CannaDad's First Grow - Vero COB LED

CannaDad

Well-Known Member
Hello fellow cannabis connoisseurs! My very first grow is currently underway. Mistakes have already been made, but for the most part things seem to be going pretty well. Feel free to chime in any time with advice to make this or my next grow better. Huge shout out to doc bud for putting together the High Brix Kit and working tirelessly to try to answer the seemingly endless questions that arise during a grow, you sir are a true gentleman and a scholar. Also want to give a shout out to Graytail and major pita for taking the time to add a sample feeding schedule, and to darkscotia for the awesome grow journal that has been a great go to for questions. You guys all kick ass! Also a thanks in advance for any advice in the coming weeks! So let’s get the grow journal going!

—equipment
Doc buds High Brix Kit
3x3 flower tent with 400 watt COB Vero timber grow light
2x5? Rolling veg tent with 225 watts from 3 CXM22 COB

——strains
Purple orange kush(POK) bag seed from neighbor, being grown as test subject unless showing high potential
Skunk Diesel(SKD) planted days after POK
Amnesia Lemon(AML) planted weeks later as insurance plan, will veg longer or take clones or flower with SKD. We will have to see how it goes
Plan is to grow perpetual with harvest about every 2-3 months.


Again this grow is currently in progress, almost 3 weeks in. My goal with this journal is to lay it all out for other new growers to have a good source of information like I luckily just found in darkscotia’s grow journal. I figure since I am a new grower I can detail the mistakes I make so others can avoid them and make docs kit easier for a new small scale grower to understand. So without further ado I will kick this off with some backlog of what happened up to Jan 20th. So let’s go way way back to nov 25, cooking the soil and preparing the “pot pod”



The preparation



—-Soil

1 bale(3.8cf) of ProMix BX(No HP near)
1 bag(30 lbs) wiggle worm castings
1 bag(1cf I think?) vigro perlite
1 bag doc buds amendment
5 gallons of water

Mixed all dry ingredients thoroughly in three 30 gal bins(holes in lid). Add water to bins evenly. Mix thoroughly. Check for clumps.
Let sit for 35 days. This brings us to Jan 1

Soil was kept above 60 degrees to cook.
Condensation occurred from a cold window nearby. Mixed moisture back in. Any problems with that?
Soil was moved to basement after 40 days. Temps around 40-60. Any problems with storing cooked soil in cooler temps? I always bring needed amount of soil into the grow room a day or two before using it to let it acclimatize first.


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——Setting up the “Pot Pod”

My wife often helps me work through a lot of DIY planning with excellent ideas. Setting up my first grow room was no exception. She found a great deal for a storage unit to be delivered for only $500.
The “Pod” is 8x5 feet and 7 feet tall. We barely fit it into the basement garage, but it is in now and works great.



—-Equipment for Pod

Finnhomy 3x3 tent
Rolling veg tent(metro rack)
Timber grow lights 4vs (veros) 400 watt
4 inch online fan
4 inch carbon filter
Radiator style heater
Adjustable humidifier
3 CXM22 light engines at 75 watts each
Reverse osmosis system
1 gal fabric transplanter pots (eh...)
7 gal fabric pots (hope I like these better)



—-Putting the pod together

I started with putting fan fold insulation around the entire inside(was it worth it? Temps hold nicely, but never tried without it either). The roof had to be removed to fit in the basement, was replaced with rigid insulation. The electric is temporary for my first grow, two extension cords from different circuits. Heater is never set above it’s lowest setting(500watts?) only the rheostat is adjusted. If everything is running at peak it is 500 for heater 400 for flower lights 225 for veg lights and whatever chump change for humidifier, circulation fan, and whatever exhaust fan pulls(been on lowest setting unless heat gets too high). That split over two circuits should be good for now right?
The rolling veg tent is perfect for my small climate controlled space, roll them out if they are needing anything, roll them back so I have space to work when I am done. Made from an old shitty tent that the corners ripped out on. Going to re-purpose the frame as a scrog frame, but more on that when it is actually done.
The pod itself has no direct ventilation, hope that doesn’t present problems for veg in the future. Temp and humidity in the flower tent can be easily kept at 78 and 50-60%. The rolling veg tent will be at the mercy of the climate in the pod though... big room humidifier maybe? Small room one did nothing, had to put it directly in the tent. Any problems with that? Thanks again for any and all feedback/critiques!
Reverse osmosis water is held in a 30 gal bin that I put a spigot on. No air bubbler yet, is that quintessential for storing RO water? I use my pressurized sprayer pump to pump some air in before every use. Water is also brought inside the pod at least hours before use to warm slightly.

I think that about does it for the prep for the grow/room. Let me know if you have any questions or critiques! I want to learn as much as possible before my next cycle!

Here is a picture of the pod with door open so you guys can see what I am workin with. Let me know if anything shoul change( I plan to move exhaust fan because of where I put my storage shelf) thanks for checking the journal out! Now for more on the plants in my next post! (This one got longer than I planned already...haha sorry for the rambling on. Check in tomorrow to see the girls! Good night for now fellow cannasseurs.
 
re: CannaDad's First Grow - Doc Bud's Kit & Vero COB LED

Hello fellow cannabis connoisseurs! My very first grow is currently underway. Mistakes have already been made, but for the most part things seem to be going pretty well. Feel free to chime in any time with advice to make this or my next grow better. Huge shout out to doc bud for putting together the High Brix Kit and working tirelessly to try to answer the seemingly endless questions that arise during a grow, you sir are a true gentleman and a scholar. Also want to give a shout out to Graytail and major pita for taking the time to add a sample feeding schedule, and to darkscotia for the awesome grow journal that has been a great go to for questions. You guys all kick ass! Also a thanks in advance for any advice in the coming weeks! So let's get the grow journal going!

–equipment
Doc buds High Brix Kit
3x3 flower tent with 400 watt COB Vero timber grow light
2x5? Rolling veg tent with 225 watts from 3 CXM22 COB

––strains
Purple orange kush(POK) bag seed from neighbor, being grown as test subject unless showing high potential
Skunk Diesel(SKD) planted days after POK
Amnesia Lemon(AML) planted weeks later as insurance plan, will veg longer or take clones or flower with SKD. We will have to see how it goes
Plan is to grow perpetual with harvest about every 2-3 months.


Again this grow is currently in progress, almost 3 weeks in. My goal with this journal is to lay it all out for other new growers to have a good source of information like I luckily just found in darkscotia's grow journal. I figure since I am a new grower I can detail the mistakes I make so others can avoid them and make docs kit easier for a new small scale grower to understand. So without further ado I will kick this off with some backlog of what happened up to Jan 20th. So let's go way way back to nov 25, cooking the soil and preparing the "pot pod"



The preparation



–-Soil

1 bale(3.8cf) of ProMix BX(No HP near)
1 bag(30 lbs) wiggle worm castings
1 bag(1cf I think?) vigro perlite
1 bag doc buds amendment
5 gallons of water

Mixed all dry ingredients thoroughly in three 30 gal bins(holes in lid). Add water to bins evenly. Mix thoroughly. Check for clumps.
Let sit for 35 days. This brings us to Jan 1

Soil was kept above 60 degrees to cook.
Condensation occurred from a cold window nearby. Mixed moisture back in. Any problems with that?
Soil was moved to basement after 40 days. Temps around 40-60. Any problems with storing cooked soil in cooler temps? I always bring needed amount of soil into the grow room a day or two before using it to let it acclimatize first.


E1AD1C64-DB0B-4816-AF52-2F5591B5B3DC.jpeg
6A4BDD93-55F4-4220-97AD-A76F6AD3DD75.jpeg




––Setting up the "Pot Pod"

My wife often helps me work through a lot of DIY planning with excellent ideas. Setting up my first grow room was no exception. She found a great deal for a storage unit to be delivered for only $500.
The "Pod" is 8x5 feet and 7 feet tall. We barely fit it into the basement garage, but it is in now and works great.



–-Equipment for Pod

Finnhomy 3x3 tent
Rolling veg tent(metro rack)
Timber grow lights 4vs (veros) 400 watt
4 inch online fan
4 inch carbon filter
Radiator style heater
Adjustable humidifier
3 CXM22 light engines at 75 watts each
Reverse osmosis system
1 gal fabric transplanter pots (eh...)
7 gal fabric pots (hope I like these better)



–-Putting the pod together

I started with putting fan fold insulation around the entire inside(was it worth it? Temps hold nicely, but never tried without it either). The roof had to be removed to fit in the basement, was replaced with rigid insulation. The electric is temporary for my first grow, two extension cords from different circuits. Heater is never set above it's lowest setting(500watts?) only the rheostat is adjusted. If everything is running at peak it is 500 for heater 400 for flower lights 225 for veg lights and whatever chump change for humidifier, circulation fan, and whatever exhaust fan pulls(been on lowest setting unless heat gets too high). That split over two circuits should be good for now right?
The rolling veg tent is perfect for my small climate controlled space, roll them out if they are needing anything, roll them back so I have space to work when I am done. Made from an old shitty tent that the corners ripped out on. Going to re-purpose the frame as a scrog frame, but more on that when it is actually done.
The pod itself has no direct ventilation, hope that doesn't present problems for veg in the future. Temp and humidity in the flower tent can be easily kept at 78 and 50-60%. The rolling veg tent will be at the mercy of the climate in the pod though... big room humidifier maybe? Small room one did nothing, had to put it directly in the tent. Any problems with that? Thanks again for any and all feedback/critiques!
Reverse osmosis water is held in a 30 gal bin that I put a spigot on. No air bubbler yet, is that quintessential for storing RO water? I use my pressurized sprayer pump to pump some air in before every use. Water is also brought inside the pod at least hours before use to warm slightly.

I think that about does it for the prep for the grow/room. Let me know if you have any questions or critiques! I want to learn as much as possible before my next cycle!

Here is a picture of the pod with door open so you guys can see what I am workin with. Let me know if anything shoul change( I plan to move exhaust fan because of where I put my storage shelf) thanks for checking the journal out! Now for more on the plants in my next post! (This one got longer than I planned already...haha sorry for the rambling on. Check in tomorrow to see the girls! Good night for now fellow cannasseurs.
Thats awesome. keep us updated and good luck
 
re: CannaDad's First Grow - Doc Bud's Kit & Vero COB LED

Starting the seeds/first grow!


So the time has finally come!(longest 30 days of my life! So far... haha)

I bought 4 seeds to start with, and some preferred strains I saved bag seeds from.
I started the bag seeds because I was anxious on the 28th. For ease(I thought at the time) I started them in jiffy pellets in a dome on a heat mat.Out of 5 I had 2 sprout on Jan 1st, my planned seed sowing day. A purple orange Kush and one that was a random. Placed them under 1 cfl light that was too high.(didn’t have heater for pod yet.. sprouted in bathroom.) POK stretched for the light, random did nothing...
My seeds came in the mail on the 2nd and I started germination of skunk diesel that night, same method but with roots applied.
Jan 4th heater arrives and pod climate can be controlled so everything is moved to the flower tent(still building veg tent/light.
Jan 6th the skunk diesel has sprouted. Jan 7th the POK roots are out the bottom of jiffy pellet. All are transplanted to 4 inch planters(my second conceived mistake, in hindsight to 1 gal maybe better?)
Jan 8th-10th is where I got panicky and saw underwatering signs, so they all got a full watering with a little run off(another noob mistake I thought I would never make).
Low and behold Jan 11th POK is pretty tall by now(stretched in beginning) but looking pretty sad now(overwatered because I got a case of the newbies). But of course now I have been following Graytail and major pitas simplified(?) feeding schedule and just notice that it looks like I have been missing foliar sprays already!?? Is that true? I know I missed an optional(?) transplant drench in the beginning. So worried that POK is showing signs of deficiencies I decide to do a de stress foliar spray.
By Jan 13th all plants are dry, so all get another full watering... probably too much. Jan 14th light timer lost in mail finally arrives. First lights out for them at 11 pm. Jan 15th following foliar schedule I spray them both(random still stunted at cotyledons so will be dissected for learning purposes) and all receive a half watering so they are moist enough for transplant the next day.... another mistake from getting panicky. Chill out friends, let them try to fix themselves before you try to fix them. Best advice I can give and apparently not follow. Haha
Jan 16th so I read into what could be wrong with POK, after all it is my test subject and probably not destined to flower. Reading from random growing sites I decide POK could just be rootbound? It’s pretty big for 4 inch planter seems legit. Internet says if you see roots out bottom plant right away! I think oh f***. I have roots out of both! Transplanted that night... POK did fine.. SKD was not ready. The rootball crumbled a little while lowering it into the hole. Roots was applied to the hole and both were watered with 3 cups water and .5ml of transplant. Temp has been jumping around a few degrees as I tune in the climate and humidity has jumped between 20% and 60%, but getting more under control every day. Biggest swings are obviously when lights go out and on.
Jan 18th worried still that POK is showing deficiencies still and that I am behind on the feeding schedule I decide to go ahead with the first growth drench(too early as far as I can tell in hindsight). Jan 19th my son was up at 4:50 this morning. Most of the time I would be try to lay him back down after a book, but what a perfect way to watch the lights come on and say good morning to the girls! Quick get him set up with Greek yogurt for breakfast and a little Daniel tiger and hurry to the Pot Pod! I make it down at 5:03, hold up a sec. I should hear the exhaust fan... WTF? Should be on at 5, but i open the pod door and step in. Then the light and fan randomly kick on at 5:08? Timer says it is 5:08, and set to come on at 5:00? Anyone else have similar issues? Now I have to try to stay up till 11 and get up at 5 to figure this out!! I spent the rest of the day reading grow journals to figure out what other people do as far as when they start their feeding schedule. Stumble on darkscotia and doc bud doing a grow in synch, perfect. I want to plant an insurance plan in case neither SKD or POK make it. So following the grow journal I soak a 1 gal pot of soil about half full for a lil bit and then put some non soaked soil on top and moisten in the middle. Make divot and sprinkle roots in hole. Tweezer in my amnesia lemon seed. Water about 1/2 cup around outside of 1 gal fabric pot. She is sitting in with her two big sisters now in the flower tent.
—-Update on the girls-
Skunk diesel is looking very healthy minus what looks to be some slight discoloration on some leaves. Only a couple inches tall but very tight internodal spacing.

Purple orang Kush is still looking a little sickly. Bottom leaves and cotyledons have yellowed and dried up now. Leaves are much thinner than SKD, but it is also mostly sativa. Not sure if there is nutrient burn from over watering, deficiencies from not feeding, it could even be genetics. After all this is still just my test subject. Will be trying out training techniques on her before SKD.

And now as promised, pictures of the girls! The most recent of these is from the 19th, so I will take some more today too! I think the SKD is looking pretty healthy, but the POK is definitely showing stress. Any advice on the either is greatly appreciated!

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——Well that completes my back log, the rest of this journal will be in real time with updates happening hopefully every other day, or at least every time their is action taken. Starting with the first current pictures of the girls coming today!
 
re: CannaDad's First Grow - Doc Bud's Kit & Vero COB LED

Alright fellas, this update is now in real time. Pictures taken this morning an hour after lights on (18/6). Top and side of SKD then top and side of POK. POK turns 3 weeks old tomorrow and SKD is 5 days behind that. POK is looking better than it did a week ago, SKD has some spots of white on the leafs that have me a little worried, probably nothing. I was thinking about maybe giving them a mist of RO water with the flairisol bottle to give it a little rinse though? Any thoughts anyone? Thanks in advance!
 
I didn’t plan to do an update until tomorrow, but I was unfortunate enough to be up before 5:00 again today. Got down to the pod by five after and the lights and exhaust fan were not on... last night I stayed up until a quarter after eleven to watch lights out, my wife got on my case to come to bed or I would have waited it out. But long story short the lights shut off sometime after 11:15(I know this because temp drops from 78 to 68 in the night) and then turn back on sometime between 5:10 and 5:20. Has anyone else had problems with their light timers not working at the correct times? I am planning to buy a WiFi surge protector to put the light, heater, and humidifier on so each one can be turned on and off separately from my phone. That coupled with a WiFi hygrometer will give me remote control of the climate in the tent, I hope. The WiFi outlet will also act as my timer. Then the exhaust fan will be the only thing on the timer, unless it would be better to cut the circulation fan for lights out as well?

Update on the plants

Both POK and SKD are showing healthy new growth and looking pretty good over all. SKD has one leaf that has browned on the top and curled up. Not sure why, but for now I am trying not to worry about it. POK is starting to have some droop to it, but is also not dry enough for a watering quite yet. I’m wondering if I should maybe do a light watering around the outside? Possibly do a little transplant in there as well? If Any High Brix growers have any advice for me here that would be greatly appreciated! For now I am just holding off any action until I see some improvement or more decline in either.

Now for the pictures

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I didn’t plan an update for today, but seeing as the girls seem to be showing more deficiencies I think now is the time to act. Neither one is really ready for a full watering quite yet, so I am thinking about doing a light transplant drench around the outside of the pots to hold them over until their GE drench. I also feel that it is time to reintroduce the foliar sprays today or tomorrow morning. Left off with de stress 5 days ago, thinking I should do a Brix foliar and then a de stress a day or two after? Thanks for any and all advice

Photos show the deficiencies on both. Seem to be different deficiencies as best I can tell. If anyone can identify these deficiencies for educational purposes that would be great! POK has some veining discoloration and droopy leaves(especially the smallest leaves on each fan). The SKD is just starting to show signs on a few leaf tips.

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POK was looking pretty droopy again last night before lights out, but perked right up this morning by the time I got down there. Getting back on schedule with the foliar sprays I did a Brix foliar this morning for both. The top of the soil for both were getting quite dry, but I could feel they were not totally dry so I watered them with a cup of water each with .25ml of xplant around the outside to hold them over until their GE drench hopefully tomorrow. Both were showing deficiencies so I decided with a light xplant instead of straight RO water. Left out the tea until the drench as to not over do it. Brix was applied today so I will plan to do a de stress on Saturday. Pictures coming a bit later today, dealing with a flooding basement encroaching on the pot pod... wish me luck!
 
Hey CannaDad!

I'm tuned in and watching! Not too familiar with the hi brix but curious to learn!

I'll chill here, roll the joints n help where I can man! Have fun in the garden today! . . . . .
 
Hey CannaDad!

I'm tuned in and watching! Not too familiar with the hi brix but curious to learn!

I'll chill here, roll the joints n help where I can man! Have fun in the garden today! . . . . .

Glad to have you on board! And just what this party needed, someone to roll the joints! High Brix is still very new to me too, but hopefully after this grow we will both have a better idea how it all works together to grow the beautiful plants doc bud always has.
 
Update on the light timer- Well I was able to be in the pod when the lights came on this morning, 5:18. Most likely shuts off at 11:18 as well so I don’t suspect it to be an issue, as long as it is consistent.

Update on the girls- POK and SKD are both pretty light and dry this morning so I think it is GE day today! I will try to get some pictures of the process when the time comes. POK will be getting topped in the next few days, most likely tomorrow before her de stress.

We also had a new addition to the family last night! The Amnesia Lemon popped her cotyledons out last night about an hour before lights out. She came out a little twisted so I was nervous about her going straight into dark hours right away. So I pulled her out of the tent and fired up the veg light for the night. She is looking good and healthy this morning and is in the tent with her sissies now. Unfortunately in my hurrying I had to take the humidifier out of the tent for AML in the veg rack and I forgot to seal up the drawstrings! So hopefully they don’t show too much light stress from one weird night of light.

Picture update coming when I do the GE drench today!

AML soil on top is looking pretty dry already, will water around the outside while I am down there. Should I mix a light xplant for her as well? Any high brixers have a suggestion? Thanks in advance
 
Looking great! I dont have much expirence with high brix but im sure someone will be here soon to offer proper advice.

Have you seen this grow?
Darkscotia Apprentices Doc Bud - Passion#1 Perfect Sun COB/8COB Citizen K

Thank you! I actually stumbled onto that journal a few days into my grow. I am currently trying to follow that journal exactly with the amnesia lemon. Only difference so far is I am doing it in a 1 gal fabric pot instead of plastic, which in hindsight I would not recommend for docs kit.
 
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