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- #441
Radogast's Hi-Brix Basement Grow - New Location - New Soil - New Experiences
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- #442
A question about environmentals
My veg area has a heater, my flower does not. My flower is too cool at night. (See night time temps on the bottom row below.)
If I run a conduit and fan blowing from veg into flower, I can increase the temperature from 78/63 to 78/70 - that would be good.
The conduit fan might help with aroma control in veg.
Run only at night, the same conduit would also increase night humidity from 54 to 65 - that would not be as good.
Is it worth the trade-off ?
or
should I spend $$ on another electric heater?
My veg area has a heater, my flower does not. My flower is too cool at night. (See night time temps on the bottom row below.)
If I run a conduit and fan blowing from veg into flower, I can increase the temperature from 78/63 to 78/70 - that would be good.
The conduit fan might help with aroma control in veg.
Run only at night, the same conduit would also increase night humidity from 54 to 65 - that would not be as good.
Is it worth the trade-off ?
or
should I spend $$ on another electric heater?
KingstonRabbi
Well-Known Member
A question about environmentals
My veg area has a heater, my flower does not. My flower is too cool at night. (See night time temps on the bottom row below.)
If I run a conduit and fan blowing from veg into flower, I can increase the temperature from 78/63 to 78/70 - that would be good.
The conduit fan might help with aroma control in veg.
Run only at night, the same conduit would also increase night humidity from 54 to 65 - that would not be as good.
Is it worth the trade-off ?
or
should I spend $$ on another electric heater?
Conduit fan will solve problem for now, but every change in grow room will change environment in flower room making it harder to control. I love the idea of efficiency between rooms, but best practice would be to have 2 separate environments.
I just bought space heater with digital control for $40 less 20%. Stores are starting to clearance them so you might get a much better deal.
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- #444
Thanks. Space heaters were still full price at True Value Hardware on monday. I'll check the big box stores.
I've found that with a few controllers, using them in creative ways at times, you can stabilize an environment in surprising ways. The key is to have a controller that everything plugs into.
Regnad Kcin
Well-Known Member
Hi Rad. Looks like things are still cooking very nicely.
As far as your night time flowering temps go, I think it probably has a lot to do with the particular strain you're growing. My WW grow (of which I did a final harvest today), had similar conditions to yours. Under CFL, daytime temps were in the 75 degree range, and dropped to 63 at night. I read extensively on WW before choosing it and some have suggested that it is a more cool-weather strain that does ok at night down to about 60 degrees. It is a European strain. We could find some tropical zone strain and that likely wouldn't work well at all like that.
Since you have several strains going at once, it's probably best to shoot for an average temperature range, and the heater seems like the most likely direction to go so that you don't get too moist.
(pun intended) Maybe not as high as 70, but at least in the upper 60's I'm about to move my 3 AKs into the main grow area that's currently being cleaned and prepped, and they'll likely get the same temperature treatment as my first grow. I don't have any solid data on AKs nor their temperature preference, though I'm not about to go spending a ton of cash on running a heater on top of everything else unless I find some sort of consensus on what type of strain it is and that it might make a big difference. We'll see how it goes, and what I learn between now and next week.
Did you ever make a "heat transfer" window between the two spaces?
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- #447
Hi Rad. Looks like things are still cooking very nicely.
As far as your night time flowering temps go, I think it probably has a lot to do with the particular strain you’re growing. My WW grow (of which I did a final harvest today), had similar conditions to yours. Under CFL, daytime temps were in the 75 degree range, and dropped to 63 at night. I read extensively on WW before choosing it and some have suggested that it is a more cool-weather strain that does ok at night down to about 60 degrees. It is a European strain. We could find some tropical zone strain and that likely wouldn’t work well at all like that.
Since you have several strains going at once, it’s probably best to shoot for an average temperature range, and the heater seems like the most likely direction to go so that you don’t get too moist.
I’m about to move my 3 AKs into the main grow area that’s currently being cleaned and prepped, and they’ll likely get the same temperature treatment as my first grow. I don’t have any solid data on AKs nor their temperature preference, though I’m not about to go spending a ton of cash on running a heater on top of everything else unless I find some sort of consensus on what type of strain it is and that it might make a big difference. We’ll see how it goes, and what I learn between now and next week.
Did you ever make a “heat transfer” window between the two spaces?
The White Widow, and Borderliner are 'Amsterdam' hybrids that are probably actually bred in Amsterdam. I think AK47, Bubba's Gift, and Amherst Sour Diesel are all California based hybrids. The Ace seeds are more Sativa leaning. I have grown the White Widow, Borderliner, AK47, Hawaiian Skunk, and Tangerine Widow's mother together. They seemed quite compatible. AK47 is a bit taller and faster growing. Hawaiian Skunk doesn't like much training.
My general goal is to grow in a way that pleases the California hybrids and watch to see how the ACE seeds respond.
I did not make a "heat transfer" window between the spaces. After KingstonRabbit pointed out that A) heaters are cheap to buy, and B) it is best to treat the 2 environments as separate, those two points sealed the deal. I'm going with separate and unequal environments.
Flower area with new 600W HPS bulb installed and new little 750/1500W heater. I went with a non-digital heater in case I need to put it on a switched circuit some day.
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- #448
If I ever go CO2, a 'control everything' controller seems mandatory. I'm only just now getting schooled in the value of stabilized environments
I'll post my environmentals in a few days (after my changes stabilize.)
I have a small humidifier and dehumidifier ready to add to the flower area if needed. They were both under $5 at auction
Regnad Kcin
Well-Known Member
I can't tell from the photos how much exterior stone wall you have in your flower room, but right now whatever is there is acting like a giant heat sink. I bet if you bought a couple pieces of insulation foam board, cut 'em to size, stand 'em up against that stone, and then hold them in place with a couple velco straps at the top, you might gain some degrees in temp in that flower space during the winter months.
You could remove them in the summer for the opposite effect. I'm just "ideating" as one of my professors used to say......
You could remove them in the summer for the opposite effect. I'm just "ideating" as one of my professors used to say......
KingstonRabbi
Well-Known Member
One word of caution on space heaters. Obvious you wouldn't point one directly at a plant, but also be aware of circulation fans and air currents that could redirect hot air at a plant. Found that out the hard way. Only happened at night so no way to see it until it was too late. Invented a new strain however, the Brown Widow. 
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- #451
I was pondering along those lines.
My previous flower room was 8x4.5' with 2 walls of concrete and 2 walls of 5/4" foam with Panda plastic hanging in front of the walls on all 4 sides. With both lights on and the exhaust fan disabled, the temps could reach 88F. The ballasts were mounted outside the room to reduce heat.
This flower area is 6x4' with 1 wall of brick and 3 walls of 1/2" wood. With both lights on for a one hour test, the temp was 78F. The ballasts are inside the room. On further investigation, I realized I forgot to disable the exhaust fan, set to cool to 78F! In the last room, with the fan attached via metal mount to wood ceiling, the fan sounded like an airplane turbine starting up. In this room, with the fan attached via squished insulation in a brick wall, I can barely tell it is on. A pleasant surprise
I thought all the sound came out of the 6" conduit and conduit elbows Depending on the temperature I get in tomorrow's test, I may try hanging a curtain of panda plastic 1" from the brick wall. i'll keep fiddling a little
That foam insulation is pretty delicate stuff to carry on top of a vehicle. Last time I had to sandwich it under plastic so it didn't break apart.
One word of caution on space heaters. Obvious you wouldn't point one directly at a plant, but also be aware of circulation fans and air currents that could redirect hot air at a plant. Found that out the hard way. Only happened at night so no way to see it until it was too late. Invented a new strain however, the Brown Widow.
hmmm. Maybe I should mount the heater on a high shelf. The veg room has an oil heater so it isn't an issue.
When I have to run a heater i keep it on the ground pointed away from plants. My lights put off more than enough heat for daylight hours, my heater sits on the concrete slab warming the room from the bottom up, vented on a timer.
Blazinjones
Well-Known Member
One word of caution on space heaters. Obvious you wouldn't point one directly at a plant, but also be aware of circulation fans and air currents that could redirect hot air at a plant. Found that out the hard way. Only happened at night so no way to see it until it was too late. Invented a new strain however, the Brown Widow.
Lol hilarious man brown widow
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- #454
Today was watering day for Amherst Sour Diesel(ASD) and Transplant watering day for AK47.
4 little plants in veg. Clockwise from top: Lily, (ASD photo bomb leaves,) little Tangerine Widow, Ace Mix, and tiny Hawaiian Skunk.
The 3 bigger girls in veg: ASD (back left), Borderliner (back right), and Bubba's Gift (front).
Amherst Sour Diesel is really happy. With primary branches spread out, she is bringing secondary branches up to the canopy layer.
ASD is showing that 'taco' shape that seems to be a sign of vigor.
4 little plants in veg. Clockwise from top: Lily, (ASD photo bomb leaves,) little Tangerine Widow, Ace Mix, and tiny Hawaiian Skunk.
The 3 bigger girls in veg: ASD (back left), Borderliner (back right), and Bubba's Gift (front).
Amherst Sour Diesel is really happy. With primary branches spread out, she is bringing secondary branches up to the canopy layer.
ASD is showing that 'taco' shape that seems to be a sign of vigor.
Today was watering day for Amherst Sour Diesel(ASD) and Transplant watering day for AK47.
4 little plants in veg. Clockwise from top: Lily, (ASD photo bomb leaves,) little Tangerine Widow, Ace Mix, and tiny Hawaiian Skunk.
The 3 bigger girls in veg: ASD (back left), Borderliner (back right), and Bubba's Gift (front).
Amherst Sour Diesel is really happy. With primary branches spread out, she is bringing secondary branches up to the canopy layer.
ASD is showing that 'taco' shape that seems to be a sign of vigor.
Looking good! The ASD....shouldn't see tacos until bloom. Top dress a couple tblspn epsoms on that one, and again in early bloom. Looking fab.....I can't wait to see the flowers.
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- #456
She was under a 600W HPS getting bottom watered about an hour before the 'taco' photo.
2-ish tbsp epsom salts sprinkled on the soil (after photo I broke up the clumps and lightly brushed into the top 1/4".)
I made a note on her card to add 2 tbsp epsom before cat drenches
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- #457
A question about pruning
I topped Ace mix 3-4 days ago. This has helped direct energy down to the lower branches.
At this point, Ace mix has 4 sets of leaves and 4 sets of branches. Based on previous grows, the top 2 sets of branches will contribute good bud at harvest, the 3rd set down might rise through the middle to join the canopy, but it seems very unlikely that the 4th and lowest set of branches will ever produce anything significant.
Would you suggest removing the 4th set of branches?
Would you also suggest removing the 4th set of leaves?
Ace Mix from above
Ace mix from side - showing 4 sets of leaves and branches
My environmentals. I plan to raise the RH in veg up to 60%, and the RH in flower to 45%.
I topped Ace mix 3-4 days ago. This has helped direct energy down to the lower branches.
At this point, Ace mix has 4 sets of leaves and 4 sets of branches. Based on previous grows, the top 2 sets of branches will contribute good bud at harvest, the 3rd set down might rise through the middle to join the canopy, but it seems very unlikely that the 4th and lowest set of branches will ever produce anything significant.
Would you suggest removing the 4th set of branches?
Would you also suggest removing the 4th set of leaves?
Ace Mix from above
Ace mix from side - showing 4 sets of leaves and branches
My environmentals. I plan to raise the RH in veg up to 60%, and the RH in flower to 45%.
mouser
Well-Known Member
I would snip a fan leaf from the top node...should slow it enough for the 3rd node to catch up...then I would top again when those 4 tips were established.
just what Id do...you have more than a little more experience than I do so I just offer this out to add to your gut feeling. If your soul likes green things, trust your gut
just what Id do...you have more than a little more experience than I do so I just offer this out to add to your gut feeling. If your soul likes green things, trust your gut
It depends on how long you plan on vegging, the strain, and the training you want to do. If you want to flower sooner than later, I'd get rid of them, if you plan on vegging a few weeks you can train them to the canopy and clip nodes below.
Tomula
Well-Known Member
Lovely bushes Rad, I'm entertained and pleased at the same time, hmmm. Thank you for sharing, you are doing great, cheers! 
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