Jigfresh's Grow #3 - Flooded Tube Vertical - Querkle, Odyssey - 1000w

Alright everybody. It's finally time for a new journal. Let me tell you about myself. I'm Jigfresh and I've been a member here for a little over a year. About 6 months before I joined RIU my wife (whom I love with all my heart) suggested I grow. She was tired of watching our money go out the door, so I started researching. I read for 2 or 3 months before I started buying equipment. I had planned on my first grow costing around $500. That eneded up balooning to around $2,000. Oops. One good thing is I've been using the same nutrients for all the grows. I bought way too much.

I live in the mountains of Southern California and I have a bunch of cats. No kids yet, but hopefully my wife will be pregnant during the course of this journal. I am around 30 years old.

My first grow was a flat Scrog, in a DWC... I'm a hydro guy all the way. I grew 6 plants as I'm a medical mj patient in california and that is the suggested limit... although the state supreme court just ruled that we here in cali can grow as much as our doctor thinks appropriate. However, I just harvested 14 oz. from 2 plants last go round... so I'm not going to push the issue. I'll keep it at or below 6. Ok so the first grow was Hindu skunk and White Widow. The HS turned out great, but the WW was crap. They were all in one tank and like different ammount of nutrients. Lesson learned on multiple strains in one DWC. I ended up with 9.5 oz HS and 1.7 oz WW.

Next (or rather during the first grow) I snuck a little Purple Kush grow in there. I don't count it so much becuase I grew 4 plants on a bookshelf under 60w t-5 fluoros for a 3 week veg and the first 5 weeks of an 8 week flower cycle. I got 2.25 oz from that grow. Man was it good smoke though... just amazing.

Next is what I call my Grow #2, the Vertical Scrog. I did Casey Jones and Sour Grape. Both in their own 5 gal bucket. Now I could feed them different. However, I found it a pain in the ass to have two separate tanks to deal with. This grow was vertical meaning the lights (400w HPS and 250w MH) were hanging in DIY cool tubes in the center of my closet. The plants kinda wrapped around the lights and grew some real big nugs. However the problem was that there were also TONS of tiny buds becuase of the way I trimmed the plant. Lots of trimming to be done. But I have some of the best popcorn buds that have ever been grown. Not sure if that's something to be proud of, haha. The Sour Grape is beautiful smoke. It gave me 4 oz 10 g from the 1 plant. The Casey Jones plant gave me 2 grams under 10 oz. That was a plant to be proud of. During this grow I also tried my hand at soil. I ended up with 4 grams from one plant and 6 grams from another. And no I didn't type wrong, I got GRAMS, lol.

So let's see... I use Dutch Master Advanced nutrients. Along with DM additives: Potash+, Silica, Max, Zone. I also use Humboldt County's Own - Gravity... I've also used HCO - BushMaster, but not sure if I will this go. I also have a bottle of Purple Maxx, but I've never used it. I'm scared.

The light right at the moment is a 250w MH conversion running on a 250w HPS ballast. It's in another diy cooltube deal like last time.

For flowering I bought a 1000w MH/HPS ballast. I still don't have a bulb for it, but will at some point.

I'm growing 4- Querkle plants and 1- Odyssey. I got the plants as clones from a good friend. They have been in a small 2 gal DWC while I built the Flooded tube set up. One is in the flooded tubes as we speak. I'm trying to figure all this stuff out. I totally wasn't ready to start growing, but that's not a complaint... it just makes things a little more exciting is all.

Which brings me to this: This whole idea is taken from/ inspired by RIU member Heath Robinson - Thanks so much for the idea sir. I got the idea for the vertical cooltube from another RIU friend: Smoote1987 - Thank you too. My original grows idea was ripped from RIU member DrynRoasty, thank you as well. I've also plucked good ideas here and there from other RIU'ers. My man Hulk Nugs is always there to lend support, thanks bro. I know there are a lot of MJ references out there... but I get my info primarily from RollItUp. And you can see the results for yourself.

Everybody is free to post. Just try to keep negativity out. We like criticism, but not bashing. I want to get better, but I don't need to know how much you think I suck, haha.

Alright, so there is the introduction. Let's get this flooded tube vertical grow going.

Originally Posted by 1badmasonman

Jig how do you like that dual saw. They look quite handy.

The dual saw is seriously bad ass. It cut through the thick pvc like butter. It's funny becuase it just cuts... you don't even really feel it cut. Becuase one blade is going each direction there is no pull to one side at all.... just real smooth.

All the cuts on the pipe were smooth as well. No burrs or angles... just even. Also there is much control. I cut the pipe a little too long a couple times and I was able to trim off a 'donut' from the pipe that was around an eighth of an inch, unbroken. I did that three times. And that was my very first time using the saw.

The major drawback to the thing, which isn't that bad, is that heat builds up quickly. With the opposing blades and with whatever kind of differential gear type thing that must be inside to spin them... the thing heats up. I think they say 10 on 15 off. Or maybe 15 on 20 off. Either way cooling is needed, so maybe not the best for contractors. But small jobs it's more than perfect. I LOVE IT.