Newb first time grower starting to feel like I have a black thumb...

[AnselAdams]

Seems like a good time for an update. I didn't intend for this to be a grow log, but I didn't imagine I would have so many troubles either.

Environmentally, everything has been awesome. Temp 68-70F, Humidity 40-50%, pH 5.5-6.5 with rare adjustments, PPM700ish, EC 1.5. I refilled both buckets Sunday. Bubbagum was down more than I realized and took 2+ gallons. BBK was closer to 1.5 gallons. I mixed my new water to be as identical as possible to the existing water as far as nutrients and pH.

Bubbagum is doing awesome, best I can tell.
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BBK looks freakish to me, but she keeps on truckin' - roots seem to remain clean. I've been tempted to chop off the browned leaves, but have resisted the urge so far. Folks say autos are fragile by nature, so after all the abuse I already inflicted on her, I'll just let her do her thing as long as she keeps progressing.
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@AnselAdams - I missed your comment last week about keeping an eye on Cal/Mag. Can you explain a little more please... like I'm a 5th grader?

Hey Nate!

The CalMag issue I was talking about is during flower in particular. During this last grow I made the mistake of making my last CNS-17(grow) (high N) feeding during grow, and my dosing of CalMag (also high in N) too close together (only 3 days apart instead of a week as was indicated by my log). This caused my N to spike, which delays flowering .

I did a quick five gallon flush to correct but the two day of being too high (while i figured out what was going on) caused a short delay in the more mature plant that was about2-3 weeks into flower; vs a huge impact on the one that was just beginning to flower. This caused uneven growth and made scrogging the second plant impossible. Here is a look at the mess it created. https://www.thcfarmer.com/threads/ansel-adams-hydro-adventures-journal.108531/post-2417439.

Hope that helps; if not keep asking and I'll keep answering

 

[AnselAdams]

. . .
BBK looks freakish to me, but she keeps on truckin' - roots seem to remain clean.


@AnselAdams - I missed your comment last week about keeping an eye on Cal/Mag. Can you explain a little more please... like I'm a 5th grader?

. . . Frankenweed!

 

[Nate_in_AK]

The CalMag issue I was talking about is during flower in particular. During this last grow I made the mistake of making my last CNS-17(grow) (high N) feeding during grow, and my dosing of CalMag (also high in N) too close together (only 3 days apart instead of a week as was indicated by my log). This caused my N to spike, which delays flowering .

You may have stern words for me, but I've been on a very basic feeding cycle the whole grow with Growth Science Nutrients A+B along with solid start - which I just realized I should have stopped 2 weeks ago. Oops.

The dosage from the chart is crap, I'm keeping the PPM around 700-800.

Next grow, hopefully I will avoid all these mistakes and experience a more typical cycle... and put more research into feeding options.

 

[AnselAdams]

You may have stern words for me, but I've been on a very basic feeding cycle the whole grow with Growth Science Nutrients A+B along with solid start - which I just realized I should have stopped 2 weeks ago. Oops.
View attachment 973471
The dosage from the chart is crap, I'm keeping the PPM around 700-800.

Next grow, hopefully I will avoid all these mistakes and experience a more typical cycle... and put more research into feeding options.

Lol... that is why we are all here, to learn and pass on what we know. As long as you learn something from each grow then the next cannot help but be a better crop. I am so new to this, I am in no position challenge the methodology of any grower. I just try to understand what they are doing and why; then check to see if it is something in can use in my protocol. I keep a log as well because the labels suck. I have chosen a step-ladder approach; ramping up every week to max ppm then ramping back down weekly to harvest. My peak ppm is about 8-900, but after you add in my enzymes, it goes up to about 1000-1100 for a week or two before starting down. Hasn't hurt anything yet, so i'll keep doing it. That by no means it will work for you! Keep tweeking one item at a time.

Another big difference. I am growing Autos, not photoperiods.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

These are autos, but I already have some White Widow non-auto seeds for next grow.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

More pictures! Things remain stable without further drama or catastrophe. I'll have to do something different next grow to manage odor and airflow together. I had to pull my charcoal filter out of the path because it was choking out my air-flow. The room smells wonderful to me, but my wife is not as keen on it. Low budget odor control solutions anyone?

Bubbagum still marching along like a good soldier. Sucking down the water and nutrients pretty steadily. I haven't kept track of volume, but I would estimate she drank around 5 gallons in the past week. I'm keeping the PPM in the 800-1000 range, and the pH has held itself between 5.5 and 6.2 without need for adjustment.

BlackBerry Kush ... tiny runt but smells so good!! She's drinking less, and I'm keeping her PPM down around 500-600. I gave her a couple days of water+anti-fungal only to see if it would help her, but I don't think the problem is nutrient lock or salt saturation.... it didn't change anything.

Bubbagum closeup (I need a USB microscope) too fuzzy to be sure if they are starting to get cloudy yet.

 

[Nate_in_AK]

Harvested on Father's Day. That makes 4 months, 11 days grow time.
The haul from poor BlackBerry Kush was a sad thing to behold:

If it's even an ounce dry, I'll be a flying monkey.

But the haul from the BubbaGum blew my socks off!!!

I didn't attempt to weigh this wet. I did quick-dry and vape a small sample, and it was quite decent; as good as many of the mid-shelf strains from the dispensary.

I'll post back in a few weeks with final dry weight.

WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Nate_in_AK]

Final tally:
Black Berry Kush: Maybe 1/4 oz. The poor little runt never really got going, and was just a collection of little loosely clumped buds along the stems. It has a surprisingly decent flavor and kick. Looks like bellybutton lint, smokes like mid-shelf bud, and smells awesome.

Bubbagum: A bit over 4 oz. Mix of medium and loose bud composition. Milder flavor and kick. It works well for my RLS. I'm hoping this one improves as it cures, it's a little ho-hum so far.

Now to decide what I'll grow next.....

 

[Beowuuulf]

well put together grow log. seeing it for the first time now, I died inside seeing blackberry go basically into the grave

learned lots I bet, good choice with white widow..That’s what I’m on now. watching for the next grow!

 

[SNoWfLaKe_420]

My first growing experience has been a bit of a mess.

Feminized auto-flower seeds from seedsman.
1 x Blackberry Kush
1 x Bubbagum

Germination in paper-towels went perfectly, and both sprouts were 'planted' into rockwool on Feb 11th. Both sprouts popped up from the rockwool on the 13th, but on the 14th the Bubbagum sprout was looking sad and wilty:
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That problem was caused by over-soaked rockwool, but the little guy recovered well enough once I got it dried out a bit.
Feb. 16th they both looked much better:
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The next few days were awesome!
Feb 23rd, still going strong:
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Then came Saturday morning, February 29th!!!!
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My Blackberry Kush looked like the Evil Jolly Green Giant farted on it, and pH was suddenly way up; the test kit showed green.
I learned two things that day:

1. VPD is a thing and I should care about it.
2. I need to keep a close eye on that pH!

I corrected the pH, and setup a humidifier. After some tweaking got the tent to 75F @ 75% humidity. (RH had been around 20% before!!)
By March 2nd the BBK had perked right up, but was showing some damage:
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For the next week it was difficult for me to be patient, and I suspect I jumped the gun when I topped both plants on March 6th.
Looking back, I realize growth had been slowing down prior to the topping. Once I chopped them, growth damn near halted immediately., and while things didn't look terrible to me, something seemed wrong. Here they are on March 8th:
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(Blackbeery Kush on the left, Bubbagum on the right)

Having a deficit of patience, I decided this looked like a deficit of nutrients. My first nutrient load was around 30% of the vendor recommended potency. It was about time to change the water, so I mixed the new load at 100%. This too, was probably a dumb rookie move.

On Monday I figured out what had really been wrong. My air pump was not making any bubbles. My poor babies were drowning. I corrected the issue and things have gotten better over the past few days, and here are current pictures:
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Grow info:

• 4' wide, 2' deep, 5.5' high tent.
• DWC (no top drip)
• Delicious Alaskan tap water (really, it comes out of the faucet at 6.5pH and tastes great!)
• Phlizon 900W LED, at least 24" above plants
• Active Aqua 15L 4 port air pump - 2x stones per bucket
• Growth Science Nutrients Base + Solid Start
• pH tested daily with color drop kit
• EC/ppm on order
• AC Infinity fan controller w/ humidity and temp + charcoal filter
• One tent flap is about 1/2 open for air intake
• Water level approx 1" below bottom of pots.
• Roots slightly tan. No odor, no slime. I assume just nutrient staining.
• There is an ultrasonic humidifier running full time, as well as a small fan to keep air circulating. The fan is NOT blowing directly on the plants.
• I never spray the plants with anything.
• Target temp = 75F
• Target RH = 75%

I think that about covers everything so far. I don't know if I have a specific question, but wonder how this looks from an experienced viewpoint. Are things going well enough for a first timer? Do these plants look about the right size for their age? Can someone tell me it's all going to be OK? HAHA!!

That’s a bad ass light it’s pretty expensive but Even though they’re better lights out there for less money with newer technology it’s a pretty good light should grow some pretty good weed especially the Deepwater culture set up