I see there is another area you need to create an account for in order to do a journal( maybe needing to get seeds from here as well). So is it frowned upon if I just update here with photos and things during my grow? I don’t want to bump this every few days or so and become irritating.
With that said, I finally got a picture of the roots. They are looking well but still very young. I’m excited to see how much develop eventually compared to other plants I’ve grown in hydro that would have insane root masses in 20+gal tubs.
I seem to have inadequately cleaned the hydroton. Been notice a layer of sediment each water change. I guess that shouldn’t really impact anything but I’m hoping it eventually clears up and stops happening.
I’ve also been rotating the net pot around to change up where air flow is agitating the plant in hopes that it helps with the stem getting stronger without moving the fan location.
I also took that opportunity to grab a stem photo so I could count and see the node development. I think for this grow I won’t be topping but employ LST and maybe some HST. I know there is some debate on that but I want to try and get the stem to eventually be more horizontal. However, I do worry some that if I don’t do a good job LST wise I don’t really have the height of larger tent to work with.
Anyways, I’m not quite sure when I should begin though. Going to assume maybe around 5-7ish nodes have grown with larger fan leaves? I do have some concern about the drip ring as it spirts now and again and I don’t want to nutes to burn anything with it being hit by water off and on all day if leaves or something are touching the hydroton. I suppose I can just turn off the drip at a certain stage?
I’ve started to notice even at this size it has a cannabis smell coming out of the exhaust fan into the room. I can only imagine what it would be like when the plant doubles and so forth. Would it be too early to use the carbon filter as I don’t want it to stop being effective when it’s really needed?
Going to try and keep this to a weekly or biweekly update as to not bump too much. I also think I might top this girl once she gets to 6/7 nodes and bring it down to 4. Which should be soon.
For a 5" plant this is wild it seems like. Massive fan leaves and short node spacing. PAR/PPFD is on point, PH perfect. I pruned the first real leaves at the base above the cotyledons (they were a single finger each), and the cotyledons. I wonder if I should top at this point or not.
Let her grow as fast as she can.
Topping will stunt her.
Node shaping?
I would try waiting for 8 nodes.
Needs 8 nodes.
Top two, cut off for clone.
Bottom three cut off for air flow,
and top three for a plant to grow a specific shape.
I appreciate the input. I think I felt like it was time to top because people don’t really say if they are doing photo or auto all the time when discussing the topic. Seems it would make more sense with an auto this early since you only have so long and can’t extend veg. I will wait till at least 8 nodes.
Is that in my reference to how short node spacing comment? I just assumed having short spans between node is a good trait.
So you are saying cut at node 6 of 8, splitting the two and making clones from them? Then removing nodes 1-3’s fan leaves and branches? I had considered making clones from some of the lower branches eventually since not all are going to make the canopy. Are cuts from the main stem viable for clones? Also, I’m not sure how to grow them if I only have one tent. I guess to the side of the main plant? But not sure what I could do when you have to flip the lights.
Then for nodes 1-3 strip them at the time of topping? I guess that would free up some growth energy vs doing it later if they don’t reach the canopy right?
I assume you mean to do this as well when topping the main steam. So, do 3 of the other top most branches?
I also had to install the carbon filter. This girl smells dank and it’s only getting stronger. Can smell it in the entire room, and its a very large room.
She might be getting a little root rot or slime. I suppose it could be the release agent for Great White as it’s a similar color. All in all still tons of new roots. Res doesn’t seem to get above 75 but I don’t monitor it all the time.
I did checked the ppm just now and since Sunday it has gone from 690 to 660-670 so she isn’t using up much nutrients and no notable drop in water level. I may let her go 2 weeks before changing anything which also give the GW bacteria/fungi time to establish more. Her leaves are also not as perky besides the massive fan leaves. I’ve been considering turning off the drip ring and increasing the PAR to maybe 400 from 300.
The air stone it’s getting 15L/m and is rated for 12L/m. I also put the pump over the ac register a few days ago which puts out very cold air hoping that helps.
I might invest in a chiller, just not sure how I can justify to myself $300+ bucks to cool 3 gallons of water. Which might not even help with what she currently has. Down the road I might do 2 or 3 plants at a time which makes more sense but right now not so much. The wife is ok with it since starting to grow stuff again has improved my mood and given me a hobby I enjoy back.
The alternative would be to do or switch to soil which I don’t want to do; not that I have anything against it I just prefer hydroponics and it’s what I’m used to and setup for. It’s my fault as I wasn’t thinking about heat. When I had an entire open plan style room dedicated to vegetables they weren’t in tents and heat wasn’t an issue but I can’t do an open room for cannabis.
If I were to grab a chiller what would some of you recommend? I was eyeing the IceProbe Thermoelectric Aquarium Chiller Amazon.com However, I don’t want to really drill into the bucket(s) and if I expanded plant counts I’d need more or a separate reservoir piped in making it RDWC. But I guess that might be the route I have to go.
Ordered Southern Ag Garden Friendly Fungicide. Amazon wont ship to me but on ebay people will Silly cheap and should last forever.
I was reading it’s not for DWC but people have had lots of success with it over hydroguard and others. You have to use it in a 20:1 Water:Fungicide dilution.
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