Closet DWC - Bagseed

Discussion in 'Indoor Grow Journals' started by siobber, Aug 16, 2011.

  1. Hello All!

    So this isn't my first grow, but it would still consider myself inexperienced as a grower, especially after reading other people's grow journals. Anyways, I should get to the point.

    I just moved into my new one bedroom apartment and decided that I would like to start growing again. I thought about it and decided I'd like to combine the two previous methods I'd used to grow in the past and use the DWC method with a Perlite and Vermiculite as my grow medium. I'm actually not sure if this was a good move on my part or not, but I figured if I had to I could ditch the DWC and just hand-water later. (Any input or experience anyone my have with these methods or the combination - advise and critique are more than welcome.)

    I will be growing in the closet of my bedroom - which is pretty safe considering that I very rarely have people over to my place of living along with my bedroom being more of a storage area than a bedroom so I'm the only one that even goes in that room.

    So here's the setup:

    -Method: DWC (Bubble Tub)
    -Medium: Perlite (about 80%) and Vermivulite (About 20%)
    -Lights: CFLs (The spiral ones) - I bought a whole bunch of 26W ones on my last grow, so I'll be using those again. I have plenty so getting the correct amount of Wattage per plant shouldn't be a problem.
    - Seed/Strain: 5 random bagseeds that I've had saved. I only save seeds from good stuff I've smoked in the past that happened to have a few seeds. I just threw them all into a small air-tight container, so they could be anything strain-wise - and definitely not Feminized.
    -Nutrients: I will be using the Fox Farm trio. I wont be giving them any nutrients for the first few weeks at least, or until any issues arise that cause me to need to start feeding them. (Poor decision?)

    This is what I have in my grow journal so far...


    08/04
    - Using the paper towel method, I started the germination process for 5 seeds.. I placed the paper towels between 2 plates and put them in the warmest spot in my apartment.
    - Bought 12oz Solo cups and cut slits in the bottom and partially up the sides of 5 of them.

    08/06
    -All 5 of the seeds have germinated and are ready to be planted
    - Planted all seeds about 1/2" deep in 12oz solo cups filled with Perlite/Vermiculite medium and placed cups into the DWC tub with two 12" airstones.

    08/07
    - Added four 26W CFL lights and fan to the closet.
    - Lights left on 24hrs cycle

    08/09
    - All 5 seeds have pushed through the surface and shed their casings.

    08/10
    -All 5 show first set of leaves (Dew Leaves)
    - Lights set to 18/6 cycle (ON @ 6AM - OFF @ 12AM)

    08/12
    - First set of true leaves seen in 3 of 5 plants

    08/16
    - 3 of 5 plants seem to be doing pretty well. The other two are looking pretty weak Any diagnosis that anybody can give me or advise would be awesome.
    2011-08-16 (Day 6 V).jpg

    2011-08-16-(Day 6 V).jpg

    I've made a piece to keep the light from reaching the reservoir in the future, but since it's just straight up water and the roots aren't exposed yet I'd be fine without it for now.

    Advice, Comments and Critique are welcome and encouraged! - And thanks for checking out my journal!
     
  2. 08/17
    - Today I found a window screen just hanging out in my storage shed, so I figured I might as well put it to some good use! I decided to make some net-pots out of solo cups and pieces of the window screen. I forgot to take a picture of the finished product.. :smoking: BUT I did get a picture of the outside of the cup with one of my plants in it:
    2011-08-17 DIY NetPot.jpg
    - I transplanted all 5 of my plants into the net-pots and added water to the res. so that the water level is now at the bottom of the net part of the pots.
    - I also set up my back up res. with for now just holds a lot of water for when I need to add water to the grow res.
    - Temps. have remained fairly stable in the low to mid 80's.. Mainly because I'm being stubborn about turning on my A/C...

    So here's what the setup looks like for now... (I took out some of my lights so I could get a decent picture of the plants.)
    2011-08-17 (Day 7 V).jpg
    2011-08-17-(Day 7 V).jpg
    (The random small holes are from my dog getting a hold of my lid shortly after I cut the holes. I'm probably going to have to go to the store and get a new lid sometime here soon...)

    As always, advice, questions, comments and critique are more than welcome! I need all the help I can get! :)
     
  3. #3 siobber, Aug 18, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 18, 2011
    Does anyone have any input on when I should start to add nutrients?

    I know I'll need to start off at 1/8 to 1/4 concentration, but with the Perlite medium and DWC I know my babies aren't getting anything nutrient-wise other than their own nute storage... But how long will that last?

    They aren't showing signs of any deficiencies or anything, but I'd hate to stunt their growth or stress them at all. I've searched a bit, but I'm going to continue.. Just thought I'd ask...\

    *EDIT*
    Okay, so now I feel stupid.. I was looking for answers in the beginners section this whole time.. Then I thought back to Chickadie's grow journal I followed a little more than a year ago where she used perlite in hempy buckets.

    After clicking through her updates for a while I read a post where somebody said they don't need nutes for like 2 weeks.. So I'll probably hold off another week or so and then start adding nutes.

    So question (...or a few questions): Does 2 weeks sound right? Would it hurt to start adding them before the 2 week mark? Should I wait longer? Since I'm using a DWC method, when I do add nutes, should I add them to the res or should I water the net pots? - Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
     
  4. Im doing a dwc and ive been giving 1/2 strength nutes. Tried to bump it up,!but they didnt like it. I wouldnt wait til they shiw deficiencies to start giving them love. Bagseed grow too. Then again,this is my first time. :)
     
  5. How far into veg are you?
     
  6. my plants are only about 2 weeks old (from sprouting)
    so this is like my first week of veg for my bigger one. i have two that are still seedlings.
    ive read that indica varieties are more tolerant to abuse with nutes and such from beginners. ive been running nutes since transplanting. i transplant as soon as i see roots.
     
  7. Ah! I see I see. So would you say your babies were about a week from sprout when you started adding nutes? I transplanted as soon as I saw roots as well, but I've yet to add nutes to the res.

    I'm not sure at all on what the strain is for my plants.. They're just random bag seeds.. It'd be nice if they were though! I'm not too particular on the type of bud I smoke, and having plants that are more tolerant of nute issues would make the growing process a lot easier. Haha!
     
  8. yes i would say they were about a week old. definitly start at 1/4 or 1/2 strength, depending on your nutes. my PPM for actual nute is only about 150-200 right now (+cal mag and liquid k bring it up to about 650total PPM) recommended dose for seedling on the directions was about triple that
     
  9. 08/19
    - Added 1/4 Strength nutes. (1/2 tsp. FoxFarm Grow Big and 1 tsp FoxFarm Big Bloom) I currently have about 2 gallons of water in the res..

    - 4 of the plants are looking pretty good, but one is looking pretty weak.. I think it was just a bad seed or something. All of the new growth since I transplanted is looking lighter than the older leaves. We'll see what the nutes I added today do for that though.

    There's not much change in how the plants look, so I'll just post pictures later or with my next update.
     
  10. Today is Day 11 of the Veg. cycle. My babies seem to be responding to my addition of 1/4 strength Big Bloom and Grow Big. The leaves are looking better, as in greener, and they've seemed to increase their growth rate.

    I do have a question though.. I'm not sure if it's been asked before or if it's supposed to be common sense. But should I be working on tapering my nutrients, and at what rate? I only ask because I want to make sure I get it right.

    In the past I wold usually work my way up every 2 weeks adding nutrients, 1/4 strength the first feeding, 2 weeks later 1/2 strength, 2 weeks later full strength.. Is that a good schedule? Should I do it smaller amounts or more often? ... Just thought I'd ask.

    I'll take pictures on day 14.
     
  11. im kind of wondering the same thing. :/
    definitly waitin on those pictures....
     
  12. Word.. I think I'm going to stick to the schedule I've done in the past. I don't remember any specific/consistent problems... Feeding later today/tommorw... Depending on how you look at it. Haha!

    For sure! They're grown quite a bit. I'm always fascinated with my grows... Doesn't matter how many times I see them, they never cease to amaze me! Haha! I'll take and post pictures later today. Either before class or after class depending on if I make it all night or not...
     
  13. DAY 14 (WEEK 2) YAY! :D

    Okay... Time to get serious! Here's the updates I've put into my journal since last time:

    08/21
    - Added 2 more 26W CFLs, making 8 total 26W = 208W Total. I think that's a little below the recommended amount - but until I get the cash to make my ballast, it'll have to do...

    -Switched the middle plant with the front-right plant as to give more light to the stronger of the two. (I don't think the weak now middle plant is going to make it...)

    08/22
    - Made and Applied "Pop-Can Reflectors"
    * A while back I read a DIY post about using pop-cans as reflectors for your CFLs, so I searched the forums for a while and found it again. It's actually a really simple process! For anyone who's interested:
    How-To: Cheap CFL Soda Can Reflectors
    *** I plan on these being totally temporary. When I make my ballast I'll be able to make some good reflectors out of good material.

    08/24
    - Consulted the "Fox Farm Feeding Schedule" chart-thingy and it said that for week 2 of Veg I should use 2tsp/gal Grow Big and 2 Tbl/gal Big Bloom (Full Strength)

    - Added 1/2 Strength Nutes (2 gallon res.)
    (I don't know where I was getting my amounts for day 7 or if I just recorded them wrong, but when I looked back and checked, I was way off on the amounts I was adding the first time. I think they actually only got about 1/8 or less strength nutes...)

    -Temps have remained in the low 80's (Usually around 82-83 degrees) Due to the overall temp of my apartment (which is usually in the high 70's even high 80's)
    I'm not able to get them any lower. ... And unless I ran my window unit 24/7 (EXPENSIVE) I don't think the temps will get much better until the seasons start to change. (which should be just in time for flowering! :D)
    So far I'm pretty happy with how things have been going with my babies. I haven't run into any problems with nutrients so far - only with one which I'm assuming is just bad genetics or possibly just a seed that wasn't meant to sprout.

    PICTURE TIME!
    (With observational information recorded at the time of the pictures being taken)

    A shot of all of my babies just chillin. (Removed half of the lights so I could get picture of all of them at once)
    2011-08-24 (Day 14 V) ALL.jpg
    *I plan on naming them... But only after I find out who's gonna be a female.

    For now, I'm numbering them (1-5) going clockwise, starting with the front-left side as #1 and ending in the middle with #5.

    Side shot of #1 and #2
    2011-08-24 (Day 14 V) Sideshot 1&2.jpg

    Side shot of #3 and #4
    2011-08-24 (Day 14 V) Sideshot 3&4.jpg

    Close-up of #1
    2011-08-24 (Day 14 V) 1.jpg
    Observations:
    -Currently developing 6th node with about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of space between each node. So far no signs of any nute problems.

    Close-up of #2
    2011-08-24 (Day 14 V) 2.jpg
    Observations:
    -Currently developing 5th node with about 1/2 inch of space between each node. So far no signs of any nute problems.

    Close-up of #3
    2011-08-24 (Day 14 V) 3.jpg
    Observations:
    -Currently developing 3rd node with about 1/4 inch of space between each node. So far no signs of any nute problems. Started out as one of the weaker ones but is seeming to recover after I transplanted them into my screen-pots. Surprisingly, the bottom branches (coming off of the first node) are very long and thick compared to the size/growth of the rest of the plant.

    Close-up of #4
    2011-08-24 (Day 14 V) 4.jpg
    Observations:
    -Currently developing 5th node with about 1/2 inch of space between each node. So far no signs of any nute problems. So far, no sign of any nute problems. Started off as the strongest plant, but I think because I had it so far from the CFLs it suffered a little in the growth department. Started to grow a little faster (I think) after I moved it to a position closer to the lights..

    Close-up of #5
    2011-08-24 (Day 14 V) 5.jpg
    Observations:
    -Currently developing 2nd node with less then 1/4 inch of space between the two nodes. This plant just started off terrible. I can;t even believe it's still alive, let alone seeming to recover. Oddly enough, it started to recover after the 21st when I switched it around with the current #4. (Now it's farther from the lights.)
    * I actually plan on killing this one if it doesn't recover A LOT and fast. I'm mainly using it as a light-blocker for my res. and since it started to recover a little, I figured I'd give it a fighting chance.

    So there's my update for Day 14 of Veg.
    How am I doing? Any suggestions, comments, questions... Anything! - feel free to let me know! Like I said before, this isn't my first rodeo... But I'd still consider myself pretty novice.

    Thanks for checking out my journal! :D
     
  14. update???? :D
     
  15. Thanks for asking fif3l! I haven't been updating much on here since it mainly just seemed like another recording medium for my grow rather than an interactive experience... :p I've been wanting to update though! They've grown SO much! I'd say possibly even doubled their size in a week! :D The one that was super weak has even started to grow quite a bit. I'm glad I gave it the recovery time rather than just killing it...

    Anyways... Tomorrow will be day 21 (week 3) so I'll be doing and update tomorrow - with pictures - for sure!
     
  16. So it's officially DAY 21, or WEEK 3 of Veg... Time for an update! :D

    08/26
    - I came home from work and my babies were about 1/4 inch away from the lights, so I decided to try and create a temporary ballast until I have the funds to make a better one. It's pretty ghetto... Here's what I did:

    I have 2 power-strips taped together, with 2 Y-splitters plugged into each. I still have my can reflectors on my lights, focusing the light down onto the plants. The power-strips are held up by two shoe strings I found in one of my dresser drawers which I tied around the power-strips and then to a coat hanger bar that was already in my closet. ... Like I said... Ghetto - But temporary! :p

    -Also bought a new lid for my Rubbermaid container and carved out holes for my screen-pots to sit in.

    08/31 (Day 21 Veg)
    - Today I decided that my babies' roots were established enough that I could raise them up out of the water and transfer the screen-pots into the new lid. Luckily the lid fit perfectly on my current res. though I'm not sure if I want to ditch my res and lid for maybe something more shallow... We'll see how they do.

    - I rinsed the water out of my res, an then filled it about 3 gallons of water. I placed the lid on and barely lifted on side up to see if the roots would reach the water. There's still about 2-3 inches of clearance from the top of the water to the bottom of the screen-pots, but all of the roots are reaching the water, so I'm satisfied.

    - Time for nutrients: I added 4tsp of Fox Farm "Grow Big" and then about 4 Tbl of Fox Farm "Big Bloom" (I'm actually officially out of Big Bloom now... :()
    ** Nutes still aren't at full strength.. But my babies seem to be thriving, and aren't showing any signs of any deficiencies or heat problems.. So I'm thinking next feeding I will be able to go full strength with the Veg nutes and start a small dose of Flowering nutes.. (I'm hoping to be starting flowering at the next feeding.)

    I plan on buying some rooters when I get paid and take my clones to start determining sex... Hopefully I'll be able to start all of that business in about a week...I'm debating about even topping them... I may just end up taking the bottom branches for clones since they seem to be growing so long and in the end will probably have little buds if I leave them there.. Suggestions?

    Hmmm... I suppose it's about time for some pictures! :D
    (Sorry if the quality isn't the best... I'm using my tablet's camera which is hard to work with one hand, along with it for some odd reason refused to focus when I got evidently "too close"...)
    ** Also, something to keep in mind... In order for the fan leaves to not be blocking light from each other, I've been pulling/folding them down each day. They aren't droopy, I just happened to pull them down before I took the pictures. By tomorrow they'll be upright and back to trying to block light from their siblings. :p

    2011-08-31 (Day 21 V) Roots.jpg
    -Here's a picture of one of the root systems... They're all looking pretty healthy and are about as abundant as this one - if not more (except for the runt...)

    2011-08-31 (Day 21 V) SETUP.jpg
    -Here's a picture of my setup (I know, it's pretty shitty... But I'm on a super tight budget, and don't have the money to spend on much better for the time being.)
    The "front" lights are all turned off so I could get an at least decent picture...

    2011-08-31 (Day 21 V) ALL.jpg
    -Here's an over-head shot of all of my plants
    I re-arranged them again, so the numbering will remain pretty much the same as before... But the plants are going to be different. Starting in the front-left corner with 1 and going around clockwise and ending with the front-right with 5.. 1 and 5 being the bigger two, 2 and 4 being the medium ones, and 3 being the runt.

    2011-08-31 (Day 21 V) Larger2.jpg
    -Here's a side-shot of #1 and #5. They're about a foot tall at this point...

    2011-08-31 (Day 21 V) L1.jpg
    - #1... It's about 1ft. tall, with 8 nodes formed (roughly 1,5 inches between each node)

    2011-08-31 (Day 21 V) M2.jpg
    - #2... It's about 7 inches tall with 7 nodes formed (roughly 1 inch between each node)

    2011-08-31 (Day 21 V) S3.jpg
    - #3... The Runt... I'm just surprised this thing is still growing! Haha! I figure I'll let it keep trying. :p It's about 4 inches tall with 4 notes formed.

    2011-08-31 (Day 21 V) M4.jpg
    - #4... It's about 5-6 inches tall with 5 nodes formed (about 1 inch between each node)

    2011-08-31 (Day 21 V) L5.jpg
    - #5... A little over a foot tall with 8 nodes formed (roughly 1.5 inches between each node)

    So there's my update for Week 3 (Day 21) of Veg growth. Sorry if the pictures aren't the best quality or at a very good angle... Like I said earlier... My only camera is my tablet, and it's SUPER awkward to work with one hand..

    To me, my babies seem to be doing pretty good.. But I'm probably biased.. If ANYONE has any suggestions or comments, PLEASE don't hesitate to holla' at me! :D
     
  17. I like that pic of your Coke reflectors. You should get paid for promoting their product haha
     
  18. Haha! I should! Hmm... I wonder how I should go about getting a hold of someone for that. :p I'll be like:

    Dear Sir or Ma'am,

    I'm currently growing some marijuana and am maintaining a grow journal online which can be seen by essentially anyone with internet access. The reason I am telling you this, is because I am currently using eight of your 12oz Diet Coke cans as light reflectors for my CFLs. I was wondering what kind of royalties I should be getting for this blatant advertisement for your company. I could post at least one picture a week (or more if you desire) showing the cans with the Diet Coke logo appearing so one can clearly see it.

    This is not meant to be a threat, but if you refuse to pay me, I can write Pepsi and see what they'd give me for this form of advertisement.

    Thank you for your time,
    siobber

    ... I think they'd totally go for it. ;)
     
  19. Holy crap dude your plants are takin off.
    I dont know if you should swap for a shallower container. I think the bigger the better as long as you have enough air going into the water. Just my opinion. Maybe if your having a hard time getting good water...
    Curious...
    When are you gonna flower? Do u have an hid to flower with?
    Cant wait to see these ladies woth some budz on em.
     
  20. Then you can post a pic of your final harvest on a billboard on the interstate :)
     

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