RW-75 - First Grow - Annihilator / Acapulco Gold

Well I'm on my first grow based on some clippings received by a friend and some time in the DIY cloner. Took about three weeks to get roots, but we are on our way now. (Day 18 today) Had to be ignored for about 5 days with company in town and PH crept up a bit, but they seem to be OK. Transferred them to 3" net pots with clay pellets in my DIY rail system and will update periodically with a progress report.

Using Botanicare pro grow, liquid karma, and cal-mag at 842 ppm at the start. PH 5.9 @ 73F using tap water (73 PPM - 37PPM was a typo). Tent is 47% humidity at 79F. RW-75's are 13-18 inches from the plant tops to start - veg only mode.

The smallest AG in the last photo may get scrapped - it was an extra clipping and hasn't rooted that well. Leaving for a trip and will be gone three days - if it makes it, it makes it at this point.

The other bushy item was for another hobby of mine - homebrewing. It's a cascade hop plant - had an extra slot in the rail and a cutting and just want to see how it does. It's grown quite a bit in the cloner already obviously.

Nice setup mako, subbed, interested to see how your RW's perform. Cheers and good luck with the run!

GroErr said:

Nice setup mako, subbed, interested to see how your RW's perform. Cheers and good luck with the run!

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Thanks - I'm completely new at growing and hydro, so a lot to learn. Have done a lot of reading and the only way to get started is to get started! Looking forward to your yields on the CMH as well.

Thanks, have pondered doing NFT but I've been growing in soil for close to 30 years, it's what I know and I like getting my hands dirty Good luck with it, should do well with the combo of NFT and those RW's. Cheers...

37ppm water? Is that a typo or are you lucky as shit? LOL My softened and filtered water is about 100 or so, RO ~10. Nothing, straight out the tap bypassing the filtration like 300. When I was living out in West Texas going to college man my water was like rocks. 850ppm+ out of the tap. I even talked to the city about it because it's over the limit for consumable water. They just told me it was a guideline not a regulation, so it's just a suggestion and not mandatory. What a crock of shit right!? LOL

Definitely be watching. Couple other guys on the other forum I've always frequented due to me and my buddy DXE are trying out some LEDs too. One just bought a couple Onyx and one just bout 3 RW-75s to try. Another old head that's been growing for a good twenty years is about to buy some too. Nice to see what others can do and/or hear feedback and witness new technology progress.

Was a typo - should have been 73. Still good though and just double checked out of the tap and got 84ppm. Good water here I guess! Still debating an RO setup for chlorine and other nasties - both for growing and my homebrew, but this isn't a bad way to start.

84ppm is pretty clean, I wouldn't bother with RO. Just get a Small Boy and pop in a KDF 85.

http://www.hydrologicsystems.com/products/product.php?id=12&cat_id=35&keywords=Small_Boy

http://www.hydrologicsystems.com/products/product.php?id=160&cat_id=7&keywords=KDF85/Catalytic_Carbon_upgrade_filter_-_10"x2.5"_for_Stealth-RO100/200_and_Small_Boy

Your ppm will still be about the same, but without the chlorine. It's way faster than waiting for RO. I think we're all envious of your clean tap water!

My water out of the tap is 85ppm

Sorry i meant to type 85-105ppm

Well, plants survived while I was gone for the weekend but believe I'm running into my first nutrient problem. Have some yellowing on lower fan leaves and curling on the Ac Gold plants. Any ideas in the why? PH was tested today at 6.5 and dropped it down to 5.6 @ 73F water temp with PH Down. Pretty sure PH isn't the issue and wondering if I have a magnesium issue. Any thoughts? First two images are the Annihilator, last two are the Ac Gold.

Forgot to add a couple other details. I am using a fixed cycle timer of 1 minute on and 4 minutes off. This worked great when I was using the cloner with no clay medium, but wondering if I need to extend out the off period. I have another timer where I can adjust the cycles independently and looking to others input on what they use and any suggestions there.

I also have some Epsom salts that I can use on hand, it it turns out it's required, but not sure how much to add in ~15 gallon solution.

Tent temperature fluctuates between 73F and 79F between 45-50% hunidity. LED's run cool and temps measured are at the rail below the LED's.

Really appreciate the input!

makomachine said:

Forgot to add a couple other details. I am using a fixed cycle timer of 1 minute on and 4 minutes off. This worked great when I was using the cloner with no clay medium, but wondering if I need to extend out the off period. I have another timer where I can adjust the cycles independently and looking to others input on what they use and any suggestions there.

I also have some Epsom salts that I can use on hand, it it turns out it's required, but not sure how much to add in ~15 gallon solution.

Tent temperature fluctuates between 73F and 79F between 45-50% hunidity. LED's run cool and temps measured are at the rail below the LED's.

Really appreciate the input!

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I run a system that's similar to yours. I use an adjustable cycle timer (CAP ART-DNE) and have found that 30-45 seconds on every 30-45 minutes is just about perfect. In the last picture the wilty plant looks overwatered. Shorter, more frequent watering should take care of that.

It looks like a magnesium deficiency for sure. Its pretty easy to get a mag def with soiless systems like we use. I have found that a tablespoon of Epsom salts per 10 gallons every change works well. Your temps are OK. Just try to keep the nutrient temp 68-70 degrees since water carries adequate oxygen at 68-70. Higher temps not so good.

Mechmike said:

I run a system that's similar to yours. I use an adjustable cycle timer (CAP ART-DNE) and have found that 30-45 seconds on every 30-45 minutes is just about perfect. In the last picture the wilty plant looks overwatered. Shorter, more frequent watering should take care of that.

It looks like a magnesium deficiency for sure. Its pretty easy to get a mag def with soiless systems like we use. I have found that a tablespoon of Epsom salts per 10 gallons every change works well. Your temps are OK. Just try to keep the nutrient temp 68-70 degrees since water carries adequate oxygen at 68-70. Higher temps not so good.

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Appreciate your input! I've done a few things in adjustment.

1) I've added an air stone to my reservoir to help with oxygen as the temps are likely what they will be without a chiller. I've been meaning to do this anyway, as I already had the extra stone and air pump running, just hadn't done it yet.

2) I added 1 1/2 tbs of Epsom salts to the water (~15 gal) - mixed in a container prior with nutrient water and stirred in well. We'll see what that does over the next few days.

3) I've moved to my other timer running currently at 25 seconds on and ~30 min off. Need to check the actuals today to insure it's dialed in - but that's ~ where I set it at and loosely clocked it on first cycle.

Hopefully these changes will put the green back in my grow - will advise!

makomachine said:

Appreciate your input! I've done a few things in adjustment.

1) I've added an air stone to my reservoir to help with oxygen as the temps are likely what they will be without a chiller. I've been meaning to do this anyway, as I already had the extra stone and air pump running, just hadn't done it yet.

2) I added 1 1/2 tbs of Epsom salts to the water (~15 gal) - mixed in a container prior with nutrient water and stirred in well. We'll see what that does over the next few days.

3) I've moved to my other timer running currently at 25 seconds on and ~30 min off. Need to check the actuals today to insure it's dialed in - but that's ~ where I set it at and loosely clocked it on first cycle.

Hopefully these changes will put the green back in my grow - will advise!

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Any leaves damaged by a mag def will not recover but new growth will be fine. Correcting the def now will ensure that the new leaves stay healthy. Also, you may want to lengthen the off-time to 45 minutes for your water pump for a few days at least until the wilty one gets happy.

Well after much futzing, got it dialed in to 48 seconds on and 47 minutes off. A digital version of this controller is in order as the dial is a PITA to adjust. We'll see how things fair over the next few days.

Picked up a digital timer today on Amazon - will let everyone know my thoughts as I get it in the system later this week.


PH this evening is 5.8 @ 73F.

Grow 1 / Veg Day 8


Yesterday 8/6:


Removed hop plant and the Ac Gold runt as it still hasn't rooted. Focused lighting on the 4 plants I'll be taking through the complete cycle. Hop plant was a drain on the nutrients and was getting out of control. The small Ac Gold never rooted other than a nub, so it's done. Pruned yellow leaves. Installed screen for SCROG - not thrilled with attachment but should serve its purpose. It's fairly tight, better than the pic indicates anyway.


Today 8/7:


PH 5.9 @ 72F - stabilized over last 3 days with no adjustments required.


About a 2 inch growth out of all plants over the last day, and appears the Epsom salts and reduced watering schedule has helped a bit. Still believe I'm fighting deficiency and will do a water change and new nutrients this evening. Leaves on the Ac Gold plants are a bit yellow still. No small brown spots on new growth, but not as dark as they should be as compared to the Annihilator.

Foliar fed Epsom salts this morning via spray bottle (1/2 tsp in 1/2 gallon)

Very nice system/setup. I'm going to watch this, should be good.

Grow 1 / Veg Day 9

Yesterday evening:

Water/nute change - 1100 PPM in distilled water. (Ac Gold looks nitrogen deprived at 900 ppm and already have had magnesium defficiency). Used distilled to remove any water variables, even though I have pretty good water.

Botanicare Pro Grow / Liquid Karma / Cal Mag
PH landed at 4.1 @ 75F with nutrients and distilled.
PH UP added until 6.0 @ 75F and monitored twice last night with small adjustments to keep it at 6.0.

Neem Oil soaking via spray bottle on all plants for weekly treatment / preventative. Not sure if the brown spots on the Ac Gold aren't mite/pest related and had some small areas of powdery mildew on one of the Ann plants.

Swapped out timer to digital version, which I like on initial setup and use. Like the fact you can see the countdown between cycles and can manually bypass timer, shut off timer, etc. with one button. Used this to drain the reservoir yesterday via pump and was quite handy. Not having a pump kick on inadvertently when working on things is also a plus since you can see the countdown. Set timer to 45 seconds on and 45 minutes off.



Today:

Did some lower leaf pruning this morning. Taking it slowly at the base of the plant since this is my first grow and the girls are just now getting to good health. (Hopefully)

Will add more water at the right PH and Nute levels if plants show signs they like the 1100 PPM. (2.5 gallons of distilled & Nutes premixed already). Left out last 2. 5 gallons to allow for adjustments as needed. Zero signs of distress at the new levels thus far.

Droopy Ac Gold plant has started to show some good signs of recovery. Leaves are lifting and color is better over night on both Ac Gold plants since the water change. This weekend I'll likely start the initial training to the screen with some soft wire ties (Gardener's Blue Ribbon) on the Ann plants.

Your girls are definitely looking better! It takes a little while to correct a mag deficiency and using foliar spray like you have been should get you there quicker. How is your nutrient water supplied to the root chambers? Internal spray tubes? undercurrent? flood & drain?