DIY Closet DWC Grow - First grow ever
- Thread starter jigfresh
- Start date
jigfresh
Well-Known Member
First of all, it's Tronica's idea, here's the thread:
https://www.rollitup.org/do-yourself/161300-batwing-reflector-cool-tube-40-a.html
My setup:
Sheet Metal 24"x36"- Lowe's $7.50
Hurricane Glass - Michael's $6 each
Tie Straps 18" - $1.50 each
Heavey Duty 6" - $1.50 each
Screws and stuff - Lowe's $6 or so
You will also need 2 mogul bases and hooks for hanging, but that's about it.
Oh, and you should line with mylar or paint flat white.
Takes some patience as it's a bitch to bend.
jigfresh
Well-Known Member
Plants are growing nicely. Now that I have topped them so many times, they really aren't growing very tall anymore. But they are really filling out. Some of them have soo many branches it's unreal. It's funny to have little midget plants. I was looking at some pics of outdoor grows people have done on here, and those plants are so beautiful. Mine will be beautiful in a different, non-natural way.
I have been tucking fan leaves like crazy. Earlier I was just tucking them under the screen, but then they would just push up against each other and the screen forming a perfect shade. So to encourage more branches below I have been more actively keeping fan leaves tucked below new growth. I think I have only accidentally broken 3 off. oops.
I have also been positioning the taller shoots coming through the screen toward the closet walls. More opening up the middle of the plants for the light to get in. My plants right now are kind of like light cones (like snow cones) the taller, bottom branches are furthest away from the centers, and all the branches are slightly away from center to catch the light.
Big thing for me... the wood barrier has worked. It keeps the humidity down alright, I haven't sealed it yet, so some moisture comes through the opening. But my rez temps are still really low. It has been 3 days since filling the water, and only an increase of less than 1 degree. I filled it at 62.7 F, and it is now 63.3 F. Last time I filled it went up 8 degrees in 20 hours. Big difference.
That's it for now I think. I'm still working on the reflector, it is really going to be great (i know I said that about my crappy first enclosure, but I know better now)
I have been tucking fan leaves like crazy. Earlier I was just tucking them under the screen, but then they would just push up against each other and the screen forming a perfect shade. So to encourage more branches below I have been more actively keeping fan leaves tucked below new growth. I think I have only accidentally broken 3 off. oops.
I have also been positioning the taller shoots coming through the screen toward the closet walls. More opening up the middle of the plants for the light to get in. My plants right now are kind of like light cones (like snow cones) the taller, bottom branches are furthest away from the centers, and all the branches are slightly away from center to catch the light.
Big thing for me... the wood barrier has worked. It keeps the humidity down alright, I haven't sealed it yet, so some moisture comes through the opening. But my rez temps are still really low. It has been 3 days since filling the water, and only an increase of less than 1 degree. I filled it at 62.7 F, and it is now 63.3 F. Last time I filled it went up 8 degrees in 20 hours. Big difference.
That's it for now I think. I'm still working on the reflector, it is really going to be great (i know I said that about my crappy first enclosure, but I know better now)
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jigfresh
Well-Known Member
Hey guys, I was rocking out on my guitar today, and I think the girls liked vibrations. They seemed very happy. Maybe they could tell I was in a good mood.
Anyways, plants are lovely. They look stronger and bushier all the time. The stems are getting so thick and strong. This really is an amazing plant.
I noticed another bug today. Just one. I'm sure there is probably more then the one guy, but so far no signs, and trust me, I looked, a lot. I looked them up as well, and I think they are aphids. And I think they are not a big deal. I am still going to try to fight them, but apparently they don't feed on the plants too much, I'm not really sure? I haven't noticed any leaves that look eaten, so... who knows. We'll see. I'm keeping a positive outlook.
I've been positioning things more often, many times today. Things just grow up and get and inch above everything else, so I put them in their place.
I am contemplating something, you guys can input if you feel like it. So the screen is to line up bud sites, one per square. Either way that will be the case, but I am wondering about starting each branch into the screen. I'm not sure if I should bring all the branches strait up from the stem and have them all weave through one or two squares and them off their different directions, or if I should drag the lower branches and start them in the screen a few squares away from center.
Pros and cons I see are, with the stems coming strait up, they have less distance to reach the screen initially compared with the other way. Also if they came strait up the underneath of the screen would be 'neater' with all the branches bunched up. With the other method, it seems more natural (even though nothing about this grow is natural). Also I don't know if the stems would crowd each other out of one square with the first way.
I'll make a picture.
Anyways, plants are lovely. They look stronger and bushier all the time. The stems are getting so thick and strong. This really is an amazing plant.
I noticed another bug today. Just one. I'm sure there is probably more then the one guy, but so far no signs, and trust me, I looked, a lot. I looked them up as well, and I think they are aphids. And I think they are not a big deal. I am still going to try to fight them, but apparently they don't feed on the plants too much, I'm not really sure? I haven't noticed any leaves that look eaten, so... who knows. We'll see. I'm keeping a positive outlook.
I've been positioning things more often, many times today. Things just grow up and get and inch above everything else, so I put them in their place.
I am contemplating something, you guys can input if you feel like it. So the screen is to line up bud sites, one per square. Either way that will be the case, but I am wondering about starting each branch into the screen. I'm not sure if I should bring all the branches strait up from the stem and have them all weave through one or two squares and them off their different directions, or if I should drag the lower branches and start them in the screen a few squares away from center.
Pros and cons I see are, with the stems coming strait up, they have less distance to reach the screen initially compared with the other way. Also if they came strait up the underneath of the screen would be 'neater' with all the branches bunched up. With the other method, it seems more natural (even though nothing about this grow is natural). Also I don't know if the stems would crowd each other out of one square with the first way.
I'll make a picture.
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jigfresh
Well-Known Member
Right now I was starting to weave my branches around and I realized something about the scrog. (the scrog - sounds like a notorious organization) I was looking at nowstopwhining's scrog grow (Link) and I believe his is more like what they describe in all the scrog how to threads.
What I am speaking of is the bud site per square deal. nowstopwhining took one plant and spread it out over 4'x4'. So he took like 20 branches or so, and ran them to many many squares. In my grow, I only have 38 squares per plant. And because of the indica strain mixed with all the topping I've done, I have about 25 branches per plant. So I think it is going to be more like a branch/ cola per square as opposed to a bud site per square.
I'm not saying either is better, just different ways of harnessing the plant with the screen.
And I'm not entirely sure I'm not doing things wrong? Whatever, buds are on the way no matter what.
As soon as you know they are girls I'd set that screen up. I know I'm loving mine.
Good luck either way with them being girls and with the grow in general. Thanks for stopping by again.
What I am speaking of is the bud site per square deal. nowstopwhining took one plant and spread it out over 4'x4'. So he took like 20 branches or so, and ran them to many many squares. In my grow, I only have 38 squares per plant. And because of the indica strain mixed with all the topping I've done, I have about 25 branches per plant. So I think it is going to be more like a branch/ cola per square as opposed to a bud site per square.
I'm not saying either is better, just different ways of harnessing the plant with the screen.
And I'm not entirely sure I'm not doing things wrong? Whatever, buds are on the way no matter what.
Yeah, males in a screen would be a bitch. Worse than snakes on a plane. (sorry that's stupid, but I'm laughing right now)
As soon as you know they are girls I'd set that screen up. I know I'm loving mine.
Good luck either way with them being girls and with the grow in general. Thanks for stopping by again.
jigfresh
Well-Known Member
Damn... now I see what all the work is about. I've been doing these branches for a while now, and I'm just finishing the 2nd plant.
However.... IT"S FLOWER TIME.
They say to switch at 75% full. I think I'm at least that. Maybe 85% full. It's a good think I painted the batwing today.
So, I will leave the light going tomorrow so I can finish weaving. Once completed, I'll change out the rez and add Flower nutes. Man I'm EXCITED. Then I'll change over light fixtures to the new dual wing, plop in the old HPS, and make sure the venting works alright. Once all that is done, I'll put them on lock down, 24 blackout, to emerge into 8 weeks of Autumn. Looking at the calendar that makes May 9th my harvest day, (i know it's not going to be that exact day).
What is the timing on drying and curing. What I mean is when do you get good smoke, something you'd get from a dealer and not complain? I have read people pulling stuff off and smoking it, other's quick drying. I'm not interested in that, just a normal dry, nothing fancy, then a short cure. How long?
Having asked that, I am going to only do that with a tiny bit of my harvest. The rest I would like to wait and play it cool, getting the best smoke I can, and I know that takes quite a while. 3 months or something?
I'll update ya'll later. Thanks for reading, this is fun growing, but it's even better with friends along for the ride.
However.... IT"S FLOWER TIME.
They say to switch at 75% full. I think I'm at least that. Maybe 85% full. It's a good think I painted the batwing today.
So, I will leave the light going tomorrow so I can finish weaving. Once completed, I'll change out the rez and add Flower nutes. Man I'm EXCITED. Then I'll change over light fixtures to the new dual wing, plop in the old HPS, and make sure the venting works alright. Once all that is done, I'll put them on lock down, 24 blackout, to emerge into 8 weeks of Autumn. Looking at the calendar that makes May 9th my harvest day, (i know it's not going to be that exact day).
What is the timing on drying and curing. What I mean is when do you get good smoke, something you'd get from a dealer and not complain? I have read people pulling stuff off and smoking it, other's quick drying. I'm not interested in that, just a normal dry, nothing fancy, then a short cure. How long?
Having asked that, I am going to only do that with a tiny bit of my harvest. The rest I would like to wait and play it cool, getting the best smoke I can, and I know that takes quite a while. 3 months or something?
I'll update ya'll later. Thanks for reading, this is fun growing, but it's even better with friends along for the ride.
jigfresh
Well-Known Member
Hello everyone. In case you missed it I am going to switch over to flowering in the next couple days. No more blue light.
I haven't seen any bugs lately, that's good.
Other than that things are great. I'm going to try to get a 250w metal halide soon, and maybe pick up some clearex for later.
I took some new pics and the drawing is of my screen. I want to be able to see where things are in the screen without having to physically check each time. The x's are branch tips, and the -'s are being weaved from an ajoining x.
Also have pics of my reflector. It looks real nice if you ask me.
There is a pic off my deck as well. It is just so you guys can see how pretty it is around here.
I haven't seen any bugs lately, that's good.
Other than that things are great. I'm going to try to get a 250w metal halide soon, and maybe pick up some clearex for later.
I took some new pics and the drawing is of my screen. I want to be able to see where things are in the screen without having to physically check each time. The x's are branch tips, and the -'s are being weaved from an ajoining x.
Also have pics of my reflector. It looks real nice if you ask me.
There is a pic off my deck as well. It is just so you guys can see how pretty it is around here.
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GreenphoeniX
Well-Known Member
Looking good man! ... I'm thinking I may have to invest in some ScrOG style mesh for my next aero grow... I think my current one is guns end up top heavy when flowering gets into full swing!
taffo143
New Member
jigfresh i read ur gunna change the rez b4 starting ur 12/12, i think it may be a good idea 2 keep the veg nutes going a week into ur 12/12, then switch to bloom, just what ive read, cheers man, just about to get updated with ur scrog and check out ur new pics. go 4 it man flower them girliez lets see wot they can do, should be gr8 results.
jigfresh
Well-Known Member
dude, you better be sorry. HAHA, whatever man. Post as much as you like as long as it is somewhat relevant or entertaining. I think only about 1/3 of the posts in this thread are worth anything anyhow.
So yeah, the mesh. At first I thought you were talking about my root deal, but after second reading you mean my screen.
I attached a pic to show you where I put the anchors. Also a pic of the anchors themselves. Used the things they give you with picture hanging kits. With the little plastic 'sleeves' you press into the wall before the screw. Screwing directly into drywall doesn't always work so well. Plus the movement of the screen would stress the screws in the drywall making them move and break the drywall apart, and nothing makes pot taste worse than gypsum (ok I don't actually know that gypsum makes a bad taste when smoked, but can only imagine).
Word on the street is that the plants will be pushing the screen upwards trying to push through it, so tying the screen 'down' is what you want to do. The branches should hold it up, however I would suggest holding it tightly 'in place' so it can't go up/ down/ anywhere. I might end up having to tie down the middle if that area pushes up toward the light, it wouldn't be the end of the world, but it might end up shading things around it, and that defeats the purpose of the screen.
Oh, and also for the anchors, I used some metal wire, it's called "Galvanized Steel Wire". I got it at home depot for less than $5. I've had it for a couple years, lasts forever and it is very useful for all kinds of crap. It is very strong, and bendable.
Hope that helps. And if you still have questions ask away.
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jigfresh
Well-Known Member
Hey guys,
I've edited this post, so if you read it before and remember it being short, it was (don't beleive me check the very next post, it was quoted). My wife was sick all night and day, so I was taking care of her. Awww. Anyhow, it was all good timing because today the girls are in 24 hours of darkness. I never really got a chance to miss seeing them. My wife is feeling better now, and it was nothing too serious, so all is well.
Today I tucked all the branches under, and left little tiny ones poking through. I figure I can pull those under later. I also set up the new light. You can't see the orange becuase I have a setting on the camera that adjust for it. While slightly disappointing my flowering won't look like the rest of your in pictures, I'd rather you all see the green, and detail. That HPS light is really weird. It's funny how the MH made my regular incandescent house lights look really pinkish, but the HPS makes the house lights look totally blue. Optical illusion or something.
The new reflector is bad ass. Not only does it look cool, but it spreads the light out so much more evenly than the last. There are the two glass tubes, only the one is full now. I am placing an order for the 250w MH ballast, bulb, and socket in two days. Then we will have 650w of dual spectrum action going on (I CAN'T WAIT). Does anyone have a guess what the extra light will give me? Higher yeild, denser buds, more resin, stronger smoke? Oh, the other thing is that the new diy cooltube keeps things alot cooler. It is noticably more efficient than the last, and it will be no problem keeping things cool once I add the MH.
I think I already said this, but the divider separating the rez/ tank area from the grow space is Really keeping my water temps down. They have not gone over 65 since I did that, where as before they rose to maybe 73 - 74 before I would change the whole rez.
About nutrients, I am going to start with the flowering nutes right away. taffo143 suggested to use veg nutes, and I read about them, people do some crazy stuff with nutes mixing veg and flower stuff in rising/falling levels. I really want my girls to stop growng as much as possible, so I figure cutting their veg nutes might help a little. I think next grow I might try the veg nutes a little longer, also I might use the MH into 12/12 a week or two because the plants are pretty much still vegging for a bit. Thanks for the tip taffo, I appreciate the attention to the grow. I'd give you a rep, but I already did.
pics 1-4: Top view of screen as I weave the plants under.
pic 5: Top view after night under HPS
pic 6-8: Level view of screen 6. during tucking 7. after tucking 8. after twelve hours HPS on them
pic 9: Inside view of plant #2
pic 10-11: Closet with old enclosure and MH and with new Tronica's batwing reflector/cooltube and HPS
pic 12: Timer set to 12/12
pic 13: This is the distance from the screen to the light. Little more than 11 inches to the glass, and about 14 inches from the bulb center. Also, there is about an inch or two worth of growth through most of the screen, so there.
I've edited this post, so if you read it before and remember it being short, it was (don't beleive me check the very next post, it was quoted). My wife was sick all night and day, so I was taking care of her. Awww. Anyhow, it was all good timing because today the girls are in 24 hours of darkness. I never really got a chance to miss seeing them. My wife is feeling better now, and it was nothing too serious, so all is well.
Today I tucked all the branches under, and left little tiny ones poking through. I figure I can pull those under later. I also set up the new light. You can't see the orange becuase I have a setting on the camera that adjust for it. While slightly disappointing my flowering won't look like the rest of your in pictures, I'd rather you all see the green, and detail. That HPS light is really weird. It's funny how the MH made my regular incandescent house lights look really pinkish, but the HPS makes the house lights look totally blue. Optical illusion or something.
The new reflector is bad ass. Not only does it look cool, but it spreads the light out so much more evenly than the last. There are the two glass tubes, only the one is full now. I am placing an order for the 250w MH ballast, bulb, and socket in two days. Then we will have 650w of dual spectrum action going on (I CAN'T WAIT). Does anyone have a guess what the extra light will give me? Higher yeild, denser buds, more resin, stronger smoke? Oh, the other thing is that the new diy cooltube keeps things alot cooler. It is noticably more efficient than the last, and it will be no problem keeping things cool once I add the MH.
I think I already said this, but the divider separating the rez/ tank area from the grow space is Really keeping my water temps down. They have not gone over 65 since I did that, where as before they rose to maybe 73 - 74 before I would change the whole rez.
About nutrients, I am going to start with the flowering nutes right away. taffo143 suggested to use veg nutes, and I read about them, people do some crazy stuff with nutes mixing veg and flower stuff in rising/falling levels. I really want my girls to stop growng as much as possible, so I figure cutting their veg nutes might help a little. I think next grow I might try the veg nutes a little longer, also I might use the MH into 12/12 a week or two because the plants are pretty much still vegging for a bit. Thanks for the tip taffo, I appreciate the attention to the grow. I'd give you a rep, but I already did.
pics 1-4: Top view of screen as I weave the plants under.
pic 5: Top view after night under HPS
pic 6-8: Level view of screen 6. during tucking 7. after tucking 8. after twelve hours HPS on them
pic 9: Inside view of plant #2
pic 10-11: Closet with old enclosure and MH and with new Tronica's batwing reflector/cooltube and HPS
pic 12: Timer set to 12/12
pic 13: This is the distance from the screen to the light. Little more than 11 inches to the glass, and about 14 inches from the bulb center. Also, there is about an inch or two worth of growth through most of the screen, so there.
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wannabee
Well-Known Member
Nice going... thanks for the information - subscribed. Hope your wife feels better soon.
jigfresh
Well-Known Member
Hello again, the pic says it all. Nothing today. 24 hours of darkness. I have the temperature reading at 75.4, and I can hear the fans and air pumps going. Other than that nothing to tell.
Random funny story since no fun pot stuff. I have been dabbling in illegal activities my adult life (no criminal shit - just racing my car, underage drinking, pot, etc.), My wife totally the opposite. She drives well, never did drugs or got in fights. Nothing illegal about her. I have been pulled over by police/sheriff/highway patrol at least 30 times in my car, maybe 5 plus at parties or on the beach, and once on my bike when I was 13. My wife has been pulled over once, a year ago, and she got a warning.
Anyways, point of the story, I totally respect police officers and what they do. I'm not saying I agree with all of it, but we need them and I wouldn't do that damn job for anything. My wife on the other hand thinks they are all crooked. She thinks the only reason anyone would ever want to become a police officer is to mess with people and set them up for crimes. It goes on, she thinks crazy shit about them for real. I'm sure you guys think more like her, at least that's the feeling I get from this site. The point is it would be normal for people like 'us' to hate cops and be paranoid, but for her to be so passionately negative with me being positive is funny. I think. Hope that story didn't suck too bad, ha.
I mention all this because I had a little encounter with the CHP today. No ticket, just a little misunderstanding, it's all good. He even saw my pipe, but I had my doctors paper with me. (i love california) By the end of the time we were having a conversation about his truck. CHP drives some pretty bad ass trucks up here in the mountains.
Back to 'Growing Marijunana' tomorrow.
(don't tell me I misspelled mj, check the riu logo at the top of the screen real close... tell them)
Also thanks to GreenphoeniX for checking out the grow as well, welcome aboard.
Random funny story since no fun pot stuff. I have been dabbling in illegal activities my adult life (no criminal shit - just racing my car, underage drinking, pot, etc.), My wife totally the opposite. She drives well, never did drugs or got in fights. Nothing illegal about her. I have been pulled over by police/sheriff/highway patrol at least 30 times in my car, maybe 5 plus at parties or on the beach, and once on my bike when I was 13. My wife has been pulled over once, a year ago, and she got a warning.
Anyways, point of the story, I totally respect police officers and what they do. I'm not saying I agree with all of it, but we need them and I wouldn't do that damn job for anything. My wife on the other hand thinks they are all crooked. She thinks the only reason anyone would ever want to become a police officer is to mess with people and set them up for crimes. It goes on, she thinks crazy shit about them for real. I'm sure you guys think more like her, at least that's the feeling I get from this site. The point is it would be normal for people like 'us' to hate cops and be paranoid, but for her to be so passionately negative with me being positive is funny. I think. Hope that story didn't suck too bad, ha.
I mention all this because I had a little encounter with the CHP today. No ticket, just a little misunderstanding, it's all good. He even saw my pipe, but I had my doctors paper with me. (i love california) By the end of the time we were having a conversation about his truck. CHP drives some pretty bad ass trucks up here in the mountains.
Back to 'Growing Marijunana' tomorrow.
(don't tell me I misspelled mj, check the riu logo at the top of the screen real close... tell them)
Thanks you very, very much. I really appreciate that.
Also thanks to GreenphoeniX for checking out the grow as well, welcome aboard.
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jigfresh
Well-Known Member
I was sick today, so hardly any time spent with the plants. No reservoir change, and no new nutes. Also I missed a Liquid Light day. I'll do that tomorrow.
They seem very happy, and are stretching out a lot.
I think I spent an hour tucking branches back down. All the times you read that screens are a lot of work, they are not kidding. I'm sure it will, but... this screen thing better pay off.
I also ordered my 250w MH so that should be getting here pretty soon. I can't wait.
Thanks for stopping by. There's a party up in this thread.
They seem very happy, and are stretching out a lot.
I think I spent an hour tucking branches back down. All the times you read that screens are a lot of work, they are not kidding. I'm sure it will, but... this screen thing better pay off.
I also ordered my 250w MH so that should be getting here pretty soon. I can't wait.
I like it alot, the whole bubble deal. Something about aero scares me. I feel like I would mess something up and kill the plants fast.
Thanks for stopping by. There's a party up in this thread.
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jigfresh
Well-Known Member
EDIT: Title should say Update Day 32 - [day 2 12/12]
Big day today. I sprayed the girls with Liquid Light + Penetrator Gold.
I also drained the reservoir, refilled with 28 gal. of RO plus a big shot of nutes. I am using flowering stuff now. DM Advance Flower A+B, Potash+, Max Flower, Silica, Zone, also MagiCal. Adjusted pH down from 6.15 after nutes to 5.75.
I also bought some more chain for the reflector, so it is now 6" off the top of the plants. I have noticed no heat stress, or bleaching.
I am going to need to put my vent fan on a timer. Because the light enclosure cools so well there is no heat build up to release. So my thermostat is obsolete. Not a bad thing to complain about though. The humidity overnight rose to 82%.
I am also going to order a dehumidifier this week to make things perfect. Here's what I am getting, let me know if you think it is a mistake. It's only $55 and it is supposed to extract 11oz water in 12 hours.
http://www.target.com/Sunpentown-Mini-Dehumidifier-SD-350/dp/B000XSDXP8/
I feel better now, thanks for sending good vibes y'all.
Big day today. I sprayed the girls with Liquid Light + Penetrator Gold.
I also drained the reservoir, refilled with 28 gal. of RO plus a big shot of nutes. I am using flowering stuff now. DM Advance Flower A+B, Potash+, Max Flower, Silica, Zone, also MagiCal. Adjusted pH down from 6.15 after nutes to 5.75.
I also bought some more chain for the reflector, so it is now 6" off the top of the plants. I have noticed no heat stress, or bleaching.
I am going to need to put my vent fan on a timer. Because the light enclosure cools so well there is no heat build up to release. So my thermostat is obsolete. Not a bad thing to complain about though. The humidity overnight rose to 82%.
I am also going to order a dehumidifier this week to make things perfect. Here's what I am getting, let me know if you think it is a mistake. It's only $55 and it is supposed to extract 11oz water in 12 hours.
http://www.target.com/Sunpentown-Mini-Dehumidifier-SD-350/dp/B000XSDXP8/
I feel better now, thanks for sending good vibes y'all.