1st Grow: Russian Rocket Fuel - 250wHPS, GL60 Tent, Soil

[RiddleMeThis]

Hello all, new to ICMag, and pretty excited. I recently started my first grow, January 8th to be exact. We are nearing 4 weeks from seed, and supposedly 4-5 til harvest. I have one girl that is exactly one week behind the rest. Anyways, heres a rundown of my set up, and i'll edit this with some pics of it sometime today.

The Strain:
Russian Rocket Fuel
(White Russian Auto x NYCD?) by Short Stuff Seeds

- Its an autoflowering plant, yes... I know.. I will be growing a normal strain next time


The Setup:
- GrowLab 60 Tent (24" x 24" x 63")
- 250w HPS, switchable ballast, standard reflector, Hortilux bulb
- 4" Exhaust fan (~250cfm) with Speedster regulator
- 4" Carbon filter
- Cheap humidifier, with ducting running from the top of it, into the tent
--> I do this to control my temps/humidity


- Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil, mixed with one bag of perlite, 70/30 mix.
- Started in starter cubes from hydro shop (24 hour lighting - 250w daylight cfls)

- Transplanted to 1 gallon pots with FFOF (20/4 lighting - combination of 250w HPS and 2-6 daylight cfls)
- Transplanted all but 1 of the 4 remaining females when they showed sex.
- RRF #2, #3, and #4 are all in 2 gal Smart Pots.
- RRF #5 is 7 days younger than the rest, and in a 3 gal Smart Pot

- On 1/1/10, plants were given week 2's regimen at 1/2 strength of FF's Grow Big, and full strength Big Bloom, as well as 3/4 strength MagCal
--> Some of the plants showed slight signs of nutrient burn, RRF #4 being the worst (she was semi-flushed after) - Next watering I wont be using nutrients.

- I decided to switch to 17/7 lighting this evening (compromise...)


I think that pretty much covers it for now. Heres the pics

RRF #2

RRF #3

RRF #4 (nute-burned)

 

[ozeek]

nice setup ? is your fan really loud

 

[chr0nicxs]

I was considering a similer size tent to you (DR60) for vegging with a 250W MH, Can you run your setup without a air-cooled hood and no temp issues?

Plants are looking tiptop

 

[RiddleMeThis]

nice setup ? is your fan really loud

Nope, actually my humidifier is a good bit louder. I use a Speedster fan speed regulator, and turn the dial to about half way and you can barely hear it. I keep my setup in a closet, and have a window fan, dual 8" blades, intake/exhaust switchable, and I keep it on, and in my window year round. This drowns out any sound from the closet, in fact, I can keep the folding doors open halfway without any suspicion of anything in there. Very stealthy!

 

[RiddleMeThis]

I was considering a similer size tent to you (DR60) for vegging with a 250W MH, Can you run your setup without a air-cooled hood and no temp issues?

Plants are looking tiptop

Mine may actually may be a DR60 rather than a GL60, not too sure. I know it was the taller of their two 24" x 24" tents, at 63" in height. I would recommend the taller one if you are running a similar setup. The exhaust, carbon filter, and lighting, that takes up some space. The 63" tent allows for nearly 36" of vertical grow, assuming you can grow your plants roughly 18" from the top (within 6-8 inches of the light), and using pots ~10" in height.

As for the temps, I guess it all depends. Like I said earlier, I keep my setup in my closet. I keep the doors open when I can to circulate the air in the entire room via fan. However, I cannot keep the door open always, and with my exhaust going right into the closet, the temps can get warm. I use my window fan to regulate my bedroom temps, and that helps with the temps in the tent, as well as circulating the air in/out of the house. I run 4" ducting from 2 of the 4" socks at the bottom of the tent to a humidifier, which puts out cool humid air. This has been the key to keeping the temps down some, and the humidity up. The warmest it has ever been in there is ~87 degrees, and the coolest it has ever been was ~69 degrees. I would guess my average temp is around 79-80 degrees. Average humidity with the humidifier constantly running is around 45%.

I just realized you said you were using the tent for veg, maybe you wont need that space. Its a 9" difference if I recall correctly.

Thanks for the compliment! I really hope they are doing well, or as well as they look. I am not really sure what to expect. Can't wait till harvest and my cherry is officially popped!

 

[RiddleMeThis]

Little update. So far everything has been going fairly well. I just gave the plants a pretty good feeding of 1tsp of FF Tiger Bloom and 2 Tbsp of FF Big Bloom. The plants needed a watering, this is the first time I really let the soil actually get dry, between 1 and 2 on my soil moisture probe. I mixed the nutes with spring water... not sure how good/bad that is. I checked the pH prior to adding the nutes and it was high. After adding the nutes it was between 6.5 and 7, which I assume is good.

Lots of bud sites are starting to show, which is really exciting. I would say the tallest ones are around 12 inches tall now. The younger RRF I kind of topped a bit less than a week ago is actually starting to show new growth, or new budsites at least. My lone mystery kush that has been sensitive to anything I have given it is showing around 5 budsites, hopefully get some good smoke off her. The 4 oldest plants are exactly 1 month old today. and the younger RRF is 24 days old.

Heres a couple shots, including some setup pics.

 

[Stevius]

Nice...

But I do have one thing to ask that is confusing me.

What is the light schedule?
You still have soo much room in there and yet I already se preflowers. Why so small plants?

 

[RiddleMeThis]

Dunno, they are autoflowers, supposedly max height is ~18". I was guessing they would grow another 6 or so inches over the next 30 days of flowering. Also, human error on account of my inexperience may have stunted their growth I suppose? The only plant that was really messed with was the mystery kush that had been giving me troubles since it sprouted. All the RRFs have been growing fairly uniformly. Their light schedule is 17/7.

 

[RiddleMeThis]

Also, my light is fairly close to the plants, ~6-8"

 

[Stevius]

Damn bro... with soo much space.... it is a waste using Auto's...

Next time try to use strain with no autoflowering genetics. And if you're worry about the space you can easily control it with toping, FIM or SCROG methods. Maximize your yield to the fullest!

 

[RiddleMeThis]

Next time I will likely be trying coco, rez's 6 9 formula, and yes, normal strains. Actually looking at some of the C99 crosses, Bubblegum, Kushberry... couple others.

I am a bit dissapointed in the autos, theyre nice and all, but definitely did not maximize my space

 

[Stevius]

Fuck auto's man!

Get some real genetics... then you will really be kicking ass...

I mean... I could get a hand of some Autoflowering strain in my micro sized grow but I didnt.... "normal" strain... toping and FIM-ing .... that's all there is....

Really next time.... Some really fuckin good quality genetics!


Wish you good luck bro!

Kepp it safe!

 

[RiddleMeThis]

Just checked the girls, 30 minutes after lights came back on. This was the first rest they've had since the feeding about 24 hours ago, and they look like they took off again. I'd say the largest ones are around 9" tall. All the RRF's seemed to enjoy the nutes, and once again, the mystery kush may have gotten nute burnt again? Not sure what this plants deal is, but it definitely does not like nutes, even lower dosages. Oh well, I think i'll hold off on nutes for awhile til she dictates otherwise.

No pics today, thanks for the input!

 

[ronbo51]

This looks great man. RRF is mostly diesel. It's dank and it rocks. Autos are the bomb. People who whine about them don't know jack. All these strains of 12/12 are just redos of all the strains that are out there. Some are good, very few great, most are mindless pollen chucking and you can read in these forums how most people are dissatisfied with the 12/12 strains they buy and grow out. You can easily maximize your space by growing more plants scrog style and letting it rip. Maybe in the end autos are not for you, but don't let someone who knows nothing steer you wrong.

 

[RiddleMeThis]

So far the auto's have been great to me, or at least the RRF's. Just would rather grow 1 or 2 larger plants, and take clones, etc.

 

[ronbo51]

Moms and clones are fine, I did that for years. But, you will buy some probably high dollar much touted strain, then try and grow it out. Out of the 5-10 plants you get one or two will be real keepers, the rest genetic variants because the phenos are not locked down. The only way you will know if you have something worthwhile is by spending several months growing them out, taking cuts, growing them out keeping everything straight. After you grow and cure then you have some info to work with at what, maybe 6months after you bought your elite seeds. Then you go back to the moms and kill the ones that don't make the cut after babysitting them all that time. Then take fresh cuts of the winners and start your first grow. Three months after taking those cuts you have your first actual grow. You have used a lot of energy keeping moms healthy, vegging your cuts and lighting the flowering cuts. In the mean time, if you had bought autos, like RRF, at the end of 60 days or so you have all the bud you need without all the time, energy and space used for the non productive aspects of the grow. There are people who are growing tightly packed autos getting over a lb/month, without all the nonsense of 12/12 strains. Not trying to push it, just sayin....

 

[RiddleMeThis]

I definitely see where youre coming from, and I am an auto believer. These RRFs have been great, havent managed to really mess them up yet. I was actually going to grow some auto's while vegging the normal strain(s), and deciding on mothers, cloning, etc. Since I can keep autos under any amount of light, it works out perfect to get some harvests while waiting on the normal strains. So yea, I will certainly still be fooling around with auto's in the near future.

Any suggestions on my next auto strain?

Also, honestly, what types of yields do you guys think could be had with auto's in a 2x2 tent such as mine? I would likely stagger my grow if I were to grow all auto's in the future to have continuous harvests.

 

[ronbo51]

I have a mix of autos from the same dealer that your RRF's are from. There have been somewhat mixed reviews, mostly herming, which is quite common even among 12/12 strains. All the autos I grew came out great. I am currently growing out my strains under a 250 HPS like you are.I am doing 30 plants in a 32"*32" area. It is an attempt to go full density high output. Your RRF will blow your mind as it matures. The amount of bud and resin that gets produced in the last three weeks is fun to watch happen. As far as what to grow if you put a gun to my head I would probably buy Sour60 from Mdanzig. The genetics are top shelf and he has a history of working successfully with autos for a long time. Mossy, another breeder here at Imag's auto forums has a strain called Jems that are also top of the line. We have been very patiently waiting for Mossy's Jems to be released by the Joint Doc any day now. You will be very impressed at the end I guarantee it. Your plants look great, you are doing things right.

 

[RiddleMeThis]

Big Pic Update!

Big Pic Update!

Ok, big pic update. Plants are looking great! Even my stragglers are coming along nicely, especially the weird looking mystery kush and the topped RRF. Only problem is, they all may have hermied? If so, I dont think I am too worried, since honestly, all of the russian rocket fuels have been amazing, especially RRF #3, and RRF #4 (the one in the 3gallon smart pot), they have an amazing fuely/skunky smell to them. The others have a somewhat floral/bitter smell.

Hermie?

RRF #3

RRF #4 (in 3 gal smartpot instead of 2gal)

RRF #5 (the topped one, actually 7-8 days younger than the rest of the ladies)

Mystery Kush shots ... shes making progress!

And some random tent shots

 

[RiddleMeThis]

Here's a few shots of some of the girls tied down, and some porn. Meant to get a shot of all the girls in the tent, but forgot :smoking:.

There's a bit of yellowing in the lower leaves, gonna give them a good feeding tonight as its been nearly a weak since the last. Gonna do it right this time, water one plant, check the runoff ph, and adjust if I have to.. My target should be between 6.5-7.0, right?