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Mixed Auto grows - a catalogue of errors...

PostPosted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 1:59 am
by teetee
G'day everyone,

Please join me in my latest quest to grow some tasty bud, rather than trek 1.5 hours into the mountains and risk getting ripped off or busted.

I've gone for a totally new set up, mainly beacuse I'm in a bit of a hurry and can't wait for my stuff to be shipped over. I tried to keep it cheap this time....

This is my set up:

1.4 x 1.4 seahawk tent - not impressive, a few minor light leaks.... I miss my old wardrobe, but this is larger, so hopefully bigger harvests!! (and easier to get around).
6" extraction - Phresh Hyperfan
no carbon filters yet, we have no neighbours.
4" intake inline fan
600W MH bulb - Powerplant
600W HPS bulb - Phillips Son-T
Adjust-a-wing large reflector with heat shield
dimmable Solis Tek 600W ballast (4 settings: 400W, 400W boosted, 600W and 600W boosted)
rocket pots (or airpots)
40cm pedestal fan
medium is 3 parts low nute potting mix 1 part coco and a handful of lime free sand.
I'm using rainwater - our only water supply, so we have to be conservative. If we run out of rainwater in the summer, we can get tanked water in.
I will rig up some sort of watering system later on.

After watching Border control programmes, I was a bit concerned getting seeds, I ordered some seeds from Seedsman because they offered 'stealth' delivery. They remove packaging (but then rebag them) wrap them up in a onesie, and send them via 'tracked' delivery. In truth, they are only trackable in the UK.... after that you have no idea where they are. After 3 weeks I thought they had been intercepted in Customs, so I decided on a different approach... I ordered seeds from Southern Star Seeds, who are in this country, so no Customs!

2 weeks later, I received a package - signed for - from Seedsman. The box said it had a onesie in it.... surely any Customs officer worth his salt would have wondered why anyone in their right mind would want a onesie - signed for - they are not valuable, and the one they sent was shitty anyway. I won't use that method again, but in the end, I got the following:

Dutch Passion - Blue Automazar x3
- Auto Think different x 3
- Autoultimate x3
Greenhouse seeds - Jack Herer Auto
TH seeds - Automatic Northern Hog x5

and they sent the following freebies:

Dinafem - Critical Jack Auto x 5
Joint Dr - Chronic Ryder Auto x2
- Ogre (auto) x2
Paradise Seeds - Pandora (auto) x1
- Delahaze (photo) x1
Seedsman (photos)- Dr Seedsman x2
- Jack Herer x2
- Big Banger x2
- OG Kush x2

3 days later, the Southern Star Seeds came, regular post no worries, mate!
They ony do reg photos:

Super Deluxe x10
Frost Fortress x10
GG Allin x10

and the following freebies:

Nice Chunk x10 (I was looking at getting some of these later anyway)
All Stars x 10

......so all in all, I have quite a few seeds, something for everyone! I'm quite looking forward to trying the Think different, and the Southern Star beans should be great.

My main worry here is temps, its already 27 in the day, and will rise to mid 30s later in the year, electricity here is dodgy, fuses trip if too many things are on, so that's why I'm not doing DWC (along with the fact that water is a precious commodity here). so this 1st grow is a test grow to dial in the set up and also to get some quick buddage.

I don't wanna waste the Dutch Passion gear, so I selected the following for this grow:

Greenhouse seeds - Jack Herer Auto x2 - indica/sativa
TH seeds - Automatic Northern Hog x2 - indica
Joint Dr - Ogre x2 - sativa

I also wanted to do a test with the airpots.... I know everyone says do not repot them, but having reviewed Ledbud's epic Automazar grow, he got amazing results with explosive growth on repotting. Airpots are well known for airpruning the roots and preventing spiralling roots, but once the root system is fully developed in the pot, growth slows down. Repotting - or a translation into a larger pot allegedly produces the exposive growth of the airpruned root tips, giving a boost to the plants growth.

So for each strain, I planted the seeds directly in the soil, one in an 11L pot, the other in a 21L pot.
Covered them in clingfilm, and got sprouts in 2-3 days for all. unfortunately the cotyledon for the 11L Jack Herer broke off, so I replanted one more yesterday. The others were planted on the 8th Sept, so they are 9 days from seed, 1 week from seedling.

During germination, I kept them warm by keeping them under 24/7 light 400W MH, but now they are on an 18/6 schedule, with the lights off during the day. this way, I will hopefully get less fluctuation between dark and light temps, as ambient temps make it too hot to run the light during the day.

I water them by hand every 2-3 days just plain water, with 0.1ml/L H&G Roots Excelurator. my ph pen is not calibrating properly, but it's around pH 6 and EC is zero.... not sure if my truncheon is working properly either....

For the last few days I have been syringing some of the run off around the seedlings 3-4 times a day.

Anyway, here they are:

week 1.JPG


Glad to be back Guys, nice to hear the hum of the fans again... wish me luck!

TT
:grin:::::

Re: Mixed auto grow

PostPosted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 2:12 pm
by ledbud
happy growing karma Teetee bro.
:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

Re: Mixed auto grow

PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 5:20 pm
by Autoberry
ledbud wrote:happy growing karma Teetee bro.
:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:


Ditto that Lb................. tee mate make sure the soil @bottom of AP aint sitting in water 24/7, could raise AP on timber across the catch trays........

Are the Ogre Auto's as well TeeTee...............??

Northern hog a great name mate !!.......

27c day high temp minus 7 for evening temp night temp tee................ = 20c plus 400w 6c above ambiunt = 26c............. you should be around that tee middle of night bro...??...

fresh hyper fan shifts ??........350m3/Hr.......Tee..?/............. should keep you 1.4m tent 3-4 above night air ambient at that exchange rate bro...

sativas prefer arid and dry, i suggest you opt for these for mid summer night temps above 30c Bro.......... nxt run etc.............. indica dont like it above 30-31c...Tee mate..

Good to have you back on man................ i would not run any more than 6 dames in that 1.4 tee........... for lots of reasons........... RH being 1, yield loss another bro........ you shouldant top auto's either tee................. just let em do there thing ok.................... germ method was good outcome.............. welcome bac bro..

........... i like the no neighbors, and rain water............ do you buy and drink bottled water tee......... what about the bath or shower water, rain water bro ??........... AB

Re: Mixed auto grow

PostPosted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 2:17 am
by teetee
Strain information:

OGRE is the largest Auto-Flowering strain from the Joint Doctor's U.S. breeding partner, SGS. It is a sativa-dominant cross of Secret Citrus x Durban Skunk. OGRE shows a unique accelerated growth pattern not seen in Auto-Flowering strains, this allows OGRE to get very large, averaging 1m+ tall and wide. With a prolific branching system OGRE produces very large yields with oversized aromatic buds.
The amount of growth and yields produced in so little time makes OGRE one of the fastest high yielding plants in the world. Indoor in soil plants require 1 gallon pots to start, sex will show between day 17-21, transplant to 3-5 gallons until harvest. Harvest at 65-70 days.

TH Seeds Iberica has crossed their legendary Cannabis Cup winning Hog (originating from Tennessee via San Diego) with a stable big producing Northern Lights from Spain. This plant is all about huge production. For an Autoflower plant Northern HOG can reach heights up to 1.8 meters and will need lots of water to support its huge indica bud production not to mention the highest THC testing for an autoflower at up to 17%. It is also surprisingly mould resistant.

Greenhouse Seeds (love 'em or hate 'em) Jack Herer is a celebrated cross of a haze strain with a red skunk, crossed with a ruderalis, and named after the legendary cannabis campaigner of the same name. It produces a potent, long lasting sativa high and calyxes with orangy/red hairs.

So far, temperatures have been bearable...ambient min 19C max 27C, tent min 23C and max 29C. RH ambient 60% max 44% min, in tent max 42% min 38% I run the 600W MH bulb on a 400W ballast setting at height 30". Lights on 6pm, off 12pm.

The new Jack Herer seed I planted popped her head out yesterday morning, so, shes coming on fine. Keeping up that 100% strike rate AB Bro!

We're totally dependant on rainwater supply, so we have this huge tank by the house, it's full cos it has pissed down recently! We don't drink it due to the risk Gardia infections from bat shit that may be on the roof.... but lovely to wash in and brush teeth etc.

If the tent gets crowded, I can always put them outside in the yard with the banana trees :lol: :
back yard.jpg


...but there's a few critters that might find them tasty...
locust.jpg

lizard.jpg


Summer's coming, it's warming up a treat!
:grin:::::

Re: Mixed auto grow

PostPosted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 3:27 pm
by teetee
Day 13

Just quick update, all 6 seedlings are doing well. For the 1st 10 days, I watered every other day with just plain (EC 0) rainwater with 0.1mL Roots excellurator, every 2-3 days.

10 days into it and I'm sick of watering them.... so I rigged up a feeding system....
DSC_0050a.jpg

I then fed them by flicking a switch .....

they now get about 3/4L to 1L daily just till i get some runoff.

EC 0 rainwater @ pH5.8 + 0.1ml/L Cal Mag and 0.1ml/l Roots Excellurator with a couple of drops of silicone to bring the pH upto 6.3

Our household stuff arrived today.... needs lots of sorting out, but I found my trusty Helios 6 and the 2 Helios 2's already... I can't wait to find the harvest Master and regulate the fans a bit better.... they are on 24/7 at the moment temps fluctuate between 21 and 27C RH is 46%

Cheers for dropping by.....
:grin:::::

Re: Mixed auto grow - Jack Herer, Northern Hog and Ogre

PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:23 pm
by ledbud
tetee bro
how are your girls growing, post some pic
:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

Re: Mixed auto grow - Jack Herer, Northern Hog and Ogre

PostPosted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 11:20 am
by teetee
Day 21

Hi Ledbud Bro! There's a bag on the table over there... you can knock a fat one up if you like! :grin:::::

Wow it's been hot, I'm talking 32C max and 20C min ambient temps, and I'm getting a max of 30.5C and a min of 24C in the tent.

It gets so bloody hot by 10am, so lights off at 11am, and so during the day, the lights go off and the temps rise.... and at 5pm the lights go on once it cools down outside. The plants actually have the coolest time when the lights are on! This is gonna be a fucked up grow. :roll:

Its only gonna get hotter goddammit..... mustn't grumble... I did choose to come here I suppose ;)

Anyway, the girls are 3 weeks old today, except one of the Jack Herer's, which is 13 days old.

Lights are 600W MH dimmed to 400'W at 36".
The Phresh Hyperfan is only on about 40%, I daren't crank it up much higher than 75% cos the tent caves in so much I think it will collapse under the strain! I don't have a carbon filter on yet... I expect the extra power in the fan will come in handy if required.
The seedlings are 3cm high, except both Jack Herers which are 6cm..... even the young 'un.

DSC_0054.JPG
Jack Herer 11L airpot

DSC_0055.JPG
Jack Herer 21L airpot - 13 days old

DSC_0056.JPG
Northern Hog 21L airpot from the side

DSC_0057.JPG
Northern Hog 21L airpot overhead

DSC_0058.JPG
Northern Hog 11L airpot

DSC_0059.JPG
Ogre 11L airpot

DSC_0060.JPG
Ogre 21L airpot


I was a bit careless with some of the early waterings, and got droplets on the leaves, and as much as I tried to gently remove them, I think the Ogres and one of the Hogs got a bit burned. The young Jack is the tallest, and the elder Jack in the 11L is probably doing the best of all 6, follwed by the 11L Ogre.

They've been on EC 0 soft (rain)water with 0.1ml/L Roots Accelurator and 0.3ml/L Algen Extract, a dash of silicone and Cal-Mag to EC 0.2 pH 6.3, and they get 1 - 1.5/L every other day.

I'm gonna feed them again tonight, and will add some nute to make it EC 0.3

I've unpacked my stuff, but just haven't the time or energy to rig up the Harvest Master. I've been spending a great deal of my time wondering what to do if confronted by a Brown snake..... I've seen 3 in as many weeks on our property, and from what I've heard, they're just waking up now.... and we are a just a slither away from a freaking sugar cane plantation.... snake city. The young ones are aparrently the worst cos they deliver the full quantity of venom.... I'm trying to find my Ghurka Kukri knife.... I bought it after watching a goats head being lopped off in one strike back in Nepal (great sales technique).... failing that, some sort of sharp flat edged spade. I would love a shooter but Mrs Teetee would probably end up taking me out :lol:

seeing this in the news the other day hasn't helped my paranoia....
python.jpg
F F F F F U U U U U C C C C C K K K K K !!!!!
python.jpg (38.45 KiB) Viewed 38365 times

we have the exact same lights....

Anyway, must shoot, more soon. Cheers for popping in!
:grin:::::

Re: Mixed auto grow - Jack Herer, Northern Hog and Ogre

PostPosted: Sat Oct 04, 2014 10:58 am
by ledbud
girls looking nice bro.
hate snakes and spiders, aus got loads of them.
:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

Re: Mixed auto grow - Jack Herer, Northern Hog and Ogre

PostPosted: Sat Oct 04, 2014 11:27 am
by teetee
ledbud wrote:girls looking nice bro.
hate snakes and spiders, aus got loads of them.
:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:


cheers Bro, I saw a Taipan sunbating by the pool and a python up in the play area yesterday for fucks sake! Our place is riddled with serpents :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

been looking at other watering systems, and came across the blumat system, it has these clay 'carrots' that you put in the soil that detect water content, and open a dripper when necessary.... plant specific watering rather than bulk feeding.... keeps the medium just right and if using pure coco, you get the full hydro effect.... I might have to get a set up, looks easy, just set up and walk away.....
http://www.blumat.at/en/general-info.html
I'll keep you posted on that!
:grin:::::

Re: Mixed auto grow - Jack Herer, Northern Hog and Ogre

PostPosted: Sun Oct 05, 2014 6:13 am
by teetee
Hi, woke up this morning to check the girls, 3.5 weeks old...
they've been under a 600W MH bulb dimmed to 400W using Solis Tek ballast.

the light was somehow still on, but the bulb had broken at the neck....
MH bulb.JPG


lights are off now for 6 hours, but I expect It will not restart, so what do I do......

I live miles from a store, so mail order will get here by Thursday...
I have a 600W HPS bulb, shall I use that instead and carry on? on 400W or 600W
I also have my Helios 6, and because I wanted to do a MH - HPS baseline grow, I am reluctant to fire her up.

Answers on a postcard please.....

EDIT: she started up fine, so now what?