Shigshwa's Grow Log 2015-2016 (Hydro Grow of Carolina Reapers)

NOTE: Skip to the later pages to see my latest grow. Most of this is a log of my previous grows.
 
 
 
---------------------------------------------------------
I saw quite a lot of grow logs out here, which inspired me to make one myself. I thought that I could also use this as an opportunity to learn from the more experienced growers as well. A bit about me:

1. At this point in time, I'm 16, likely making me one of the younger growers here.
2. Although I like to mess with all things technology, I also like gardening as well
3. This is my first time growing peppers, so I'm hoping that everything goes well!

Now, onto the peppers.

The Story So far

The peppers, Bhut Jolokia on the right, Butch Ts on the left

The first sprout, and still my biggest!

The peppers, day 3. Some of these were my friends, because he was on vacation. Can't believe they were this small!

A bit under 2 weeks old, when they were still under my now sold HPS bulb. My first sprout is the one in the big pot.

A bit after the last photo. Now that's growth!

Last image of them, days before being in the tent.

The new grow tent, next to my computer.

A bit under a month old, just a few days in the new grow tent. I will get a MH system soon...

Taken just now, 1 month 1 day old, few days after the last photo. The growth has EXPLODED ever since they were placed in the tent. The one in the very front is the Bhut, or so I believe, and the other 3 are the Butch Ts, one in the very back being my first sprout.
 
 
 
 

 

[scratchzilla]

How many watts is the HPS? I use a 250w and get great growth.

 

[shigshwa]

400. I use a fan to cool the tent, just an office fan, but works well.

 

[scratchzilla]

Nice, that should produce some monster plants.

 

[shigshwa]

Yes! Success!
 

 

[Portuge]

Here we go, got your self a pod right there...

 

[shigshwa]

Flower city.
 
 

 

[shigshwa]

Wow, what a long time it's been. Seems like it was not too long ago that I was still a junior, prepping for college, and doing teenager things.
 
Skip to late 2015. I've been out of college on a break, and in that time, I have been exploring many different things, one of which includes hydroponics. I have dabbled into it here and there, but only recently have I started to consider it seriously. And so, the revival of this grow log will be the start of a new adventure, one that consists of... deathly hot stuff.
 
Here is my setup. It is a 25 gallon DWC tub made from a container from Home Depot. It's pretty simple, with nothing more than a few large air stones to promote aeration/circulation. This setup was tested with a full house of kale plants, and boy was it a success! Well, at the same time, the mother plant in the middle was growing alongside the kale, and when the kale was ready to go, I took a few dozen clones from the mother and rooted most of them.
 
Lighting comes from a 400W MH, with a DIY reflector. Aluminum foil may not be an optimal reflector material, but it will do until I can retrieve my roll of mylar from the other house. Cooling and perhaps a safety pane of plastic will be implemented later on.
 
I do worry about overcrowding in this thing, but I will test this run to find out what happens. In a future build, I'll space the plants out more appropriately if needed.
 

Apologies for the bad picture. When the lights turn on again tomorrow, I will snap some quality photos.
 

Here is a better photo. The mother is blooming at many, many different nodes. This is probably the most that I have ever seen in my growing experience.
 
I have noticed that hydro plants will grow faster than soil plants. The yield quality though.. I will have to wait and see.

 

[shigshwa]

I'll have to find my old camera. Phone cameras seem to hate the immense light. This is what I snapped just today.