Plants are OK, but want them to be AWESOME

Hi, I've been reading a lot on here but would like some input/feedback on what I can do to make my grows better.

Here's my setup:
CAP Ebb & Grow system with about 24 - 2 gallon buckets with hydroton
I water about four times during the light and once in the middle of night
CAP CO2 controller & propane generator
CAP environmental controller
3 - 1000 W HPS w/ AC vented hoods
1 - 600 W HPS w/ AC vented hood
2 - Hydrofarm 6" inline fans cooling the lights
1 - 8" inline fan pulling through a CAN 66 carbon scrubber
1 - 8'x8' GL 240L Growlab Growtent
1- Airstone in the reservoir

Nutrients:
Veg: 3 part GH
Budding: Lucas Formula - General Hydroponics Flora Bloom & Micro
I use liquid karma sparingly at the beginning of bloom until about four weeks in
PPM at around 1200 to 1400 w/ 0.7EC conversion
I add back nutrients every couple of days as necessary
Change nutrient solution completely about every three or four weeks and run Clearex
I don't check PH much because I use lucas formula, but usually check it when I add liquid karma. It's always between 5.5 and 6.5.
I use RO water always.

Plants:
I usually veg for 4 weeks
Finishing Barney's Farm Blue Cheese
Barney's Farm Red Diesel about four weeks in

Temp:
Keep them around 85 during the light cycle and 75 at night.
Nutrient solution kept at 70 to 75 degrees
Humidity is kept at 50%


So that's my setup.

Here's my problems:
1. After three or four weeks into flower they start to yellow. I have read this is normal, but when I look at some of you guys, you're plants stay dark green the entire grow. Does this not leave a lot of nitrogen in your plants and there by make it a harsher smoke?
2. I feel like I don't have a good grip on the nutrients. I have grown in the past using ALL of the additives the guy at the hydro shop told me I HAD TO HAVE and here's what happened:
1. 2/3 rd's of my plants died, my PPM's were up in the 2000's+
2. the 1/3 rd that lived, produced the heaviest, dankest plants I have ever seen (WOS Afghan Kush)

Here's my questions and I would really like answers from veteran medium to large scale growers:
1. What additives are necessary? When do you apply them? At what rate?
2. How much of a difference would it make for me to get a chiller on my nutrient solution?
3. Has anyone switched from GH to Advanced Nutrients and seen a huge difference under the same growing conditions? Is it worth it?
4. How much dry weight would you expect out of 3600W of HPS & CO2 using an average to high yielding strain?
5. WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU MAKE TO MY SETUP TO MAKE IT MORE PRODUCTIVE?

I know I'm a newbie on here but I would really appreciate some help from veteran growers.

they looks nice as is, to have a little better crop i would change the temp from the 85 closer to 75 (optimal). and when you change the res with fresh nutes dont use clearex every time because it draws out all of the nutes from the plant and puts them into stasis for a few days until the roots reabsorb the new water. Hince the yellowing. a good general schedule to go with is:

Veg
1st week 0-1/4 strength nutes
2nd week 1/4-1/2 strength
3rd week 1/2-full strength
4th week full then flush for 2-3 days.

Flower (can vary on strains)
1st week 0-1/4
2nd week 1/4-1/2
3rd week 1/2-full
4th week full
5th week full w/boosters
6th ""
7th ""
8th start cutting back from full-3/4 on all
9th 3/4-1/2 on all
10th 1/2-1/4 on all
11th 1/4-0 on all
12th pure water start flush

varitions take place on 2nd month indica's usally 8-10 weeks so you may want to take the cut backs from full to 1/2 then to 0.
sativas the schedule is good for them as is depending on how the trichs look.
Good luck and happy smoking

qazwers1 said:

they looks nice as is, to have a little better crop i would change the temp from the 85 closer to 75 (optimal). and when you change the res with fresh nutes dont use clearex every time because it draws out all of the nutes from the plant and puts them into stasis for a few days until the roots reabsorb the new water. Hince the yellowing. a good general schedule to go with is:

Veg
1st week 0-1/4 strength nutes
2nd week 1/4-1/2 strength
3rd week 1/2-full strength
4th week full then flush for 2-3 days.

Flower (can vary on strains)
1st week 0-1/4
2nd week 1/4-1/2
3rd week 1/2-full
4th week full
5th week full w/boosters
6th ""
7th ""
8th start cutting back from full-3/4 on all
9th 3/4-1/2 on all
10th 1/2-1/4 on all
11th 1/4-0 on all
12th pure water start flush

varitions take place on 2nd month indica's usally 8-10 weeks so you may want to take the cut backs from full to 1/2 then to 0.
sativas the schedule is good for them as is depending on how the trichs look.
Good luck and happy smoking

Click to expand...

I am interested in why you back off the nutrients starting on the 8th week of bloom. GH formulae says go balls to the wall until the 12th week then flush. Most people say flush on the 2nd to last or last week of bloom.

What is the reasoning behind this?

Taste, while yes most people go balls out till the end and i have too. lowering the amount off available nutes allows the plants to flush better at the end to rid it of all traces of the nutes. Plus like i said it is a good general schedule. so you can modify to your liking.

the one that i follow and have seen good results from is like this
flower (personal indica)
1st week 0-1/4
2nd week 1/4-1/2
3rd week 1/2-full
4th week full
5th week full w/boosters
6th ""
7th ""
8th 3/4 on all
9th 1/2 on all
10th flush

and this usually gets 1-1.5 ounces dry on a 24 inch indica.

Thanks qazwers1, what nutes and what boosters do you use?

i try to lower my temps a little as they end their life cycle, but i read when using CO2 that the temp should stay a little higher so it can use the CO2 more rapidly. A buddy of mine minored in botany and backed up the theory that slightly higher temps with CO2 increase yield. The Red Diesel seems to do well in higher temps and I've actually pushed the temps up to 90 max before and had a really nice crop. I have another small room with one 600 and no CO2 that runs at 72 day and night and the buds don't form nearly as fast as the one with CO2. And that is comparing the 600's from one room to the next, the 1000's give off a lot bigger bud of course!

On a side note, the Barney's Farm Red Diesel is a massive producer using the Lucas Formula. I think some strains are better suited for Lucas Formula than others, what do you think?

Agreed the Lucas formula is better for some than others, personally I have not grown hydro in a a few years and the technology and release of better products lately has drove the quantity and quality of the bud far past what it has been. Personally Fox Farms hydro nutes is what i used and had great results, as for boosters it was some local organics the hydro shop had (similar to GH & AN) specificly I cant remeber what it was called. Today, I don't have a clue what to use since AN has like 30+ products for boosters and GH is untested territory on my part. Best case I can offer is look the ratios in what you using and find a high pk booster like [FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] Open Sesame®, Beastie Bloomz®, and Cha Ching®[/FONT]

I would be happy. For the amount your growing. They are really nice and you can change everything around and nothing good will come of it. Your doing a great job. Don't mess with the process to much. Just my 2 cents. good luck not that you need it.

Thanks Icannabis! I'm pretty happy with it but there's always room for improvement. I think I might get a chiller for the nutes and maybe one booster to try sparingly.

google the PH manifesto it's written by AN and it has some really good info, i had to read it like 6 times. I use AN because it's made and designed to mix with RO water so you don't have to worry about additives. Read the PH manifesto by big mike

awesome pdn247, how's your crops with AN?

honestly i can't say yet, this is my first hydro grow. technical facts aside i think you get what you pay for so why spare no expense on the setup just to cheap out on the nutes. I know the manifesto is written by AN so it may be a little bias but most good sales pitches are true. regardless of your nutrient decision there should be some yield increasing info in that guide. all i can say from personal experience with AN is even in times of some very serious ph swings i have never experienced any nute lockout or deficiencies, possibly thanks to the high quality chelates used in the AN formula.