# First "semi-pro" grow? lol



## dontknowmuch (Oct 18, 2011)

Ok so I grew a few years back using only cfl. So now I start my first grow with hopefuly better knowledge and better lights..These are clones from my local dispencery two Sweet Wreck, two Purple Haze and Two Vanilla Kush ( also have some WW seeds I will germ later) These are 10 days from clones in MJR organic blend with worm castings,Spaghnum peat moss and Pumice in 1 gallon pots. Maybe I should add some perlite when I repot?

I am using FF and thinking of switching to GH down the road. Veg is 4x2 with T5"s and using LST method...I have many concerns but I guess my biggest would be Spider Mites. I spray the plants with water and have bug screens on my intake air from outside. What else should I do to prevent Spider Mites?

Anyways thanks for looking and I will be reading more of your journals to learn more,,,thanks


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## nouvellechef (Oct 18, 2011)

You've been here long time. Welcome back. Winter, mites don't thrive well. So thats to your benefit. You always spray them last week of veg with miticide. Which one is up to you. I am bias to one. Only cause it has worked for years with no mites.


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## dontknowmuch (Oct 18, 2011)

Thanks, May I ask which brand you use? or is mitacide the brand?


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## Roddy (Oct 18, 2011)

:ciao: Pulling up a chair!


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## drfting07 (Oct 18, 2011)

Pulling up a chair as well. Vanilla Kush has had my attention for sometime. Growing it out next season. GREEN MOJO


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## nouvellechef (Oct 18, 2011)

dontknowmuch said:
			
		

> Thanks, May I ask which brand you use? or is mitacide the brand?



Floramite


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## The Hemp Goddess (Oct 18, 2011)

And I like Forbid, also a miticide.  I believe that Floramite and Forbid are probably the 2 best out there for prevention of mites.


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## Roddy (Oct 18, 2011)

drfting07 said:
			
		

> Pulling up a chair as well. Vanilla Kush has had my attention for sometime. Growing it out next season. GREEN MOJO



VK is a good smoke, not as good as OG of course, but nice at any rate!!


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## Sol (Oct 18, 2011)

Wow, i must just be lucky,..have'nt seen a spider mite presently, or last grow, maybe too cold here. But , i hope you kick em out of your spot, they don't sound like much fun.

  So your using 2 4ft florescent tubes now, and have you decided what to use for flower? Just curious, or do you already have flowering lights?


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## dontknowmuch (Oct 18, 2011)

I don't have any Spider Mites but I want to do as much as I can to prevent them. I am running four 4ft bulbs and I have to set up my flower tent soon and will be running 600w HPS with cooled hood and 6" inline fan with a carbon filter. My humidity is around 50 is that ok for veg? I guess I will just go with whichever I can find cheapest Forbid or Floramite, So the last week of veg is the latest I should spray them?.. I better start shopping because I was thinking maybe throw in flower in a couple weeks.

Thanks


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## The Hemp Goddess (Oct 18, 2011)

I kind of like to switch up treatments.  I have both Forbid and Floramite.  Mites can develop resistance to treatments quite fast.


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## dontknowmuch (Oct 18, 2011)

Ok but just to clarify this is for prevention I do not have spider mites at this time. Knock on wood


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## Sol (Oct 18, 2011)

LOL, gotcha . 
 I think i had too many lournals open and got u mixed up with sumone else, maybe.  No mites, just preventative.


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## dontknowmuch (Oct 19, 2011)

When I got the clones some of them had a few crispy and or brown leaves. They are growing strong but still have the crisp and brown. I will add a pic next post to show you all. The Sweet Wreck is growing the fastest and it is lush green. Temps are running average 72*f and humidity is 50


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## Lemon Jack (Oct 19, 2011)

If they were newly rooted clones sometimes the tips turn yellow and brown when they are rooting (happens to me alot)  They always grow past it though. After they turn crispy i always remove them there not coming back.


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## dontknowmuch (Oct 21, 2011)

First pic is Sweet Wreck and they are looking great! Second and third are my Purple Hazes with the brown and crispy leaves. Not so great!


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## Roddy (Oct 21, 2011)

:ciao:


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## The Hemp Goddess (Oct 21, 2011)

dontknowmuch said:
			
		

> First pic is Sweet Wreck and they are looking great! Second and third are my Purple Hazes with the brown and crispy leaves. Not so great!



Looks like nute burn on those purples.  The Sweet Wreck looks great.


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## dontknowmuch (Oct 21, 2011)

Well when I got them I was looking for the greenest looking clones he had but all the PHaze had some brown and crisp . The BudTender said they were ready for some nutes and they should grow up happy. I have only fed like half dose of ff Grow Big with just a minute amount of the Big Bloom. Should I wait and see if they perk up or maybe take the greenest clones from them and try to start over?


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## dontknowmuch (Oct 29, 2011)

24 days from planting clones:
Just transplanted to bigger pots in some Happy Frog soil. I'm not sure how much to feed them now or when. I have only fed them 3 times since I got them with half dose of FF grow and Bloom. They still looking like either Burn Or deficiant, I Don't know...Here are some pics. 

First pic-Purple Haze
Second is Vanillia Kush
Third pic, Sweet Wreck ( Kinda droopy? )
Fourth is crisp tip on Sweet Wreck


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## Sol (Oct 29, 2011)

Where do you get the water you are using? Like what kind is it ?


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## dontknowmuch (Oct 29, 2011)

I get my water from a artesian well and the PH is 5.8 - 6.0 average. here is a link to the tests results of the well water. I prefer to drink this water because is is untreated.

 hxxps://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B4l9wF17aOiSNmZlMTEzOGItYjdjZS00MGZmLWI1ZDktZmUwZDIzNGU5MzRj&hl=en

Think there might be a problem with the water?


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## Sol (Oct 29, 2011)

I was thinking a calcium or magnesium def or both . I get it like that steady, if i don't use  cal/mag  or epsom salts to correct it. I also use spring water but just recently switched to distilled.  Even spring water that you can buy starts off at 490 p.p.m. with salts of one sort or another whereas distilled does'nt.

 At least this is what i believe to be correct.


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## Sol (Oct 29, 2011)

i just re- read your first page  and if you've only fed 3 times with 1/2 strenght, perhaps they are hungry as well. When you transplanted, did you wet the soil before you placed the plant or water directly after it was potted? If not , that might explain the 'droopy' .   If it was me, i would suppliment some cal/mag in the water, feed them at 3/4 strength and sprat the leaves daily with weak cal/mag and nitrogen solution( more N than anything).  And hope.

 At least ,to the best of my knowledge ,thats what i would do.


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## dontknowmuch (Oct 29, 2011)

ok I will have to run to store for cal/mag, Until then I sprayed the leaves with just a small amount of my FF grow big which has nitrogen... And yes I did water ( no nutes) when I transplanted, They were actualy looking a little better today before I sprayed


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## Sol (Oct 29, 2011)

Why is no one else helping this fella??

I'de hate to be wrong and hurt your plant ,my friend,  wish someone else could chime in as well.


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## Sol (Oct 29, 2011)

Another thing occurred to me after reading your soil mix.  You started with a peat moss base??  I can't remember the details but i remember reading that peat moss reacts with certain nutrients ,locking them out.  I'm not saying that that is your problem, but it might be som ething to consider when making final diagnosis. 
 I'm workin in my room right now or i would do more research into it but its somewhere to start.    Peace


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## dontknowmuch (Oct 30, 2011)

yah some of the soil I used had spaghnum peat moss ( spelling?) I used that soil a few years ago when I grew and had no issues, I still have that and now mixed with mostly Happy Frog- That I got because it was cheaper and my departed mother collected frog stuff....If I fry em don't worry Sol I won't blame you


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## Grower13 (Oct 30, 2011)

I would flush the plants with distilled water....... really really really water them until a quart or more runs out the bottom......... then in a day or 2 I would add my nutes to the distilled water and water good....... I live where there are arteisen auquifers (SP?)........ your parts per million are high..... you shouldn't need to lime much though. I hope someone will verify........ it shouldn't hurt your plants even if it is not the fix. Good luck.


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## Grower13 (Oct 30, 2011)

If you will go to wally world and get one of those RV filters you hook to the hose and run your water through those it will bring down your parts per million down to where you can manage....... I get a 2 pack for under $20.00.......  it opens up space in the water so your nutes will have plenty of space to work....... without taken all the good out of the water you have.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Oct 30, 2011)

A pH of 5.8-6.0 is too low for soil grows. * You are probably locking out nutrients that your plants need*.  Until you get your pH in line, nothing is going to help.  

Any kind of particulate filter, like Grower 13 mentioned, is going to have very limited benefits.  Most of the contaminants in water is in the form of dissolved solids and cannot be filtered out with simple cartridge filters.  You generally need an RO or water treatment system of some kind.  In addition, cartridge filters "do not open up space in the water".  The water will take all the nutrients that we put into it.  The reason that we want to start with water with a low ppm is so that you know what you are feeding your plants.  The ppms in your water are basically "unknown nutrients".  Since we want to know exactly what we are feeding our plants, it is nice to start with water with a low ppm.


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## Grower13 (Oct 30, 2011)

The Hemp Goddess said:
			
		

> A pH of 5.8-6.0 is too low for soil grows. * You are probably locking out nutrients that your plants need*.  Until you get your pH in line, nothing is going to help.
> 
> You generally need an RO or water treatment system of some kind.  In addition, cartridge filters "do not open up space in the water".  The water will take all the nutrients that we put into it.  The reason that we want to start with water with a low ppm is so that you know what you are feeding your plants.  The ppms in your water are basically "unknown nutrients".  Since we want to know exactly what we are feeding our plants, it is nice to start with water with a low ppm.




Will this do the trick THG?

hXXp://www.ebay.com/itm/COUNTERTOP-Water-Filter-Sediment-Carbon-Plus-2-filters-/160672890335?pt=Small_Kitchen_Appliances_US&hash=item2568d9bddf


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## The Hemp Goddess (Oct 30, 2011)

No, that is pretty much the same thing as the RV ones.  It will remove any undissolved solids in your water.  It is a carbon filter whose main purpose is to make the water taste and smell better.  Any dissolved solids in your water will not be removed with this filter.  Most well water has dissolved solids rather than solids in suspension.


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## dontknowmuch (Oct 30, 2011)

Im not sure what you guys are telling me..Don't use the well water and switch to tap or distilled? I can't afford to buy distilled. Goddess the ph goes up when I add nutes, Should I still invest in some cal/mag?


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## Locked (Oct 30, 2011)

I hate to say this because the last time shitstorm erupted but it looks like a ph issue. Too me it looks a lot like a Cal Mag deficiency probably because of the ph problem. You are probably locked out of other things as well.   If you don't hve a PH meter and some PH up and Down I wld get some. Like THG said...until you get your PH in line they just won't uptake the nutrients. I PH everything that goes into my soil at 6.5 and start with a pretty neutral soil that I now add sweet lime to thanks to listening to the Organic peeps. Has been working great. jmo


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## Grower13 (Oct 30, 2011)

Your tap water is most likely the same water with more stuff added. With the hard water...... I can't see lack of calcium being the problem...... you need to change the water somehow.


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## Sol (Oct 30, 2011)

I had the EXACT same thing happen to a few of my fussier plants , while i was using spring water( which i used last grow too) , and after many weeks of the same fustration , i researched and switched to distilled water and added cal/mag and i have'nt had a problem since. They are still actually recovering nicely now, and that was the most effective way to eliminate that problem. Hope this helps


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## dontknowmuch (Oct 31, 2011)

ok so I will pay closer attention to ph, get ph up and down, some cal/mag..look into sweet lime. So are you just buying gallon jugs of distilled at the store?...Thanks for tips.


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## Grower13 (Oct 31, 2011)

I can get ro water or distilled water for a $1.00 a gallon ....... however, long term....... I'm going to get a RO water system....... for about $150.00 I'm going have good water for me and my plants.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Oct 31, 2011)

I don't think you necessarily need to buy distilled water.  Get you pH in line and then let's see what happens to your plants.


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## dontknowmuch (Oct 31, 2011)

yes mam will do..I only got test strips at the moment, I ordered a meter online will take awhile to get Im sure..and I will get cal/mag and ph up/down in a couple days...what should I do in the meantime,,,just distilled water? or maybe mist some grow big?


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## dman1234 (Oct 31, 2011)

Dont buy ph up and down, when your meter gets there mix a nutes solution up and check it, you will need PH up or down but not both, jmo.


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## dontknowmuch (Oct 31, 2011)

ah more good advice and save me some moola to boot . Thanks


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## Locked (Oct 31, 2011)

dman1234 said:
			
		

> Dont buy ph up and down, when your meter gets there mix a nutes solution up and check it, you will need PH up or down but not both, jmo.



Problem with that is he will most likely need both....if he is growing in soil he will most likely need ph up to get it in range. It buffers my water at 5.8-5.9 and I need ph up to get to 6.5. Then when I want to just water my water has a ph of 7.8 out of the tap.( I believe most peeps who get their water from a public source will also hve water with a ph close to that.)  So I need ph down...I go through a lot more ph down then up. I wld say 2 to 1 ratio at least.  Jmo

Edit:After checking the EPA says drinking water shld hve a Ph between 6.5-8.5...so I guess the odds are your water will be above 7.


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## SmokeMyPiece (Nov 1, 2011)

I've only needed down, but ive had high ph.
Moved 3 times around a 20 mile radius.
-Had tap water ph of 7.1, 8.4, and currently 9.1


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## dontknowmuch (Nov 4, 2011)

Still waiting for my PH meter, Have fed them only distilled water in the last few days. Not sure what I should be doing now, flush with Distilled or feed some nutes, Maybe foliar feed? Anyone else use the ph test strips? Right after I dip it starts out yellow then slowly turns to a darker rust/brown color.


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## dontknowmuch (Nov 6, 2011)

Fed with full nutes and some cal/mag with distilled water, things are looking better except the Vanilla Kush. Just got my meter today and have to figure that out, Im not the sharpest tool in the shed. Setting up my tent for flowers...will post pics soon. I also got some of that dolomite and noticed it is cal/mag as well. Should I put some in the soil or just feed the liquid cal/mag and maybe next time I pot new clones just add a little of the dolomite?


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## dontknowmuch (Nov 26, 2011)

ok 16th day of flower 600w hps, been feeding cal/mag every other watering. got my PH in order ( 6.5 ). Vanilla Kush ( upper right ) still has some problems but looking better. Just fed some molasses. some of the clones I took have the yellow and crisp like before, maybe bad genetics? Purple haze already growing some buds. got Dolomite in my veg soil. Will I still need to add cal/mag?

HPS light is on in pic


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## dontknowmuch (Nov 26, 2011)

Hamster Lewis said:
			
		

> Problem with that is he will most likely need both....if he is growing in soil he will most likely need ph up to get it in range. It buffers my water at 5.8-5.9 and I need ph up to get to 6.5. Then when I want to just water my water has a ph of 7.8 out of the tap.( I believe most peeps who get their water from a public source will also hve water with a ph close to that.) So I need ph down...I go through a lot more ph down then up. I wld say 2 to 1 ratio at least. Jmo
> 
> Edit:After checking the EPA says drinking water shld hve a Ph between 6.5-8.5...so I guess the odds are your water will be above 7.


 
your right hammy I needed both, a little down for just water feeds and more up for nute mix


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## dontknowmuch (Nov 29, 2011)

Almost ready to start feeding the veg room soon, just wondering if I should still add cal/mag to nutes even though I mixed some fine grade dolomite lime into the soil. Also I am adding the cal/mag to my flowers every other watering. Oh one more question... After you have calibrated your pen with calibration fluid How do you dispose it? Is it safe to pour down the sink?


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## dman1234 (Nov 29, 2011)

dontknowmuch said:
			
		

> Almost ready to start feeding the veg room soon, just wondering if I should still add cal/mag to nutes even though I mixed some fine grade dolomite lime into the soil. Also I am adding the cal/mag to my flowers every other watering. Oh one more question... After you have calibrated your pen with calibration fluid How do you dispose it? Is it safe to pour down the sink?


 

Cal mag is more a flowering thing i give it here and there in veg but not much or often. jmo

Calibration fluid is just a fluid with a specific PH like 4 or 7 as far as i know, pour it out.


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