Black Gold Auto x2

NicklebagDave Bare with me here.. This first post explains everything from soil to grow room. Future posts will just be info (growth rate, ph, soil moisture, temp ranges, humidity ranges, water intake, nutes, and any other plant only related info) and some pics. SOIL AND POTS: Fox Farm Ocean Forest soil from start. Wont be adding nutes til week 2 or 3 maybe longer since soil is loaded already. Pots made by Root Pouch (5gal/16l biodegradable material) which already have been great. LIGHTING: Main light is a Viparspectra VT300 12 band full spectrum LED (waves from 730nm-580 for flowering and 475-440nm for veg with added 3000k and 7500k). It is a 300w model (134w at wall) that has 2 channels, veg and bloom, that can be controlled separately (0-100 brightness for each). Also has built in timer. Just set channels and timer and walk away. Once growth is sufficient enough to need extra lighting on the sides I have a 45w (36 at wall) cheap led panel that has red/blue/white lights (225pcs 0.2 Watt Bridgelux/ Epileds), 4 small reb/blue led lightbulbs all together on one 4 way splitter to try to make up for the lack of strength (not sure at all of the wattage here. Each have 60 small leds, 0.2w each if i had to guess, with about a 4:1 red:blue ratio). All 4 together pull around the same as the panel. Along with those I have 5m/16.4ft of red/blue strip leds (5:1 ratio 5050 leds @60leds per meter) split into 2 equal lengths setup on a 12v/9amp plug for each section (sorry not sure of the math to get the wattage there and too lazy atm to google it) and just in case all that isnt good enough I have a few led flood lights from Walmart. I believe i have 3 red 2 blue and 4 or 5 white. Not sure how they do for growing but they are bright as all hell. Will only bring them out/buy replacements if I feel the need for more coverage or if i can train a huge area wit the 2 plants. Which speaking of... GROWING METHOD: I will be doing LST (low stress training) methods to spread and even canopy for maximum yields without stunning it in what little veg time autos have. Will use either planters string and thread or velcro, both work great with the cloth pots. I have pots on a 2 inch plant riser on wheels and then have that placed inside a metal pan to catch run off. Elevation is so pot isn't sitting in any run off water and doesn't get "wet feet" which can lead to unneeded problems later. Also not sure if the cloth would absorb water similar to other cloth and cause root rot. Just better cautious I guess. Lights on 20 hours off 4 hours for veg state and once full flower i will switch to an 18/4 schedule. Lights set to 65 on veg channel and 30 for bloom channel. Will be raising to 85/45 once a little growth is available. Then up to 100/60 until flower. Then its 100/100 until harvest along with added light. Once growth is sufficient i will take pictures without grow lights being on for better quality. Didn't really think it mattered much at the moment. Maybe 2 pics one with, one without. We'll see... GROW ROOM: Closet space 5x3 area but with 2 plants I am planning on using about 2x2 of space but prepared if both plants fill room. Walls painted flat white to help reflect along with white poster board around area that couldn't be painted (door and raw wood on doorframe). Main light connected to pulley system for easy raising and lowering. Placed dead center of room. Wire across center around 5ft in air for hanging future lights, fans, etc. Room outside closet is sealed so no foreign light can enter. 2 holes, one high one low, are placed for 2 4 inch fans for airflow. Will add small isolating fan once there is sufficient growth. PLANT INFO WEEK 1 DAY 3: Plant 1 germinated faster than plant 2 but once both popped I transplanted into soil. I germ'd them in a quart size ziplock bag with 2 paper towels and water from the tap (well water). Common and easy. Works for me. Plant 2 is lagging so far as expected from being undersized when compared to Plant 1 when put in the dirt. Shoot on Plant 1 was about an inch and a half whereas Plant 2 was about a half an inch maybe 3/4 of an inch. Temp has held steady around 78 with lights and 70 with them off. Waiting on soil probe for easier and more advanced testing. Afterwards i will post ph levels in each post along with other tidbits. I tested soil ph by mixing water and using strip tester but i dont like them so im not relying on them. Using distilled water so ph there is neutral. Plant 1 Day 3: 3 inches tall. Starter leaves with new shoots visible. Plant 2 Day 3: 1 inch tall. Starter leaves only. So far so good. Watered as normal for seedlings. No nutes. 4 inch fan used to strengthen stalks by indirectly blowing on plants.

NicklebagDave Plant 1 is looking great. Becoming a beast. Plant 2 git sick (CalMag) took off sick growth and she is pulling through but snall as hell. Pics of both below. No nutes yet. Did uo lights to 100/100 early. Will add more soon. Plant 1 likes the light.