Grow setup question / "Pre"Grow-log

[nicksevenfold]

Alright, I just invested some money in some new equipment, but before I begin going through the spec's, I just wanted to give a brief history of my experience.

I've been lurking around here for about a year and a half. My first grow was with a local strain, called Purple Sticky Punch, for which I was given three seeds. The genetics are unknown to me, I know it was cross-bred with skunk, but other than that I'm not sure. I had decent results--I was growing out of a rented house, with two plants that got to be about 14'' tall using 3 fluorescent tubes angled aroud the tops of the plants. (Not near enough lumenage, I know. Plus I didn't even switch bulbs when I began flowering. I think the bulbs were 40W apiece or something, and I had six of them. lolol)

Anyways, my results were decent, and I was pleased to say that my first grow yielded some of the best Marley I'd ever choked on. Since then, I've gotten more and more interested in starting an "Ops," and have invested a small amount of money in some decent equipment to start a small closet. MY specs are as follows:

-Lumatek 400w E-ballast
-Hydrofarm Daystar AC reflector
-Bubbleponics system w/ rockwool and hydroton (I know I'll be insulted for ACTUALLY investing money in a "plug-n'-play system, but hey, its my first real grow, and I didn't want to have a large margin for error on this one. Only problem is it has only 6 holes in the top. My methods of growing will come into question later in this post.)
-400W MH bulb (Lowe's special)
-400W HPS "Hortilux Eye"
-GH Flora and Micro nutes

Plus, I've mounted a 4'' inline fan on the side of my daystar. I have a 4'' to 5'' converter to hook it in, but I'll probably invest in a different inline, as this one is pretty weak, and I need all the space I can get vertically to jam it all in this closet.

Now, for my dimensions. I have nearly 6 ft. vertically, and about 3 feet both ways horizontally. My lights are on a pulley system, so I'm not terribly worried about exposure. I have, however, been reading up on ScrOG, and was wondering, would this be the best method to use for my personal dimensions and setup? I'll give my strains information.

-5x La Diva Auto Feminized
-5x AK-48 Fem
-1x 3D Fem. (freebie)
-1x Sweet Deep Grapefruit Fem. (freebie)
-3x Jack the Ripper (freebie)
-3x Cloud #9 (freebie)

I've read about some good experiences with ScrOG auto's, but I'm not sure if I would be brave enough to mix auto and regulars. Any thoughts?

I'll be beginning my grow log after some feedback, and after I move here in a week or so out of state. Until then, any criticism is greatly appreciated.

Happy 4.20! :rastasmoke::rastasmoke::rastasmoke:

NSF

[nicksevenfold]

Sorry to double post, but the holidays have caused me to with-hold information. My concerns are multiple, such as given the limited vertical space, would a ScrOG grow be wise? Like I said, my heighth is approx. 5.5ft vertical, nearly six. The Daystar itself is approx. 10'', and the bubbleponics stands at 14'' exactly. The screen would go anywhere from 12''-16'' above the bubbler, and I'm figuring in the light would have to be at least 12'' from the tops. So I'm figuring I could get in a good foot and a half of plant matter, maximum 2 ft if I mess around with my heighth. This is where I'm wondering about my method. Would 6x 2 foot tall plants really be worth the hassle in a ScrOG? Are there any other methods that I could benefit from, given my limited vertical space?

Thanks again,
NSF

[demoreal]

Personally if I was growing in a 3x3 area I would only grow one or two plants for a scrog grow. If you are growing 6 plants in a 3x3 area I do not think it would be the best idea. Unless I read something wrong.
Here is a really sweet scrog grow
http://boards.cannabis.com/grow-log/180266-finnscrog-trainwreck-mystery-sativa.html
You can check out my purple diesel sog grow in my signature. That is another idea. Even with a sog I would only use one strain.
what is it that you are trying to do?
You want to grow 6 strains in a 3x3 area?

[nicksevenfold]

Thanks for the information. I wasn't sure about growing all six, which is why I appreciate the feedback. At this point, I'd like to have three strains going most of the time. Maybe I could use the other three spots for clones or something if I got my timing down. I have heard 1 ft^2/plant for ScrOG though, but I really wasn't sure. So at that rate, I could probably have about three plants going, which would mean my fem'd freebies and one more unfem that I could clone off of later.

So all in all, would you lean more towards three plants?

[demoreal]

Doing a scrog with 6 plants in a 3x3 seems it would get out of control. I have a different growing style so you might want another opinion. I was thinking about doing a scrog in my 2x2 tent. If I do I will use 2 plants, maybe one with a larger pot and more veg time. 3 for you sounds more reasonable. Just my opinion though.

[demoreal]

I am not saying it is not possible using 6 plants. It just seems over kill for a scrog in a small area. I hope you have a grow log on here so I can see how your grow comes along!

some of my strains seem like they could handle that and some not. Using all those different stains will turn into a mess if you try to scrog them in that small area. For example my banana kush plant would be ok to do a scrog with 1plant per square foot. The way my GDP strain grows, one cola would take up one square foot, so doing a scrog a plant a foot would not go very well.

It really does depend how your plants grow, and your experience growing.

[nicksevenfold]

Well maybe I should just do three of one strain at a time, and then clone the strongest. That way I can get accustomed to the strain, and have one of each going at all times. I probably won't use all of my strains right away since my space is so limited, but hey, more to try later :]. However, I appreciate the feedback regardless!

As for a grow-log. I'll be moving into my new permanent address in two weeks, and I will begin a full-scale log then, including pics of my setup. Be sure to keep an eye out for me--I'll need all of the experienced help I can get!

[demoreal]

Well maybe I should just do three of one strain at a time, and then clone the strongest. That way I can get accustomed to the strain


good thinking

[demoreal]

If you are still hanging around these boards check this out:
http://boards.cannabis.com/grow-log/182202-my-scrog-brings-all-boys-yard-blue-widow-t5-e-f.html
that is what I had in my head for you.

[Dogfood]

Thanks for the information. I wasn't sure about growing all six, which is why I appreciate the feedback. At this point, I'd like to have three strains going most of the time. Maybe I could use the other three spots for clones or something if I got my timing down. I have heard 1 ft^2/plant for ScrOG though, but I really wasn't sure. So at that rate, I could probably have about three plants going, which would mean my fem'd freebies and one more unfem that I could clone off of later.

So all in all, would you lean more towards three plants?

I have 6 plants growing in a U shaped scrog now. The space is 33"x48". It can be Modified. Plus my plant are in 5 gallon buckets. If you used smaller buckets it could fit. I only have 2 threads with pictures of set up.

[nicksevenfold]

Well it's a bubbleponics system, so I can't really make it any smaller haha. I was thinking about putting in an external res. and just putting them in a shorter grow space but I don't know that doesn't seem like a good idea because of less root space. 3 or maybe 4 should do alright for me to have a decent personal and maybe get rid of a tiny bit as well. I should be able to improvise the space a little, as there is some duct-work in the way along the ground, but it doesn't rise above my ponics system so I probably actually have 42" length and width.

We'll see soon though, just started germing my first AK's :]. Got three in a paper towel as we speak.

[nicksevenfold]

How does growing with a U-shaped ScrOG work? What are the benefits?

[nicksevenfold]

I'll be starting the log tomorrow probably. I worked with the sq. ft-age and managed to get an extra foot each way. Line up is as follows:
- 2x fem Ak-48
- 2x regular "jack the ripper." (as I've been doing much research, I'm really looking forward to seeing how this one turns out.)

I started with two of each because they both are capable of handing around 1600 ppm of nutes from my research (correct me if I'm wrong, please!) and in some cases more than that if built up correctly. I still haven't mustered up the funds to buy a nute meter (Doh. Blew all my cash on the set-up!), nor built a screen, but i've got at least a week to get the meter done and several weeks to muster a screen.

I've been working all day on my set-up and turned the lights on to 250W to get them started (as they're only used to two 26W lights from my aerogarden that I started them in last week while moving), hanging my sunburst and attached fan about a foot above my bubbleponics. I'll be getting pictures tomorrow, as the lights should be going off at any given moment (as of right now, 20hrs on/4 hours off.)

Gonna go roll a rillo guys. It's been a long day full of wiring issues and broken hps bulbs (sigh, $-70.) Like I said, I'll be updating tomorrow with pictures. Still got plenty of projects to do, like wrapping everything in mylar (sp?)

Good night :rastasmoke:

[nicksevenfold]

Also, due to reading Demoreal's Purp Diesel thread, I will be removing the glass from my Sunburst as soon as I wake up in the morning. Someone on there posted an interesting note involving lightwave filtration and glass. I recently did a project in my chemistry class (freelance, and out of sheer interest and for extra-credit.) It does actually reflect light back towards the bulb, as well as filter a little bit of light output (actually depends on the glass "color" as someone said, as that decides the wavelength of the light getting filtered out.)

Anyways, sorry for rambling, just puffing on this rillo and remembering. Peace guys.

[demoreal]

post your 6 plant 3x3 scrog on these boards. I would like to see how it turns out.
Are you doing 6?
or are you doing 4, 2 different strains.

[nicksevenfold]

Only doing four (the ones that are listed in the previous post.) I'll be making a new thread in about 45 minutes when I take the pics, so its not misleading. Look forward to seeing you there!