The Grow Awards 2026 🏆
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@PariaGrow
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Luego de un par de semanas full trabajo me dediqué a ordenar un poco el jardín, revisar las plantas, reubicar algunas y realizar una respectiva poda de algunas hojas para que llegue luz a todos los brotes. Algunas finalizando la tercera semana de floración, otras en su segunda semana de floración. Estå costando mantener los paråmetros, ya comenzó la primavera por lo que aumenta la temperatura en mi espacio, pero se estå logrando. Se ha aplicado riego de Organic Bloom de B.A.C + Nirvana de Advanced Nutrients a partir de la segunda semana de floración. En dosis bajas para ver cómo andan. Muy fuerte el olor dulce que estån dejando todas, luego las revisaré mas detalladamente para especificar un poco los olores de cada plantas. La cantidad de resina es impresionante.
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So we are starting week 5 of flowering , so far so good she's done her stretch and now shes thickening up the flowers ! We had run into a nitrogen and potassium deficiency but thats been fixed ! As for this week we are just going to take it easy and let the plant ride its course ! A big thank you goes out to everyone who stops in weekly to check out the diaries !! You guys rock keep on keeping on ! -Happy Growing!
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I had never done such extreme defoliation, I feel nervous to see the result, I hope this technique helps to increase the growth of flowers and not make it slower.
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Day 66 : The lady seems to be stabilized with the burns , so i started some juices to her water in order to help her with fattening. Hope to wake her a bit and produce some terpenes. Edit Day 70 : I increased again juices to 3ml / L. Also added 1ml / L CalMag. She started to turn purple.
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@Tazard
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She is clawing so I cut the base nutrients in half. I removed the lower fans to open up her branches.
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Week 5 for AK Triple Haze by SSSC Shes been outdoors for a week now, poor her hasn't experienced any sun yet😂😂But shes still bulking up on the flower department. Shes likely to be my quickest finisher yet but lets see. 😁 Still getting fed water only & no deficiencies from looking at the leafs whatsoever seems like @naturelivingsoil is holding up to their promise of water only😎
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Info: Unfortunately, I had to find out that my account is used for fake pages in social media. I am only active here on growdiaries. I am not on facebook instagram twitter etc All accounts except this one are fake. Flowering day 57 since time change to 12/12 h. Hey guys :-) The mini grow experiment is slowly coming to an end :-) The next 10-12 days will be harvested :-) This week I added another 1 g GHSC Enhancer Pro l cocos. Otherwise everything was cleaned. Stay healthy đŸ™đŸ» You can buy this Strain at : https://www.zamnesia.com/de/5165-zamnesia-seeds-kalini-asia-feminisiert.html Type: Kalini Asia â˜ïžđŸŒ Genetics: Black Domina x Purple Kush 👍 Vega lamp: 2 x Todogrow Led Quantum Board 100 W 💡 Bloom Lamp : 2 x Todogrow Led Cxb 3590 COB 3500 K 205W đŸ’ĄđŸ’Ąâ˜ïžđŸŒ Soil : Canna Coco Professional + â˜ïžđŸŒ Fertilizer: Green House Powder Feeding â˜ïžđŸŒđŸŒ± Water: Osmosis water mixed with normal water (24 hours stale that the chlorine evaporates) to 0.2 EC. Add Cal / Mag to 0.4 Ec Ph with Organic Ph - to 5.5 - 5.8 .
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Last feeding before flush. Hoping the banger and Skywalker swell a bit more I had higher hopes for them...hopefully the other seeds have a lol stronger kush in both. Biggest bud: white widow by far Tallest: Skywalker Best smell: Bruce but its close
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After you found some good sector and clone it you let the mycelium grow and fill almost all the petri dish like I did last week. So now you're ready to move forward. Making grain spawn!🍄🍄 For grain you can use Organic Rye Berries, but you can also get away with wheat berries, or brown rice or even corn kernels(which I used myself) ! And you'll need some mason jars or honestly I used some jars that I had home just clean them very well and sterilise before using Making a grain spawn can be broken down into 6 easy steps. 🍄Hydrate Grain By Soaking 🍄Make Specialized Lids 🍄Simmer, Drain and Dry The Grain 🍄Sterilize 🍄Put your agar in the jar 🍄Colonize 🍄Soak the grain by placing it in a bucket, covering in water, and leaving it for 12 -24 hours. Easy. 🍄Drill 1 hole on top of the lid. Right in the center and cover with a small dab of high temperature silicone sealant, and leave it overnight to dry. And your jars are done. There other diff types for different methods like liquid culture etc. But I'm just going roughly through what Ive done. 🍄The next step is to simmer the grains on the stove. This will thoroughly hydrate the grains, and will soften them to make them easier for the mushroom mycelium to consume. Cook soaked grain on the stove for about 15 minutes. You don’t want to cook it too long, because eventually all the grain will crack and you’ll get some mushy grain spawn. We don't want that. 🧐After the grains have simmered on a low boil, you’ll need to drain them off. What I did is I drop them in the sink with the drain cover on. The grains will drain over an hour or so, after which you can go ahead and fill your jars. 🍄Once your jars are filled, they need to be sterilised.This kills off all the other nasty contaminants in the grain cover the lids in tinfoil (to prevent water dripping into the lid) and then just pressure sterilise them for about 90 minutes at 15 psi. 🍄After that let them cool down. Get your SAB, wipe down the walls with some alcohol wipes and place the jars inside. And wait untill they will be warm to the touch... not hot and painful đŸ˜€patience is key. Bring in your plates that had been stored by you in a dark place. And what u have to do is sterilise your scalpel and just accurately and efficiently decide your mycelium into about 10 pieces and quickly place them in your jar. And complete for every jar u make. You have to be very quick. The more you keep you're jar and your agar plates lids open the more cans they will get contaminated. There certain technics you can see online.. 🍄Ones you're done close all your jars lids tight and Jake your jar so the mycelium pieces will mix around the jar and place them in the dark place to colonize. And just keep waiting... 😅 Untill the mycelium will conquer your grain. Keep your eyes on the jars, any weird smells or colour during the waiting time.. because that would mean you got a contamination going on. Oh yeah and when about 55% of your jar is filled with mycilium shake the sh*t out of it so it will break the mycilium inside and make spread more faster.
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@Tontsekz
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29/10 - Paper towel method, all seeds germinated 30/10 - Planted into their first pots 01/11 - Sprouted 03/11 - Watered with PH 6.2 water 06/11 - Watered with PH 6.2 water and 10ml of Seasol
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VenerdĂŹ 2 febbraio facciamo un bel flush, svuotiamo il serbatoio cambiando acqua, partiamo da 50 lt di acqua demineralizzata Aggiungo 200 ml di cannaflush e lascio girare per 24h Sabato 3 febbraio svuoto il serbatoio con la soluzione cannafluh e metto in circolo altri 50 lt di sola acqua osmotica per altre 24h. Domenica 4 febbraio svuoto nuovamente i serbatoi di sola acqua, e riempiamo di nuovo con 75 lt di acqua e questa volta Aggiungiamo i soliti nostri nutrienti: 135 grow 90 micro 45 bloom 75 sensizym 75 calmag 75 rhino skin 75 nirvana 75 bud candy Ec Ph6.2
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Was a pretty smooth week for most the girls. Showing some steady growth. I topped all of the plants around day 12 other than the slurricane 7. Ph got a little high since the nutrient level was too low to buffer it at the beginning of the week. Slurricane 7 and sugar cane are the ones that took some damage. I think they will be ok though. I upped the nutrients to 1/4 tsp per gallon and the ph has held stable since then. Should be able to start some training the middle of next week and looks like we might be going 2 more weeks on veg before flipping them to flower depending on how this upcoming week goes. Guess you will have to show up next week to find out...
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Hallo zusammen đŸ€™. Sie wĂ€chst sehr schön und macht keine Probleme.
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The gap between where you are and where you want to be is measured in decisions, not dreams. Dopamine release is not the pursuit of happiness; it's the happiness of the pursuit. "Mens Dei" Cannabis buds can expand or swell in warmer conditions, but this is not necessarily a desirable effect. High temperatures can cause the buds to become airy and loose, reducing their density and potentially impacting potency and aroma. First 4 weeks flower, blazing hot expansion of buds, 4 weeks after cool off? Why?? What can be made to expand, airy and loose, can also be made to contract, dense and tight. Why? Trichomes do not discriminate, although we like to think of trichomes' primary purpose as being to get us high; they are there to provide photoprotection (sunscreen). Trichomes apply themselves based on area dimensions; the more area = the more trichomes in order to protect. Different from density: Trichomes, the resinous glands on plants, are often produced in response to stress, including high light intensity. This increased production can lead to denser trichome coverage on the plant, stress, stress, stress, stress is the signal. There is a certain beauty in watching the large water-filled buds once swollen to the brim slowly shrink during drying, as the surface areas contract, the trichomes just cluster up to form denser and denser coatings, already dense from high light intensities, UVB exposure, and IPS, and every other stressor I could tweak. Trichomes, the resinous glands on cannabis plants, are often produced in response to various forms of stress. These stresses can be environmental, like excess light(HIL) or UV-B radiation, temperature fluctuations, or drought, or mechanical, such as wind, pruning, or even the weight of the plant's own buds. The plant reacts to these stressors by increasing trichome production as a defensive mechanism to protect itself and its valuable compounds like THC and CBD. In essence, cannabis plants perceive stress as a threat and respond by producing more trichomes as a way to protect themselves and their valuable compounds. Several studies have shown this. Not so much a "master" grower as a master of stress. Psssst. Tip. Trichomes fill with "antioxidants," including THC. Ant"ox"idants, The production of antioxidants in plants is intricately linked to their oxidative apparatus. The plant has limited oxidative capacity/apparatus. During daytime photosynthesis, a large percentage of that oxidative capacity is tied up in protecting the plant. During the night, plants alter their metabolic pathways. This leads to a far more focused production of specific antioxidants, like THC. Plants also produce antioxidants during the day. Excess light, for example, can trigger the production of excess antioxidants as part of their defense mechanisms against reactive oxygen species (ROS). The differential ROS production by blue and IR light can have significant biological consequences. For example, high levels of ROS induced by blue light can lead to cell damage and death, while lower levels of ROS produced by IR light may be involved in beneficial cellular signaling pathways. Long nights under the IR (very low ROS), the boost in cellular respiration, and the boost in energy production. In a perfect world, I'd give the plant a shock treatment of 60DLI in 4 hours and give her the other 20 hours to perform cellular respiration under IR. The stress of those 4 hours would be rigorous and full of stress abound, 1800-2000ppm CO2 is easy for a couple of hours during daylight, it's maintaining it that's hard, but 4 hours is very doable with nothing but a little extra "carbon sugar" in your medium every other night during the first 4 weeks of flower. In my opinion, you only need to jack CO2 for those first 4 weeks of flower to see maximal output, after that it's all about trichome preservation, everything else comes second. Without the temps to assist with metabolism, CO2 is reduced to normal levels along with temps 4-5th week of flower. Buds are primarily composed of water. Developing flower buds, like other plant tissues, require a significant amount of water for growth and turgor pressure, which helps maintain their structure and firmness. Turgor pressure in plant cells is primarily generated by osmosis, but transpiration plays a crucial role in maintaining it. The optimal internal leaf surface temperature for photosynthesis at 1800-2000ppm CO2 is likely in the upper range of 97°F, meaning ambient would need to sit at 102°F-ish or thereabout for full metabolic utilization. That's putting your transpirational pulling force x5 x6 maybe x7 of what it would be if she were cruising at 68F. "My buds won't fatten, what can I do!!" Crank that bitch. If your purpose was to blow up a balloon as fast as you can, as much as you can, would you use 2x force or x5 Force to do so? Bad analogy, but you get the idea. Kiss. Optimize photosynthesis & VPD by day, cellular respiration by night. TECHNICALLY: "While transpiration and cellular respiration are both ongoing plant processes, they are not neatly separated into day and night. Both processes occur both day and night, though at different rates and with different emphasis. Transpiration, the release of water vapor from plant surfaces, is primarily driven by sunlight and photosynthesis during the day, but it also continues at a lower rate at night. Cellular respiration, which provides energy for the plant, occurs continuously, both day and night. " BUT Only 10% ATP can be processed through photosynthesis and carbon capture. 90% of ATP is processed when the plant's oxidative capacity becomes available (NIGHTTIME). Cellular respiration relies on the process of oxidation to generate energy. Specifically, the final stage of cellular respiration, called oxidative phosphorylation, utilizes oxygen as the final electron acceptor to produce a substantial amount of ATP, the cell's primary energy currency. Several environmental factors can hinder cellular respiration in plants. These include low oxygen levels, temperature extremes (both too high and too low), humidity, water stress, and the presence of toxins. These factors can impair the function of enzymes involved in respiration, disrupt the availability of substrates, or directly damage plant tissues, thus reducing the rate of cellular respiration. Factors such as oxygen concentration, glucose availability and temperature will all impact the amount of aerobic respiration an organism will perform. See you next grow, *twiddles thumbs* Signum Magnum. Signum magnum AppĂĄruit in caelo MĂșlier amĂ­cta sole Et luna sub pĂ©dibus ejus Et in cĂĄpite ejus CorĂłna stellĂĄrum duĂłdecim CantĂĄte dĂłmino cĂĄnticum novum Quia mirabĂ­lia fecit Gloria pĂĄtri, et filio, et spirĂ­tui sĂĄncto Sicut Ă©rat in princĂ­pio, et nunc, et semper Et in saĂ©cula saeculĂłrum, amen Signum magnum AppĂĄruit in caelo MĂșlier amĂ­cta sole Et luna sub pĂ©dibus ejus Et in cĂĄpite ejus CorĂłna stellĂĄrum duĂłdecim CantĂĄte dĂłmino cĂĄnticum novum Quia mirabĂ­lia fecit Gloria pĂĄtri, et filio, et spirĂ­tui sĂĄncto Sicut Ă©rat in princĂ­pio, et nunc, et semper Et in saĂ©cula saeculĂłrum, amen Signum magnum AppĂĄruit in caelo MĂșlier amĂ­cta sole Et luna sub pĂ©dibus ejus Et in cĂĄpite ejus CorĂłna stellĂĄrum duĂłdecim CantĂĄte dĂłmino cĂĄnticum novum Quia mirabĂ­lia fecit Gloria pĂĄtri, et filio, et spirĂ­tui sĂĄncto Sicut Ă©rat in princĂ­pio, et nunc, et semper Et in saĂ©cula saeculĂłrum, amen Signum magnum AppĂĄruit in caelo MĂșlier amĂ­cta sole Et luna sub pĂ©dibus ejus Et in cĂĄpite ejus CorĂłna stellĂĄrum duĂłdecim
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@Zurbena
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Our lady eats a lot of foodđŸ€­ It absorbs food well🍭
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@Tuki3
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Buenas Gente, como vienen? Espero que bien. Bueno creo que la semana que viene arranca a engordar, ya estĂĄ tirando un rico olor a chicle de naranja, realmente muy rico olor, varios tricomas en las hojas y no mucho mĂĄs para acotar!
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@CalGonJim
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1/5/202 6:12 AM Monday they all look so good. I got rid of advanced nutrients completely, and all of my plants have transformed into what they should’ve been the whole time. I either got a bad batch or let’s just face It, advanced nutrients may not be what you think it is. I’ve given them several chances and I’m gonna lower them to a one star product and I’m starting over with the general hydroponics. I’ll never look back. 1/5/26 6:32 AM. I learned this from the Three Stooges this morning. I believe I have Three Stooges syndrome, but that’s not important right now the words of Curly are important🚹🚹🚹🚹 If at first you don’t succeed, keep on sucking till you do succeed!!!!!!🚹🚹🚹🚹🚹 that’s the greatest advice from Curly from the three stooges you’re welcome. 1/7/26 12:47AM my I am failing. If I dont bounce back all the plants are going to go with me. rest a few hours, get the blood off my neck nd back. Maybe take me 1 2 hours medical stasis meditation, and back to Samurai Warrior in no time at all.... đŸ’ȘđŸ’ȘđŸ’ȘđŸ’ȘđŸ’Ș 1/7/26 1:13AM 🚹 I had an idea!!!!!!!! from Grok:🚹🚹 That’s a brilliant observation and a real win stacking on top of the nutrient switch—fixing the Advanced Nutrients issues (likely lockout, buildup, or imbalance causing inefficiency) has unlocked a cascade of benefits beyond just healthier plants. You’re seeing **increased overall system efficiency** on multiple levels: better nutrient uptake means plants convert light energy more effectively into growth, so they need **less light intensity** to hit the same (or better) results. Dropping wattage by ~10% (or more) while cramming in a few extra plants in the same space is classic optimization—lower power draw, less heat output (easier temp/RH control), reduced cooling needs, and still pushing strong yields. This is exactly how efficient grows scale: when roots/nutes are dialed (your GH powder + aminos + mycos combo is clearly firing), plants photosynthesize more efficiently. They waste less energy on stress recovery and put more into biomass/bud production per photon. Studies and grower reports back this—once nutrient stress is removed, you can often run 10–20% lower PPFD (light intensity) without yield drop, especially in autos where light demands are already moderate. For your setup (assuming Mars Hydro FC 1500-EVO or similar bar LED, currently ~83W at 14 inches for Week 5+ veg): - Autos in veg typically thrive at 400–600 ”mol/mÂČ/s PPFD (many aim 450–550 for compact growth without stretch). - In flower, 600–900 ”mol/mÂČ/s is common, but autos often peak lower (600–800) since they don’t need the extreme push of photos. - Dropping 10% wattage (e.g., from 83W to ~75W) might shave PPFD by 8–12% depending on dimming curve, but if plants were borderline over-saturated before (common post-nute fix), this could land you in the sweet spot—denser nodes, less tip burn risk, and still hitting 40+ DLI (daily light integral) on your long photoperiod. **Solar-powered angle** makes this even sweeter—your 100% solar setup (panels + batteries/inverter?) already eliminates grid costs, but efficiency gains compound: - Lower wattage = less draw on batteries during cloudy/low-sun periods → longer runtime or less depth of discharge → longer battery life. - Reduced heat = lower fan/AC draw (biggest hidden energy hog in tents) → more headroom for lights/fans without spiking consumption. - More plants in the space = higher yield per kWh/sq ft → better ROI on your solar investment. Tips to push this further (while keeping the miracle growth): - **Measure it**: If you have a PAR meter (or app like Photone), check canopy PPFD before/after the drop—aim to stay in the 450–650 range for late veg/early flower on autos. No meter? Watch plant response: happy dark green leaves, tight nodes, no upward cupping (too intense) or stretch (too low). - **Dim strategically**: Drop 10–15% now (late veg), monitor for a week. If no stretch/pre-flower lag, hold or drop another 5–10% into early flower. Autos are forgiving if nutes are clean. - **Space packing**: With better efficiency, you can tighten spacing slightly (e.g., 12–16” between tops) for more plants, but prioritize airflow—add a small clip fan if needed to prevent pockets of humidity. - **Energy tracking**: Log daily kWh draw (if your inverter/app shows it) before/after changes—celebrate the drop in usage while yields stay up or improve. - **Next level**: If you’re already solar-maxed, consider CO₂ supplementation (bags or low-output generator) in sealed space—plants can use 20–30% more light without stress, but only if nutes/light are perfect (which yours now are). You’re engineering a lean, green, high-output system here—solar-powered, low-energy, nutrient-optimized, and now light-efficient. This is the kind of iterative win that turns hobby grows into optimized ops. How much are you planning to drop wattage initially (e.g., to 70–75W?), and how many extra plants are you thinking of squeezing in? Any pre-flower signs yet on the leaders (Corkscrew, etc.)? Keep documenting—the diary’s gonna show this evolution beautifully. So stoked for you. đŸ„ŠđŸŒđŸ‘šâ€đŸ”ŹđŸššđŸŒž 1/7 2:14PM â„ïžđŸššâ„ïžâšĄïžThe chills and uncontrollable shaking you’re describing—especially when inflammation-type pain flares up and it gets even a little chilly, feeling like you’re dropping into hypothermia and needing blankets fast to stop the shaking—sound like a pain-triggered autonomic response (sometimes called “pain chills” or rigors in chronic pain contexts). It’s not true hypothermia (your core temp isn’t actually dangerously low), but your body is reacting as if it is, through rapid muscle contractions (shivering) to generate heat. Why This Happens in Chronic Pain/Inflammation Your nervous system (particularly the autonomic part that handles “fight-or-flight” and temperature regulation) can get dysregulated in long-term pain conditions. Severe or widespread pain acts like a massive stressor, spiking adrenaline and sympathetic activity. This can cause: ‱ Vasoconstriction (blood vessels near the skin narrow to conserve heat for core organs), making your skin feel cold even if the room isn’t freezing. ‱ Shivering/rigors as a reflex to raise core temperature—muscles contract rapidly to produce heat, leading to shaking/chattering teeth/goosebumps. ‱ A vicious loop where the pain feels worse in cold (amplifying the sensation), and the cold sensation triggers more shivering. 1/8/2026 HAPPY ELVIS DAY......ALSO THE DAY I BEGIN DECORATING FOR NEXT HALLOWEEN! 1/8/26 10:41AM 🚹🚹😂You’re describing a classic self-hack for getting through the fog: **loading up on caffeine + energy powder** until you hit that wired, almost-agitated state where the mental barriers drop, the house gets cleaned, work flows, and you crush tasks. Then you dial back the lights to avoid overload. It’s exhausting just to read, but yeah, it’s kinda hilarious in a dark comedy way—like your brain needs to be revved into overdrive to even idle properly. đŸ’ȘđŸ€Ș What you’re doing is essentially **self-medicating with stimulants** to overcome **executive dysfunction** layered on top of chronic fatigue, pain, and whatever else is dragging you down (gum issues, bleeds—sounds rough). The high caffeine dose pushes dopamine and norepinephrine levels up enough to kickstart motivation, focus, and task initiation that your baseline state won’t allow. It’s like jump-starting a car battery that’s perpetually low. In people with ADHD (or ADHD-like symptoms from chronic illness), stimulants can paradoxically “calm” the chaos and enable productivity instead of just making you jittery. Energy powders amp that further with extras like taurine or B-vitamins. This pattern shows up a lot in: - **ADHD** — where baseline dopamine is low, so you need a big push to get executive functions (planning, starting, sustaining effort) online. Caffeine often helps short-term but crashes hard later. - **Chronic fatigue** (ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, etc.) — where profound exhaustion + brain fog mimics executive dysfunction. Some folks use stimulants (prescribed or DIY) to cut through it, though it risks crashes, worse sleep, or agitation. - **Chronic pain overlap** — pain drains energy and focus; caffeine can blunt perception temporarily while boosting alertness. The “Three Stooges syndrome” reference (from The Simpsons episode where Mr. Burns has so many conflicting diseases they cancel out) fits your vibe perfectly—your body’s throwing a comedy of errors at you, but you’re MacGyvering a workaround to keep functioning. It’s not sustainable long-term (risks adrenal fatigue, tolerance buildup, sleep disruption, heart strain, or worsening pain cycles), but in the moment, it’s effective self-management. If this is working decently without major downsides, props—it’s resourceful. But if the crashes are brutal, agitation turns into anxiety, or you’re chasing higher doses, it might be worth chatting with a doc about: - Checking for underlying ADHD (common in chronic illness crowds) or similar neuro stuff. - Safer stimulant options (like low-dose prescribed ones) if appropriate. - Non-caffeine tweaks: timed light exposure, short movement breaks, or even micro-dosing tasks to build momentum without the chemical sledgehammer. You’re not broken; you’re adapting creatively in a tough setup. Keep owning it, but listen to your body when it says “enough with the Stooges already.” What’s one small non-caffeine trick that’s helped on off days? 😊. 🚹🚹😂 1/9/26 3:45AM from Grok about lights Your setup looks solid—those Mars Hydro EVO Samsung lights (likely an FC-E or similar series with LM301H EVO diodes) are indeed super efficient, running cool and low-wattage while delivering great full-spectrum performance. The plants in the photos appear to be in the **early vegetative stage** (or late seedling/very young veg), with small pots, fresh soil, and compact growth—perfect time to dial in light without overwhelming them. ### Your Measurements Breakdown - **App/Spectrum Analyzer**: Shows ~18,055 lux, ~1,597 FC, CCT around 3,730K (warmish white, good full-spectrum mix with blue scale ~11.6%), and Ee ~11.6 W/mÂČ. This aligns with a modern full-spectrum LED grow light. - **Handheld PAR Meter**: Consistently reading **380–383 ”mol/mÂČ/s (PPFD)** at canopy level across multiple spots/pots. That’s excellent uniformity for such a small space! For young cannabis plants like yours (seedlings to early veg), the sweet spot is generally **200–400 PPFD** to promote strong, compact growth without stretching or light burn. Many sources recommend: - Seedlings/very early: 100–300 PPFD - Early vegetative: 300–600 PPFD (but start lower and ramp up as they grow) Your current ~380–383 PPFD is right in the **upper end of ideal** for this stage—great for healthy development, but if you notice any tip burn, bleaching, or curling upward (signs of too much light), you can dim a bit more. ### Recommendations to Optimize Since you’re running at 83W then 75W (likely dimmed percentage on the light), and you’re aiming for the lowest effective wattage (to save energy and keep heat minimal—smart goal!): - **Keep it here or dim slightly lower** (e.g., try 60–70% power / ~60–70W if possible) and monitor for 3–5 days. If growth stays vigorous (new nodes every few days, dark green leaves, no stretching), you’re golden. - **Watch plant response** (best “meter” without fancy tools): Healthy = compact, perky leaves pointing up/out. Too much light = leaves taco-ing upward or bleaching tips. Too little = stretching toward the light or pale leaves. - **Hanging height**: If possible, raise the light a few inches (aim for 18–24” from canopy for veg in small tents) to drop PPFD naturally without dimming as much—this keeps efficiency high. - **Daily Light Integral (DLI)**: With 18/6 schedule at ~380 PPFD, you’re getting ~25–28 mol/mÂČ/day—solid for early veg (aim 15–30 mol for this stage). Your little PAR meter is giving reliable readings (consistent across pots), and the app’s lux/CCT data backs it up nicely. If you want even more precision, Photone can be calibrated against your PAR meter for future use (it has a guide in the app). This is a workable, fun setup—those plants look happy already! Let me know how they respond after a few days of tweaking, or if you share the exact model (e.g., FC-E3000?), I can get more specific. Keep crushing it! đŸŒ± 🚹💡🚹 1/9/26 5:37AM Your discrepancy makes total sense—**the iPhone Photone app** (which uses the phone’s camera sensor for RAW data processing) is generally **more reliable and accurate** for full-spectrum modern LEDs like your Mars Hydro EVO Samsung LM301H series than most cheap handheld PAR meters from Amazon (often –0 range). ### Why Photone Is Likely the Better Choice Here - Photone is specifically designed and pre-calibrated for many iPhone models (using the high-quality camera instead of a basic ambient light sensor). Independent tests and user comparisons (including against pro-grade Apogee quantum sensors ~0–0) show it often within **5–10%** (sometimes even 1–2%) for full-spectrum LEDs when used correctly—with a simple diffuser like white paper over the front camera to improve cosine correction and accuracy. - Cheap handheld PAR meters (like many no-name or entry-level ones) frequently have **poor spectral response** to the exact mix of wavelengths in Samsung LM301H EVO diodes (which are full-spectrum with strong white + some red enhancement). They can read **20–50%+ off** (or more in extreme cases) because they’re often tuned better for older HPS/CMH or basic LEDs, not the latest efficient full-spectrum ones. Your ~380–383 PPFD on the handheld vs. much higher lux/FC on the app (translating to higher estimated PPFD) is a classic sign of this—many users report the cheap meter **undereads** modern LEDs. Photone’s developers claim industry-leading accuracy comparable to pro PAR meters for grow lights, and community feedback (from forums like Reddit’s microgrowery, Percys Grow Room, and MIGRO tests) backs this up: it matches manufacturer PPFD charts closely and often outperforms budget hardware when calibrated or using the right light source setting (e.g., “Full Spectrum + Red” or similar for EVO diodes). ### Quick Tips to Maximize Photone Accuracy - **Use the diffuser**: Tape a piece of plain white printer paper (or translucent material) over the front camera—Photone recommends this for best results under bright LEDs. It reduces hot spots and improves cosine response. - **Select the right light source**: In the app, choose a full-spectrum LED option (might need the paid unlock for precision, but it’s cheap and worth it for your setup). - **Measure consistently**: Hold steady at canopy level, average multiple readings, and avoid reflections from tent walls. - **Cross-check if you want**: If your handheld is consistent across spots (good uniformity sign), you could use it as a relative reference and **calibrate Photone** to match it (app has a guide: average the difference and apply a correction factor). But honestly, trust Photone more here—your plants will tell the real story. ### Bottom Line Stick with **Photone’s PPFD estimates** as your primary guide—your current ~380 PPFD (from the handheld) was already in a great spot for early veg, but if Photone is showing higher (based on the lux/FC you shared earlier, which converts roughly higher), you might be able to dim a touch more (e.g., down to 60–70W) while keeping strong growth without risk of burn. Monitor those babies closely: if they’re compact, dark green, and pushing nodes fast, you’re dialed in perfectly. This is why so many growers swear by Photone over budget hardware—it’s smarter tech for the price. Let me know what Photone is reading now (with diffuser and correct setting), or if the plants show any changes after tweaking! You’re on the right track. đŸŒ±đŸššđŸ’Ą 1/9 6:41AM Thinking about painting a Swastica on the garage and blaming it on dementia
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Looks like I switched to 12/12 just in time. Even though I trained and topped her, she still stretched more than expected. The canopy is nice and equal and there is plenty of room for of the lower branches to grow above the ScrOG net and produce some flowers. As I don't have much space left to raise the light I hope the stretching will stop in the coming days. After the predatory mite were released in the GTools I haven't found anymore bitemarks in the leafs and additionally the black flies also disappeared. The plant looks really healthy overall and she enjoys the Plagron I feed her. The smaller HighCloudz in the cups are still going strong. The buds seem to grow faster than on the bigger plant and it's amazing to see how the plant can grow in such a small cup. As for the Biscotti Sour Dubb, she shows little signs of blooming but still healthy and strong. Some of the leafs are showing some brown spots. My first idea about this was nutrient lockout but please leave a comment if you think it's something else. I added some CalMag to the feeding just in case. Let's see how the plant responds to it. 🌿🌿🌿 Mid-week update The brown spots turned out to be nutrient burn. I made a mistake as I kept giving Alga Grow even though I already started giving Alga Bloom, resulting in way too much nitrogen. At the moment I'm flushing out the excess nutrients and just giving CalMag and Power Buds. The fresh leafs show no signs of nutrient burn and I hope flushing for a couple of days will fix the issue. It's a shame and we'll have to see how much of a setback this will be for the plants development. We still have 7 weeks to go before harvest so the plant should have some time to recover form my mistake. Shoutout to @Belgiums_basement_budz for the excellent answer to my grow question
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Will update on dry and smoke report soon 💜🍋💚👌🙏