I have two plants left in this four port DWC hydroponic system. They are on a 24 hour light regiment (400WATT HPS), and are getting feed Sensei Grow 2 part nutrient system. These pictures are one month from germination. Please let me know whether these plants look healthy, and whether or not they appear to be growing properly. Thank you!!!
Do i see water droplets on pic2? If so be careful not to spray while the lights are on. That might explain the spots on some of the leaves otherwise they look good.
leaves look a little too dark, and some of your leaves are curl under this means you might be overfeeding your plants, let's wait and see what others have to say. Good luck.
24 hours light? under hps? Why? The only time you should be using 24h lighting is when they are rooting/vegging. And even then you can get away with 18/6 for veg. If you are vegging them which I presume you are, you need to be using MH lighting or cfl/floros because they output light in the proper spectrum which mirrors early spring early summer light. It's very blueish where as HPS is used for flowering to mirror fall and the end of summer. Perhaps your plants are looking sad because they are getting the wrong light? Could also be over fert. What are you feeding them? and how often.
Most commercial growers I know are vegging under HPS, its less than ideal but works quite well. HPS is only second best to MH for vegging. I do agree with you though 18/6 is all you need to veg, i've tried both with better results from 18/6 over 24/0.
i veg in 24/0 if you measure shear height, after a month plants on 24/0 will be shorter than plants on 18/6, but they will have at least as many growth nodes, if not an extra one or two. plants will stretch more in the dark, so it depends on what youre after. My plants would be real tall if I let them, so i veg in 24/0 to help with that.
I'd defer to my man Amoril, I've seen some of his other posts and the man knows his shit. Personally I like thicker and chunkier plants and thus go for 18/6.
It's fine to mist plants or foliar feed when the lights are on. Spots can develope if there is a lack of air flow, which would leave perspired and misted water to sit on leaves THAT will form spots. Best time to water/mist/foliar feed is 1/2 hour after lights just came on. This will give your plants plenty of time for water to evaporate. Also 18 hours of light in veg is plenty. I have noticed plants go through better growth spurts when giving those 6 hours of dark, they use it as rest to support the growth sputs. Personnally I wouldn't want to be in a lit room 24/7 for 2 months it would be torture, I would like the lights off too so I can get a few hours rest GooD LucK
This is what you get with 24/0.. During dark hours, plants use up the stored energy from the light to grow upward. If you do not allow for a dark period for the first month or so, the plant will just keep stacking up leaf set upon leaf set, with minimal growth between nodes. Combine this with FIM/Top, and you will have a VERY thick and chunky bush. Check out my plant. 1 month old bushy monster. (Link = click picture in my sig)
Thank-you I did not know that! So what would you recommend for 25 plants/light 24/0 or 18/6? I'm planning on topping 3 times for next crop in order to get 8 colas. Is it better to get more leaves or height? I'd imagine keeping them short with 24/0 would work better. I plan to veg in 1 gallon pots under a 1000w MH on a mover for about 4-5 weeks then move them to 2 gallon pots to flower under 1000w HPS.
there's no big problems with your plants, you just need to lower your nitrogen dont mist them and make sure your roots are gettin O2 get a bubbler or ur pump running to air the water at root level cuz the plants look droopy like theyr overwatered cprobably from misting but could be ur res too. they're not sick in any way you've been overdoing it with them u need to let them be now they're grownups
First off, I want to say that I appreciate everyone's quick responses! I am going to have to agree that the plants have been over feed, because the first two weeks that nutrients were added, it was at the wrong dose. Although this problem has been fixed since photos, so hopefully the plants will be able to rebalance themselves. Also, can we swtich to a 18.6 light regiment at this point. The plants are about a month old, and have been on 24.7 light because we have trouble finding a timer that would work. Inside the plastic tub are two 02 bubblers, and I think this is providing plenty of 02 for the plants. Is there anyway to save these plants at this point, based on what you can tell in the pictures. This is a newbee grow! Thank you!
all you have to do is flush your plants with plain water for 3 or 4 days and add 30% of nute strenght after that. Home Depot sells very good digital timers at less than 20 dollars, and you wont have any trouble if you go from 24 to 16 hrs of light.
Ok! So I need to empty the reservoir, and refill it with clean water. What would be the safest option for doing this without hurting the plants. Buy another tub at Wal-Mart for $4.00? Or how would you go about draining and refilling the tank without intruding on the plants. I am planning on switching the light cycle to 18.6 tomorrow when I flush the tank (starting them off in the night cycle). Please advise on whether this is correct. Also someone said something about putting 30% of the nutrient solution in the clean water after 3 or 4 days. Did you mean start them on 30% of their normal feeding, and build them back up? Sorry for all the questions, totally newbie. I am just wanting to get some quality "home-grown" like everybody else, right? Oh yes, someone also asked what nutes I am using. For this grow, something of mid-range was desired. Sensei Grow part(s) A&B is what was decided on. The first two weeks of weeding, part A&B were added in excess, thus curling of the leaves etc. On the bottle, it says Sensei grow can be used as a "stand-alone" nutrient or in combination with other products (Mother Earth Tea, Voodoo Juice etc). At the local hydro store here, they try and get you to spend as much as you can; therefore leaving me lost at what is ACTUALLY needed. I am just looking to get a decent smoke, nothing couch-locking. This is an educational experience, thus expanding my view into this culture even further.
If you don't have Reverse Osmosis water better go to Sears or Home Depot and get yourself one, It's only 100 dollars and it will save you a lot trouble. you need to start with a low strength formula like 30%, why? because the manufacturer of your nutes doesn't know how you are going to use them and they want you to buy a bunch of their products, remember that your roots are submerge in this rez 24 hr/day, so start low and if you notice they want more well give them a little more. it don't matter at what time you change your rez they not going to die if you empty the reservoir and fill back up in fact some systems drain all the water out of the buckets 6 times a day for 15 minutes so the roots can breath some oxygen. Good Luck.
Ok, so looking in the reservoir this morning I noticed that roots have grown to take up almost half the tank, and they extend from net cops to the bottom of this ten gallon Sterlite. I assume that it is healthy for them to have a massive root structure? Also, the water has gone down considerably. The tank looks clean, would I be ok just adding more pH balanced water to dilute the nute content in the tank? They are also going on an 18.6 light schedule as of today. Will they gain anymore vertical height, or has their growth been stunted because of the 24 hour light regiment. Thanks to all you patient members!
They will grow vertically now that you have them on 18/6. How much veg time do you still have left? You can keep the veg going until you get them to the height you want them at.
I have not decided how long to veg. them for. I was hoping all four of my seed s would take root and grow, but sadly only two made it as you can see. I am not sure the sex of either plant, and am wondering if I should continue, or is there a chance that one of the two is female. When does their sex show clearly? Say only one is female, could I veg. that one as long as I wanted (relative to grow area). The max height this set up would allow is most likely four feet tops. Also, I was confused by the response about the nutrients I need. Will I be ok with the Sensei Grow Part A&B only for vegetative, and then when I switch to 12/12 start Sensei Bloom Part A&B. Will these provide all required nutrients for substantial plant growth. The seeds I used were not bag seed either, so potentially there could be nice nugs. Thanks again!