Icedrgn027's First Grow, DWC stone-less, multi-strain, mainline

icedrgn027

Well-Known Member
Wow, it's been a ride... And I am loving the world of growing.

I started my grow on Feb 14. Instead of buying flowers for the Mrs, we planted some. Medical users in Illinois are allowed to grow up to 5 and dispensaries are charging $160-200 for 14g. So after being raped on the price of flower and them never having more than 1 strain sporadically Ina larger hard for a savings. I hate paying 20/g. So... Here we are.

I purchased
1 - 4*8*9 coolgrows tent.
2 - 1000w bestva LED lights
5 - black 5gal buckets
5 - 6in netpot lids
5 - 3in netpots
2 - 4way air pumps(if it dies, I have a backup)
Black tubing
Suction cups
T-joints for the tubing
Digital space heater
Ph tester
Lux meter
TDS meter
Sheet of grodan rockwool
Flora series from GH
Hydroguard
Ph up and down
Cal/magic
Bag of hydroton (Pops had an extra)
Clip fan (Pops extra)
3 - fem northern lights seeds
3 - fem la confidential seeds
3 - fem gorrilla glue #4 seeds
3 - fem blue dream seeds
3 - fem tangie seeds

Now, when I began this, I knew I wanted as big of yield as possible and it had to be of strains that I know both myself and the Mrs love. I assumed I would grow 5 plants at the same time and stay in compliance with IL law. I had no idea what kind of journey I would be on. I found out that DWC while being an advanced grow method supposedly, also experienced better yields and grows with the risk of quick death if not caught quickly. This is also the reason I bought 2 pumps. I was terrified I would be in mid flower and have that pump go out in the AM and I don't notice until late at night and the plants have died. At least this way I won't have to procure one if the worst happens.

Either way, I did alot of reading across several forums. Preferred the "roll it up" reading. I don't have the link right here since I'm on my phone atm but there is a link on this forum that outlines a stone-less DWC. Air stones need be changed regularly and this was the only downside I saw for me at the time, so I loved this idea. I have had good success so far with this ring of air tubing I created that replaces the stones.

After building everything, it dawned on me. At some point I need to change the water in these buckets since I did not build a reservoir to make it easier. And I also did not build a tap to empty these. When I do the change I plan on just switching the buckets with a new one since I can easily disconnect. I worry about plant weight and trying to move the lid from one to the other. Well see...MVIMG_20200215_030502.jpg

So, I began by soaking 6 rockwool cubes for about 2 days in R.O. water. While also soaking hydroton in R.O. water as well. The pH is said to be too high on these straight out the box for cannabis. I was nervous about screwing something up somewhere and decided to just do it while reading up on each step as I went.

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Since I like to save money where I can and since this lunchmeat tray had a nice red translucent lid. I washed it and reused it for soaking my rockwool in. After that and in the time I was putting everything together, I realized a 4 port air pump will not work for 5 buckets. So I planted straight into my wet rockwool 4 different strains. Basing it kinda on what I thought would be overall grow time. Trying to harvest at small different intervals to keep a flow of supply. Not knowing about topping yet.

In the picture above, you can notice that I only had one sprout. The northern lights... My first strain that me and my "adopted family" at 16yrs old smoked together in a "van down by the river." We went to outer space. My buddy was literally drooling on himself. Ah to be young again... And I'm not even 40 but I remember 20 dollar quarters that were fat and had red hairs(don't think those were the lights)! But Now... I want my very own! Let's cut out the middle man!

...Back to that sprout! With this being my first ever grow. I was clueless about rockwool and eager to make sure they got all the water they needed. You guessed it... It's a miracle I got even one sprout! I set my room temps to about 80°f, kept my R.H. at about 75% and had my light far enough away for my lux meter to read about 7k. I kept the rockwool soaked but once I only had one sprout (b.d. never popped, g.g. started to grow but got a "zit", and the l.a. looked like it had gotten stuck as a sprout and moisture rotted the crook of the sprout.) I relocated to my custom sprout lid for my bubbling dwc.

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I quit watering but the bucket doesn't! After 2 weeks I replanted new seeds and still the BD did not pop. My favorite strain and here I can't grow it atm. The irony.

The empty buckets just have enough water in them to airate. One of them with the hydroton I'm still waiting to still use for this grow.

This first week I checked the water everyday and added neuts from GH Flora series. I was about at 550ppm, I wrote it down but am too lazy to go look in the other room at the journal I started on paper due to me being so obsessed with accidentally killing my prize crop and being down to my last seeds. Ph at 5.5. and about 22°c. I read that if I couldn't keep the temps down below 20° I needed a way to protect from root for and my research concluded hydroguard was the way to go. So far my roots are rice noodles white. I never thought I would see such fuzzy roots. Another unexpected beautiful view from these girls. I didn't take a pic. I've tried to keep the light off of the roots and water as if they were vampires!

Now I started taking daily photos to record my process and really document for my own feel-good but knew it would be the best way for others to help diagnose in a pinch if things got dire. So I'm going to go ahead and add some more photos here and discuss only as needed. I didn't change the water for 3 weeks. Seedlings don't really need the fresh changes as often and I was still scared about water changes. The northern lights stayed in the old water and I gave the new kiddos the freshest water thinking when they are ready for that first topping, I'll start with weekly water changes, I hope.

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So excited NL is doing great it seems and my dwc seems to be working well. I rotate the cup in the tray every 12 hrs or so. This works the little stem as it bends itself around looking for the center of light. The rockwool has 3 new seeds of the previous strains with an open Ziploc over it. I lightly plugged the holes in the cubes with little pieces of an extra cube I had previously soaked to prevent any light from hitting any tiny roots traveling around.

It's the same time I have to refill the humidifier. I also learned the dehumidifier also needed distilled water. First night I thought I would save money and just use tap. Next day... Everything was covered in white residue inside the tent. Little fan made sure of that and Hard water will do that to you. Not good but switched and have had absolutely no residue since.

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What's that?! Pretty sure that is not a sprout! Where are the condeylon leaves?! Horrified that I was going to be losing yet another of my 3 seeds of this la strain. I hit the forums. Scouring for anything about this Taproot showing. I decided emergency surgery was required. I had already split these cubes to check why my last seeds never sprouted. I kept pulling the plug to see if we had sprouts, always in a dim lit area of course and as gentle as humanly possible for fear of killing a baby sprout that might be pushing up like my Taproot buddy here.

Anyway, I undid the wire ties that were holding the 2 pieces shut. And found a sprout upside down that had already tried to right itself but failed and was doomed. The s shape of the sprout made it interesting to replant but thankfully the split rockwool was willing to help with that.

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I replanted this little guy deeper in the cup. After my drowning I was nervous and pulled it up slightly. Risky now but she bounced back well. I just placed the small ball of roots in between a small layer of hydroton a little at a time. Doing my best not to beat them to death or accidentally break them trying to fill while holding this little lady up.
 
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icedrgn027

Well-Known Member
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Moved my new sprouts to the bucket. NL working on it's second node leaves. Last couple days of Feb here. I've also realized my water readings are not changing day to day at this point and will be better to check once a week until I start water changes.
 

icedrgn027

Well-Known Member
1st of March! I love checking these a few times a day. Lights on/off - 18/6. I also have increased the lux to 10k for NL and the other sprouts are at about 7k.IMG_20200301_020638.jpgIMG_20200302_020113.jpgIMG_20200303_020053.jpgIMG_20200304_020526.jpgIMG_20200305_024950.jpg

I decided it was time for the NL to get its own bucket. And take that slightly strong 550ish ppm with it. I have actually drilled out every netpot I have. They have solid plastic in the center but I felt like that is where my main tap root should go. This time instead of placing hydroton ontop of the roots again. I decided to gently course them through by pulling an 1/8 of an inch at time, root ball and all. Every thing went well and my NL was sad for about 8 hrs before it perked back the first time but no issues with the larger transfer.

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That brown spot I noticed on the one NL leaf in the back, I believe was from me trying to give the leaves some water when it was little by dropping some water on it when lights came on. Could be wrong but it was my best guess at the time. And haven't seen really any others since. I read it should be done at lights off and haven't tried doing watering like that since. R.H. balancing has been fun with the little space heater trying to find a nice balance on my little hydrometer and humidifier.
 
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icedrgn027

Well-Known Member
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Noticed the LA leaning hard. The rockwool was having trouble holding the stem since it was the uprooted surgery save. A little bread tie wire and it bounced back beautifully.
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Everyone gets their own bucket and neut water. I moved the LA away from it's original location due to its edges folding up and down on its edges due to most likely heat stress from being closest to the space heater. I had tried lowering my R.H. out of the 70% range and was in the low 50s at this time. The NL had a couple of leaves that looked like they could also be trying to taco. So I went ahead and also jacked back up my R.H. for now.

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Today's the night. This NL is working on it's 7th node. I have decided to mainline it to increase my yields and still stay compliant with only 5 plants. I also just took clones into consideration and this kinda throws things loopy as far as compliance goes but its personal

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Cut to about an inch above the third node with a new x-acto blade.

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Went ahead and plucked the lower nodes clean. Wired the branches down. Came back later in the next pic and decided they could be more of an "X" instead of 2 "V"s. Not realizing those were my growths, the fan leaves get pruned later and are not the 4 I am looking for. 2 in each growth branch... Here's hoping I can save this limb.

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Yeah I screwed it up. It was so nice and I accidentally broke a branch. It did not break through and off so I started to try and wire it up without any tension. Came here to the forums and found a thread for this kind of thing... Any thing can happen. But I used some medical tape (clear with holes) and taped it back flush...or so I hope. Wired the fan leaves instead of these growth branches. I believe I am mainlining correctly for the first top but... It's my first time lol. fan leaves come off later I believe. Time will tell if the fix works.

Cloning was also a nerve wrecking experience but it's my first time and I'm normally an anxious person. Def prepped that top as a clone. Used the 5 dollar root stuff from the blue box-store. Didn't think an extra 30 for the top shelf stuff was necessary.

Took the top, one sprout, and both 2nd node branches as clones. Planted in soaked rockwool after prepping. Another time will tell what lives and what doesn't. But if I can get my top to pull through maybe I can grow it alongside the others into flower. Taking more clones because the wife's gf would like a clone as well. If a couple die and a couple live...should work perfectly.

I have an extra light setup but with 3 buckets and the stages these ladies are at. 1 light is doing the trick atm. I'm not sure about trying to divide this tent into 2 rooms, if possible, thinking I will run into a problem with clones when I want to start their mothers into flower. If everything flowers together great... Not sure yet and taking it a day at a time.
 
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icedrgn027

Well-Known Member
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Came back at lights off about 6 hrs later to find that my first setup for that branch needed fixed. It had fallen out of the wire support/tape we had used and was looking a little tan and shriveled at the break. Since I left the fan leaf below it I taped the break to it like a free splint. Here's hoping she still fighting

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I was nervous last night (still am) but this morning the fan leaves are drooping. Hope comes from that growth sprout still having some vigor. That one leaf standing straight up out of the mass gives me hope. I went ahead and clipped those fan leaves like a fresh cutting this morning to try and help it transpire less... Prob should have done it last night but was scared to do more harm than good.

Fingers crossed!
 
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icedrgn027

Well-Known Member
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Fresh water change for the NL.

2ml more hydroguard for GG. It had some root tinging I was concerned with at the base of the basket. I know I added some when I made that water... But I was lighthanded on the amount due to not wanting to add too much. I won't be adding more... It will be water change next time. It might also have been runoff from the hydroton but not a chance I wanted to take.

The break on the NL 24 hrs later...
While I see those fan leaves totally hanging, the sprout is still standing up... barely, but it gives me hope. Couple more days we'll know for sure.
 

icedrgn027

Well-Known Member
48hrs since topping. Rotated plant but it also appears that it might be trying to lift its head. So I'm hopeful.

My top/clone... Rockwool appears to dried quicker on it than the rest. Prob sure to stem size. I wish I would have shortened the stems slightly before planting. First time lessons.IMG_20200318_030827.jpgIMG_20200318_030818.jpg
 

icedrgn027

Well-Known Member
I am glad to report, 3 days after the break, the branch appears to be pulling through! So excited . Just look at those fan leaves!

I added a wire ring I created to keep it from reaching laterally and reinjuring itself this morning. Put in right under center where it was trying to get to also(light).

The LA is pushing it's 6th node now. I topped the NL when it was pushing 7. So soon.

My top is appearing to take as well. I accidentally allowed the rockwool to dry... It was drinking more than the rest. Got that about under control and she is looking strong again.
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icedrgn027

Well-Known Member
Rearranged slightly so I could get the surge strip off of the floor. Made some more room to boot . Not sure I needed it atm but it's safer for sure.

Realized the wire tie I had in the one side of my NL was actually choking it. Removed that this morning. I need to get some garden ties to help with this.

LA is ready to be topped. This creates a slight dilema as I try to figure out how to handle the clone situation I'm running into. I'm not sure how to keep my clones. I'm half tempted to try and divide this tent but am not sure how well that will work when one side goes to flower and the other stays veg.

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icedrgn027

Well-Known Member
Still thinking about how to handle my clones. The Mrs is asking for faster flower and I really just want to grow nice mainlines. Clones might also be the answer.

Thinking it's time to clip these other 2 girls. I'll do it after I get up. Better rested and what not, plus I can sleep on my choices.

Also got a timer for my lights. Starting to think j could run twice as many lights. The Mrs doesn't think I need them... But I haven't went to flower yet. IMG_20200322_040401.jpgIMG_20200322_040441.jpgIMG_20200322_040352.jpg
 

icedrgn027

Well-Known Member
Ok, I went ahead and clipped both. I also added that second light to double up on available light while being able to raise the lights some. The wife now sees what I mean about maybe needing more light. The GG is not yet cut in these photos...
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Lights out atm but I'll take my nightly grow pics in a few hrs and you'll be able to see how everything got their first tops. The GG might have been a little small but I have high hopes for her. I might have even trimmed my clones back some more after these photos.
 

icedrgn027

Well-Known Member
Here's everybody all clipped. Kept my tops as clones. GG wasn't quite big enough to give me her 2nd node growth as clones yet so we left then attached to be taken at a later point.
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icedrgn027

Well-Known Member
Tonight I realized I didn't give the close ups of each plant last night. So I'll do that here now. I also went ahead and gave the one side of the NL it's second top.

Here is the Northern Lights before and after second topping (one side). The other side is still playing catch up from the break. I'm also still trying to avoid extra lst on that side... which sucks but is necessary.IMG_20200324_032049.jpgIMG_20200324_034254.jpgIMG_20200324_034312.jpg

Now for the rest of the girls...
Gorrilla Glue #4

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...and L.A. confidential

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My crazy clones...

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icedrgn027

Well-Known Member
Ahh... my pics are pretty high res. So I'm guessing they are taking time to load every photo at the same time. Just went and checked on my pc. So the photos are there, they are just loading. Scroll up to check and see how its doing. I figured this would eventually start a new page on its own. Then loading shouldn't be an issue any more as we go to new pages.
 
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