Vegi's Mars Hydro II LED Multi Strain Grow

Sup guys!

So after a very long time I've decided to get back into this whole growing thing. My first two grows were pretty budget and DIY so after securing a better setup I've decided to do it properly.

Setup

Well my last setup did well, but it was pretty DIY, so this time almost all of it is off the shelf and pretty generic;

• Black Orchid 60x60 Grow Tent
• Buddy 100mm Carbon Filter
• Generic 100mm Grow Fan
• Small 100mm Clip Fan for recirculation

For the lighting I decided to upgrade hugely from the 75W UFO I started out with. Now I know everyone has an opinion about LED and particularly Mars Hydro, but for what I wanted, budget, size and energy consumption I couldn't be anymore more happier with the Mars Hydro II 400W.

Here's the setup;



As you can see the hanger kit which comes with the Mars Hydro is really for a bigger tent with more hang, so I had to double up on the hanging kit to bring the LED up alot further with the ratchets on minimum.



Here's the fan/filter and ducting setup;



I also didn't really wanna have my mesh flap open all the time or the side ports open, so I used some extra ducting to have an S shaped intake port. It kept trying to retract and curl up to face the floor again, so I botched a cardboard front which I'll cover with carbon filter material to stop light and dust getting in. I'm using the clip fan on the inside in front of the intake to draw air in as well as circulate it.



Grow Medium

I'm keeping it simple again, its vegetarian sowing/cutting soil 60/40 with perlite. I'm impressed by the Canna Bio range of nutes from the previous grows so sticking with it, will be using;

• Bio Vega - Vegetation Stage
• Bio Flores - Flowering Stage
• Bio Rhizotonic - Roots growth and health
• Bio Boost - Extra flower power

Seeds

OK, so I was obsessed with wanting to grow Ken Estes Original Grand Daddy Purp. Everything I've seen and read has made me want it, but there's been a major drought of seeds the past few years; its been nigh on impossible. I was lucky enough to be gifted some GDP seeds a while back which I'm trying now (no 100% guarantee they are or will work). These could be one of the following (hoping it's one of the GDP;

• (Bay 11 X Bay Dream) X (Bay 11 X Bay Dream)
• (Bay 11 X Bay Dream) X GDP''s OG Kush
• (Bay 11 X Bay Dream) X Dutch Passion Frisian Dew
• (Bay 11 X Bay Dream) X Seedsman''s Sleestack X Skunk

But also luckily, GDP seeds are now back for sale after that hiatus, and thanks to the lovely people at Gorilla Seeds I also now have them just in case this doesn't work or they aren't GDP.



I've waited soooooooo long for legit GDP seeds and spent so much I'd rather try those gifted seeds first before I get into the GDP

Hoping to keep this updated fairly regularly and hope I do justice. I still consider myself to be a novice grower and am continuously learning so any tips, advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

Nuff love and lets get this going!

Vegi

 

Day 4 - Planting

• Ave. Temps: 25.5 C
• Ave. Hum: 46%
• Nutes: None - just water!
• Stage: Vegging

OK, so I commenced germination of those gifted GDP seeds using the tried and tested wet paper towel routine. Germination started Thursday and it took four days before roots started showing.



Potted in my medium and and now in tent waiting for seeds to break surface.




(Please note temps and humidity in pics was when light and fan was first fired up, its consistent now at a much higher temp and slightly lower humidity)

I'm going for four plants; it'll be a tight fit but I'm worried some will male out on me so hoping for a 50% success rate.

Vegi

 

Hi fluxicity,

For some reason ever since the upgrade, pics work if viewing on a browser but not via Tapatalk or the App.

 

Thank you Stiggy and welcome!!!

 

Works fine from my laptop but no pics showing for me on Tapatalk, just code.

Think its a new forum upgrade bug, well I hope it is anyway haha

Vegi

 

Day 7

• Stage: Vegetation Day 4
• 24C Temp.
• 39% Hum.
• Nutes: None

So the update is all four have now popped! I think the light might be bleaching the ends already so have moved up but can't tell just yet. Will let you know as she gets more modes growing.




Vegi

 

Thank you @nonfiction!

 

Day 11

• Stage: Vegetation Day 8
• 22.6C Temp.
• 40% Hum.
• Nutes: None

So the girls are plenty growing and seems to be going OK. They are getting hungry for water now and I can just see one or two roots just starting to try to pop out the bottom. Will give it a few more days and then transplant. The bottom pic you can see the early bleach but I nipped that in the bud and after raising the light they seem to be doing alot better.

 

Thank you @fluxted.

Yeah I learnt that the hard way when I did my first grows. Now I only water when its bone dry and I've learnt to just leave it the F alone at times.

While I was at it I modded my intake, you could see the LED light when dark plus wanted to make sure no dust, bugs or gremlins got in.

From this...



To this.

 

Quite far now dude, the hanging kit that comes with it hangs it quite low. I doubled up using that kit when I got it to give it better height but a few days ago doubled up again which means its quite high up now with a bit of leeway on the ratchets.

 

OK so now the addition of the carbon filter cloth on the intake has increased temps to more what I was expecting and had previously in my grows and causing negative pressure.

Glad I put it on early before it got smelly!

Vegi

 

Hey @AB5

Each light has four points where you connect individual metal wires from the LED to a central clip which you hang it from; imagine a pyramid shape.

Each metal wire from the LED I connected to the hook then looped it back again to the light, halving each metal wire and reducing distance. I did this again a few days ago halving again; effectively it is a quarter height.

Sent from outer space...