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INTRODUCTION - After approximately 3 years, I'm finally getting back into cultivation! This time, I'm focusing on quality over quantity, choosing to nurture just one plant in a limited space. It's all I can manage at the moment. The grow tent measures 40x40x160 and seems well-built, equipped with everything I need: an extractor running at around 100 cubic meters per hour, a 400W Viparspectra lamp (the trusty one I've always used), and a small ultrasonic dehumidifier that's always on.
This time around, I want to have fun and combine my passion for electronics with my love for cannabis cultivation. So, I've set up a control system with Arduino and a 3D printer. Given that I'm still a beginner in both fields, my automated GrowBox doesn't do too much yet:
1) Automatic lamp activation
2) Automatic extractor activation (currently every 10 minutes, running for 3 minutes)
3) Monitoring internal temperature and humidity.
That's all I need to get started... the bare essentials. Some future implementations I have in mind include:
1) Air quality control (CO2 sensor)
2) Soil moisture monitoring
3) MicroSD module to save data and create Excel graphs!
As for nutrients, I'm sticking with AdvancedNutrients, as I've always had a good experience with their products from start to finish. I'm still deciding which cultivation techniques to use, but definitely considering LST and Topping. This is my first time growing a plant in such a confined space... I still have several doubts and uncertainties that I'll only be able to address once I begin. However, I hope not to cause any harm and improve my skills for potential future endeavors!
11/08 - increased lamp distance due tu curling leaves and transplanted in the 5 liter airpot
11/08 removed the bottle on top of the plant (used to keep umidity high)
3 weeks. The plant seems strong and… ok. It’s not the best and good looking plant i’ve grown but that’s ok.
These days the temperature outside are very high and i can’t keep the temperature inside the tent lower than 33/34 degrees Celsius. 32 should be the limit but that’s what i have right now.
It’s the first time i grow in this small place and i can already see that temperature controll will be an issue, especially when i will switch lights to full power.
Let’s see the next week what i can do. I’m a bit undecided whether to top the plant or not… i’m worred that the mail cola can be too high.
Good growing!
Fourth week.
Day 22 - Removed some nutrients, as suggested by the schedule from Advanced Nutrients.
Day 25: the plant looks healthy! I decided, no topping. Since this is the first time growing in this small space i will now cause any stress to the plant. I will just do LST
Day 26: increased base nutrients to 3 ml/l
Week 5
Increased the amount of base nutrients, full throttle to 4 ml/l
Removed some small leaves under the plant to increase air flow. Also started LST on 3 branches only for now. The other are too short.
Have to say that the growth is not as fast as i thought initially… the plant is healthy by the way
Next week i will change nutrients and switch the lights to 400W (MAX) to stimulate flowering. The plant mustn’t become too high during the stretch fase, that’s why i have to switch prematurely: the growing space is small! This should work fine… if you have suggestion, tell me!!
Week 6
First signs of flowering.
I switched the lamp in full power mode (200W blue light and 200W red light) but the tent is too small that the temperature is very high inside, almost 35-35 degress celsius.
So, unfortunately, i have to run the flowering stage at low power (200W) instead the full power (400W).
This will influence the yield… but i can’t do much for now…
I’m using flowering nutrients now, as suggested by AdvNuts schedule.
Week 7
The plant is too high, i can’t increase lamp height anymore. The distance between the lamp and the tip of the plant is about 20cm
Also the humidity is high, 85% and i can’t keep it down.
Moreover, I made a stupid mistake… since the start I used a 2 liters bottle but I always used to make the nutrients mix for a 1.5 liter bottle. So the plant has been under-fed for yhe entire vegetative stage and fhe first 10 days of bloom fase.
This is the first time growing in a small place like this one but these issues must be fixed for the next time:
1) More powerful extractor for temperature and humidity control
2) Smaller pot to make smaller plant
This should work fine
Week 8.
I hope that the plant have reached the maximum height. It is now too close to the lamp, but i can’t do much.
Buds are fattening up. Seems i will have a great yield by the way
Another thing I can do the next time is to use only blue light, since i can’t use both due to the hogh temperature generated. I read thay red light promotes stretch, so to keep a small plant I have to use only blue light.
Ninja31
