I screwed up from the beginning and need solid help!

[javabob]

Top left to Right: Tent Floor,Full Setup, Center: My "problem Child(maybe) - Gorilla Glue & GrandDaddy Purple/ Rear Corner: Amnesia, Bottom Right: AK47


My first grow was outside in the mid 90's and it was a beauty! Three plants (clones), accidentally discovered LST and every branch became a rooted plant...it was joyous!

I tell that tale because I thought myself a brilliant grower! Hah! I am doing my first grow indoors after 25 years.

• I chose a 12x48x72 tent,
• Abriselux A1000 LED dimmable w/High PPFD 100watt
• Four-5 gallon bags (two GrandDaddy Purple Fems, one Auto Amnesia Fem, and one Auto Gorilla Glue Fem)
• One -7 gallon for my one Auto AK-47.
• The room is full but manageable.
• One 6" exhaust fan up top.
• One 6" fan on the floor interior.
• Two small 3" clip on fans.
• A small 2300 c/f Mini Dehumidifier.
• A GrowAce 6" fan with carbon filter.

I use tap water that has been bubbled for 24 hours. And use a Vivosun pH & TDS meter sticks.
Using General Hyros Up & Down. Botanicare's Cal-Mag, used ONCE,
Bought ILGM's germ to bloom pack of supplements and a bag of RECHARGE.

According to my calendar I am entering week SEVEN.

I keep the light at 12 to 18" on a 18/6 schedule, where after reading here I took the suggestion to switch them to a 6pm to noon from a 6am to midnight, less of a heat issue that way. I also have added 2 - 8.5" reflector lamps and two Green 60W equivalent bulbs so I can poke my head in during the "night".
I'm thinking when bloom comes to switch them out to TWO 36w RED LED bulbs added to the other light.
HERE'S THE PROBLEM...OR ISSUE.

Somewhere in all my research and analysis paralysis I got the BRILLIANT idea to use a 50/50 of soil and coco coir!
Believing that it would work like a peat moss to keep the soil loose and have good drainage, well it does have good drainage but I don't know if I am feeding too much, too little, etc.
One thing that has happened is a gnat problem for the first few weeks!!! Next time BETTER SOIL!!!
More on the soil in a moment...

I was using an organic spray for the gnats but then remembered an old trick of a layer of sand.
It hasn't SOLVED the problem but it sure has helped a lot.

Not only did I start off wrong from the start by using a 50/50 blend but I used Miracle Grows POTTING SOIL!!! Which I just learned today is wrong because of the time release issue with nitrogen when bloom hits.
It sounds like I will need to do a flush before bloom.
The girls seem happy (but my Gorilla Glue looks like there might be a struggle going on).
also have learned last week to add everything to the water BEFORE adjusting the pH....I've been chasing ph from the beginning since I have a pH of 8 out of a chlorinated faucet.
In my frustration to make them happy (I try harder now to make women happy by just listening to them, LOL.) I fed them with Miracle Grow...yeah, I did that but only once.
Last week, after the MG I waited 3 days and fed Recharge ( I plan to feed RECHARGE once a week), 2 days later, plain pH adjusted water and tonight (3 days) I will feed ILGM's Veg solution.
They seem happy except for, as I said the Gorilla Glue. She seems small and sad unlike the others.

The soil is whack and I can't seem to get a handle on the nitrogen and the feeding.
I didn't realize that an indoor grow and AUTO FEMS REQUIRE A DEGREE IN ROCKET SCIENCE.

I will add photo's after the girls take their nap....ANY AND ALL CIVILIZED SUGGESTIONS AND COMENTS ARE WELCOME.
With ALL the sites and info out there I am REALLY, REALLY glad to have found this forum!!!
Seriously, the information speaks to me and is straight forward, logical and to the point.
Thank you...
photos to come.

[BR2K]

Welcome!! It sounds like you are well on your way to being a top-shelf grower. I only grow indoors but I really like the mention about the sand for the gnats. I am lazy, perhaps the laziest of all here. I can only share what I know. My coco-perlite is the perfect medium for me. Basically I have a watering schedule I adhere to, I learned from Nebula Haze' feeding schedule. I keep a log, I don't know if you do. I assume you're alternating nutrients with plain, PH'd and Calmagged feedings?

I wish I had more for you but I'm a relative novice. Good luck!

[Hammer53]

Hi javabob . Sounds like you got it going.on!! LOL.I got a GG#4 going now, but a photo. And she is small.next to the Blue Dream, and Critical. I'm thinking genetics, cause it been mentioned on this forum several times, in other posts

[Kek]

I've seen a lot of pH issues out of aPotforPot which is also a coco/soil mix. Which are two entirely different mediums that require deferent pH levels. Soils happy with 6.2-6.5 then coco wants 5.5-5.8. so it's definitely something I've steered clear of. I have two finishing in soil now and moving over to a pure coco grow with jacks. Much easier, no musty soil odor. Less chance of most pests besides gnats which a little diatomaceous earth (DE) on the medium fixes them. It's a little sharper than sand, same concept. I don't grow autos though. Too unforgiving, small mistakes can stunt them and then it's low yield. They don't allow heal time like photos. Best of all. No more perlite dust from having to add more to happy frog for proper drainage.

[homegrown]

Hey javabob, i think most if not all your issues are coming from the miracle grow potting soil. and the drink of miracle grow. Mixing soil and coco/perlite is never a bad thing..you just have to realize that the soil will probably contain some sort of nutes. I use 50%coco/perlite a composted soil from my home composter. The soil you used feeds for 6 months, slow release. Have you ever checked your run-off ph? I'd probably run a few waters of just ph 6.2 and nothing else and check your run-off and see whats happening. Pics would help Lots of bad reviews for MG and fungus gnats this year, if the bags are stored outside..they get bugs. Gnats are more of a pest till the buds get sticky then they get stuck in the buds. Yellow sticky traps..really good airflow, and DE layered on top of soil after its dry..repeat.

[Rwise]

Water lets talk about that tap water, does it have chlorine or chloramine? (A call to the provider gains this info) Many have switched to chloramine (as my provider has) and it does not "bubble" out, however both can be killed with lemon juice or ascorbic acid (etc.), then PH'd to the proper PH. (also a PH down) I used lemon juice when I have to use tap water, let it set 12 hours then PH it.
Black Strap molasses is said to eat N when mixed 3 Tablespoons to each gallon of water (then PH it as molasses is acidic can be a PH down)
Gnats dont like orange peels, spread them on the soil/media
Check out the commercial living soil I was challenged with in this thread, I am very pleased with its results using only rain water and no nutes/PHing, etc.. If one can get this, it made the finish line, the shorter plant is the commercial soil. My thought is the size dif is genetics.

https://forum.growweedeasy.com/forum/growing-community/508081-challenged

[DeadlyFruit]

It sounds like you are doing the right thing, which is learning as you go and getting set to apply it to your next grow. Doubt you will find a member here who didn’t have a few problem grows, at least early on.

with regards to soil/coco mix, maybe I am going against popular belief on the site but I don’t think there is anything wrong with that, but you may have to manage it a little different. I start my summer outdoor plants indoors under lights in coco but transplant them into bigger pots outside that are mostly soil, so I use a mix myself (my indoor winter grows are pure coco though). The problem with using soil indoors is you are risking having pests introduced. We have super soil users here that swear by it but they care for their soil as much as the plants so they have less chance of surprise infestations. When they are outdoors it is par for the course to manage pests so nobody thinks it abnormal. I dust diatomaceous earth onto the top of the soil now and again which really keeps the soil born pests at bay and if they are in the foliage (in the veg cycle, not in bloom) I spray with insecticidal soap. Spraying the soap indoors may not be optimal but diatomaceous earth is an inert and harmless powder that controls pests in a non-chemical way (I think it is sharp at a microscopic level and scrapes at the pests).

With regards to water, I use normal un-bubbled city tap water and have no problems. I know many don’t like chlorine or similar water additives but they haven’t created any visible problems for my grows. For my outdoor plants in partial soil I don’t even measure pH and usually don’t add nutes because the soil buffers things and supplies natural nutrients (I add some periodically but not too often).

For autos, I don’t think they need any extra experience to grow, they just have a couple different factors to watch out for. The biggest downside is if you land in trouble you don’t really have a lot of time to rescue them because they continue along a short natural life cycle regardless anything we do/do not.


good luck!

[javabob]

I just want to thank all of you folks for taking the time out of your busy day to write me and giving your rich thoughts on this/my issues. The girls appreciate your time and thoughtfulness.
I also want to say that it's a sigh of relief to have a place, a community to share this fun and experience. It is difficult when you fly solo with no one to share this particular "fight club" with so again thanks!

My situation is now clearer. My soil is the problem and I will address it accordingly.
Today will be Recharge day which has molasses in it to help the soil be more welcoming and the diatomaceous earth is due to arrive today to help with what is left of the gnat problem. For those with the same issue, the sand topper is quite effective.
I have discovered that I usually don't visit at "night" so I am losing the green LEDs and adding two blues which will increase my wattage by 120 for a total of 220.
But there are so many more questions, so little time...since I am working with AutoFems.

If you will indulge me once again:
Unlike outdoors, the indoor AutoFem is an interesting beast of a woman. And like most gals completely confusing.

• How do u know when it's time to switch from veg to flower?
• Does adding red LEDs help in flower?
• What does a deficiency in CalMag look like?
• When do you use it and can it be combined with ur supplements and nutes, like Recharge?

Thanks again for being out there...grow big, grow home!
JB

[DeadlyFruit]

Autos will switch to flower on their own after about 4 weeks, regardless of light or any other factors. This is why your window of opportunity is so short, the plant goes through its short lifecycle and you can do very little to alter the course it will take. Sorry, I don’t know anything about LEDs, I am an HID guy. You can check the GWE site for examples of what a calcium or magnesium deficiency looks like but ultimately it is difficult to give them too much of it so most people just supplement their regular nutes with cal mag. Sometimes plants get a deficiency that is not related to giving them enough of something it is because of nutrient lockout (the plant can’t use what is there) which is usually caused by pH problems so be sure you check the pH of your nute water before using it. I don’t know anything about recharge but yes you can add cal mag to your nute water, although often their is a ‘best’ order for adding the nutes to the water with stirring in between - the nute producer should list this order on their site.

[BR2K]

Deadlyfruit is correct about not reducing your hours of daylight. The less daylight for an Auto = Less time for it to grow/mature.

You are far and away, more in depth than I will ever be. I did swap out my 315 LEC for a TS1000 Mars light but I am still gaining knowledge and experience.

I would suggest isolating and dealing with one issue at a time, if possible.

[javabob]

Thanks, folks!

[Vicmattice]

As far as gnats.. try mosquito bits.. ive switched to this and no longer see them ever.. and neem oil as a preventative..