Mikedin’s grow diary let’s go!

[Maxwax]

Added in a 16” fan (pointing at the wall) and a small radiator heater as well, I set it to low and 1/4 power as it dosent have a digital temp set point I’ll have to try and find the sweet spot

Picked up some microbe brew today , just gotta figure out when to start feeding so far just RO water and that’s it

Other than different ph down thats the same regime I run. I also add Cal-Mag and Molasses.

 

[Maxwax]

If youre venting outside theres no need for the carbon filter and it will pull air like a Mofo without it at low speeds. You wont even smell anything until week 3-4 of flower anyhow. Plus youll kill that filter quick if youre running a humidifier with all the dust theyll put out.

 

[Mikedin]

If youre venting outside theres no need for the carbon filter and it will pull air like a Mofo without it at low speeds. You wont even smell anything until week 3-4 of flower anyhow.

I’m filtering becaus I have neighbors and even though I don’t think they care I’d rather not let any odors sneak out, I need to pick up some cal-mag I just saw it at my local garden center the other day (also fox farms brand) I did also pick up a dual stone pond airstone, tested my tap water and it has 115PPM. So I’ll run 2x 5 gallon buckets at a time (gunna also use it in the humidifiers I go through about a gallon in each one per day on low to stay around 56-65% RH also picked up a a pre-filter to add to remove chlorine and chloramine (not sure which my town uses) so just to be safe I’ll use both lol

I am worried that the increased airflow will drop my RH like a stone so we’ll see I can maintain the 50% on average but I’m running around 79-81f on average so I’m close in the VPD chart but a little low in RH for my temp, nowhere near danger but not ideal for veg it seems

If I get a year out of the filters I’d be happy, to replace the 4” and the 6” at the same time would be about $100 so I’m not overly worried about it as long as there’s no detectable odor at all

 

[Maxwax]

Chasing Vapor Pressure Density. Good fun.

 

[Heywood]

Chasing Vapor Pressure Density. Good fun.

Consider using this one... It is dynamic.
Once on their page, click the gear at the top right and adjust your preferences/settings.

VPD Chart

Vapor pressure deficit (VPD) chart & calculator for horticulture in controlled environment. Cannabis, tomatoes, leafy greens, cucumber.

vpdchart.com

 

[Mikedin]

Chasing Vapor Pressure Density. Good fun.

Not 100% chasing but staying to stay below “high stress” haha, I know I’m too high to be considered veg I’m well into the flower zone but they seem to be doing well on it so I can’t complain much haha just trying to find that balance lol

Consider using this one... It is dynamic.
Once on their page, click the gear at the top right and adjust your preferences/settings.

VPD Chart

Vapor pressure deficit (VPD) chart & calculator for horticulture in controlled environment. Cannabis, tomatoes, leafy greens, cucumber.

vpdchart.com

thank you I’ll check that out in a bit when I have some free time, appreciate it!

 

[Observationist]

Hello all! My first grow has just begun and I feel I should document it, even if only for myself for future reference.

Any and all input appreciated, any questions about anything I’m doing feel free to ask, always glad to hear how other do something if it works for them!

seeds put into cup of water on 4/14 5 seeds total, 2x Afghan kush and 3x candy kush. All Feminized auto flower from growers choice seeds

just had my gorilla glue auto flower seeds arrive so 1 was put into water 4/21 popped and put into wet paper towel 4/22 and will be planted into soil 4/24 (this will be placed in a 2 gallon plastic container (just to compare which I like better the fabric or hard plastic, plus the 2 gallon or 5 gallon containers

medium: fox farms happy frog (100%)
Light: KingLED 1500w
Grow box: ghetto as hell homemade grow box 60”L x 38”W made out of old 4x4’s wrapped with black contractor bags, interior lined with Mylar space blankets from light level down, 80” total height to work with, brought the floor up to approx 36” above floor level, light hanging down from ceiling to within 28” of seedlings
Water: Spring water so far
Containers: 5 gallon fabric pots
Air flow: so far only 2x 6” fans hanging at light level blowing down on seedlings
Exhaust: None as of yet , spider farmer 4” in-line ducting kit wit carbon filter and automatic humidity/temp controller in route will be installed once delivered
Random details: grow box is located inside a basement bedroom that I sleep in on midnight shifts, little bit of light leakage does not bother me nor does the minimal soil smell (which I suspect the carbon filter will take care of once it arrives and I install it)

current temps: 74-76 night 79-82 day
RH: 55-64 night 30-34 day

besides that any questions/concerns you feel are important feel free to ask I love constructive criticism, I feel I am very low tech compared to most of the grows I’ve seen so far, in the future we will be building a stealth room in the 6’x6’ range that will be unnoticeable to guests even if they where standing right next to it, previous experiences was 17 years as a general contractor so to start my grow box is rag tag is beyond the truth but I threw it together with materials that where around the house besides the light

anything I’ve missed please feel free to ask!

enough jabbering here’s the stars of the show

I love the mylar

Started to use it on my second grow in a room but wasn’t really around for that cause life stuff

 

[Observationist]

Not 100% chasing but staying to stay below “high stress” haha, I know I’m too high to be considered veg I’m well into the flower zone but they seem to be doing well on it so I can’t complain much haha just trying to find that balance lol

thank you I’ll check that out in a bit when I have some free time, appreciate it!

Yeah , VPD is a bitch to get 100% it seems, unless having controllers hooked up to all the required devices.

I was doing a “manual balancing act”, how much I’d leave the tent door open/humidifier to match temps etc.

 

[Observationist]

I’ve been seeing so many no pop seed issues with people or having low germ rates in general, am I just lucky to have 100% germ rate so far? My brother in law has a bunch of photo seedlings and I was considering grabbing one from him or grabbing some clones, atm I’m running all autoflowers but might not be a bad idea to grab a photo seedling to keep as a mother for future grows, I’m tempted to tell him to pollinate one of them if he pops a male just to bulk up on seeds if he knows the genetics

I mostly germ in a cup of water tap or distilled, pops open usually in 24-48 hrs

 

[Observationist]

Little grow box update spider farmer exhaust filter/fan installed, gorilla glue seeding popped through the soil, and 2nd KingLED 1500w will be delivered tomorrow (won’t be installed yet I don’t think it’s needed yet plants are too small to benefit from a 2nd light yet I don’t believe, please correct me if I’m wrong)

exhaust temp set to 78f and humidity max set to 85% fan set to 60% when it turns on seems to control temp with a few minute long run, plus I’m sleeping about 6 feet from the fan lol, ran the vent across the ceiling and installed a new drier vent under the deck outside between joists so it’s not visible was a bastard to put a 4” hole saw through triple stacked 2x12’s but was worth it to hide it from prying eyes

those 2x Afghan kush are really kicking ass already double the size of the candy kush all sprouted the same day, the single gorilla glue in the smaller plastic pot is about 8 days behind the other 5

my wife wants me to move out of that room entirely and fix up another section of the basement and dedicate the full room to the grow lol, I may eventually but not sure if I need to expand that much, I’ll test through this grow with the box if we end up needing more room for the next grow then I’ll make the move we don’t smoke much I’ll be enjoying some for fun ofc but I have a few family members who could benefit from some and I’m not a fan of the commercially available garbage in the shops so a lot will be gifted, I just enjoy growing pretty much everything

I’d move to the basement. Lol more space?

 

[Mikedin]

I’d move to the basement. Lol more space?

Yeah old tent was in the basement new one is too, temps are at least 15f cooler and higher ambient humidity, we have doors to walk out to the backyard but we keep them closed so I don’t have huge ambient temp/humidity swings, we walk in and out them all day (kids playing etc). So far the girls are happy just left for work at 430am but was in the tent since 4 tying down limbs etc there starting to stretch like crazy now (at least the 3 bigger ones are but smaller ones are starting to bush out now) there getting into that 1-1.5” per day growth for sure if today is like yesterday when I get home at 7 tonight I’ll be pulling them down again haha I love it. I’m big into growing everything though so it’s fun for me.

I don’t have to open doors etc to control temps the new tent has 4 flaps on the bottom with mesh screens I just keep the one completely open on the opposite side from the exhaust and temps regulate pretty well seems around 79-81 is my up down swing after watering my humidity jumps to about 65-68% and as the pots dry out it drops to around 50-53% so I can almost judge watering time just by my RH in the tent lol

 

[rolandrog]

Welcome to the farm!

If you can get your RH up a bit more during the day, like into the 50% + range, your seedlings will thank you.
Since they don't have much root structure for awhile, they will be depending on drawing some moisture in through their leaves.

Regarding your fans being pointed straight down onto them, consider adjusting them so that you simply have some gentle airflow above the plants at this point instead of directly onto them. You can easily wind-whip these things to death.

One other bit of advice is to consider how you might handle having pest issues. It is always good to have something on hand, just in case. It sucks if you have a problem and nothing to help deal with it right away. Some people have Neem oil, others use BTI... there is a whole host of stuff. I grow in the same soil as you are and my choice is organic. For pest control I use Capt Jack's deadbug. It is organic and I know it works. Also since you are in soil, get some sticky aphid traps and put them out now and through the entire grow. Be proactive with that. I cut the cards in two and lay one each in each pot.

For further down the road, consider getting a jeweler's loupe or some other type of high magnification device so you can scope your beautiful trichomes when they come in. They will signal to you when it is time to harvest.

You mentioned spring water. Have you PH'd it to see what you are working with? Personally, I use RO water and I still PH adjust it every time (After all nutes are added in) to 6.3 - 6.5

I guess lastly, since you are going to build a stealth grow room, have you seen the design sub-forums here? If not, here's a link. May give you some good ideas.

Growroom Design & Setup

Plan and improve grow rooms, tents, greenhouses, lighting layouts, ventilation, electrical planning, irrigation, automation, and environmental control.

www.thcfarmer.com

Best to use INVISIBLE INK for your journal in case it falls into the hands of the enemy.

 

[Heywood]

Best to use INVISIBLE INK for your journal in case it falls into the hands of the enemy.

Care to clarify your comment?
I don't have any enemies here that I am aware of, but if you are making a threat of some sort, then let's discuss it with @logic

 

[Mikedin]

I know it’s crazy but this is the first time I’ve seen one of the plants under normal lighting haha figured I’d share it here, brought it out of the tent just to see it’s actual leaf color

Having to work on the LST daily there really starting to stretch out and fill the pot diameters, it’s my first grow obviously so if I get 25-30 grams per plant dry I’d be happy anything near or over that I’ll feel as a personal victory, still have about 20 more auto seeds between the Hindu Kush, candy kush, and gorilla glue and one I haven’t started yet the Master OG all from Growers choice seeds, I have new seeds lined up from North Atlantic seed company but I think I’m gunna grow out 3 of the Master OG’s and one of each other stain on the next run then try my hand at some photos once I buy either a 3rd light or buy new lights really checking out those spider farmer lights but wanna see how these 2x lights I have can push out over at least 2 full runs

 

[Mikedin]

Well today is 4 weeks from sprout so I figured post some pics, switched the plants around and out the bigger 3 to the back so I can focus on training the smaller 3 a bit, the back 3 are throwing a ton of pistils now may introduce some tiger bloom with the grow big and microbe this week, the smaller 3 are just starting to show some pistils (barely) so I’ll give them another week at least of just grow big and microbe, last watering a few days ago was plain RO, pots feel like they need another day or 2 before a watering leaves look happy still, RH hanging right around 57-62% between night and day temps have been a bit lower had a temp drop outside to the 40’s but have been maintains temps of 75-77 with lights on and 72-73 at lights out weird weather out today high of 50 -52 today and tomorrow and then 83 on friday then back to mid to low 70’s haha
Little gorilla glue got a good bend over the past few days and is really moving along

 

[Mikedin]

Got my bubbler today to aerate my water, so using the dechlorinator hooked up to the hose bib. Doing a “dry” run with the first water ran about 30 gallons through the filter then filled up my 5 gallon bucket, just stopped on the way to work to get 2 new buckets. Then to make sure nothing is in the stones etc that will get into the water letting the stones bubble for 24 hours then I’ll dump that water and refill and start bubbling water for Saturday (it’s a dual stone aerator and no shutoff for the 2nd stone so I said screw it and tossed them both in, might cap one hose off when I get time to do it till then I’ll run both

Wanted some opinions on my water, after the filter pass though my PPM is reading 106 (118 roughly in average pre filter straight from the tap) is this a good PPM as far as tap water goes for feeding with?

Was surprised it’s only 6 watts to run lol hopefully now I can get away from buying RO / primo water every week haha

 

[Mikedin]

Girls got a feeding today 1/2 Doses of cal-mag / grow big / big bloom and full dose of microbe brew (all fox farm) ph’d after neuts to 6.35 and 590PPM prior to watering, only went until I began getting drips out of the bottoms of the fabric pots watered 3 times in 15-20 minute intervals until I started seeing water dripping from bottom of pots

 

[Maxwax]

118 PPM is awesome straight tap water bro. Mines like 350 IDK I never check it....its not something I concern myself with.


Ive watered to runoff 1 time in 8 weeks. Also something Im not concerned with.


Youre waters fine dont sweat the small stuff.

 

[Observationist]

Got my bubbler today to aerate my water, so using the dechlorinator hooked up to the hose bib. Doing a “dry” run with the first water ran about 30 gallons through the filter then filled up my 5 gallon bucket, just stopped on the way to work to get 2 new buckets. Then to make sure nothing is in the stones etc that will get into the water letting the stones bubble for 24 hours then I’ll dump that water and refill and start bubbling water for Saturday (it’s a dual stone aerator and no shutoff for the 2nd stone so I said screw it and tossed them both in, might cap one hose off when I get time to do it till then I’ll run both

Wanted some opinions on my water, after the filter pass though my PPM is reading 106 (118 roughly in average pre filter straight from the tap) is this a good PPM as far as tap water goes for feeding with?

Was surprised it’s only 6 watts to run lol hopefully now I can get away from buying RO / primo water every week haha

I need an orange bucket set up like you got

Just a 5gal bucket and some air stones/ and a water pump?

 

[Maxwax]

What’s the orange bucket setup?

I need one

Ima read through this

Hes aerating his water to get the chlorine out basically. How do you know you need one if you dont know what it is?