New Grower Grow #2 - Organic - Viparspectra LED - HPS

[Dhante420]

Hello Everyone

Glad to be back and starting a new grow! This will be my second grow ever and im happy to share it with you guys.
Here is what i have...

• 1.2mx1.2m Mars Hydro Grow Tent
• Can Filter and Extraction Fan
• 3ft 120w Tubular Heater
• 1x 600w Viparspectra LED light
• 2x 350w Viparspectra LED light
• (Will only be usiing LEDs for Vegging)
• 1x Lumii 600w Digital Dimmable Ballast
• Lumii 600w Sunblaster dual spectrum HPS
• (HPS for Flowering)
• 9x 16litre Root Pouch fabric pots.
• Bio Bizz Light mix
• Bio Bizz All Mix

Seeds (All Autoflowering)

• 3x Glueberry O.G (Dutch Passion)
• 2x Blue Amnesia (Dinafem)
• 2x AK47 (City Seeds Bank)
• 2x Northern Lights (Royal Queen Seeds)

I have half filled each pot with Bio Bizz all mix and then filled the rest with Bio Bizz light mix for a nice balance. People say all mix is too hot for autos but there are plenty of people who say thats not true so i am happy to have them n half and half.
I would like to keep this grow as organic as i possibly can.
Plan is to water with just plain water until the ladies show they need something. Water is of course left over night to evaporate any chlorine and also have an airstone in to add some extra oxygen! My water is at a PH of 7.8 which is very high even for organic growing so i have some raw organic apple cider vinegar to bring the PH down to around 7-7.2 (yes it works), then let the soil do the rest of the PH balancing. I do have Bio Bizz nutrients Grow, Bloom, Alga Mic and Top Max but i am going to try and not use them at all. Instead im going with compost teas using things like worm castings, bat guano, alfalfa, blood meal, bone meal etc...

All the ladies were germinated using the paper towel method (I used non perfumed toilet paper and water that was dechlorinated)
They all sprouted and were put into their pots 3 days ago, they have all punched through the soil now and are taking in some light (18/6) so it is officially Day 1

Pictures to follow!

 

[Samwell]

Why do you use the LED only for veg? Is it just preference or is there something about the lights they produce?

 

[Dhante420]

Why do you use the LED only for veg? Is it just preference or is there something about the lights they produce?

Hi Samwell, thanks for the reply... My last grow I used the LEDs for the whole grow and they are more than capable of flowering without problem! However they are entry level grow lights and do not put out such a great spectrum for flowering. The spectrum on my hps bulb is much better for flowering! It is only my 2nd grow so I’m testing things myself. I am more than happy with Viparspectras lights!

 

[Dhante420]

I’d love to be able to afford a Boss LED unit like Blackdog or Kind but they are too expensive for me so I settled for a trusty ol HPS

 

[Samwell]

Cool that makes sense! Looking forward to seeing this grow!

 

[AutoWonders]

I’d love to be able to afford a Boss LED unit like Blackdog or Kind

Have you checked out "Autocobs such as those available from www.cobshop.net. I have the 3500K ready to hang and they work very well. Less heat, noiseless, low electrical draw, easy to move and they are nearly as bright as our sun.

 

[bad dragon bzzz]

nice looking line up
good luck.

 

[Dhante420]

Have you checked out "Autocobs such as those available from www.cobshop.net. I have the 3500K ready to hang and they work very well. Less heat, noiseless, low electrical draw, easy to move and they are nearly as bright as our sun.

I have checked them out before aactually, they seem to have pretty good rep here on the afn. I must look into them some more! A lot of people say once you go cob you don’t go back! I follow growmau5 on you tube too and he says Cobs all the way!

Thanks @archie gemmill

 

[Dhante420]

Day 5
Some pictures as promised.

First 3 are Gluberry OG
Middle right and middle are AK47
Middl left and top right are Blue Amnesia
Top middle and top left are Northern Lights

I had to pull the seed off one of the northern lights as it was stuck on top like a helmet! I’m glad I did because it opened up lovely after.



They are coming along great.
Temps are between 19c and 25c
Humidity is at 65-70%
Watering just plain water and I’m keeping the top layer of soil damp.

When do you think is a good time to start introducing molasses? I have never used them before.

 

[Dhante420]

Day 31

Hi guys, havnt been posting much to do with this grow because im so busy and just never get round to actually doing it.
Im on day 31 now and the ladies are starting to preflower... my current tallest is a northern lights from rqs and shes 18" tall with 8 Colas.
The rest are an average of 16" tall.
Everything so far has been smooth sailing with no issues what so ever so im really happy about that.
I have now swapped to my 600w HPS for the flowering phase. This particular HPS bulb is dual spectrum so has added whites to help carry on throught the stretch.

Thats just a view of them all under the hps. Lights have just turned on so slightly droopy.

So far so good.
Feed Schedule is water, water, feed.
i use epsom salts with every water, just a lil at a time and i use Black strap molasses in every other water.

Im gna go ahead and buy some worm castings, bat guano, kelp meal, crab shell meal etc soon and make a tea to give the soil a nice boost!!