Distinguished and Nurtured Kind

[dank.frank]

@CdM - Thanks for the kind words. Back from where I left off - I hope not! I hope I'm moving forward in the quality I'm able to produce. I'm still iffy about these 315 CMH lights. I'm not big on changes, in all honesty. If it isn't broken, well....you know how the saying goes. My hope, is the lamps produce flowers with a more expansive terpene expression, more in line with outdoor flowers.

@gaius - the excitement is building for sure. 16 pages in and finally a picture of a plant. That has to be some kind of record.

@badfishy1 - Your welcome! It's what forums should be. The more I pondered it, I realized there are going to be more new growers than ever before. The forums have no excuse to die, this is their time to truly shine. It can be frustrating just trying to answer the endless threads of repetitive questions that EVERY new grower asks. I guess the best way to deal with that is to follow in the old traditions. Start a thread at square one and walk through the process. That's why the album for this thread even has pretty clear 3D models of a quick step by step for construction.

Prohibition is not truly over. People are still going to jail for growing cannabis, even in so called legal states. We've not overgrown the problem yet. Not even close. Time to get back on the horse!




dank.Frank

 

[Itsmychoice]

Hear, Hear fine sir

 

[ChemDgMillionre]

Always striving for better flowers, I think we all hear that!

I’m grabbing myself two 315’s tomorrow, hanging vert between the hps bulbs. Hoping they help round out the spectrum!

 

[Ibechillin]

Hey dank.frank what bulbs are you running with the 315 CMH? From what ive seen the Philips mastercolor elite 3100k is the only cmh that would really be worth using in terms of both spectrum and intensity.

Looking forward to your vert grow ChemDgMillionre.

 

[dank.frank]

@CdM - I'm not sure what spectrum to get for evening out various lights. I'm not exactly a lighting expert. I've been watching and reading about 315's for about two years now. Still feel like I dove headfirst into the shallow end of the pool a bit. In reality, this entire build is based on the footprint of the flowering room, and what I thought best for 2 x 315. If I don't like the lamps, it's a pretty spectacular fail.

@Ibechillin - The bulbs are 3100k Grower's Choice. All in one package. I'll replace them with Phillips when necessary.

I didn't think LED was viable either until I saw what Lapides managed to pull off. Technology does change but I'm mentally preparing to not have the quality I got used to with 1k flowers. Even with the compromise, I'm certain the meds I'm able to produce will be better than the meds I don't have! I'm fully expecting to be slightly disappointed, in all honesty. I'm expecting to have loose lowers and tops that only get 8-10" long into the canopy. I'm expecting plants that don't stretch as much in general compared to HPS and I'm expecting plants with more foliage/leaf due to the increase in blue spectrum. I'm expecting to see slower growth rates in general, meaning filling in a full SCROG could take longer than I anticipate.

Some of those reasons, have influenced what strains I've started. SSH and Haze crosses. Stuff with explosive growth rates and high yield potential on thinner frames.



dank.Frank

 

[White Beard]

Even though my first grow is still ahead of me, I feel I can relate to feeling out of it.

I’ve been studying cannabis cultivation since the 60s, Ed and Mel’s early stuff, the Cultivator’s Guide, Robert Clarke, Jorge. Since the web, I refresh myself every 5-10 years. This time, when my own first grow is on the horizon, I found people using CFLs, which I’d never imagined, and LEDs, and techniques I knew nothing about. By comparison, CMH seems at least comprehensible, but my learning curve included all of Rives’ CHM thread and led me to plan for 315-945w in my own grow, so I’m obviously very interested in how they work for you. 52w/square foot is my focus, too.

IC has been some high-level training in plant matters I never delved into before, and the fire is truly lit under me: I’ve been spending 8-10 hours daily for weeks. I wish I’d found it sooner, wish I’d appreciated it earlier.

I’ll sit in the optimist’s seat and beam good vibes to you and your charges.
Soak up some knowledge.

 

[dank.frank]

I'm not a patient person and the seeds dying off like they are is driving me nuts. For all things there is a logical reason. The last 6 Cobalt Haze were all popping out of the shells fine in about 24 hours. Planted into soil within 48. The two seeds with the long tap roots are now seedlings. The other 4 - nothing.

So I dug the seed up with the 3rd longest tap root. Tap root exactly the same size, just a bit brown. I get out the 60-120x scope and guess what I find.

Translucent, wire type "worms" by the hundreds crawling all over each other. To small to be fungus gnat larve and there is none in the surround soil. They are consuming the embryo of the seed specifically. They are visible to the naked eye in a way that a fine white filament might make you think it moved if a light wind blew, if it was against a dark surface. But there is no real discernible population or actual visible sight they are there, but sure enough, they are. I dug out a second of the 4 that didn't sprout and it also has these worms. Not on the exterior of the shell, but certainly all over the inside and eating the embryo.

Now, the fun of figuring out what they are begins and where they are coming from and what to do to eliminate them. I'm assuming I'm dealing with some sort of nematode I need to check seeds I'm soaking in paper coffee filters and see if they are showing here as well or just in the soil. That aside, the microscopic world is gross.

*Seeds in filters are fine. It's a soil born issue. Only 2 of the 4 that didn't germinate had the worms.



dank.Frank

 

[Buddah Watcha]

hey dank, sorry to hear about the loses... its a bummer, I have also noticed similar white little worms on some seeds that didnt sprout, my guess is that they came with the worm castings I used in the soil mix... It usually attacks the older weaker seeds from my experience, the newer seeds usually dont get much affected and just grow through it... I also noticed that happens most often when the soil is a bit more on the wet side than moist...



I even considered starting seeds in a sterile soil, might be the way to go in the future... straight peat, some aeration and mineral mix to it...



I just popped a bunch of seeds into straight soil with ewc and I'm getting up to 95% on fresh seeds, the older ones is a different story tho... not much success... been already over 10 days and not many of the olders ones popped... I will try the sterile method next time with the older seeds and hopefully succeed!


best of luck! Let us know if you figure it out what it is!


pce

 

[gmanwho]

I'm not a patient person and the seeds dying off like they are is driving me nuts. For all things there is a logical reason. The last 6 Cobalt Haze were all popping out of the shells fine in about 24 hours. Planted into soil within 48. The two seeds with the long tap roots are now seedlings. The other 4 - nothing.

So I dug the seed up with the 3rd longest tap root. Tap root exactly the same size, just a bit brown. I get out the 60-120x scope and guess what I find.

Translucent, wire type "worms" by the hundreds crawling all over each other. To small to be fungus gnat larve and there is none in the surround soil. They are consuming the embryo of the seed specifically. They are visible to the naked eye in a way that a fine white filament might make you think it moved if a light wind blew, if it was against a dark surface. But there is no real discernible population or actual visible sight they are there, but sure enough, they are. I dug out a second of the 4 that didn't sprout and it also has these worms. Not on the exterior of the shell, but certainly all over the inside and eating the embryo.

Now, the fun of figuring out what they are begins and where they are coming from and what to do to eliminate them. I'm assuming I'm dealing with some sort of nematode I need to check seeds I'm soaking in paper coffee filters and see if they are showing here as well or just in the soil. That aside, the microscopic world is gross.

*Seeds in filters are fine. It's a soil born issue. Only 2 of the 4 that didn't germinate had the worms.



dank.Frank

while there are thousands if not tens of thousands of nematodes or translucent round worms out there, sounds like by your description you may have " pot worms". the term pot is refereed to as a container round worms, and "pot"not actually referring to marijuana. could be called composting round worms too.

pot worms feed on organic matter an roots an usually dont harm roots unless they are already dead. from what i read an been told by an entomologist on one of my last soil tests. so i could see thou how they could potentially harm seeds (i had translucent round worms as well in my roots, an i feared they where stem nematodes)

started using hydrogen peroxide to wash seeds for 10 mins. then using a few drops of bleach in the distilled water i use to soak the paper towel. then goto rockwool as i know its sterile.

since your in soil a beneficial product like rootshield plus may help you.

i dont claim to know exactly what you have going on there, i just know enough to know that there's way more things that i'll even know or understand. i've lost plenty of seeds overtime an i try to prevent it at all costs now.

btw , got 5 ogx snowman soaking. hoping we get lift off

 

[dank.frank]

@buddah - Thanks for the good vibes. If I figure it out (not entirely likely) I'll update. Remember, I did mention baking the soil in the oven to hit 180+ for at least 20 minutes, to sterilize it. I decided against that. Perhaps I shouldn't have. It might need to become protocol for older seeds though.

@gmanwho - I'm familiar with pot worms. These are much smaller. Not throughout the soil. Do not wash out drainage holes. ONLY located on the embyro. I looked through the soil with a scope...surface, deeper around seed level and near the drainage holes. No other worms or bugs to be seen at 60x. Odd and irritating. They came from some where. Truth is, I've seen these before when starting other non-cannabis seeds that had failed. Same soil too, actually. I'm going to keep studying as much as I can before I come up with any conclusions.

I will say conclusively though, I'm sure seeds are getting too wet and hot when in filters. I used to have this perfect balance down and 10/10 was never much of an issue. Not getting seeds to pop is a failure at the most basic level. I really don't want to resort to PGR type chemicals to encourage germination, but if I have to break with some organic tenant to get these seeds to sprout, sue me, I will.

I'm going to try a sort of companion germination. Fill small pots with legume seeds, with a cannabis seed in the center. I'm curious to see if all the germination happening from other seeds might encourage, from a hormone stance, the cannabis seed to germinate. The A5/WhiteOG with the largest tap root, just barely cracking the shell, is now planted in such a situation. Fingers crossed.



dank.Frank

 

[ReikoX]

I'm going to try a sort of companion germination. Fill small pots with legume seeds, with a cannabis seed in the center. I'm curious to see if all the germination happening from other seeds might encourage, from a hormone stance, the cannabis seed to germinate.

This idea came to my mind, I like it. The seed coat does have some inhibitors to give the seed a head start. Perhaps older seeds are lacking in this department.

 

[dank.frank]

I think the biggest issue is just improper storage. These seeds have been moved across country a couple times. So that means out of refrigeration. I had left my entire seed collection with Phillthy to dig through and a couple weeks later he was pinched. He managed to save my seeds, but his got taken. I didn't see those seeds again for around 4 years and I'm not really sure how they were stored during that 4 year spell.

I know, in all reality, they should be gone. How he managed to get them stashed so quickly is just a tribute to who he is. Thinking about my stash of seeds while LEO is banging on the door and his gear is left for the taking. Truly a selfless act. I miss Phillthy something fierce. That was my grow bro.

So really, ANYTHING that germinates, I'm extremely grateful for. I just can't see NOT trying to sprout some of these seeds. I've given away THOUSANDS of dollars worth of stock to others in the hopes they could get something to take off that I couldn't.

We (Phillthy and I) were really just about to break the market with the seed lines we had been working on. It was right at the cusp. We lost YEARS of joint work and entire lines we hadn't even announced were being developed. It changed a lot of the direction life was heading for both of us.

MY BIGGEST GOAL - is to salvage some of that work. Not really for myself, but so that Phillthy gets the chance he deserves to pick up with the gene pool he spent so much time dedicated to. There just simply has to be some way to get a couple f/m pairs from this stock to move things forward. If scientists can sprout 800-2,000 year old seeds, then these 3-15 year old seeds are not lost!!!



dank.Frank

 

[gmanwho]

i did use a seed cracker to start, forgot to mention that. today i checked an i got 5 tails in 24hrs on the ogx snowman. moved them out of the soak, and onto antibacterial sponges. trying my take on the seed germination machine /thread. fingers crossed..

do what you must, preserving genetics is important.

 

[dank.frank]

OGx is from an early Ganja Rebel cross Genetic Freaked ran. It's SFV/Sour D IBL x SFV/Chem IBL, if I'm not mistaken. The pheno he kept wasn't uber potent, but it did have OG type structure with more chem calyxes. It was lemony/gas/garlic. Had a rather happy high that seemed to last for hours. I'm sure you saw what Heady said in this thread.

Good luck with them! Glad to see people growing them out. His male was impressive to say the least!



dank.Frank

 

[dank.frank]

It would seem, I have been tricked by my plants. The 2 smaller, slower growing, more fragile of the 3 Med Tree Suzy Q Bx2 seem to be male. The larger plant seems to be female. Seems they are showing first indications of pre-sexing.

Stem rubs on the two smaller plants had me a bit concerned. The smell reminded me exactly of the Dr. Atomic Northern Lights I ran several years ago. However, I also remember, a plant in that mix that the most amazing pure pine sap smell to it with a great giggly silly high, but it didn't smell any different than the more blah phenos on a stem rub. It's resin was entirely different than it's siblings though. One of the males does smell stronger than the other though.

The plant showing a single calyx and pistil, reminds me a bit more of a Sour D cross on the stem rub. Has a tart/chemical/sharpness to it that I generally like. Now with a high CBD line, I'm thinking, that smells like a THC plant.

I'm not really sure my intentions yet. I need to put together a home based CBD/THC testing kit and run some samples to see what that tells me from an early test. I know there is a thread here some where on that very thing.



dank.Frank

 

[Chili_berkster]

I've had issues with these killer worms at the seedling stage. Now when I start seeds I'm sure to use fresh unused soil. I only use water for the first week or so. Good luck.

 

[genetic freaked]

looking great in here DF!
I’m really hoping that one Snow Monkey is a female. A berry gg4 would be amazing.
The Snow Monkeys I have going are looking good. I’ll shot some pics over to you soon enough. I gotta do a stem rub because I have 1 that looks similar to yours.
On a side note I have a CBDBf2 that looks great. Nice and squat I want you to check out

 

[moses wellfleet]

How's about soaking those old seeds in a hydrogen peroxide solution?

 

[dank.frank]

@moses - I've done that. I guess the problem there, is I'm really not sure HOW LONG to do so or if there is any damage to be caused by doing it too long. I soaked until I no longer saw little bubbles forming around the seeds, which varied actually. Some it was only about 20 minutes, while others it was about 3 hours.

Groady Ho just posted again and I sent him a bunch of gear about a year ago, including my Eastbound and Down from $mike that were gifted the same time as my I95 seeds where. If I'm not mistaken, he's gotten them to sprout. I'll have to talk to him in the next few days to get a run down of things.




dank.Frank

 

[dank.frank]

Always Be Flowering - Cobalt Haze seedlings seem happy in the seedling/clone mix (post #99). Shame there is only two of them, but that's a start and better than nothing. Let's hope for ladies.

dank.Frank