Happy Jack's 1st Hydro Grow Journal - DWC - LED - Nirvana Blackjack - WW - Etc

[jayne]

Nice work!

 

[Happy Jack]

Thanks Jayne!

 

[jayne]

How's it going Jack? How's that blackjack coming?

 

[Happy Jack]

How's it going Jack? How's that blackjack coming?

Hi Jayne,

Thanks for checking in. My babies are growing so fast, I'm skeered!
My problem is the plants are growing fast and thick in the DWC and, at week three in bloom, are getting really thick, and stretching above the screen. I'm not sure what to do--trim, defoliate, nothing?

I have 2 Mars-Hydro Reflector144 s in each of two 4x4' tents, 4 plants per tent, each in a 17 gallon tote, using the GH cannabis schedule, and the growth has been fantastic, as the photos show. Tent 1 has the faster growing plants, and looked like tent 2 a week or so ago!

I'm a bit overwhelmed, and wondering what to do. I also posted this question in the Growers Forum --> Bloom Cycle forum. Is there a better place to post? Advice, encouragement, etc, greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Tent 1 -- Master Kush on the Left, Pure Power Plant on the Right

Tent 2 -- Wonder Woman on the Left, Black Jack on the Right

 

[Mars Hydro]

I hope I can help you. You may try to ask at our thread, growers there may have some good advice. I will also check for you. Wish everything will be fine soon.


Sent from my iPhone using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[jayne]

I think first you should take a step back and admire your success thusfar.

I hesitate to give advice as I feel I'm talking out of my ass, but I would at least start tying them down to the screen. It may be easier if you defoil so you can have a better picture of what's going on with them individually. May also be less overwhelming after a trim as well. Just remember if you do decide to defoil to cut your nutes to match. Anyway, wanted to offer encouragement mostly. I'll sit back and let the experts chime in now.

 

[Happy Jack]

Thanks Sara and Jayne!

I appreciate both of your thoughtfulness and friendliness. I compliment you Jayne on your goodwill *and* acknowledging the limits of your own expertise. That is a fine and appreciated combo.

As a reminder, I have already done the scrog training, and tied them down to the screen. They have simply continued to grow afterwards!

Here's what they looked like two weeks ago!

Best wishes to all.

 

[jayne]

Ahh well if they are already trained to fill the screen horizontally, I would say the only thing you can do is let them grow as long as you have the vertical space for them. The good news is the stretch should be coming to an end soon. That's when the real fun starts!

 

[Mars Hydro]

It's my pleasure, I just want to see your girl be happy


Sent from my iPhone using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[OlderGrower]

Looking good Jack
I really like your water filtering system.. very clean and professional
just an fyi.. you cloned all of your plants for the next grow right.. well your tents will be busy for the next 7 to 10 weeks, which means those clones should be fairly big by then... bigger plants when flipping require more space... you may end u with fewer plants on your next grow but they will just be bigger is all

Everything is looking good though my friend

 

[Happy Jack]

Ahh well if they are already trained to fill the screen horizontally, I would say the only thing you can do is let them grow as long as you have the vertical space for them. The good news is the stretch should be coming to an end soon. That's when the real fun starts!

Thanks Jayne!

I truly appreciate your encouragement and moral support.

I'm keeping at it, more photos soon.

Thanks again, HJ

 

[Happy Jack]

It's my pleasure, I just want to see your girl be happy

Thank you Sara!

 

[Happy Jack]

Looking good Jack
I really like your water filtering system.. very clean and professional
just an fyi.. you cloned all of your plants for the next grow right.. well your tents will be busy for the next 7 to 10 weeks, which means those clones should be fairly big by then... bigger plants when flipping require more space... you may end u with fewer plants on your next grow but they will just be bigger is all

Everything is looking good though my friend

Thanks Older Grower, for the guidance and goodwill.

I've tried to build solid, easy-to-use totes/filters/etc, so that it will be easier in the long run, and I'll save myself from as many mistakes as possible. I'll tell you, those big totes are great insurance against running dry.

And yes, I did clone all the plants before I flipped, and am just about to transfer the clones from starter plugs to 4" rockwool cubes. I hope to be able to keep them fairly compact until I harvest this crop. (I like the sound of that

 

[Mars Hydro]

They will be full of the screen soon

Thank you Sara!

 

[Happy Jack]

(duplicate post deleted)

 

[Happy Jack]

Thanks again for all your help. Dr. Fish suggested that I Google ScottyBalls "Pineapple Express G13 Lab's Seed to Harvest" , and that journal is fantastic--thanks Dr. Fish!

After reading that journal, listening to your advice, and some contemplation, I'm feeling much better. I didn't realize how much stretch there would be, and that, combined with DWC's fast growth, kinda freaked me out.

Here are some photos from today, after a little more tuning. (Tent 2 looks a little scraggly because I just moved the shoot around--I think I'm just about done adjusting.)

Tent 1

Tent 2

Master Kush Bud

Thanks again, and best wishes.

 

[yasta]

How are your plants doing?

 

[Happy Jack]

How are your plants doing?

Hi Friends! Hi Yasta, pleased to meet you! Thanks for asking.

The grow is going pretty well, I think. (chuckle) The plants stopped their stretch just at my last post, which was a big relief--they were growing like mo-fos!

They seem to have settled down, and I have too.

Now it's looking like I flipped Tent 1 at the right time, but maybe panicked and flipped tent 2 too soon. That's why I have two tents, lol.

Both have settled down, with Tent 1 (Master Kush on left and Pure Power Plant on right) continuing to lead tent 2 (Black Jack on left and Wonder Woman on right). Nutrient levels aren't dropping as fast, and growth has slowed dramatically. Buds are beginning to grow and show structure.

Tent 1 (Master Kush on left and Pure Power Plant on right)

Tent 1 Master Kush

Tent 1 Pure Power Plant

Tent 2 (Black Jack on left and Wonder Woman on right)

Tent 2 Black Jack

Tent 2 Wonder Woman

A Black Jack (left rear of tent 2) showed some stress and yellow bands in the center of new leaves so I checked pH levels, and it was 4 or below (test doesn't distinguish) in all the totes! This was a big change, and a surprise. The best cause I can come up with is that a week ago I doubled the pumps and airstones, so each tote now has two. I think I remember reading something about how aeration changes water's pH? Dunno.

Stressed Black Jack

Anyway, I've done about 4 nudgings of 0.75ml of pH+ per 10gals in each tote, and now I'm approaching my goal of 5.5 pH. I think the plant has already improved in the 3 days since I started doing this. Thoughts? Could low pH cause this symptom? Or maybe I disturbed/injured the roots when I added the new airstones.

So how long do you think I'll need to flower this in hydro?

Thanks for looking, and happy daze!

 

[Happy Jack]

Strain Comparison, Early Bloom: Master Kush, Pure Power Plant, Black Jack, Wonder Wom

Strain Report--Early Bloom


I'll share my impressions on the strains I'm growing, as of early bloom.

I'd also like to know if folks think I should trim off some of the fan leaves?

All this is in context of my first hydro *and* my first scrog grow--using RO Water, Mars-Hydro LED Reflector series lights, and General Hydroponics 3-part Flora series nutrients, mixed to the standard cannabis schedule. I'm a newbie--others might have different, and almost certainly better results.

Master Kush

MK was the strain I chose last, but so far it ranks tied for first with Pure Power Plant. Mainly because of its robustness, vitality, and many secondaries. Right from germination it lead in size and shape, and never lost it's lead. The downside was an alarming blooming stretch that only ended up being about a foot or so, but happened with shocking speed.

So far the blooms are excellent, second only to Pure Power Plant, and already aromatic.




Pure Power Plant

PPP is relatively new, came with big buzz, and has lived up to it. It grew very robust and well formed, though not as quick as MK. It had a moderate, easily controlled bloom stretch.

The big payoff came in bloom, with the biggest, stinkiest buds so far. Really impressive.

Black Jack

Black Jack is the most exotic of the strains I picked, with lower yields promised. It germinated reluctantly, but then gained strength and grew well, if slower than MK and PP.

Now in bloom, the blooms are medium sized and smelly.

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is billed as a big producer, but grew at a moderate pace, and so far has the smallest, most odorless buds of the four. Going in I expected it to be my workhorse producer, but so far she isn't there. Time will tell.

I hope you find the report helpful, and have a great day!

 

[David Bowman]

Hope all is well in your world.

Is this grow still alive?

We would love to be updated with some pictures and info.

How about posting a 420 Strain Review?

If you need any help with posting photos, please read our Photo Gallery Tutorial.

I am moving this to Abandoned Journals until we get updates.

Sending you lots of love and positive energy.