Icemuds 7 Strain, Mineralized Soil Grow, With Intelligent Gro Led.

 Hello everyone and welcome to my Grow Journal!!!


I am Icemud and have been growing now for 3+ years. I am a indoor soil grower who as of now have successfully completed 7 harvests over the past few years and as of now grown over 20-25 strains. I have used many different soil mixtures and recently have been on the quest for High Brix, as well as I have used many different types of lights from HID (CMH, MH and HPS) and recently converted over to LED to save on electricity, as well as give my plants a better quality light.

What strain is it?

Black Cherry Cola: not exactly sure what the genetics are but found this on one website "Airborne G13 X Ortega x C99 x Blackberry x Cherry AK-47 – 20% Indica/80% Sativa"

GDP: Supposedly Big Bud x Purple Eurkle, this is one of my favorite strains. I am excited to have 2 of them Definitely going to have to keep them around for a while.

Harlequin: A High CBD strain that gives about a 1:1 ratio of THC/CBD, great for the medicinal effects without a full blown high. About a 75%/25% sative/indica and typically produces 4-6% CBD or higher I couldn't find the details on the genetics but the sativa side is supposedly from a columbian gold and a strain from switzerland and the indica side from a Nepal strain.

Purple Dragon: Purple Urkle x Blue dragon (Sour Diesel x Blueberry)

Green Candy OG: Green Cr@ck x Candy Kush (OG x Trainwreck)


Is it in Veg or Flower stage?
Currently In flowering.



Indoor or outdoor?
Indoor using a 2x4 Hydrohut Silver Edition (Actual Measurment 55" x 28" x 78"),


Soil or Hydro?
Soil


If soil... what is in your mix?

I am running the soil from my last grow, mixed with about 20% new soil that has cooked for a few months. Both were amended at the same time with the following amendments. Upon re-use, I did not add anything to the mix.


The Base Soil Mix:
Each of these equaled about 2 1/2 (2gallon) pots.
So a total of 5 pots of premixed soil was used
8 (2gallon pots) of ProMix HP
2 (2 gallon pots) of FF Ocean Forest
2 1/2 (2gal pots) of Worm Castings
1 1/2 (2gal pot) of Volcanic Pumice
2 (2gal pot) of Alaskan Forest Humus

The Amendments: Make up 15% of my total soil mix
1 1/2 Cup of Azomite (trace minerals and micronutrients)
4 Cups of Calcium Carbonate Powder 97%
3 1/2 Cups of Soft Rock Phosphate (Collidal Clay with high phosphorus and CEC value)
1 1/3 Cups of Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate)
2 Cups of Crab Meal 2-3-0 23% calcium(also a P source and source of chitin a hormone/growth regulator)
1 1/2 Cups of Fish Bone meal. (3-18-0) 24% Calcium
1 1/2 Cups of Lava Sand (adds trace minerals and supposedly adds paramagnetic value to the soil)
2 Cups of Crab Shell Meal 2-3-0 23% Calcium
2 Cups of Kelp Meal (also has growth hormones and PGR's, plus trace minerals)
1 Cup of Alfalfa Meal. (2-0-3) (contains Trichontinol which aids in plant growth and health)
1/2 Cup of Powdered Humic Acid (Adds Carbons to the soil as well as trace minerals and aids in chelation of minerals)
1/2 Cup of Humboldt Myco's Maximum (Beneficial Bacteria and Mycorrizae Fungus)
1/2 cup of Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulfate)
1/3 Cup of Greensand (0-0-3) (Trace Minerals)
1/2 Cup of Dry Molasses (1-0-3) (Energy for the Microbes)



If soil... What size pot?
Flowering transplant into 5 gallon plastic square pots.



Size of light?
(2) Intelligent-Gro 228w LED Grow lights (IGRO-228LED)


Is it aircooled?
The tent is yes, the lights are vented and cooled with internal fans.


Temp of Room/cab?
Between 73-82F in Flowering Tent


RH of Room/cab?
Generally between 40-50%, humidifiers are available if it dips with offshore breezes here in Socal.


PH of media or res?
I don't check it, its soil.


Any Pests ?

Not any currently, I use Spinosad, SNS and other preventative measures to keep it that way


How often are you watering?
Young vegging plants about 1x every week and a half
larger Vegging plants about 1x per week
flowering plants early flowering about 1x per week
flowering late about 1x every 4 days.



Type and strength of ferts used?

Using foliar products including Bloomit, Amaze and PGR.
I also will be using Tand J enterprises tea and bio-minerals
about 1x per month I will be giving a soil drench of earthjuice

Other nutrients on hand include and may be used:
occasional additive include advanced nutrients: carboload, organic b, fulvic acid
occasional additives include general organics: bioweed, cal/mag, hydrolyzed squid, florablend tea, bioroot
bonide liquid fish 2-4-0...love this stuff!
SNS pest products for prevention
Spinosad by bonide


I welcome everyone to my journal and feel free to ask questions, chime in with advice or just enjoy the ride.
 
I currently am on day 6 of flowering, from the 12/12 flip. I noticed a slight N deficiency so have been giving slightly more N in the form of liquid guano's and hydrolyzed squid. Here are the latest photos.


 

 

Thanks!! I am loving your lights so far!! They are growing my plants amazingly!!!! The custom controller is an awesome feature as well!!

 

If anyone is curious, I made a video on how to use the Intelligent Gro LED controller. I will post it for everyone who is intersted. I have to say I love this light!
 
http://youtu.be/cjdo8Z37D6M

 

Here is a video I made showing how I take clones... Hope you all enjoy!
 
http://youtu.be/Nqley4ti1ug

 

I know that High Brix growing is a evolving newer technique in Cannabis Growing but I made a video on how to test your brix levels, check it out!!!
 
Higher Brix plants are healthier!
 
Higher Brix plants are closer to their genetic potential!
 
High Brix plants repel pests!
 
High Brix plants produce buds with very detailed flavors, with extremely smooth smoke!
 
There are many more benefits of high brix,....what is your plants Brix?
 
http://youtu.be/QvRSKiCabJo

 

Today would make day 11 of flowering, not much to report today but here are some photos to enjoy!
 
I have to say, these Intelligent Gro LED grow lights are so far the best lights I have run!
 
 

 

Hey Sara, its me..

 

Whats up everyone, quick update.
 
The ladies are doing great, today would make Day 15 of flowering and so far the leaves look healthy, good flower formation with lots of white pistils sticking out everywhere. So far I am very impressed with these Intelligent Gro lights... lets see whats to come!
 
Last night I gave them a foliar spray of compost tea before the lights went out.
 
Here are the photo's...enjoy!
 

 

And a few close ups of the girls.
 
 

 

Hey Low Water, thank you so much for the props and recognition! Much appreciation of your interest in High Brix growing!
 
So far I am very impressed with the Intelligent gro LED's for many reasons. The main thing being the custom controller and programmable color channels. Since you have seen my high brix journals, you know I am one who loves to manipulate things to see the effects, trying to create the best possible environment for my plants. I love how the Intelligent Gro lights allow me to add more blue, or red, or lower intensities, or even change spectrums through the day. I see so many future trials to test out with these lights, and they are the only ones I am aware of with a custom programmable feature like this on the market.
 
The other side to the dimming/custom channels I like is that I am not using 100% intensity, during all daylight hours. The lamps slowly ramp up to full intensity and then after mid day, ramp down towards night. This uses far less electricity and saves me even more money in my electric bills vs running a light that is full intensity with no other options. they have a nice layout on their website which shows how this can save you a lot of money.
 
Another reason I am impressed with Intelligent Gro is that they have a wide range of diodes and cover the whole blue region where most LED companies fall short. They also have 3 different white LED's integrated into the COB chip so that I am getting full spectrum, the difference between the whites allows for some to have more high blue, some higher red and so on. The Lenses on the LED chips also make these lights extremely bright and the light has no problem penetrating through 1 1/2' of thick foliage and more..
 
Another huge feature for me that I like about the intelligent gro lights, is how quiet they are. You can't even hear the fans running unless your ear is right up to the panel. I have other panels from a different manufacturer and they are extremely loud, sounding like a room fan on high. I don't have to grow stealthy, but I also enjoy peace and quiet, and the Intelligent Gro's definitely run whisper quiet.
 
These are the main reasons I am really likeing the Igro lights. Plus my plants are looking extremely healthy, and didn't have too much stretch, or too tight of nodes...just right!
 
I have used panels by Top LED, and also used CMH, MH and HPS in the past,  and currently own 3x mars II 80x5w and 1x 144x3w reflector series. I have to say for a cheap entry level panel they are nice, and they can grow plants. But they are extemely loud, the Mars II run pretty hot and blow a lot of hot air, I went from 1000w of HID (air cooled) to 3x Mars II 80x5w and my grow area temps are about 3-5 degrees hotter with the LED's. The reflector series light is very bright, but I have been using it on the veg setting and it just doesn't seem to be growing my plants very fast in veg, must slower than the intelligent gro, much slower than HID. I don't want to knock them because they are decent grow lights, but the added features on Intelligent gro definitely have set it ahead of the pack in my opinion and therefor I am very pleased with the results I am getting so far...
 
You asked about yield, I haven't finished a full grow yet with them, currently on day 20 of flowering, so we will know within the next 2 months how they do, but so far, very thick white pistils, getting very dense, already seeing trichome production on the sugar leaves, I think I am going to be very impressed.
 
The quality of the panels is top notch. The product details are on their website, but they use server quality fans, they have dual heatsinks plus the unit itself acts like a heatsink so that it pulls heat away from the chips and drivers. They also use aluminum alloy on their PCB boards vs a lot of companies who use a fiberglass type material which offers poor heat dissipation. They also include lenses on the LED chips to help focus the light, the panels are slimmer than others I have used, and very lightweight and solid. The body is a nice looking brushed aluminum and the endcaps/airvents are a plastic type material that seems very sturdy and durable. Also I can't even imagine the kind of technology that went into making these lights be able to be automated with the custom controller. Im guessing they had to get special circuts made, special drivers, and many other high tech kind of components to enable this type of control.
 
I can't comment on the customer service since I was sponsored these panels, so I did not go the normal purchase route as a lot of customers would. I have talked with the owner, he is a very nice guy, very interested in LED technologies and looking to bring us growers the best technologies available. So I would assume, based on his personality that I experienced and plus by sponsoring me, I would have to say the service was great, and I would expect anyone to have a good experience as well.
 
I hope this answers your questions, but if you have more, feel free to ask away! Thanks again for joining my journal and for your interest in my grow Stay tuned cause I think this one is about to get exciting.
 
 
 
I have to say going from 1000w of HID to about 360w of LED and seeing better results, I'm sold!

 

Hey Everyone,
 
Today would be day 20 of flowering (from the flip). The girls are looking great and the sugar leaves already are showing trichome formation. The leaves have a very healthy green to them, the upward posture of the petioles tells me the plants are very happy as well.
 
Here are today's photos.... (the spots you see on the leaves is not Powdery Mildew, its residue from a foliar spray from about 4 days ago)
 
 

 

Here is a few close up budshots!
 
 

 

 
Hey Jose!!! Thanks for joining along my journal. I am happy that my videos and online grow jounals have helped you out! Definitely feel free to follow along and ask away any questions