my first growop and journal

[cbuts05]

Hello all recently joined this site because I recently wanting to start growing..I've had many help with answers so far while ive been here and I thought I would start a journal out of respect. I'm going to have many questions and usually need some guidance with everything I do as I like to do things almost 100% right the first time.

Equipment:
Canfan from friend with 6" exhaust going out window

1000w hps ballast . I have 1000w conversion and 1000w hps bulbs for it.

150 w hps light ? Is what it says..but won't hold anything more? Not being used..maybe add for veg ? Idk maybe someone can tell me a use for it. Guy at hydro store said its only got two of 3 things to make it a hps but it has a hps bulb that works.

4x3 table I have from a friend but will need extra saucers as I'm probably gonna have it full hopefully!

Digital pH tester from a friend for 20$ I think it works correctly lol.

Here's some pics..I just started today..I'm hoping I have many followers as I'm going to need guidance like I said lmao.
The room is my cold cellar its about 7x7x7 I framed and Insulated it..waiting for mylar still lol

My pH meter

And we begin

Sprayed the crap outa them with squirt bottle

And then tucked them away

This is my first attempt and I don't really have much knowledge so anything to help would be great..the strain is afghan kush.. So in two days I plan to put 3 holes in 15 solo cups with dirt and put the seeds in and add some water under my 1000w mh bulb with bags overtop each one.

Thanks!

 

[cbuts05]

I have 10x10 pots should I put the seed into those or solo cups first ? They are guaranteed females

 

[cbuts05]

Day 2 in cups

13/15 sprouted

 

[cbuts05]

Temp 75 humidity 10% how can I raise humidity

 

[cbuts05]

 

[cbuts05]

 

[hiitsbob]

you did good on germination so hopefully it is all uphill.

 

[NorthernHize]

I am going to try and cover as many points as i can in respect to your post and photos. You want to raise your humidity, ok. Cover your walls and floor in vapor barrier. You did a great job defining your grow space but your greenboard and OSB floor are absorbing a good part of your moisture. Your temp is pretty good.1000 watts is not enough for 49 sq ft of growing space. Germinating 13 of 15 seeds was the easy part. Kudos for the feminized seeds and the ph meter. You didn't mention anything about your air intake.

 

[cbuts05]

I am going to try and cover as many points as i can in respect to your post and photos. You want to raise your humidity, ok. Cover your walls and floor in vapor barrier. You did a great job defining your grow space but your greenboard and OSB floor are absorbing a good part of your moisture. Your temp is pretty good.1000 watts is not enough for 49 sq ft of growing space. Germinating 13 of 15 seeds was the easy part. Kudos for the feminized seeds and the ph meter. You didn't mention anything about your air intake.

My temp is now like 92/ 10 humidity.. I have 6" exhaust going out window and as it was my cold cellar the door was insulated so for intake I put a 6" diamiter hole in it..thinking I shod make it bigger ?

Edit: back down to 88

 

[Beezcheeze]

I have a six inch fan for my 4x4 tent which I upgraded from a 4" due heat issues. I open flaps on either side of the tent probably equivalent to two 4" holes. So I'm sure you could open it up more. Like mentioned already lining the grow area would be a good idea. Is reccomend this silver insulation from lowes. Comes in 4' x 25' rolls for 50 bucks or less and tape the corners well with foil tape. Will be able to clean easily and is reflective. And It's hard to tell from the pics but I don't see why you couldn't hang the 6" fan and filter on the wall right next to the Exaust port to outside. I decreased a lot of bends and turns and u neccasary ducting from my setup with a lot better airflow as a result. I finally got my temps down to 72-75 daytime 30-40% humidity and 65 nighttime.

 

[Beezcheeze]

I'm new too I just started my first grow. And my old ph meter I had was way off and it took me to mid flower to figure this out. After getting a blue lab meter I found the problem and corrected my deffecencies. I would just get the simple cheap liquid ph tester to be safe or to make sure your meter is close enough. I learned that a dry probe is a dead probe. My ph probe is stored sealed in liquid solution.

 

[mikeykrinshaw12]

They are tiny wittle babies! you don't need to be keeping them under 1000W of light! That is going to spike your temps and dry your air- same with exhausting that much air, it wicks moisture out of the air. You don't need either. Put your seedlings under some CFL/T5's or a 400 for the first three to four weeks.

Turn off the fan, air will transfer out of the room as it heats (your growing in your cold room right, haha lol, its winter), use a small circulation fan to keep air moving. and it will create the kind of pressurized vacuum system that is actually healthy for the natural processes of plants transpiring water. As they get older, add your 1000W, but use a heat shield (tempered clear glass) and air cool your hood (by connecting your ducting to your hood and drawing air in through the open side that has the cord going into it. That will bring your temps down, reduce your vent/draw, allow more moisture to fill the air via transpiration yet keep it circulating. Keep the door open and passive cool air will intake through it, waft around and be sucked up under your plants.

Using the CFL's (20$ set up at hardware store) or T5s (starting at around 60$ online) you reduce the heat production, can keep lights closer to plants, they have less dense output so you won't be burning them. Grow in a well balanced soil and use a basic 2 or 3 part series of nutrients (micro/macro at least, 3rd part is usually carbs, sugars, and minerals). Plan your veg time (plant size and numbers) to fill your space but not overfill your space.

Examples of all of these techniques are actually in my journal, accept the air cooling of the hood, as I don't need to do that. Best of luck to you.

 

[Beezcheeze]

Nice! Great idea on the ventallation. I'm too stoned and didn't read this enough to click in my head your using 1000 watts with just some small soil plants. once they get bigger they will help keep the humidity higher as well. I use small t5 fixture for seedlings then 200 watts of white led light in 2x4 tent for veg for a month. Then onto 600 watts led in 4x4 tent for flower(comparable to your 1000 watt). Fan soeed controller would be a good purchase to adjust airflow according to environment

 

[cbuts05]

Nice! Great idea on the ventallation. I'm too stoned and didn't read this enough to click in my head your using 1000 watts with just some small soil plants. once they get bigger they will help keep the humidity higher as well. I use small t5 fixture for seedlings then 200 watts of white led light in 2x4 tent for veg for a month. Then onto 600 watts led in 4x4 tent for flower(comparable to your 1000 watt). Fan soeed controller would be a good purchase to adjust airflow according to environment

Shit you must be high thanks for all the reply and covering a lot lol..
My fixture is all one heavy unit I have hanging from chains.. No ports to hookup my exhaust to

Here's some pics
The small unit is a 150w hps. I'm not gonna use prob idk what to do with it.

The room drops to 55 with no heat so I have heater in room set to 75 so it comes on only when lights out..I keel exhaust fan on to keep it cooler..I have a speed control and it doesn't do THAT much..I have it unplugged atm cause it's 88 and I want to suck hot air out.
I have white stuff from hydro store on walls..those were before pics

 

[cbuts05]

I'm guessing since I have 15 idk if all will make it? What's the percentage ? They were guaranteed females . but I should be using the topping method for my size area or what ? I can probably only have them 5.5 ft tall

 

[cbuts05]

Should my white oscilating fan be on right now? Someone told me it may mess up the crop or something If one becomes a hermie

 

[cbuts05]

I have nothing else to veg with either lol..could you link me to what would be strongest bulbs I can buy at home depot.ca along with fixtures ? Not sure how I would even go about it..I was just gonna try and find a 400 w to veg with and make a box or something so I can veg and flower almost at the same time later on or have vegd ones ready for flower.

 

[cbuts05]

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/42-watt-twister-daylight/917986 would these be good how many would I need for 15 plants

 

[mikeykrinshaw12]

I just got 6 for 15 bucks from True Value. 30W (100W equivalent), 2400 lumens (at one foot away) daylight spectrum, 10 would be plenty for babies up to 4 weeks. by then they should be ready for the 1000

And- Yes, turn the fan on, low setting, and increase fan speed as plants get older, whoever told you that may not have known you are just vegging right now, and fan or no fan if there is pollen around it will seed a crop. Your plants shouldn't hermie if they are from good genetics.

 

[cbuts05]

I just got 6 for 15 bucks from True Value. 30W (100W equivalent), 2400 lumens (at one foot away) daylight spectrum, 10 would be plenty for babies up to 4 weeks. by then they should be ready for the 1000

And- Yes, turn the fan on, low setting, and increase fan speed as plants get older, whoever told you that may not have known you are just vegging right now, and fan or no fan if there is pollen around it will seed a crop. Your plants shouldn't hermie if they are from good genetics.

Ok great I'll turn the fan back on lol.. My temps currently 91 what do I do! I made the hole in the bottom of my door bigger by 2 inches but I don't think it helps much..should I mount a small fan onto the door blowing air from outside the room into it ?