Just another Northern Lights grow..

Kalbhairav · Dec 16, 2019

Hello all

Many years ago I used to grow with a 400w HPS until my wayward international country hoping lifestyle got in the way. Then after I settled down my circumstances never really allowed for an indoor grow. I satisfied myself with growing outdoors nearly every season until now..

So here we are, first documented indoor grow in a long while and I expect it to be a bit of a shit show. I’m going to be humble in showing my meagre skills and just muddle through it.

The reasons for this is firstly -
I’m growing with an Invisible Sun 150w 3000k Quantum Board that doesn’t seem to want to make things easy. I’m up for the challenge but am already contemplating a swap.

Secondly, the space isn’t perfect which is one of the reasons I’m growing a very stable, easy variety that will allow for fuck ups. Also, I’m not yet running a carbon filter so I wanted something low odour.

The soil is Biobizz Lightmix and I’m using the Plant Magic Oldtimer organic liquid feeds.

This Northern Lights is from a Spanish company called Genehtik. In their blurb about the seed they say they took this Northern Lights out of Holland in the 90s and improved the yield etc. As you’ll see from the pics, the plants all look pretty uniform. Here they are 22 days above soil.

You’ll also notice the start of what looks like bleaching on the leaves.. I’ve run this light twice now and have had similar problems with the canopy bleaching. More on this later..

Anyway, those who love a classic Northern Lights and don’t mind a bit of a muddled grow should grab a chair

More later.

CannaRed · Dec 17, 2019

I like the leaf shape/structure. Very bold.

gardener60 · Dec 17, 2019

Wow your girls look fantastic and so uniform. I am a novice that just went legal a month ago. I would love to follow this grow. Please keep us informed. Very good job.

DARKSIDER · Dec 17, 2019

Count me in Kalbhairav learning curve for me too with new lights soon so watching I shall be best of luck :tiphat:

Shmavis · Dec 17, 2019

I'm all in for the old school. Love those fat leaves! Pulling up a chair.

Best of luck!

rolandomota · Dec 17, 2019

The bleach is actually micro nutrient deficiency

Kalbhairav · Dec 17, 2019

rolandomota said:
The bleach is actually micro nutrient deficiency

It’s an interesting theory but I’m reluctant to agree.

As you’ll see the oldest bottom leaves are fine and show little deficiency. Usually if there’s any deficiencies the older growth will show it first. Also, these pictures were taken just after transplant into new soil. The bleaching appeared under 48hrs. The plants showed no sign of deficiency before transplant. It should be noted that I raised the wattage on the light to 80w and immediately turned it down to 65w and raised the light when I saw the bleaching. Even though it’s a light mix it’ll have enough nutrient for at least a week, probably more.

Also, just to add, the plant furthest away, not directly under the light was hardly effected.

As mentioned, this bleaching has been a common trait with this light for me. There are many others growing with quantum boards who are experiencing similar problems. It seems unique to this type of light.

Do you have a quantum board or run leds? Be interested to hear why you think it’s a deficiency..

hush · Dec 17, 2019

rolandomota said:
The bleach is actually micro nutrient deficiency

I must say, that doesn't look like the kind of bleaching I'm familiar with. It does look like a Mg deficiency though. You might just throw some epsom salts in there too be safe, Kal.

Kalbhairav · Dec 17, 2019

hush said:
I must say, that doesn't look like the kind of bleaching I'm familiar with. It does look like a Mg deficiency though. You might just throw some epsom salts in there too be safe, Kal.

Yes, I would agree..
Some Quantum Board users have been even doubling their Mg feed to counteract this phenomenon. I actually added a little extra Epsom yesterday

There’s a theory that because QBs don’t exude enough infrareds so the leaves don’t get warm enough to process nutrient properly. The newer QBs all have an assortment of red led to combat this. HPS and other lights give more of the right type of heat. The newer leaves don’t conduct nutrient so well if they don’t receive the right type of heat. Some growers with QBs say that the temps have to be much higher when growing with this type of light.

I don’t disagree that the leaves don’t seem to be getting enough nutrient, just that the source of the problem isn’t the nutrient but the light.

I could grow exactly the same way under an hps and there wouldn’t of been a problem. Before transplant they were in much smaller pots and looked fine. Personally I think it’s because I turned up the light..

All theories welcome

ambertrichome · Dec 17, 2019

I use a 645w Gavita 1700e at 24 inches on seedlings, and don't get light bleaching.

+1 on Mg deficiency.

Kalbhairav · Dec 17, 2019

I can’t seem to get anywhere near 24”.

Out of the two grows I’ve completed with this light, I seem to get this only happening on the top growth/canopy. Whenever I turn up the watts above 65 and have the light within 30” from the canopy, this happens. Bottom growth is completely fine but top growth becomes more pale over time (in this case very quickly).

On the second grow I had the light at a constant 65w, and at a set height of around 1 meter 60cm. I used exactly the same feeding regime and didn’t experience any problems at all.

During the first grow this happened much worse than the above. At one point I thought I’d be drowning the plants in Epsom but it had little effect.

The closer I move the light to the canopy the more this happens.

We’ll see I guess. I’d like to experiment with a home made deflector to see if it is anything to do with light intensity.

El Timbo · Dec 17, 2019

Bleaching aside they look strong and vigorous... I'll be watching.

zif · Dec 17, 2019

They are striking - and quite uniform.

I’m betting the recent potting up will get them green again. Can’t help but notice the least affected is the smallest/least in need of transplanting.

You guys suggesting Mg: why not Zn?

Kalbhairav · Dec 17, 2019

zif said:
They are striking - and quite uniform.

I’m betting the recent potting up will get them green again. Can’t help but notice the least affected is the smallest/least in need of transplanting.

Yeah, they’re doing ok

Are you talking about the far top left plant. This plant receives the least light and was the smallest when she was transplanted. My initial guess was because she isn’t receiving so much light, it resulted a slower growth and less bleaching.

They do seem to be recovering. I’m not sure if this is down to me feeding them some grow, Epsom salts and root boost or raising the light and turning down the wattage.

I thinking of trying a little experiment after a few days more of recovery. I’ll lower the light a little each day and see if I get in range without them bleaching again. Or I can keep the light where it is and turn it up a little each day.

window · Dec 18, 2019

It’s a perplexing one, the light bleaching/ burn I’ve had in the past was not so even but that was hps, led is a different kettle of fish perhaps?
It does look a bit like a nutrient/ mag issue, I was going to suggest a foliar feed of epsoms, for a quick fix but as you say, they seem to be recovering.....and you’ve already added epsoms, ha ha.

I’ve had similar issues from root bound mothers, a quick up pot fixes the problem, were they rootbound before Kal?
Your only in lightmix, nutes can run out quick , so maybe it is the grow helping? Along with the epsoms? Or maybe you turning the light down?
Hard to say :biggrin:

They are looking great though mate, I’m sure they will be fine

Kalbhairav · Dec 18, 2019

window said:
It does look a bit like a nutrient/ mag issue, I was going to suggest a foliar feed of epsoms, for a quick fix but as you say, they seem to be recovering.....and you’ve already added epsoms, ha ha.

Yes, totally looks Mg related. I’ve never had to feed Mg so early. It’s weird..

I’ve had similar issues from root bound mothers, a quick up pot fixes the problem, were they rootbound before Kal?
Your only in lightmix, nutes can run out quick , so maybe it is the grow helping? Along with the epsoms? Or maybe you turning the light down?
Hard to say
They are looking great though mate, I’m sure they will be fine

When I transplanted into these 11 litre pots the plants weren’t root bound at all. I hardly had to tease the roots out. The plants looked in perfect health. When I took the pictures in the first post, the plants had been in new soil for about 3 days. The bleaching (or whatever it is) happened really fast.

Whenever I’ve grown in Biobizz light mix soil, I’ve only had to start feeding after a week or more after repotting. I’ve never added Mg during veg, only ever needed it during flower. As you know, I haven’t changed my nutrients for years, been using the same stuff.

It just makes me scratch my head...

Thanks for dropping in mate

window · Dec 19, 2019

It must have something to do with the light then? As thinking about it, plants are far too early to have become root bound ( it’s these early morning posts, not quite awake yet, lol )
Your right, it’s rare for plants to show mag defs in veg, like I say I’ve only seen it in long term mothers and that’s down to me not staying on top of things.
It would be an N deficiency usually showing first if it was down to inadequate nutrition in the soil anyway wouldn’t it?
Keep us informed of your progress Kal, it’s great to see you growing again

Kalbhairav · Dec 19, 2019

22 days of veg so far..
They’re slow going but I guess any NL line is pretty inbred these days..

As you can see, what looks to be Mg def is still there. To me it doesn’t look any better or worse. In a couple of days, when the pots are a bit drier I’ll foliar feed with Epsom salts and see if that has any effect.

I’ve lowered the light a little each day and I’m now at 26” from the tallest plant.

Will update in a week or so

Chevy cHaze · Dec 19, 2019

Nice show!
LED lights equal more calcium and magnesium in most cases with most strains.
At least that's my experience with SILs and Mars Hydro lights. My newest light is a Mars TS1000 from this year and it's again the case... needed to add a bit of both.

At this point, use something that you can water in...

Kalbhairav · Dec 19, 2019

Thanks Chevy

I added a teaspoon to around 6 litres last watering. Probably not enough? Could you give me an idea of the ratios you use?

Thanks for chiming in

Just another Northern Lights grow..

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