New Grower My first grow - 5 Autoflower plants started ~3/28/2013

[dictate]

Hi guys, I am a new grower and have been posting on RIU. This seems like the place to be and wanted to add a grow journal on autoflower as well. I have been keeping this journal on another site, I wanted to catch everyone up. My first post will be when the plants are at 2 weeks old.

I'm roughly 3 weeks and 2 days on most of my plants. I have 5 autos and 1 photo in my 3x3 tent at the moment. I'm going to post the few journal posts I made and catch everyone up. Here is what I'm working with:


Growing Conditions:

Housing: Secret Jardin DR 90 II Tent 3x3x6, 5 Smart Pots with Handles (cut off the handles), 1 Large Oscillating Fan (Soler Palau TD150s), 1 Clip on Fan, 1 Humidifier (humidity at 25-30 percent), temperature at 75-77 ambient, 90-95-100 radiant, depending.

Lighting: I have a Tek Four PL-L 55w 4 tube 220 total W T5 and Tek 2 55 w 2 tube 110 total W all in all emitting 30k Lumens. I keep them about 2 inches away from the tops. I have 2 85 w (300 w equiv) CFLs waiting for flowering to use as side lighting. I may add another Tek 2 for side lighting as well. So I should be flowering at about 50-55k CFL lumens.

Soil: Using all Roots Organic Potting Soil

Watering: They may have initially been overwatered. Days 1-5, but I have since been doing the finger test and watering ~200 ml of distilled/tap water PH'd to 6.8 into the 3 gal pots every 3-4 days now.

Nutes: Also no nutes have been given besides the 1 drop of superthrive on germination. I have Buddha Grow, Buddha Bloom, and Trinity waiting. I plan on starting Buddha Grow and Trinity at 3 ml per gallon each on their first feeding, which I plan on doing at the 2.5 week mark. I'm going to water with straight PH'd water today and then in 4 days start the nutes. *** Added nutes with my last feeding 4/17 3ml Trinity 3ml Buddha Grow 3ml Cal mag was there first feeding.

Now on to my first update which was posted on 4/11 when the plants were 2 weeks old
-----------------------2 weeks old ---------------------
G13 Diesel Auto
I have a G13 Diesel Auto which sprouted exactly 2 weeks ago, he looks the healthiest of the 5:


Blimburn AK Auto
This is a Blimburn AK Auto exactly 2 weeks old, this guy's leaves are pointed straight up, I have no idea why. I googled it and some people will say because it's healthy and some others are saying MG deficiency and reaching for the light.


Dinafem White Widow Auto
I've had the most trouble with this one, I think he was heat and overwater stunted. I had the T5s about an inch away in the far back corner of my tent with no exhaust fan on the first 3 days. Any idea if plants that are stunted like this will pick up and produce? He just seems so small for 2 weeks

World of seeds Kush Ryder x 2
I have 2 WoS Kush Ryders as well which are at 12 days a piece. I'm not sure if this is normal for an indica, but its smallish as well.

 

[dictate]

At 2.5 Weeks:

Blimburn AK Auto - Week 2 Day 4
This guy has been the 'alpha' of the crop thus far. The top growth seems to be slightly lighter green. You can't really see it from the pictures, but the fan leaves are a deeper green and the top growth is lighter. Not sure if that is ok or not.


G13 Diesel Auto - Week 2 Day 4
The diesel has been right there with the AK auto in terms of growth, these guys are very similar. Same here, top growth is light green


Dinafem White Widow Auto - Week 2 Day 4
This was the runt of the litter initially, I'm still not sure what caused it to stunt (perhaps overwatering, perhaps too much heat). I still need to measure my runoff, which I completely forgot yesterday when I watered

I'm reallly realllllly hoping I can save the yield on this guy and get at least 3/4 an oz

WoS Kush Ryder Auto Plant 1 - Week 2 Day 2
The first kush ryder, still very small'ish. I'm hoping it's because it's an indica. Looks kinda healthy.


WoS Kush Ryder Auto Plant 2 - Week 2 Day 2
My 2nd Kush ryder, also kinda smallish.



Photo: Positronics Blue Rhino - Week 0 Day 6
Looks like a healthy seedling? This is the guy which germinated with only 1 cotlydon

 

[dictate]

Update 3 and now up to speed. My 4/20 Update Let me know how i'm doing guys.

Blimburn Ak Auto: Week 3 Day 2 since germ. The plant is looking healthy, it's the 2nd biggest of my 5 autos. This is supposedly the time for "explosive growth" however, i'm still waiting. The stem on it is really thick in comparison to the other plants.


G13 Diesel Auto: Week 3 Day 2 - This guy is by far the bushiest and biggest of my 5 autos. The stem is shredding and getting huge. Besides the burn on the fan leaf (I believe this is from me putting the PL-L 54 T5s too close. I just fed the plant 3ml of nutes on Thursday, but these burns were already there and that was my first feeding. If it is by chance nute burn, it would have to have been whatever was already in the soil. I'm just gonna go with light burning it. Otherwise it looks pretty healthly


Dinafem White Widow Auto: Week 3 Day 2 - This guy was the runty one of the group, had initial stress during germination. It seems to be picking up. The stem is still real scrawny and it is developing the slowest. Hopefully it picks up and yields something nice.


World Of seeds Kush Ryder 1: Week 3 Day 0 - I raised the lights on all my plants to approx 6-8 inches, with a supporting 85 CFL hanging, the plants seem to be liking this much more. This kush ryder is starting to get bigger, I think it's also on the brink of a growth explosion.


World of seeds Kush Ryder 2: Week 3 Day 0 - This is my 2nd Kush ryder, it looks to be the same size as the 2nd one, but slightly larger. Looking pretty healthy.


Positronics Blue Rhino (photo): Last but not least, is my last plant, and also my first photo. This will be a mother. She was germinated on April 9th, so approximately 11 days old. Just watered her, since she started in a rapid rooter.


Lemme know what you guys think. I've spent alot of money and time on these gals and have been babying them, since it's my first grow. I watered/fed nutes for the first time on Thursday 3ml Buddha Grow 3ml Trinity 3ml Cal Mag in 1 gal. Also started with some distilled water. I used alot of water this time, so my next watering will be 5 days, Tuesday. I will post pics again on that day.

 

[wg]

 

[dictate]

Some things I'm adding/modifying to my setup:

1. In another week or two when the plants start to show sex, I will swap out 3 of my 6 6500k bulbs for 3 2700k bulbs, and add a 75w and 85w hanging 2700k cfls.
2. Tomorrow morning I will be attaching my 6''x24'' Carbon filter. My exhaust setup will look like this: [Carbon Filter]===Ducting wrapped with liner===[Soler Palau Fan]===Ducting wrapped===>exit tent<====[DIY Silencer] --- http://buymarijuanaseeds.com/community/threads/diy-inline-fan-muffler.138045/
3. Bought the materials needed for a DIY 6''x24'' Fan. I can't fit this bad boy in my tent with my exhaust fan and CF. Will be dropping it at the tail end of the exhaust (with venting). I know most ppl attach the silencer directly to the fan, but I don't have that luxury in this case. I'm hoping the ducting wrapped in liner, attaching the CF to the left end of the fan, then attaching the silencer to the other end will reduce most noise. The soler palau fan is already relatively quiet.
4. Going to build a 32''x32'' table that sits about 14 inches high. Going to put all the plants on that so that the intake from the tent is aligned with the pots better. Not to mention i'll be able to have more slack room on the lights.
5. My next feeding will be 100 percent distilled water. I measured the runoff of one of the pots on my watering on 4/17. The water going in 6.8, the water coming at the bottom of the pan 5.9. I'm hoping if I do a massive watering with 7.0, that should rise.

Any comments would be appreciated

 

[sapphire420]

I think they look beautiful! I have an outdoor grow with Auto AK and Afghan Kush Ryder also - same seedbanks

This is my first auto grow, so I'm not sure how yours are developing compared to others', but I will say I *always* think mine is behind - I think they were stunted when I transplanted them. It's our first auto grow, so we will live and learn. I think that White Widow is freaking GORGEOUS!

~ Sapphire

 

[dictate]

Did acouple things yesterday and today. Decided to go out to home depot and purchase some DIY material. I built my own silencer and also added my carbon filter. I also built a makeshift table, the dimensions are the size of my tent. I wanted to elevate the plants to be level with the intakes, to provide better air and reduce the heat.

I think sealing off one side of the fan reduced the noise some, however, I don't think i'm utilizing the silencer properly, as I think the noise reduction is only from sealing off the fan with the carbon filter. I have ducting between the fan and the silencer, which resides on top of my tent. I think the bulk of the noise is from the fan itself and the air moving through the ducting. May have to look into building a wooden box around the fan and then using the insulated quilt liner for the ducting that I purchased. The Soler Palau is relatively quiet and manageable now with the CF attached, so I may hold off.

Anyways, on to the pics of my setup:

My tent as a whole:


My DIY Silencer:

 

[dictate]

Today is day 4 no water since, my 3ml feeding of nutes. I did a quick finger check, still sliiiiightly moist about 2 inches down. I will give it another day and do a full watering, perhaps tomorrow night. Pics to come tomorrow.

They are all large enough to full saturate the pot, I'm going to drop 1/2 gallon per 3 gal pot. Is this ok?

i did a semi half-assed run off PH check the last time I watered and I was showing 5.9. Used a turkey baster to suck out some of the water, then dropped my PH meter into it.

Should I water with 7.0? or raise the PH a bit to like 7.5 to bring up the soil PH more?

 

[wg]

I'd continue to water @ 6.5 unless I saw issues. Watering at an automatic lockout pH isn't the best idea typically. Your plants show no issues right now, so don't fix what's not broken - IMO.

If you'd like to do a slurry test, get distilled water, 2 parts water to 1 part soil and shake it up, let it set for 15 minutes, shake it again and then check the pH. Soil pH should not be analyzed unless you're experiencing problems.

Letting them dry as long as you say, that sounds perfect to do 1/2 gallon per 3 gallon pot - but keeping it so methodical may not always work - feel the pot when it's dry, pick it up, get a good feeling of the weight. Now water until you have a little run-off, not a lot - very little. Now pick the pot up again and get a good feeling of the weight. These are your "thirsty" and "hydrated" weights. Much more practical than trying to keep water dosing methodical, in my opinion.

 

[dictate]

Thanks WG! That makes perfect sense. I will continue watering with 6.5-6.8

Generally, the watering technique here is if I decide to go with 1/2 gallon for my watering tomorrow, do you generally use half of that, so 1/4, wait 5-10 mins, then the other half? I saw a video of a watering technique and that was what the guy was doing.

Also, do you generally remove the run off asap? The last time I let some of it sit in there... not sure if that was a good idea or not. I may potentially invest in a cheap shop-vac this weekend