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- #41
Borntorun's Latest, New Lights, AK-48
- Thread starter borntorun
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That's interesting because I've assumed that products with hormones that stimulate root growth would divert energy away from the buds and so I avoid using them in the second half of the bloom cycle.
What's the connection between "vigorous root development" and bud hardening?
What's the connection between "vigorous root development" and bud hardening?
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- #43
I've always been a believer that you need big healthy root systems to develop the best flowers.
Here is something I had stored away about Gravity, Have no clue what web-site it came from.
"Gravity is unlike any other flower-finishing product on the market. Used once on the last weeks of flower finishing, Gravity fills out flower clusters and increases total flower mass without interfering with flower scent and color. Based on natural ingredients, Gravity is the brother of Bushmaster, the popular plant height controller used at the beginning of flowering. Like Bushmaster, Gravity is recommended for flowering plants and not fruiting plants like tomatoes and peppers because of fruit drop.
The unique effect of this product was discovered by accident. The Laguna Man, owner of Humboldt County's Own, was systematically reviewing hundreds of plant related patents looking for compounds mentioned in the literature that had useful effects on plants. He made up samples of the compounds and handed them out to growers.
The first testers reported modest weight gains with extreme hardening of the flowers, even the smallest ones. Founded on kelp extract, the product was fine-tuned to produce weight gains of 15% with many testers consistently achieving weight gains in the 30-40% range.
The patents gave no mechanism for the hardening effect; however, one explanation for the hardening effect is that Gravity with kelp extract causes cell division without allowing cells to get larger, crowding everything in. That would seem to explain why heavy doses of kelp applied at the same time seem to magnify the effect since kelp contains Kinetin, the plant hormone that causes cell division.
Thanks for posting that. Interesting stuff.
I've been using Maxicrop for a while now, but not for that purpose.
What kinda doses we talkin' bout?
I like to use one capful per gallon in veg.
I've been using Maxicrop for a while now, but not for that purpose.
What kinda doses we talkin' bout?
I like to use one capful per gallon in veg.
Green Utopia
New Member
Finally someone else who uses Gravity - I was beginning to think I was singlehandedly keeping the company alive.
That description you posted is straight from them. Its in all their advertising lit.
I really like the stuff myself. I have found that although it says to start using it towards the end of flowering (unlike most bloom enhancers) I have now started it in the regimen a week or two earlier and I like the results.
Same company also makes Purple Maxx - I'm not too sure about that one yet.
That description you posted is straight from them. Its in all their advertising lit.
I really like the stuff myself. I have found that although it says to start using it towards the end of flowering (unlike most bloom enhancers) I have now started it in the regimen a week or two earlier and I like the results.
Same company also makes Purple Maxx - I'm not too sure about that one yet.
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- #46
I use Maxi for germination, I soak the seeds for 24 hours in a solution that is about a tbs per cup.
For cuttings I soak them in a glass of water that is pretty strong, probably a couple tbs per cup.
studies show both germination and cuttings are more likely to be successful using kelp.
This batch of AK-48 has been getting a cap full (I think that is two tbs) per
gallon for the last 4 weeks. I just started cutting back on watering and using plain water now for the finish week or so.
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- #47
I have a couple friends in Humboldt that swear by it. I'm definitely seeing some different growth going on. The buds are just getting huge and stacking out and up. My friends tell me you need to really watch for mold because of the denseness of the flower.
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- #48
Propa Gator
New Member
They transpire water vapor which condenses on cool neighbor leaves. If your agitation fans don't penetrate the buds, budrot may. Leaves touching in overlap show condensed moisture?
Windchime-ringing chaotic turbulence is a good thing.
Better'n a fog of noxious fungicide, or debridement.
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- #50
day 61 (plant under the Solar Flare) and day 24 (the plants under the badboy lights)
The first batch is still packing on some final weight...no amber yet. Last night I smoked some small buds I clipped about a week ago..the final product is going to be real strong!
Not much trimming going to be needed. These are definitely some of the stickiest, heaviest buds, I have ever done, by a long shot. I'm real curious to find out what the cola weight will be. Not sure if it is the strain, the lights, the soil composition, or the kelp extract but whatever it is it is really working. I'll find out if it is the strain when I try out some Jock Horror and Raspberry Cough after a couple more of the AK-48 grows.
The first batch is still packing on some final weight...no amber yet. Last night I smoked some small buds I clipped about a week ago..the final product is going to be real strong!
Not much trimming going to be needed. These are definitely some of the stickiest, heaviest buds, I have ever done, by a long shot. I'm real curious to find out what the cola weight will be. Not sure if it is the strain, the lights, the soil composition, or the kelp extract but whatever it is it is really working. I'll find out if it is the strain when I try out some Jock Horror and Raspberry Cough after a couple more of the AK-48 grows.
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- #51
You can see on the last picture how the lights are hung. The Solar Flare has perfect balance, the Bad Boy the cord comes out on one side of center and that makes it list a little to that side. I ended up putting a counter weight on the other side to get it hanging level. Between the two lights, the Solar Flare is the better made unit but from what I have heard the BB has a better ballast. BB has more lumen per watt but the SF produces more total lumen. When you calculate everything, the BB has more bang for the buck. Especially if you have to consider the shipping. The SF can't be shipped UPS and the alternative is pricey. Bulbs are cheaper for the BB. The SF uses more watts and the plants performance shows that.
Those buds look just amazing. This latest crop of T5's seem to be an excellent alternative to HID for flowering.
Are they completely silent or do you hear any ballast buzz with everything else off?
Are they completely silent or do you hear any ballast buzz with everything else off?
Man, T-5's are doing a bang up job. I'll have to look further into price and stuff.
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- #54
no buzz that is noticeable, at least to my ears. I'll put my ear up to them next time I'm in there. They are electronic ballasts
Keeping the temprature up in the room is a bigger issue for me right now. If I run the fan that vents to outside too much I get the desired humidity drop but also a temperature drop. I think I would get a little faster finish if I could keep the temperature up in the high 70's. I think I'm going to make some movable walls covered with mylar that I can slide up next to the boxes to keep the area a little warmer.
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- #55
Man, T-5's are doing a bang up job. I'll have to look further into price and stuff.
t-5's are not going to save money, in fact I'm sure there are several ways to twist the math around to show they might even cost more. I'm more then happy with them so far. I don't know the yield yet but from what I can tell it is going to be on the high side and I haven't maxed out the beds yet. The next batch I'm doing 8 plants in a scrog grow.
Now I'm going to spend some time researching dehumidifiers. Anyone have a favorite brand/model?
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- #57
I have used HID and originally thought about combining both. I think where HID really performs is the final 4 week although , my feelings on that are changing rapidly as I use the VHO bulbs on the Solar Flare.
I like the t5's for these advantages
The main one for me is to be able to "adjust" the spectrum as the grow moves along. Both units allow you turn off various sections of the unit. If you used the the light from germination through harvest you might start out with just two bulbs at 6000K and the rest turned off and then add bulbs and tweak with the spectrum as you go. I veg under cfl and just use the lamps for flowering though.
If excess heat is an issue t5's are the way to go. They don't radiate much heat downward at all, so you can keep them way closer then a HID unit and that give you way more intense light and penetration. Typically I'm only running a couple degrees warmer in the center of the plants then the room temp.
There is no ultraviolet produced and in my opinion fire hazard is reduced a lot.
Another big advantage is the coverage and penetration, at least on the 12 bulb units. You are basically equally covering a 4 foot square area. The reflectors don't let much light fan out to the sides. Both boxes are getting some pretty good penetration all the way down to the soil.
I'm running them at 220 volts which was nice for me because of the circuit requirements. The Solar Flare you have to order as 220/240 and the Bad Boy just senses what voltage is available and does whatever it does to make it work you just change the plug end. The Solar Flare has an outlet on the unit to let you daisy chain the lights together, which is what I'm doing, so you can use a cheap mechanical timer. Can't remember if the Bad Boy has an outlet on it.
When you are working on the lights you don't feel like you need sunglasses or sunscreen on.
Without all the duct work the light lifting system is real simple. I just use those ratchet pulleys that Ace sells for 10 bucks. They come ready to go with the hooks and cord. The bulbs get surprisingly hot, like too hot to touch hot. So a good lifting system is essential. I rotate the beds 90 degrees every week or so and just crank the lights up out of the way while I'm doing that. I use some wire to just bend the tall plants over so everything is close to the same height.
They seem a little slower to finish but I can't tell for sure if that is the strain (which is suppose to be real fast finishing), the lights or the temp. I'm getting incredible buds so not too worried if they take a couple weeks longer.
I don't really have any negatives and the jury is still out on which unit is the best. the Solar Flare is 1140 watts and 90,000 lumen and the Bad boy is 648 watts and 60,000 lumen. So the SF is 79 lumen per watt and the BB is 92. The BB cost less and so do the bulbs. Although the difference in bulb price is only a buck or so.
Anyway I hope this helps
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- #58
They transpire water vapor which condenses on cool neighbor leaves. If your agitation fans don't penetrate the buds, budrot may. Leaves touching in overlap show condensed moisture?
Windchime-ringing chaotic turbulence is a good thing.
Better'n a fog of noxious fungicide, or debridement.
I broke down and ordered a dehumidifier today. I found a little bud rot/mold on one of the middle plants. I've moved the fans closer and trimmed a lot of fan leaves. If any more shows up I'm going to have to harvest early, fortunately I like the heady, sativa type of high.
I also need to dry the buds in the same room so I really need to get the humidity under control..so another 700 watts will be hitting the meter. I'm hoping that it doesn't run all the time. It's electronic so you just dial in the humidity you desire and let it go. It supposedly removes 65 pints in 24 hours, so about half a gallon an hour. Our humidity outside right now is around 73% so just moving air around is not cutting it and when I have a bunch of buds hanging around I would really be in for a battle. So another 250 bucks into the project!
700 watts for a dehumidifier?
is that a typo?
is that a typo?