My CFL Hydro Grow

The strain I went with is Maui Blue which crossed itself naturally in Hawaii. It's about an 80/20 sativa/indica. I will be renaming this strain to 'Maui Blue Loach' thanks to the fish water being used. :) I'm using a mix of 1gal fish tank water (which I vacuum the rock's as this is where all the fish shit falls to) to 2gal of normal water. Because the fish tank water has nutrients in it I'm using half the recommended dose of Ionic grow.

Here are some pics....

http://imgur.com/Jkm5x.jpg

The lights on the side; I just added those in anticipation for when she gets bigger and is going to need light on the sides. I just leave them on now, in the early stage as they do add a lot of light.

http://imgur.com/Lwbq0.jpg

http://imgur.com/3I28w.jpg

http://imgur.com/gK9tp.jpg

http://imgur.com/0Xv9f.jpg

http://imgur.com/fccoS.jpg

This is a high end very powerful computer fan. Although it is up high, I have it angled down to hit the lights and the plant. If I ran it straight across the top of the plant and the bottom of the lights it would snap the plant in half most likely.

http://imgur.com/KgNPd.jpg

http://imgur.com/ctiwI.jpg

More to come

Nice setup, very interesting with the fish water being used. Good luck!

Its kinda of a little take on aquaponics.

Definitely as natural you can get, and the results will be interesting. But I have to ask one thing, how are you going to regulate the amount of nutrients with the fish water?

Im not really. Thats why Im only going to use 1gal or 3. I figure its better to have too little then too much. What do you think?

Welcome to the fray! Growing can get addicting! :rastasmoke:


I'm kinda wondering the same thing as WeayLay about regulating the inbound nutes, but your idea of less is more is the right way to go about it. :thumbsup:

Keep an eye on her for deficiency's, and with the CFL setup don't wait too long to flower her.


Good luck! :hippy:

I was wondering how long Blue Mawi's flowering period is. And are you giving that plant low stress training?

I'm not really sure of this strain. Not able to find any info on it. As far as LST I dont know. This is my first grow since the 90's so I want to keep it as simple as I can. I might try to train it if need be.

I definitely suggest LST if you want to maximize your potential with those CFL's. Any picture updates?

Have any good links on this? Would love to do it but am scared of snapping something

My roots just came through my bucket today. When is the best time to start LST?

Also, At what point, if any do you remove the ties?

3-4 nodes of growth is a good point to start LST, if you remove the ties she's gonna try and stand back up. :D


I've used a screen to vege, Just keep training new growth back under the Screen,.... no ties needed. It's not practical in my newer grow, but I'm still using SCROG method for flowering on about 1/2 of my girls,... once I get my full groove going it'll probably be 100% SCROG.

Here are some updated pics. The roots have came through the mesh pot and the plant has grown 2in since yesterday. Time to LST

http://imgur.com/pdiVW.jpg

http://imgur.com/9A4Ke.jpg

http://imgur.com/tcZ8R.jpg

http://imgur.com/92SwA.jpg

Beautiful. Make sure you water it before you bend it, I find that it makes it a bit more flexible. I'd also like to recommend putting the side lights closer to the plant it self so that it receives more light.

I like your light reflectors, very innovative.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WeayLay

I'd also like to recommend putting the side lights closer to the plant it self so that it receives more light.

---

Yeah I'm going to work on that this weekend.

I'm still trying to get my pH down. I can't get it below 7. I put like 15 drops of pH down in and it didn't do much. Any suggestions?

How are you testing your pH levels, and if you can't get your pH lower than 7, I'd look into replacing the fish water with normal water and slowly add in the fish water.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jnewcs

Yeah I'm going to work on that this weekend.

I'm still trying to get my pH down. I can't get it below 7. I put like 15 drops of pH down in and it didn't do much. Any suggestions?

---

15 drops of down per what? I find here that about 20-25 drops per gallon settles it down to about 6-6.2 but tap is 8.1-8.5.

Invest in a PH Pen and buffers to keep it calibrated. I don't know how your testing your PH, but drop's and strips can be skewed by solid's (fish manure) or dies (from the hydro nutes)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WeayLay

How are you testing your pH levels, and if you can't get your pH lower than 7, I'd look into replacing the fish water with normal water and slowly add in the fish water.

---

Yeah I think I'm going to do away with the fish water when I do my next water change on Saturday, I am testing my pH with a pH test kit for fish tanks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by canniwhatsis

15 drops of down per what? I find here that about 20-25 drops per gallon settles it down to about 6-6.2 but tap is 8.1-8.5.

---

Oh really? The back of the bottle says to add a couple drops. Ill keep dropping some in there and see. I'm running a DWC in a 3gal bucket.

I just topped her and put my first tie on for LST. I will post some more pics tonight.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jnewcs

I just topped her and put my first tie on for LST. I will post some more pics tonight.

---

Why did you topped if you're applying LST? I think applying both will cause more stress. If you're already topped, just leave it like that. Later you can aplly LST to side branches if needed.

OK my bad. I thought it was OK to do both to keep her as low as possible. I'll take the tie off when I get home

I thought you just prepared the rope. Sorry this is my bad :) Just keep her that way if you already tied her down. LST doesn't cause stress as much as topping do. The name Low Stress Training. Both will stress the plant anyway and she already got high amount off stress from topping.
Some people do both but i don't know do they make together or what. You can take a look at their logs.

Yeah ill just Leave it. I still need to get my Ph down

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tevfik

Why did you topped if you're applying LST? I think applying both will cause more stress. If you're already topped, just leave it like that. Later you can aplly LST to side branches if needed.

---

I think there is a point of topping and LSTing together. The topping allows the plant to grow multiple crowns, and the LST works to get light throughout the plant top to bottom. They're both training methods, but it doesn't mean that you can't use them together.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WeayLay

I think there is a point of topping and LSTing together. The topping allows the plant to grow multiple crowns, and the LST works to get light throughout the plant top to bottom. They're both training methods, but it doesn't mean that you can't use them together.

---

One is much more stressful then the other and plant stops growing for a week though. Also some people saying topping will not increase the yield, only separate the potent to whole plant. LST does the same multiple grows without a break and jnewcs topped to keep her low. In this case LST could be enough to keep the plant low. This is what i think.

By the way still waiting for photos of training to talk much efficient.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tevfik

One is much more stressful then the other and plant stops growing for a week though. Also some people saying topping will not increase the yield, only separate the potent to whole plant. LST does the same multiple grows without a break and jnewcs topped to keep her low. In this case LST could be enough to keep the plant low. This is what i think.

By the way still waiting for photos of training to talk much efficient.

---

I know that one is more stressful than the other. Topping just lets the top to divide, but sometimes that doesn't happen. By having multiple top branches, you're introducing more light into the plant, and this is extremely important when you're working with CFLs. By LSTing, you're expanding the light coverage further.

And agreed on the pics needed.

Here are some new pics(all taken at the same time) As you can see through out the pics my tie down changes as I seek to improve my method. I'm trying to get it as horizontal as I can to spread the light to all the nodes. Here you go;

http://i.imgur.com/h1uBP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/lWHyC.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/hROfc.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/24P9H.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/5MASj.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/VFW71.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uVbJz.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eP545.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/4mS3W.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/k5Jtk.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/D3NWo.jpg

I have also managed to get my pH down. Didn't know I had to use as much of that stuff to get it to drop.

enjoy

That plant is LOVING that LST. Keep it up, and glad to hear about the pH solution.

Why are some of my fan leaves tips curling and drying out? I'm guessing its from my pH issues.

http://imgur.com/Ixf19.jpg

thx

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jnewcs

OK my bad. I thought it was OK to do both to keep her as low as possible. I'll take the tie off when I get home

---

You can do both at the same time with great resuslts, just makes sure you give the plants 2 weeks to recover from any stress that may have occured.
As long as theyre into the vegetation stage of growth, you can basically do whatever you want to them as long as you give them some time before you flower.


Topping and LSTing can be very beneficial when used together. Topping stimulates the growth of lower branches, while LSTing reinforces that by altering hormones and redirecting side growth to grow toward the light.



Its alot easier to light a more even canopy, than opposed to lighing a traditional christmas tree shaped plant. Its even more difficult when using CFL lighting.

Just by bending that plant over you increased your overall yield a bit.

Ties will stay in place!!! :)

She is loving the LST. I re did my side lights and added(Changed) 2 45w to the main light fixture. Here's some new pics

http://i.imgur.com/LwV1j.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/veqgl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/744fF.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/fW3Xs.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/7hBZf.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/F9g1a.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2EPUM.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/pSD3w.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/tVZ8N.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/tr0KW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Au836.jpg

Your pics are Sycodelic brother:thumbsup:

looks cool, keep it up.:D

Im having an issue with a couple of top fan leafs;

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0...D550/ry%3D400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0...D720/ry%3D480/

Looks like they were touching the lamps or too close. If this is the same leaf in the picture then lamps burned them. Don't worry, not a big deal. I also burned couple of times. They'll live and they'll be functional. But this doesn't mean you can burn all :) Keep them 2-3 cm away from the bulbs and also consider the distance of their movement.
http://i.imgur.com/tVZ8N.jpg

Considering that the lights are 4xW, I'd even say 5-8 cm is a safe bet. She looks like she's absolutely loving the LST. Keep it up bro. :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WeayLay

Considering that the lights are 4xW, I'd even say 5-8 cm is a safe bet. She looks like she's absolutely loving the LST. Keep it up bro. :D

---

Side lights aren't 4xW as i see from here. They look like 2xW and 4xW's are on top. By considering leaves movement it will end up to 5-8 cm anyway :) 5 is good i say.
LST yes! keep up!
Also you might want to set the bulbs paralel (vertical) to the plant, they look like giving light to the pot. Specially the left. First setup from previous pictures they were good. I don't mean far, just keep the angle like that if you can.

Did some more training today;

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0...D720/ry%3D480/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0...D720/ry%3D480/

Oh yeah, my bad. The side ones aren't 4xW. But that plant looks great man! Maybe different angles would show the new training a bit better.