Feedback on new design w pics (legal grow)

Discussion in 'Growing Marijuana Indoors' started by Ventanger, Feb 21, 2009.

  1. #1 Ventanger, Feb 21, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 22, 2009
    [​IMG]

    Grand Daddy Purps, nicknamed "Jack Bauer" Notice the broken root, a second root structure grew out of it, try and hurt Jack, but he just comes back stronger!

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    3 Tiered lighting setup, we're getting the last 5 for the top level sometime this week. Notice the multiple coverage and light types. (2 400w HPS, 1 400w MH)

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    A rockwool (grodan) and clay ball basket system, with nutrient rich water dripping from the small hoses. Jack Bauer is already growing roots into the bottom of the basket. There is a fan underneath circulating air upwards.

    We're looking for tips on how to improve upon this. How high should we let them veg before flowering? We have a 12 foot ceiling, but were thinking of letting them get to 6' before flowering. Has anyone had success with the spiraling method to squeeze in extra height? Should the lights be closer? Is this a good setup to try to get double top colas via topping?

    Any help from the Grass City Grow Gods would be appreciated!:smoking:

    (UPDATE): Can a mod please move this thread to Grow Journals?
     
  2. Jack Bauer kicks ass!
     
  3. We just got the top five plants in, three white widow a green crack and a snowcap. We are running at 24/0 and run the nut solution seven times a day.
     
  4. Nice, clean design.......I think growing to 6' might be too tall and you might have your plants competing for light. You'll kick ass on your yield......nice work.
     
  5. haha I was thinking the same thing... thats crazy how that grew! They don't call it a weed for nothing!
     
  6. Interesting setup, well thought-out in some respects but does have some areas for improvement IMO.

    First, are your lights on movers? I didn't see rails but not sure how you have it set up, looks like you would.

    Reflectors around those bulbs would help maximize usage of light output, you are losing a lot of light currently shining away from the plants.

    Your plants are getting different lighting depending on what tier they are in -- the top row gets a good dose of both MH and HPS, the middle row gets mostly HPS with some MH mixed in, and the bottom row gets mostly HPS with little MH. And it shows -- the plants on your top row have much closer nodes, while the bottom row is stretching a bit.

    Your 2nd and 3rd tier also are getting light primarily from one side, are you rotating the plants daily so they get light on all sides?

    For that system you should start flowering well before 5-6 feet of height in veg. I'm not sure if you could even achieve that in your setup anyway because you can't grow more plant "above ground" than the root system is able to support, and it doesn't look like you have the space to let the roots grow out to the size that would sustain that size plant.

    Emergency blankets stretched over pvc frames won't do a lot of good -- true those are made of mylar but they are ultra-thin, if you hold it up to the light you can see right through it. Light that passes through is light not reflected. Get "real" mylar or else just paint panels flat bright white.

    You asked about "the spiraling method" -- are you referring to LST? That is a very easy and effective technique for keeping height down and maximizing light penetration. Good sticky on it in the Beginners forum.

    10-10-20 doesn't sound like a well-balanced veg fert, but I don't know specifically what you are using.

    In general hydro is less forgiving of pH being off kilter, your range of 5.0-6.4 sounds too wide. I believe ideal pH for MJ in hydro is about 5.5, try to keep it very close to the ideal.
     
  7. We painted the walls matte white around the setup, it's reflecting alot of light back on the plants now for sure. We also put a large wooden structure in front of it, also painted white. We'll get more pics when they gain a couple more inches. Thanks for all the feedback. How big do you think they should be before we switch to flowering?
     
  8. depends on your space,it'll double or triple in size so you make the call,but at a minimum of 18 inches if you ask me
     
  9. The lights you have labled as HPS are actually metal hallide lamps :) Its a unique setup and I like it though. I would probably fabricate some kind of reflectors for the bulbs just so you can direct the light towards the plants and keep yourself from going blind when you go to check on your girls :)
     
  10. your plants are VERY close. I believe flowering now will gain them about 1/2 to 2/3 of their size. Can you fit them in there wth that added girth ( only to be added by every day flowering). I dont know, maybe i dont see something correct, but it looks like this is a smaller plant flower and quick veg type setup
     
  11. so your saying the board holding the plants on 1 level is over 9 ft in lenght? i duno man, check them measurments i just cant see it haha (judging by plant size, and surrounding material doesnt look 27 in)

    if they are, even then you will not be able to grow over ~3 ft and flower without them taking e/o area
     
  12. looks cool and ive seen grows like this over at icmag
     
  13. yea, they will grow out on the sides too... and if you top them like u said you may, they will grow out more and bushier.
     

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