High Mars

Enki_Weed Tag 9 since germination. The seedling has handled the move to the DWC system well and seems to be doing fine. The lighting is at 250 µmol/m²/s, the nutrient supply is minimal, and the pH level is stable at 5.7. Humidity is at 60-65%, and the temperature is at 27°C. All in all, a positive start!

Enki_Weed Tag 14 The first week of germination was… let’s say, a real challenge. And we’re starting the second week with some difficulties as well. The pH level in the watering water is still dancing the tango and just won’t stabilize. I have to adjust it every six hours – pretty time-consuming! The temperatures are still an issue too. 27 degrees is just too high, and since the little plants don’t have any shade-giving leaves yet, it heats up quite a bit. But I’ve managed with cooling packs and brought the watering water down to a pleasant 22 degrees. Hopefully, the roots like that! At least: The root development seems to be going well, each plant has already developed a small root network. To give each plant the best starting conditions, I’ve now provided each with its own light. This way, I can set the optimal values for each one. Whether it all works out as I imagine will show in the coming weeks. But we’re starting Day 14 with optimism! What’s on the agenda today? I’ll keep an eye on the pH levels and see if the cooling packs can keep the water temperature stable. I’ll also closely observe the little plants to see how they’re doing. Catch you later :)

Enki_Weed The plant has grown vigorously, and the stem has definitely thickened. The roots look good. Only the highly fluctuating pH level and the high water temperature of 23-24 °C have been annoying and required many corrections. Only the EC value was stable, and the CO₂ content was between 600 and 1100 ppm. For further growth, I'm now using two Mars Hydro FC1500 and additional blue LEDs, and I hope this week will be successful.

Enki_Weed The development of this plant is simply incredible! Week 4 was all about system cleaning: old water out, hydrogen peroxide in, then fresh osmosis water and Hesi nutrients as planned. Water temperature: 22-23 degrees (thanks to cooling packs). Light output at 75% + Deep Red, UV, IR. Humidity at 50%. The pH fluctuations are still an issue, but they are being monitored. I'm super excited for the next phase!

Enki_Weed Tuesday was also an important milestone for this plant – it is now in bloom mode and enjoying the 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness rhythm. Just before that, I also did some defoliation here to optimally prepare it for this new phase. The watering has been adjusted like with the other plant and now corresponds to the recommendations for the second week of flowering. I’m really relieved that the pH issue is finally a thing of the past and the system is running stable. This plant really had a tough start. Unfortunately, I over-fertilized it, which caused the leaf tips to burn and it generally stayed quite small. But it has recovered surprisingly well and is now showing its first flower sites, which makes me very happy! However, the current concern is the humidity. Unfortunately, it is way too high at the moment, and I need to figure out how to best get that under control. That’s my next big challenge now.

Enki_Weed This week marks the transition from week 6 of the entire cycle to the start of the third week of flowering. All fan leaves have been removed. Additionally, I started the basic cleaning of the DWC system this week to get a handle on the pH issues. A chiller has been installed to ensure a constant water temperature. The plant seems to have adapted well to the 12-hour light cycle and continues to thrive after the initial shock two weeks ago. Currently, I'm maintaining the following values: * EC value: 1.9 * CO2: an average of 800 ppm * pH value: 5.9 * Water temperature: 20 degrees Celsius I'm excited and hope that the plants' development reaches a new stage this week. Looks good!

Enki_Weed Today is an exciting day in the tent! My two hybrids, Brain Damage and High Mars, seem to be thriving under the Mars Hydro FC 1500 lights. The leaves are a rich green and robust, a sign of optimal nutrient supply from the Hesi Hydro growing scheme. The pH level is at a perfect 6.2 and the EC value is at 1.7. The temperature in the tent is a bit higher than ideal at 25 degrees, but the air conditioner is running at full speed to bring it down. The humidity at 65% is still a bit too high, but the dehumidifier is already active. The two fans are ensuring good air circulation in the tent. Tonight will be exciting again when the chiller for the water temperature arrives. I'm curious to see how the two ladies will develop in the coming days! Any suggestions?

Enki_Weed The eighth week is starting off pleasantly calm and stable. My chiller is doing an excellent job and keeping the water temperature consistently at an optimal 19 °C. That's really one less worry and allows the plants ideal conditions. What continues to concern me, however, is the humidity in the room. When the lights are on, it’s around 57%. While that’s not dramatic yet, my goal would be more like 50% to further optimize the conditions and prevent potential problems. I definitely need to work on that. The temperature, on the other hand, is absolutely in the green zone at a constant 27 °C with the lights on and is no longer a headache. Fortunately, the flower development has finally become visible! You can see the first signs of the buds, which is a really exciting progress. At the same time, the CO2 supply is also running. The manufacturer of the little box promises an enrichment of up to 40% more CO2, which should positively influence the development of the plants as well. I'm curious to see how this will manifest in the coming days.

Enki_Weed The new chiller is a real turning point for my grow! It has made a significant difference in both water temperature and pH stability. I did a 15-liter water change and replaced the old solution with fresh water and nutrients. The pH is now stable between 6.1 and 6.3, and the EC is consistently at 1.95. I'm really happy with how well the buds are forming. The plant itself has remained very compact, which is great. I can't wait to see the further progress!

Enki_Weed Week will be described ... in the next week

Enki_Weed ..... Reflection on the Last Two Weeks – Cannabis Diary: Turbulent Start and Important Lessons The last two weeks have been anything but a walk in the park, but my plants have held up bravely, and I've learned a lot along the way. The start was rocky, mainly due to a faulty air pump, my long working hours, and the necessary deep cleaning of the system. The First Week: The Struggle for Survival and the Big Clean The first week was really critical. I was at work a lot, and that’s when my air pump failed. This pump is actually meant to oxygenate my nutrient solution – vital for the roots! Without it, there was a risk of root rot. The plants looked stressed, a few leaves were wilting or slightly yellow. That was a clear sign of oxygen deficiency. Due to these issues and to ensure no further complications arose, I did a thorough cleaning of the entire irrigation system. It was time-consuming, but absolutely necessary to remove old nutrient residues or deposits that could impair function. It showed me how important it is to keep an eye on the equipment and maintain it regularly. On top of that, I barely had time to optimally adjust the lighting due to work. This also led to some uneven growth at first. The Second Week: Recovery and Stabilization – with Air Conditioning! In the second week, I was finally able to intervene. After the air pump was repaired and the lighting conditions adjusted, the plants visibly recovered. Growth picked up again, and the leaves turned a vibrant green. It was a relief to see how resilient they are! Due to the current heat, I’m now also using an air conditioner. This keeps the room temperature consistently around 27 degrees Celsius, which is optimal for the plants at the moment. It helps tremendously in ensuring a stable climate and avoiding stress from high temperatures. I’ve learned that even under time pressure, you must not neglect the essential checks and must respond quickly to problems. The thorough cleaning was a crucial step here. Despite the rocky start, I’m optimistic about the future. The plants have recovered well despite the setbacks and are now developing steadily. The initial difficulties have definitely made me more attentive and proactive.

Enki_Weed Current condition of the plant (see picture): The plant is currently in excellent condition and is developing beautifully. Despite the challenges we faced during this grow, the results are more than encouraging. * Growth form: The plant has developed very bushy and compact, with a variety of well-formed side branches, all densely covered with flowers. This indicates excellent light utilization and successful branching, likely due to targeted training during the vegetative phase. * Flower quality: The buds are strikingly dense and show impressive resin production. The trichomes are already clearly visible and shiny, indicating high potency and aroma development. The stigmas (flower hairs) are mostly amber-colored, indicating an advanced ripening phase and signaling the upcoming harvest. * Leaf health: The leaves remain mostly green and vibrant. Some of the larger fan leaves in the lower area show the typical yellowing for the late flowering phase, as the plant reallocates its last energy reserves into flower production. This is a natural process and not a sign of acute deficiencies at this stage. Challenges and insights from this grow: We struggled with pH volatility during this run, which was sometimes difficult to stabilize. This led to the need to adjust the pH of the nutrient solution more frequently. Upon closer observation, the main cause of these pH fluctuations was identified: algae formation on the surface of the rock wool. These algae not only competed for nutrients but also significantly contributed to the unstable pH levels. Learnings for the next grow: To avoid algae formation and thus the pH issues in the future, the following measures are planned: * Reduction of rock wool cube size: Smaller rock wool cubes will be used for germination and the starting phase. * Use of more clay pebbles (Leca): The rock wool cubes will be significantly better covered with clay pebbles in the next grow to completely protect the surface from light. This will effectively prevent algae formation and thus contribute to a more stable pH level. Outlook: Despite the difficulties encountered, I am extremely satisfied with the current condition of the plant. It is a strong example of how resilient these plants can be when the basic care is right and issues are addressed. I look forward to the upcoming harvest and am excited about the quality of the final product.

Enki_Weed Description will follow next week...

Enki_Weed In the last one to two weeks, our plant has continued to thrive and is now showing clear signs of an advanced flowering stage. There haven't been any dramatic changes, just a steady maturation that brings us closer to harvest time. The plant is looking very bushy and vibrant, with numerous dense flower clusters that have developed well (see overall view of the plant). The buds are compact and have gained volume and weight over the past few weeks. You can clearly see how the flower calyxes are swelling and forming into mature flower clusters. Trichome and stigma maturity: A closer look at the buds (as seen in the first close-up image of the trichomes and in the further close-up image of the buds with orange stigmas) shows the progress of maturation. The white, resinous trichomes cover the flower clusters abundantly, indicating an intense production of cannabinoids. The trichomes now show a good mix of milky cloudy heads, suggesting full potency. Some amber trichomes are also starting to appear, which is a sign that harvest time is approaching. At the same time, the stigmas (the fine hairs on the buds) have changed from white to a rich orange-brown. This is another strong indication of the maturity of the flowers and the impending harvest. Foliage and nutrient needs: The foliage of the plant remains mostly healthy and green, indicating good nutrient supply. Some of the larger fan leaves may show slight signs of yellowing in this late flowering phase, as the plant is now primarily putting its energy into flower development and drawing nutrients from the leaves. This is a natural process often referred to as "autumn coloring." We will continue to closely monitor the maturation of the trichomes to determine the optimal harvest time, which can vary depending on the desired effect. The overall health of the plant will also be kept in check to ensure it is optimally nourished until harvest.

Enki_Weed The plant has matured quickly...