URSA Optilux/SS315/KISS/coco/veg+bloom/4x4

[40AmpstoFreedom]

I don't think u could get an improvement in root mass n health vs what u did with that pot imo. I tried fabric pots n didn't like how they could saturate out the side n the salt buildup up on the sides. That's just my limited experience with them. I'm not necessarily against them, just not sold on the better effectiveness they r supposed to offer.

It is not about more root mass it is about preventing the circling and root bound like growth which airpots/fabric do by letting the root tips be exposed to air so they basically stop growing, thus preventing the circling and excess root mass. He has way too much root mass in that little pot imo and if growing varieties with autoflower tendencies when root bound (i.e. sweet pink grapefruit) I would be wary. I know that you can have way more root mass in coco, but his seems excessive to the point it would effect even draining.

Plastic pots also have holes on the bottom allowing many common pests to hide such as fungus gnats. In my area those are a big concern and I know they thrive in coco from my own experience as well. Switching to fabric pots allowed me to treat them much easier.

You can also eliminate 90% of your time watering in soil by using a capillary action water system, which can be a constant or periodic source. As a result vacations are cool again and you have way more time to actually care for the plant...I would love to see if I could accomplish that in coco too someday.

I can see the salt build up concern, but I have no input on that and would be best answered by a master coco grower.

The only thing that kept me from switching over to fabric pots for so long was price and not wanting to make my own. Having sourced cheap ones now I no longer have these reasons.

 

[onavelzy]

I don't think u could get an improvement in root mass n health vs what u did with that pot imo. I tried fabric pots n didn't like how they could saturate out the side n the salt buildup up on the sides. That's just my limited experience with them. I'm not necessarily against them, just not sold on the better effectiveness they r supposed to offer.

I have to agree with the main point above. Looking at post #85, how much better are you going to be able to do than that?

I know you seek perfection, but that looks pretty darn close to it.

"striving to better, oft we mar what's well"
Shakespeare, "King Lear"

 

[James Howlett]

He has way too much root mass in that little pot

Not true at all. Plants thrive in coco when completely root bound like that. The results speak for themselves.

 

[40AmpstoFreedom]

Well we will just have to disagree on oxygen to root mass being more beneficial. I would never restrain my roots so much in hydro which gives higher yields and quicker growth than coco imo for this reason I think he could increase vigor and get a little more vertical height out of the girls in airpots/fabric. But yeah obviously his results are stellar none the less.

 

[saitama]

I love hearing the different opinions! I don't think I was having draining issues but I do believe the two yellower plants on the left had too much root mass. They yellowed much faster than the two on the right. The plants on the left would take up to three minutes to absorb water after feedings and never got fully green. I believe there here absorption issues there. I'm leaning toward air pots now for their stability and rigidity. I believe I want to scrog again but have one plant be able to come out like the pic below. This will give me access to all four plants with ease without opening up my tent completely as I do lack space on the side where my res is. I might just do all four in a mobile scrog since the more rigid air pots will allow this.

Pic credit goes to another person on another forum. Not sure who.

 

[onavelzy]

that cut out scrog is a pretty clever approach. I have a 5x5 and I'm not loving the lack of maneuvering room I have left myself

 

[saitama]

It's been pretty hot in CA this week. I've been running a 315w CMH in my 3x3 veg tent and temps have been around 87- 90F with ambient room temps being 75F. I had to decide whether I wanted to run my room AC or get a different light. I went ahead and contacted Starlite and went with their Helios 320. I picked it up locally today and temps have gone from +13-15F in the tent to +3-4F.

It is a pricy light but the tent's temps are much more stable now. The savings from not running AC will pay this light off in a few months, not including the savings of not having to run AC (I hope) when I have two tents going full bore. But we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

The glueberry OG ladies have been neglected with the recent harvest and I'm trying to play catch up with them. They have been a little pale but healthy otherwise. For my last grow, I never needed to feed over 1.0 EC of V+B in veg. These girls seem more hungry. I went up from 0.9E EC to 1.2 EC over the last few days and they are starting to green up pretty well. I will continue to monitor and increase as needed, but this seems high to me for V+B in veg. I was told by another member here that he is vegging his GBOG at 1.5-1.6EC with no issues, so perhaps the strain is just a heavy feeder. We'll see.

I did some mainlining and topping, against better judgement. I hope I didn't slow them down TOO much.


Pics:

1. 3x3 Tent
2. Ambient in room
3. Bud curing container (notice humidity)
4. Outside room ambient temp

My incredibly sophisticated cloud based remote temp monitor:

The girls

Under the helios

 

[MJINC]

That's a huge difference in temps between the 315 CMH and the helios, should help out massively. Was the ballast for the 315 in the tent or outside?

 

[40AmpstoFreedom]

Yeah it has been confirmed by Krunch and few others these lights will 100% at least drop your temps 10 degrees. This was a huge impetus for me to purchase.

 

[saitama]

That's a huge difference in temps between the 315 CMH and the helios, should help out massively. Was the ballast for the 315 in the tent or outside?

Inside. It is the sun system 315 and the ballast is built into the fixture. The ballast isn't what was hot, though. It was the radiant heat from the lamp itself

Yeah it has been confirmed by Krunch and few others these lights will 100% at least drop your temps 10 degrees. This was a huge impetus for me to purchase.

Still waiting for you to tell me you're running the optilux!

 

[onavelzy]

Inside. It is the sun system 315 and the ballast is built into the fixture. The ballast isn't what was hot, though. It was the radiant heat from the lamp itself



Still waiting for you to tell me you're running the optilux!

About what foot print does the Helios cover? I read Krunchbubbles thread a while ago. he had a bunch in a 10x10 tent but I can't remember how many. I'll have to go find it

 

[saitama]

About what foot print does the Helios cover? I read Krunchbubbles thread a while ago. he had a bunch in a 10x10 tent but I can't remember how many. I'll have to go find it

I believe it covers a 3x3, which is why I got it.

 

[saitama]

670.72g total. 70g of which is 'mid grade'. The rest are tops

All the larf was not weighed and went straight to bubble hash which will be pressed to rosin.

1+ gpw. Definitely lots of room for more!

 

[MJINC]

Congrats on the nice harvest. How long is it going to take you to get going again?

 

[saitama]

Congrats on the nice harvest. How long is it going to take you to get going again?

Thanks! Already going.

 

[saitama]

They're growing pretty quickly. Backed the light off a little since they were getting bleached from the light again. These lights are incredibly powerful.

 

[saitama]

Some white widow bubble hash that I pressed to rosin. 75% yield from second wash bubble and the best color and clarity I have ever produced!!! I'm very proud of this so I thought I would share.

 

[starke]

Beautiful product. Love the color. Looks like the next "gold" rush has begun.

 

[saitama]

Gonna flip soon

 

[fonzee]

Looks ready for flipping and very healthy
Best of luck!