Blackfin's first journal

This is my first journal. I don't have a digi (edit:now with pics!!! ) so there aren't going to be any pics. First i'll explain my set up, 400 watt MH w/ warm Sunmaster bulb for flowering. Veg. has 150 watts in CFL. Walls are painted white.

The total unit is 7-1/2't*2'w*3'l, 5-1/2't for the flower room, and the remaining 2' for the veg, the spaces are vented separtly. It's also on 2" casitors that hold 85lbs each. The flower rm is vented w/ a 6" elicent fan 150a around 265cfm it's hooked to a speed controler and a termostat, that was bought at ace hardware. The veg is not vented yet, but it will proly be vented w/ a computer fan.

The light is in a aircooled sungro reflector that is cooled by a 6" suncourt (160 free air cfm). Light has to be vented because the unit is located in the garage. I live in an area that doesn't get to hot in the summer. Last year's high was about 85f and for only two weeks.

Well the wife just called and said to start dinner, she'll be home in a bit so I'll continue later. Have a good day.

Right on blackfin...get her done!...Just need some girlies sunbathin now

Well, hate to do this, but I gotta correct ya on something.............You don't have a digicam...YET.:wink:

Sounds like a great set up, keep her green and I'll be waiting for pics.

Soil and Feeding
thanks for stoping by fellas

I grow in soil all organic. My soil consist of top soil bought at a local nursery called Organic Gold Top Soil sold in 40lb bags. It’s then cut with about 15-20 percent perlite. The nutrients used are blood, bone, kelp meal, epson salt and hydrated lime.

Amounts used per 40lb bag are 1/2cup blood and bone, 3/4 kelp (edit:now use a whole cup of all three). Not really sure on the measurement of lime, just kind of feel it. Pobably about 1-2 tbsp, then about ½ tbsp of epson salt. It’s all mixed then watered w/ 1tbsp of molasses per gallon of water, and allowed to sit for a day or two. After sitting I test the PH to make sure it’s stable. Usually try to shoot for 6.5, if it’s above the desired PH I add more epson salt (magnesium sulfate) to bring it down. If it’s below the desired PH I add more hydrated lime. Not really sure on the amount agin, just add a little at a time untill the required PH is reached. Each 40lb bag of mix w/ amendments added makes about 2 ½ three gallon pots.

For supplemental feeding I use Alaska Fish Emulsion (5-1-1) for Veg and Pure Blend Pro Soil (not sure on the ratios) for flower. Since the hydrated lime is added in the mix the PH rises when using PBP during flower and prolonged veg periods. The rise in PH is initially noticed because it locks out iron making the plant appear to be deficient in the element. During flower it is usually required to add epson salt about every other or every two waterings/feedings. The reason for this is because the PBP contains calcium, and the PH of my city water is about 7.2.

I’ve recently become interested in guanos after reading the article written by the threelittlebirds over on cannabis world, and since PBP isn’t cheap so after completion of this bottle the switch will be made. I’ll also stop probably stop using using fish emulsion since the oceans are becoming more polluted, and the fish are absorbing the pollutants in their tissues.(ie. arsenic, mercury, zinc, and possibly aluminum) A sad fact of industrial development is about impossible to do pure organic. I’m sure even the top soil I’m growing in has some trace metals, hell even drinking water has traces of lead in it. Guess all you can do is try to limit your exposer to a minimum.

Here’s the link to the guano article
http://www.cannabisworld.org/vbportal/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=78126.

I don’t really have a set feeding schedule, just give the plant what it wants and it repays you for your labor.

That’s about it for the soil and nutrients used in my set up, if you have any questions or constructive criticism feel free to ask or state. Next I’m going to cover what I’m growing. Personally my favorite subject.

Great thread, very well documented and detailed.......cant wait for ya to get a cam to compliment what seems as the begining of a good thread. good luck.
Peace

sorry i haven't updated i've been working 56 hours a week, but i've been keeping notes and will post as soon as i can.

Can't wait for the pics(eventhough I slack(well sorta noid) and tell the Florida folks I don't have any batteries hehe).

Alright, now I finally found some time, we’ve got a revolving door around the front desk.

My wife and I just bought this house back in March. I originally planned on saving my mother from the Purple Shaman (from Med Canada COOP, which was bought out by Federation Seed Co.) that I grew for a year, but the wife didn’t want me to keep it because her family was helping us move (and could also be that she doesn’t smoke so she doesn’t know the importance of a good pheno).

So I started at this house with bag seed, which are about 27 days in flower right now. They aren’t that great, there is one good one, but didn’t clone because I didn’t expect much, being bag seed and all. One pheno expressed sativa characteristics and I cloned this one, because the bank genetics I was looking at were indica dom, and figured that a sativa would be good for some daytime smoke.

While the bag seed were in veg I talked my wife into letting me buy some new genetics, originally I was looking at Mazar (Dutch Passion). Then Durga Mata (Paradise) caught my eye. The DM I read was stable, and it was a cross between two shivas “Male shiva was chosen for resin content” Paradise Seeds. The main reason for choosing the DM was so I could breed it to make seeds for next spring’s outdoor grow, and to give out to some friends. Another factor was it’s speedy flowering cycle, because the area where I live your lucky to not get frost by September. The breeders stated flowering time is 50-55 days.

The seeds were ordered on 6-23-05 and arrived by the 30th. Also received Skunk#1 as the freebie. The day they arrived I put five of each strain in different moist paper towels, which was put in their own tupperware container on top of a heating pad. By the next afternoon I could see tiny tails on two of the DM and one on the S#1.

The next day one more DM & S#1 showed its tails, and I put all three DM in peat pellets. (7-1-05) One S#1 had to go into my super soil that was left over from the bag seed ladies. (Due to lack of funds) The other S#1 went into a mix of 50/50 perlite and vermiculite with a mild PBP solution. On 7-2-05 the remaining two DM cracked and were put into the P/V mix. Also the DM’s in the PP started to emerge.

Only two of the S#1 ever came though, the one (#1) in the super soil was very lush looking and only had slight burning on the cotyledon’s tips. The DM in the P/V mix looked a lot better than the ones in the PP. (Proly because of the higher air content and the added nutrients) After the roots began to beak through the containers they were put into 6” pots with the super soil. (7-5-05) I was kind of sketchy about putting them in the mix, but they already had their first set of true leaves and starting on their second set of leaves. On top of that the S#1 didn’t have too much of a problem.

As of now they are all on the 3-4th node and looking great, they’ve been watered twice and fed once with Fish Emulsion. (I count from the first leave set with three leaflets) The cotyledons and the first true leafs are starting to yellow, probly from lack of light, because all of the plants are doing the same, and the rest of the plant are lush as can be. The DM’s are already starting to smell, (A great smell nice and earthy that makes my mouth water) and are very uniform. There’s only one that appears slightly different, but it’s still to early to tell. When they’re flowering I’ll be able to get a better idea. Sometimes if I work the morning shift, when I get home (around 3:30pm) I’ll take them out from under the light and put them on the drier in front of the window to get some sun. When I do this I catch myself checking on them every two seconds, and then I’ll just sit there, stairing, talking, and smelling them for hours. (I look at it like I’m providing extra CO2)

I’ve also made some changes to the veg rm, instead of using cfls I found some 4’ shop lights in my garage and modified them to fit my veg rm. (shorten them a foot and bought 3’ tubes (2 cool white and 2 warm)) I was told it’s not a good idea to use 3’ tubes on a ballast that was designed for 4’, but they’ve been on 24/7 for the past 2 ½ wks to no ill effect. My wife and I work differing schedules so there’s always some one home just in case.

Thanks for reading,
Blackfin

Any comments will be appreciated.

alright finally got a hold of a cam. my father in-law asked us to pick up one. so after these i don't know when i'll get any agin. i might be able to get through the dg grow because we don't see him that often. it's a kodak 3.2 easyshare.

here we go
this is the veg ventilation



here is the veg rm



this is dg#1 wk5 veg (all dg in wk5 of veg)




dg#2 hope this is a fem, it smells just like a skunk




dg#3




dg#4




dg#5 this ones has nice girth, and the skunk smell of #2, hope this is the male. if male i plan on breeding it with all the fems. (sk#1 & dg)




now for the 2 skunks

#1




#2 which is a fem and in the flower rm in 3gal pot. it's suffering from a ph of 7.2. next watering will fix that.




now for pics of the flowering rm and the bagseed that is flowering.

first the rm its self



now for the bagseed












hope you enjoy,
blackfin

ps: there is another bagseed which is the sativa (the one with a mother) i deleted on accident i'll be back with that pic

the sativa in flower wk7




sativa mother




her spot is temperary untill there is rm in the veg conpartment.



whoever said the camera adds ten pounds wasn't kinding

Right on Blackfin...pics...They are lookin good....The DG #1 looks like it had some problems getting N or not enough light to the lower leaves..looks fine now though..
How long were the bagseeds veggin? Nice little bonsai's...
Better explain to the wife wife why a DigiCam is good to have around..ahhh so you can sell all your old stuff on Ebay and take pics of her for your desktop background..all the other couples are using them...better yet..buy her one as a gift..or his and hers DigiCams

Just saw the last three pics..nice little sativa..I'd have that fly strip stuck to my head the first day..

thanks bro. the bagseed were veged for about 7-8 wks. actually my wife dosen't want me to be posting pics. (she's not home right now) she's all freaked out about the emery thing. (my dumb ass told her).

the fly strip in the veg rm is a pita always sticking to my arm when tring to adjust the lights.

yea they all suffered from nitrogen def. the pots they were in were to small. all good now, they were transd into those 1gal pots i had to get from wal-mart, while i waited for my 30 1gal pots i ordered online. (didn't order fast enough)

here are pics of the clones taken from the dg and the sk1. the bottom row are the dg left-right 1-5. and the top row are the sk1 l-r 1-2 the two on the right are #2 (the fem).

they've were taken 7 days ago and you can already see the root bumps on the stems (above the pellets). i use clonex coated on heavily, dip in the pellet then one last dip in the gel and plant. prior to the clonex treatment i slightly cut the stem lenght wise and cut the end at a 45 degree angle. i tried to cut a circle around the stem, but i ended up making my clone shorter. (i think that gmt does this, he must have a soft touch)

they're placed in one of those little greenhouses on top of a heating pad set on low. the greenhouse was to air tight so i had to burn some holes in the sides and top using a hot coat hanger, but of course put to many. (that's why there's duct tape covering a few) it's all good though because this way i can harden them off by gradually uncovering the holes.


so after all that here is the pic




blackfin


oh yeah packn2puff that sativa was only veged for 3-4 wks the indica dom bagseed were veged for 7-8 wks.

i also harvested two indica dom bagseed because they started to go hermi. i quick dried some in the toster and it got me high. taste kind of green

what's up everybody sorry i haven't posted in a while. it's hard to describe everything with out any pics.

i only got one male out of all seven seeds pretty good odds eh, get this, it was #2 the one i wanted to be and looked fem. i'm going to keep it to breed with the best looking fem from dg & sk1, because it smells so good, just like a skunk.

it looks like dg # 3 & 5 are going to be keepers they are 3wks in flower, today. and then dg # 1 & 4 and sk1 #1 are 2wks in flower, today. sk1 #2 is 4wks 3 days in flower and looking really nice, already has trichomes even on the little leafs.

none of the clones rooted except sk1#1 which is a gallon pot, but i took some more 5 from dg3, 4 from dg5, 3 from dg4, and 4 from sk1#1. tomarrow i'm going to take 3 from dg1, couldn't take them yesterday because she needed to be watered.

(edit: i think the reason that none of them rooted was because it's to cold 65 night temp sometimes 55. i brought them inside the house after about a wk in the cold then managed to kill them with moisture.

after taking the new clones i bought a $18 heater from ace and it hasn't gone under 75. you can switch it from 750watts to 1500watts and has a built in thermostat. the unit turns on a 75 and turns off at 85. today i got a smaller one to put in the veg cab and put the one from ace in the flower room. now i'll be able to harvest all the way thru december before the temps drop to below -20, and start up agin in march. i'll keep the mothers inside a rubbermaid tub with a few cfls in the house. edit)

sk1#2 will have to reveged to take some clones because it was already to far along in flower when the two that i had taken died, but if #1 is better i wont bother with #2. i'll be able to tell better in a couple of wks. although i'm pretty sure that #1 is going to be better because it has a nice peppery fruity smell, and is alot bushier. while #2 has a high calix/leaf ratio.

hopefully, i'll be able to get my own digi with the next pay check. my wife saw an ad for rite aid in the paper; that is selling the same type of camera that the pics above were taken with, for 100 bucks. then the other day our dog did something really cute and i said "we really need a digital camera" and she said "i know, we hardly have any pictures of her growing up" so i think it's in the bag


ps if anyone knows were to get a good budge cam atleast 3.2mp please let me know. the one at rite aid is a 3.2mp but if i can get a better one for like 130 i'll take it

here's a seeded skunk i harvested today






i'm building a new rm in my bedroom that's going to house everything (will be my 3rd room in less than a year what a pain in the ass, but hopefully the last time i'm going to have to move everything), it's going to be a walk-in closet, but i'm going to switch to hydro because it's cleaner the grow method is going to be ebb&flo on a 3*3 table.

i still have a dm in a 3gal pot that's still needs to be flowered but i'm letting it get big and i'm lsting it to get a nice yeild. here it is, pic was taken about a week ago



here's six clones from dm#3 that have rooted and will provide clones for the E&F table.... can't start growing in the new room until after x-mas so the family can see the "closet" and wouldn't have to see it agin



here's a pic of the west facing wall, partical frame still needs two more studs



and a pic of a diagram of the new rm, new rm is going to be 5'2"*6'0" 1ft for my actual closet so the grow room is going to be 4'2"*6'0"