Indoor Distance grow 2.0: A Mephisto AutoPot saga

[Chronic_passion]

I may be a fair way into things right now but I thought I'd share from here on in... I was going to continue from my first thread but thought it better to separate the two for my own personal records.

I learnt a lot from my first grow. Mainly that environment really is everything. Even though I ended up with a half decent crop (about 200g dry from 6 plants: 0.37g/W) my plants were stunted (mainly due to too low temps and other rooky mistakes) and didn't fatten up like I'd hoped. With the lessons learnt and advice handed to me, I went shopping and created what I hope should provide a winning combo so that I could get closer to, or higher than 1g/W. (I understand for a true reading you'd account for ALL W consumed but I'm just giving myself a target, nothing serious. As long as I get some dank buds the g/W thing really doesn't matter, it's just a number).

I spend a serious amount of time overseas so I've created the best automated system I can think of on a relatively affordable budget.

Here's a brief run down of my setup (including new mods):

• 1.2 x 1.2 x 2 tent
• 2 x ViparSpectra V600 (536W from the wall combined)
• SMSCOM 6.5A smart controller for RVK 125E2 extractor, dialled down to about 25% speed: on 24hrs.
• INKBIRD ITC-306T temperature controller with 2 x 3' 180W tube rads set to 26.5C.
• INKBIRD IHC-200 humidity controller with HR-15 humidifier and 100ltr tank.
• 6 pot AutoPot system (res has a water pump and a 100W heater set to 20 degrees).
• 6 x AirDomes with air pump.
• 1 x oscillating monkey fan.
• 1 x Bluelab Guardian monitor.
• IP camera

Nutes I use are Canna A/B and Calmag Agent, CX Regen-a-root and Mighty Bloom. House & Garden Drip Clean.
I made up this schedule to follow (and it seems to be working quite well...

So this time I've gone all out Mephisto Genetics. We have:

• 2 x Creme De La Chem
• 2 x Toof Decay
• 1 x Fantasmo Express

There were originally 2 FE's but the cotledons wouldn't release from the shell and she passed early on

Germination started in the ol' paper towel trick on the 8th Feb. By the morning of the 10th they were in RootRiot cubes and cotledon life appeared on the 11th. The rest is history...
I count my days from when I germinate, so from 8th Feb. Res was turned on on day 13 as I had to go overseas again but they've loved it since...
So pics starting from Day 29 (9th March).

Above: CDLC back left and right. FE middle right. TD front left and right. IP camera is above the humidifier so all is reversed for below pics.

As I'm forever trying to perfect and tweak my system, my next purchase is lighting. I'm either going QB or ISH at around 600W. But I think that'll be for the next run...

 

[AutoWonders]

my next purchase is lighting

Have you checked out Autocobs for light replacement? Great lights. www.cobshop.net.

 

[Chronic_passion]

Have you checked out Autocobs for light replacement? Great lights. www.cobshop.net.

Hey there, I considered all options and spent many many hours researching and weighing up the pro's and cons of each system, including COBs yes. Unfortunately they just don't suit my needs and considering I'd need 8 to replicate what I'm after it would also work out more expensive (especially with postage to the UK!).
Thanks for the thoughts though

 

[Chronic_passion]

Day [HASHTAG]#36[/HASHTAG]...
Not much happening other than more bush... I'm struggling to determine which one is which now

I'm gonna up the CalMag on the next res, I've been waaay too conservative at 0.2ml/L. Lets see if they like the boost as the flowers start to fatten up.

 

[Chronic_passion]

Day [HASHTAG]#37[/HASHTAG]...
Please forgive the daily posts, I'm pretty impressed how this is turning out and wanted to share the progress as it's my second grow.
Bud sites starting to really show now...

Can't believe how full the tent's getting. When I left I set the lights at 36" above the lip of the pots... guessing CDLC (front right in pic) must be close to 28" now.
I've totally lost sight of the smaller Toof Decay (back left).
Hopefully my garden carer will get in there tonight for a bit of defoliation and to top up the res. I reckon at that size they must be drinking close to 1.5ltrs a day which would put the res at nearly empty.

For those interested, CDLC front left and right, Toof Decay back left and right and Fantasmo express middle left.

 

[Chronic_passion]

AAARRRRGGGGHHHHH! WTF is happening?
Is what my garden carer screamed when I video called them and saw water pooling all over the garage floor...

Let's back track...

Evening of Day [HASHTAG]#37[/HASHTAG]....
Video call to my garden carer to explain what I wanted and to get a different view of the girls. My god they were monsters from the reverse camera angle... bit of defoliation later to let the light penetrate and they're looking more manageable.
Right, next... lets check out how much they've drank in 6 days...
Hmmm... 50ltr res, bone dry! Trays are 1/2 full... phew! 1.5ltrs a day each...

Note to self... when they get this big... check every 4 days not 6.

RH is steady at 50%... Turned off the HR-15. Checked the tank and only 10ltrs out of 100 had been used in a week so thought this would be a great op. for a bit of recycling to top up the res. As the water had been sat there a week already, pH was sitting nice at 6.5 and all chlorine should've gone.
Carrying on my video call, I adjusted my schedule a tad... increased CalMag from 2ml to 5ml per 10ltrs.
First bucket made up. EC good, pH good... OK, in the res to heat up....
Step back to the start of this post and...

AAARRRRGGGGHHHHH! WTF is happening?

Essentially, as the res had been allowed to dry out, the water heater had melted a hole in the bottom of the res. DOH!

Quick clean up and mix another 10ltr bucket. Top feed 2ltrs each leaving me with the dilema of how to solve my res problem.
Luckily my local head shop had a replacement res in stock, so quick call to my ol' dear to go collect it and we should be fully operational again by Wednesday night.

Day [HASHTAG]#38[/HASHTAG]...
Morning after the night before...

Day [HASHTAG]#39[/HASHTAG]...
After the top feed and defoliation, the girls are looking on top form. Thank goodness!

 

[Chronic_passion]

Day [HASHTAG]#40[/HASHTAG]...
What a difference a week makes...

Starting to see some nice clusters now
Still can't see Tooth Decay back left though... Are you still there baby girl?

 

[Chronic_passion]

Day [HASHTAG]#41[/HASHTAG]...
So I spent an hour on the blower last night, talking my garden carer through the res swap out and updated nute schedule.
Everything went smoothly. New res installed, filled and adjusted as per the new chart.
Got a few pics from the other side of the tent too... they're looking real good. I'm excited to see what happens over the coming 3-4 weeks

CDLC [HASHTAG]#1[/HASHTAG]:

CDLC [HASHTAG]#2[/HASHTAG]:

FE:

TD [HASHTAG]#1[/HASHTAG]:

TD [HASHTAG]#2[/HASHTAG]:

 

[Chronic_passion]

Day [HASHTAG]#42[/HASHTAG]...

Tagged a few peeps today... guess I'm feeling in the need for attention. Hope y'all don't mind

 

[Chronic_passion]

Day [HASHTAG]#43[/HASHTAG]...
Getting fatter day by day now...