Lighting The Horror's Think Different LED DWC Grow Journal

[The Horror]

This is my first grow journal and first AF grow

The purposes of this journal will be to:
A. Keep a record of this grow
B. Keep me on track
C. Get feedback from you
D. Help new growers learn from my mistakes and successes

This will also be the first grow where I use individual pots instead of using a main feeder source. I plan to see how each plant varies and see if its worth the extra work to balance each separately rather than relying on a central feed.

Here are the stats:
Strain: Dutch Passion Think Different (3)
Lights: 600W LED
Medium: DWC
Space: 36" x 36" x 72" Mylar lined tent

Known issues/challenges:
1. I know I'm going to outgrow my space. I'll another setup ready to go before that happens.
2. Temps are high. I've been dry-running the setup and temps have been as high as 93. I'm going to have to cool it down.
3. Humidity is low. Humidity in the tent is running about 30%. I'm going to have to increase it. Once my buckets are full and running it will increase but I have to be prepared to address it.

At this point I have dropped my seeds in a glass of water to let them fill and drop. Instead of dropping 2 of the 3 sprouted in 24 hours so I moved them to wet paper towels overnight. As of this morning all 3 have sprouted. I soaked 3 rock wool cubes in a 5.9 ph Rhizatonic blend, put the seeds in root down, and covered them with a little piece of damp wool. I then placed the cubes in a little propagation box and put them under the light. I will now wait for them to show and move them to their homes.

It has begun...

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[TaNg]

Good luck with the grow dude. 600w LED + TD + DWC = FAT BUDS.

 

[Hazy]

Welcome and good luck with it all. TD's a good choice

 

[herbal.experience]

welcome and goodluck.

600w led? this should be good.

always been interested in DWC as well.

 

[The Horror]

Filled my pots with a Rhiz/ Big Bloom ph balanced to 5.8. I used 1 gallon containers filled with tap water, added 12 ml of Rhiz and 1 Tbsp BB, then ph balanced using GH pH Down. Tested EC at 1.2. Filled pots to 1" above nets and added Sunleaves Rocks to cover water line. First time trying the rocks, usually go Hydroton. A little concerned it will be harder for the new roots to move through the rocks than it would the pebbles but I know other growers have used them without a problem. All lines air lines are hooked up and functioning. No leaks. Tent temp is staying at 88F and humidity is very poor at 23%. Will definitely have to address that before I move them out of the prop box. In other words, ASAP.

I know doesn't have the best rep but I've used it successfully before and didn't want to experiment too much this time since I'm using a new light and doing AF for first time. A little concerned it may lack the cal/mag. I do have cal/mag on standby if I need it.

 

[The Horror]

Morning report.

One girl is poking her head out, one is just taking a peak, and the third is still hiding (also the last to crack). I have the light 36" above the top of the cubes, which are still in the box. A little worried about having 600w on them so young...

Humidity remains low. Looked into options and will probably go with a small ultrasonic humidifier and run distilled water through it to keep any mineral deposit residue from settling in the grow area. Open to suggestions on raising humidity. Still running at 22-23%.

 

[The Horror]

Morning report.

Two girls up and out. The last one poking her head out. Put all three into their homes today after re-balancing the pH in the buckets (it was a tad high). All three buckets at 5.8 - 5.9.

Hung a few wet towels until I get my humidifier. Humidity now at 38%.

Based on current levels of growth I expect to cover the rockwool with hydroton either this evening or first thing tomorrow morning. I'm using the Sunleaves rocks as a substrate but they are a tad heavy and inconsistently shaped/weighted so I'm going to use the pebbles around my stalks. Probably not use the rocks again since I don't reuse my mediums anyway.

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[The Medicine Man]

I tried using those rocks... tough as hell to get a good feel of and didn't seem to hold things in place like regular ol' hydroton. That's all I use now in my DWC and use a layer of pebbles on top of my coco plants so help with them drying out so fast when I go away for a couple of days.

 

[TaNg]

I do love the pink glow of an LED tent.

 

[The Horror]

Been reading Hazy's TD grow... thinking about a ScrOG. Still have some time to decide...