The mana symbol varies from card to card, and every other 'symbol' on the stamp should switch between the Planeswalker symbol and a mana symbol based on your angle.
You should see the words 'wizards' on the alternating (non-mana symbol) Planeswalker symbols as well.
edit:
Here is the loupe I ordered:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KMSE100/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
So the pic I posted is 60x. 30x it's hard to see the rosettes and the text on the stamp.
edit 2:
copying a comment from down below up here.
I just watched a video on the latest batch of fakes that came out on 7-15-18. It compared a fake expedition to a real one. The stamps on the fake do not look like this. The pattern is wrong, it is not flush to the card, and it does not have the Wizards text
Edit 3:
u/Icanzu was downvoted quite a bit down below, but his edit/answer was accurate. The current ‘proxied’ holofoil stamps do not look like this. They are quite a bit different.
I use this one. It's $7. The main downside is that it can be hard to take pictures through, but I haven't needed to in a while.
If you don't want to deal with amazon, you can find the same general loupe in other stores with gear for crafts or electronics work.
I don't grow in soil, so I can't really comment on that part.
Starting flowering after 4-5 weeks is normal. The purpling is probably a trait of the strain (it's in the name!) and nothing to worry about. The fan leaves often yellow like that near the end of the grow, kind of like turning autumn leaves. You'll need magnification of some sort (I use a cheap 30x/60x loupe) to check trichome maturity to know when to harvest, but based on your small pictures of the overall plant it looks like you're probably within 2-4 weeks of harvest.
If you don't have any magnification, I'd suggest this 30x/60x loupe, it's only about $7. There are some other magnifiers that will clip to phones (I haven't tried using those, they're probably easier to use for taking pictures), and also handheld microscopes and microscopes that plug into a phone with USB. I find those really hard to focus while holding in place on the plants, but some people prefer them.
The best way to tell when it's ready is looking at the trichomes on the buds, once they're mostly cloudy and some have turned from cloudy to amber. (More or less amber is a matter of taste; more amber is supposed to be more sleepy/couchlock.) If they're still mostly clear, it's not ready yet. Also, be sure to check the buds, not the leaves -- the leaves' trichomes can turn days or weeks earlier, before the buds are ready yet. You could look at those to practice telling clear, cloudy, and amber apart though.
Same here. I bought one, but found it really hard to get it focused on any buds on the plant, and haven't used it in years.
I use a 30x/60x loupe like this instead. The one downside is it's hard to take cell phone pictures through.
Used elastic bands to secure it over my phones camera lens. This was a lot easier than trying to hold it to my eye and look at the harder to reach buds.
Rather than speculating about weeks, you're probably better off getting magnification and learning to check the trichomes. I use this 30x / 60x loupe. It's pretty cheap and works well, the main downside is that it's hard to take good pictures through it.
I use this loupe, the wider 30x lens means you can get a better sense of where you're focusing, then switch to the 60x lens if necessary.
I have a pocket microscope similar to yours and find it very difficult to focus without moving off of what I'm trying to look at.
I use this 30x/60x loupe. Unless your eyesight is way better than mine, you'll probably need at least 30x magnification to tell clear from cloudy trichomes. Amber is easier.
You should wait to harvest until they're mostly cloudy on the buds (ignore the leaves -- those can change much earlier), and whether you wait for a larger percent to go from cloudy to amber is a matter of taste. I'm harvest once there's enough amber (2-5%) that I'm no longer second-guessing myself about them being cloudy, but I don't usually want couchlock so I don't wait for more to become amber.
Get a loupe now, while you have some time. Here is a good one for $7.
In the future, if you're going to post pictures asking for advice, use more natural light. The purple light makes it harder to see important details.
I tried one of those too, could never get it to focus while keeping it in place. I also tried using a USB microscope (I already had one), same problem. I've had the best luck with this $7 30x/60x loupe. The 30x lens is sometimes good enough, and when it isn't, it's got a fairly wide focus and helps to find places to check with the 60x.
I've tried a few and the El cheapo ones on Amazon work best for lookin and seein IMO. Anything more intricate and I run into foggy lenses or it's tough to get the subject in view.
It's amazing how much of a new world 30x opens up! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KMSE100/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_OvFhEb8ZXZSRC
Get one of these and do the light test, black text test, and edge test. Best if you have another card from the same set to directly compare. If you're going to be checking cards a lot, splurge the few bucks more for the one with blacklight too.
Solid choice. Cheap too. I have this one and am blown away how good it works for the price.
Get a loupe to look at the trichomes. It will only cost you like $7.
Don't let the waiting drive you nuts. :) It will help if you can take pictures daily, especially if you can set up a camera that does it automatically. In that case, hourly is better. Time lapses of grows are awesome, and it's easier to see gradual changes like buds fattening that way, because otherwise it can feel like nothing's happening.
Make sure you have a plan for harvesting, drying, and curing. The best way to tell when it's ready to harvest is by checking the trichomes on the buds with some kind of magnification. I like using a loupe, lenses or microscopes that attach to phones for taking pictures are also popular.
Well, we can't tell you if it's ready for harvest without magnification, so you should get something.
I use a cheap 30x/60x loupe, they're hard to take pictures through though.
KINGMAS 2 Lens 30x 60x Illuminated Jewelry Eye Loupe Jewelers Magnifier Magnifying with LED Lighting https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KMSE100/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_W8Z4GEGF0K4WJTH2W9YP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I use this inexpensive 30x/60x jeweler's loupe, craft and electronics stores often also have them. The main downside of that one is that it's not easy to take cell phone pictures through.
It'd probably help to pick up a cheap loupe so you can check the trichomes, but looking good. Some of the stigmas are darkening, but with another 2-3 weeks it might fill out a lot more?
I use this one, $7. I find the 30x/60x split helpful, because the 30x lens has a much wider view and helps to find areas to check more closely with the 60x lens.
"Best" depends on your priorities. I like this inexpensive 30x / 60x loupe, but it's probably not a good option if you want to take pictures with your phone. Other people like USB microscopes or hand microscopes, but I find it really hard to keep them in place on a plant while I focus them.
Also, this question does come up a lot, but it should be in the guide.
I use this 30x/60x loupe. I've tried using both a USB microscopes and a "pocket microscope" but found both really hard to focus on a live plant without moving it from the spot I was trying to check. With the loupe, the wider 30x view sometimes good enough, and when not it helps to find places to check with the narrower 60x.
That should work. I use this 30x/60x loupe, which works but is harder to take pictures through.
I got one of those but find it really difficult to hold it in place long enough to focus on the plant, unless I cut individual buds off to check. I use a 30x/60x loupe instead, mostly the 30x side.
Here's a GrowWeedEasy page about how to tell when buds are ready to harvest.
Try electronics or craft stores, or order one online. I use one like this. $7.
I've been growing in coco for a couple years, mostly autos, mostly small containers (solo cups, 1-liter airpots), a variety of smaller plants for personal use.
You don't need the CO2 bag. Maybe there's a benefit eventually (though in a tent with exhaust fan, I'm skeptical), but you need to get the hang of lots of basics before lack of CO2 becomes a limiting factor. Maybe revisit that after a couple grows?
You don't strictly need the Wyze came, though time lapse is informative and a lot of fun. I hacked together a similar setup with a raspberry pi and parts I had on hand. (Example.)
You won't need a SCROG net until you need it, so don't worry about that upfront.
I've never got the hang of using a digital microscope, I find them really hard to focus on a live plant. I've had better luck with a $7 loupe, though it's hard to take pictures through if that's a priority.
I'd recommend against buying a bunch of stuff all at once (except for cheap stuff like turkey basters), because as you figure out your growing style you may not need some of it in the first place. Some stuff, like a trim tray, you won't need for months anyway.
I use pH test drops rather than a pH pen. The cheap pH pens really suck. Haven't tried that one. I use my cheap TDS meter a lot though, and it seems fine.
Don't go nuts on extra nutrients and additives and magic sauces in your first grow.
It looks like you're growing CocoForCannabis-style. That approach works really well. I found it annoying (I hated dealing with runoff) and eventually switched to bottom-feeding, but it works well, and after a grow or two you'll be in a good position to experiment if you want.
You can get a loupe for like $7. I use this one.
Posting pictures without magnification doesn't give us enough info to tell if it's time to harvest.
I use this 30x/60x loupe, it's pretty inexpensive and easy to stabilize & focus. The main issue is that it's hard to take pictures through.
I have a couple of loupes:
• KINGMAS Jewelry Loupe 2-Lens Magnifying glass 30x 60x Jewelers Eye Loupes LED Illuminated Magnifier
• Fancii LED Illuminated 20X Jewelers Loupe Magnifier, Triplet Glass
• 10x Triplet loupe
• Carson MicroBrite Plus 60x-120x LED Lighted Pocket Microscope
Of all of them, I use the Fancii the most. It's easiest to maneuver and focus for photographs. Can identify the green gem easily, can see the edge of the cards easily, can see rosette patterns easily.
My advice would be to ignore the hairs and spend the $7 on a loupe
I use an inexpensive 30x/60x loupe. It's hard to take pictures through, but pretty easy to use otherwise. I find digital or "hand" microscopes too difficult to focus while keeping in place.
Make sure you're checking amber on the bracts/calyxes, not the leaves -- the leaves can start going amber days or weeks earlier than the buds.
Get a way to check trichs. You can get a decent loupe for about $7. Nobody here is going to be able to give you a meaningful answer without magnification.
get one of these. 7 bux https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KMSE100/
I usually recommend this 30x/60x loupe. It's $7. The 30x section may be good enough, depending on your eyes, but if not its wider view will help to find areas to check with the narrower 60x lens.
You can buy a good loupe for like $7.
Here is the one I ordered:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KMSE100/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
So the pic I posted is 60x. 30x it's hard to see the rosettes and the text on the stamp.
There are several kinds of tine-alignment problems that could be causing your issue:
It's a lot easier to see that with a loupe - I got this one 'cause it has a convenient light and it was reasonably cheap.
Rather than speculating about weeks, you're probably better off getting magnification and learning to check the trichomes. I use this 30x / 60x loupe. It's pretty cheap and works well, the main downside is that it's hard to take good pictures through it.