Huge Gelato Autoflower, Won't Flower

I use an Mars-hydro fc 3000 for my 3x3. Any light around 3-600 true watts with a 3x3 flowering footprint will do for a 3x3. I only scanned thread but, if your wanting to get a new light, I recommend asking folks like @Nicky if the light you have chosen is of good quality and proper spectrum before you buy it. @ dbrn32 is kinda the light/electrical guru her on the boards. I have read threads where dbrn walks people step by step through the process of building their own lamp from scratch.
Happy growing!
Oh, it looks like perhaps you have a photoperiod plant instead of an Autoflower. Happens from time to time….

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One thing at a time, you need a tds meter. Unless your going to grow in the ground outdoors.
So go grab one and report back we can go from there otherwise we are all just guessing and playing blind lawn darts.

For a 3x3 I would suggest a 3x3 kingbrite kit that would be my #1 suggestion, it will give you the best light and the best coverage.

3 plants can be grown in a 3x3 I’ve done it with good results but you need good light coverage.
Otherwise Spider Farmer SE3000 300W would be my second choice.

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I miss lawn jarts so much. It’s just not the same if they have round, blunt, plastic tips.

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I only got to play them once and now I know why haha.

Just noticed spider farmer is making bar light kits now. Good for them

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Tap water well within the recommended PH levels without having to do anything. Is this a good enough definition for you?

For me yes, for you, no.
In order for your tap water to be perfect it will require a ph within 6.5-6.8 (for soil) 5.5-6.5 (for coco) and 5.5-6 (hydro). It will also need to have at a minimum of 150-200 ppm dissolved solids. This is a must for any liquid to hold its own ph. It must also be chlorine free, which without effort on your part, is unlikely.

I sense some irritation in your response. I know that it can be hard sometimes to acknowledge that I have made a mistake. Especially when I believe I have a perfect understanding, and I’m shown I don’t. Not saying that’s what you have going on just sharing my own experiences. I asked because you said it was perfect, and most of the time it isn’t, so I figured rather then give you an assuming answer I would ask for clarity. Good luck, and happy growing. Fear not, you will have your problems corrected for you here.

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Roflmao my parents would have had their children taken from them by cps in the modern day.

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Whatchu sayin homie :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Thanks for the support

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@Bill_Bixby Hey man just gonna throw in my 2 cents…

If it’s a lighting issue you’re facing ultimately resulting in your plants NOT flowering…the options I’ve seen people using and having some degree of success with include…

Putting the plant into darkness for 48hrs straight and then a strict 12/12 schedule

Switch them automatically to a 6/2 lighting schedule…yes you read that correctly

Or just don’t turn the lights off but turn them down juuuust a little bit (if this is even an option for you)

Don’t get discouraged there’s plenty of people here that can help you

Good luck :sunglasses::facepunch:t2:

NOTE: sometimes we just need to deal with the fact that the plant is alive and WILL do what it wants regardless of how much control we think we have

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@Docnraq very appropriate response :clap:
@Bill_Bixby as you can see we try to hold our composure here at ilgm unlike many forums and that’s what this community is about, it’s also about having an open mind. The more you think you know the more you don’t know.
I echo everything @Docnraq just explained about your water situation.

Now you say you use tap water so that means your town/city etc will have to publicly disclose water sample testings on your city website (google “your city name” water sample test) then you can download that and edit the city name out and post that here so we can examine it if you wish. There is alot of good info in there.

#1 what’s the tds of your tap water, of course you can check this and will need to check this daily with your own tds meter.
Bonus is that it will tell us how much calcium and magnesium is already in your water.
#2 is it treated with Chloramines? If it is you should go to a fish store and get a water treatment solution but if it isn’t you can use a simple carbon filter or let your tap water sit out for 24hr.
#3 should show an average PH as well but with your meter you should test this anyways and ph it accordingly to your medium soil or soil less.

Once you know what your water is and how to prep it for use then we can move onto other issues.

I have helped countless people flip their plants and the most reliable way is 2 days darkness followed by 12/12 so take that what it’s worth.

We already addressed lighting.

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I had read that the 6/2 lighting schedule is great for vegging but not for flowering. To elaborate- while vegging the plant starts the day absorbing every photon it can get it’s leaves on. At a rate Impossible to reproduce in a tent (gotta love the sun). As the day goes on this amount diminishes. so the idea with a 6/2 schedule is that 3 times a day the plant will “wake up” absorbing like crazy until it sleeps (2 hrs) then back up absorbing at 100% again. This will give you very aggressive growth during the veg stage. Once you hit flowering however the way they use that light changes and the 6/2 schedule will muck up the flowering process. (Note this explanation is based solely on bro-science I do not understand the actual science enough to explain it in a technical way)

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I have both meters. But only use the ph meter. What do I do with the other. I use


I try and keep the ph to less than 6. But what do I do with the other meter. Ty for any help. I have 6 gelato cutting in it right now.

Haha gotta love the disclaimer…
You missed “also this is the bro science theory for photo periods only not autoflowers”

I don’t think the theory holds weight or professional growers in all sorts of agricultural greenhouse industries would be doing it as would researchers but that’s my 2c.
I clearly don’t know everything either though.

@mug59 a tds meter tells you the total dissolved solids so basically how much food is in the water.
And you want it something like this

But follow your nutrient feed guide tds.

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The other meter is for measuring parts per million dissolved solids.
This number is basically a representation of how much mineral/nutrients/metabolites exist inside your growth medium. It is also refers to as E.C (electrical conductivity)
With this info your plant tells you when it’s hungry, combined with ph it can tell you if you need to flush your medium.
The ppm is crucial measurement of the liquids you pour into your plant. If the liquid has a ppm count below 150-200 it will not hold its ph but will instead adopt the ph of your medium. ( most use RO water and add either Calmag or epsom salt to bring the ppm up.
Meters are not all the same either.
There are three scales I’m aware of. The 500 the 650and the 700 scale(s)
Not every meter is the same (where it is made usually plays a role) nor does every nutrient company use the same scale (I.e. fox farms is a 700 scale on their feeding charts) it is best to get a tds meter that uses the same scale as your nutrient line up. Here is a 500 to 700 scale conversion chart I found along the way.

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See I hadn’t read that, was even planning on doing it with my next grow. Glad I joined this thread already!

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Yea I mentioned the 6/2 for an auto cause it’s an auto…my thought process on that would basically be: it’s an auto and works on its own time so why not just “speed it up”….very very basic understanding but the theory seems right :rofl:

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