600w Super Iced Grapefruit "DWC" attempt

noob316

New Member
So, as my name probably suggests, I'm a noob. This is my first grow.
I've spent a lot of time reading what you guys get up to but can't find one grow journal for SIG that doesn't end half way through or have some sort of disaster.
So, I'm gunna attempt to make one. Its some what historic for the first few weeks up until today, where I'm currently around a week or two from flipping, depending on suggestions ;)

I'm working with a 4x4 tent, 600w Dual Spec HPS lamp, a home made DWC setup using 25ltr storage boxes as the tanks and I made my own mesh pots by cutting 4" collars from 2ltr Pepsi Bottles and unravelling one of those net body scrubber things to provide the mesh. This hangs about 3" below the pots, tied at the bottom, stapled to the collars at the top and has some clay pebbles in the bottom.

I got the seeds from Gorilla, there was a week or so delay due to stock issues but they arrives in the end so its all good.

I used the paper towel method to germ them and they all came through within 24 hours, Ihad 5-6mm S shaped tails curling out of them. I had them in a dark cupboard under the water heater so I dunno if the temp helps speed things up.
They went into presoaked rockwool (tap water only) and then into a little closet under a propigator to root.
Initially they were under 32w of CFL and they didn't seem to like it. Got very long and stretchy, much taller than other seedlings I've seen on here.
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This PIC is from the 19th Nov, about 10 days after they went into the wool.
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This next PIC is from 5th December, the 5 have been transplanted into their new home, in the cubes they were born in, sat on top of a bed of clay pebbles in the bottom of the nets and then buried under a load more to give then some stability.
Ones died and been tossed by this point. The girl to the rear right was having major issues and had to have the first set of leaves pruned due the dying. The girl on the front right is just... I have no idea. She's a lost cause but I kept her around in case she eventually recovered.
This is where problems began for me. The rear right drying up and dying, the front right being a horror show. Being a noob, I was somewhat unprepared for this. I'm using Canna A+B Aqua, I hear its good, so it can't be that... Can it?
Turns out it is. The canna (and I've only discovered this because I realised I needed a PH tester and couldn't just hope for the best) was dropping my tap water res from a PH of 7 (slightly too high), to 3.5!
So, after a quick google I went to the Hydro Place and bought some PH Up, knocked up a fresh batch of nutes, swapped out the res and so far so good!
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This is from the 7th, things are looking better (excuse the mess)
I should probably add that at this point I'd been told to buy some sort of root stimulant. I went for Plant Magic Root Stim and although it stinks, it works amazingly!

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On the 9th, things are brighter still...

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On the 11th, began to notice an issue...
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I went back to the hydro store thinking it was a Mag/Cal deficiency but the guy there said it was nute burn and to lower the dose. Now I'm no expert but I don't think 2ml per litre is high, and you guys say its pretty difficult to get nute burn in veg. So, I've ignores him and picked up this guide by canna
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Between the guide and what read on here, I think its a Calcium deficiency. So I picked up some Mag/Cal by Plant Magic, made up a fresh batch of nutes and swapped out the res. I also picked up a spray bottle, filled it with the nutes solution from the new res and gave all the leaves and stems a good spraying, don't know why, seemed like a good idea.

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This is taken on the 15th, the Cal/Mag stuff seems to be working and the nuts stim is filling those tubs rapidly.

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This is taken one the 17th, they're filling out nicely now

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This is taken today, 19th. Everything appears to be going well... So far
 
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noob316

New Member
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Here's a picture for reference to height, the bottle is 500ml so around 7" ish?

I have no idea how high these things finish or how far they stretch.
I plan to flip on the 1st and just hope there's no height issue in the 2m of head room I have.
The solo girl on the right got topped yesterday too. Just to see what happens really.

My main goal is to harvest clones off these for an Ebb and Flood SOG in the next room, but I still want to harvest some weight from these. I need roughly 6 clones per girl. Should I snip the bottoms off for clones and just top twice for 4 main colas? And whatever else decides to flower?
 

hbbum

Well-Known Member
I like to top, but going to get crowded in that container with 2 if you do a bunch of topping. Is the bottle 7" or is the plant about 7"?

They look good and healthy
 

noob316

New Member
The bottle is about 7 maybe 8 inch. Puts the plants closer to 12" so could got to about 3' after the stretch I reckon.
Hopefully if I take most of the lower half of the plants for clones for the next run, that'll free up a little room and make it less crowded.
It's all trial and error at this stage, I had no idea this strain was so bushy. Just read it was a strong yielder, low maintenance and a good smoke.
 
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