01-24-2026

Tent            77F @ 0100 MT

water           68F

EC               1.94

pH                6.4

DLI            35/18

Added 5ml pH down, will check pH this afternoon.

I'm working to bring pH < 6.0 for a couple of weeks then slowly back up to < 6.5. I'll hold DLI for another week then take it to between 45DLI and 55DLI. and hold it there until the last couple or three weeks when I add in 3 hours of UV/day and take DLI back under 30 DLI. EC is slightly below target I expect Sunday's feed will move EC to target or slightly above.

Tent temp stays high during daytime ambient temps and I'm seeing some slight "tacoing" of leaves but there isn't much I can do to bring tent temp down other than a bigger AC unit or less light output.

Water temp is perfect. Last season's grow suffered from high water temps which led to late grow root rot and the plants died before full maturity. Water temp control is the biggest problem with a DWC setup. Because a RDWC system has a central water supply a "water chiller" can be added to the system. Root Rot should not be a problem this year.

 

DLI Chart

 

2025 Grow Veg Week 2

 Getting the tent dialed in:

Tent Temp     84F

Water Temp   68F

EC                  1.83

pH                  6.8 (added 5ml pH down)

DLI                35.3/18hr

 The RDWC plants are looking strong, the Coco Coir plants are about a week behind and are looking OK but have not started growing. The Coco Coir holds water very well, last water was a week ago and they are still wet enough but they need feed and pH adjustment so they will get some water and feed today.

Water and Feed Coco Coir Plants

 There are three seedling LSD Auto plants in Coco Coir 5gal fabric pots. Once the four RDWC plants start to crowd the tent the Coco Coir plants will move to the side of the tent and I hope eventually outdoors.

 Today was the first feed along with adding water to the pots. EC started at EC 0.67 pH 6.3 after adding Feed EC 1.23 pH 6.4.

The three plants are an experiment. I'm doing nothing special i.e. tap water and just pH adjustment as needed (today 1ml of pH up in 2 gal tap water) and ½ feed according to Ventana Hard Water feed chart Week #1.  

01-12-2025: Sunday Feed Day

 Sunday is Nutrients day, because it is still early in the seedling stage I wanted to come in on the low side.

Target:     EC                     pH

                0.80-0.90           6.0-7.0

Today        EC 0.70               pH 6.01     Water temp 68F     Tent temp 72F

Home Grown vs. Store Bought

 If all you want is weed to smoke in a bong the economics of home grown in a tent vs. store bought in a legal state doesn't favor home grown. As an example on 12/23/2024 I bought 1/2 oz of top shelf Cannabis (THC 31% on the label, tested to 28% by my test equipment) for $140 USD. I'm a daily bong toker, often wake and bake for pain relief yet I've used less than 1/2 of that 1/2 oz. I expect that 1/2 oz will last close to two months. If you smoke joints, that could be another story.

When the tent is operational the electricity bill is close to $200 USD greater than same month without the tent in use. Add in cost of equipment and nutrients, from an economic point in a legal state growing your own indoors makes no sense if all you want is weed for use in your bong.  

Where home grown wins is because a legal number of plants will produce enough product you can give weed to your friends, waste lots of it making 510 carts, infusions, tenures and eatables. You don't mind how much Cannabis flower it takes to make Rosin or Hash. In other words growing your own is a great hobby and it cost less than most other dumb things we do to entertain ourself but probably most important you know what chemicals have been used in the grow. 

I plan to try a few plants outdoors this year. I think using autoflower plants starting now so they can be harvested late Spring may work.

01-11-2025

 

Temp:         76F

Water          70.1

EC              0.39

pH              6.3

The other four seedlings will be transferred to 5 gal fabric pots with Coco Coir this afternoon.

01-10-2025

 Tent Temp        74F

Water Temp        69F

EC                    0.40

pH                    5.9

Four LSD Auto Seedlings in main tent, four still in the germination tray/cover. If not needed to replace any of the tent plants the four will be transplanted to 5 gal. grow bags with Coco Coir and allowed to stay inside until mid-Feb. I've wanted to try an outdoor grow and this is a good chance to do it.

BTW, ILGM stands by their seeds. I emailed, with description of my method to germinate seeds, that 12 of the SLH Auto seeds from them did not pop. Two emails later replacement seeds are on their way with an extra just because.

Good on ILGM.

Maybe Bad Seeds

The eight SLH seeds I started in the Cannakan system never popped. The germinated seeds shown in the Cannakan were new LSD Auto seeds from ILGM. Now the question is: Why did I get a bunch of bad seeds from good suppliers or was my storage bad. My guess is there was something wrong with the way the seeds were stored or they were damaged in shipment.  

Cannakan

 I've had a hard time with starting this year's grow. Seeds not germinating and when they do "pop" after transferring to seeding plugs they either do not grow or die. I'm not sure where the problem is but as usual; if there is a problem my answer is to throw money at it. Luckily the germination problem fix, "Cannakan" doesn't cost much. 

   It works like the "paper towel" method but takes the need to monitor wetness away. Fill the "can" with water to the top line, put the seeds in the green insert and soak for 18 to 24 hours. Throw the soak water away, refill water to the second line, replace the green insert with the seeds and put the lid back on. Once the seeds have a 1/4 to a 1/2 inch root transfer to seeding plugs.

Four of the seeds are ready to transfer to plugs after overnight in the can:

Click 'em to big 'em.

I should have four seedlings for the big tent in a week or so. If more than four make it to planting the extras will go in 5 gal bags for an outdoor soil grow.

Having a Hell of a Time Getting Started

 I'm not sure where the problem is but whatever it is it is keeping this season's grow from starting. Seeds sprout, placed in "grow plugs" to become seedlings and it doesn't happen. Again I'm not sure where the problem is, nothing different this year from previous years other than everything either dies or doesn't progress. 

Just placed 8 SLH seeds in a new to me "Cannakan" system seed germination canister and will give it another go. This time with different seedling plugs. If this doesn't work I''ll buy some clones just to have a 2024-2025 crop.