Barney's Farm Glookies, Capn Style, 600 Watt HPS, Crazy Growth!

[SeniorMoments]

Awesome Senior! Glad you got more wattage for those girls. As new technology comes out I would love to run some test if I see something that will work in my setting for a affordable price. Cant wait to see what you will do with your grow!!

Let’s see if my wife added my journal to my signature ?

 

[SeniorMoments]

Damn. It worked.
Time to smoke a bowl.

 

[HunterHunt]

It works! Glad she got it on there for you. Yea im 2 bowls deep. Almost bed time for me.

 

[BudShark]

Haha thanks! I know its so hard to take a picture of "size" to actually see how crazy things are. Yes I switched to brand new HPS bulb when I flipped to 12/12. I use the iPower bulbs and usually only do one - two grows on them. They are cheap. $18 so not worth not buying a new one. You can get more expensive bulbs with maybe slightly better performance and last longer but I rather change them often.

That is correct the water solution is pumped up to the top of the plant that is sitting on my heavy duty tote with two holes cut in it. The pump is scheduled for 15 min intervals, This allows flushing and watering all at the same time to keep the medium perfect. The excess water during this just simply falls right back into the reservior and keeps everything circulating. I use 12 gals - 16 gals in my tank depending on how long I dont want to change it. (Vacation or if im going to be gone). I check pH daily but after the first day its pretty much good to go all week. Very slight adjustments and most of the time thats just me wanting to hold that 5.8 pH that i love. Im fine with anywhere in 5.5 - 6.0 range.

Water change: Water change is GREAT! So easy and take me less than 30 mins. After a week of 12-16 gallons there is only around 6 gallons left in the reservoir. I use a kerosene battery pump to suck the rest of the water out. Everything is done with 5 gallon buckets with a handle (the normal ones that paint come in). Takes about 2 mins to fill the bucket with 4 gallons of water (I have it marked as that is what I fill and drain with in the bucket, You dont want it full as it will spill.) I have two buckets I have to discard of and then I fill my 5 gallon bucket with 4 gallons 3 times and just pour it in the hole thats cut in my reservoir. Super easy! Then just mix in your nutes!

Here is my pump for water changes. This is also what i use to suck a glass full out to test ppm and ph daily. So easy!

Here is me changing the reservoir today. You can see my 4 gallon line in the bucket that has been measured and marked with a marker.

Here I took a picture for you so you can see the holes cut and the setup,

Two holes cut that size. The back one is the pump that feeds (never gets touched) and the front one is for res change and checks, also has a mixing pump (pump with no hose) that i plug in when i put my nutes in. It does not run until then.) I just use my reflective paneling to cover the holes like so. That square piece gets put over the hole when im done.

That is a 7 gallon pot by the way for size reference.

Shes growing like crazy! Shes getting smelly as well... in a good way...

Thanks for the detailed explanation, I like this system, you can leave for a week and not worry about your plants. Cheers

 

[BudShark]

Senior Moments, will check out your grow mate. Do you have those new lights yet Only thing about cobs is most dont have any red incorporated in the light. Does yours.?

 

[SeniorMoments]

Senior Moments, will check out your grow mate. Do you have those new lights yet Only thing about cobs is most dont have any red incorporated in the light. Does yours.?

The new light should be here today or tomorrow.
my existing lights and the new one does have the red spectrum.

 

[HunterHunt]

Installed another trellis net over the canopy. Its about 10 - 12 inches from the scroc / training net. I just laid it over to help with support. Going to have some big colas soon im hoping! Im so glad I cut some smaller tops out as shes spaced out nicely and didnt seem to affect her at all. A lot more air flow to the colas!

 

[SeniorMoments]

Beautiful lady.

 

[HunterHunt]

I loved the Apera pH meter so much I went ahead and ordered the TDS20 meter as well. These are really nice meters for the cost. I will have me a Blue Lab continuous meter soon though. Ive always wanted one especially since I have a reservoir now. For a decent price, so far, these are hard to beat!!

Res has been dropping pH a LOT. She is drinking so much the water level is dropping so the PPM is rising causing the drop in pH. Added a gallon of plain fresh water (To bring ppm back down under 1200) and pH back to 5.8. I know shes in the stretch so thats why shes drinking so much. I may add the 16 gallons instead of the 12 gallons to my res next water change, 12 just is not doing it for this big girl.


ppm 1160
pH 5.8

 

[Modest Grower]

Awesome! Love the style and I have a lot of components that would work. I actually have the same horseshoe sprinkler things. I've always wanted to do dwc but this looks very cool and effective. Cant wait to see those arm colas!

 

[HunterHunt]

Thanks and glad you guys are here for the show. Yea its very effective and easy in my opinion. It takes a little getting use to this method but once you have the basics and get a feel for it, its simple. My friend did a DWC and a rockwool (capn style) comparison years ago, two clones, two 600 watt hps, same nutes. Both very good plants and production but the smoke and final product was so much better in rockwool. Im not for sure why, or how, but with the medium the bud just turned out different even though the concepts are pretty much the same. Even looked different on the final product. It was a pretty cool comparison. Ill see if I can find some pictures from it.

I may switch up some things soon and do a different type of grow. I love doing different things and trying to master everything lol.. This grow method is awesome though. i havnt done DWC or soil in years so I may do something along those lines. Just to remind me why I grow in rockwool

 

[HunterHunt]

Res change this morning! She has almost empty my reservoir since Sunday.... ... Thats 12 gallons! I sucked out about 4 gallons so she didnt drink all 12 but wow. I did add a gallon 3 days in a row as well so pretty close. I have to change it when it gets around 4-6 gallons as im afraid my pumps want suck water due to it being to low.

Added silica (ArmourSi) to my res first and let it circulate for about 30-45 mins. You want to make sure your silica is mixed with plain water with NO nutes as it can lock them out. Silica has some pretty crazy properties especially when mixing with other things. I do add it in later sometimes to raise pH which is not a good idea. I mix it with a gallon of water and let it stabilize before I do when I do it this way... There again not a good idea. Silica always first in plain water. CalMag goes in 2nd and mixed for about 5 mins before I start adding nutes. All mixed full strength with GH Early bloom stage.

ArmorSI
CalMag
Micro
Gro
Bloom
Liquid Koolbloom
Diamond Nectar
FloraBlend
Recharge

And its done! I have it down by now and is why ive always stuck to GH. I use a big 60 ML syringe so I just go down the line.

pH stable at 6.2 with no ph additive, will check it in a few hours and lower.
ppm 1190. (Added 14 gallons of water instead of 12 to keep it at 1200 for now) Clawing at 1250-1300ppm the beginning of the week.

 

[HunterHunt]

Tried to get a whole plant picture. Shes massive! Thats a 4 foot X 3 foot support / scrog net and shes hanging over the sides...

 

[DutchinAB]

Hi nitro, I wandered over from canadadoes’ journal. This is neat, I would have never thought to grow in rockwool like this. You have an amazing plant on the go here! I will be watching your finish!!

 

[HunterHunt]

Hi nitro, I wandered over from canadadoes’ journal. This is neat, I would have never thought to grow in rockwool like this. You have an amazing plant on the go here! I will be watching your finish!!

Thank you and glad you are here! Yea its really a neat method. I guess the only downfall in my eyes is rockwool cost, which you have this with any medium. I need to look into getting the big box that grodan makes instead of the 2 cu bags.

 

[BudShark]

Thank you and glad you are here! Yea its really a neat method. I guess the only downfall in my eyes is rockwool cost, which you have this with any medium. I need to look into getting the big box that grodan makes instead of the 2 cu bags.

Hello Hunter Nitro, I am sure that there are many things that can be used to replace or substitute the expensive Rockwell cubes. I am not sure what at this moment but will give it some tought. Cost for me is a little high with Rockwell cubes. Cheers

 

[oldsmokey]

Basically DWC so you could use Hydroton.

 

[HunterHunt]

Yea I agree with both of you. DWC would be about the closest, cheapest option out there to this method. I can get 2 CU which is good for around 2 - 7 gallon pots (2 plants for me) for $46 free shipping. So around $23 per grow since I do one large plant. So not that bad. I may do some DWC soon!

 

[BudShark]

Yea I agree with both of you. DWC would be about the closest, cheapest option out there to this method. I can get 2 CU which is good for around 2 - 7 gallon pots (2 plants for me) for $46 free shipping. So around $23 per grow since I do one large plant. So not that bad. I may do some DWC soon!

Hello HunterNitro, Yes, 23 bucks is acceptable, especially when you are going to get stellar yields. It would take 2 or 3 plants to achieve your canopy. DWC, sounds interesting. Cheers

 

[McRib]

Hi HunterNitro. Followed you here from Canadadoes' journal. You are killing it here! Thanks for sharing this knowledge. I'm already sold on CAPN style. I'm going to start collecting the gear for my next round. Looking forward to watching your arm sized colas develop