๐ 8ร8 Adventure โ Week 13
Black Diamond Auto by Zamnesia โ Pheno A
Shining Bright Like a Diamondโฆ Because Apparently One Main Cola Wasn't Enough ๐๐โจ๐ธ
Welcome back to another chapter of the 8ร8 Adventure! ๐ฑ๐
And this week...
Well...
She's not getting any more humble.
๐๐
Quite the opposite.
She's becoming more and more of exactly what her name suggests.
BLACK DIAMOND.
๐๐โจ
And for some reason, I have a song looping in my head:
"Shining bright like a diamond..."
๐๐๐
I KNOW there's a song.
And if there wasn't one before...
there definitely should be.
Because this girl?
She's shining like one.
๐โจ
She's beautiful.
She's dense.
She's frosty.
She's loaded with flowers.
She's got that beautiful main cola.
She's got beautiful buds everywhere.
And every time I look at her, I find myself smiling.
She's one of those plants that doesn't need an introduction anymore.
You walk into the room...
you see her...
and you know.
"Yep.
That's Black Diamond."
๐๐ฟ๐
She's my precious little diamond coming out of the soil.
And now we're watching that diamond continue to develop into something absolutely beautiful.
One day she'll be harvested.
One day she'll be dried.
One day she'll be cured.
And eventually...
well...
that beautiful diamond will become something we can actually enjoy.
๐๐๐ธ๐ฅ
But we're not there yet.
She's still building.
She's still shining.
She's still showing us what she can do.
So let's give this girl the spotlight she deserves.
Because honestly...
she's fucking stunning.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ WEEK 13 โ SHINING BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND
Last week we were already talking about this girl becoming ridiculous.
Well...
Week 13 hasn't exactly brought her back down to earth.
๐
She's still doing it.
Still growing.
Still building.
Still stacking.
Still getting denser.
Still getting frostier.
Still filling those branches with beautiful flowers.
And that main cola?
Yeah...
She's still there.
Still demanding attention.
Still standing proudly in the middle of everything.
๐๐๐ธ
But the funny thing is...
the main cola isn't even the whole story anymore.
Because you look at the main cola...
and then you look around...
and suddenly there are beautiful flowers everywhere.
Everywhere.
๐๐๐ธ
At this point, I don't even know if "side cola" is the correct terminology anymore.
Maybe we should call them:
"Other impressive colas."
๐๐๐
Because this girl simply doesn't seem interested in having small supporting actors.
Everybody gets a role.
Everybody gets flowers.
Everybody gets frost.
Everybody gets their moment.
And somehow...
she still manages to make that main cola the star of the show.
๐๐
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ SHE REALLY IS SHINING
There's something about this girl that photographs don't completely explain.
Yes...
the photographs show the flowers.
They show the density.
They show the frost.
They show the structure.
But when you actually stand in front of her...
there's something else.
She has presence.
She catches your eye.
You look at one flower...
then another...
then another...
and suddenly you're standing there smiling like an idiot.
๐๐๐
And that's exactly what happened to me.
I walk into the room.
I look at her.
And there it is again.
That damn song in my head.
๐๐ถ๐
"Shining bright like a diamond..."
Well...
yes.
Exactly.
She is.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ธ THE MAIN COLA DESERVES ITS OWN SPOTLIGHT
Let's not forget about the star of the show.
Her main cola.
๐๐ธ๐
She's beautiful.
She's substantial.
She's dense.
She's getting more impressive as the weeks go by.
And the best part is that she's surrounded by so many other beautiful flowering structures that the whole plant feels like one giant collection of flowers.
This is no longer:
"Look at the main cola."
It's:
"Look at the main cola."
"Now look over there."
"And there."
"And there."
๐๐๐
It's like the plant is constantly saying:
"You missed one."
๐๐ฟ
And I keep finding more.
That's what makes her so impressive.
The main cola gets the crown...
but the rest of the plant is absolutely not sitting quietly in the background.
They're all contributing.
They're all developing.
They're all becoming dense.
They're all getting that beautiful frosty appearance.
And together?
They make one hell of a plant.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ DENSE, FROSTY & FULL OF PERSONALITY
The density continues to be one of my favourite things about this girl.
She's not just producing a lot of flowers.
She's producing substantial flowers.
Dense.
Compact.
Full.
And increasingly covered in that beautiful resinous sparkle.
โ๏ธ๐โ๏ธ
The closer you get...
the more you see.
From a distance:
"Beautiful plant."
Closer:
"Beautiful flowers."
Closer still:
"Ohhhhh..."
๐๐ฌ๐
That's where the frost starts talking.
And she's got plenty to say.
She's absolutely shining.
The flowers catch the light.
The resin catches the light.
The whole plant seems to sparkle from different angles.
And that's where the Black Diamond name becomes almost too appropriate.
๐๐
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ MY PRECIOUS DIAMOND
I think I've officially become emotionally attached to this girl.
๐
She's mine.
My precious diamond.
๐๐๐
Obviously, she belongs to Zamnesia genetically...
but you know what I mean.
After following a plant for thirteen weeks...
watching her grow from the beginning...
watching her structure develop...
watching the flowers appear...
watching the frost arrive...
watching the colas become bigger and denser...
you develop a relationship with the plant.
You know her.
You recognize her.
And you start looking at her and thinking:
"Look at you."
๐๐๐ฟ
That's where I am with Black Diamond Pheno A.
She's not just another plant in the 8ร8 anymore.
She's one of the personalities.
One of the characters.
One of the girls I walk past and stop to look at.
And right now?
She's looking absolutely beautiful.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ FROM SOIL TO DIAMOND
And here's where my brain went this week.
She's my little diamond coming out of the soil.
๐๐ฑ
But diamonds don't just come out of the ground looking like a beautiful ring.
There's a process.
They get cut.
They get polished.
They get shaped.
They become something beautiful.
And that's the feeling I get when looking at this girl now.
She's not finished.
She's still in the soil.
She's still developing.
She's still becoming.
But you can already see the potential.
You can see the structure.
You can see the density.
You can see the frost.
You can see the beauty.
And eventually...
after the rest of her journey...
she'll become something completely different.
Something we can appreciate in another way.
๐๐๐ธ
But for now?
I'm perfectly happy admiring her exactly where she is.
Still growing.
Still shining.
Still becoming.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ฟ SAME ROOM โ HER OWN MASTERPIECE
And once again...
let's remember the foundation of this entire adventure.
Same 8ร8.
Same general environment.
Same 12/12 schedule.
Same irrigation system.
Same nutritional foundation.
Same lighting philosophy.
Same expanded lighting setup.
And yet...
look at what Black Diamond Pheno A has decided to become.
๐๐ฟ
This is the part of the project that never gets boring.
The room gives everybody the same general stage.
But genetics write the individual story.
The same photons arrive.
Different plants interpret them differently.
Some stretch.
Some stay compact.
Some build enormous individual flowers.
Some build lots of flowers.
Some are slow.
Some are fast.
And this girl?
She's apparently decided:
"I'll take those photons...
and I'll turn them into diamonds."
๐โ๏ธ๐
Fair enough, girl.
I'm listening.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ๏ธ MORE PHOTONS โ MORE CAPABILITY
The expanded Future of Grow lighting setup remains one of the big changes in this room.
Those two additional Black Series 600W fixtures have given us considerably more lighting capability.
But again...
the point isn't simply to blast everything at maximum.
We're controlling the output.
Approximately:
๐ก ~59% power from the plug
With around:
โ๏ธ ~1,500 PPFD across the upper canopy
with intensity naturally varying according to plant height and position.
And Black Diamond is clearly making use of that environment.
She's building.
She's stacking.
She's becoming denser.
She's developing those beautiful flowers.
And she's shining.
A huge thank you once again to Future of Grow for supplying those additional fixtures and allowing us to explore what this expanded setup could do inside the 8ร8.
More capability.
More control.
More photons.
And twelve different responses.
โ๏ธ๐ฟ๐
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ธ THIS GIRL IS A PHOTOGRAPHER'S DREAM
I think I've reached the point where photographing her is almost unfair.
๐๐ธ
Where do you start?
The main cola?
Yes.
The side branches?
Absolutely.
The individual flowers?
Of course.
The frost?
Definitely.
The whole plant?
100%.
And then you realize you've taken another ridiculous number of photographs because every angle looks different.
๐๐๐
Wide shot:
"Wow."
Closer:
"Wow."
Macro:
"OH."
๐๐๐ฌ
That's what I love about her.
She has layers.
The whole plant tells one story.
The individual colas tell another.
And the macro photographs tell another completely different one.
That's exactly what I want from these diaries.
Not just a weekly picture...
but a weekly record of how the plant is changing.
And this week?
She's giving us plenty to document.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ธ FLOWERS EVERYWHERE
This is probably the simplest way I can describe her right now.
Flowers.
Everywhere.
๐๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ
Upper canopy?
Flowers.
Main cola?
Flowers.
Side branches?
Flowers.
Lower structures?
Flowers.
And then you move your eyes somewhere else...
more flowers.
๐๐
She's filling her architecture beautifully.
And that's why the overall plant has become so impressive.
It's not dependent on one single giant flower.
It's the combination of everything.
The main cola.
The secondary structures.
The side branches.
The density.
The frost.
The way everything is coming together.
That's what makes Black Diamond Pheno A special to me.
She's not just producing one impressive moment.
She's creating an entire plant full of them.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ช STRONG ENOUGH TO CARRY HER OWN CROWN
And just like last week...
I continue to love the strength of this plant.
She's heavy.
There's no question about that.
๐
But she's also strong.
She's carrying all those flowers with a structure that looks remarkably confident.
She's not constantly asking for help.
She's simply standing there...
looking beautiful...
while carrying what she's built.
And I really like that.
Because the plant isn't only beautiful.
She's substantial.
She's got structure.
She's got strength.
She's got flowers.
She's got frost.
She's got personality.
She's got the whole package.
๐๐๐ฟ
That's a phenotype I enjoy following.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ THE GROWER'S JOB: WATCH
And once again...
I'm mostly watching.
๐
That's becoming the theme of these later weeks.
The plant has already done most of the structural work.
Now she's building.
So I observe.
I photograph.
I check.
I monitor.
I appreciate.
And if something needs attention...
then we deal with it.
Otherwise?
Let her shine.
๐ฟ๐
I don't need to constantly touch a beautiful plant just because I can.
Sometimes the best thing we can do is simply give the plant the environment...
and let the plant show us what she's capable of.
And Black Diamond is showing us plenty.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ๏ธ SAME NUTRITION โ SAME FOUNDATION
The nutritional programme remains consistent with the room's current flowering approach.
๐ฑ Plagron Terra Bloom โ 2.3 ml/L
๐ฑ Power Buds โ 1 ml/L
๐ฑ Green Sensation โ 1 ml/L
๐ฑ Sugar Royal โ 1 ml/L
โ๏ธ pH adjusted as required
Current solution values remain around:
โ๏ธ pH โ ~6.02
โก EC โ ~2.14 mS/cm
Again...
nothing special was created specifically for this girl.
She's part of the same room.
Same general nutritional foundation.
Same environment.
Same lighting.
And yet...
her expression is completely her own.
That's the experiment.
That's the beauty of the 8ร8.
Same stage.
Different performers.
And Black Diamond?
She's definitely performing.
๐๐๐
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ก๏ธ WEEK 13 โ ROOM CONDITIONS
The room remains broadly around:
๐ก๏ธ Day temperature: ~26.5ยฐC
๐ Night temperature: ~26ยฐC
๐ง RH: ~61%
๐ฑ Substrate temperature: ~25ยฐC
๐ฆ Nutrient solution: ~25ยฐC
โ๏ธ pH: ~6.02
โก EC: ~2.14 mS/cm
๐จ COโ: ~693 ppm
๐ก Light schedule: 12/12
๐ง Irrigation: ~1.45 L/plant/24h
? Pot size: 15 L
Same room.
Same framework.
Different girl.
Different expression.
And another beautiful chapter of the 8ร8 Adventure.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ SHE'S EVERYTHING A BLACK DIAMOND SHOULD BE
If I had to describe her right now...
I'd probably say:
๐ Beautiful
๐ธ Dense
โ๏ธ Frosty
๐ Strong
๐ฟ Substantial
โจ Shining
๐ฅ Impressive
And maybe...
๐
"Absolutely not humble."
Because she isn't.
She's not hiding.
She's not asking for permission.
She's standing there saying:
"Look at me."
๐๐๐
And you know what?
I'm looking.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ถ SHINING BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND
And yes...
that song is still in my head.
๐๐๐
"Shining bright like a diamond..."
And now I've decided that it's officially her theme song.
If you hear me walking around the grow room humming it...
you know why.
๐๐ถ๐
Because honestly...
the name fits.
She catches the light.
She sparkles.
She has that beautiful resinous shine.
And she has become one of those plants that immediately attracts your attention.
She's a diamond.
She's shining.
And she's mine to document.
๐๐ฟ๐
Well...
you know what I mean.
๐
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ฌ THIS IS WHY PHENO HUNTING IS SO MUCH FUN
Starting with a seed...
you don't know exactly what you're going to get.
You can have expectations.
You can have experience.
You can know the genetics.
But eventually...
the plant tells you who she is.
And Black Diamond Pheno A has been telling us for weeks.
She likes building substantial flowers.
She likes density.
She likes producing plenty of flowering structures.
She likes making herself noticed.
And she likes shining.
๐๐
That's her personality.
And that's exactly what I want to document.
Not just:
"Here is Black Diamond."
But:
"Here is THIS Black Diamond."
This particular phenotype.
This particular expression.
This particular story.
And that's what makes the 8ร8 Adventure so special.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ MY DIAMOND FROM THE SOIL
I think that's the line I want to remember from this week.
My diamond from the soil.
๐๐ฑ
She started as a seed.
She became a plant.
She developed branches.
She created flowers.
She started stacking.
She became dense.
She became frosty.
And now...
she's shining.
That's a pretty beautiful journey.
And we're still not at the end.
There's still more to come.
More development.
More evolution.
More observation.
More photographs.
And eventually...
the final chapter.
But we're not rushing it.
She's still writing the story.
And I'm happy to watch.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ฎ WHAT COMES NEXT?
More of the same...
and hopefully even more beauty.
๐๐
We'll keep watching the flowers.
We'll keep watching the density.
We'll keep watching the frost.
We'll keep watching the structure.
We'll keep documenting the changes.
And we'll let her decide when she's ready for the next chapter.
No unnecessary rushing.
No forcing the story.
No pretending we know exactly what tomorrow looks like.
We're simply watching.
And right now?
What we're watching is beautiful.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ญ FINAL THOUGHTS โ SHINE ON, MY LITTLE DIAMOND
Week 13.
Black Diamond Auto Pheno A.
And honestly...
what a fucking beautiful plant.
๐๐๐ฟ๐ฅ
She's not humble.
She's not shy.
She's not hiding.
She's shining.
Like a diamond.
Like a star.
Like whatever the hell that song is talking about...
๐๐ถ๐
She's got a beautiful main cola.
She's got beautiful flowers everywhere.
She's dense.
She's frosty.
She's strong.
She's substantial.
She's becoming more and more impressive every single week.
And I absolutely love her.
She's one of those plants that makes you stop.
Makes you smile.
Makes you take another photograph.
Then another.
Then another.
๐๐ธ
And eventually you're standing there thinking:
"Okay...
I think we've got enough."
And then you find another angle.
๐๐
That's Black Diamond.
She's my precious diamond coming out of the soil.
Still becoming.
Still developing.
Still shining.
And one day...
after her entire journey is complete...
she'll be ready for the next transformation.
Cut.
Trimmed.
Dried.
Cured.
Polished in her own way.
And eventually...
she'll become something very different from the plant standing in front of me today.
But for now?
She's still my beautiful diamond in the soil.
๐๐ฑ๐
So let's give her the spotlight.
Let's let her shine.
Let's admire that main cola.
Let's admire all those beautiful flowers around her.
Let's appreciate the density.
Let's appreciate the frost.
Let's appreciate the genetics.
And let's keep watching.
Because this girl?
She's absolutely stunning.
๐โจ๐ธ๐ฟ๐ฅ
Shine on, my precious Black Diamond.
Keep doing what you do.
And keep making me smile every time I walk into the room.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ THANK YOU
As always, a massive thank you to everyone following the 8ร8 Adventure. ๐๐ฑ
Thank you to GrowDiaries for giving us the space to document these individual journeys and share the experience with growers around the world.
Thank you to Zamnesia for the Black Diamond genetics and for giving us the opportunity to discover and follow this absolutely beautiful phenotype.
Thank you to Plagron for the growing media and nutrition supporting the room throughout this adventure.
A huge thank you to Future of Grow for supplying the additional Black Series 600W fixtures and allowing us to explore this expanded lighting setup inside the 8ร8. ๐กโ๏ธ๐ฟ
Thank you to Lumiflora for helping bring additional light into the deeper areas of the canopy.
Thank you to TrolMaster for helping us monitor and manage the environment behind the scenes.
And finally...
thank you to everyone following along.
Every comment.
Every question.
Every message.
Every person stopping by to watch these girls develop.
It genuinely means a lot. ๐
This 8ร8 Adventure continues to remind me why I love growing.
Twelve plants.
One shared environment.
Different genetics.
Different expressions.
Different personalities.
And Black Diamond Pheno A?
She's giving us one hell of a story.
๐๐
She's strong.
She's dense.
She's frosty.
She's beautiful.
She's loaded with flowers.
And apparently...
she's got her own soundtrack.
๐๐ถ๐
"Shining bright like a diamond..."
Yes.
That's the one.
I'm keeping it.
๐๐๐
So let's give my precious diamond the spotlight she deserves.
Let's let her shine.
Let's watch her continue to develop.
Let's admire every beautiful flower.
Let's appreciate the frost.
And let's see what this girl decides to show us next.
Because she isn't finished yet.
She's still becoming.
Still shining.
Still growing.
Still writing her story.
๐๐ฟ๐๐ธโจ
Growers Love, my friends. ๐๐ฑ
See you next week in the 8ร8 jungle...
where one Black Diamond continues to shine brighter than ever,
the main cola still thinks she's the star,
the side colas apparently refuse to accept supporting roles,
and your DogDoctor is walking around the room humming a song that was apparently written specifically for this girl.
๐๐ถ๐๐
Shine bright, my precious diamond.
Let her shine.
๐โจ๐๐ฑ