Widow Grow from Clone to Harvest

After many successful hydroponic grows I decided to post my next White Widow grow. I have taken the clones three days ago on Dec 24, 2012. The plants, 5 of them, will be grown in a 5x5x7.5 foot mylar tent, under two 600 watt mh/hps bulbs. I have always used Technaflora products, and this grow will be know exception. I love these products and don't believe I will try anything else. I have constructed my own bubble bucket system, it has 5, 5 gallon buckets connected together with half inch pvc piping all connected to a feeding tank. In the feeding tank I have a submerged pump circulating the solution to the plants then back to the tank again. The light schedule will be 16/8 for about 4 weeks, then 12/12 for 9 to 12 weeks. The plants should, once under the main lighting, be harvested in 3.5 to 4 months. So lets get started..... The clones were taken a few days ago, using a powered rooting hormone and water. From the mother I took ten clones, soaked the rockwool cubes in water, with an adjusted ph of 5.4. The clones where put in a 2 gallon tote, under a heating pad with the lid on it and covered with a towel, keeping the light out. The temp in tote is about 85/ Rh is in the high 80's to low 90's. I will probably keep the lid on and no light condition for 5 - 6 day. Then start giving the plant some fresh air and some light, depending on what they look like.

 

Quick photos of my bucket set up. 5 Site system with lids cut to accommodate a 3 inch net pot, I have five more lids cut for a six inch pot. I have used both sizes, without a prpblem. I will be using the three inch for this run. I will explain why latter. As you can see in the photo's all the buckets are attached to each other with the half inch pvc. The feeding tank is not shown. Having all the tanks connected makes it much easier to maintain the ph and ppm for each plant. The buckets have been covered in mylar. Because of the holidays I was forced into hiding, taking down the tent, etc. I will build the tent and set it up in the next couple days. As I do I will take pictures and keep you informed.

 

Welcome, the bucket system you see isn't completely assembled in the photo. There is another tank, which is nothing more then a tote, that gets connected to the pipes you see. Each of the five buckets have an eight inch air stone in them, connected to a pump. The tote, not shown, has a 220 gph submerged pump in it. I attached quarter inch tubing to the pump, the tube comes out the top of the tote. Then using a few plastic T's and L's I connected more tubing to the tube coming from the tote they go through the top of each bucket. Basically the nute solution gets circulated from the tote to the buckets then back to the tote again. This keeeps the nute moving which makes it easier to adjust ph and add food to the system. Once the plants get large and fill up the tent I only have to work with one tank, its hard to get to the plants in the tent when they start growing. Once I get the setup complete it will become clear how it works its quite simple. I should have it setup this weekend, I will post pictures as I go. The clones are doing fine I will be giving them some light today to see how they respond.

 

Well I had a couple free hour today to assemble the tent. I had to go into hiding the last couple of weeks do to the holidays, meaning my spare bedroom, became just that a spare bedroom. Well my company is gone and I am in back in business. I bought this tent a couple of years ago and was concerned about assembling it again. The instruction have long been gone. This is the mess I was left with or left myself....



I found the floor of the tent, then built the frame floor putting inside the tent.







I then built the frame sides and ceiling of the tent.




Took a break and had a cocktail.




The next step was by far the hardest. Walking the tent over the construed frame. Doing this by yourself is a bitch, but it can be done.

 

I don't know what happened but the last photo is the completed tent. I have another floor to put in and clean the whole thing with bleach. Will post more photos when the lights and buckets are in place, but that's all for tonight.

 

The wife is still at work so I decided to get some more work done. After a good cleaning, up go the lights, or was that boom boom out go the lights. Some of you older brothers many remember that Pat Travers tune.






Will be putting up the other light and running the cooling system next.

 

Were getting there, couple more hours of vent work. Then game on.

 

There has been one small set back, one of the ballast isn't working. Its still under warranty and will mail it back in the morning, should be no problem. I won't be needing them for a couple weeks anyway. So there will be a slight delay in running the duct work, fans, things like that for a few days. I bought my seeds about two years ago, online, attitude I believe. I have just been cloning her for all that time. I have been growing her for all that time, with the exception of one grow of heavy duty tooty fruity. To answer your guestion.... I believe it has to do with the breeding of the plants. Like buying a dog, one can spend a lot of money on a pure breed or go to the dog pound and buy a mut for nothing. If you take your pure breed dog and miss treat it or not train it in-correctly you would have been better of saving your money and getting the mut. Same goes for a plant, what you put in is what you get out. With that said, I did have time to move the clones to there net pots where they will stay until I cut them down.

 

I have grown some excellent bud using bag seeds. Back in the day that's all we had to grow. Just remember a bag seed is nothing more then good weed grown bad.

 

Well I am glad you are along for the grow my friend, I wish you a happy New Year and many years to come.

 

I never heard freezer, maybe the frig. I don't think you will have a problem just leaving them alone for that short of period. Just don't loose them. I have grown bag seeds left out for longer then that without any problem.

 

Couple more photo's of the clones. I put two small cfls on them last night, and tonight they seem they are responding to it. Things are looking good. I will setup the rest of the room in the morning. With the exception of the one 600 watt light, that should be here next week with any luck. I won't need it for a month or so. I will put these clones in a small dwc i made to get the root mass built up before putting them in the five gallon buckets.