Phototrons...SWC/TRON

[PhilCuisine]

This thread will be a work in progress…as of now I’m just gonna use 1 of my small P-trons to veg and sex my seedlings…when I get a female or two I will break out my bigger P-trons to do a full grow from start to finish…I got some clones/cuttings of Caps Mac1, Runtz, Magic Mellon and Salmon Creek Big Bud but I gave gave them to my grow buddies for safe keeping for now.

I wanted to use my seeds that I bred/created because it’s much more exciting for me to see how I did breeding wise. These are my Homemade strains…I know a lot of people don’t like Phototrons so if you’re one of those people please move on…don’t need any negativity.

I had a thread on the old Overgrow site about growing in Phototrons and a lot of people chimed in and said I got ripped off and they were garbage and they sucked. Well, I proved all of them wrong…The only way you can succeed with growing in P-trons is to think outside of the box and don’t ever ever follow Jeffrey Demarco’s directions that came with the P-trons.

This will be a Shallow Water Culture grow and will be using Technaflora BC nutrients…these seedlings were started in soil and it’s a Purple Kush cross, Matanuska Thunder Fuck cross and some unknown crossess. I hope I get at least few females from these seedlings.

One more thing don’t recommend you buy a Phototron these days but if you have one laying around maybe you should give it another try growing with it. I will be posting some old pictures of my old P-trons grows in this thread. Hope this helps.

[Deadinside88]

It’s funny that I came across this…my brother has an old phototron and I been thinking about finding more out about it and maybe trying to get it off him if he doesn’t decide to use it.

[PhilCuisine]

They do work otherwise I wouldn’t be using them…here’s pictures from an old grow…

I think this was the clone only strain Ogre, a mutant strain Sensi Star bromigos…Hope this Help.

[Deadinside88]

Awesome! Any tips/advice on using?

[PhilCuisine]

Yes, dont follow the directions that came with the Phototrons…

[Deadinside88]

I don’t think he ever had them, he got it used from someone years ago, pretty sure he said it needs new lights inside though.

[PhilCuisine]

Thats even better…I’ve seen T5’s & the 1st. generation P-tron U-bulbs at Menards or u can probably use the long under the cabinets LED lights too…

This is Ogre at 77 days before the chop🔪

[Deadinside88]

I had been thinking going the led route, damn thats beautiful looking

[Chronickyle]

Use some bridgelux gen 2s. Been wanting to see one upgraded to those so badly.

[PhilCuisine]

Yeah, I do not put water directly in the Phototrons, I use small dish pan for small P-trons & a small bucket for the big P-trons to put my water in just in case a crack develops on the bottom of the P-trons…

[PhilCuisine]

Believe it or not I didn’t want to use my real Phototrons for my mothers so I kind of made my own homemade Phototrons just for my mother plants. I bought one of these Rubbermaid thingies and put 4 under the cabinet fluorescent lights inside…It works, I kept my mother plant in this homemade P-tron.

[ReikoX]

Nice, can’t wait to see some plants grown in these.

[PhilCuisine]

The only pictures I have for now are from my old grows…the last time I grew in my SWC/TRON was 2017 and I had to import some Chicago water because the town water where I live now has crappy water…

[PhilCuisine]

[PhilCuisine]

It’s been 8 days since I put in my new light in my P-tron and they are looking great, I just took these pictures today. So far I have 3 males, 3 females out of 9 seedling…hopefully the other 3 are females.

Theses are the males, they’re in my unheated enclosed front porch and they get plenty of sun daily whenever the sun is out…we still get 14 hrs. of darkness & 10 hrs. of light, I’m in zone 5…not quite sure if I’m gonna save the pollen for this year’s breedings, still undecided…oh yeah, I also have 2 Venus Fly Trap that’s starting to flower.

[Zubenal]

PhilCuisine,
I just pulled mine out of long term storage, 30 some odd years. I had a restart kit from the company when I put it away.
You say throw out those old instructions. Frankly, they won’t work because the instructions are all based on using the company’s labs to tailor nutrients. With those labs long gone, i am on my own.
I am determined to use it, so the first couple questions, do I grow in soil or hydroponic?
I saw your video on a hydroponic set up and was convinced, fantastic set up.
So, things I need to consider, off the top, you mention water quality, do I use distilled water or is my tap water ok?
Next, the original lights are working, do I change them out or add to them?
And then, whats the nutrients you use?
How do I start my plant? In soil?
I think the one you used in that video was a clone.
And you mention two different sizes for trons. Mine is the original one. Did they make a bigger one?
Thanks for all you have put out there.

[PhilCuisine]

You can use soil or hydro which ever way you feel more comfortable with…I’ve always use Chicago tap water I never used distilled …add additional lights if you can the brighter lights the better. I use Technaflora BC Nutes but you can use whatever nutes you’re comfortable with. I start my plants in soil or get a clone. Yes, I have both sizes small & big…bottomline you’re just gonna grow your plant the regular way except it’s in a Phototron and not following Jeffrey DiMarcos instructions.

I’m sexing my plants now in soil inside a Phototron, outa 9 seeds I got 3 males and 6 females.
2 unkown females I’m gonna flower outright, 4 I’m gonna reveg and keep as mothers…2 Purple Kush, 1 unkown and 1 MTF cross. I’m more excited about my Matanuska Thunder Head…it’s the real deal Matanuska Thunder Fuck x Blockhead…these are all strains i created/bred.

[SquirtleSquad]

Looks cool. Do they still sell these?

[PhilCuisine]

Zubenal, I think you have the older models with the U-tube fluorescent, try and get some additional lighting…I have a Homemade strains thread just go to my profile and click on it…It will show you some additional lights you can use for your Phototrons…

Do you have the feed a tron? It should’ve came with your Phototrons.

Squirtle, yes they still sell them just google Phototron.

[Zubenal]

I bought mine in 1990. I did not get the feed a tron. I have read that there was an automatic feeding system.
Any chance you would send me a start clone?
I think I have everything I need to get going.
I stopped by the local hydroponics store. I was shocked at the price of the nutrients. The starter kit was $250.
I cant find that tub you are using. You have a picture showing the label. Ill find something to do it.
I’ll shop around for that garage light
Very nice.