My first (testing) indoor grow - half assed, semi-serious attempt

[Jay]

Tent = 1mx1mx2m
Light = 600w Growlush HPS
Reflector = Cool hood design with rope ratchets (currently hung on support bars rather than ratchets due to height issues)
Ballast = Nanolux 600w MH/HPS digital/dimmable
Watering system = Wicking pot; perlite with 20L Res (!)
Fans = Inlet 407m3h (-/+ 15 minutes of each light cycle)
Exhaust 270 m3h (-/+ 15 minutes of each light cycle)
30cm oscillating opposite side of tent from inlet (24/7)
Nutrients = Mills 2 part, potash and bigbud flower additives.

Cabinet (veg/mother) = 80cmx80cmx125cm
Light = 400w MV (!)
Reflector = N/A or Chinamans hat style
Ballast = Pierlite 400 Magnetic to suit bulb^
Watering system = N/A
Fans = N/A
Nutrients = N/A

Sundries; 300w burple LED, secondary 400W MV lamp and ballast, a shitload of (white?) LED lights (The MV and white LED lights were rescued from skip bins during my last construction job). Another shitload of spare transformers for the LED lights. The beginnings of a RDWC system. Seedling/clone propagation tray with humidity dome, 2x heat pads Seeds; 5x white widow feminized, 5 x Granddaddy purple feminized, 5x Granddaddy purple auto regular, 2x Jack Herer femenized.

Goal: Turnover time/yield

History = Long story short; Current crop is random bag seeds (known genetic seeds arrived today). I wanted to get a crop moving in the tent to iron out the inevitable bugs before i used known genetic material, so i wont dwell much on the germing/veg process. 9 seeds popped 2nd August on paper towel, were transferred to rockwool cubes and placed under 18/6 light cycle (LED burple). Hadn’t done enough research and had the LEDs way to close resulting in ultraslow height gain, but very closely spaced internodal growth. Switched to the MV lamp with almost instant height gain. Culled 5 seedlings over the next few weeks (transferred outdoors into soil due to signs of mutation, suspected males or just plain bad luck) and planted the remaining four into the wicking pot with perlite medium. Determined three were of indica variety and tipped these on the 4th September leaving the sativa unmolested.On the 11th i flipped them to a 12/12 light cycle under the burple light with the indicas at 300mm height and the Sativa at 200mm. On the 23rd September i started adding bigbud additive, took four clones from each plant (lower branch cuttings), may they rest in peace.13th October attempted another clone war, again no success. The wicking pot was placed into the grow tent with the above specifications @ about 500mm in height (the untipped sativa caught and has now surpassed the tipped indicas in height). And that’s where the height issues began.

The growth under HPS took me by surprise. I’ve grown a fair load of outdoors plants, but I’ve never seen growth like this. Suffice to say I’m impressed, astounded, amazed… hooked. On the 21st October, the Sativa got within height of the lamp for me to have to LST the top. This is a daily occurrence to keep clear of the lights heat zone, and one of the Indicas is getting the same treatment now too. And thirsty. The four girls are drinking 17 litres of nutrient mix in 3 days now. This one really got me, i may of introduced a little no water in the reservoir for a few hours, unintended stress there.

Findings so far;

Heat and humidity are going to be a hassle. Humidity constantly, and heat mainly during the light cycle.Seeing light cycle temps high of 32C and humidity low of 45%. Dark cycle low temps 24C and humidity up to 95% Can help with a dehumidifier hung from the supporting bars running 24/7, and portable aircon unit (maybe ducted directly to the intake fan?) Running at night, upgrading to LED bloom lights (not a option with $ at the moment) will help. Considering we’re only half into spring, it may be unfeasible to grow during mid summer.

Watering system may well suck. I suspect a lot of the humidity issues stem from there. I want to be running a Top feed/DWC next run, possibly RDWC. Everything depends on the heat issue, enviromental and nutrient temps. Also, even though this system is very tolerant, PH and PPM metering wouldn’t hurt (hurry up post service!) and it’s good practice for future grows.

Going forward; Will be absent from mid to late December, and unwilling to leave a first real grow for this period of time. Need to sort temp and humidity issues first, and construct DWC/RDWC system (I’m thinking having the head bucket as well as the top up tank outside of the tent to ease nutrient temps. As well, a inline rather than submersible type pump, with the pump outside the tent?) Need to be able to maintain viable clones. The thinking is to use the grow cabinet for veg and mother plant, cycling through to flower tent when available.

I think that’s about it for now.
Using a online journal rather than handwritten is a new experience too, but a big leap forward into this technological world (according to the missus it’s good for me too). Any and all comments/questions/queries gratefully received. Thanks for the information I’ve already gleaned OGers, I will try and keep this journal up to date.

*edit - Throwing a few pictures in for the voyeur types

[Niburan]

Looking good… another thing that helps with humidity is ventilation, ventilation, ventilation… the more air you have circulating, the less humid it can become.

[Jay]

I’ve thought that running the inlet and exhaust longer, or even constantly might help. I’ll ditch the timers today and hopefully that’ll help the huge dark cycle humidity levels. Thanks!

[toastyjakes]

yes… run your exhaust and intake 24/7 and that will clear up your nightly problems of high heat and humidity

[Niburan]

My lights are the only thing on timer, my exhaust runs 24/7 as well
The constant air circulation also reduces risk of mold, etc…

[Jay]

Running the fans 24/7 now, and seen nighttime humidity drop to 66%. Still a little high i think, but a improvement. Definitely going to need a dehumidifier in there.

Meters showed up, reservoir is 6.8 ph and 187 ppm. The ppm reading seems a little strange to me considering i’m pushing the nutrient measures, but i’ll give it a dose of LITFA since everything seems happy. Impressed by the ph, i guess it’s got something to do with being on rainwater stored in plastic tanks, or something. Maybe just dumb luck lol

Had to knock up a screen over the weekend, top colas were getting too close to the lamp, and without cutting the top out of the tent, it was all i could do. Also had to add another 20 liters of nute mix, the girls are thirsty!

I know i said i wasn’t going to, but took another three cuttings from low down. Decided that nurturing hasn’t succeeded, so i’m going to go the the tough love. Duct taped a few containers i had laying around to stop light leeching in, punched holes in the lid, took the cuttings and threw them in there. Added water and put them on a windowsill. If they live by some miracle, they can go in dirt and into the veg cabinet for while i’m away. That way when i get back they can get re-homed outside, or into the flower tent until the genetic seeds are ready to go in there, whichever.

Decided to do away with the MV lamp(s). Though i was impressed with the veg growth previously, i’m going to give these LEDs I’ve got laying around a go. Seems they might be okay, if a little under wattage. They’re 4K and i think i’ll suck it and see.

Visual records to follow.

[ozzie]

Gday mate. I haven’t read through your posts completely (I’m at work so will when I knock off), but picked up an Australian vibe so thought I’d chime in. I had humidity problems aswell, and run semi sealed room with co2 which compounds the issue. I jumped on eBay and brought a second hand dehumidifier for about $130. Best money I ever spent, stuck a hose on the outlet so it drains to the tray, set it to 55% and problem solved. Cheers

[Jay]

@ozzie G’day bloke. Yea, I’m down under too (SEQ), have to love the heat and humidity, and the swinging temperatures we’re getting with the weather at the moment!

I went over and had a look at your grow thread, nice! Yours is a heap more tech than mine, my aim was to use the KISS principle using gear i had available. Maybe i should of teched up a little more, and at least got the rdwc running rather than using my wicking pot thing. Lesson learnt hah. First indoor grows are a learning curve indeed.

Yea, i’ve been on ebay and found a humidifier that hopefully will do the job, just need to get the okay from the missus to purchase it. I stick my head in the tent every day, so i’ll do a manual empty. I’m also aiming to get a smallish portable aircon unit and vent it straight into my inlet fan, if the numbers all add up anyway. It’s going to be a warm summer i reckon seeing we’ve already hit 39C two thirds through spring

Thanks for the advice bloke, I’ll take any and all i can get.

Cheers

[Jay]

Crappy photo, but that calyx is huge!

Girl bits just poking through screen, to measure growth over x days. Stretch is killing me.

Less than 40cm from screen to light

Took me 1/2 a hour to knock this up. Some Aluminium square and whipper snipper line.

More girl bits…

[Jay]

Not much going on at them moment. Thirsty girls are drinking 20 litres of nutes every three days, and the stretch is ongoing(does this stop?) though it may be slowing slightly. There’s a very nice odour…i may need to shower after working in there, and before i head to the shop lol

Tents pretty well full, should probably get in there and trim leaves early next week.

This is a comparative photo to photo 11 illustrating stretch (4 days)

Keep tucking, or break out the LITFA? Distance from light is my concern.

Edit: Missed some stuff.

Clones. The tough love attitude seems like a winner. Roots on one and nubbins on the other two. They look nice and healthy,
Seeds. Well, not too impressed. Dunked the GDP autos, they weren’t very nice looking seeds. Small and pale, maybe two that are half decent looking.One, cracked after 12 hours and the guts fell out of it, interesting but not a good portent of seed quality. These will be going into soil along with the clones.

[Jay]

Daily temps are hitting 34 celsius. Too hot, so the girls are having a 27 hour sleep before switched on again and running at night time.

4/5 seeds have popped, including gutsout (She’s actually going better than the others so far).
Checked soil today and it’s good to go.

Veg tent is now LED and awaiting customers, probably this weekend.

[Jay]

Long awkward silence since the last update, and this one is brief.

Pretty well given up on the current run in tent. It’s out of control and past the light, very ugly. Just going to keep feeding them and see if anything thickens to the point where it’s worth harvesting. Caused by too long veg, not enough tipping during veg, quite possibly the pot system in use. Lessons learnt.

Had one of the autos (in soil) wither and die in a day, heatwaves eh. Remaining three have definite different growth patterns, assuming one female and two males, though that’s a wild assumption. Regardless, as long as there’s boys and girls so i can chuck some pollen, i’ll be happy.
Clones are surviving on the neglect, haven’t even had time to check for roots, just a quick atomiser spray when i pass them each morning. Will try and post pics sometime before end of run hah

[Jay]

Flowering plants are dead
About 60 hours ago i found they’d wilted badly during their light cycle.
Flushed the medium straight away with 30 litres of clean water, removed and sanitized the res container and refilled with 1/2 strength nutrients. Been checking them about every 12 hours but they never showed any sign of recuperating. Tonight when the light cycle started i found about 15% of the leaves had died and dried on the plant and took the decision to end their (and my) suffering. Bubble bags are in their near future, might get a little something out of it at least.

[toastyjakes]

let’s see some pictures… there may still be time to help them out

[Jay]

Thanks for the offer toastyjakes, i wish i’d posted earlier and seen your offer. Everything is upside down now, getting ready for the next stage.