New Grower New grower - Red Poison, Dark Devil, Think Different. Few questions! :)

[snaxx]

Hi guys - Been browsing the forum for a couple of months and decided it was time to join!

My setup is as follows:

1.2 x 1.2 x 2 tent
250w Red CFL
360w Vipar LED
5" fan and carbon filter
Plant Magic bio-silicon
Plant Magic Organic growth & flowering nutes.

I'm growing a Red Poison (Day 40), two Dark Devils and a Think Different (Day 12). The Red Poison started off weird, with three cotyledons and provision for a fourth that remained as a stump. It stayed pretty small for a while and then exploded with growth, I understand defoliation is bad for autos but this thing was riddled with fan leaves the size of my hand that were blocking light to pretty much everything! There were so many and it's such a short bushy plant that tucking them didn't really help. Since removing them I've had bud sites popping up everywhere but wondered realistically how much I've hurt the plant/yield?

The other youngsters seem to be getting on well however I've suffered some leaf curling. I came to the conclusion that it may be because the LED was too close so I've raised it to 24", its too early to see a change but I'm wondering if it could be anything else? Also the Think Different is developing quickly just very low, it's trying to cram in new nodes. Could this be down to the light being down too low when they were started? Here are some pictures, I know the Red Poison is showing a small mg deficiency, is it worth getting a calmag supplement as other LED growers seem to or will Epsom salts suffice?

Red Poison:

Think Different:

Dark Devils:

Many thanks for any advice!

 

[swampman]

Red Poison is A Lush strain ....
I have Grown 3-4 and Beginning another.
Shes Strong And Durable... U wont miss a Beat....She Buds kinda Airy and smomes great really strong Head Buzzz

Ive seen a Trinodal plant too her stability is a lil ouuta Wack .but still grow Vigorously and Can Yeild Up to 1/4 lb being seen asMost in 7 gal grow

The smell Is Gonna be Addiciting
Good Luck

 

[A4]

Welcome to AFN snaxx!

You definitely have some mag issues going on which is expected with LED grows. I would add some cal/mag to it if you have it. If not epsom will work in the soil, just not quite as quick. If you are wanting to stay completely organic, use the epson. That TD looks like ph is out and possibly on the Dark Devil as well, possible the soil seems a little hot for her. Are you checking the ph on them?

As for your defoliation questions, you are going to get a lot of conflicting answers. My best suggestion is do what you think is best. Some strains will react fine to it, some may not. I don't normally do it unless the leaf is about dead but I don't say don't do it either. There are far too many variables involved to listen to strict advice from people. Do what you think is best for the plant and remember what works and what doesn't.

Best of luck bro, overall your grow looks wonderful!

 

[snaxx]

Thanks for the replies!

I've been PH'ing as best I can, I ordered a test pen but it still hasn't arrived so i've been using test strips. Not great but at least in the ballpark! The bio silicon throws things way out so I've been adjusting with PH up/down. I haven't been PH'ing the Red Poison as I was told at the shop I got it from that it self-buffers.

Is it worth cutting out the silicon until the proper pen arrives on the smaller plants and starting to use a light feed to bring the PH back in to shape? Also I'm not bothered about staying organic, it's just that I know a few people that swear by the PM Organic range and they seem to get on great with it so I'll pick some cal/mag up! The soil is a standard mix that didn't seem to bother the Red Poisons I started (I dropped the LED on the other one, damn! Lol)

Yeah I searched and searched and saw the defoliating was a controversial subject, just couldn't see that the plant would do well at all being so shaded!

Again, thanks for your help! Great forum

 

[A4]

Yes, all silicas will throw your ph up so high it isn't funny. It is the nature of the beast. The thing with organics is, if you are using some phosphoric acid to drop your ph after adding the silica you are probably killing off a lot of the micro herd of beneficial bacteria needed that helps control your ph in organics. My opinion on organics is you either go all out and stay totally organics or use chemical nutrients. If you stay completely organic you will normally not need to adjust the ph in your soil but when adding chemicals to your soil that kills off the micro herd you are going to have to keep a check on it.

I don't know much about the PM line but I have seen a few people using it recently. It may be worth while to cut out everything that isn't in that lineup and try using it alone. Maybe add some mycho or a good soil conditioner like EM1 or something to the soil to get your beneficials back and see what happens with using only their complete organics line? That is just a thought. I have begun swapping over to organics recently and have been amazed at how well the beneficials regulate ph and keep the plants perfectly healthy with absolutely no work from me except watering.

 

[swampman]

Yes I.deed ...,I hardly even Ph the water..anymore..

 

[snaxx]

Makes sense! I made a light feed last night with nothing else, this morning things looked a little better!

I'll look in to the rest of their range and treat the ladies when next pay day comes around lol... May look in to a normal range of nutes and do a test to see which I get along with better, the idea of not PH'ing is appealing as I don't get a great deal of time to tend to them.

Again, huge thanks for your help! I'll get a grow diary up when I get a chance

 

[Panic]

Im surprised at your "think different," but it has super strong genetics. Also you cant be in better hands (a4,swampman); but i learned something that helped a lot, if you over think/micro manage. The plant ends up having a lot issues. This is a very super genetically engineered "weed" in the end. I Have just seen a lot of people plant, water, nute, bloom, nute, rippen.... with great result. If you have a difficult issue, you can't be in a better place. I just smoked so lol.. might have ran long..

 

[snaxx]

Thanks From what I've seen the Think Differents can be little monsters! Mine is packing on so much growth, however I'm worried that it may be stunted? It isn't really getting any taller and all the new growth is quite close together. I know these are poor pictures but I can't get them out of the tent for better light at the moment, kinda shows how close all the growth is.

Does anyone have any opinions on this? Normal growth or stunted by the LED being too close early on? Cheers

 

[swampman]

keep it Simple for Now...