Aurora Indica Ebb & Flow - Tag Team Grow

In the coming weeks, leethewarmage and I will be starting a near identical Aurora Indica grow. The specifics for my set-up (and most of Lee's) are as follow:

Strain: Aurora Indica - clones from my current grow, feminized seed from Nirvana.
Veg Lighting: CFL/100w MH
Flower Lighting: 150w HPS, with possible supplemental CFL
Set-up: Cabinet grow, 4 site Ebb and Flow, 7 gallon res, 2.5 gallon flood capacity, 80 CFM exhaust, passive intake, activated carbon scrubber
Nutrients: General Hydroponics Flora Series

I'm going to be expanding my flowering space as soon as my current grow wraps up, taking it from 2'x2'x6' to 2'x4'x6'. See you back here soon, I'll post cab pics as soon as remodelling is done, then the fun should begin from there.

P.S. Everyone is welcome here, comments/compliments, advice, questions, pics of your AI grow, constructive criticism, etc, are all welcomed. The only things I ask is to please keep it friendly and positive, and please try to keep this an AI based thread. Thanks, and enjoy the show! (When it begins, lol)

Of course, that last part doesn't mean general conversation isn't welcomed, I would just like to keep the strain talk as close to AI and related as possible, but by all means, talk my ear (eyes?) off, lol.

I don't kno if you've seen it already but here is my AI at day 14 flowering, finally starting to form some buds

That is a pretty girl, I think she's going to make you very happy.

ya if I finish her she's goin to have some very short fat buds. I didn't change my light over the big plants to hps until last night, I read somewhere it's suppose to reduce node length and stop most of the stretch

jordan293 said:

ya if I finish her she's goin to have some very short fat buds. I didn't change my light over the big plants to hps until last night, I read somewhere it's suppose to reduce node length and stop most of the stretch

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You're absolutely right, that's something I learned the hard way. Next grow, when I switch to 12/12, I will keep my plant(s) under MH a week or two until they are actively flowering, then start using the HPS. I had some light issues around that time, and ended up using a couple 2700k 150w equiv CFLs for the first couple weeks of 12/12, so she stretched twice the amount she should have.

Just a quick update, this grow should begin within the next couple weeks. Some extenuating circumstances have popped up for both Lee and me, but we are still on track. I have a clone or two for both of us, but I think he will be actively growing before me, as I still need to raise a mom. I think I may start a seed so I have a single plant DWC that will be ready for harvest sooner than this set-up will allow, and a mom for the next generation too. I have some cabinet work to do too, which I won't be able to afford until next week, and won't have time to do the work until that weekend. I plan on making my current 2 sided cabinet into one big flowering space, roughly 4ft w x 2ft d x 6ft h. I also plan on replacing the now cardboard back with plywood, insulating the whole thing with Reflectix, and cutting all new wiring and ventilation holes. She should be pretty nice compared to the shared clothes/storage closet I started out in a grow or two ago. I will keep you posted. That plan will basically allow me to run 2 4-site ebb and flow units side by side using most of the same equipment, but keeping resevoirs seperate so that I can grow two strains eventually, and still meet the demands of each strain seperately. I'm hoping to do one Indica dominant, and one Sativa dominant, once everything is running smoothly. Obviously staying with Aurora Indica for the Indica, probably Sour Diesel for the Sativa.

Just a rough idea of what I plan my cabinet to look like by the end of the month.

watchxyouxburn said:

Obviously staying with Aurora Indica for the Indica, probably Sour Diesel for the Sativa.

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Now people are getting me concerned about growing SD, saying you will need some serious ventilation and odor control during flowering. I don't think I have the right equipment or the means to buy it right now. I suppose it can wait a few cycles, I want to get my set-up perfected before I undertake and more challenges. AI may stay the focus for now, but I would really like to get something with more of a high than a stone growing to balance out the AI.

Okay, finally an update! As of right now, I have 2 AI clones in my ebb and flow, and 2 seedlings, one Sour Diesel, and the other Citrus Haze. I took the rooted clones out of my humidity dome and into mini-DWC, and put seeds in moist paper towels/zip storage bags on the 13th. By the 15th I had two growing clones and two cracked seeds. The seeds went into 1.5 inch rockwool cubes, expanded clay, and 3 inch net pots, which were then put inside red party cups, and kept moist, but not wet. Roots were coming through by the 18th. On the 20th, the clones went into ebb and flow, and the seedlings went into clean mini-DWC. My mini-DWC is basically a wide-mouth mason jar, with a net pot set into the ring portion of the lid, and a small air line/stone run through one of the spaces in the side of the net and into the jar. Ebb and flow is just a couple standard storage containers, roughly 3 and 7 gallons respectively, aquarium pump, airstone, 15 min on, 45 min off every hour. All plants currently under 24 hour 100w metal halide, temps mid to upper 70's, hovering around 35% humidity, 65 cfm airflow through a 200 cfm rated carbon filter. All plants growing via General Hydroponics Flora nutrients, with pH well under control. Pics to follow soon.

watchxyouxburn said:

Okay, finally an update! As of right now, I have 2 AI clones in my ebb and flow, and 2 seedlings, one Sour Diesel, and the other Citrus Haze. I took the rooted clones out of my humidity dome and into mini-DWC, and put seeds in moist paper towels/zip storage bags on the 13th. By the 15th I had two growing clones and two cracked seeds. The seeds went into 1.5 inch rockwool cubes, expanded clay, and 3 inch net pots, which were then put inside red party cups, and kept moist, but not wet. Roots were coming through by the 18th. On the 20th, the clones went into ebb and flow, and the seedlings went into clean mini-DWC. My mini-DWC is basically a wide-mouth mason jar, with a net pot set into the ring portion of the lid, and a small air line/stone run through one of the spaces in the side of the net and into the jar. Ebb and flow is just a couple standard storage containers, roughly 3 and 7 gallons respectively, aquarium pump, airstone, 15 min on, 45 min off every hour. All plants currently under 24 hour 100w metal halide, temps mid to upper 70's, hovering around 35% humidity, 65 cfm airflow through a 200 cfm rated carbon filter. All plants growing via General Hydroponics Flora nutrients, with pH well under control. Pics to follow soon.

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PICTURES PICTURES LOL! Hey watch you're talking about doing what I was thinking. I still have 2 or maybe 3 weeks to go with my AI girls (today is week , under the HPS light. I have the current clones under a 250 Watt Metal Halide, do you think I should flip them now instead of waiting for the big light to come free. Then move the big light over them in when the big girls finish up? I need to keep this batch MUCH smaller.

Also I've got these clones in soilless so I was doing to repot them. After I repot them should I wait a week or just send them into flower? I'd love to know your opinion here since you've grown my same strain.

OH and very interesting. Rodan my AI #5 girl when she fell she broke off a couple branches. I got 2 very nice sized nuggets off them and am drying them. I'm getting definite whiffs of bubble gum, the old pink dubble bubble fragrance. Do yours have that?

I just love your mason jars that is just brilliant. but MORE PICTURES LOL

Question for anyone is reading...What medium did you guys use for starting out with your seedlings after germination? I've been following a couple different journals with relatively new/1st time growers and seeing mostly soil-less mixes.

I am currently in the planning stages of my 1st attempt and have my seeds already (White Widow X Afghan Kush from World of Seeds). I'm terribly nervous as I have already ruined some seeds in the past.

Thanks!

curious2garden said:

PICTURES PICTURES LOL! Hey watch you're talking about doing what I was thinking. I still have 2 or maybe 3 weeks to go with my AI girls (today is week , under the HPS light. I have the current clones under a 250 Watt Metal Halide, do you think I should flip them now instead of waiting for the big light to come free. Then move the big light over them in when the big girls finish up? I need to keep this batch MUCH smaller.

Also I've got these clones in soilless so I was doing to repot them. After I repot them should I wait a week or just send them into flower? I'd love to know your opinion here since you've grown my same strain.

OH and very interesting. Rodan my AI #5 girl when she fell she broke off a couple branches. I got 2 very nice sized nuggets off them and am drying them. I'm getting definite whiffs of bubble gum, the old pink dubble bubble fragrance. Do yours have that?

I just love your mason jars that is just brilliant. but MORE PICTURES LOL

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I know, the picture update is surely my weakness, but I promise one is coming, hopefully today. Thank you for the mason jar compliment, I even surprise myself sometimes, lol. I would definitely recommend you switch over to 12/12 using the MH, it is what I'll be doing, and I've noticed a difference in other grows when done this way. The plants tend to stretch as much as 50% less, depending on genetics, sometimes you just can't fight that sativa lankiness. As for the current clones specifically, I would repot as soon as you have a chance, wait a week, which should be plenty of time for the plants to recover from the transplant, and resume growing again. Really, when you see the growth rate return back to normal you can switch to 12/12 under the MH, where you can leave them for the first 2-3 weeks of flowering. That should give you plenty of time to harvest and clean up whatever mess you may have left behind from the current grow.

The fragrance my AI gave off was very floral and spicey, with a bit of a skunky hint, kind of made me think of a cannabis based cologne/perfume, haha. As it cured, the scent and flavor rounded out into a nice rich aroma, with very smooth smoke. That old fashioned bubble gum smell sounds really nice, I'll love to know how it is after a short dry and cure.

JHock08 said:

Question for anyone is reading...What medium did you guys use for starting out with your seedlings after germination? I've been following a couple different journals with relatively new/1st time growers and seeing mostly soil-less mixes.

I am currently in the planning stages of my 1st attempt and have my seeds already (White Widow X Afghan Kush from World of Seeds). I'm terribly nervous as I have already ruined some seeds in the past.

Thanks!

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Personally, I grow hydroponically, ebb and flow/DWC, and love using 1.5 inch rock wool cubes. These you can soak for a little while, then put your germinated seed right into, it should provide just enough moisture and airflow to help the baby plant grow quick, just watch to make sure the cube doesn't dry out. Within a couple days the seedling should make its appearence. If you're going to grow in soil/soiless however, I would plant the germinated seed directly into your mix, using a small pot, or even a plastic party cup with some holes poked in the bottom for drainage. Just make sure the mix isn't too strong in nutrients, you don't want to burn the seedlings. They really don't need any extra nutrients for the first week or so, then should only start out at about 25% strength. After a couple weeks of growth, the plant should be ready to transplant into a larger container, the sure sign will be if growth slows down, it means the plant is root bound and needs a bigger home.

I have 2 AIs aswell. Post some pics Good luck!

3/15 - Cabinet finished, it has a roll-down reflectix curtain, closed in by the cabinet doors, light-proofed, and pad-locked. The 2 AI clones newly in my starter DWC.



3/17 - Clones looking a little more lively, germinated seeds into the rock wool set-up described above.





3/23 - Everyone into their current arrangements.




3/27 - NOW!

I've been curious as to why the leaves on my sour diesel seem to be so extremely wide, especially considering its supposed to be sativa dominant. After some research, I've come to the conclusion, it is not true sour diesel, but in fact more likely NYPD, aka New York Power Diesel, which is, ironically, Aurora Indica x El Dorado. I guess I'm more of an AI guy than I realized, lol.