First grow for a newby

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No, do not use a light rheostat. You need a device made to be used with a fan. If you use a fan speed controller, you will not harm your fan. I don't know what is wrong with the guy you talked to, but virtually everyone I know that uses a big fan like that uses a speed controller. My fan has been in use for at least 4 years on a speed controller and it is not noisy. And as for loosing power, I don't know what he meant--the speed controller is supposed to slow down the draw of air so yes, there is less power--that is the idea.
 
The Hemp Goddess said:
No, do not use a light rheostat. You need a device made to be used with a fan. If you use a fan speed controller, you will not harm your fan. I don't know what is wrong with the guy you talked to, but virtually everyone I know that uses a big fan like that uses a speed controller. My fan has been in use for at least 4 years on a speed controller and it is not noisy. And as for loosing power, I don't know what he meant--the speed controller is supposed to slow down the draw of air so yes, there is less power--that is the idea.

No disrespect,Maybe before you talk, You should learn your electricity. All potentiometers (AKA) rheostats work the same. They are just an adjustable resister. Don't know what you are talking about. Do a little more research! Most fans use very little amps.:)
 
The girls are getting super bushy now. I will take more photos in the next day or two. The last plant to come back from near death experience is dark green now. My PH meter finally turned up and I was shocked to see the sick plant give a reading of PH 7.5. I measure every thing with this meter now and the plants are busting out the pots. I also took measurements of what I was originally doing and again I was shocked to see it was PH 7.5. Ok, there is your problem. This new ADWA AD11 PH meter is my best friend now. With renewed confidence, I popped more beans, one more Jack Herer, Big Bang 2, and a super silver haze. I also got bored one night so I made a bubble cloner. Im still working that baby out, from 5 cuttings, two have small roots. Like I said, I will post some pictures this weekend.
 
Orcaman said:
No disrespect,Maybe before you talk, You should learn your electricity. All potentiometers (AKA) rheostats work the same. They are just an adjustable resister. Don't know what you are talking about. Do a little more research! Most fans use very little amps.:)


Well, that is true. However that means lowering or raising the resistance which will raise or lower the voltage. Most motors are rated for a very specific voltage.

Rheostats were designed originally for resistive loads...not inductive motors etc.

Speed controllers change the frequency. That is why AC motors need them.
 
Here are some fresh photos. The white widow that was the skankiest looking one, yellow and near death is now dark green and very happy. PH meter makes all the difference IMO.

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Your plants look good man cant wait to see some buds on those branches.
The blueberry is gonna be nice cant wait.
Just a little advice if I may. You really should get that ballast up higher like hooked to the ceiling, or preferably out of the tent. Not only does it add heat to your tent but its also a safety hazard to you and your ballast. A spill could be bad.
 
I have have had a couple of spills in the tent and did think this is probably a bad idea. I have bought an extension lead so I can run it outside the tent. Im also going to buy another 5 inch fan and stick it to the air inlet with silicon so its pushing cool air through the ballast cover 24/7. I just wasn't sure if leaving it outside the tent with minimal air on it would be in fact better in the tent with plenty of air movement on it.
 
I have to say, Im sold on LST. The more you train the branches, the more light gets in the more potential for bud sites, yeh baby.
 
ok question, is your ballast a digital or magnetic? if its digital there is no need to have a fan on it to keep it cool, most of them now a days have a built in fan to keep the units temp within proper range, i dont have a fan on mine, yes it gets a tad hot to the touch but thats ok, it is running power to a mini SUN. just keeping it outside your tent should be sufficient, older magnetic ballasts may need some help since they generate at least 5 times more heat then their digital counterparts. but all in all id be more worried about proper air flow and such inside the tent then on the ballast its self especially since its not inside the tent. just my thoughts
 
sunakard2000 said:
ok question, is your ballast a digital or magnetic? if its digital there is no need to have a fan on it to keep it cool, most of them now a days have a built in fan to keep the units temp within proper range, i dont have a fan on mine, yes it gets a tad hot to the touch but thats ok, it is running power to a mini SUN. just keeping it outside your tent should be sufficient, older magnetic ballasts may need some help since they generate at least 5 times more heat then their digital counterparts. but all in all id be more worried about proper air flow and such inside the tent then on the ballast its self especially since its not inside the tent. just my thoughts



:yeahthat:

Just vacuum out the fan inlet/outlet once in a while and your good.
 
How many ounces do you think I will get from these bad girls? The blueberry is super thick as is the Jack Herer.
 
Its been a while, flat out working. Anyway, these babies are going gang busters. I put them into flower around 1.5 weeks ago on a 12-12 light cycle.
I absolutely over the moon they are doing well. I have stopped loving them to death as I did in the beginning, less is best.

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wat kind of food are u using? ur plants are beautiful
 
Well, after I almost killed these plants, I had a fair bit of help from this site. I feed them one cap full of charlie carp fish emulsion, one cap full of seasol seaweed emulsion, cap full of powerfeed, teaspoon of warm pee, Canna vega, organic black strap molasses, Rizotonic and thats about it. Off course this schedule has changed now they are in flower. I will take more photos today or tomorrow.
 
Stufart said:
How many ounces do you think I will get from these bad girls? The blueberry is super thick as is the Jack Herer.


I got 72 grams from one plant last run, and mine certainly did not look nearly as healthy as yours are.

And the kicker was it was a bagseed plant...im sure you will have a happy happy harvest!:icon_smile:
 
Ok, long time no report. I finally harvested my 4 plants, not as much as I thought. Wet weight while still on the branches was around 8 ounces from memory, all trimmed, flowers only and dried, came to 4.5 ounces. I dont think thats very good from what I can gather, but if you have seen the photos they did suffer a bit in the beginning. I learn t heaps from that grow, I looked closely at the root structure, and I know what NOT to do next time. After drying for a few weeks, I couldn't help myself and I had a smoke of the Blue berry, I actually let this one go a bit longer in the grow room, many this thing knocked me out of the park, mind you, I did have a fair bit in one cone. I have read where people say its not a very good or strong smoke, thats why I loaded up the large cone and smoked away. I thought this is crap, so I had more, still no effect, so I had some more, then wham baby. It hit me like a freight train. I could hardly stand up, I had to lock the house up and go lay down. I wasn't paranoid at all, well maybe a bit, but as I lay on the bed, it seemed I was floating, the bed wasn't there. I began a journey that could only be described as spiritual, I know it sounds lame, but thats the only way I can describe it. Anyway, Im now growing super silver haze outside, thats growing like a trooper. I had a bit of the Jack Herer just a few days ago, not much, as I didnt want to blow my mind like the last smoke, so I had a small amount, that sent me over the edge of reality, but still in control.

So thank you to everyone that offered there advice, Im happy with the effect of my grow.
 
PS. If you like, I will take some photos of the weed I harvested. I have them curing in mason jars. The smell is slowly changing, seems to be more mellow. Im keeping them cool, in the dark, and I take the lid of for an hour each day.
 
Congratulations on the harvest. The dry yield was less than impressive due to the damage that they suffered early on but still not bad, and you will only get better now.

The Blueberry that I had is a very meditative high so I can see it doing to you what it did. :)
 
Just a comment on the old "rheostat vs speed controller" conversation. I am an electronics tech for over 20years. The guy talking smack didn't know as much as he thought, at least not about Ohm's law. The rheostat drops voltage not amperage, and by ohm's law, if you lower voltage to a given resistive load, the amperage will rise and burn up that load over time.

That is why the digital speed controller was designed. It changes the current to a digital ac-like square wave that is able to control the frequency to drop the driving force on the fan without raising the current to it. It is somewhat like putting in a switch and turning it off and on at a rate of speed that keeps the fan turning at a slower speed than at full speed. Just an electronics lesson for ya :D
 

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