1st serious grow - blueberry auto

The Tent
4x5x7 homemade tent using 2x4’s, Mylar sheeting, a 5 level utility shelf with only the top and bottom shelves installed and a chain hanging from a hook drilled through the top shelf. We got a 600w full-spectrum LED with cooling fans and hung it from the chain. To change light height, just move it up & down the chain.

The Plants
We got autoflowering blueberry from ILGM. I started 4 seeds in a wet paper towel using filtered water that I set ph to 6 using phUp/Down. I used a digital ph meter with temp reading to get it right. I put the folded paper towel w/ seeds in a ziplock bag, then wrapped that in a black plastic bag, and put it on my cable receiver, which runs warm but not hot. The seeds started to split after 24 hrs. They had taproots after 48. I soaked rock wool cubes and squares of coc mat in ph6 water with just a touch of Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Grow for about 4 hrs. I moved the seeds to the rock wool cubes, taproot down and set them on the squares of coco mat in a Jiffy starter tray and put the lid on. I set this on a germination mat and set the LED to about 5 inches above the lid. I set the light timer to 18hrs on, 6 off. That was 4 days ago and this morning I found them ready to move to their big grows. 1-2 inches tall with 2 sets of leaves. I’ll be doing that today.

The Grows
I’m setting up to do 2 5-gallon deep water hydro systems and 2 4-gallon pots of Mills Coco Coir.

I’ll post again later with details on the nutes and amounts I end up using and maybe some pictures of my setup.

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Good luck with your grow @muffybunny
I’m around should you need any help just tag me welcome to the best forum on the internet :+1:
Many helpful peeps here

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All set up

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I gave up on the coco baby that wasn’t progressing. :cry:

I split the rock wool open and the taproot was a goner. It’ll be ok. The yield from the 3 will be enough to get us through the next grow. 3 fit better in my tent anyway.

Anyway… I was out of town yesterday and didn’t get home until late, so I checked ph/temp on the 2 hydros and skipped watering the coco, which looked fine.

This morning I watered. 1/2 gallon was too much. Drop pan overflowed and made a huge mess. :poop:

I’ll check the hydros later in the day. Can anyone tell me what my light cycle should be 1st week of veg?

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18/6 is what most use for veg
I and a few other are using a 14-10 cycle which
Simulates thesun natural pattern :+1: And bonus you use less electricity :+1:
Either will work @muffybunny
Happy growing :cowboy_hat_face: :v: CB

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My 3 survivors

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I upped my light schedule and the gave me their 3rd set of leaves as a thank you!

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I checked ph and temp. 6.2 and 6.3. I’m going to let that ride for the night and check them in the morning. I’m more concerned about the temp being 70. Probably because of the increase in light time. What do people consider high and low danger thresholds?

I started reading Robert’s Grow Bible. Couldn’t put it down. I got through 1/2 and will likely finish it tonight.

Peace, Love, and Growing!

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Good luck! Everything looks good :grinning:

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Thanks @Tr33

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On one hand, I’m concerned about hydro 1. She’s not progressing as well as hydro 2 or even coco 1. She may even be dropping a little. I do look at it and feel like there’s less clay packed under and around than hydro 2, but that’s the only difference. That seems a ridiculous thing to be the difference, but I want to be sure, so I’ll be re-packing the basket today. The roots aren’t through the bottom of the basket yet, so it should be ok to pull the cube and reset.

On the other hand, how about those 4th sets on hydro 2 and coco 1? Hydro 2 is clearly going to be the beast of the tent. I need to give them real names. I talk to them and pet them and give them love. They may as well have names.

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Repacked the hydro 1 basket and I think it will be better. While in there, I saw the little root sticking out of the bottom of the rock wool cube, so I’m probably just paranoid. Certainly impatient. Anyway…

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I think the repack made a difference. Or it’s just coincidence. Lol. H1 looks happier to me. Both hydros were just over 70 degrees, so I iced them down for an hour. I also gave the coco a quart of nute water - 3mg Grow, 2mg calmag, and 1mg karma

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Week 1 of Grow stage is in the books. I changed out the water in the hydros and bumped up the nutes a little. Week 1 I did 50% strength. This week about 60%, but I’ll add some mid-week.

Each got:
4 gal filtered water
28ml Grow
10ml CalMag
8ml Liquid Karma

I also bumped the light schedule to 20/4

They’re looking great

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Tonight’s pics.

@bob31 and @rodri59 - just tagging you in

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@bob31 I’m getting a hygrometer today. As a continuation of that convo, my basement is 1/2 fully finished and 1/2 sealed concrete. So I probably need to add humidity. A bigger problem that’s presenting itself is the f’ing heat. When we set this thing up 4 yrs ago, it was for veg and flower starts, so we thought nothing of putting it 3 ft from the furnace. You see how this story ends right? It’s been cold out the last 4 days and my wife keep turning the heat on. My hydro temps are trying to be in the low 70’s. I like 60. I’m going to have to solve this asap. I keep cycling in frozen bottles of water (a tip from the guys at the local Grow shop), but what a babysitting job that’s turning out to be. I’m seriously considering buying an actual tent and putting it somewhere else away from the furnace and go back to using this one just for non-weed. A real tent would solve the upcoming problem of ventilation too. I know we could rig up ventilation somehow with this, but real tent would seriously simplify the problem.

true to all of that. The hygrometer will tell you the story.

How about some rigid foam insulation between the furnace and the grow?

I bought a 3x3 grow tent on the bay of e for $52 delivered. It has turned into a worthwhile investment!

The tent IMO would be the way to go. In the long run it will save you so much aggravation. Unfortunately the tent needs an exhaust to aid in odor control and circulation as well.

I can help you get an idea of how much if you tell me what size tent you would need. Then you can acquire now or later depending on budget? @muffybunny

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@bob31 I’ll be lols about “the bay of e” all day

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What size tent are you considering? I want to give you an example of a reasonable exhaust system so you get an idea what to look for. @muffybunny

Looks like your off to a great start!

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