First grow - 400w, LST Blue Rhino

StuntmanMike

Active Member
I have 4 female Blue Rhino plants, grown from seed from highgrade-seeds. They were vegged for ~2mo, and were switched to flowering on 1-5. Germinated with CFLs, switched to 400w MH, now 400w HPS. They're in a cab that is 3'x3'x5', which is in a small room I built into an outdoor garage.

I built the cab to have the light hood outside of the cab, rather than inside. This is good because it allows all of the ventilation to be kept outside of the cab, and maximizes space inside. The downside is that you have to move the plants to adjust for growth; however, a little more work is, IMO, worth it, because the plants are kept within inches, and the cab is kept nice and clean inside. The light is kept nice and cool with an 8" 500cfm inline duct fan from Home Depot, and because the garage/room is outside, temps are easily controlled (right now). I have the lights on at night and off during the day. Air is ventilated through the cab by another 500cfm fan, pulling through a homemade carbon scrubber. There is a small space heater hooked up to a thermostat, keeps the temp ~70s. There is also a small circular fan blowing from the floor up, gets the cool air up top and blows through the canopy so the plants always have fresh air being blown through them.

The plants are in 3g square pots, I'm using SugarPeak nutes, FF:OF soil. Nothing else added at this point.

I started LSTing them since they had 3-4 leaf sets. One plant ended up losing its top because it broke off, but the remaining branches have more than compensated. I let them veg until they filled up the pots. I have 2 BR that were the first to sprout, a bagseed (I'm pretty sure, it's showing much more sativa than the 30% that's in the BR), and another BR that is a week or so younger than the others. I had one male that I eliminated. I've taken clones from all 4 plants, they're rooting slowly but surely, some better than others.

When I built the room, I actually framed 2 rooms. The larger of the rooms is unfinished, but only needs drywall, insulation and a door. I plan on finishing this room, using it as a flowering room, and using the current grow cab as a veg cab. I want to have a kind of perpetual harvest setup going, I have the clones in my room, move them to the veg room, then to the flower room, and I can harvest every so often.

I just got my MMJ card/Dr rec today, and I'd rather not push my luck so I plan on staying with the 6 plants max (12 immature). So at any one point I can't have >6 flowering, but since I'm growing for myself, that's more than plenty.

Here are the most recent pics, I've got to upload some more but I'll post them in a few



 

StuntmanMike

Active Member
well the power co. came out and replaced a power pole, and I totally spaced and forgot that the light timers wouldn't run while the power was out. so they essentially got an extra 5hrs of dark or so. then the next dark period I adjusted the timer, but forgot to turn it back on :rolleyes: hopefully they won't be too stressed, at least the lights weren't kept on...

anyways, I'm seeing lots of trich growth, and they're starting to smell now. while tucking leaves i accidentally brushed my hand on a top, it smelled soooooooo yummy :hello: it was really fruity smelling, you can definitely smell the Blueberry

here are the pics, these are after 4 weeks of flower....halfway done :D


Macro

Macro


Macro

 

StuntmanMike

Active Member
The beginnings of the next grow :D



It's a bit of an investment, in quality meters, pump etc. But when it's ready to go the tubes will be put in the cab I used for my first grow, and the light will be inside. The reservoirs will be kept outside of the cab to try to insulate the solution from the heat of the light. I'm planning on training them either LST like I did the first time, or SCROG. I'm leaning more towards the screen, as it would be easy to work with and perfect for a small space to maximize yield. I got a GrandDaddy Purp clone from the club, I'm planning on keeping it as a mother and taking clones from it to plant in the aero system. I'm also planning on getting a 1000w light for the aero grow.
 

dontcopnone

Well-Known Member
I can't find it now, but someone here or on another grow forum posted a picture of the same CFL soda can reflector.

Whoever first thought of this - I FRICKING LOVE YOU, (wo?)man!

My first few were jacked up but once you get the hang of it they're easy and quick to make. If you have 23w bulbs ya gotta leave some material inside the top metal "ring" or it will be like a pickle down a hallway. 26 watters are damn near perfect if you trim almost all the lid metal out.
 

dontcopnone

Well-Known Member
One way to do this would be to use a can opener... If you haven't already used one.
Actually I used the knife on my leatherman. Poke a hole near the edge, hold the can sideways and carve down, rotating the can up as you go. Need to trim more? Just carve it out.

I used a scissors to cut out the opening in the side of the can after I poked starter holes with my knife.
 
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