This is a journey of my 1st ever main-lining experience.

[growsomebuds]

Let me add that my plants have been growing in low-high 70's, w/ 15-30% humidity.

[Cronk]

take a look at Green75 and his youtube videos on his manifolds. I read the tutorials many times and watched these videos and had good success. can't go wrong.

looking good, though

[growsomebuds]

I'm going to abandon main-lining, since my plants are already so small for how old they are, due to me planting the seeds straight to their 5gal buckets.

[growsomebuds]

Please look at the difference that 5 days of growth looks like for my girls.

[growsomebuds]

Can anyone tell me if I could benefit placing the light closer to the plants? It's a Viparspectra v450. Right now, the light is at ~26". Is that close enough already?

[growsomebuds]

During veg, right, Red?

[Redwasp]

Yes during all phases. When they are young i start with cfls. When they get bigger i start out at 30 inches under the led and lower it to 18 inches over a week or so. I let them grow to 15 inches away and then raise it to 18 inches. During flowering i let it sit at about 15 inches after the stretch.

[Campesino]

I run at 21" during Veg. My target is 16" during flower. But I agree with Redwasp , once the plants are in Mid-Veg you should be able to run them at 18" no problem.

I have plants flowering happily at 13.5" . But, they are light burned at less than 13". Lack of space has led me to learn the real limits there. I wouldn't get them closer than 15" if I had the choice.

[growsomebuds]

Also is it OK to have that orange bucket sitting in a pool of its runoff?

[Redwasp]

Get a shop vac, a wet dry vacuum, and suck up all the water that is under them. Water under them can cause issues in the long run for many reasons.

[Campesino]

Again, I agree with Redwasp (He's pretty smart)
You need to remove the run-off to prevent salt build-up and drowning.
This is my solution: https://forum.growweedeasy.com/forum...und-a-shop-vac

[growsomebuds]

Thanks for all answers!

[growsomebuds]

Pics taken this morning.

[growsomebuds]

They are very healthy, but damn small for their age.

[growsomebuds]

White bucket is 7w. Other is 8w. The smaller is actually the older plant.

[growsomebuds]

The game plan is to start my remaining 2 seeds in the proper pot sizes for their size. I'll also be incorporating some ratio of perlite(started a new thread on that topic) for the 1st time. I'm convinced this overlapping grow will grow much faster, and catch up to her older sisters(also same strain), then I'll let them all get bigger, together, before I start flower.

Weren't your plants much bigger before you started flowering them, Camp?

[growsomebuds]

I'll restructure my grow space, if needed. I screwed up w/ the plants currently growing. I put seedlings straight into those 5 gal buckets. That's why they are so small at two months. Two seeds of the same strain are germinating at the moment. They will go into a Solo cup>1gal>5gal bucket, this time around. I'll also be using perlite to improve drainage and oxygenation. I'm convinced these seeds will quickly catch up to current grow. Then, I think I'll grow them all together for about 3 more weeks or so, before start of 12/12.

[growsomebuds]

It's 34x36x60inches. Also, since I'm going to put them in flower at same time, I can put a pair outside that "tent" and have one light over each pair, since I have another of the same light.

[growsomebuds]

My plans were to buy my 1st proper tent, and put my current plants into flower sooner. Then my A/V receiver died on me, and now I am saving for a replacement. Each grow, I learn a little more, and I also up my game by buying more equipment. !st grow, I invested $250. This current grow, and the seeds I'm about to plant, I'm spending $300! Mainly on those two grow lights. lol

[growsomebuds]

My 1st grow, last year was 5 months from seedling to harvest. This grow will be right around the same time frame. I know that's long, but I'll live. I'll do things smarter and faster with my Spring 2019 grow. I get a little better, and expand my equipment list w/ each new grow.

[PaganRich]

Are you able to run Perpetual Harvests with your set-up?

[growsomebuds]

Can't say. What is P.H.?

[growsomebuds]

I picked up each of my 5gal buckets, 3 days after watering to do some LST work. Wow-the orange bucket is so much heavier, and it's the smallest plant. So, I now realize, that from the get go, Ellie in the orange bucket must of had excessive soil compaction. Thus, inhibiting soil drainage, and reducing access to oxygen. Wendy is really taking to the 3 toppings and LST work. I think I'm going to have some nice colas on her!

I may have to create a light proof environment so I can put her in flower, soon. Did you catch that, Camp? I think you're right.

[PaganRich]

Have a look at airpots, not cloth pots but the plastic airpots. They may suit your needs better. Helps control root balling, temp regulates soil/ roots and promotes better root growth

[growsomebuds]

Have you seen the last post on page 3, Pagan? More has developed.

[growsomebuds]

Perhaps I did something unwise 30 minutes ago. You see Ellie in that org bucket? She is 9 weeks old!! She is so much smaller than her sister who is actually 1 week younger, even. Plus, on Ellie's last feeding, she retained water for so long, I've since watered Wendy, but not Ellie.

Today, I mixed up some of my new soil and +30% perlite. Then, I carefully removed Ellie from her pot, shook off most off her soil, revealing a pathetic root mass. She's back in her bucket with the new soil/perlite mixture. After 9 displeasing weeks of growth, I don't think she was ever going to mature enough to flower. I feel I did the right thing for her, tonight. If this is too much stress for her and she dies, so be it. I have two, two day old seedlings started.

[growsomebuds]

No nutrients for a little while. Just distilled water. I totally agree w/ you on a root enhancer, but it's about economics and the need for a new A/V receiver, this Fall. For my Spring 2019 grow, there will be another investment to improve my game. That pen you referenced. Fabric pots, though I REALLY would like to use those on my new seedlings. Again, economics. Even though I don't have the fabric pots for my new seedlings, I'm still making things better for them with the new soil/perlite mix. I will also be getting a root enhancer for next year's grow. And, probably a flushing product, which, I think i will actually spend the cash on for my current grows.

I will upload pics on the plant's state of transplant health sometime next week, Camp.

[growsomebuds]

OK, I can give some nutes in a few days or longer. I think the soil dry out faster, based on how quickly I was getting run-off.

It certainly is fun to spend someone else's money! Been there, done that. lol

[growsomebuds]

OK, Camp. I hope I made you proud. I put Wendy on the bench to perform some growth removal. I know I abandoned the whole mainlining protocol. But, I believe I still needed to remove lower growth(nodes?) on the branches that grow off of the "T". I think I'm supposed to remove the lower growth from the vertical branches growing straight up from the "T". Not sure if I'm using the correct lingo. I took several pics, then reviewed and picked the best ones to upload. I hope you can make sense of what I did, and critique my work. Thanks for looking.

[growsomebuds]

Thanks, dude. I figured I'd wait a short while to let her recover a bit. Then, the lower nodes on those vertical colas will be removed. I don't think I'll flower her for 3 weeks or so. I believe those branches should be thicker to support bud growth. I imagine one of those wire tomato thingys would be a good investment to help offer support.

[growsomebuds]

I used dowels on last year's plant. I thought the plant stops growing branches and leaves after start of flowering. And the stretch during 12/12, I've read about, is about the bud growth, no?