1st grow with BCNL producer... God bud!
- Thread starter stillcantroll
- Start date
stillcantroll
Active Member
Things are goin pretty good man. This has been such a ride. My biggest struggle was in the root zone. I'm also having some smell issues towards the end, which will require a fix for the next go in this thing.
From h2o2 damage to organics, then back to h2o2. I finally seem to have the h2o2 dialed in, and it's causing root growth, which I havent seen since week 2 of flower. Even now with it dailed in, my roots seem to be a bit brittle as they hit the water, but still much better than the organics, which got slimed, strangled, then died off. As I look at my roots compared to some others, it's not even close. They get about an inch into the water then stop growing, become brittle, and fall off. I have no idea why. It might have just been the mistakes I made, but the h2o2 is certainly helping. The organics gave an incredible initial boost to growth (voodoo juice). Then, the combination of sensizym, piranha and what i suspect to be the carbo load basically coated my roots in slime, strangled them, and killed them. Those roots are now falling off daily, and being shop vacced out weekly. In hind-sight, the organics seemed like a good investment, and appeared to have saved my crop, but they really didn't. What fixed my crop was dialing in the temperature issue, and allowing the plant to produce new roots on it's own in the fixed environment. I could have gotten much better results by just dropping the h2o2 by 1/3rd, and using frozen bottles, instead of buying 120$ worth of organics.
Next run, I'm going from 4 airstones to 8, and I'm trying a product called dutch master zone. Need to get as much trial and error out of the way as I can. I'm hoping to have everything dialed in and producing 1.5-2lbs in a year from now in these machines. That's the goal anyways!!
And, on some advice of another grower on here, I'm considering investing in a water chiller and modifying the box to make it work. This isn't urgent, as the bottles are doing a great job, but it's just one more thing to make my conditions absolutely ideal (part of the big picture goal that I have). This will either happen after my next run, or during it.
Talk about a digression...
As for this run, my short little PK plants are ripening up nicely. They are starting to smell very strong, and like a mix of potent dank skunk with fresh ground coffee, it really is wonderful... but totally heat score
. I can't run my AC within an hour of having the doors open, or it just blasts dank stink out my home for all to smell. Sporting a very nice amount of resin. I'm still battling with a bit of yellow leaves, but I'm still unsure if this is outside the range of normal late-in-the-game yellowing, or a PPM battle. I'm going to pay even more close attention next run to the PPM and pH of my solution. The PPM wasn't something I even thought of watching earlier on, but as the plants started drinking litres of water a day, it really started to fluctuate. So, my daily process is to take a measurement of the PPM at the beginning of the week right after a batch of fresh nutes, then write it down. For the subsequent weeks, I simply add water to re-match that PPM, then balance the pH to 5.6, move the airstones around, add a frozen water bottle and close the lid. Also, I think my PPM was way too high for the size of the plants. This is one of the benefits of dealing with one strain over and over, is you get to dial things in so nice and tight. Next run I'll be using a completely different strain and will have a whole other set of problems. I'm going in with the attitude: Less is more, and work my way up. Eventually I'll find a strain that is outstanding for myself, and for these boxes, and dial that thing in so damned tight (really looking forward to this).
The colas are reasonable, with a little bit of side branching. There are a number of branches that are obviously going to remain underdeveloped. These were the branches facing the front and back of the box, that weren't exposed to the T5's. I'm going to take close not of these and be sure to trim them off next run to give energy to the buds that are getting light.
An observer on this thread SmokedUp once said in one of his posts that it's all about the roots, and was he ever right. I totally appreciate the connection between nice thick healthy roots and big sticky buds... It's a very real connection.
I'm not discouraged about this run at all. I'm a small scale guy, and I'm in this for the very long haul. This is the coolest thing I've ever done, and I can't wait to keep moving forward. Sorry for the long post, hope someone enjoys it.
From h2o2 damage to organics, then back to h2o2. I finally seem to have the h2o2 dialed in, and it's causing root growth, which I havent seen since week 2 of flower. Even now with it dailed in, my roots seem to be a bit brittle as they hit the water, but still much better than the organics, which got slimed, strangled, then died off. As I look at my roots compared to some others, it's not even close. They get about an inch into the water then stop growing, become brittle, and fall off. I have no idea why. It might have just been the mistakes I made, but the h2o2 is certainly helping. The organics gave an incredible initial boost to growth (voodoo juice). Then, the combination of sensizym, piranha and what i suspect to be the carbo load basically coated my roots in slime, strangled them, and killed them. Those roots are now falling off daily, and being shop vacced out weekly. In hind-sight, the organics seemed like a good investment, and appeared to have saved my crop, but they really didn't. What fixed my crop was dialing in the temperature issue, and allowing the plant to produce new roots on it's own in the fixed environment. I could have gotten much better results by just dropping the h2o2 by 1/3rd, and using frozen bottles, instead of buying 120$ worth of organics.
Next run, I'm going from 4 airstones to 8, and I'm trying a product called dutch master zone. Need to get as much trial and error out of the way as I can. I'm hoping to have everything dialed in and producing 1.5-2lbs in a year from now in these machines. That's the goal anyways!!
And, on some advice of another grower on here, I'm considering investing in a water chiller and modifying the box to make it work. This isn't urgent, as the bottles are doing a great job, but it's just one more thing to make my conditions absolutely ideal (part of the big picture goal that I have). This will either happen after my next run, or during it.
Talk about a digression...
As for this run, my short little PK plants are ripening up nicely. They are starting to smell very strong, and like a mix of potent dank skunk with fresh ground coffee, it really is wonderful... but totally heat score
. I can't run my AC within an hour of having the doors open, or it just blasts dank stink out my home for all to smell. Sporting a very nice amount of resin. I'm still battling with a bit of yellow leaves, but I'm still unsure if this is outside the range of normal late-in-the-game yellowing, or a PPM battle. I'm going to pay even more close attention next run to the PPM and pH of my solution. The PPM wasn't something I even thought of watching earlier on, but as the plants started drinking litres of water a day, it really started to fluctuate. So, my daily process is to take a measurement of the PPM at the beginning of the week right after a batch of fresh nutes, then write it down. For the subsequent weeks, I simply add water to re-match that PPM, then balance the pH to 5.6, move the airstones around, add a frozen water bottle and close the lid. Also, I think my PPM was way too high for the size of the plants. This is one of the benefits of dealing with one strain over and over, is you get to dial things in so nice and tight. Next run I'll be using a completely different strain and will have a whole other set of problems. I'm going in with the attitude: Less is more, and work my way up. Eventually I'll find a strain that is outstanding for myself, and for these boxes, and dial that thing in so damned tight (really looking forward to this). The colas are reasonable, with a little bit of side branching. There are a number of branches that are obviously going to remain underdeveloped. These were the branches facing the front and back of the box, that weren't exposed to the T5's. I'm going to take close not of these and be sure to trim them off next run to give energy to the buds that are getting light.
An observer on this thread SmokedUp once said in one of his posts that it's all about the roots, and was he ever right. I totally appreciate the connection between nice thick healthy roots and big sticky buds... It's a very real connection.
I'm not discouraged about this run at all. I'm a small scale guy, and I'm in this for the very long haul. This is the coolest thing I've ever done, and I can't wait to keep moving forward. Sorry for the long post, hope someone enjoys it.
stillcantroll
Active Member
Yes, per harvest lol. I could get 1-2 pounds a year growing in a cereal box
stillcantroll
Active Member
I mean to say in a years time, with the experience i'm gaining, to be able to churn out 1.5-2lbs out of these boxes every crop.
stillcantroll
Active Member
So I went in to check my pH, and the one plant that was yellowing all over was looking really sick. All the fan leaves were really brittle, and just looked like garbage. I have no idea why, as the rest look fantastic. Also, the smaller buds just werent ripening at all on this plant, it was just crystally leaf. I decided to chop it down. The top cola was mostly ripe, and I got a little bud off of her, the rest of it will be thrown in the freezer for when I do my bubble hash. i don't let all that crystal go to waste, don't worry
Here's a pic of sick little cola I managed to get off of her.
Here's a pic of sick little cola I managed to get off of her.
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nice. Im curious about something when i change my rez on the producer. When I drain my rez the roots are sitting there mith no water for a good half hour while i vaccuum out the last bit of old water and get everything ready. is that bad for roots? And do these frozen bottles or ice ever damage roots?
ancap
Active Member
We'll see how this grow goes, but my goal is to keep increasing my oz per plant number on each grow. I will probably go up and down until I dial in the best method. My first grow averaged 0.56 oz per plant, but I royally screwed that grow up. My goal for this grow is 0.8 oz per plant on average at least, which I think is possible.Yes, per harvest lol. I could get 1-2 pounds a year growing in a cereal box
Bigbux - Your roots are fine for 30 minutes while you change everything out. I don't have a shop vac though, so I always have a little water in the res left over each time I change. I just keep adding fresh water as I am draining the res. These are hardy weeds; they can take it.
stillcantroll
Active Member
I've actually heard that letting your roots sit in the open air for a while in the dark is actually good for them. I do the exact same thing and I manage to get my weekly res change operation down to about 20 minutes.
What I do is quickly take a min and add the hydrogen peroxide to the water i left sitting out the night before. Then in about 30 mins, I begin my chores. I put my tub in the room and start draining the nutes. While the nutes are draining, I start mixing the next weeks nutes in a seperate tub. I manage to get typically around 2-3 nutes mixed by the time the tub is almost full, so I turn the override off and finish mixing my nutes in the other tub. Once the nutes are mixed, I pH the solution, shop vac the res of my res out, then pour the new solution in from one container, and dump the BCNL container in the bathtub. I find when using 2 seperate containers it cuts down time be quite a bit. Not exactly relevant to what you asked but I thought I'd add this in. I'm sure between us BCNL growers we will have one tight way of doing things and itll help everyone out if we just chat about it.
I did have some root damage with frozen water bottles, but only when i was using 2 4 litre jugs. That would bring my water down to 52 degrees farenheit and they suffered for it. I have sinced changed to one single 2 litre, and occasionally 2 2 litres when vegging. This keeps my water between 65-73 right where I want it, no damage since then. My next grow I will be adding another air pump and possibly as much as another 4 stones to add more oxygen so I don't have to use these measures anymore.
What I do is quickly take a min and add the hydrogen peroxide to the water i left sitting out the night before. Then in about 30 mins, I begin my chores. I put my tub in the room and start draining the nutes. While the nutes are draining, I start mixing the next weeks nutes in a seperate tub. I manage to get typically around 2-3 nutes mixed by the time the tub is almost full, so I turn the override off and finish mixing my nutes in the other tub. Once the nutes are mixed, I pH the solution, shop vac the res of my res out, then pour the new solution in from one container, and dump the BCNL container in the bathtub. I find when using 2 seperate containers it cuts down time be quite a bit. Not exactly relevant to what you asked but I thought I'd add this in. I'm sure between us BCNL growers we will have one tight way of doing things and itll help everyone out if we just chat about it.
I did have some root damage with frozen water bottles, but only when i was using 2 4 litre jugs. That would bring my water down to 52 degrees farenheit and they suffered for it. I have sinced changed to one single 2 litre, and occasionally 2 2 litres when vegging. This keeps my water between 65-73 right where I want it, no damage since then. My next grow I will be adding another air pump and possibly as much as another 4 stones to add more oxygen so I don't have to use these measures anymore.
stillcantroll
Active Member
Yea man your colas look great. I think you'll do fine, although I have no idea how your side branching is doing. I've seen medicine man using 4 t5 strips instead of 2, which makes sense because 2 sides of our plants arent getting any light if you think about it. I'm considering installing this next run.
I'm shooting for 0.5oz a plant, but I might not even make that much due to the height... well have to see. My next run with my know-how now, and a much better program and the extra pumps, im hoping to pull 1oz a plant. That is the goal, of course, the results... well.. we'll have to see
stillcantroll
Active Member
By the way, I got a microscope and took a look at my trichomes. I would recommend this to anyone, it is so, SO cool looking at the crystals on your own plant. 25$ well spent. Mine are a bit milky, with the odd one out of 10 or so being amber. I'm hoping by next week there will be enough of them amber, as I plan to chop on Thursday.
stillcantroll
Active Member
Left my res valve open, and spilled my entire res all over my floor. Awesome. Just thought id fill you in.
ancap
Active Member
oh suck.... I know this is going to happen to me one of these days. I've been paranoid about it. Sorry dude.
PDN247
Active Member
that does suck. run a check list every time you leave your grow room to make sure your areas clean and organized check that valves are closed and pumps are in the proper position, i check windows are cracked appropriately, i check and clear my thermometers , check whatever you need to check and make it a habit of doing it every time you leave.
I don't use the overide to drain my res, so the valve stays closed until i fill the res, i can't get all the water to the pump and it runs only partially submerged and it sucks up all the rockwool debris in the water. i tryed this but now i'd rather leave one netpot empty and just use a shopvac to drain ALL the water out. I empty the shopvac 1/2 way threw the res so that it's not to heavy.
I don't use the overide to drain my res, so the valve stays closed until i fill the res, i can't get all the water to the pump and it runs only partially submerged and it sucks up all the rockwool debris in the water. i tryed this but now i'd rather leave one netpot empty and just use a shopvac to drain ALL the water out. I empty the shopvac 1/2 way threw the res so that it's not to heavy.
stillcantroll
Active Member
Yea I hear ya on that one. I don't even use the valve to put nutes into the tub anymore, I just have a seperate rubbermaid container that I mix in, and I just open the lid and dump it in. Takes about 4 seconds 
But I hear ya. I was even thinkin of printing out a piece of paper and taping it to my door saying "IS YOUR VALVE CLOSED?" hahaha
But I hear ya. I was even thinkin of printing out a piece of paper and taping it to my door saying "IS YOUR VALVE CLOSED?" hahaha
stillcantroll
Active Member
So, here's my second-last post for this specific grow. Chopped today after 7 days of flushing and 3 days of shock ripening. I didn't notice even a little difference in the resin production as a result of the shock ripen, however I have read even without additional resin production, the darkness for a day or so is best for potency, so I'll continue to do just the darkness portion of it for a day or two less than this run. I'll tag a couple pictures on here. There's a pic of one of the trays. This was the first of three full trays, and was packed the lightest. I'm hoping for a half pound, I think I might have it, well see. TONS of sugar leaf trim for bubble hash as well.
When I have the final weights of the hash and dried bud I'll post again. Any questions ask away, thanks for staying tuned... and look out for journal #2!
When I have the final weights of the hash and dried bud I'll post again. Any questions ask away, thanks for staying tuned... and look out for journal #2!
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stillcantroll
Active Member
By the way, I did come across some mould in about 2 of the plants that I had to cut out. I'm going to guess this was due to the lack of airflow from the plants being so damned bushy.