Iluvsnow's 1st Grow - DIY Double-Decker Cab - Multi-Strain - DWC - CFL

[iluvsnow]

I'm waiting on a bigger LED right now too! Makes so much more sense for small spaces IMO. Looks like you have a lot going on, should be fun!

The new LED is in! Pics will follow soon. I just did a quick re-read of your journal and didn't see your new LED mentioned--which one did you go with? Things are looking good in your grow, it's good to take a couple of days off, isn't it? I haven't been updating much, but I end up working with my plants pretty much every day. I'm looking forward to being at a point where I feel like I can take a few days off here and there.

I hear ya on the CFLs. I just placed my order for two mars hydro 100x3w for my 4'x2'x5' tent. I will pick up another set for the flowering when the time comes. I started off with just wanting to build a space bucket and ended up with an entire room dedicated to growing.

That was a smart move to build a larger flower room. I was worried when I saw the limited space in your closet cabinet thing.

Congrats on the LED purchase! I think LED grow tech is here to stay. I hate paying to power those CFLs every month, I can only imagine what the HPS/MH guys must shell out every month. Ouch. I just started using a Platinum LED P150 and it runs so cool I had to put some CFLs back in the current flower room to keep the temps up! I haven't tested it yet, but the power consumption is supposed to be next to nothing on that thing. So far I'm impressed.

After working with my biggest Blueberry in the current flower cabinet, I'm glad I built a bigger flower room too. That space is too tight. It could work, of course, but the new room will work MUCH better. I spent much less to build it than what a tent would cost for the same space, which is a big bonus.

Thanks for looking, everyone! Real update to follow soon.

Have a great day!

 

[J189RFC]

I decided with the older model Mars Hydro 300w. I think it should adaquately replace my 400w HPS even if I have to keep it at 12" away from the plants it should cover everything. I'm keeping the old 90 in there too. Because of the union strike it's taking a little longer to get here. I also think they special made mine haha. They were out of stock when I ordered but oh well. Another couple weeks and I should get it. More of a wait than I wanted but, whatcanyado? The break was fantastic, just what I needed to start the New Year on the right foot. Too bad we all got sick coming home!

BB is such a bushy stocky huge fan leaved plant. I can't even believe it. Beside my pure sativas it's just crazy. Short stout and full of 'tude. The sativas are just like "Man I dont care how much room you have, I want it all"

Looking forward to the update! Hope all is well in your world!

 

[iluvsnow]

I decided with the older model Mars Hydro 300w. I think it should adaquately replace my 400w HPS even if I have to keep it at 12" away from the plants it should cover everything. I'm keeping the old 90 in there too. Because of the union strike it's taking a little longer to get here. I also think they special made mine haha. They were out of stock when I ordered but oh well. Another couple weeks and I should get it. More of a wait than I wanted but, whatcanyado? The break was fantastic, just what I needed to start the New Year on the right foot. Too bad we all got sick coming home!

BB is such a bushy stocky huge fan leaved plant. I can't even believe it. Beside my pure sativas it's just crazy. Short stout and full of 'tude. The sativas are just like "Man I dont care how much room you have, I want it all"

Looking forward to the update! Hope all is well in your world!

Thanks man! I'm glad you had a good break and hope you guys didn't end up with the flu, I hear it's spreading like crazy this year. I know what you mean about plant "attitude," but I think my grow gets more of that from the Khalifa on this run. It's beastly. My big BB is the first plant that will have been with me for the entire process, so it's probably just ready for all this to be over. I had a bit of a rough go in the beginning, ya know?

Those "Older Model" (you'd really think they'd come up with a better name for them) Mars LEDs look pretty badass for the money, even more so than the Reflector series. I bought the missus the smallest Reflector model that's growing some peppers right now, and so far so good, but we did get a delivery delay from the union strike or whatever. All told the light took a little over a month to get to us. I'll need to supplement the light in my new flower room eventually, and those "older model" lights are on my short list. I'm not spending another nickel I don't have to at this point. Jeez.

Update time! It's long overdue.

The big flowering girl first. Here's the biggest BB under the old CFLs, then that sexy new Platinum LED P150:

[GRATUITOUS PINK BUD SHOT]

And some from this morning, right after lights on:

As I mentioned in a prior post, I put the CFLs back over the smaller two BBs for some heat and to make sure I get these girls enough light. The double decker thing will be my veg/mother/clone setup once these BBs are finished flowering and I think the P150 will be OK for that. I don't know if it's quite enough for all three plants so I just have it over the big girl for now. Here are the smaller BBs:

The flower cab is getting frostier, but seems to have stalled a bit. I think I'm past the bulk of the stretch at this point. I flipped to 12/12 on 11/29, so I'd guess another three weeks or so? I really don't know.

I moved the four hempys to a new home in the top of the cabinet. So far I'm really liking the hempy setup and the plants I have going in them are really liking it. The Speed Bud (front left) is an auto that I stressed, so even though it's been over a month since it sprouted it's still tiny. Oh well.

The Afghanis on the right side are also that old, but they're not autos. J, I think you said you don't like autos, and I think I agree. Not to mention I can't clone it or manipulate it like a photoperiod. Photoperiod FTW. The back left is a BB clone that I was thinking of growing into a bonsai mother. I like to play around. We'll see.

Here is the new flower room, which is now just an extended veg cabinet. The Khalifa is doing well, it sucks up almost a gallon a day now, so when I'm a little scared of what this thing may become once I flower it.
I don't think I'm going to SCROG this one, does anyone have any helpful hints on how to keep this thing from falling apart under its own weight during flower?

I have two Khalifa clones and two BB clones in with the KK:

I transplanted these from DWC to hempy a couple of days ago and they don't seem to have skipped a beat. I'll flower these with the big KK in the very near future. I tied the BBs down for some LST but I really should have done that much sooner. That's why I took so many clones. Some for backup in case I messed up, some to play with. Being able to stake the plants for training and support is a big advantage to the hempy, at least in my limited experience. I also had to duct tape the 3" net pot to the bucket lid on the Khalifa. It kept falling over. Another hempy advantage.

Thanks for checking my grow out guys! Comments and suggestions are always welcome. Have a great weekend!

 

[iluvsnow]

I almost forgot, this entire grow has consisted of the super-simple nutrient regimen I listed in the first post. For my DWC plants I use 10.5 grams Jack's Hydroponic 5-12-26, 3.5 grams epsom salt and 7 grams calcium nitrate per bucket. This puts ppm at around 1000. I fill each bucket to 3.5 gallons, so this is the "3-2-1" ratio that I've read of others doing with success.

For the hempys I mix a concentrated amount ( I do enough for a 3.5 gallon amount of solution in a half-gallon jug) which I then dilute with regular, pH tap water to about 700 ppm in the watering jug (tap is at ~85).

So far so good on the performance, I guess, although I have nothing to compare it to. The price is very hard to beat. I spent $70 for 25 pounds of the Jack's, about $10 for the calnit and just a few dollars for the epsom. At my usage rates this will last a long, long time.

I also add Dutch Master Zone and some H2O2. And that's it. Cheap and simple, just like me.

I know it's common to lower N in flower, which I have not done. I've read that most people who use Jack's just keep to the formula throughout the entire grow, so that's what I'm trying. So far there's not much leaf tip clawing or anything associated with toxicity to my knowledge. We shall see.

Have a great day!

 

[Sir Budlovski]

Your doing a great job mate
Loving how even you managed to keep your flowering BBs canopy in the scrog to.
Looks like some smooth growingnd beautiful harvests to come your way in the future

 

[iluvsnow]

Your doing a great job mate
Loving how even you managed to keep your flowering BBs canopy in the scrog to.
Looks like some smooth growingnd beautiful harvests to come your way in the future

Thanks for the encouragement, Sir B! I hope the remainder goes well. I'm pleased with the way the SCRoG has worked out so far, the only thing I really don't like about it is how the plant becomes fixed once it reaches an certain point. If I absolutely had to move that biggest BB it would be pretty rough.

I also forgot to mention in my last update that the four cones I was supposed to pick up didn't happen. Our "dispensaries" are pretty much a joke at this point.

Have a great Monday, everybody.

 

[Bonzmoking]

Gday from down under mate, very interesting what you're doing here. I'm subbed
Also i was wondering what mix you put in your hempy buckets? Cheers

 

[iluvsnow]

Gday from down under mate, very interesting what you're doing here. I'm subbed
Also i was wondering what mix you put in your hempy buckets? Cheers

Hey, Bonzmoking! Thanks for stopping by to check out my grow. I use 70% perlite with 30% vermiculite in my hempys and the buckets have their holes drilled 1 3/4 inches from the bottom. I think this was the formula that the method became popular with many years ago, but people have since come up with many other variations that have also given good results. Coco coir with a perlite bottom is one of the most common alternatives. The perlite/vermiculite I use is no fancy brand or anything, it came from Home Depot, which is a big box home improvement retailer here in the states. If you have a similar store in your neck of the woods they might have some.

Have a great Tuesday everybody! Official update coming soon...

 

[Bonzmoking]

Hey, Bonzmoking! Thanks for stopping by to check out my grow. I use 70% perlite with 30% vermiculite in my hempys and the buckets have their holes drilled 1 3/4 inches from the bottom. I think this was the formula that the method became popular with many years ago, but people have since come up with many other variations that have also given good results. Coco coir with a perlite bottom is one of the most common alternatives. The perlite/vermiculite I use is no fancy brand or anything, it came from Home Depot, which is a big box home improvement retailer here in the states. If you have a similar store in your neck of the woods they might have some.

Have a great Tuesday everybody! Official update coming soon...

Cheers Snow. Yeah i have read a lot about the hempys and i'm glad you mentioned the hole is 1 3/4 inch from the bottom, as most of the stuff i have read day to make it 2 inches from the bottom, so i've already learnt something Also i was wondering what size drill bit you used?
Yeah we have home improvement places down here but nothing of the magnitude of a home depot. And it is pretty expensive to buy perlite/vermiculite from these places, about $9.00Au for 5 litre bag If i want to get bigger quantities i would have to go through ebay and then also pay a shitload for postage which is a bugger.

I have read about a lot of different mixes others use for there hempys and yeah coco does pop up quite a bit, but was just curious as to what you were using

Anyway mate thanks for letting me know, and happy growing to you. Cheers

 

[iluvsnow]

Cheers Snow. Yeah i have read a lot about the hempys and i'm glad you mentioned the hole is 1 3/4 inch from the bottom, as most of the stuff i have read day to make it 2 inches from the bottom, so i've already learnt something Also i was wondering what size drill bit you used?

I used a step bit on all my buckets. I wanna say it was in as far as the 7/8" mark. I don't think it matters too much at all between 1 3/4" or 2" from the bottom, honestly, so don't sweat that too much. There's that much margin of error in the way I mark holes before drilling in buckets, I bet.

 

[iluvsnow]

Update time. Sorry for the delay. Life happens, ya know?

Nothing too crazy this time around. I harvested the money tree again and picked up a new Mars "Old Style" 100x3 watt LED and put it in the new cabinet with the Mars II 900. I moved all the vegging plants to the new cabinet for the time being.

Here's the old veg room, looking very lonely with nothing but some clones:

I don't even know if I will keep most of those, but I might as well have them ready since it costs the same to keep one clone going as it does twelve. But the good news is that I have a good start for a Blueberry Monstercrop grow. Here's the bud I broke off about a month ago, which I put in the cloner for the hell of it:

I'm hoping it will turn into a bushy monster like the Khalifa, which was a clone taken partially into flower.
Here are the flowering BBs. It's hard to tell but they're frosting up pretty good. I flipped to 12/12 on 11/29, so assuming ten days for flowering to start ( I didn't think to make note of the date) so today would be the start of flowering week six. Day 42. I got a picture of some trichomes, which was pretty tricky, and I didn't see any milky trichomes at all, which I assume is normal.

Good stuff!

Here are the big flowering girls under the Platinum P150 and some CFLs:

Upskirt shot:

Most of grow time has been going into getting the new cabinet buttoned up. I put some borders along the bottom to keep the tarp tight, put up some more framing for lights and stuff on the ceiling and a few other little odds and ends. I still need to light proof it a bit more to get it ready to flower, which will be its new job once the dust from this grow settles.

Here's what the Khalifa looked like a few days ago. It's a beast. It's up to mid chest on me right now, and I'm about 5'8". It started to fall over in the netpot in the bucket, so I had to duct tape it to the lid. I have no way to stake it since I'm doing DWC, and since this thing is likely gonna be a real monster in flower, I opted to SCRoG it. It was pretty painful at first.

Here's the before:

Look at those roots!

She was very unhappy right after the breaking, bending and trimming that was part of getting her in the SCRoG:

The next day:

and today:

So it looks like it will be another week or so before I can think of flowering this one. Oh well.

Here are all the bigger girls together in the new cabinet, basking under the Mars lights:

That's where I am! Thanks for stopping by, have a great rest of your week. Please drop a suggestion or comment if you see any disasters in the making or anything.

 

[PakaCordova]

Looking real nice. Do you recommend the clone bucket? I am about to pull maybe 4 clones to begin my perpetual grow and I have a dome and plugs but I always wondered about the clone bucket. Also how are you liking the 100x3w? They were my first LED lights purchased and so far my plant seems to be enjoying the output. I am going to add the 2nd light soon after the scrog fills out a bit more.

 

[iluvsnow]

Looking real nice. Do you recommend the clone bucket? I am about to pull maybe 4 clones to begin my perpetual grow and I have a dome and plugs but I always wondered about the clone bucket. Also how are you liking the 100x3w? They were my first LED lights purchased and so far my plant seems to be enjoying the output. I am going to add the 2nd light soon after the scrog fills out a bit more.

Yeah, I like my bucket. I was cheap and easy to build since I already had an air pump to connect it to. It's not super quick to grow roots but seems to be pretty reliable. The clones I've lost are from my lackluster cloning skills and not so much the cloner. I also don't need a dome or cloning gel either.

So far so good with the new Mars. I've only had it since Monday, but I have happy plants so far. For the money it seems pretty awesome. I would like to get one or two more. I would try throwing that other light in your tent now since you have it.

 

[Sir Budlovski]

Looking awesome snow, love the different spaces and plants at different stage, that'll keep you busy haha
Loving that khalifa, how long has she been vegging?
That should put up some beautiful buds with an awesome yeild

 

[iluvsnow]

Looking awesome snow, love the different spaces and plants at different stage, that'll keep you busy haha
Loving that khalifa, how long has she been vegging?
That should put up some beautiful buds with an awesome yeild

Hey, thanks for checking in. I picked up that Khalifa as a clone in September sometime, so she's going on about four months. I really didn't plan to veg her for so long, but my original setup's lack of space caught up to me and I had to move stuff around. Of course she was growing this whole time. If I had to do it over again I would have trained her differently. She has a very odd shape since she was left to her own devices for so long.

I'm really curious what her yield will be. I can safely say it'll be plenty. Probably more than plenty. And busy is good, especially considering what we're talking about here.

Thanks again for stopping by. I'm on my way over to your journal right now...

 

[J189RFC]

Heya Snow, glad to see everything working out so well for you. Yay the big Mars Hydro 100x3 family! Those lights are something else though eh? My cab temps are so much lower now. I used to run 30~C° almost all the time now its stable at 22-25. It's great!
And not nearly as bright and glaring but I know for sure the ladies are just loving it! Finally a light with a height profile that I like! I can grow that haze all the way to the rafter now if I want.
I hear you on the simple DWC too so easy and efficient. It aint fancy but it works!
Everything is looking so good man, good job. Keep rocking!

 

[iluvsnow]

Heya Snow, glad to see everything working out so well for you. Yay the big Mars Hydro 100x3 family! Those lights are something else though eh? My cab temps are so much lower now. I used to run 30~C° almost all the time now its stable at 22-25. It's great!
And not nearly as bright and glaring but I know for sure the ladies are just loving it! Finally a light with a height profile that I like! I can grow that haze all the way to the rafter now if I want.
I hear you on the simple DWC too so easy and efficient. It aint fancy but it works!
Everything is looking so good man, good job. Keep rocking!

Hey J, thanks for stopping by. Yeah, the Mars lights seem to give a pretty high bang for the buck. Temps are awesome with these things, you're right about that. HPS was never even an option for me because of my small space and dislike for wasting energy. It just seems silly to use a light that runs at ~500 degrees, then you have to vent it, then you may or may not have to cool the rest of the space too. It just seems silly when there are other options now. I know they are the standard, and they work well, but I'm thankful for those other options.

If you haven't already, I would pick up some glasses to wear around your LEDs. My eyesight is bad enough, so I picked up some glasses made by Apollo off Amazon for about US $14 that are knockoffs of the Method 7 glasses. They work well and also make the LED's light look more "normal."

I gotta catch up on all these journals I'm subscribed to so I can see that Haze. Good luck and thanks for the kind words!

 

[iluvsnow]

Quick update. Sorry, no pictures this time.

There has been a small hiccup in the flowering cabinet with the big BBs. I have noticed some wild downward swings in pH over the last couple of days, mainly in the middle BB but a bit on the big girl too. I can still pop the lid on the bucket of the middle plant since it's not tall enough to become tangled in the SCRoG, so I checked it out and found evidence of root rot. There was a section of roots that was covered in gray slime. Yay.

I panicked a bit, and decided to remove the effected roots. I ended up ripping most of the lower root structure off. More yay.

So I changed all three reservoirs and filled with 5 mL hydrogen peroxide, Dutch Master Gold Zone and pH water. I'll change it again later today with the same solution and just keep an eye on the middle plant. I might change it again tomorrow if I have time, if not I'll just add some more hydrogen peroxide (it dissipates within a day or so) and do a full res change with light nutes in a couple of days. If the middle plant gets too bad or start to hermy I'll just yank it now and use it for butter. Fingers crossed on the other two.

Oh well.

I put silver reflective tape over the tops of the netpots to make sure NO light is getting by. I did a pretty heavy defol a week or so ago and this likely let light access where it previously was not, which then seeped through the gaps between hydroton in the netpot. I have had issues with this before but thought I was out of the woods now since the plants are bigger.

The plant also grew roots all the way around the air stone, so even thought the roots were getting plenty of circulation the rest of the res was getting almost none, which pretty much gives root rot the green light. I pulled it out from the root ball in the middle plant but there's no way I can open the bucket enough on the big girl to do that. It is hopelessly SCRoGged. We have also had some unseasonably warm weather the last few days, so I'm sure the res temps have been higher than optimal.

I'm not going to sweat it. No point. The absolute worse case scenario will mean I harvest all of it prematurely and move on.

 

[J189RFC]

Good save bud! Might not have needed to chop as much root mass off, but def good call with the H2O2! If you have this problem more frequently down the road it may be a good idea to add some sort of myco, humic/fulvic acid and or some of that aqua shield type stuff. I've read else where that it really helps fight off those kind of woes.

Ya I did notice the first day my eyelids seemed to hurt open and closed so Yes I think I will get at least a pair of sunglasses to go in there with. I know that Blue LED's and blue light seems to have negative effects on eye sight and eye strain. Thank you for reminding me!

 

[PakaCordova]

So far so good with the new Mars. I've only had it since Monday, but I have happy plants so far. For the money it seems pretty awesome. I would like to get one or two more. I would try throwing that other light in your tent now since you have it.

I tossed the 2nd light into the tent and damn, she's gobbling the light up. So many new tops are popping up all over the place.

Here is a pic from a few days ago and there are even more now. All these hidden tops I never even saw are springing up.