Ok, it's halftime so here goes: I'll keep the explanation fairly simple, but if you have any specific questions or want clarification just ask. I don't want this to turn into a complete thread derailment though, so keep that in mind please.
I run a custom soil mix, strictly organic (though I'm not hung up on OMRI cert., natural is good enough for me). I'm going to keep this post focused on one room, my old room since I still maintain that space and think it's more applicable to average home growers. I'll start with the room particulars, then get into the equipment I use, ventilation, environment, then I'll get into the soil, containers etc. Finally I'll cover the strains I run. Again, any questions feel free to ask. I just ask that it doesn't get too tedious and off topic.
My overall old space is 5'x15'x7', which is divided into three areas; 5x5 budroom, 7.5x5 "lung room", and 2x5 cloning/veg area. I built 2x4 partition walls to separate the spaces and used panda film to light proof them. The bud room has a zipper door, the veg is done with a roll up velcro door. Both grow spaces are vented into the lung room, which is vented through a carbon filter into the basement area. Temps stay in the high 70's to low 80's with lights on, humidity varies with season but is controlled with a dehumidifier when necessary. I try to keep it around 50-55%.
I supplement co2 with regulator and solenoid valve on a short range repeat timer, and keep levels around 800-1000ppm. This allows me to work with the temps in the low 80's in summer months. I do waste a lot of co2 with this setup, but I don't care.
For veg, I run the lights 18/6 and generally veg them for around a month. Starting in 5" square pots and moving to 1 gal bags. From there they're transplanted into 5 gal smart pots about a week prior to flowering, at which time they're also pruned or supercropped depending on strain and plant structure and my general mood at the time. In this space, I would have to take my clones during the second week of flower for the timing to work (I've since changed that, but needed more space to do so). They'd have to acclimate in the budroom for a week after final transplant prior to 12/12. Not ideal, but it works.
Once acclimated, they are generally ready to start training to the SCROG (6" hort trellis). The first few weeks of flower are a lot of work, you have to stay on top of the training or you get canopy issues. No bueno. I just try to maintain an very even canopy, with no wasted space. Ok, let me back up...
The budroom is 5x5 as I said, in it I run only 1-1kw hortilux in a CAP XXXtreme6 reflector. This reflector spreads the light very well, allowing me to use only the 1kw in the 5x5 (which CG will propably harrumph about...). It is on the light side as far as watts per foot go, but it works for me. I think this is what really allows me to get such high gpw #'s. I generally run 9 plants in that space, and train them heavily. Maintaining the plants is kind of a bitch in that room though, you have to be flexible just to hand water. I lolipop the plants a few days after I take clones. I don't want any growth that doesn't get light, because it will die and lead to rot. And larf, we do not like larf.
As I said before, I run a custom soil mix in 5 gal smart pots. My base for the soil mix is now 40/40/10/10 coco coir, peat, EWC, forest humus, I then cut that by 25% with #4 perlite and add my amendment from there. This mix requires a lot of watering during peak flower, I mean daily. The soil is true living organic soil, so you need to maintain some moisture and not let it go bone dry. I supplement the soil with General Organics and a few other booster products as needed. I harvest heavy, healthy plants packed with glands. All of my trim is still green (usually).
That's about it in a nutshell, but there's a lot of subtle things that go along with it, but I could type for hours about that.... and I don't have that kind of time.
