Sonic Hedgehog Grow / Speed+ (1st time hydro)

[AdkBuds]

It’s been interesting - still battling PH a little, but at least that’s improved. It stayed roughly where I wanted all day today, huzzah!

Great growth rates on the ebb & flow girls! Some weird goo on DWC that I posted about in my other thread - less growth with them too. I will take whatever successes that I can.

 

[AdkBuds]

We have our first pre flowers!

 

[AdkBuds]

Cleaned the reservoir again & it went much more smoothly this time. Put in their first dose of bloom nutes!

Roots coming out the bottom of these now!!

Much cleaner this time around.

Added their first dose of UV. I had been nervous to start anything but now that they’re entering bloom it’s time. Just these dozen not the DWC. For 15 minutes today, will gradually increase.

Much less growth in the DWC, good rooting. To be fair it is a lesser light (4800 VS 6500) but still, seems like Hydrofarm’s system is beating it. Two puny Pollies and three decent gals.

 

[sjs1488]

Cleaned the reservoir again & it went much more smoothly this time. Put in their first dose of bloom nutes!


View attachment 1346655
Roots coming out the bottom of these now!!

View attachment 1346656Much cleaner this time around.


View attachment 1346657
Added their first dose of UV. I had been nervous to start anything but now that they’re entering bloom it’s time. Just these dozen not the DWC. For 15 minutes today, will gradually increase.

View attachment 1346659
Much less growth in the DWC, good rooting. To be fair it is a lesser light (4800 VS 6500) but still, seems like Hydrofarm’s system is beating it. Two puny Pollies and three decent gals.

How high is your water supposed to be in the buckets I am making a dwc bucket system from scratch and don't know what I'm doing lol

 

[steamroller]

How high is your water supposed to be in the buckets I am making a dwc bucket system from scratch and don't know what I'm doing lolView attachment 1346817View attachment 1346818View attachment 1346819View attachment 1346820

Most run the water about 1 inch below the net pot.
You need strong airbubbles to saturate the net pot until roots are hanging out.

 

[AdkBuds]

Most run the water about 1 inch below the net pot.
You need strong airbubbles to saturate the net pot until roots are hanging out.

^ this guy knows

When I set mine up I ran the air stones without any hydrotron for a bit. Just let the system run for twenty mins. That way I could make sure the net was getting moist & able to adjust the air flow more easily than if filled & harder to see.

Also soak those little bastards & don’t forget check valves!

Added all the clips I had. Wooo!

Been wondering if I should defoliate - some of the biggest fan leaves I’ve ever seen. Feels like a crime to pull them so I might tuck them or just let it ride. Thoughts guys??

 

[steamroller]

Take any that touch the clay or are low in the bucket.
I don't usually pull leaves till they are in the way of a bud spot or at very bottom.

 

[AdkBuds]

I cleaned out the DWC today. Staggering the two systems now to make it less of a labor intensive day. Tossed the rockwool baby into one too. Still nowhere near the growth in the other system, but it is picking up.

Magu is a mutant or genetic anomaly. She grew without a top bud - instead she just had three uneven leaves, no bud site. In the picture you’ll only see two because one was accidentally snapped off. Instead she puts all her effort into her lone two branches. What is weirder is that unlike all the rest, the evenness extends to her roots: most are the same length, more or less.

I wonder if manifolding in hydro would also give this evenness of roots? Either way, she feels aptly named. I love my cannabis goddess!


Added a dehumidifier today, kicking off at 50%. Shifted the UV bars after what I think is significant stretching in plants below them (perfect timing for it)

 

[RootsRuler]

I used that style system before and had good yields but clean up was a mess and I was always worried one of the hose connections would get loose and I'd find an ocean in my grow room. I also had a control bucket sensor problem once and had an overflow issue. Thank god I was on premise when it happened. 55 gallons of feed solution sucks to have to clean up.

 

[AdkBuds]

I used that style system before and had good yields but clean up was a mess and I was always worried one of the hose connections would get loose and I'd find an ocean in my grow room. I also had a control bucket sensor problem once and had an overflow issue. Thank god I was on premise when it happened. 55 gallons of feed solution sucks to have to clean up.

God I can’t even! I had 5 gallons escape an aquarium once onto carpet. That was enough for me, let along ten times that

One thing I will say though is tubing wise I soaked the ends of mine in warm water before putting them on. I’d advise it to anyone with a system like this. It made it easier on my hand to get them 100% on & when they cooled they really held shape over the connections so I feel confident they can’t be budged. Had to redo a line after an early leak & it truly was so hard to get off!!

 

[RootsRuler]

God I can’t even! I had 5 gallons escape an aquarium once onto carpet. That was enough for me, let along ten times that

One thing I will say though is tubing wise I soaked the ends of mine in warm water before putting them on. I’d advise it to anyone with a system like this. It made it easier on my hand to get them 100% on & when they cooled they really held shape over the connections so I feel confident they can’t be budged. Had to redo a line after an early leak & it truly was so hard to get off!!

When I put mine together I used a heat gun to soften the vinyl tubing so I know what you mean. After that leak I zip tied all the connections. Didn't have anymore issues after that but I was always on edge just waiting for it to happen!

The mess part wasn't so much the leak as it was after harvest. I had to wash all the hydroton in a big horse watering tub to remove any residual nutrient residue or other organics that could negatively affect the next grow. I did that once and decided on the next run to toss it all and just buy bags of new hydroton!!!

 

[AdkBuds]

When I put mine together I used a heat gun to soften the vinyl tubing so I know what you mean. After that leak I zip tied all the connections. Didn't have anymore issues after that but I was always on edge just waiting for it to happen!

The mess part wasn't so much the leak as it was after harvest. I had to wash all the hydroton in a big horse watering tub to remove any residual nutrient residue or other organics that could negatively affect the next grow. I did that once and decided on the next run to toss it all and just buy bags of new hydroton!!!

I know it’s a construction thing but you say heat gun, I envision a super villain.

Well of course! Once is enough to set anyone on edge. That would definite pop anybody’s balloon.

You know you’re not the first person I’ve read to do that! It actually seems like a lot of people would rather just spend the money to buy new bags, which I can totally understand. Soaking that first time was tough. I’ll see how I feel when I get there That’s kinda a plus I’m hoping for the DWC; yeah the growth is slower, but it’s only a handful of clay compared to the reservoir system.

But man the growth is so nice thus far! It’s outpacing the DWC and now edging out my past dirt experiences. Once at around 2.5 weeks I stabilized most parameters they just took off, so my thinking is if the yield is worth it, I’ll put up with its end stage maintenance.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5



DWC system
No reposting: Same week 1 shot (same germination)

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

 

[AdkBuds]

Had this one get out of whack. Looked like the leaves were wet & drooping. Super bubbly res.

Her PH was too low & PPM was too high. Adjusted & added new water. Hopefully caught before it became an issue, time will tell.


Outside of that one, the rest are fine. Overall the room is well. RH under 50%, temp 72’ F, fan constantly on.

The drum reservoir system is kicking the DWC’s butt! They’re twice the size, in most cases. Also they’re now up to an hour of additional UV per day.

Some of the training clips, which were only put on the 31st, had to be removed because the branch was too thick. I keep tucking leaves & the branches keep growing.

 

[AdkBuds]

EC & water level fell, Ph inched up. Noticed possible potassium deficiency (spots) & added humic acid plus more A&B nutrients.


Ms Vangie is the first to clearly show bud sites forming as they transition into flower.

The good times gang. Growing so fast! Producing the biggest fan leaves I’ve ever had. Great stretching! Average of 7 nodes. Loads of roots. Mind boggling to compare to their early stages!

 

[RootsRuler]

Looks like your lights a bit close. The leaves and tips are curling under.

 

[AdkBuds]

Looks like your lights a bit close. The leaves and tips are curling under.

Yep they were! Thank you dude! You caught it before I did, got a slight burn on a couple because I thought it was a potassium deficiency at first. Pulled the lights up last night; those wild girls are growing so fast now I can’t keep up!

HAPPY EASTER!!!

 

[AdkBuds]

This girls have had some insane growth! I am just sitting looking at pics & can’t believe it.
Friday 1am versus Monday 8pm, plant is Louise Belcher

Friday

Monday

Note the bottom left leaf on Louise. That’s present on several plants. The PPM meter still reads over 1000 & is only inching down (res level dropping, PH semi-stable, it inches up) but I’m wondering if they took out everything of use in the water & need more sooner because of the crazy growth? Or is it something else? It affects the bottom leaves before working up. I assumed light or magnesium but would love other opinions because I’m too new to hydro & didn’t have this in dirt.

 

[RootsRuler]

Measure the PPM in your clear water and subtract that from your PPM number in your reservoir. That's how much you have in the water still.

 

[AdkBuds]

Today marks 6 weeks from germination & there are plenty of small buds! Also I did a full clean of both systems which wore me out today.

 

[AdkBuds]

I feel so close to getting this right! Today I added the chiller, and did it early in the morning before temps rose so it didn’t have to fight to bring it down. The roots had lost their white as the summer temps crept in so it was about time. It’s a big, beefy unit which keeps the res in a comfortable mid to upper 60s. Having it furthered my urge to adjust the room even more so I finally broke down & ordered a drill to cut into the grow room plywood wall. I hope by the next water change to be ready to move my res & chiller outside the grow room!

Then the air hose came for my gigantic air stone (wrong sizing initially) and that went in during the afternoon. The DWC buckets gained more air power now that the dinky air stone isn’t in the big res drum too, since this one has a dedicated pump for itself. I think the roots should be hunky dory now!

Still seems like a slight recovery from that long cleaning yesterday but overall good. Shifted the girls so the center two are on the outside to balance their heights. Also added more training clips to even those two. Defoliation sparingly.

The DWC gang is okay, one standout, but none can hold a candle to the girls in the Grow Flow system. I ordered an expansion to add another 6 pots to that system and after this grow will maybe only use DWC for mother plants & vegetables (aka non-drugs)

Sadie the Goat has the thickest buds of the bunch so far!

Added Full Up for the first time today.