The Great T5 Adventure!!!!

CDXX said:

Hello everyone, this is the maiden post for my new grow journal, "The Great T5 Adventure." So, before I start in earnest, here's a bit of background:

Background
I'm what could be considered an "intermediate" level grower. I've had several successful grows under my belt. They have been medium sized (30 plant) medical grows. As you can see from the pictures, the set up I've been using is quite successful, averaging 6-8 oz. per plant after 4 months of growth. However, the setup I've been using is also highly conventional. I use T5's to veg, and 4,000 watts of HPS to flower, and keep things cool with a big AC and extensive ducting. We use soil, and the Botanicare Pure Blend Family of nutrients.

Since my old grow is now running like a well-oiled machine, I figure its time to try something new. And that "something new" is The Great T5 Adventure!

The Task At Hand
Basically, I wanted to set up a 6 plant micro-grow in my 2 bedroom condo (which is where I actually live, not the location where the 30 plants are). While it is medical (and therefore legal) I still don't want all of my neighbors smelling pot whenever they walk into the hallway, so discretion is a top priority. As well, I have very unusual windows in my home. This makes it literally impossible to install window AC units, and very difficult (though not impossible) to run heat vents to the outside. So, I must have a system that is relatively cool-running. As well, since I only have 2 bedrooms, I wanted to make sure that my grow did NOT take up a whole room/make it unusable. Space is at a premium here! Finally, I wanted to experiment with some different ideas/ newer technologies. I've done the tried and true, balls-out 10,000 watt power-grow, so this time, I wanted to try something different. In short, I want to create a sleek, modern, efficient way of growing plants in as discrete a fashion as possible. So, after doing some research, and spending a considerable amount of time chatting with the dudes @ my favorite grow store, I hatched a plan...which I will discuss in my next post

Stay tuned for the next post (should be up soon). There, I will discuss my progress so far, as well as some of the details of my set up. Until Next Time...

Click to expand...

6-8 ounces per plant?
Do you mean you veg for four months? From clone?

No, I mean we veg for 2 months, and flower for about 9ish weeks, roughly 4 month cycles. Admittedly, 8 ounces has only happened once or twice, normally it's much closer to 6 or 7. But, we get pretty good weight off our plants And yes, we use clones, and selectively clone only the biggest, highest yielding plants. We don't breed or create new strains, but we do keep records of which strains and plants perform well, and use that information in planning out our grow.

Update:
I think I've solved my foam problem. I did a bit of research, and apparently AN Bud Candy can create foam in the reservoir. I happen to be using this, so I'm guessing that is the problem.

Cant wait to see finished product. I'm using 3 436 4x8 hydrofarm t5s in sunshine#4. Didnt veg as long as you but have more plants to fit under them Figuring throwing a screen on top of this to just get max canopy would cup back on veg time and still do about max for the t5 as it doesnt like the lower layer of buds much

Subbed up. I am in the process of ditching the HPS for a 6 tube t5 in a tent.

Updates All Around:
Sorry Folks, I've been remiss in updating this journal...I've been busy setting up *the greatest grow ever* (1500 square feet, 4 rooms, 20,000 watts of lighting! I can't wait to start journaling this one!)

Anyhow, things are going well. I'm definitely noticing that some of the lower buds are under developed, so I think I'm going to grab 2 4' t5 strips, and put them on the sides to help encourage flower development. Other than that, things have been uneventful...I've been tying my plants with ribbon so that they a) don't get too close to the light and b) spread out the branches to allow for better light penetration and airflow.

My clones are doing well...I only have a survival rate of like 1/7th, but that's all I really needed. Unfortunately, I'll have to dismantle my setup halfway through the next grow, because relatives will be visiting me (ugh). But, that's a problem for October, so I think I'll just procrastinate.

Damn!

Those aren't plants....those are trees!!!


Looks Great...keep it up

Tee Five said:

Damn!

Those aren't plants....those are trees!!!


Looks Great...keep it up

Click to expand...

I know, right? These plants aren't even 3 months old...I was honestly caught by surprise, I've never had plants grow like this in my life...guess this adds a "+ rep" for multi-spectrum T5 grows!

Upgrades!

Ok, so I went out and purchased some more goodies to further enhance my grow. I purchased a burly new air pump: 8 hoses, 24 watts of power, several hundred GPH of air flow...my DWC setup almost looks like an aeroponic system, the bubbling action is so good (see attached picture)!

As well, I purchased 2 4' single bulb t5 fixtures, and placed these on the sides of my cabinet. The bulbs are covered, so I can slide these fixtures right through the branches of my plants without burning them. The lighting conditions in my setup are now 1,000 times better. I'm hoping this will result in fewer lost branches due to lack of light penetration. I'm also hoping I will develop more bud sites, since buds tend to develop only when they get good light.

As you can see, my buds are looking pretty good for week 3 of 9 (maybe 10, depending on how the trichs turn out). I've been using big bud and bud candy, in addition to my regular GMB base nutrients. I feel that the bud candy is what makes my stuff so sugary looking (though its a bit hard to tell from the pictures, my camera has a poor macro ability).

I noticed some very mild chemical burning on the leaves, so I checked my pH, and made some adjustments. However, in the process, I'm pretty sure I broke my pH meter when I stepped on it. Fail.

damn! that air pump 's a BEAST nice grow/
Give it up for Advanced Nutrients.

So, nothing particularly exciting. There is a bit of root rot starting to creep back. I'm pretty sure it's because I've been letting my water temps get a bit too high, and I've gotten sloppy with my h2o2 regimen. I'm not super worried about it, as I'm fairly confident I can hold off the worst of it for 4 more weeks. My plants have so many healthy roots that they shouldn't be too affected.

That being said, my plants are coming along quite well. As you can see in the pictures, my buds are nice and sugary. Big up to advance nutrients, and Bud Candy in particular. I'm actually quite pleased with these photos, as my camera normally doesn't take good macro photos. I tried a new trick though, where I actually stand back from the plants, then zoom in. This seems to work much better for getting close up shots. Let me know what you think!

I'll keep you guys updated if anything interesting comes up, but at this point, I'm just cruising towards the finish line.

Very interested in using T5 lights... want fill an entire house with them. I'll take a seat.

I like this. Very effiecient, impressive use of flourescent lighting.

subed...they look great!

So this is just my humble opinion on why your root rot keeps coming back to haunt you.
think of the plant and hydrogen peroxide sort of like you would with a person who has lived their whole life completely sterile of any bacteria/fungi/virus . nothing.
when even the tiniest little organism then happens to find it's way into that person's body, detrimental effects.
its adaptation and organisms on this planet are very good at it.
When an organism has relied on something other than it's own natural defenses to survive, its going to direct energy toward other things and not waste time on that because its covered.
when that artificial defense somehow weakens, the effects are immediate and drastic.
your plants have relied on the hydrogen peroxide to survive and thus have abandoned their own immune system to an extent.
this cannot be reversed this grow. just keep using it until harvest.
but NEXT grow, invest in some beneficial bacteria, fungi and enzymes that AN carries.
this will compliment the plant's natural defenses as well as so many other benefits.
ditch the hydrogen peroxide other than for regular reservoir cleaning
again, just my humble opinion.
DUBS

Again, no news is goods news. Everything is shaping up nicely. I'm still having a bit of a root rot problem, but I'm keeping it under control, and I will have harvested before things get too bad. The buds look absolutely fantastic, and the smell is absolutely delicious (although it's getting to the point where my carbon filter isn't able to fully remove the stink, not that it really matters since I'm legal, but still...)

Since I'm sort of coasting to the finish, I've begun to reflect on what I could have done differently for better results. The first thing I've noticed is that I let my plants get WAY too big for the space I was using. It's awesome that I can grow a 6' plant in a couple of months, but I just never anticipated such rapid growth (notice the man-sized plant picture...that was over a month ago!)

Because my plants got so big, light penetration started to become an issue. T5's just can't match the light penetrating abilities of traditional HID lighting. While I was able to add side lights to alleviate some of the problem, in the future it would be better to have the side lights in place from the beginning.

As well, I think this issue would seem to indicate that a strategy shift is needed. Rather than grow HUGE 4 month old plants, it would probably be better to get quick cycles of medium sized plants (like 2.5-3 months). This way, you wouldn't have plants develop such a thick canopy, which is the one true "weakness" of T5 lighting. Ultimately, many of my lower branches have become somewhat withered and barren. Again, due to the sheer size of my plants, it's not a big issue, but it's clear that a T5 fixture isn't sufficient to penetrate 4' of canopy.

In terms of the hydro setup, I have only the most positive things to says. DWC hydro creates monstrous plants, plain and simple. I have a feeling this could be due to the fact that they have a continuous supply of nutrients; the plants can always eat their fill. However, as I reflect upon my design, the one thing I would do a better job of is constructing the reservoir. When plants get to be large, it is literally impossible to detach them from the reservoir without potentially causing serious damage. This makes cleaning/sterilization/maintenance much harder than it probably would be in an ebb/flow or drip irrigation system (both of which use separate, detached reservoirs).

However, I think these obstacles can be overcome with a bit of planning and preparation. One thing I would recommend is having a slightly elevated reservoir with a drainage valve on the bottom. This would allow for easy emptying of the reservoir. As well, I would recommend acquiring a pump to pump fresh water into the res during nutrient changes. I have been doing this, and it has made it much easier to refill the tank. I also use it to pump water out of the tank, but I find that the pump can't quite get the last few drops of old water out (which is important if you're trying to keep a reservoir sterile, hence why I suggested a drainage valve)

I'll author a formal debriefing once my harvest is done, but these are just some of my tentative thoughts in the meantime. Enjoy the pictures! And don't forget to spread the T5 gospel, people just don't know what they're missing!

DUBS Doobious said:

So this is just my humble opinion on why your root rot keeps coming back to haunt you.
think of the plant and hydrogen peroxide sort of like you would with a person who has lived their whole life completely sterile of any bacteria/fungi/virus . nothing.
when even the tiniest little organism then happens to find it's way into that person's body, detrimental effects.
its adaptation and organisms on this planet are very good at it.
When an organism has relied on something other than it's own natural defenses to survive, its going to direct energy toward other things and not waste time on that because its covered.
when that artificial defense somehow weakens, the effects are immediate and drastic.
your plants have relied on the hydrogen peroxide to survive and thus have abandoned their own immune system to an extent.
this cannot be reversed this grow. just keep using it until harvest.
but NEXT grow, invest in some beneficial bacteria, fungi and enzymes that AN carries.
this will compliment the plant's natural defenses as well as so many other benefits.
ditch the hydrogen peroxide other than for regular reservoir cleaning
again, just my humble opinion.
DUBS

Click to expand...

No need to be so humble, you are entirely correct, haha. I've known this for quite some time. H2o2 is highly effective, but only so long as it's use is consistent. I didn't use it consistently, so I have only myself to blame. The main reason I use h2o2 is cost effectiveness. To use a full h2o2 regimen for a harvest costs a total of maybe 40ish dollars. To use the equivalent amount of let's say hygrozyme, or something similar, would be much, much more expensive. As well, I've known other growers who were unable to solve their rot problem w/ such products. That's not to say that they don't work, I just didn't want to chance it.

But, you are absolutely correct in that h2o2 kills ALL bacteria, even the beneficial sort. I may very well try your approach next time...after all, this is the Great T5 Adventure, and what's an adventure without new and exciting things?

P.S. + rep for the insightful comment!

Just another update (with photos, of course). Everything is going smoothly, even with the loss of my pH meter (I'll be flying blind the last 2 weeks, but my avg. water pH, plus the advanced nutrients pH perfect will keep my pH within an acceptable range.) My buds are looking great, and the hairs are really starting to change colors. I harvest in just over 2 weeks, and things seem to be chugging along just fine. There continues to be a bit of chemical burn on my leaves; I'm guessing it was a a result of to much phosphate due to the addition of the big bug (I'm pretty sure that's the big bud base lol).

I'm interested to see how much weight I get off these plants. As I believe I mentioned in previous posts, I feel the size of my plants relative to their space hindered the development of buds on the lower branches. Next time I will definitely need a wider space.

Anyways, here are the newest pics. Enjoy!

Totally amazing and thanks for the journal. I'm gearing up for my first T5 grow (3 or 4 plants using the 4ft 8 bulb t5 HO system). I'm glad I found your journal. I'm going to also purchase a set of single 4ft tubes for the bottom of the plants.

- Where did you purchase your single 4ft t5 fixtures?
- Did you do any LST with your floro grow?

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been gone so long, I've had to deal with 2 big harvests in the past 3 weeks, so I've been super busy! Anyways, the harvest for my little project worked out well, although not as much as I had hoped for (about 1/2 a pound). The nuggets are delicious, with a big orange hairs and a purplish hue to the bud. Very tasty, and highly intoxicating! Unfortunately, I now have to disassemble my project because I have some family members coming into town. This will most assuredly be a pain in the ass, which is why the next time around I'm just going to by a grow tent. Even though wood is the ideal material (because the walls can support weight), it is more or less permanent, whereas a tent can be taken down and bundled up in a hour.

As well, the new large-scale grow I've been working on is almost done. We're growing about 60 plants in a massive basement (like 1500-2000 square feet). I'll try to put some photos up in the next few days!