DTW HPA Aeroponic Super Buff Cherry #26

Bazooka_ Week 1 – Vegetation / Training Clones transferred directly from the aerocloner into the HPA system after full root development. Training was already started in the aerocloner itself – multiple toppings to create an even number of main colas, combined with LST using 3D printed bending clips. These small printed clips grip the branch and hold it at the desired angle without any wire or ties – fully reusable and tool-free. The result is a flat, open canopy structure from day one with maximum light penetration to all bud sites. One week of vegetation at 18h light before switching to 12/12. Plants established immediately in the HPA environment – no transplant shock, roots adapted fast to the high pressure mist cycle.

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Bazooka_ Week 3 – Late Stretch / Defoliation Stretch is complete. SBC#26 showed a compact and controllable stretch – true to its Indica dominant nature. Far Red 730nm ran throughout the entire grow using an EOD (End of Day) treatment – a short burst of Far Red at the end of each light period to trigger the Emerson Effect and maximize photosynthesis efficiency. This was maintained all the way through from stretch to harvest. First defoliation carried out to open up the canopy and direct all energy to the developing bud sites. Large fan leaves removed in a staged approach – not all at once. The structure underneath is clean and well trained from the LST work done earlier. EC already pushed to 1.6 mS/cm – the plant was clearly ready for higher feeding and showed zero signs of stress. Purple coloration on the stems already hinting at what is to come.

Bazooka_ Week 4 – Bulking I Bud sites are stacking up fast. Entering the first bulking phase – EC raised to 1.65-1.75 mS/cm, CO2 pushed to 1,200 ppm, PPFD at 1,150 µmol. The plants are responding strongly to the increased feeding and light intensity. No signs of stress or nutrient issues. The root zone in the HPA chamber is developing massively – thick white root mass visible when checking the reservoir. Resin production is ramping up noticeably and the first cherry and tropical aromas are starting to emerge.

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Bazooka_ Week 6 – Bulking II Peak Peak bulking. This is where SBC#26 truly shows what it is made of. The purple and violet coloration is now covering the entire canopy – not just the leaves but the calyxes and buds themselves. The color is genetic and temperature assisted, exactly as the breeder describes. Buds are extremely dense and compact – no airy structure anywhere. Even the smaller popcorn buds are heavily frosted. The scent at this stage is already intense – dark cherry with a tropical depth that fills the room every time the tent is opened. EC maintained at 1.7 mS/cm, everything else at peak parameters.

Bazooka_ Week 7 – Ripening Begins / Multi-Trigger Trichomes are shifting. Time to send the plant a clear end-of-season signal. All parameters stepped down simultaneously – this is the multi-trigger ripening protocol. Day temperature dropped from 29°C to 26°C. CO2 reduced from 1,200 to 800 ppm. PPFD dropped from 1,150 to 800 µmol with the 3500K main light dimmed down – Hyper Red 660nm and UVA remain running at full power. EC begins tapering from 1.7 down to 1.4 mS/cm. The plant responds immediately to the combined signal. Senescence begins in an orderly and controlled way. Anthocyanin expression intensifies further – the colors are becoming extraordinary.

Bazooka_ Week 8 – Ripening Full senescence underway. The canopy is a sea of deep purple and violet. Trichomes are milky and beginning to shift amber on the older calyxes. The buds have stopped gaining size and are now concentrating all remaining energy into resin and terpene production. EC reduced further to 1.2 mS/cm. PPFD at 800 µmol. CO2 off. The carbon filter is struggling to keep up with the terpene load – the heavy cherry and tropical scent is filling the entire space. This is what the strain is supposed to smell like.

Bazooka_ Week 9 – Flush / Finish Final phase. The nutrient solution is now a very light mix of 50/50 RO and tap water with PeKacid only – EC around 0.6 mS/cm. In HPA there is no substrate to flush, so this is not a traditional flush. The plant is simply fed a minimal solution while drawing down the last reserves from its own leaf tissue during natural senescence. PPFD dropped to 600 µmol. The plant is clearly finishing – leaves yellowing from the bottom up in a controlled way, exactly as intended. Trichomes checked daily. Harvest window approaching. Harvest planned just before lights on – at this point the plant is in its deepest rest phase and terpene concentration is at its peak.

Bazooka_ DTW HPA | Super Buff Cherry #26 | GMLS Cut | First Run ========================================================= GROW OVERVIEW ------------- Strain .......... Super Buff Cherry #26 (GrowMoreFire Genetics – GMLS Breeder Cut) Genetics ........ Blockberry-Super Boof Cut x Tropicana Cherry – Pheno #26 selected from 33 seeds Plants .......... 4 clones from mother System .......... High Pressure Aeroponics (HPA) – Drain to Waste Tent ............ 60x60cm Flower time ..... 9 weeks (Day 62-63) Dry Weight ...... 252g – 100% usable, no stems THC ............. Lab test pending – effect is exceptionally strong, estimated around 30% Cure ............ Vacuum-sealed tube + Boveda 62%, minimum 4 weeks THE SYSTEM – DIY HPA (~100 EUR build cost) ------------------------------------------- This is a fully self-built High Pressure Aeroponics system designed around an Aquatec DDP 3300 demand pump (24V DC, 14 bar, 3.8 L/min) – originally sourced from water dispensers. Total build cost around 100 EUR. Pump ............. Aquatec DDP 3300 – 8-10 bar operating pressure Accumulator ...... Pressure tank with T-piece Control .......... Cycle timer + pressure sensor + Mosfet delay board (2-3 sec runoff) Nozzles .......... 0.3mm ceramic/stainless steel (Aliexpress disposables – replaced after every run) Nozzle holders ... Terrarium misting arms – fully adjustable, push-fit Nozzles/plant .... 2 per plant, diagonal orientation Fittings ......... Pneumatic quick-connect throughout – fully tool-free Filtration ....... Pre-filter on intake + inline filter before nozzles Bypass ........... Valve for air purging after tank changes Cycle ............ 2-3 sec ON / 4-5 min OFF No bubbler – prevents CaCO3 precipitation from CO2-rich room air. Biofilm allowed to develop – system runs more stable than fully sterile. LIGHTING – DIY FULL SPECTRUM ----------------------------- Main light ....... Samsung LM301B 3500K (DIY build) Hyper Red ........ 2x APEXstrip 660nm (Osram Oslon) – 480mm Far Red .......... 2x APEXstrip 730nm – 480mm UVA .............. 1x APEXstrip UVA (Luminus SST-10, 365+385nm) UVA current ...... 350mA of 1000mA max – running all day Peak PPFD ........ 1,150 umol/m2/s (bulking) Controller ....... Spider Farmer GGS + AC-5 PPFD Sensor ...... Spider Farmer 4-in-1 Leaf VPD ......... Manual IR thermometer UVA Strategy: Running at low continuous current all day rather than short high-intensity bursts – closer to natural sunlight. UVA triggers trichome production as a UV protection response. Kept active throughout ripening phase while the main light was dimmed down. CLIMATE ------- Dehumidifier ..... Trotec TTK90 Humidifier ....... Spider Farmer Carbon filter .... Prima Klima Cone K3600-100 (420 m3/h) Day temp (bulk) .. 29°C Day temp (ripen) . 26°C Night temp ....... 20-21°C RH (ripening) .... 50-55% CO2 (bulking) .... 1,200 ppm CO2 (ripening) ... 800 ppm - off WATER ----- 50/50 mix of RO water and tap water. Tap water is hard (17.6 dH, Ca 101 mg/L, high bicarbonate at 4.55 mmol/L). The blend gives a base EC of ~0.32 mS/cm and a stable starting point for nutrient mixing. NUTRIENTS – METROP LINE (DTW, 40L tank) ----------------------------------------- Mixing order (critical for stability): 1. Wall-Up S (silicate) – 4g - wait 15 min before adding anything else 2. PeKacid – 12g - adjusts pH to ~5.5 and neutralizes bicarbonate 3. Metrop MR2 – ~22ml (pre-diluted in ~2L water) 4. Metrop Calgreen – ~12ml (pre-diluted separately) - NEVER mix directly with MR2 – calcium phosphate precipitation 5. Metrop AminoXtrem – 35ml 6. Metrop Enzyme – 10ml Why the order matters: Silicate needs high pH to dissolve first. Calcium must never meet phosphate at high concentration – precipitation makes both nutrients unavailable and clogs 0.3mm nozzles. FLOWERING PROTOCOL ------------------ [ RAMP UP – Day 1-20 ] EC .... 0.8 - 1.4 mS/cm CO2 ... 800 ppm PPFD .. 400 - 800 umol [ BULKING I – Day 21-28 ] EC .... 1.65 - 1.75 mS/cm CO2 ... 1,200 ppm PPFD .. 1,150 umol [ BULKING II PEAK – Day 29-42 ] EC .... max 1.7 mS/cm 1.2 mS/cm CO2 ... 800 ppm PPFD .. 800 umol [ FLUSH / FINISH – Day 57-63 ] EC .... ~0.6 mS/cm (RO + tap + PeKacid only) CO2 ... off PPFD .. 600 umol [ HARVEST – Day 62-63 ] - just before lights on EC hard limit: 1.7 mS/cm. Leaf tip curl appeared above this – the plant told me where the ceiling was. MULTI-TRIGGER RIPENING PROTOCOL --------------------------------- Rather than changing one parameter, all signals were stepped down simultaneously to send a clear end-of-season message to the plant: Day temp Bulking ... 29°C Ripening .. 26°C Night temp Bulking ... 21°C Ripening .. 20°C PPFD Bulking ... 1,150 umol Ripening .. 800 - 600 umol 3500K main light Bulking ... full power Ripening .. dimmed down Hyper Red 660nm Bulking ... full Ripening .. full (stays on) UVA Bulking ... full Ripening .. full (stays on) CO2 Bulking ... 1,200 ppm Ripening .. 800 ppm - off EC Bulking ... 1.7 mS/cm Ripening .. 1.4 - 1.2 - 0.6 mS/cm The result: controlled senescence, intense purple/anthocyanin expression, and concentrated terpene production. The carbon filter was working hard from ripening onward – heavy cherry and tropical notes throughout. THE HPA "FLUSH" – WHY IT IS DIFFERENT --------------------------------------- Classic flushing washes salts out of substrate. In HPA there is no substrate – so a traditional flush makes no sense. The finish phase uses a diluted solution (EC ~0.6) of 50/50 RO/tap + PeKacid only. P and K are still present. The plant draws remaining nutrients from leaf reserves during senescence – exactly as intended. No salt buildup to wash out. No substrate to flush. RESULTS ------- 252g dry weight from 4 plants in a 60x60cm tent. All material 100% usable – no stems included in the weight. Lower canopy was defoliated after stretch – all energy went to main colas. Even smaller buds were heavily coated in resin. Terpene profile: Heavy, dark cherry with a tropical undertone. Completely unique character – unlike anything grown before. The scent fills a room immediately even at low quantities. Visual: Exceptional purple/violet coloration across the entire canopy. Breeder states color expression from day 14 of flower – confirmed. Color was temperature-assisted but clearly genetic in origin. THC lab test: Pending. Based on subjective experience and effect strength, potency is estimated around 30%. The effect is exceptionally strong. CURING ------ - Dried on mesh net in a 40x40cm drying tent at 50-55% RH - Stems removed after ~4 days when outer surface was dry - Moisture tested with hygrometer in sealed bags - Target: stable 62% RH - Final storage: vacuum-sealed tube + Boveda 62% packs - Minimum 4 weeks cure before use or lab submission KEY LEARNINGS – FIRST RUN WITH SBC#26 --------------------------------------- - EC hard limit: 1.7 mS/cm. The plant communicates where the ceiling is. - Multi-trigger ripening works. Every parameter changed simultaneously – the plant has no choice but to enter senescence. - HPA "flush" is fundamentally different from substrate flushing. Low EC finish solution with P+K still present is the right approach. - UVA all-day at low intensity: continuous low-dose stress triggers constant trichome production response. - No bubbler: eliminates calcium carbonate precipitation in CO2-enriched grow rooms. - Biofilm in the reservoir: deliberately maintained. More stable than running sterile. - Harvest timing: just before lights on – plant is in deepest rest, terpenes most concentrated. WHAT'S NEXT ----------- Next run: Orange Cookies x Nicole – exceptional citrus/orange-lemonade terpene profile from a mother with extreme vigor. Upgrading to 0.2mm nozzles with a ring manifold and 4 nozzles per plant (2 diagonal + 2 pointing downward) for better root zone coverage. Run completed May 2026 | System: DIY HPA | Genetics: SBC#26 GMLS Cut