New/First Grow (Top 44)

[StonedCold]

Some of you have already started to help me out since I've had a ton of problems relating to water, and some to heat issues. I decided after a short debate to start a grow journal. The strain of choice, Top44 from Nirvana (Gypsy). Not many people from MP have chosen it, but it has mixed reviews. I don't have much time to grow until the fall starts, so I figured for the first run go for something easy. Next would be Blue Mystic and White Widow, but lets not get ahead of ourselves.

Setup and such:
Closet is roughly 2X3X8 (LWH)
The seeds were germinated in a solo cup (on top of my CPU adapter which was used for heat), while I drank out of another watching them. Took 36 hours to crack and get enough root to plant in rockwool surrounded by hydroton in net pots.
Hydro bubbler; DIY from rubbermaid with air stones, air pump and such. I have a spare reservoir that is the storage and mixing base while the water distills because it tends to have high levels of stuff that dissipates over time. The reservoir doubles as an overflow, to prevent unsightly mistakes and a literal water bed. My closet has no door, more of a choice, and it is closed off from the outside world by thick THICK reflective tarp. My walls are white. For now, I'm using CFL's and tin foil to help direct the light from them and retain heat, because I want them to be warm while young. I'll remove the tin foil pallets I made on top of shirt card board things when they get 3+ inches and can see over the hydroton. My reservoir has a water heater to prevent the water from getting cold and cause lock out of sorts. I don't like cold showers unless I need to sober up, and I didn't think my babies would like cold water; besides, they aren't old enough to drink and as a parent, I WON'T LET THEM! The nutes I have put in the tank thus far are 1/6 strength of Miracle Grow Bloom Boost (15-30-15). I know its bloom, but its what veg'n plants like from what I've read. I'll change to the (30-15-15) formula starting next week when the plants have a little bit more leaves and are ready to start really putting on some height.

I hope this is informative enough, and I'll continue to update as I check them. I have pretty bad "unofficial" ocd, but as you can see and will continue to, I'm pretty thorough when I can do something...

Enjoy my first grow!

 

[theyorker]

Good luck to you bro!!! You got balls going hydro on your first grow.

 

[StonedCold]

I may have balls, but I hope my babies don't. Pictures are coming soon; I have to run out for a little. Today is their 8th day after being dunked into the solo cup.

 

[StonedCold]

Here's my setup with some photos.

 

[StonedCold]

I didn't realize those photos were so zoomed in. I tried again. Got some blurry ones of the babies. I'll work on that too.

 

[bombbudpuffa]

Nice setup, looks cool!

 

[THE BROTHER'S GRUNT]

Looking good mang. Nice set up and i see babies. Here is some GREEN MOJO to get them babies going. Good luck on the grow. :aok:

 

[StonedCold]

Day 1 (Friday February 16th):
• Placed seeds in solo cup with 2 rubber bands wrapped with plastic wrap at top to retain moisture. Cup was placed upon computer charger (for heat).

Day 2:
• Water was changed, but no progression made.

Day 3:
• Seeds broke today. Transplanted into mesh net pots with rockwool and hydroton. Water had been set out to distill for a day and slight nutes were added (3 tbls for 18 gallon). The PH is roughly 6.3. CFL’s set low, and we are awaiting sprouting.

Day 4 (Monday February 19th)

• Nothing so far. Rechecked PH and adjusted back to 6.0. Waiting game.
PM:
• Pre-Adjusted PH: 5.9
• Temperature Range: 62-78
• Humidity Range: 35-57
• Lights: CFL 20/4
• Air: Open closet, humidifier, no fan

Day 5:
AM:
• Pre-Adjusted PH: 5.5
• Temperature Range: 68-86
• Humidity Range: 40-63
• Lights: CFL, many reflectors in box like form
• Air: Open closet, humidifier on high, no fan
PM:
• Pre-Adjusted PH: 5.7-5.8
• Temperature Range: 75-89
• Humidity Range: 25-57
• Lights: CFL, many reflectors in box like form
• Air: Fan on from 6pm – night
• Observations: site 2 has sprouted, head is seen. Slight water is added to all spots. Hydroton was removed this afternoon to promote light to plants and it worked!!! I have a baby girl!!!!!... hopefully!

Day 6:
AM:
• Temperature Range: 68-86
• Humidity Range: 39-77
• Lights: CFL, many reflectors in box like form
• Air: Fan on same schedule as CFL’s
• Observations:
o Site 1: after poaching the surface lightly, the stem popped out. Leaves should appear later tonight
o Site 2: has sprouted and has 2 leaves showing. Dark green with slight undertones of purple on the stem.
o Site 3: Still below the surface. After digging lightly, the stem and roots could be seen. Should break surface in 24 hours or less and join the family.
PM:
• Pre-Adjusted PH: 7.0
• Post-Adjusted PH: 6.0
• Temperature Range: 75-87
• Humidity Range: 30-56
• Lights: CFL, semi box but removed some sides and top because heat was getting excessive (87ish).
• Air: Fan on same schedule as CFL’s and humidifier was turned around to it blows directly at the plants.
• Observations:
o Site 1: Stem is fully out but bent in half. It will be fully erect tomorrow hopefully!
o Site 2: Roughly 1 inch tall, healthy, and 2 big fan leaves and 2 smaller ones already growing in. Stem is already getting fat for the size. Looks to be stretching, but could just be immature and over parenting.
o Site 3: Leaf is popping through the rockwool, but no significant signs thus far of the stem or leaves… Should poke through tomorrow and hopefully the babies will all be on the same schedule so we can start some fun!

Day 7 (February 22, 2007):
AM:
• Pre-Adjusted PH: 7.2
• Post-Adjusted PH: 6.0
• Temperature Range: 68-86
• Humidity Range: 36-74
• Lights: CFL’s in partial box shape but not excessively because of heat like said earlier
• Air: Fan is on when lights are on, humidifier is blowing directly at plants
• Observations:
o Site 1: Plant is erect and just under 1 inch tall.
o Site 2: Continues to grow and is roughtly 1.5 inches tall. Looks healthy!
o Site 3: Plant is fully out of the soil. It is attempting to ditch its seed shell which is holding it thus far still bent. By tonight, it should be straight up and down.
o Water appears to be having accumulation problems of particles. Will be investing in a filteration system for the reservoir so that the PPM doesn’t increase must more drastically. Bacteria buildup perhaps, and the heater is suspect to the problem.

Day 8:
AM:
• Pre-Adjusted PH: 7.5
• Post-Adjusted PH: 6.0
• Temperature Range: 68-86
• Humidity Range: 25-74
• Lights: CFL’s. New top on container. HPS is too hot to use at this point. Need backup plant.
• Air: Fan. Humidifier broken.
• Observations:
o Site 1: Slowly growing and bending toward light. Looks healthy!
o Site 2: The tallest of the bunch. Bending toward light and roughly 1.75 inches tall.
o Site 3: Slowest growing but going straight up cause light is actually overhead.


Day 9:
AM:
• Pre-Adjusted PH: 7.4
• Post-Adjusted PH: 5.8
• Temperature Range: 68-87
• Humidity Range: 21-70
• Lights: CFL’s with 6 100 watts rather than the previous 5.
• Air: Humidifier is working once again. Turn on and facing plants. Fan is blowing and circulating air.
• Observations:
o Site 1: 1 inch tall and growing well.
o Site 2: 2 inches tall, growing hooked a little since fan is near her and the light is slightly off to the side. Rotating three times a day to avoid a Hawaiian style palm tree look.
o Site 3: Roughly 1 inch and the slowest grower so far.

If anyone actually read this entirely too long of a single post... please help me out with the PH problem. Every time I check it (2 times daily), it jumps from the comfortable 5.8-6.1 zone to the danger 7.1-7.8. I fight this battle daily, but the war isn't over. Help!

 

[Stoney Bud]

Hey SC, I've a couple of suggestions for you. The top of your rockwool cubes need to be covered with the hydroton to keep the light from hitting the damp cube. Anytime water/nutes get light on them, algae will be the result. That may be part of your pH problem.

Watch the nutes with tiny babies like that. Lots of young plants get killed by nutes when very small like yours are.

 

[StonedCold]

The rockwool was only unexposed like in those pics for the first 2 days because they weren't growing without the light inviting them out of the rockwool. Since popping out, the rockwool has been covered, but thanks for the suggestion. I actually covered it because I read you telling someone else to in another post.

As for nutes, do you think 1/6 is too strong, even at the stage they are? I mean, I refuse to be the person to over nute them, but I thought that would be good enough to break them in.... maybe I'm wrong. Sounds like an experiment...

 

[StonedCold]

Day 10:
AM:
• Pre-Adjusted PH:
• Post-Adjusted PH:
• Temperature Range: 68-89
• Humidity Range: 31-75
• Lights: CFL
• Air: fan/humidifier
• Observations:
o Site 1: Thriving:ccc:
o Site 2: Thriving:ccc:
o Site 3: I called it in today at 11:56am… RIP. Cause of death was the hydroton piled up which rolled over on the skinny stalk.... Cause by the light bulb....

Day 11:
PM:
• Pre-Adjusted PH: 7.3
• Post-Adjusted PH: 6.1
• Temperature Range: 68-86
• Humidity Range: 33-71
• Lights: CFL’s
• Air: fan/humidifier
• Observations:
o Site 1: New set of leaves are developing
o Site 2: New set of leaves developing and slightly larger than site 1.

Today I also removed the reservoir of faulty water. Unknown what the buildup was exactly, I took no chances. The water smelled pungent and the buildup was rapidly becoming more prevalent. Anyone with any ideas please let me know. I would like to prevent this from happening again....

 

[AlienBait]

The water smelled pungent and the buildup was rapidly becoming more prevalent. Anyone with any ideas please let me know. I would like to prevent this from happening again....

What are you using to lower your PH?

 

[StonedCold]

I've used lemon juice and vinegar, switched from one to the other after the problem originated, thinking it could have been one of the two.... I emptied the reservoir after the vinegar didn't help keep the PH down... but the lemon juice had the same problem and protein like buildup result.

Pictures can be seen at the other post I started:
http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9918

 

[AlienBait]

I've used lemon juice and vinegar, switched from one to the other after the problem originated, thinking it could have been one of the two.... I emptied the reservoir after the vinegar didn't help keep the PH down... but the lemon juice had the same problem and protein like buildup result.

BINGO!!!

Don't use Vinegar, Lemon Juice, or anything else that your eat or drink in a Hydro system. It will only lower your PH for 12-24 hours and leave a bunch of scum in your res (as you can see).

You must get yourself some proper PH Down for Hydroponics.

As an alternative, I've been using PH- for swimming pools and that has been working pretty good for me. It is known as "Dry Acid" with Sodium Bisulfate as the main ingredient.

But, since this is your first grow, I strongly urge you to get the stuff made for hydroponic growing, just to make sure your grow is as trouble-free as possible.

 

[StonedCold]

Thank you!!! I'll order PH down right now off Ebay. If this works, I'll find a way to send you some buuddddd... As in the beer... :**: ....

 

[StonedCold]

I feel like it is that Pokemon episode that made kids go into seizures on your post! That is a lot of smilies!!! Thanks though for the input. The more input given, the more it sinks in. Just the way it is with a thick headed person...

 

[Sticky_Budz]

im just messin man lol bored. hows the plants doing?

 

[StonedCold]

Minus the "killed in action" baby, the rest are strong! The death I am speaking of came when my CFL came out of its nail and came crashing down pouring the hydroton on top of her. The bulb rolled over and burned the stem beyond repair. She withered and died within 48 hours, but put up a decent fight for the time. Just couldn't stand up and fix that burn despite me propping with a toothpick and misting... Stupid mistakes....

The new reservoir water appears clear thus far, although only a few hours into it being filled. The nutes are 1/6th still roughly but when the next set of leaves come in, I'll bump it to 1/4-1/5. The other overflow reservoir is being filled as you read this, so it can distill for 24 hours and be suitable for use.

How tall should my plants be at 11 days from dropping them into a solo to germinate?
How many leaves are common at this point?

Mine are roughly 1.5-2 inches with 1 full set of leaves, and the second set coming in just on top... pictures below.... The first three pics (1-3 if you view them) are plant one, and the second 3 (4-6) are plant two. It is hard to tell compared to other grows, because people considered germination and veg'n two separate cycles, so sometimes the days stand for that cycle and other times overall... I need to watch me some of "The Wire" to calm my nerves after remembering my baby soldier going down. If you haven't watch it... it is worth it. HBO and amazing!

 

[StonedCold]

Day 12:
PM:
• PH: 6.3 (mister) since reservoir is awaiting PH down and I refuse to use temporary fixes for fear of repetition of mistakes
• Temperature Range: 68-86
• Humidity Range: 33-73
• Lights: CFL’s and some extra added now totaling 7 100 watts, 4 warm (redish/orange), 3 day light (bright white)
• Air: no fan, humidifier is blowing on the plants slightly though
• Observations:
o Site 1: 2 inches tall, second set of leaves are coming in.
o Site 2: 2.5 inches tall, second set are more prevalent than site 1.

What is the normal height at this stage? I've yet to get word. Day 12 is the days after I put the seeds in water to germinate, not days since they've cracked and started to germinate...

 

[AlienBait]

Site 1: 2 inches tall, second set of leaves are coming in.
Site 2: 2.5 inches tall, second set are more prevalent than site 1.

What is the normal height at this stage? ...

That is a little too tall. They are stretching a bit. How close are the lights? Since you are using CFLs, you can get them right in there. The lights should be 1-2 inches away from the top of the plant.