants have made. Thank you to all that have contributed, I owe you all fat doobies when this shit is done.

I never really explained the position of my growroom. It is in a loft that is less-than ideal for a growroom, because there is no way to just shut a door and lock the light out. So I took the time yesterday and temporarily sectioned off a little area with panda film in order to make it lightproof. I am buying a grow tent next time for sure!

On the excellent advice of Lazyman I bought some Floramite SC yesterday, and I am going to include it into my regiment even though the spidermites seem to be gone. I am going to start spraying every 3 weeks with Floramite and DM Saturator, which should make it so I never get mites again.

Other than that I am going to veg for a few more days before flipping these babies. There are more new pics in my album if you care.

Cheers Guys!!!

 

[CalBear4Life]

Had a minor scare last night. I got shitfaced and ended up knocking out one of my extension chords while I was messing around with something. Woke up and the air pump, my timed exhaust and my rez heater weren't running. It was a little hot, but other than that the plants look fine. Plugged everything back in and there don't seem to be anymore problems.
I have to make a little light trap for my intakes and the room should be totally light proof. Sucks that I have to do work on the room while it is in use, but it has to functional.

Cheers guys!!!

 

[GrowerGoneWild]

timed exhaust and my rez heater weren't running. It was a little hot, but other than that the plants look fine. Plugged everything back in and there don't seem to be anymore problems.
I have to make a little light trap for my intakes and the room should be totally light proof. Sucks that I have to do work on the room while it is in use, but it has to functional.

Cheers guys!!!

Rez heater? You heat your rez?.. Dont do that, the hotter the water the less oxygen your water can hold.

 

[CalBear4Life]

Rez heater? You heat your rez?.. Dont do that, the hotter the water the less oxygen your water can hold.

I only keep the heater at 70 degrees, because otherwise the water would be around 60 degrees which I have heard is too low. If its better I could go without it but I've heard it is good to control the temp of the rez water as well. What do you think?

 

[CalBear4Life]

Day 31 Update
73 degrees 73% humidity
1300 ppm 5.47pH

Hello everyone!

Everything is looking fabulous! I am able to control the temps in my room a little bit better since I changed the setup of my tent. The air is flowing more freely since I added an oscillating fan in there too. I need to put together a little light trap for my intake, which I am going to do today. Don't want hermies so I am making sure that I am doing all that I can to make this tent lightproof.

Other than that I have been feeding twice per light on and the girls are drinking about 4 gallons of water per day. I need a new timer as the one I had for the water pump isn't working. I am going to add another flood in the next few days once I get that timer.

The canopy is becoming more even, but the OG kushes are taking over. Any ideas on how to make the canopy more even?

A few more days and I switch to flower. One question, do I add the bloom nutes before I give them 48-72 hours of dark? or after the lights come back on?

Getting really excited about flipping...Cheers Guys!!!

 

[GrowerGoneWild]

I only keep the heater at 70 degrees, because otherwise the water would be around 60 degrees which I have heard is too low. If its better I could go without it but I've heard it is good to control the temp of the rez water as well. What do you think?

Facts:

You are reducing the waters ablity to hold oxygen when you add heat.

http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/solutions/faq/predicting-DO.shtml
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...l=en&sa=N&rlz=1C1GGLS_enUS291US347&tbs=isch:1


Anywho, those guys that run DWC run the buckets lower than 70, in fact they install chillers to keep water temps low. Either 60-65,

I've seen a few grow setups over the years, and none of them had heaters.

Either reduce the temp to 65 or dont use a heater at all.

 

[CalBear4Life]

Facts:

You are reducing the waters ablity to hold oxygen when you add heat.

http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/solutions/faq/predicting-DO.shtml
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...l=en&sa=N&rlz=1C1GGLS_enUS291US347&tbs=isch:1


Anywho, those guys that run DWC run the buckets lower than 70, in fact they install chillers to keep water temps low. Either 60-65,

I've seen a few grow setups over the years, and none of them had heaters.

Either reduce the temp to 65 or dont use a heater at all.

It's gone.

 

[CalBear4Life]

Update Day 35
1340 ppm 5.5 ph
73 degrees

Flipped to 12/12 today!!! I put the transition phase nutes in and turned the light off. I am going to give it about 48-72 hours of dark and it is going to flood twice per day. Haven't seen a sign of the spidermites for the last week and a half I am pretty assured that they are gone. Other than that just waiting to be able to turn the light back on. I will update pics in a couple of days. Any comments or concerns?

Cheers!!!!

 

[jim_browsky]

Wow, things have really turned around for you.
Looking good!

I am going to give it about 48-72 hours of dark and it is going to flood twice per day.

Sorry, I am a little confused. Are you are planning on turning the lights off for 48-72 hours for some reason?

 

[CalBear4Life]

Wow, things have really turned around for you.
Looking good!


Sorry, I am a little confused. Are you are planning on turning the lights off for 48-72 hours for some reason?

I've heard that a few days without light helps to get the flowering process started so I am going to give them two days without light before turning it back on.

 

[jim_browsky]

Seems like they would stretch a bit. Maybe it would give them a
little jump, but it wouldn't cut down the actual flowering time.
Besides that, I wouldn't deprive them of light and make the
transition harder than it has to be. It's stressful enough just
switching the lights suddenly to 12/12(more so if you switch lamps
from MH to HPS). My $.02.

 

[CalBear4Life]

Seems like they would stretch a bit. Maybe it would give them a
little jump, but it wouldn't cut down the actual flowering time.
Besides that, I wouldn't deprive them of light and make the
transition harder than it has to be. It's stressful enough just
switching the lights suddenly to 12/12(more so if you switch lamps
from MH to HPS). My $.02.

Wow okay now I'm getting mixed information. Anybody else have a second opinion? GrowerGoneWild? He gave me the info earlier in this thread, but I am unsure if it is totally correct. I would love to hear from more growers!?!

 

[GrowerGoneWild]

Wow okay now I'm getting mixed information. Anybody else have a second opinion? GrowerGoneWild? He gave me the info earlier in this thread, but I am unsure if it is totally correct. I would love to hear from more growers!?!

Works for me. I've found that they go to bloom easier using a couple of days of darkness. I've tried the regular 18/6 under MH then go to HPS 12/12 but flowering was slower to kick in.

Is it necessary to use the extended dark periods.. ? no.

Have I observed better flowering response after a couple days of darkness.. ? yes.

So here's the story:

I had to hide some plants in a dark closet for security reasons. After them sitting in the dark for a couple of days I went ahead and flowered them. A little stretchy, but they went to flower and showing sex quicker. So I tried it again.. and again... I like the results. Flowering response seemed stronger vs 18-6 straight over to 12/12.

You can use this method if you want to, all my posts are just suggestions for your grow.

I too would like to hear a second opinion from a seasoned grower. To verify my results.

 

[CalBear4Life]

Works for me. I've found that they go to bloom easier using a couple of days of darkness. I've tried the regular 18/6 under MH then go to HPS 12/12 but flowering was slower to kick in.

Is it necessary to use the extended dark periods.. ? no.

Have I observed better flowering response after a couple days of darkness.. ? yes.

So here's the story:

I had to hide some plants in a dark closet for security reasons. After them sitting in the dark for a couple of days I went ahead and flowered them. A little stretchy, but they went to flower and showing sex quicker. So I tried it again.. and again... I like the results. Flowering response seemed stronger vs 18-6 straight over to 12/12.

You can use this method if you want to, all my posts are just suggestions for your grow.

I too would like to hear a second opinion from a seasoned grower. To verify my results.

Thank you for the suggestions! I ended up giving the ladies about 24 hours of dark before the flip. Your experience helps!

 

[CalBear4Life]

Update Flowering Day 2
1350 ppm 5.6ph
72 degrees 70% humidity

Good Morning! Turned the lights back on last night after a little 24 hour breather and switched them to 12/12. The ladies are looking great, no problems so far. I put the transition phase nutes in a few days ago and in a few days I will be switching to full-on bloom nutes. The canopy is extremely uneven (about 12" difference between tallest and shortest plants), which I am hoping will not screw me up too bad...I guess we will see. I will put some pictures in my album if you want to follow along. So pumped right now!

Cheers!!!

 

[indigopisces]

I'm subscribed!

I can't wait to see how that Chemdog turns out!

A lot of people around here talk about that strain...

 

[CalBear4Life]

I'm subscribed!

I can't wait to see how that Chemdog turns out!

A lot of people around here talk about that strain...

Ya I've tried Chemdog D several times and I am in love with it! Actually though, I got some Chemdog 4 from Berkeley Patients Group the other day that knocked my socks off....I think that is next on the list

Cheers!

 

[CalBear4Life]

Not much to update as of right now...ladies look great though. Once I start getting some flowers I will begin posting pictures of what is going on.

Cheers Guys!!!!!!!

 

[CalBear4Life]

For safeties sake I am going to spray with the bi-weekly neem treatment tomorrow and I still have the NO PEST strip in the tent. I still have seen no signs of spidermites in over two weeks . Will be changing the reservoir to full-strength flower nutes tomorrow! These ladies are just now beginning to stink...can't wait!