I'm still waiting for the neem oil I ordered online. Seems the dinosaur shaped sticky traps are doing their job, I've seen several thrips trapped there, but no more than 15 in total, so I guess there are not a lot. At least it's good they are being trapped.
My humidity sensor that turns on and off the humidifier is slow, and peaks are high, ranging from 40% to 80% in average, the humidity average is 65% though.
Day 8 (24th Jan): I've found a PAR test online and decided to set my lights to exactly 124W and 90cm/36". For what I've seen online my plants are not stretching, I've seen horrible cases though, in any case I hope now my plants will not stretch and fall anymore.
Day 9 (25th Jan): I watered the plants, about 1L per plant. I watered slowly trying to not create a puddle, until I started seeing water coming out from the bottom.
Day 12 (28th Jan): I decided to give more power to the lights, 200W after reading that in vegetation plants want 300-600 PPDF. I don't want to burn them and since they are not stretching maybe I should be careful. Another strategy would be to give them more light and pull back when I see signs of light burn, maybe I'll do that way.
It seems the max temperature of the tent has increased for almost 2Β°C. I have an extractor taking out air for 15min every for every hour, so 15min extracting and 45min not. For now I think is ok, in vegetation plants like a little bit more heat. But when they start flowering I will need to increase the extraction ratio.
Day 13 (29th Jan): I bought extra sticky traps and place 3 of them close to the edge of the pots, only 3 pots have them, not 3 in the same pot.
Day 14 (30th Jan): I lowered the distance to about 65cm/25" at about 200W since the plants are going to grow, soon will be 60cm/24". At mid week I will put potency to max level, 249W which is about 560 PPDF. I wanted to water today but I think I will wait for tomorrow, so I synchronize it with the rest. The soil is not wet but you can feel a a little moist if you put the finger in, I think it will survive for one day.
Plants look fine , stop worrying about stretch. They do what they do. That's why you train to height, you have about 4 or 5 weeks before stretch in a week or so you should start LST you can top but I've never done it as I never know for sure if the plant will recover in time on an auto flower. These are babies just watch the pH, feed lightly every other watering if they look hungry, main thing don't overwater or they will just sit there waiting for a breath of air. Can't offer any advice on the lights since I'm a mars guy but I run 100% on my sp3000 at 30 inches above the substrate and let them grow to the light which I leave alone until plants are 12 inches then I raise it with the canopy. My rule of thumb more light, more better, generally for LEDs my experience is run full power at 1inch for every 10 watts actual power draw from day 1 and let it grow to the light, your plants will tell when you need to raise the lights. Good luck and don get ahead of of your plants. Concentrate more below the substrate now because that's where the real growth that is gonna carry your plants. They look great. Well I read some more my experience with neem oil a few years ago was it just cuts of all oxygen at the surface. Not good, but yes it killed critters.
@Loserofthemonth, I was planning on doing LST, never done it but seems easy. I will start very soon. I don't want to top them, for what I read I prefer not to risk it this time.
I'm trying to not overwater them even I let them breath so at least thrips and other insects have a hard time there. I didn't water them for 5 days now, they seem happy.
I will put half of the recommended amount of neem oil just in case, but I would like them to be gone. I don't know what else to do apart from adding more and more traps.
For the lights, I will do as you say, I will put them at 24" max power (249W), which is the recommended by the manufacturer, and as they grow or show signs of stress move it up. Your rule of thumb seems to match the manufacturer guidelines, if you do the math 1 inch for every 10W is actually 24.9 inch.
Thanks for your advice!