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[BrownThumb]

Good slime or bad slime?

Good slime or bad slime?

So I deployed a timer running 15 on/30 off...I am seeing some white slimy shit on some of the stems all of the sudden, hopefully they're not all rotten. What's that, you say you wanna see the slime? OK, is this good slime or bad slime? I assume any slime is bad, but this is my first go at this so....

 

[Phychotron]

When I got that slime I had to run bleach through the cloner before it went away. I'm assuming that's not cloning gel on the stem. Check your water temp, it should feel slightly warm.

Those older branches that are not really green anymore don't clone as well.

 

[BrownThumb]

Well, I did hit it with H2O2 the other day, but will bleach it this time. BTW, strangely, one of them has already taken per the following shot. Strangely in that it shot roots out inside the neoprene collar. I'll cut the crappy parts off if I don't get action in the next day or so and get'em on the second go if they survive. I think even with monster clones the technique you have me following should yield 90+% once I get it dialed. The water temps have never been real warm, but I am sure that's why I have the problem. The temp has dropped some now that I am cycling, so crossing my fingers. The next batch I do starting from these should be double or triple the yield if I play my cards right. This first run has been unorganized, I cut corners on soil and my timing was a cluster due to needing to afford a light, amongst other things. That's the hope anyway. Thanks again for your guidance, Phycotron, you're a good mentor!

 

[BrownThumb]

Picture I forgot to include...AGAIN. BTW, the white slime seems to be hardening up, not sure if it's because it's dryer in there now or what, but it will be interesting to see how many make it either way.

 

[BrownThumb]

So the word on how to fix the slime or Cyanobacteria issue is Erythromycin Anti-Bacterial Fish Medication. http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=224658&highlight=slime+clones

 

[Phychotron]

Try running some bleach through it and see if that helps first. I read that thread and have been waiting for the day, but bleach has been working so far. I use hot water and let it run for an hour or so.

 

[vukman]

So the word on how to fix the slime or Cyanobacteria issue is Erythromycin Anti-Bacterial Fish Medication. https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=224658&highlight=slime+clones

Erythromycin is primarily used by people who are allergic to Penicillin of which I am one of so that is how I know about that anti-biotic.

I did not know that it could be used for the purpose you mention.. Learn something new everyday........

Good Luck

 

[BrownThumb]

I bleached/scalded the bucket and lid. I also re-cut the clones so the parts that were slimed went in the trash. I just peeped and things look clear for the moment. Of course, the thought is that I may still be able to use at least some of the cuts. If not, I still have scissors and a few smaller branches, but I already have 4 or 5 that have taken, so either way, it's OK and I will know for the next round of cloning what i should and should not do. I can tell you that I am amazed at how robust the first one is now that it's hit veg...very freakish in a good way!

Edit: A friend suggested that a natural solution might be GSE (Grapefruit seed extract). Yep, alternative healer types use it as a antimicrobial/bacterial. I may try this route and if it fails, then the Erythromycin if necessary.

 

[BrownThumb]

Update on the clone bucket...here it is a few days later and no roots, but no sign of the slime either, so all is as good as can be expected. I do see what look like some nodules forming, so in the next few days I should have a good idea of what is going to make it.

I am really looking forward to whacking this half-assed grow I have going so i can do a batch right, as well as try out the hempy bucket technique alongside of soil to see if I should forego soil i the future.

Another mistake...running Sativa with Indica without letting the Sativa flower well in advance of the Indo... DUMB! Live and learn, and that I am.

 

[BrownThumb]

Some bud shots...still not ready or even close in the case of the Sativa. I had to tie the Sat. over as it has more than tripled in size and is now about 42" tall, the tallest of all of the plants. See pics on bud ripeness and note the really sad looking and airy budded of the Afghans...soil is muy compacto and probably out of the correct PH range. I may try some EWC tea, but really it's too late to do much as we are at about 62 or so days. I guess it's more a reminder not to cut corners with soil. Had I even broken this pot up to loosen the soil, the plant in question would likely be doing far better. There's another (the runt) showing identical symptoms, but it is still pumping out flowers as opposed to the tallest of the Afghans which has basically stalled.

On the clone bucket, it's looking like at least 4 of the originals will root, even after the Cyano issue. So, I have plenty for a kick-ass next round in which I hope to give those Afghans a good showing before I move on to try some Purple buds, or perhaps fool around with my Afghan x Bhutanese cross.

I have also set up a hempy bucket and purchased the GH flora series. The plan is to run a hempy against some good mostly fresh soil with monster clones from same mama for comparison.

 

[BrownThumb]

PH'd the Afghan run off and it is way high at around 8, applying Aluminum phosphate as a last resort to drop the PH to around 6.5 and hopefully get a last growth spurt. I believe the issue was caused by applying bone meal and a bit of lime...oops. Using the soil 3 times didn't help, either. I am seeing more and more why people go hydro. It's all about control and water is way easier to tweak than soil. Cheaper, too. TDS came in at 832 which is also low, but this late in flowering, maybe not too crazy...

 

[BrownThumb]

Some shots of the "monster" clones from this batch that will be the next batch. Strangely (not really), I just had some person with many posts telling me that doing monsters was bad practice and bad advice to be giving to others. I am fairly certain this person is ignorant about monster clones, but you'd think they'd do their homework before running their mouth, right? What a preposterous concept, knowing WTF you're talking about. Anyway, the oldest of these rooted right at the end of Nov so is coming up on 3 weeks old and is 10" tall with ternary branching..WOW!!! Of the next couple little guys, one is off the same mother as this and the other with like 3 or 4 tops is from what may be the best of the lot I just ran. None of these have been topped, of course.

 

[BrownThumb]

Today is about day 70 or maybe 71 and this is the most ripe of the current lot. I really want to start over fresh with the clones ASAP, so I am waffling on whacking that Sativa I have done a shitty job of growing when the Afghan it is sharing a pot with is ready, which should be soon. Both of those plants are suffering badly due to root constriction, soil compaction and PH being out of range, even after I applied aluminum phosphate. A re-pot might be a solution for the Sativa, but I don't want to risk shocking the Afghan it lives with any more than i already have.

The one plant that is not a waste from this batch keeps throwing off new flowers towards the top as you can see in the picture, but the lower buds are looking ready.

 

[BrownThumb]

So here we are at day 74. Only two of the Afghans have decent tops, but the one that has obviously been mistreated (dead leaves, mostly just bud) is a shadow of what it could have been. I will correct that on the next run since I have at least 2 clones from that one. It has the best stink, too, so far, but the other that is still throwing flowers and is older by at least 2 weeks has the best bud structure. Real small stem to flower ratio, chunky buds, hollow stems, yadda, yadda. I just don't know about the taste and smell, yet. I do know from sampling a piece that got pulled off when i was harvesting seeds that it was one hit weed weeks ago. It did taste like shit, but I let it get moldy and generally abused it it, not to mention it being immature. I really want to whack these and do a good run, but it looks like I have a few days to who knows at this point. These were alleged to finish in 55 days, but it's been a bit cold and the soil is really compacted in 2 of the 3 pots. The smallest of the Afghans which has a citrus sort of orange scent to it looks like it could go for weeks..almost all white hairs. There is a little purple in these but it could be cold or just child abuse...probably neglect/abuse.

 

[BrownThumb]

On a side note, it looks like the PH adjustment after flushing of the pot with the Bhutanese and Afghan (jacked up afghan with no leaves) has improved their situation. They both look like shit, but I am seeing some nice lush green on the shoots of the Sativa. I am hoping for a last burst form the haggard Afghan, but if I don't see some fox tails in the next 3 to 5 days, it's lights out for that one. I have a cutting from that one that is already about 13" tall and ready to be transplanted and flowered in the next week or so.

 

[BrownThumb]

A close up.

 

[BrownThumb]

1st one down at 76 days, but it might have gone longer under better circumstances. I did a crappy job on this one and yield suffered badly of course. It looks like I got the PH back under control in that pot, so hopefully the Sativa yields enough for it to be worthwhile, but I am not holding my breath. Some mediocre pics.... The last shot is probably the next one to go and is older than what was just harvested, but is obviously not quite there.

 

[BrownThumb]

OK, a few more pics, lower bud shots of the remaining Afghans and status of the clones that will be rotated in to replace this batch.

 

[BrownThumb]

I noticed a bit of Botrytis in the middle of the top bud last night when snapping some pics and decided to whack the plant this morning because really, there's just the top and one bud below that were still showing significant growth...everything else on the plant down to the bottom is pretty much done and we are at about 78 days. This was the best of this lot, meaning I didn't do well...I am guessing 1.5 - 2 O's, but I am counting this as a warm up for the real deal ;-) There's still the runt left, but it's not going to be but maybe a half O and may also fall prey to Botrytis since it has the most dense buds of all.

The biggest of the clones has been transplanted into a 3 gallon smart pot and is about 16" tall, so the next cycle is starting even though there's still the runt Afghan and the Sativa lingering. we are going to do a good run of the Afghan this time and maybe sprinkle in a little purple bud if everything works out.

Pics of the Bot... in the first two shots-look for white shit...pics of the lower buds which are very nice and sugary and finally the runt which looks like it will go for at least another week.

In regards to the experimental side of this grow, I now know that cheaper LED's can do the job (this plant is showing solid buds at least 3' below the light) and that in the case of the light I am using I can bring it much closer to the canopy than the manufacturer suggests in their sales propaganda. I have not tried the smoke yet since it's not even dry, but know one hit is enough to start the day based on a little piece I tried a couple of weeks ago, so this strain is most likely a winner, but I will confirm once I test some mature dried flowers.

 

[BrownThumb]

So I trimmed up the first plant today out of boredom. It was the real sickly one and has been drying since x-mas eve. I got another 50 seeds and whatever the following pics end up weighing after drying for a couple more days and a bit of curing. Them buds be sticky and the smell is fruity for lack of a better way to describe it. They're not as dense as I would like, but I can see that that is dependent on the phenotype at least partially with this strain. However, I am still going to run 2 clones from this one since I suspect it will impress if treated like a lady. I am also running at least one clone from the chunky budder and so far it looks nothing like its parent, it has 5 tops with no topping and the parent was a pole with some lower branches. Monster clones w/ super cropping this go...

The first pic is the top half of the plant, 2 is a close up of the top, 3 is the top half broken down bottom to top, 4 is the whole enchilada and 5 is just a close up of some of the flowers.

Edit EOD 12/29/12: This just weighed in at around 37 grams, so about on par with my expectation per plant for the first run. It will lose a bit more weight, but I was shooting for an O per plant, so...