Those are gorgeous! After my first run with the white widow autos clawing up literally days after transplanting, I learned real quick that at the end of the day like you said, PPM is the one ring to rule them all so to speak. Definitely makes me feel better that I run the same starting PPM as you though 
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It can be a trial and error sometimes, even running the same strains where one or 2 don’t want the same as the others 
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What is PPM and how do you guage it?
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PPM stands for parts per million, but what we’re really measuring is the conductivity of the water based the concentration of dissolved salts.
The reason this is important because at the end of the day… and I cannot say this loudly enough for new growers to hear… you should feed based on runoff PPM, not a chart on a bottle. Plants need to grow in a safe PPM range, and at the end of the day, the water running off into your drip pan is giving you a good idea of what the plant is eating at the moment. If a plant, like my fellow grower @OGIncognito mentioned, consumes at a slower place than another but you keep feeding on an arbitrary schedule from a bottle, you can slowly poison that plant because you’re adding more than it consumes.
Meters all over the internet can measure this, just remember to go with a pen that uses the proper unit of measure for your geographic location in the world. In the US, PPM 500 is the common standard of measure.
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Like @Firsttimer3 I used \ am using FFOF ( which Is ‘hot’ ) for previous and Current grow and I had good success starting my seeds, after germinating, in a peat pot placed inside a soil filled solo cup (50% ffof and 50% coco coir).
Day 11 transplanted to 3 gal bags which has straight ffof at lower 1/3rd of bag and then slurry mix of 50/50 ffof and coco coir ( with 2 cups perlite added ) up to 3" from top.
I prepped\ filled the 3 gal bags the day I germinated the seeds and soaked soil with ph’d water, just shy of runoff, and were Ready to receive seedling 11 days later (a recommended step from APotForPot I’ve done all 3 grows)
Gave the girls pH’d water with Cal Mag Only for 4 weeks… then it’s time to check run-off and proceed accordingly… has been my experience.
I am sure some strains can handle hot soil better than others. Gelato and Blue Cheese at Day 43 doing Great… 2 Gelato’s at Day 21 doing Great…
I am totally unfamiliar with W.Widow so I am looking forward to following Firsttimer3’s journey.
check out my current endeavor using ffof
3rd Grow - with Gelato Auto - Show Your Grow / Grow Journals - I Love Growing Marijuana Forum
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Thanks, Scrumm_21. And thanks to everyone else for their input on my questions. I’m mid germination process and now think I have all of the nutes and extras i need for my first grow. We’ll see what happens and I’ll learn from it as i go. One of the last questions i have for this grow is what to do when the plants starts getting bigger. Am i better off doing a Sea of green or scrog or topping or whatever. Any suggestions are much appreciated. For the new members joining the easiest method would probably be best because this is my first grow and very little experience.
Last year was my 1st time growing Auto’s, after 20 yr break from Any growing.
I think the adage “Less is More” is good advice for us newbies to auto’s.
I was too hands on with 1st 2 grows and it showed in decreased yield.
Topping is def viable but then Hands Off for couple weeks and let 'er Grow.
( I topped all of both grows last year at 4th node But then did too much LST Too Soon ! )
My 44 day old Gelato has Not been touched and looks great. I topped the two 22 day old Gelatos above 4th node and will do some very Very Light Lst down the road…
Hey Scrumm question. Getting ready to start everything after germination period. So i left FFOF and glass of water over night together. Strained the next day and tested the ppm. It was 1770!!! Just from the soil alone. Do you think the cheap ppm reader i ordered isnt working properly? I keep seeing online ppm shouldnt be that high for seedling/veg?
Precisely the reason I discourage OF for seedlings. HF and clonex is more than enough for a month of solo cup, and then another 3-4 weeks once transplanted into a 1 gallon with new HF (which I highly encourage… i rarely see anyone who starts right in 3 gallon who doesn’t run into overwatering and nutrient issues down the line unless they’re extremely experienced)
Just remember… just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Start at PPMs this high and you’re taking major risks down the line. More nutrients on the front end do not make for faster or better growing.
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sorry for late reply… mine was probably 1900+. Maybe subconciously why initially I cut the ffof, in the solo cups during seedling stage, by 50% with coco coir.
Now since APotForPot’s “Superb Soil” requires No added nutes the life of its grow I can only imagine how hot That soil is, and I really like it - Just Expensive! (I did not bother with ppm using that soil since I never watered to runoff. Just up to point of saturation).
I put germinated seeds in peat pots for 11 days then transplant to bag. Have used Superb Soil for 4 plants ( Jack Herer and Blue Cheese ) and FFOF now for 6 plants,( Blue Cheese and Gelato) . I certainly understand the trepidation! Perhaps I’m lucky but I haven’t had an issue.
Hey all, beginning process going well. Seeds finally broke contact with top of soil. Right on track from what im reading.
I am looking for some suggestions on which method i should use to train the plants. SOG? SCROG? ETC…
I was reading online to do nothing because of stress, then others disagreed. Can anyone give suggestions on what they did and if it worked / didnt workl.
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what size is your grow tent? How many Plants in your grow space? Plant characteristics can influence method. Have you decided if you’re topping? Haha - so Many questions. I vote minimal lst and no topping if this is a 1st time grow and space allows. (There is a Definite Learning Curve with Auto’s and so far ‘3rd time is being the charm’ for me 
I stressed my 1st 2 grows being too aggressive and results decreased) Otherwise watch a lot of vids on the diff methods, which I’m sure you’re doing…Nothing like hands on experience. With life cycle so short ya gotta be careful
Good afternoon all,
So my seeds have finally sprouted above the soil. How do they look?
On two of them the seed shell hasnt fully come off yet is this worrysome?
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Good afternoon all,
So my seeds have finally sprouted above the soil. How do they look?
On two of them the seed shell hasnt fully come off yet is this worrysome?
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Put a Tiny drop of water on the shell if it hasn’t popped off yet !! I think I used an eyedropper to just get 1 small drop on it. Another one a few hrs later, then it popped off a few hrs after that. The clock is counting down and that shell hanging on is hindering growth. My 1st grow last year I had one stay on 3 days before I moistened it. It lagged well behind the others.
give us an update… Inquiring minds want to know… 
@Scrumm_21 Hey brotha sorry i try to update every couple days because of work schedule. So the pics below are ALL on day 10. When i say day 10 i mean from the first day i dropped the seeds into water for germination. Each plant has sprouted about 2-3 inches above the soil. The seed shells basicvally fell off on their own after the drop of water.
**How do the plants look? Does it look like i am behind? ahead?
Also, two of these plants will be going outside. Everything ive been reading online says to wait until they sprout around 8-12 inches. Can anyone confirm? different opinions? Thanks all
allright…
1st - I would suggest Day 1 be the day the girls broke soil… I’m being picky lol
They appear a little Behind to me but looking good 
As We are Both doing the ffof soil grow I am posting pics below of my Gelato at Day 3 then Day 16
As for moving outside I would think that time frame sounds about right; if going from lamp to full time sun exposure.
Are they going to be outside Full time or back in under lights when sun goes down? just curious…
((Being Retired I started putting mine outside, at 5 days old, for 60 mins once in a.m and once in p.m. and began increasing time every couple days til up to 8+ hrs a day at 3 weeks old. On 18/6 schedule with 10 hrs outside on sunny days))
The Fun is Just Starting…
Gelato at Day 3 - (Day 1 being the day it broke soil)
Gelato at Day 16.… just transplanted
Here is one of her younger sisters at Day 11 .. I transplanted her and her twin 5 days earlier than older sis…
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So honestly, i have 4 indoor plants (the pics above), and 4 more waiting to go outside. I wanted to grow a few outside with minimal work to see truly how versatile autoflowers are. They will be outside full time, and like i said im not too too concerned with them just dont wanna throw them out there to early. I do think my indoor plants are moving too slowly though. I might need some advice. Pics to follow in next post