First Post, First Grow - Northern Lights - Indoor Hydro

[dj_destroyer]

Hey, and welcome to my grow!

I grew some green in the past but never completely so I've learned a few things from that. I have also read quite a bit but am by no means, an expert. As the title says, I have an idoor hydroponic setup containing my girlfriends! A few Northern Lights clones. I will try to be as specific and precise about everything in my grow so some can learn what they can, and others can correct my mistakes! I will also be using this journal to accept criticism and help (and to let me know when I've changed things like water, ferts, etc) So lets GROW!

PART 1 - Pre-Grow
PART 2 - Veg
PART 3 - Flower
PART 4 - Harvest/Cure


PART 1 - Pre-Grow

I have friends who grow so I was lucky enough to obtain some clones from their plants for free! Since the hardest part was already done for me, I started to work on a cabinet.

My cabinet named Depot (Depo, D-Po, etc) ended up being 4 feet long, 2 and a half feet deep, and 5 and a half feet high. I used a total of four 2x4's, each 12 feet and 3 pieces of standard-sized plywood to build my cabinet. Nothing fancy, just some wood, hammer and nails. I made a door using 2 inexpensive hinges, and closed the door tight with 2 simple pad-locking systems. I then purchased panda paper (black on one side and white on the other) and tried my best to light seal the whole cabinet using a staple gun; I used so-called duct tape to cover any light escaping. I finished the cabinet off with four hook-screws at the top.

 

[cuzigothigh]

dj,

Good looking setup and very organized journal.
I am sure to follow this one.

btw, you mentioned you are growing Northern Lights. Is it because of the couchlock high that you get? I want that to be my next grow, so i was wondering... if that is not the main reason, why you are growing themwht do you like about NL? and in case it is, do you know of another strand that gives you that same/better high?

Keep up the grow... have fun

cuzigothiggggggggggggg

 

[dj_destroyer]

PART 2 - Veg

Please note that my light is only temporary, same with the containers.

Day 1 - I put a zipper behind the door to open up the panda paper to work on it. I installed a 150 watt HPS and tied it using string as this is only temporary. I rigged up a pump with two outlets to two 4 inch air stones and fed each into a plastic container. I made 4 holes in one and 3 in the other to house the rockwool with my clones in them. I propped them up closer to the light using boxes.

Day 2 - I added 2 more plants into a single container and added another dual-ouput pump and hooked up a single 4 inch stone.

Day 3 - I added 3 more plants into a single container. Filled the second output of the newly added pump with a 4 inch air stone.

Better Pics To Come!

 

[dj_destroyer]

I chose to grow NL because it was best for me right now, as my buddies have clones of it. Saves me time and money. I do enjoy 'either' high you get, couchlock or head buzz. My friends chose NL because it doesn't get too crazy tall, is very resiliant, flowers quickly(8-9 weeks) and has a fairly big yield.

I'm not too sure of other plants similiar, but I'm sure if you checked a seed bank for plants with similiar stats compared to NL, you'll find what you're looking for.

 

[cuzigothigh]

thanks i will check a seed bank for info...in the meantime ... have fun w your grow.

peace

 

[Scrog]

Nice box, bet it helps having some spare hands build it.

Those clones were from the best plant in "Vet".

 

[dj_destroyer]

Of course I must give credit where credit is due. Thank you Scrog for the wonderful clones.

If you wanna read about the true mother of these plants, the link for Scrog's grow is here:
http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17229

 

[Scrog]

word, thanks. Can't wait to watch Depo flourish either if Vet is any indication of how well it will go.

 

[dj_destroyer]

Day 4A - As you can see, this is day four "A" due to the immense ammount of work done today. Day 4A started out with a venture to my nearest hardware store to pick up some various things including my bigger tubs! There is no problem with having TOO big of tubs/overwatering with hydro, just more room for the roots to grow in, and drink up. No downsides, just remember to always check your air circulation.

I bought six 14ish litre tubs for $25 and painted them black with some spray paint I had (the roots like it in the dark!). We then filled them with water and gave them their first nutrients! We transplanted the best looking plants into their new/final homes with their nuted water. 4 tubs with 3 plants each so 12 plants in all using 3 dual-output pumps and one single output pump with 7 air stones. As you can see, the costs can add up but most of these things are re-usable, including the air stones. Cleaning them is possible, search "cleaning and rejuvinating your air stones" on Google.

 

[dj_destroyer]

Day 4B - The second part of the day included setting up my soon to be ballast, light and reflector (batwing style). It'll be a 400 watt High-Pressure Sodium (we do have a Metal Halide that will be used for Vegging once we get it's ballast) I'll be moving into a 1000 watt HPS once the plants can hadle it. Anyways, I picked up a timer (3 prong so that it has the ground wire available as 99% of bigger lights are grounded), some apoxy glue, some ducting to eventually install the intakes and the exhaust and some training wire.

 

[dj_destroyer]

Day 4 Final - These pictures are to show that the set up now looks like!

There are the 4 tubs housing 12 plants, 1 T.W. Container is holding 4 brand new clones brought in tonight and two T.W. containers holding two mothers. We chose strong mothers with healthy roots. We shall be topping them shortly as well as fimming the plants in the larger tubs. Soon we will also be starting to tie down the plants.

Anyways, heres the pics!

 

[Scrog]

looking good, lots acomplished tonight.

big week ahead..

 

[dj_destroyer]

Day 5 - Day 5 was another day of great production! The cabinet has come together with some nice features, the plants are thriving under their new lights and venting was a breeze ; )


We hooked up our fan and suspended it using simpel chains and hooks, and connected air duct tubing using a mix of real duct tape and 'so-called' duct tape. We made a custom air intake that goes right to the middle of the plants at plant level drawing FRESH air in from outside the cabinet. The forced air outake has a specialized blower blowing hot air from the top of the cabinet outside using some existing duct work! Screwed the transformer case to the wall and plugged it in.

The cabinet received the 400w HPS under a brand new bat wing reflector. Connected it to screws using 'picture hanging wire'. This stuff works extra well as it is easy to twist and tie, and working with it is too simple.
We hooked up the ballast through some drilled holes, and light sealed using duct tape.

The plants seem to be doing well in their new tubs with their first nutes. We will be fimming them tonight to get some tops and make it bushy... the way we like it. LoL

I think that's it... PICTURES:

 

[dj_destroyer]

Pictures of the plants themselves as of Day 5

 

[THCPezDispenser]

Wow, you're going all out on the setup, love it!

 

[Scrog]

Depo just needs to finish being light sealed with a flap of panda paper over the tarp zipper. Then just need to grow and maintain =D

The smaller tubs will be coming out in a short while once we get a spot set for the mothers and clones/veg in a permanent cabnet.

 

[dj_destroyer]

Day 6/7 - Relatively uneventful, We put 6 more clones in there that had sufficient root mass. The other plants are all doing well, roots are multiplying by the day.

Pictures to come next post.

 

[GrandDaddyToke]

Very nice setup. Looks like you did some good planning and took your time building it. Hope you have many a good grow in it. I want to get a hydro system. i am on my 2nd dirt grow. i am doing Northern Lights and White Widow.
The NL's I have are 4 weeks flowering yesterday. They seem very slow budding compared to the Widow. I can see a big chang in them bud not any good buds yet. The seeds said 10 week flowering.

I will be watching yours to see the difference in the hydro!!

GOOD LUCK LOOKS GOOD!!​

GROW JOURNAL:watchplant:
http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?p=132684#post132684

 

[dj_destroyer]

If you go back about 2 pages and look for a similiar thread name as mine by a user named "Scrog", he's about 9 weeks into flowering with his hydro so you dont even need to wait You can check his out. Northern lights put a lot of density and weight on their buds in the last 2 weeks.

 

[dj_destroyer]

Day 13 (Sep. 21)

There has been more clones added to D.Po (My cabinet) and alot of root and foliage growth can be seen with the older plants. Here are some pictures as of tonight. As I am doing LST, I've started their training at Day 12. Nice and early. I superglued chicken wire to the top of the tubs to have a place to tie them. I hope to get the humidity and temperature numbers soon.