LowRyder #2 - CFL - Grow Log

[chadsvb]

I just wanted to make a note of something real quick. As you see in the previous post, there's a nice little 4" fan for exhaust. I finally got me some 4" duct and ran it up above the lights. It seems to cool it off much better this way.

Also, I went to Home Depot and they did not have the Jiffy Seedling Starter Soil. Everything they had was "Feeds up to 3 months" crap... Really, there's nothing but that self-feeding soil around here! I'm just gonna have to order it online to have next time around.

[reworgallirog]

how are those little compressed dirt pots i was wondering if they would be worth it. It seems like a cool idea, please let me know how it goes when you place them in the pot and how well they "decompose" or whatever.
-thanks
Reworg

[chadsvb]

Ok, the locals wanna try to tell me that there's no such thing as potting soil without nutes in it (self-feeding). So, I got outta town. Found a Lowe's instead of the co-op and home depot. Man, they had the motherload.

I picked up some Seedling Starter Soil and a Soil pH Probe.

Tell me this, would it be too late (or too risky) to repot these babies, slowly breaking away the dirt until I see roots. I would like to put them in this seedling soil, but I'm not sure if I've already went to far, to go back now... Suggestions are very much welcome!

I'll get some more pictures later on, it's nighttime right now (well, for the babies it is).

Oh, just a note to myself, I'm watering today.

[Loafyboy]

I am no soil expert, but I would not try to remove the soil from the roots, I feel that would do more harm than good at this stage. I would see how they go in the current soil and use potting soil when you transplant to a larger pot.

I have not tried peat pots either, so don't know whether that will have an effect on the level of nutes

[Loafyboy]

BTW, forgot to say, I like that light fitting, looks good. :thumbsup:

[chadsvb]

Ok, last night was very interesting. I think my plants are in shock. Possibly on their way out. That's right, we did a full transplant into new potting soil. There was mostly just the tap-root on all of them, with a few small shoots running off the main root. Either way, we were quick to get them into the new soil, but as you said Loafyboy, it may have been the wrong decision. I let them go in dry soil last night, then got up this morning and the oldest Mind Binder was completely yellow. So, this morning I watered them all with 6.8pH water, in hopes that they'll perk back up within a few days.

If not, I'll start over. With the new potting soil, I'm kind of anxious to start over anyways...

And, just in case Santa Claus is readint this, I want a 400W Switchable MH/HPS Lighting System with an air coolable hood!

[Loafyboy]

They'll probably pick up is my bet. Hang on in there man! Oh, and move the lights well away for a few days while they recover. :thumbsup:

[chadsvb]

Well, here's an update. They're all still alive. That doesn't mean they are creating a jungle, that means I see signs of life. 3 of the 4 LR2's are looking like they're in good shape. The other, well, it looks like it needs some help with depression, but in another day or two I may see some new growth from it. So it stays! For now...

As for the two MindBinder plants, the first and biggest is still pretty yellow. It doesn't show signs of wilting or anything except for the over yellow color. The second of the MindBinder stretched a lot before I transplanted and for some reason it didn't get put deeper into the soil. So it's still tall.

So, the summary, 4 out of 6 ain't half bad.

I checked the moisture in the soil, it's still somewhat damp an inch or so down. I'm going to hold off watering them until Wednesday, if possible. A little feedback on that would be nice. I'm just not sure how to treat them since they are kind of shocked right now.

Also, with the yellowing MindBinder, would anyone say that it's safe to give it some nutes with it's water tomorrow? Again, I'm open to suggestions.

[chadsvb]

I just got home to check on them. The one LR2 that hasn't been doing good, still isn't doing good. No change, period. It looks exactly the same as it did when I first changed the soil. The other three LR2's seem to be doing good. The one MindBinder that was really yellow is now getting it's green back. The second MindBinder is just there. Before it's over, I already see two plants being removed. Those being the second MB and the non-responsive LR2. Time will tell.

[chadsvb]

No news is good news, so this is not good news. At this point, only 4 remain. So far, I've pulled two of the LR2's. One of them I was already planning to pull out, but the second one just crapped out. I'm letting the rouge MindBinder do it's thing, but it doesn't seem to be getting much better.

The two healthy LR2's are tiny, but green and growing, just slowly. The first MindBinder plant that was yellow, it is now fully green and growing well.

I got some Pure Afgan beans ordered, which is 100% Indica. Maybe I'll be able to upgrade to a 400w Switchable MH/HPS Cool Tube setup by the time I'm ready to plant them.

Until then, I'm going to keep going with what I've got. Previously, I was watering every other day because they seemed quite dry. But now I've decided to hold off an extra day. After their dark cycle today, they'll get some water. I last watered them Tuesday. Also, I've been giving the biggest MindBinder some nutes, which seems to have gotten it back right. I think I'll go with straight water for it tonight though.

When they get some size to them, I will post you some pictures. :thumbsup:

Hey, give me some feedback on this: I can get a "regular" switchable mh/hps ballast or a "digital" ballast...? If 400w = 400w, how does a digital ballast save electricity? If you had the option, which would you get? I'm assuming the digital, but I just don't see how it saves... That's why I'm asking you!