The "Ghost Cabinet" Journal (DWC)

Hey Folks,

This is my first run at keeping a journal. Growing in the past was something done as simply and quietly as possible. Soil and nutrients in buckets were the medium. Lighting was split between fluorescent and CFLs. Since moving to a legal state, I decided it was time to learn modern methods. Hydroponics (DWC) seemed to be the most exciting to me.

Due to the apartment dwelling, acquiring a pre-made grow box best suited the space, and locals laws demand a space that's locked. I thought this way I could pick up a unit that was reliable as well as learning the necessities to growing in such vessels. After much perusing online, the decision was made to purchase a 4 footer (tall) from unique-hydroponics.com that they are referring to as their Ghost Cabinet.

After reading and gaining much knowledge from these forums, I thought I'd contribute as well. This is where I will be keeping a record of what I produce within the box. Before diving into the actual grow, I thought I provide some details. There are two sets of bulbs that screw into a powers trip at the top. The first being three 18W CFLs (veg). For bloom, we have three 23W CFLs. Inside, the cab is around a foot and a half wide. There's a removable shelf for bringing plants closer, as the lights are completely stationary.

There are two four inch fans (intake and outtake). Both are fitted with a thin carbon filter that does a decent job of concealing odors. They keep things from leaving the room and lingering out of the window for neighbors to whiff. These along with an air pump create about as much noise as a small home fish aquarium (indeed that's exactly what it is).

The reservoir is appropriate for three liters of water, although I've been finding myself pushing four in during heavy flower. It has six small net pots but number is, of course, going to be dictated by the genetics and specific methods utilized. I'm running the Advanced Nutrients line. Being a beginner with hydro, I thought the three part Jungle Juice was a good choice. I will be explaining specifics of the nutrient schedule I'm running in an entree in the near future. Without going into those details yet, it's important for me to note that I completely change the reservoir every Monday.

Wednesdays are when I take photographs. I will be posting them here. To take a moment, here is a recap of what has occurred thus far. Blue dream (one plant) was chosen due to her ease in growing. Clones are readily available where I live. Luckily, this allowed me to select what I specifically wanted with reliable sources and mothers to see. Additionally, I thought this variety would really test the limits of the space. She is known for producing heavy weight in deep water culture while also producing vivacious vegetative growth.

The clone was 8 to ten inches when I got her home. Over four weeks, she grew under three feet (20/4 cycle) before flower was initiated (switching to 12/12 cycle). There are things to note that have occurred. Any deficiency reveals itself very quickly and likewise, amends at equal speed. I lollipopped at the end of flowering week 2 (day 20). Admittedly, it should have been done a few inches higher. The results will undoubtedly be a few airy fluffs at the bottom of the growth. Weeks 3 and 4 were battling spider mites. They are defeated now but not before leaving many leaves with those all too familiar white stippling patterns.

Tomorrow will be when she gets her week 6 res. changing. Those beautiful flowers are kicking off a blueberry/haze fragrance. They are putting on weight and ripening now. Blue tones are setting in. Pistils are shriveling orange. Resins are rich, as milky colors are beginning to overtake the previously clear heads. She has required some low stress training (LST) due to branches having exceeded the four ft. headspace. This is a flower expected to finish in approximately 9 weeks and is certainly appearing that way.

Photos from last Wednesday will be posted in the next entree. From here, everything will be kept up to date. This is a plant I care for every day. So this will be frequent. In the months that I've been doing this, I've really fallen in love with the medium and its results. There are plans for a build of a second cab that I'll do at some point. After the Blue Dream finishes, I'm thinking of a Clementine from Midnight Farms or a terpy sativa dominant hybrid from Dark Heart.

I'd love to hear thoughts and suggestions from you guys. Thanks for reading. Until next entree...

-Kangaroo Out

 

Here are flower pics from last Wednesday (8/17). This would be Day 37 of flower.

 

Hey Folks,

This was a busy day that is finally winding down. A heavy F1 Girl Scout Cookies is aiding in the mellowing process. Being Monday, the Blue Dream's reservoir was changes for its Week 6 regiment. I thought I'd start cutting the amount of Mag/Cal added due to being a few weeks from flush only to find that she was still demanding calcium and showing clear signs of lacking via leaves. So the standard 2mL per L was added. Now seems like the ideal time to explain what I'm feeding her.

What's below may seem like sort of a long list, but deep water culture demands all nutrients and so forth be added. There's no need for so much in other mediums such as soil. I'll explain and describe each as well as showing my custom schedule.

PRIMARY NUTRIENTS:
-Jungle Juice Micro (5-0-1)
-Jungle Juice Grow (2-1-6)
-Jungle Juice Bloom (0-5-4)

These are identical to the General Hydroponics three-part system but costs $10 to $12 per bottom (roughly half the price). They work great but Advanced Nutrients has a three-part system with the "Ph Perfection" system which will make daily care a bit easier. Both are great for those starting out within the hydro medium. In the future, I'll be switching to something more effective. I add 3mL per L. The bottle calls for 4mL. However, I find the other additives make the bath too strong and cause nute. burn.

SECONDARY NUTRIENTS:
-Rhino Skin (0-0-0.4) creates stronger stalks and tougher cell walls
-B-52 (2-1-4) fertilizer booster and Vitamin B supplement
-Sensi Cal/Mag Xtra (4-0-0) a Mag/Cal boost that nearly all companies produce. AN's is quite lovely. I'd like to add
that this is only used when I see signs of it needed. Week 3 or 4 flowering is typical. It
should always be added first or after Micro Nutrient (before Bloom and Grow
Nutrients)
-Bud Ignitor (0-1-2) aids in beginning of flowering process
-Big Bud (0-1-3) maximizes flower growth and development
-Overdrive (1-5-4) promotes ripening and weight in last few weeks of flowering

Each is added at 2mL per L. Many of these aren't necessary in other mediums and indeed aren't all required for DWC. Many say, "Mastery through simplicity." It's a sentiment that should be taken to heart. A number of the additives were selected as a trial as well as an attempt to maximize flower potential with limited space. My honest impression thus far is that each serve a great and specific purpose within the plant. Although, I have only seen a small improvement through the Rhino Skin when comparing this grow to those of the past.

OTHER ADDITIVES:
-Sensizym --> adds healthy enzymes to root zone
-VooDoo Juice --> contains organisms that aid root growth and development
-Piranha --> microbial solution that increases root size and efficiency
-Bud Candy --> mostly consists of magnesium and sugars that help in ripening and weight
-Bud Factor X --> magnesium and potassium source during flowering cycle
-Flawless Finish --> keep small amount of nutrients in solution during first week of flushing while aiding in
cleaning salts and so forth from plants

Most of these are for the roots and flower development. Just like the Secondary Nutrients, each is added at the consistency of 2mL per L. It should be noted that it's still a good idea to add peroxide to the roots to keep them a pure white (about 0.5 to 1 mL per L). The Blue Dream's current roots are thick and healthy, but the ball isn't anything to blow your hair back. I'll be experimenting in the future to find what is unnecessary.

All of these together generally round out to about 1200 PPM. This is regardless of whether I'm pushing 3L or 4L in the res. I tried up to 1400 PPM but found burn. The reason I have different water levels has to due with thirst of the genetics and stage of development. Vegging plants drink about 0.5 L or so per day. This increases over time. Now that my Blue Dream is at Week 6 of flower, she guzzles 1.5 to 2 L per day. Week 4 of flowering starting requiring supplemental feedings to keep the parts per million up. I let it bounce between 900 and 1200 PPM.

Below is my feeding schedule based on nutrients I'm adding. This is available via charts offered by Advanced Nutrients as well as my own experimentation over the grow:


VEG CYCLE

WEEK 1:
-Jungle Juices (Micro, Grow, and Boost; in this order one at a time)
-B-52
-VooDoo Juice
-Piranha

If I'm using clones from Midnight Farms, Dark Heart, or another reputable nursery I have confidence to drop them in 1000 to 1200 PPM solution. However, seedlings take a while before they can take such nutrient levels. This is also true for smaller or less established clones. 1/4 strength 250 to 400 PPM) is recommended in these scenarios. New seedlings may desire plain Ph'ed water. Each week 1/4 strength should be added. So Week 2 puts solution at 1/2 strength. Week 3 is 3/4 strength. By Week 4, you should have something ready for full feeding. Actual PPM number and required nutrients differ from variety-to-variety.

WEEK 2:
-Jungle Juices (Micro, Grow, and Boost; in this order one at a time)
-B-52
-VooDoo Juice
-Piranha

WEEK 3:
-Jungle Juices (Micro, Grow, and Boost; in this order one at a time)
-B-52

WEEK 4:
-Jungle Juices (Micro, Grow, and Boost; in this order one at a time)
-B-52

Additional note for WEEK 4: Some plants and situations call for more than four weeks of veg. To extend these, simply follow this week's regiment until you're ready to kick it into flowering.


FLOWER CYCLE

WEEK 1:
-Jungle Juices (Micro, Grow, and Boost; in this order one at a time)
-VooDoo Juice
-Bud Candy
-Sensizym
-Rhino Skin
-Piranha
-Bud Ignitor
-Bud Factor X

WEEK 2:
-Jungle Juices (Micro, Grow, and Boost; in this order one at a time)
-VooDoo Juice
-Big Bud
-Bud Candy
-Sensizym
-Rhino Skin
-Piranha
-Bud Ignitor
-Bud Factor X

WEEK 3:
-Jungle Juices (Micro, Grow, and Boost; in this order one at a time)
-B-52
-Big Bud
-Bud Candy
-Sensizym
-Rhino Skin
-Bud Factor X

WEEK 4:
-Jungle Juices (Micro, Grow, and Boost; in this order one at a time)
-B-52
-Big Bud
-Bud Candy
-Sensizym
-Rhino Skin
-Bud Factor X

Additional notes for Week 4: Some require more than eight weeks of flowering. This is the week you repeat. My Blue Dream is a nine weeker. So I added a Week 4 to my time (Like this, W1, W2, W3, W4, W4, W5, W6, W7, W8) Certain hazes require 16 weeks, requiring Week 4 to be ran nine weeks. There may be small nuances within this period that a grower should be on the look out for.


WEEK 5:
-Jungle Juices (Micro, Grow, and Boost; in this order one at a time)
-B-52
-Overdrive
-Bud Candy
-Sensizym
-Rhino Skin
-Bud Factor X


WEEK 6:
-Jungle Juices (Micro, Grow, and Boost; in this order one at a time)
-B-52
-Overdrive
-Bud Candy
-Sensizym
-Rhino Skin
-Bud Factor X


WEEK 7:
-Flawless Finish

This is the start of flush. My hope is that this will allow me to only go two weeks instead of the usual three that I've found soil grows of the past required. Everything seems quicker in DWC to me. I don't think removing the extra week will cause any harshness in the smoke.

WEEK 8:
-Ph'ed clean water (absolutely no nuts during this period... The length of this week will differ. Ranges from four to
nine days)


At the start of Week 6, I can say that weight is noticeably going on. Heads are continuing to cloud. Amber is just around the corner. There's a beautiful glistening under the lights. Development is now getting good. This Wednesday I will be taking and posting photographs for all to enjoy. Until then...

-Kangaroo Out

 

G'Day Mates,

Today was one of disappointment. I opened the cabinet to find the girl not looking her healthiest. Roots seemed to be less than happy as well. My original thought was some kind of a nutrient imbalance but found that it was only running at 1140 PPM. The reservoir is at a decent 60 degrees f. Ph was at 6.2 which is way higher than I allow it to get. It was immediately dropped to 5.5 before water (balanced OS) was added. I'm wondering what the upswing was all about. Perhaps some slow acting solution or something. Yesterday's ph was 5.5 when I left her for the night. This will undoubtedly result in the loss of several grams in final harvest. LIFE, am I right?

Aside from that, the flower development strikes me to be going as expected. We have a few smaller nugs at the bottom that I should have removed during final lollipopping. What has caught me off guard is how dense these buds are already. Nothing is fluff or airy. I was never able to obtain growth this tight before. Haze odors have slightly overtaken the blueberry, leading me to think this is the sativa leaning phenotype. She was a real stretcher. Blue tones are getting beautiful. It's amazing how much change occurs within a day.

The current temperatures around the plant range from 65-80 degrees f. Time of day dictates this. Humity hovers between 35-40%. Both of these will lower in the coming weeks. The LST has resulted in these large bending branches that fill the cabinet's midsection. Flowers are swollen and becoming quite heavy. Tomorrow is photo day, and I am looking forward to sharing them here. Until then...

-Kangaroo Out

 

Hey Shugglet,

Thanks for taking the time to look through the journal here. You are 100% correct in your comments on the feeding schedule. I'm still learning about the exact needs of plants in such a medium. Soil strikes me as easier in terms of care and so forth. I've been having more fun with hydro and have already been finding some of the additives I've been using to be a bit redundant or not effective enough to not justify purchasing another bottle from this first grow already.

When starting, I looked at Fox Farm and Remo's but settled on Advanced Nutrients when noticing they had a large line as well as offering the same product in Jungle Juice as General Hydroponics three part. GH is something I've used in the past and thought it would be a good base to begin trying things out. I'm unfamiliar with Lucas Formula. Could you tell me a bit about it and its advantages over other products? What has your experience taught you about the best schedule to keep? Is this a brand formulated for cannabis plants?

I've read a great deal from the good folks in the forum as well as other sites and any literature/videos I can get my hands on. Rumple isn't one that I remember. Is he on here? Can you provide a link to his material? I'd love to give it a couple read throughs. This cabinet is something I plan on utilizing for grow experiments for quite some time. Any help or thoughts are more than welcome. Thanks again for contributing to this thread. Have a good one.

 

G'day mates,

Today is Wednesday. Picture day! She is doing well, requiring a bit over an additional liter of water. This is a little under what she has been taking day-to-day recently but has digested close to twice the amount of nutrients. Her ppm settled at 1000. Tomorrow will require a few hundred ppm of nutrients added. Everything looks good. It strikes me that these flowers have doubled in size since last photos but that could just be me. Let me know how these strike you. Thanks for stopping by. Until next time...

-Kangaroo Out



Here are a couple of the LST I did for her. I left the loops large so the branches could continue to grow without any worry of pinching and preventing nutrient flow inside.

 

Thanks for sharing the information and links, Shugglet. I will be diving into everything you provided immediately. There's still much I have to learn about the exact nutrients that maximize these plants' happiness. Every piece of information and lead is much appreciated. Cheers to ya!

 

G'day mates,

Today was an easy day for our dear Blue Dream. It was just a matter of inspection and simple care. She's focusing all of her energy into flowering. Her water consumption has slightly slowed. As predicted, the reservoir's dropped to around 900 PPM. I added 1 mL of Micro, 1 mL of Grow, and 1.25 mL of grow to the liter of water I added. This brought it up above 1100 PPM and shouldn't require any more supplementation the rest of the week.

She is over halfway through Week 6 of nine. By Monday, I am going to add additional bracings to some of the branches, as I've noticed that several are beginning to struggle to support their flowers. I'm quite pleased with the progress thus far. Things are moving along smooth. Tomorrow is most likely going to be like today. Another liter of ph'ed water will be required. Until then...

-Kangaroo Out

 

G'day mates,

Everything went as predicted. 1040PPM. She consumed a little over a liter of water. We've entered the peak of flowering as weight is stacking quickly. I was a little surprised by how much. My original prediction was that I'd have to brace branches by this monday. Now I realize I'm going to have to do it tomorrow, which is not a complaint. This speedy development is new and exciting to me still. Soil strikes me as moving at a snail's pace now. Is that just me or have you kind folks at GC had that thought too? Maybe I'm just getting lost in growing via a new medium.

At any rate, things are winding down now. Monday is her final feeding. She then goes through two weeks of flushing, followed by the big chop. The remainder of this week is just adding plain ph'ed water and whole plant inspections (as she is in her most delicate adult phase of her life). I swung by the nursery today and found out that I may not be able to get those Clementine clones for the next round. It's a little disappointing, but that's how it goes. If any of you have recommendations for what I should grow next, let me know. I'm thinking something with Tangie... Perhaps a 24K. F1 GSC are under lock and key. Only thing offered publicly are S1. So that's out. There's plenty of time to mow it over. Maybe something rich in lemonene...

That's it for the night. Sleep is calling along with this beautiful flower "The White" that is begging to be smoked. Until tomorrow...

-Kangaroo Out

 

G'day mates,

I opened the cabinet to find her unhappy. The ph was a little low (4.8) but not enough to cause such drooping. Reservoir temperature was a little high (70.0). This isn't warm enough to cause an issue either. Fluids were resting at 919 PPM. Keep in mind that this was before I replaced the over 1 liter of water she drank. Realizing that adding the ph'ed water alone would drop nutrient levels too low, I went ahead and added 2mL of Grow and Micro, 2.5mL of Bloom, and 1.5mL of Mag/Cal (to replace the calcium she is chugging) into the water I intended on adding. This brought the ph up to 5.6, dropped the res. temp to 64.3, and rose the nutrient levels to 1150 PPM.

The Blue Dream immediately became happier. A couple branches needed bracing. I tied a few of the large fan leaves down that were blocking precious rays from reaching lower flowers. Primary colas are filling in, removing the last few spaces between their nodes. Blue hues have reaches their maximum potential. Nearly all pistols are shriveled and orange (excluding the new top growth, of course). She is realizing that the end is neigh. Eight days until flush will do that, I suppose. The ambering of resin heads hasn't quite begun yet but is just around the immediate corner.

Winding down towards the end of grows always makes me sad. Growing is my favorite part, especially the first five or six weeks of flowering. I enjoy it more than smoking, though don't get me wrong, I love burning herb as well. It seems like I've learned a great deal from this first round with DWC. Blue Dream was a good choice. Next will probably be a variety that's a bit more fussy. We'll just have to see what the nursery has for me next month.

Tomorrow will be a very easy day. Ph'ed water and a decent look over is all she is going to require. It'll be wise to check those braces to ensure that they're functioning as intended. Otherwise, I think I've taken her about as far as I can. There's a tangible sense of pride in that. Monday will start the final feeding. It will require a little more focus than what I've had to apply this week. Eh, enough of that. I have a joint with my name on it and a number of silly videos to giggle at. Until next time...

-Kangaroo Out

 

Bongsauce,

It's a huge honor for you to stop by and take a gander at my journal. Much of the information that has helped me deeply in understanding micro growing came from your stuff. I am a big fan of what you do and owe you a great deal of gratitude. The success I've been experiencing through this first dwc came from you and several other incredible growers here. Thanks for providing the information above. I've been studying everything on feeding that I can get my hands on, and this seems to be the exact thing I've been hunting for. You are the man! As for the photos, I will have them up for you tomorrow. Thanks again.

 

G'day mates,

As predicted, today was a very easy day. It was as simple as adding ph'ed water (5.5) and giving her a good look over. I left her resting at 1020 PPM after adding 1.1 L. The leaves are beginning to show signs of yellowing. Initially, I was concerned until magnifying the trichome heads and finding that there are numerous amber ones now. Two to three percent of those on the total plant have changed.

Everything seems to be on schedule. I'm pleased with development. By harvest, ambering should reach 25 to 30%, if experience serves me right. Tomorrow, she gets her final nutrient change. There's not much to say. So, until next post...

-Kangaroo Out

 

Here is an in-depth look at the cabinet I have been using. It's pre-built, available at unique-hydroponics.com, and is the 4ft. Ghost Cabinet. Below are a few images of mine.


Above is the top of the reservoir. This is made from one of those small plastic bins you buy at drug stores and whatnot that kids put school/art supplies in. There are six 2 inch net pots. Underneath is a side view with ruler for reference. It was clear and then painted black.




This is the small air pump that keeps air flowing through the water. Nothing special, the standard $10 to $15 model you can get at any pet store (for fish aquariums). I didn't think to take a shot of the air stone but it too is the small standard one that comes with most pumps.



Here is a photo of the root ball. It's not as big as I expected but is a decent size for the plant it is feeding. Below is an image of the cabinet with the reservoir removed.



I am using double wrapped twine (blue and white string taped inside) to tie down and brace the plant when inside. The fans (intake; outtake) didn't come with covers. So i bought a roll of the material used in screen doors and screwed them over to keep the plant safe. Here are a few closeups.




These are pretty big and keep things cool. The back of both have filters over them




Lights are nothing special. Three bulbs. Two sets. One for veg, other for flower. There are two clasps to keep the door closed that are capable of handling your average Masterlock (locks not included).


It is physically made of standard boards painted black. A handle has been screwed into it.



The timer was bought from Amazon for $15. Its multiple timer settings make it perfect for growing.


A fat little lower bud.

 

G'day mates,

The Blue Dream got her final nutrient change today. Her PPM was set at 1145, with a 5.5 ph. I chilled the water so that the temperature dropped to 55 degrees f. There's no doubt that this will easily raise by ten degrees or so before tomorrow. Right now I am working on a plan to lower my overall res. temperature. It's too small for any chiller I've seen. Frozen water bottles don't work. I'm not sure what the solution is, but I'll keep trying to figure this out.

Ambering has continued to take place within the trichrome heads, nearing 5% or more on the total plant. She's still putting on weight and only has the top pistils are white. All others are a bright orange. Wednesday will require additional feeding for the last time. I'm going to let the nutrient levels drop from that point in hopes that the 400 to 500 PPM initial flush will be easier on her. This will also be picture day for the flowers. Tomorrow will be typically simple. Ph'ed water and inspection. My role is to primarily just allow her to finish. Until then...

-Kangaroo Out