First Journal; Green Philosopy

Hello RIU.

First, THANK YOU. This community is a continuing source of knowledge and entertainment for a niche otherwise neglected. I am here to learn and hope documentation of that process will contribute to another's achievement.

Second, let's grow.


Until the next post:
"Imagine an eye unruled by man-made laws of perspective, an eye unprejudiced by compositional logic, an eye which does not respond to the name of everything but which must know each object encountered in life through an adventure of perception." -Stan Brakhage

Introduction.

Welcome back,

Often it seems that the best grow journals are so great because they exist from the start of the project. Unfortunately, we must start in medias res as i have just started documenting.

A few month's ago I started this grow as a secondary one, mostly for personal use; a small space seemed appropriate. Flower one or two plants MAXIMUM at a time? How can that be done most effectively and efficently? What available space meets the qualifications? What is the budget?

Questions and comments are always welcome.





Pick a space


The closet.

The dimensions of the available space are 4.5'x3'x8'.
There is a tall storage cabinet to the right, nothing on the left. A clothes rack runs through the top of the grow space to the other side of the room.

When this project originally started, the bar was appealing as it could hold lights, fans, timers, etc.; turns out to kind of gets in the way. The size of the storage cabinet defined size of the growing space. Drum roll please...




There were many options for a space this size. HID or Fluros? Soil or Hydroponic? Perpetual or Conventional? Organic or synthetic?
The usual culprits.

Pick a style

As this grow is intended for personal growth and pleasure, i wanted to grow in a way that would provide a decent outcome and plenty of things to learn.

A sturdy foundation seemed to be one that provides a space for vegetation and flowering.

Vegetation


Flowering




At the time, perpetual was familiar so i opted for that application here. The down side of perpetual in a closet is the plant:space ratio; it's easy to have too many plants! The nice thing about a secondary grow, extra plants can go to the primary. In retrospect i probably should've gone for the conventional light cycle. Alas... style is elusive.

After trying to make a veg box out of a dresser, i just bought a tent.


Lights, Nutrients, Medium, etc.

Okay, okay, I'll get to it.
Due to the size of the flowering space and perpetual style, Fluro's are appropriate. Also, I would like to have a first hand comparison between bud flowered under HID and CFL lights.

I will be using DynaGro Grow and Bloom with various additives in a DIY recirculating drip system.



Come along.

After coffee and a brownie,



A Tour of the Grow:

Enter into the closet,



To the right, is the flower box, veg tent to the left. There flower box is not the full size of the cabinet so there is plenty of space for storage.



Above the box:
(Left to right, top then bottom: Media, Tubing, Pots/Containers, Exhaust Fan, CFL Lights, Water/Electric Accessories, Power cords and connections)


Bottom of the flower side, shelves:


Resivoir and tubing:


It's an eight gallon res but i can only fill it to about six gallons after tubing and holes. Feed line on the left, return from the top, airtubing and gang valve, power cable for pump.


More to come.

Continuing the tour.

Measuring instruments, co2 stuff.


Contents


Ph is important.


Second shelf: nutrients


Third shelf: more nutrients


Floor: Distilled water, storage.

Here's the nutrient plan.

Everything to be used in this grow.



DynaGro is a complete one part feed program. Nice and simple.
Advanced Nutrients Micro for support and any deficiencies.
SUPERthrive for roots.
Molasses for sugar (though i recently read that this can be risky in a res).
3% H202 for general use.
Epsom salt for any magnesium/sulfur problems.

Adjusting PH with Apple Cider Vinegar, i have a pic if anyone would like it.


Nutrient plan
6 Gallon Res ~ 22L
1 tsp/Gal ~ 5ml/4L
25ml/22L ~ Full Strength Nutes (building in increments of 5ml).


Every res change gets a new dose of DynaGro, SUPERthrive, H202.
Three/four days after change (or as needed), res will get 1/2 the ml value of DG in the Advanced Nutrients.


Starting light on the nutes on 9/22:
10ml/6 Gal
5 drops of SUPERthrive
5ml H202

The plants

The plants i have are left overs (essentially) from the primary grow. Four Blackberry Skunk seeds, one Dutch Passion - Ultimate clone.

The Ultimate is in the flower space but it is currently on an 18/6 light schedule, under 6500k bulbs as i am trying to get a handle on the hydro.

Veg tent - seedlings!



Flower Box - Dutch Passion, The Ultimate




This clone's been through some rough times. It's suffered heat and light stress, nutrient burn, and lack of love - but i'm happy to finally have it here in a new, healthy environment.

That's about it for now, i'll update once a week or so. Questions, comments, advice is much appreciated.

Two more things; medium is 60% Hydroton, 30% Coco, 10% LA4. Lights on at noon, off at 6am.

Questions/Concerns

I'm pretty new to hydro, what are good drip times? Right now it's on 15mins every two hours starting 2pm and stop at lights off. Is that too frequent for my medium?

PH has been rising quickly, did an emergency res change (rinsed out degraded peat from LA4) and figured this would be a good time to post some..



Details

Space Measurements: Veg tent-18"x2.5'x3'; Flower Box-2'x14"x2' (SublevelSpace 2'x14"x1')
Lights: Veg-4x2' 24W High Output T5s; Flower-5x23w 6500k CFLs (as current veg space, 2700k while flowering)
Media: Veg- 50% LA4, 50% Cropcircles Coco Discs; Flower-50% Hydroton, 50% Cropcircles Coco Discs

Stats
Morning PH: 6.6
Morning Temp: 78F
Night PH: 5.6
Night Temp: 82F (This is probably going to be a problem)



More updates will come, have a good week.

"Thesis plus antithesis equals synthesis." B. Hicks