Johnny's new micro cfl cab

[johnnybsmokin]

Welcome all to my new cab grow. For those that have read my old grow would know that I have been growing for the last 8 months in a PC stealth cab. The time has come to upgrade and make better use of the available space I had.
As can be seen in the next 2 photos, the extra space I have/had to grow which is why I decided to upgrade to utilize the extra height.



This has given me an extra 6 inch's (150mm) in grow height. The other dimensions are vertually the same. It has also made it easier to gain access to my grow as before I had to drag the pc out, where as now the door hinges down and a slidding draw to pull out. See next pics for comparison.



Also with the new cab I have a better control over temps with a bigger fan (on a voltage regulator) to cool the light chamber. It is currently set at about 7 volts and keeps the temps at about 1 to 1.5 deg celcius above the ambient.

I have also added another 28 watt and 13watt cfl bulb into the light chamber and a 3 watt LED. This now totals 97 watts of cfl and 3 watt of led with a total lumens of over 5500 in a cab with a foot print of 390mm (15 1/2 in) x 170mm (6 1/2 in) = 663 cm2 (100.75 in2 or .7 foot2).Tthe total grow height is now 450mm high (17 1/2 in).

Now don't get me wrong I have enjoyed and learnt a lot with my old Pc grow, but just wanted to update. I have been able to get close to 2 grams out of each plant in the Pc cab but I expect more now. The Pc was a perpetual grow with 2 plant in and out every 4 weeks. The plant/strain I am using is Nirvana Special that has about a 12 week flower time.

A few mor pics for you all, and as can be seen the current plants (out of the Pc) are raised up with timber to get the plants up to the lights.



I would be able to fit 8 plants in there at a squeeze but will keep it to 6 as I did in the old Pc.

So what are your thoughts???

Any questions etc, I will be happy to answer.

Cheers Johnny

 

[johnnybsmokin]

Hi all, looks like I'll have to "bump" my own thread, lol

Ok some updates and pics for you all to enjoy

Put 2 new clones into the cab this morning after the usuall feed/drink



These cuts where taken from the last plant that went into flower cab. I have been trying taking cuts at about 12 days into 12/12 cycle, let them root and then plant. They tend to have a "reveg" look to them "hence the funny foliage" but are growing nicely.

Next photos are of the other 4 plants in cab




The one on the left (first pic) is 9 weeks old and out of the old Pc cab ( it's a bit shorter than its sister beside her) and the one on the right is 4 weeks old ( started in the Pc but has been alowed to "strech" more) and as can be seen about 10 1/2 inchs tall. It is on some blocks to keep it close to the lights but it still will grow another inch yet.

I had the heights pretty well dialed in for the Pc, but am having to get used to the new height that I have now.

The feeding regeme that I am currently following is as follows:-

*First water is plain RAIN water with a little maxicrop seaweed
solution, NPK approx 4:1:3

*Second feed is a "tea brew" of Worm castings, compost, 1 tbs
of mollasis and a bit of fish extract

*Third feed is a fert mix bubbled like a tea which includes blood &
bone, dynamic lifter (powdered), alfa meal, a tiny bit of sulphate
of potash (high in pottasium), some "seasol" and "powerfeed"
(another seasol product).

*Also in the last week I have been adding a little "urine" and
"superthrive" into the mix's as well.


Ok, now some other pics for you to enjoy!!

First one is the current grow with about 2 weeks left.



Second one, last harvest at about 6 grams dried (getting better with each successive grow)



3rd one is from the grow before at about 3.5 grams (had already smoked the popcorn buds...lol before photo taken)



4th one is of my clones. I do all my clones now in old "film" canisters in plain rain water only. They take about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks to root. The 2 on the left are from the mummy (back ups in case) and the 2 on the right are from the last plants that where put into 12/12 flower at 12 days.



I think thats about enough for today, but I will bring some more update pics soon.

Cheers all, Johhny

 

[Supernatural]

I take it the cab is running 12/12 perpetually? I'm a bit obsessed with ventilation at the moment; are they smelling quite strong without a filter? have you considered a little fan to promote a bit of air circulation in there?

Can you explain why you use urine and superthrive in the last week please. I figure urine is a source of nitrogen and takes a little time to break down and superthrive is conventionally used with younger plants.

What's the quality of the smoke like? Any particular strain or bagseed? Consistent harvests and improvement with each one - not a bad place to be.

sorry, feels like I'm giving you a pop quiz. Just curious

 

[sm0k4]

Not a bad perpetual setup. I'm working on the same thing but in a bigger space. Ever think to top them or LST to maximize colas and an even lush canopy?

 

[johnnybsmokin]

Hey there sm0k4

Not a bad perpetual setup. I'm working on the same thing but in a bigger space. Ever think to top them or LST to maximize colas and an even lush canopy?

My grow techneque is based on "Drbudgreen" grow as follows
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=69713

Just grow them to a finished height, either a single "budlet" or 2.

Hey there supernatural

I take it the cab is running 12/12 perpetually? I'm a bit obsessed with ventilation at the moment; are they smelling quite strong without a filter? have you considered a little fan to promote a bit of air circulation in there?

Can you explain why you use urine and superthrive in the last week please. I figure urine is a source of nitrogen and takes a little time to break down and superthrive is conventionally used with younger plants.

What's the quality of the smoke like? Any particular strain or bagseed? Consistent harvests and improvement with each one - not a bad place to be

sorry, feels like I'm giving you a pop quiz. Just curious

As far as ventilation, I have the flower chamber fan running 24/7 through a carbon filter that is about a 1/2 inch thick that is screwed to the back wall in front of the exuast fan.

As for the extra "nutes" I use the same solution for flower and veg and am using the extras after recent research and will see what comes from it, can't hurt it lol

And the strain is "Nirvana Special", a good heady high, takes about 11 to 12 weeks to mature and luckyly enough not a real stinky strain. Am hopeing to get about 3-4 grams from each plant min. in this cab.

Cheers Johnny

 

[Supernatural]

DrBud's technique was based on the idea of power in numbers. Nevertheless, I would be very pleased with his yield per plant and the budlet idea seems very efficient. I think he based it around getting just enough stretch to get a long budsicle but not so much that there was spare stem doing nothing - his 'sweetpoint'.

He used 42W bulbs and it makes me wonder whether the 28W have enough penetration to build buds further down. I have 23W bulbs and they don't seem particularly penetrating.

Is that a pc fan with DIY filter then? Can you give me the benefit of your experience with it please. E.g. amount of smell removal, obstruction to airflow, effective life of carbon, pellet or foam carbon etc.

Cheers

 

[johnnybsmokin]

Hey again Super

Yes the filter is diy and the air is being sucked through it with a Pc fan (80mm). I am using activated carbon bought from my local "home brew shop". It is used to filter distilled vodka to remove any unpleasent tastes/oils. Is quite a fine granular texture anf seems to be doing the job quite nicely. The fan is set up to suck the air through it, not sure how much air, but it does work for my small cab.

I had to run this fan 24/7 due to highmoisture/humidy inside the cab when I first set it up. Was quite a shock to find moisture on the sides of the cab inside and found a RH reading of about 90%..lol. it now sits about 5-10 % higher than the ambient.

In the Pc I had this carbon running for about 4 months and it kept the smell under control, but as I said before, I am lucky my strain is not to bad for smell. Don't get me wrong, you can certainly smell it when you open the door, but not any other time.

Most activated carbon can be re-used if given a wash and then baked in the oven to "cook of" impurities. This is quite a common thing with home brewing.

As far as lighting penetration goes, what small buds do develop down low seem to do ok, it's just that this seems to be a "sativa" dominate strain that tends to strech a bit with a long way between the lower internodes so I don't normally get much development down low, only on the last couple of inchs. I have about 96 watts of light in there now over a .7 square foot area/foot print (or .663 m2)((390mm (15 1/2 in) x 170mm (6 1/2 in)) so it's not to bad for penitration and the whole inside is matt white helping with reflection.

Hope that helps a little, if you have any more questions just fire away, thats what this comunity is all about, teaching and learning to produce fine quality home grown herb.

Cheers Johnny

 

[johnnybsmokin]

Latest dried harvest

Latest dried harvest

Hi all once again

Thought i would update my last harvest's dry weight with some "bud porn".

Was dried for 10 days and has cured now for 3 weeks to a final humidity level of 59%. Finished weight is 6 grams, that is of 2 plants, so averaging about 3 g's each (not far of a 1/4 oz).



Getting better with each grow as I "tune" it in. Am hopping that with a slightly higher grow space that I will continue to increase the finished results.

Good thing is I have been self sufficient now for nearly a year andam able to smoke good, consistant weed when ever I want!!

So what do you all think??? I'll keep you all updated in a couple of days at watering time with some more pics.

Till next time.
Cheers Johhny

 

[Supernatural]

To be honest with you, if I could yield 6g every 4 weeks it would be as much- if not more- than I am able to smoke at the moment. I'm sure when you get used to the extra height and get dialled in there your yields will at least double as well.

Good job achieving self sufficiency! Its a nice little setup you have there.

 

[johnnybsmokin]

To be honest with you, if I could yield 6g every 4 weeks it would be as much- if not more- than I am able to smoke at the moment. I'm sure when you get used to the extra height and get dialled in there your yields will at least double as well.

Good job achieving self sufficiency! Its a nice little setup you have there.

Thanks for the kind words Super, I am happy with things as they are and hopefull can only get better.

My next step will be trying to get some more varieties to play with either by buying/obtaining some new seeds or maybe getting hold of some "pollen" and cross breeding. It's a great "hobbie" with some nice rewards...lol

I can now say that I am truely self sufficient in nearly all my enjoyments in life. I brew my own beer, distill my own spirits and grow my own "herb". not much missing hey!!

Cheers johhny

 

[hazydreams]

if you are providing for your own head and haven't paid for it, you have accomplished a significant feat. congratulations my friend. i would looka t your over all square foottage and lighting. I think that with optimal conditions you can push about 35-50 grams a square foot with 50-75 w/sq ft. these number are not impossible. just keep tweeking the set up to optimize it.

keep it green

 

[johnnybsmokin]

Hello hazy, welcome and thanks for the responce.

if you are providing for your own head and haven't paid for it, you have accomplished a significant feat. congratulations my friend. i would looka t your over all square foottage and lighting. I think that with optimal conditions you can push about 35-50 grams a square foot with 50-75 w/sq ft. these number are not impossible. just keep tweeking the set up to optimize it.

keep it green

Yes I am hoping to get the numbers up especially now with the extra height. If I go on the last harvest I am looking at about 18 grams out of .7 square foot so as you said it is acheivable, just need to get the heights right and dial every thing in, in the new cab.

Cheers Johnny

 

[gloryoskie]

Hey JohnnyB,

My second run almost doubled my yield too, from 4g's per to 7g's per plant. How many plants do you pull/place at a time? Do you veg by time or height? I do micro sog too, two in two out every 25 days. I admire your home brew skills too, cool as hell man.

 

[stonedwarrior]

what the ? is with your desired yeilds, dude? I chopped and smoked a 5 gram plant yesterday - and I havent been smoking bud in ages!

nothing against what you're doing, at all, but man, for the amount of power you're using... you could probably go out n buy a half oz and be done with it...

Now, someone gave me the same advice over on another forum, and i told them to stick it so feel free to tell me the same, but really, the amount of effort you're putting in just isn't matching up to the reward you're getting

 

[johnnybsmokin]

Hey gloryoskie

Hey JohnnyB,

My second run almost doubled my yield too, from 4g's per to 7g's per plant. How many plants do you pull/place at a time? Do you veg by time or height? I do micro sog too, two in two out every 25 days. I admire your home brew skills too, cool as hell man.

Thanks for stopping bye

I tend to veg for height usually and try to "guess" for the finished height. It's been a little more difficult lately as i am now taking cuts from clones that are about 12 days into flower and there is definately a different growth pattern compared to cuts taken from the mum. They don't tend to grow as quickly but are "bushier" from the start.

I am pulling 2 in and 2 out about every 4 weeks with 6 plants on the go ata a time. I have found that my strain ( Nirvana Special ) is about an 11-12 week finisher.

Thanks for the "admiration for the home brewing skills", it's good to be able to enjoy the "fun" things in life at a cheap cost, plus they are great hobbies as well.


Hey stonedwarrior

what the ? is with your desired yeilds, dude? I chopped and smoked a 5 gram plant yesterday - and I havent been smoking bud in ages!

nothing against what you're doing, at all, but man, for the amount of power you're using... you could probably go out n buy a half oz and be done with it...

Now, someone gave me the same advice over on another forum, and i told them to stick it so feel free to tell me the same, but really, the amount of effort you're putting in just isn't matching up to the reward you're getting

No mate, not going to tell you to "stick it", it's a hobbie that gives me pleasure in more ways than 1 and supplies me with what I want in terms of "herb". I don't smoke alot, mainly small amount to help with pain relief and usually in evenings. Can't take the chance now days to smoke during day and then drive with the new drug testing etc and work.

Hell man, 5 grams in 1 day is a lot, thats nearly a 1/4 oz, you must have been nearly flying with that amout....lol, but each to there own. And as far as "cost" go for production, a few cents an hour is bugger all for running costs and it reaaly is only cents an hour to run the cab. I know this for a fact as we have a "meter" installed with a monitor in kitchen showing running cost's per hour etc. When the cab come on it is lucky to incresae the "usage" by 1-2 cents an hour. That equates to about 50 cents a day, $3.50 a week, $14 a month which give me about a 1/4 oz, much cheaper than the $80-$100 you pay on the street and better quality (even under cfl's) than is normally bought.

Each to there own I suppose, but thanks for the comments all are appreciated, good and/or negative etc.

Cheers Johhny

 

[johnnybsmokin]

Ok some pic updates for you all to enjoy.

My clonning method



These roots are about 3 weeks old from cutting,taken from mum


The next generation planted and placed in there humidy crib for the first couple of days and then hardened off and then to vegged for about 2-3 weeks before 12/12 schedule




The last 2 to be put into 12/12. These 2 are 12 days into flower and are cuts of the last lot put into flower and taken when about 12 days into 12/12



They are not stretching like cuts taken from the mum but they tend to be a lot bushier than a normal cut. Usually I would have to top the normal cuts/clones to encourage side branching but these do it on their own.

The next pics are from my 6 week olds doing their thing



And a pic of the latest bud size of what I am currently achieving, 3-4 of these main buds every 4 weeks as well as the smaller ones.



I had already chopped 1 a couple of days before taking the last pic, it seemed to be well and truely ready almost a week before this 1.

That will do it for now so untill next time

Cheers, Johnny

 

[gloryoskie]

Nice clones, have you always used the water method? Also do you change the water at all during your process? I use Jiffy Pucks soaked in a kelp/B1 solution

What lights do you use in your clone/veg room? I use one 6500k coil 23watt cfl.

Nice rig, I like to see other working micro sogs, what other members have inspired your grow? Blynx has some worthy grows.

Referencing your calculations for cost/yield, 2 bucks a gram is fine with me, too.

 

[johnnybsmokin]

Hi again gloryoskie

Nice clones, have you always used the water method? Also do you change the water at all during your process? I use Jiffy Pucks soaked in a kelp/B1 solution

What lights do you use in your clone/veg room? I use one 6500k coil 23watt cfl.

Nice rig, I like to see other working micro sogs, what other members have inspired your grow? Blynx has some worthy grows.

Referencing your calculations for cost/yield, 2 bucks a gram is fine with me, too.

Pretty much always used plain water, have tried other methods, but this gives me the most consistent results. Many years ago I use to use a "bubbler" which works great but as I am trying to be "stealth", the noise of the pump and bubbles would be a dead give away.

In my veg cab I use 2 lights, 1 10 watt cfl in a reflector and one pl-s which is 11 watt. A pic for you to see the set up.



Its a bit messy looking in there but very functional. I can remove the timber shelf for extra height if I need to and the "yellow" reflector is moved up and down to keep light just above plant tips.

As far as members inspirations...., there are a lot, you know a bit from here and there. I do base a lot of my current growing methods on "Drbudgreengenes" style of container size and full submersion watereing. Looking at what the "drbud" acheives is inspiational. I got a lot of info and inspiration from the "Pc growers section" in these forums and really just combined all the info that this wonderful site has to offer.

Yes $2 a gram is good for me too, I get to smoke good consistent bud at a fraction of the street price and I don't support the "black market" and risk being busted doing a "buy" any more. I don't use a lot so what I am producing keeps me goiing just nicely.

Cheers Johnny

 

[johnnybsmokin]

Update time

Update time

Hello all once again, thought it was time to update with some photos, so here they are.

These 2 pics are from the next in line to be harvested, they are currently 9 weeks old and have about 2 weeks to go.



These 2 pics are the next inline which are now 4 1/2 weeks old and are comming along nicely.



And the next ones which are still under 24 hour light and due to be switched to 12/12 next week. (well at leaset 1 is, the other 1 on the right sufferd from wilting and was set back a bit so I will give her another week of 12/12 light before flowering)



And the last pic is of 1 of the current cut's waiting to develope it's roots. This was taken at about 11 days into the 12/12 regeme and shows some nice pistills. It will root just fine but it will take time to grow and ultimatley reveg before showing good and vigorus growth. This takes about 3 weeks after planting and have found that it reduces the "streaching" quite a bit in the first couple of weeks.



I hope you all enjoy and stay tuned for the next round of pics comming soon.

Cheers Johnny

 

[bonsai]

Nice work mate, consistent output is a great thing.
Are you using tap water? The chlorine isnt good for your microbes, will kill them off. Good to see you re-using milk containers, I've nearly finished a micro cab designed to fit 5x 3L milk jugs or a dozen 1L. Have you considered switching to the square 1L plastic milk containers? You'll get two side by side in a PC case and being square they make more efficient use of the volume. Also, on your earlier pics I can see roots through the sides of the pot. The light is damaging the roots. Worth grabbing a $2 can of acrylic black spray paint from a bargain shop and giving the sides a blast - you'll still be able to see the roots from the bottom that way.