First grow after a 40 yr break, 1 plant, DWC, LED 450W

[MrWizard]

Damn, damn, damn, I should know better. Another lesson re-learned!

I have been struggling with a calcium deficiency for a week now, a bad one.
Checked the nutes, they were in range.
Checked the pH, always surfing 5.2-6.5
Looks like calcium is available at pH of 6.2 so I thought the pH was fine.
Made some adjustments here and there but nothing helped.

Low and behold my pH pen was reading 0.6pH high. So when I never let it get above 6.5 I was really only letting it get to 5.9, hence calcium never became available. I could kick myself as the last I calibrated it was 2 months ago. From now on I will put it in some cal solution at every weekly Res change. I didnt have any TDS standard so I bought that today. Also picked out a new continuous pH/TDS monitor. It will save me having to do all of those manual measurements every time I tweak the chemistry. For $73 it is worth not having to bend over so much.

Here is what she looked like yesterday:

Anyway, I fixed the pH last night and overnight she perked back up nice and is again reaching for the moon. I thought she was a gonner but … Underneath the canopy surface the leaves are nice and green. The flowers have not died, not growing much but still alive. My hand gets stinky, and a little sticky, with that good Sens smell when I move the branches around. The calyxes have just started forming. I sniped a small bud and stuck it in my pipe, I felt it, nowhere near ready yet, but I felt it enough to know that I am not wasting my time.

So, steady as she goes…

Starting my next hydro build now. Going to do 2 buckets in the next grow.

[GrouchyOldMan]

I am totally digging your grow Mr. Wiz!

You did a bunch of homework before even starting. You carefully selected your grow room components. You had all the tools and ingredients at hand when you started…

And you raised a big cannabis plant all the way from seed to buds. That’s damned good for a “FGAaFYB” grow!

In my experience that is actually quite rare, so let me formally welcome you to our shared Passion!
(That’s like 2-Thumbs, Applause, Peace & CannaHearts) LoL.

I predict that you are gonna have a lot of fun with your new “Hobby” (obsession). I’d also bet your next few runs are going to be a pleasant surprise. Very Well Done.

-Grouchy
PS, I hope you are blessed with a Saintly Spouse who finds your new fascination “harmless,” rather than threatening.

[MrWizard]

The jury is still out, the garage hasnt gotten stinky yet…
That will cause me to get a carbon filter eventually. I love the smell, but the Mrs is a different story.

[MrWizard]

Appreciate the compliment, I do throw myself into my hobbies, a little embarrassed though as I thought I would do better. And I will, next grow…

I plan on trying your Training protocol next grow. 2 plants, that way if they are midgets again I at least have double the stash.

[Hydro921]

@repins12 and myself us an aerogarden for germinating seeds for our systems

[DrGonzo13]

Hey @MrWizard I’ve been following your grow and I think that it’s awesome that after a big break on growing and how much it has changed throughout the years and I am currently on my second grow ever and I consider it a great thing to be able to get to harvest any flower and I look forward to watching the progress of your beauty! Here’s my current grow and I have been I’m flower for 23 days and I forgot to mention that I’m using a Phototron so @PhilCuisine has been graciously helping me out with the tips and tricks of growing in a phototron but here’s a picture of my grow

…and u have nothing to be embarrassed about it looks great

[OGSince03]

@MrWizard Sorry to hear about the ph pen issue. You’re confidence has grown with this run, I think you’re next round will be superb sir. Had you 0 experience before this, the lovely lady would be lucky to be alive! It’s not easy getting this far with hydo, it’s not very forgiving. The last two weeks is when she really bulks up. There are proper times to finish based off the trichomes. Yours are probably mostly clear still. The high is probably mild and heady. Keep up the updates, you’re helping the community learn!

PS I think you’ll be happy with her in the end! If she’s not potent enough. Turn her into hash, problem solved!

[MrWizard]

Here is how she looks today. I think she will pull through. Yield will suffer but at least I will have one.

[DrGonzo13]

Sorry that you’re having issues but she definitely looks good to me and I hope that she finishes up strong and I’ll be pulling up a chair for the remainder of this,…except for when I am hanging out with my girl…LoL and I’m glad that you decided to get back into growing which is quickly becoming more of a hobby with career potential for myself…I really enjoy growing and following grows of the OG community. Can’t wait to see her done and how long has she been in flower for

[OGSince03]

Keep her going! I would like to say she has had one fine training job. Nice and bushy. I can barely count all the bud sites! If you have yet to remove any bigger fan leaves, that could help with the yield. I typically like to tuck and not remove so much. The lower 1/3 of each branch could be slowly removed over the next couple weeks as well. Just a couple options. Have you inspected for unwanted pests under/on the leaves? She is definitely getting frosty from what I can see. I would get my loop or magnifying lens out here soon enough!

[MrWizard]

I suspect she has at least 10 days to go. Maybe 10% of the pistols have turned gold, trichomes are mostly clear with some cloudy, Main thing is ---- she is alive!

[MrWizard]

So I took her out of the tent last night and trimmed her a bit. Made sure there was airflow underneath.
Was able to get a good close look at her:

She looked much better than I thought. Buds are fattening up a bit. Trichomes are plentiful but mostly clear, pistols starting to turn, all in all I think I will get a bit of decent stash.

Buttoned her back up:

[MrWizard]

Well… I knew the day would come, and that day was today!

Looks like I need to go get a carbon filter tomorrow if I want to keep harmony in the homestead.

LOL, at least she is encouraging me to go to the Hydro store and spend money! Hmmm, what else do I need?

[OGSince03]

Right on bud! Let us know what goodies you end up getting!

[MrWizard]

Not yet… But close.

I fumbled my way through this grow, and she lived in spite of me. I am rounding up all the parts to build out my next grow. Next time, I will grow two pots. However I am going to grow the exact same strain without anything beyond basic care, i.e. no unnecessary LST or other tricks. I need to get my baseline dialed back in.

[OGSince03]

I like it! You’re spot on with letting you’re ph rise just over 6 for calcium to become available. In the beginning with you’re ph being so low, it never had a chance to take in what was needed. Mag was also limited due to low ph. Sadly these things must happen in order to learn. You’ve got you’re ph meter dialed in now so you’re golden! 5.8-6.3 has never failed me. Light intensity may have been an issue as well but that’s up for debate. I’ve ran extremely high ppfd levels from seed with no issues. I did notice the fan looked to be pointed right at her, it’s best to not blow directly on her for extended periods if it is. Too much of anything will cause negative results unfortunately. I think round two will serve you well my good man. I can’t wait to see the grand finale here! Trichomes are looking good! The bigger water leaves will show most of the deficiency issues, not the sugar leaves. You’re final product may be better than you expected!

Edit- Try adding more air to you’re rez. Water/air relationship is probably the most important thing. You can almost never add enough.

Edit Edit - I highly recommend rootshield or hydro guard for you’re roots. Worth their weight!

[MrWizard]

How many days until 25% amber do you think I am?

[OGSince03]

I would check again in 3-5 days.

[DrGonzo13]

I agree with @OGSince03, I’d take a look after this weekend…it looks GREAT…“The Dude Abides”!!

[MrWizard]

@OGSince03

Edit Edit - I highly recommend rootshield or hydro guard for you’re roots. Worth their weight!

I got this, it is the same strain as in Hydro Guard, and I think a bit less change.

Close, and I do have a few of these looking good.