New Grower "GodAmJT's Perpetual Greenery"

[GodAmJT]

What's up guys? I'd been wanting to grow MJ for a while, and up until recently, was sort of intimidated by it; lots of factors, cost, etc... Regardless, a friend of mine locally grows MMJ and got me into it fairly quick after seeing his enormous hydro set-up with all of the high-end gear and results.. So I embark on my journey... I've been reading a ton of stuff on here and a few other forums to see if I can jive together information.. So far, I've received great advice from someone on a different forum, and I may model my grow more like his (top-feed aero/hydro/ebb-and-flow/recirculating hybrid)than a traditional DWC like I had planned...


So here it is..


Ministry of Cannabis Auto Blue Amnesia, or Delicious Auto LaDiva. It's a mystery to me, as I had put the seeds in baggies, low-and-behold, hole in one of the baggies mixes seeds, so I've got just as good of an idea as anyone as to what it's going to be.


Currently, day 17 since germination. I'm using 3-23w 2700K CFLs and 3-45w 6500K CFLs for the first few weeks of "veg". I'm working on building an LED panel as supplemental lighting, but that may not be ready for this grow. I will end up pulling at least one of the 6500K bulbs out around the 3rd or 4th week of veg, and put in more 2700K and a 3000K I had kicking around to broaden up the spectrum. Light cycle is 20-4. The enclosure is something I built on my own, which is approximately 2ft x 2ft x 3.5ft. You can see in the pictures what I have, but like I said, it's going to change a little. I'm hoping to make the rest of the set-up this weekend, so I'll post pictures for those to see when it happens if they're interested..

I'm using GH Flora series and FloraBlend on a slightly modified recipe.. I'm also using Aquashield, Cal-Mag (when I eventually need it). Lots of stuff is a bit custom, mostly because of my mentor. I can try to answer questions to the best of my abilities, but I'm also looking for some feedback to see if I'm doing things right and to make sure I'm not making stupid mistakes.. If you have any questions about my set-up, my reasoning or of my sanity, feel free to shoot them this way!!


Let's see what we can do!!!!



Peace!!



JT

 

[GodAmJT]

This thing is growing, albeit a little slow, every day!!!! Almost to 3 weeks since germination, and I'm hoping someone else out there who's grown either of these strains could let me know if this thing seems like it's on track or if it's slow/stunted? The coloring appears okay, and all of the stats are spot-on according to several other grows..





JT

 

[GodAmJT]

I tell you, everyday seems like a learning experience.. I suppose like any other newbie, I'm anxious for results, but I have the patience contrary to that of which dooms a lot of other new growers.. I feel like when I wake up in the morning until when I go to bed, this thing surprises me every second.. I know it's early, but I'm looking at the pictures of the node spacing on this thing, and I'm kinda blown away when I compare it to the hundreds of the grows I've seen you fine folks doing on this great resource!!! Mine wasn't leggy, and maybe it's because I learned a few lessons while reading the countless threads.. Maybe I got lucky.. Maybe.... Maybe.... Maybe... Aahhhhh, f- it... I'm not going to push my luck..


Against my better judgement, I used the hydroton to cover the top of the croutons and cube mostly because the local shop didn't have any more mini-cubes other than the massive case, which I don't have money for right now.. I'm sort of in limbo now, as to what I should expect next, as I've tracked the grows of a few other folks who have grown either of these strains.. I see their pics and their plants at this point in time were much more hearty, but fewer leaves and less growth, so I'm hoping the pheno I got just happens to be perfect for my limited grow space.. I'd be a liar if I said I kinda wish this wasn't a femme-auto for the fact I could clone it, but if this thing keeps going in this same direction, I'll have the shape I was hoping for without the addition of LST or ScrOG-ing.. I may still do those, but if this thing moves laterally, I'm going to have to buy some more lights!!!

The camera I have is... meh.... I think I need to work the white balance or maybe something else.. Those pictures make it look like the leaves are lighter, but from where I'm sitting, they are a nice, even green with no glossiness or spotting.. It's already skunky!!!





JT

 

[NekoSempai]

looks like an awesome start man. Karma to your grow.

 

[Chester]

Your plant is stunted ... it happens to all of us. I grow in soil so I can't offer any advice other than at 3 weeks it should be a healthy little bush instead of a seedling. It looks healthy and will probably grow to maturity but you'll need to find out what stunted it for your next grow. Good luck w/ your grow ...

 

[GodAmJT]

Your plant is stunted ... it happens to all of us. I grow in soil so I can't offer any advice other than at 3 weeks it should be a healthy little bush instead of a seedling. It looks healthy and will probably grow to maturity but you'll need to find out what stunted it for your next grow. Good luck w/ your grow ...

I was kinda under that impression, but wasn't completely sure.. This being my first grow, much like a lot of you guys and gals, I feel almost clueless even after reading threat after thread.. I'm kinda thinking because I've had issues with keeping the humidity up that it may have caused that.. I do also know that towards the beginning of the grow, I had gone away for the weekend, and had forgot to plug in my exhaust fan, so when I came home, it was 91F with 16% RH, and because my monitor only does "peak/hold" with no duration..


I guess only time will tell. I'm going to pick up some Silica supps and perhaps even get another small humidifier to see if I can get the humidity up. It's frustrating in that aspect because it's been raining for days here w/ an ambient RH of near 100%, yet I cannot get the inside humidity above 40% until lights-out..

I can't wait to finish this LED light I'm building to see if I can get even a little more light in there.. I had bought the 6500K CFLs off Amazon, and a couple of the reviews said they didn't seem bright enough to be 45w, and I kinda believe them now.. To the naked eye, they appear as bright as the 23w 2700K..


I guess more to come, but thanks a ton for stopping by guys!!!!!

 

[NekoSempai]

I got some plants getting close to 3 weeks. Similar size as yours. Mine have been stunted by hot soil(10-5-5), distance of light to far, and there has been a fews days of WAYYY to hot weather.

Hot soil stunts it enough. The heat, especially 91F. If it will grow at all in those temps. Its going to be very slow. I dont believe the 40% RH is a "big" issue. My last plant thrived in 40% RH. Unstunted until I ran into a PH issue. Actually it was slightly stunted because of hot soil. Not to bad though. Wasnt as hot as the soil I got 3 plants in. My other 5 seedlings seem to be doing a lot better then the ones in hot soil already. I placed them in some organic soil .05 .00 .00 and they seem to love it.

shouldnt be above around 80-83. Even 83 is pushing it and might stunt it a little. at 83 though my plants dont seem to have to hard a time with it.

 

[Chester]

If plants have to grow in a space over 85 degrees fresh air ventilation becomes even more important as does plenty of water ... unless you've got CO2 ....

 

[Roark]

Definetly stunted. What's your ppm/ec an p.h? Have you fed her anything?

 

[GodAmJT]

Thanks for the information so far guys!!!


As for ppm, I'm surfing right around 230ppm (0.5 EC calculation - HM meter) using GH Flora series, but also using Florablend and Botanicare Aquashield. I've got the recipe dialed in using the general rule of 3-2-1 for now, but only at 1/4 strength. I don't feed her everyday, only when the pot feels a bit lighter and the top 2" of croutons are sorta dry.. If I feel I need to do anything in between feedings, I used a few pipette full of pH'ed distilled water.

From when I left this morning until I just got back (about 5hrs), the plant has literally grown about a half inch and the leaves have literally gotten bigger!! I guess today is a sort of odd day because now my temps are at a comfy 77F and my RH has been solid at 47% according to my monitor.. Part of me was almost thinking about moving the lights about about another inch or so just to give it a little more room, but I also think that when I was germinating, I could have left it in the humidome for another couple days, as I got a sprout within 24hrs, and a tap root out of the bottom of the rapid-rooter within 24hrs of putting it in there.. I'm noticing a lot of folks wait until they have a small mass of roots coming out of their starting medium whether it be rockwool or rapid-rooters, so I may do that next grow, which by my calculations will start in 2-3 weeks, or once I know this thing is starting to produce bud sites..

I know there's always been a bit of a contention from what seed producers say the turn-around time is and what REALLY happens.. I've estimated a 12-week grow with these based off of a couple threads I'd seen as well as just a general impression I get of people growing these.. Does that seem like a reasonable time line??


This coming week has me finishing some college courses for the semester, so building the LED panel may have to take a back seat, although I am going to be gathering the rest of the supplies I need to finish the top-feeder and reservoir set up I'm going to be using.. So few moving parts, it's amazing!!


Thanks again guys!!!!