Mini Organic Medical Grow - AK47 & Afghan Kush

[MrVape]

Hi all, i'd like to share my medical grow with the RIU community! Im growing 4 x Lowlife Auto AK47 and 1 x World of Seeds Afghan Kush Ryder. I've chosen auto strains as they're ideal size and straight forward to grow. From what i've read these 2 are recommended and have comparable potency to the original variety.

EQUIP

4 x Auto AK47 (feminised)
1 x Afghan Kush Ryder (feminised)
Plagron BatMix
Bio-Bizz Grow
Bio-Bizz Bloom
Bio-Bizz Top Max

DRS60 Tent (60cm x 60cm x 140cm)
600W MH Sunmaster (for veg)
600W Dual Spec HPS Sunmaster (for flower)
6" CoolTube
6" RVK Fan
Carbon Filter
Oscillating fan, etc.....

I know 600w is overkill for that amount of space, but as its the only bulb/ballast I have i'm going to use it if I can keep the tent cool enough. 400w seems to be the max wattage used in DR60's but if I dont have heat problems then it cant hurt, extra lumens.

I'll pop the seeds in a tupperware container between some wet tissue then after sprout I'll plant straight into 5-7 ltr pots containing BatMix and perlite. I plan to feed just water for approx 2 weeks, then add Bio-Bizz Grow and mollasses. I'll add the Bloom and Top Max, and change to the HPS bulb when they start to flower. I'll flush for the last 10 days or so. Also going to put them through 48 hours of darkness before harvest.

I'll be testing the set-up during the next couple of days before introducing the girls. Any comments or advise would be much appreciated...

Peace

 

[MrVape]

As I havn't got much space im trying to keep the clutter to a minimum. Im going to have the cooltube and ducting running out the tent to the fan and filter.

Has anyone any experience setting up like this? Will it be as effective having the fan sucking from the tent and blowing through the filter?

Any advise or comments welcome.

 

[MrVape]

Quick update Because of space im doing 4 plants instead of 5. 3 x Auto AK47 & 1 x Afghan Kush Ryder...

Got everything setup and ready to go now. Conditions are not ideal as max temps are approx 90F and I need to raise the humidity a little. I'm hoping if I can keep it below 90F then it should be ok.

I'm not too impressed with the DRS60 tent. Cheap materials, light leakage from zip, zip gets caught on the fabric when opening and closing, bad quality reflective interior and very loose fit to the shell. It will do the job but there must be better options available. I bought some mylar to line the walls as I felt it needed it.

Anyway, the grow has begun! The light cycle for this grow will be 20/4 throughout.









Any comments or advise welcome.

 

[MrVape]

This is off topic but I'd like to mention a vaporiser I started using recently. I dont smoke but use vaporisers and cannabis in cooking for its medicinal properties that I havn't been able to fnd in other drugs. It might interest some vapers out there that hasn't heard of it . It's called a Purple Days and is a simple efficient and effective vaporiser. Its basically a heating element incased in a block of wood. Powered by electricity, its designed to stay plugged in so its ready to be used whenever you need it. You load the tube, pack it down and place it into the base, its then instantly ready to inhale. Best vaporiser I have come across for sure. Here's some pics and link to their site.



http://www.purple-days.com/

 

[MrVape]

My girls have broke the surface so I thought i'd take a few shots



I've managed to get the max temp down to 88F and the humidity is 30% at the moment. Im satisfied with the temp but gonna try to knock another couple of degrees off it. Im gonna put a mini fogger in there as well which should knock the humidity up 10% or so.

Any comments welcome

 

[mygirls]

i'll be watching this grow, see how they grow.. good start..

 

[spontcumb]

i'll be watching this grow, see how they grow.. good start..

Ditto mygirls. I've got 2 diesel ryders, 1 flower power and 1 afghan kush ryder. They're all 2 weeks old. I decided to put the seeds in the soil and not germ them. Amazingly, all 4 seeds popped within 48 hours after being planted. Fingers crossed on this grow. And good luck to you on yours!!! + Rep.

 

[MrVape]

Hi mygirls & spontcumb, thx for stopping by, any comments or advise is appreciated. Good luck with ur grow spontcumb, have you got a journal going?

Unfortunately im having problems with temps, cant say im surprised though using a 600W in a DRS60! My temps went into the mid 90's so I added another fan and lifted the lamp as high as it would go. I've got it down to 91F-92F max but thats still too hot I think. Im thinking of either downgrading my lamp to a 250W or buying an air-con unit. Dont see the point of going for a 400W as that still may not be cool enough and will be $ wasted.

I cant change the ventilation system. I have the 6" RVK exhaust fan going full blast and intake is drawing air from outside. I dont think I can continue as it is though, im pretty certain it will dramatically effect yield at the least. Shall I get a 250W lamp and ballast, air-con or try something else? Any suggestions very much appreciated.

Couple of pics while im here. The first is either showing signs of nute burn or heat stress. Even though im experiencing temp problems I reckon its more likely burn as the soil is rich.

 

[MrVape]

Looks like im off to get a 250W HPS lamp and ballast. If I was exhausting outside the room im sure id get it cool enough using the 600w but isn't an option. Id rather grow using 250W and have them happy and in ideal conditions than grow stressed plants...

 

[mygirls]

Looks like im off to get a 250W HPS lamp and ballast. If I was exhausting outside the room im sure id get it cool enough using the 600w but isn't an option. Id rather grow using 250W and have them happy and in ideal conditions than grow stressed plants...

you can't go wrong with the hids...

 

[MrVape]

Hi mygirls. The 600 has gone back into storage, was pushing it a bit

The 250W MH is in action now and im currently running at 86F max and 40% humidity with the lamp 6-8 inches above the plants. I reckon they're getting more lumens from the 250W 6 inches above than the 600W 3 feet + away...

The tape I used to fit the mylar was crap and fell apart so I've re-done all that, tidied the leads and filled the fan box with expandable foam to cut the noise. Probably about 30% quieter now. Least all the fine tuning is done and will help my OCD!




I had an accident while lowering the lamp, the reflector fell off and decapitated one of my girls! Proper pissed me off! It was the Afghan Kush as well, im confident she'll live but worried how much it will effect growth and yield? Any thoughts would be appreciated.



Here's the other 3 AK's and the setup purring away...



Thats all for now folks. Comments welcome.

 

[mygirls]

that sound good,but when they get to flower cycle i would run the 600 wtter for light penatration..

 

[MrVape]

I think they'll suffer too much heat stress if I use the 600 in there. I couldn't get it below 91F and thats with the lamp at the ceiling and thermometre right by the seedlings. When they grow the temp at the tops of the plants will be about 95F-100F so I think it'll be counter productive, dont you? Im gonna use the 250W MH for the veg period and 250W HPS for flowering.

I used the 600W in a 1m x 1m x 2m tent for my last grow, which was my first ever attempt. I grew Red Dwarf which yielded 1oz per plant of dense cured bud, nice auto strain. I couldn't get the lamp anywhere near the plants though as I didnt have a cooltube. I dont wanna make the same mistake here as the 600W even with a cooltube would have to be at the top of the tent 3 feet + from my girls and even then conditions are not ideal. At that distance i'll lose about half of the 95,ooo lumen intensity as far as im aware. Using the 250W connected to a 6 inch RVK fan at full blast I can keep the lamp 6 inch from them, maximise lumens, keep conditions ideal and also save leccy. If I feel I need more penetration though I might add some red spec CFL's.

Thoughts?

 

[mygirls]

I think they'll suffer too much heat stress if I use the 600 in there. I couldn't get it below 91F and thats with the lamp at the ceiling and thermometre right by the seedlings. When they grow the temp at the tops of the plants will be about 95F-100F so I think it'll be counter productive, dont you? Im gonna use the 250W MH for the veg period and 250W HPS for flowering.

I used the 600W in a 1m x 1m x 2m tent for my last grow, which was my first ever attempt. I grew Red Dwarf which yielded 1oz per plant of dense cured bud, nice auto strain. I couldn't get the lamp anywhere near the plants though as I didnt have a cooltube. I dont wanna make the same mistake here as the 600W even with a cooltube would have to be at the top of the tent 3 feet + from my girls and even then conditions are not ideal. At that distance i'll lose about half of the 95,ooo lumen intensity as far as im aware. Using the 250W connected to a 6 inch RVK fan at full blast I can keep the lamp 6 inch from them, maximise lumens, keep conditions ideal and also save leccy. If I feel I need more penetration though I might add some red spec CFL's.

Thoughts?

if you have enough air exchange then that temp will not hurt a thing.. think about the outdoors when its 110 degrees out side. there is alot of air moving that heat around,

 

[MrVape]

Ok fair enough, but I cant have the temp going that high in the room the tent is in so its not an option really. One thing tho mygirls, regardless whether temps are ok at 100F+, wouldn't it be a waste using the 600 at that distance from the plants as they wont benifit from many of its lumens, as there's no way I could use the 600 at the same distance from them as the 250, I will fry them for sure!

I've just found this chart, according to that im better off using a 250W at optimum distance than a 600W 2-3 feet from the plants. What do you think?

View attachment 1055658

 

[mygirls]

Ok fair enough, but I cant have the temp going that high in the room the tent is in so its not an option really. One thing tho mygirls, regardless whether temps are ok at 100F+, wouldn't it be a waste using the 600 at that distance from the plants as they wont benifit from many of its lumens, as there's no way I could use the 600 at the same distance from them as the 250, I will fry them for sure!

I've just found this chart, according to that im better off using a 250W at optimum distance than a 600W 2-3 feet from the plants. What do you think?

View attachment 1055658

how is that, my plant grow right up in my 4ft hood with a 1000wtt hps sitting in it and i don'tburn my plant.. hang a fan a plant hight and blow the heat away from the tops of your plants..

 

[mygirls]

here is a slide showof mine. you will see just how close my plants are to my 1000wt light. now im running 2000wtts
[video=youtube;lkglD0FSK3Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkglD0FSK3Q[/video]

 

[MrVape]

Nice!!

As I said though the room the tent is in is too hot as well with the 600 so I cant use it. What extraction are you using?

Im feeling better using the 250W after seeing that chart though, these plants will see more lumens than my last grow with 600W!

Nice grow mygirls, gonna have a read now, should learn a thing or two.

 

[mygirls]

Nice!!

As I said though the room the tent is in is too hot as well with the 600 so I cant use it. What extraction are you using?

Im feeling better using the 250W after seeing that chart though, these plants will see more lumens than my last grow with 600W!

Nice grow mygirls, gonna have a read now, should learn a thing or two.

you knowyour setup better then me. for one thing you need more then a 4" 6" or 8" intake and exhaust to acomedat the higher temps.. i use 20" box fans.

 

[MrVape]

The thing is im using a 60cm x 60cm x 140cm tent with one 5" passive intake a one 5" exhaust. The intake is getting air from outside but I have to exhaust in the same room as the tent and the ambient temp is getting high. A 600W for that setup is too much I think, or my skills are not good enough.

20" box fans, thats what you call ventilation!

Appreciate the advise, you obviously know what your talking about. Just read your journal, will be keeping an eye on the rest of it, awesome!