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Fast Buds 420 Apple Strudel grow in DWC. DWC setup is a DIY. I used a generic 6 inch net pot lid for a 5 gallon bucket on a 3.5 gallon blue bucket with a powerful air pump and large air stone. Nutrient solution level is one inch below the bottom of the net pot. It is just enough space for the popping bubbles from the air stone to keep the bottom of the hydroton balls moist. Planted seed on 1/12/25 and it popped up on 1/16/25. It took 4 days to germinate in a 1.5 x 1.5 inch rock wool cube surrounded by hydroton clay balls. Light is set to 300 ppfd on the net pot lid. I rinsed the rock wool cube and shook off the excess liquid vigorously then squirted a small amount of the reservoir solution onto the cube. All water used is bubbled local tap water. I covered it with a clear cup sitting on top of the hydroton balls. I will be doing weekly updates at the end of each week from here on out. Consider this germination as day one. She was born on a Thursday.
Plant is 7 days old as of 1/23/25. No environmental changes. She gets a top watering of reservoir solution once per day. Roots have not emerged from the net pot yet but this usually occurs in days 15-20.
End of week 2 on day 14 (photos). On day 11 or 12 the roots emerged from the net pot and hit the reservoir at water level (see video). I didn't notice it until day 12 however. No environmental changes. She looks healthy and happy.
Dropped the net pot lid onto a 5 gallon bucket. Complete reservoir change and upped the nutrients to 3ml/l. Eliminated the Voodoo juice. Roots are putting on mass and over 2 feet long. Gave her a mild dose of B-52 in the new reservoir. Light is about 400ppfd at the canopy but she is staying short. Massive leaves for such a tiny plant and nice size stem too.
Day 28 end of week 4. The Mars Hydro FC-E3000 light is at 50% pushing 500 ppfd at the canopy. I dropped the net pot lid onto a new reservoir and increased the 3 part nutrients to 4 ml/l. I also added a small dose of Sensi CalMag Xtra. The leaves are huge but I am letting them go. No trimming or training of any kind thus far. Leaf color is fabulous and stems are thick!
Day 35 end of week 5. I trimmed a bunch of the giant leaves off. The branches under the giant leaves were pressed against the underside of them and not emerging like I had hoped. It was very crowded under them. I did a complete reservoir exchange. Color is good and overall health looks good. She is looking droopy from the weight of the giant leaves shading everything and laying on the rest of the plant. I hope she perks up. I probably should have trimmed a couple weeks ago but I wanted to see the natural structure. She is staying very squat and bushy. I can barely detect the earliest stages of flower sites.
She is still short and bushy. I did a full reservoir exchange today. I have trimmed a bunch of the giant leaves off but no topping anywhere on the plant. I can look at the plant and easily determine sex but it's almost like she refuses to go into full flower. I think she is going to be one massive shrubbery of buds. The root ball looks very brown like something is wrong with it but I assure everyone that is not the case. I let the plant drink it's way to the bottom and never top off the reservoir. There were about 2 of the 12 liters of solution left in the this exchange. You read that right. She is consuming about 10 liters out of 12 liters of the solution in a weeks time.
*Edited week to flowering. There are small buds forming that I missed.*
7 weeks and 6 days. I'll probably trim some more leaves off tomorrow. I saw a few burnt tips so I added a little extra water to the nutrients. Same dose but with an extra liter of water. Color is good. Buds are developing nicely. 24 inches tall and scraping the walls in a 3x3 tent.
Day 63 week 9. I've trimmed a pound of leaves or more off her throughout this grow. She just keeps growing them back. She is drinking an entire reservoir of solution in 4 days. Roughly 12 liters. I'm listening to my air stone to determine when to swap buckets with fresh solution instead of weekly exchanges. If I waited a week, the roots would be dry for days. Color and health is perfect. Buds are multiplying nicely. I will most likely do one more defoliation this week. I may add another circulation fan just for more air movement because she is so thick with leaves. Currently I just have one fan gently blowing on the lower third of the plant. I deleted the Rhino Skin nutrient with this bucket. I've had many auto flower grow times extended with various plants over the years but this is ridiculous. Several weeks to go yet. The root ball is the shape of the bucket and filling it almost completely. She is starting to smell delicious.
She is a beast. Did a reservoir swap. She can empty a bucket in 4 days. I've resorted to some reservoir top offs just to keep the air stone submerged. Everything is healthy and happy.
@StickyScissors, I generally don't train with DWC. I just let it do it's thing. As for defoliation...I've removed a bunch of leaves. She just grows out the next set like nothing happened.
BulgingTents
