My 600w HPS First Grow - Comments Welcome!

Paaa

Active Member
Around the 1st of March I was discussing with a friend setting up a small grow at home, just a casual conversation, I was pretty happy to get a call from him later in the night saying I'd better sort out a home for my 3 new girls...

I built (if you can call it building) a (metric system! *gasp*) 1.2m x 1.2m x 1.8m box - lined it with panda, installed a couple of case fans for airflow - hung a 600w HPS and had a nice new home for the little ones.

Both myself and my lady wanted to have a go at cloning, we veged the 3 under 24/0 for about 2 weeks, cloned 3 and had 100% success on our first go.
 

Attachments

  • CIMG3209 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3209 (Small).JPG
    44.9 KB · Views: 20
  • CIMG3211 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3211 (Small).JPG
    96.2 KB · Views: 27
  • CIMG3213 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3213 (Small).JPG
    88.5 KB · Views: 24
By the end of the month - the 3 starter plants had become totally out of control - in now what appears to be a stupid move we decided to move the 3 bigger ones to 1 large bin - keeping the other 3 in their own little buckets for the time being. More clones were taken and feeding continued using standard bat guano every couple of days.

Here you can see the crazy bin idea, we tried to LST the front brances down and tied the others to the backing.

Pics taken on 29 March.
 

Attachments

  • CIMG3226 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3226 (Small).JPG
    98.7 KB · Views: 13
  • CIMG3225 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3225 (Small).JPG
    99.2 KB · Views: 22
  • CIMG3223 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3223 (Small).JPG
    98.9 KB · Views: 23
Mid April - Plants still on veg cycle while waiting for more growth and more clones to be taken - the 3 bigger plants were really begging to be turned to a flower cycle by now, the lack of a place for clones to live made me buy even more lights, 2 fluro bulbs and build a temp box for them to live in....

Similar concept to the main box, but much much smaller.... if I had known - I would have built this box bigger right from the start....

The cloning plan was to have each clone, rockwool, then inside the bottom 1/2 of a coke bottle with plastic wrap over the top.... Worked well, we lost 2 out of the 10 we took on the second attempt.....
 

Attachments

  • CIMG3272 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3272 (Small).JPG
    94.7 KB · Views: 7
  • CIMG3271 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3271 (Small).JPG
    58.8 KB · Views: 9
  • CIMG3275 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3275 (Small).JPG
    64.2 KB · Views: 10
April 23 - Lights were changed to 12/12 - all clones were taken from plants and were sitting nicely in their now glowing box. Massive growth from the plants in the 1 big bin - the other 3 in their buckets were not getting enough light I suspect...

Looking at them now, the nodes on each branch are a huge length apart - almost 20cm apart in fact, I'm not sure that was the best idea to have such a monster bunch in with another 3 little ones...

These pics were taken on the 4th of May, so 2 weeks ish of being on 12/12 - clones all now rooted and moved to little soil pots in the same box.
 

Attachments

  • CIMG3299 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3299 (Small).JPG
    94 KB · Views: 11
  • CIMG3301 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3301 (Small).JPG
    64.1 KB · Views: 6
Just over 2 weeks on - 20th of may - in my novice eyes things are going fantastic - I'm noticing a slight yellowing of the leaves - people tell me this is kinda normal under flowing conditions but I'm still slightly worried.

Started adding about 3Tbs of Epsom Salts to the feeding.

Clones are going fine, just a little concerned 3 of them seem to be lagging behind a bit, still new growth at the tips and good root structure from what I'm guessing - keeping going with them.

(excuse the image quality on these pics - normal camera was out of action on that day)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0116.jpg
    IMG_0116.jpg
    77.5 KB · Views: 26
  • CIMG3319 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3319 (Small).JPG
    90.4 KB · Views: 17
  • IMG_0118.jpg
    IMG_0118.jpg
    69.3 KB · Views: 17
This brings us to day 34 of the flowering cycle - 25th of May - I'm unsure how long yet - looking for any advice or comments for a first timer....

The Epsom salts are bringing back life and colour to the leaves a little - keeping in mind they have only had 2 feeds with that added so far - but something to remember for next time around I guess :D
 

Attachments

  • CIMG3334 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3334 (Small).JPG
    116.3 KB · Views: 22
  • CIMG3333 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3333 (Small).JPG
    106 KB · Views: 12
  • CIMG3336 (Small).JPG
    CIMG3336 (Small).JPG
    82.5 KB · Views: 12
I should also mention - installed a carbon sock, just a small one and attached a 120mm case fan to it in a way that would make any person with half an idea about airflow cringe.... but still, seems to be doing the job, theres no real smell around the box, just a slight musty kinda smell....

these 2 pics show the change in the bud in just 4 days... really looking forward to cutting and drying, even just a little would be fantastic :D
 

Attachments

  • 20 May.jpg
    20 May.jpg
    96.8 KB · Views: 14
only a quick update at the moment - things are going really well, I'm considering cutting back on the guano a little, perpare them for flushing in the next week or so

I did find out my camera is hopeless at trying to take photos through a loop heh...

and that I needed a much higher box for clones, they were starting to just get a little tall for the other box... still 3 of them are stunted, unsure why but they keep on living and growing so I'll keep going with them I guess.
 

Attachments

  • CIMG3367.JPG
    CIMG3367.JPG
    37.6 KB · Views: 5
  • CIMG3389.JPG
    CIMG3389.JPG
    64.1 KB · Views: 6
  • CIMG3384.JPG
    CIMG3384.JPG
    49.9 KB · Views: 5
  • CIMG3390.JPG
    CIMG3390.JPG
    96.1 KB · Views: 9
Took some pics just before the lights were due to go off. Grabbed a snap of the filter and fan setup heh, I'm really unsure if the 120mm case fan is enough, every so often I can smell it - but no one else around here seems to notice anything so maybe its just me.

Day 38 of flowering today, starting to get a little restless on them, I keep wanting to check on them haha - I'll keep my self undercontrol thou, its just a waiting game from here I suspect.
 

Attachments

  • CIMG3401.JPG
    CIMG3401.JPG
    74.6 KB · Views: 12
  • CIMG3391.JPG
    CIMG3391.JPG
    49.5 KB · Views: 8
  • CIMG3402.JPG
    CIMG3402.JPG
    49.2 KB · Views: 9
That looks great! Yeah keep your smeller on alert. Plant some lavender outside. Oh just read in the new High Times that 24-48 hrs of darkness before harvest will make your plant more potent, well this is what I have been saying for the last 6 weeks. I did 36 hrs and WOW.
Just something to think about.
 
Took a couple of pics just as the light turned off this morning. Buds have really filled out over the last day or so
 

Attachments

  • CIMG3408.JPG
    CIMG3408.JPG
    92.7 KB · Views: 11
  • CIMG3409.jpg
    CIMG3409.jpg
    92.6 KB · Views: 12
  • CIMG3413.JPG
    CIMG3413.JPG
    101.2 KB · Views: 10
You have some bad nutrient burns there Paaa, If you're feeding them, stop and just give water for atleast a week.
This should help a bit, but good work.

Subscribed
 
Thanks for the heads up! I figured something was going on but wasn't sure what, I've fed them only water for the last 2 feeds.

I think the guano I've been using is a lot more potent than I've given it credit for. I'll take some more pics and update, its about due I think.
 
Back
Top