The cheapest grow ever?

[Cx2H]

Idk about that hot spot sheet but really no need to use less than 90 reflection materials when 10x5 emergency Mylar space blankets cost .50 cents each..

I'd use foil if I didn't have .50 for the Mylar or 2.00 for beher ultra white paint sample

 

[zoic]

Tinfoil blows chunks, don't use it, just paint the area white, I usually use something that kills mold/mildew as well. Homedepot has it

I know what you mean, I had to use it in my bathroom where I previously lived and it seems like a good choice for a closet grow.. The stuff I used looked very white and glossy, certainly better than tinfoil and dual purpose. I doubt tinfoil would be a heat issue since my T12 4ft. fluorescent bulbs chuck so little heat I can hold my hand on it. There is still plenty if room in the closet so there are many options. I have a drawer full of the anti-static bags that computer parts come in (left over from my computer business). They seem rather reflective. I was just trying to find a cheap way to increase the light in the closer for the short term.
Thanks again for all the info everyone..

 

[Cx2H]

ESD bag's will work fine if the silver ones and not the black diamond ones.
#ISOCertified

 

[BudmanTX]

you could also use ballons, some of the newer versions, the inside of the ballons are mylar. Something worth checking out, and they are cheap.

 

[tharoomman]

unfortunately those lights have terrible reviews.you get what you pay for

If you are trying to grow with bare minimum money spent...you are gonna get things with not so great reviews. I can say though, that I vegged an LA confidential under those exact lights and I had great results...actually the node spacing was waaaay to tight, but I think it still shows that the lights will work.

 

[Morth]

lol @tharoomman cheap badly reviewed blurples seem to cause amazingly tight nodes MARS Hydro for example. I still have a 300w (ya 127w actual) Mars Hydro you wont see me advertising or telling anyone to get one but it does have it's use. Have never used CFL and have no plans on doing so but if it's all I had access to I would defiantly be lighting them up.

@zoic Hopefully you can pull something amazing off with what you have and use that to upgrade to something even better baby steps I guess. On the bright side if you can grow with the bare minimum imagine what you will be capable of when you can get what you want instead of what you have.

 

[mauricem00]

If you are trying to grow with bare minimum money spent...you are gonna get things with not so great reviews. I can say though, that I vegged an LA confidential under those exact lights and I had great results...actually the node spacing was waaaay to tight, but I think it still shows that the lights will work.

the OP already has a large supply of T12s what he needs is a good cheap flowering light. if you think node spacing was too tight with T8s then you must be use to growing with HPS. some of us like node spacing of 2-3 inches and even tighter during early veg. I don't want my plants stretching for the light.that would tell me that my girls are looking for something they are not getting.a short bushy plant is a happy plant JMOA

 

[zoic]

@Morth. I try not to imagine too hard, it just fires up too many "events happening in mind". The more difficult issue looking ahead is that we may have to move late this summer, everything is so up in the air. Hopefully and can get a location with a better layout to set up something better

@Maurice. I did not even think that far ahead. Any suggestions are welcome. I am serious;y considering having my welder buddy put something custom together when money get better.

 

[Morth]

@zoic feel you there town i'm in I can only have 6 plants 12 if I push it (technically only medical grows for patients are against the rules but nothing about medical grows for personal) because they made medical grows illegal. But another town about 4 miles away is getting ready to issue commercial grow licenses and would love to get in there. So ya getting everything I need for the grow then going to find a place and move. As i'm moving to COCO think I can pull off the move without to much stress. Will only be 6 vegged plants thinking each to a box tie the pot to the bottom of the box and pray.

 

[BudmanTX]

you guys should be in my State...lol....they just finally pasted if epilepsy , medical only. The book they give you, omg, you don't wanna know. many times i've finished my grows, and alot of the time i just roll up what i have and give it away to the people that really need it.

 

[tharoomman]

the OP already has a large supply of T12s what he needs is a good cheap flowering light. if you think node spacing was too tight with T8s then you must be use to growing with HPS. some of us like node spacing of 2-3 inches and even tighter during early veg. I don't want my plants stretching for the light.that would tell me that my girls are looking for something they are not getting.a short bushy plant is a happy plant JMOA

I must have overlooked that OP was looking for flowering light.

I'll have to see if i have any pictures of her, cause I'm 100% certain you would agree the node spacing was too tight...even after the flower stretch or lack thereof.

2-3 inch spacing is good I think. but this LA was was like 1/2 inch-ish. Maybe less on a couple. Never had a plant turn out like that since then.Sure was a pretty plant though. Had some massive fan leaves.

 

[mauricem00]

I must have overlooked that OP was looking for flowering light.

I'll have to see if i have any pictures of her, cause I'm 100% certain you would agree the node spacing was too tight...even after the flower stretch or lack thereof.

2-3 inch spacing is good I think. but this LA was was like 1/2 inch-ish. Maybe less on a couple. Never had a plant turn out like that since then.Sure was a pretty plant though. Had some massive fan leaves.

that is tight. may have been genetics my plants are 5 weeks into flowering on a 12 week strain and spacing is about 2 inches on a 36 inch tall plant, that tight had to be more than just lights

 

[zoic]

Looking good. it is 2 weeks since I started germinating. I am very pleased with my progress so far. I feel I need to address my situation with growing containers soon, something with drainage. I took a few extra pics of my 2 favorites.

 

[BudmanTX]

nice, very nice...would have poked a couple of holes in those cups, but i betcha did....

 

[nfhiggs]

Looking good. it is 2 weeks since I started germinating. I am very pleased with my progress so far. I feel I need to address my situation with growing containers soon, something with drainage. I took a few extra pics of my 2 favorites.

In a pinch you can use gallon milk jugs, just blacken them with a sharpie or duct tape around them or whatever to keep out light. Punch holes in the bottom for drainage.

 

[zoic]

Thanks. I have decided to try Maxwell house coffee cans. I still have about a dozen, but I need to lengthen my shelf to fit 6 of them. I used to have a bunch of the milk jugs as well. They are very handy for making distilled water to use in an aquarium.

 

[zoic]

Well I used some spare time while the forum was down to buy a light timer for about $12. Now I am running 18/6 and the off time is when hydro is peak rates here. My plants are doing well IMHO and I will upload new pics when the forum issues are resolved.

 

[zoic]

WOW, my wife picked up 5 decent flower pots today, for FREE. They look to about 5 gallon, as per my green thumbed wife. She just asked the girl at the flower shop and bingo, it was a done deal. I am only week 3 in and I figured I would transplant them in a few weeks. At what point (how many weeks) should I be feeding these little monsters.

Total investment still only about $15, the stuffed I re-purposed were left overs paid for by my business. Gotta luv it!

 

[Michiganjesse]

QUESTIONS:
1. How is it that I am watching this thread I started but I never receive alerts. I get alerts for all the other threads I am watching.
2. Based on my start time is it realistic to expect I could be harvesting around July.
3. I am correct in believing I will not be able to determine gender until I turn the light cycle to 12/12
4. I am just using 24/0 lighting right now, I still have to buy a timer. I see no indication this is bad.
5. I was planing to put a few plants outside end of May. Is it best to start new for that or is acclimatizing indoor plants easy?

Lets go with that for now. Thanks so much to everyone for all the help and tips. The sum total of all the wisdom and experience you bring to the table leaves me feeling very confident that I will finally have a successful grow for change.

When you move outside you have to harden them off put them in the shade not direct sun

 

[zoic]

Thnx Jesse, I will acclimate them first for sure.

Well trying to post week 4 pics now, if it lets me. I also found 24 new seed that predate my wife ordering from Tweed. So there were some nice strains only that I kept seeds from, like Chocolope and Krypto.