Bag o' Schwag, first grow, closet CFL setup

[cbraaszsy]

i think lime actually lowers ph.. i've read that you can lower ph with ph down.. or with lime juice

And what pinksensa said about paper i actually had some photogloss paper that i considered adding to my room it IS a good idea but i kind of feel its like adding kindling (fire potential) the photo stuff i had would probably be a little bit more resistant because of the plastic texture on it

oh and about the watering.. thats exactly right i even kind of swirl the pot around so that it gets all the dirt and doesnt just find one quick path to the bottom

 

[Muddy Paws]

Muddy Paws--

AWESOME advice. Funny enough, I use those trash cans in my bathroom and bedroom. There's no way I'll be able to go HPS for flowering, but I will buy a few of the 200w CFLs that are 2700K. I think I saw them online somewhere.​

Is the lime used in the water to raise the pH? And if so, could I just use baking soda? I'm looking for as many ways to cut costs as I can (and as I'm sure you can understand, being in such a similar grow position!). If lime is necessary, I'll definitely try to get some. I know I need some pH kits, I'll run out and pick some up later tonight.​

Also, since the soil is so nutrient-rich already, does that mean the extra plant food i bought (24-8-16) is RETURNABLE? ​

The soil was extremely dry earlier, but I didn't want to overwater. I dug in about an inch and it was still dry as a bone. Should that be safe to water? And how much water should they get? I'd assume I should just fill the cups enough that eventually a little water drips from the bottom, just so I know the soil is saturated. Correct me if I'm wrong, please!

That sounds about right...just water til it comes out the bottom a little bit. You shouldn't need to water except every other day or every 3rd day.

The lime will raise the PH, but not much...but it also acts as a "buffer" so that the roots will be open to more variations in the PH, so it will raise it, but it will work out and the plant WILL grow better. Remeber, just 1/4 Tsp per gallon of water!

PREFERABLY, mix it into the soil when you transplant.

Oh don't worry about the lime hurting your pocket...a 40 Lb bag cost me less than 4 bucks..lol
I think you'll spend more than that in gas going to the store!

You can return the nutes you bought, save the money for blooming nutrients later on or get another CFL; believe me the soil has all you'll need; it says it feeds up to 3 months, hopefully you'll have taken cuttings and be done flowering by then.

Just get one PH kit tonight, it'll last you a few weeks, mate.

I'm gonna throw another pic in...it's my New York City Diesel...she's two weeks old, but I moved her up to a bigger pot already, so I don't have to move her again later..

Bigger bucket = bigger plant = bigger buds

 

[ru8fru]

dont transplant to quickly... transplanting is important... you do not what a small plant inside a huge pot... the roots will go straight down and not expand... trust me. you want your shit to get a little bit before root bound in each area.

 

[Muddy Paws]

That's true, Ru8...give it the 2-3 weeks in that cup.

 

[Gloryfades]

themoose--

I think I will get something bigger like the trash cans Muddy Paws suggested. Thanks for the tip about gloves!
​

cbraaszsy--

I'll be replacing the box setup tomorrow to get rid of that foil, and to build taller. And the soil drank up that water real quick! Now it's saturated and ready to go for a few more days.
​

Muddy Paws--

Haha, I don't know if that lime is in my budget... And in exchange for the fertilizer I think I'll get an extra CFL (and thus, another splitter) or two. 2x 100w 6200K bulbs are the same price as 1x 150w 2700K bulb at Wal-Mart. What do you think would be better to add at this point?

And your baby looks beautiful. How long have you been growing bud?
​

ru8fru--

I wasn't quite sure what the best timing was. Thanks for clearing that up! What's a good indicator of the plant being root-bound?
​

Day 6

I gave the plants their first full watering today, and they appear to be a slightly lighter shade of green for it. They look healthy as far as I can tell, and the oldest plant even has it's first cross-leaves coming in! I've got a lot of work to do tomorrow setting up a whole new grow area, but I trust it'll be worth it.

The pic rundown...

Pic#1:
The eldest's new leaves growing in.

Pic#2:
The largest of the bunch. There's one taller, but this one has the biggest leaves right now.

Pic#3:
Group picture!

 

[ru8fru]

Think about a gallon per foot. That should give you a good idea when you should transplant and into what size. if your plant is 1 and a half ft. in a one gallon container its rootbound and needs to be transplanted... but if its 2 ft. in a 3 gallon container your golden.

 

[ru8fru]

I would also suggesting poking a hole in the bottom of those party cups... will help with drainage and might be able to see some roots if you pick it up

 

[Muddy Paws]

Hey Glory

I tried growing a few years ago, but didn't have much luck so I gave it up after about 6 months. I didn't have the internet and cool sites like this one where I could get any help. I've been growing now for about a year.

I think you're gonna do okay with the Miracle Grow. It's simple; just add lots of light and just enough Ph'd water and you'll be in the green in no time. If you run into a jam, just ask the question here and get lots of help!

Don't overthink it though..just read a lot of what others have done and learn from their mistakes.

Getting your PH figured out will save you HOURS of agony watching your leaves turn yellow and burning on the edges...etc...PetSmart has PH up and PH down, but you can use Apple Cider Vinegar, lime or lemon for PH down and Baking Soda for PH up since you're a Wally World fiend, like me!

Remember; Get your PH right, man!!

Let me/us know if you have any problems Glory!

 

[Muddy Paws]

Ru8...you make a REALLY good point about the holes in the bottom...lol

Not a small hole either, one or 2 big enough that the water will drain through it.

 

[cbraaszsy]

yeah i just googled the lime it does raise the ph of soil.. hey i learned something today!

holes in cups for sure no holes = no drainage= mold

 

[Gloryfades]

Thanks for all the input, everybody!

The cups have been vented since day 1, and I watered them enough today that a couple ounces of water leaked through the bottom of each cup.

I'm gonna pick up some litmus in the morning, it turns out. I've got a lot of work still tonight. I'll be back tomorrow with updates!

 

[Gloryfades]

I figured I'd go ahead and compile a wishlist so everyone can see what my eventual plans are, once I can get enough money to fully fund them.

Lighting:
3 fixtures hanging from ceiling
Each fixture holds the following 3 CFLs:
2x 100w (26w) 6200K
1x 150w (42w) 2700K

I'll make a larger hood out of white foam core to accommodate all 3 fixtures.

I'll double the height and thickness of the current wall setup and move it to the ground, where it will sit on more foam core to reflect the maximum amount of light possible for free.

The plants will be in 4x (hopefully I score 4 fems) 9qt plastic trash cans with vents drilled into them, in Miracle Grow Potting Mix and Moisture Control.

For flowering I'll buy an additional 6x 150w (42w) 2700K CFLs and install them in place of the 6200K bulbs, and supplement the soil with high K fertilizer for big blooms.

I'll install a system to have 2 height-adjustable fans, so I can keep the bulbs cooled and the air circulating wherever necessary.
---------------------------------------------------------

So that's the plan. I realize now that I have no exhaust setup, and not much of an option for one either, seeing as how I can't vent out the roof, any adjacent windows, or through a tube or any of that . What's the best way to keep fresh air in my closet? And what would be a cheap way to keep smell down?

 

[Gloryfades]

Will the homemade carbon filter work if I don't have a vent system set up?

 

[Gloryfades]

I got home and tested the pH with a 6.0-7.6 liquid test, and my water was off the alkaline end of the chart on the first test! It took 30 drops of lime juice to get 1 gallon down to 6.6-ish. I also got some SuperThrive, since I've heard everybody talking about it so much. Should I wait to use it, or go ahead and add it to the water?

 

[Gloryfades]

Day 7

Does a guy HAVE to post pictures to get replies around here?

My babies are officially one week old today! They appear healthy and seem to be growing pretty fast.

Pic#1:
This one loves their seed pod and just won't let it go!

Pic#2:
The eldest, cross-leaves getting bigger.

Pic#3:
The largest. I'm thinking about naming it Goliath, but that would imply male and that's no good, right?

Pic#4:
The family all together. The water I gave them yesterday wasn't pH tested, and was likely around 7.6 or higher in pH. Will they be safe until their next watering?

Pic#5:
Here's the pH test and SuperThrive I "bought". Should the plants get SuperThrive yet or would it be wise to hold off on that?

 

[ru8fru]

Thats the exact same ph tester kit I bought, and My shit was way to alkaline as well... Honestly I would try finding another water source, thats what I did. Had to. Flooding your water with PH down does no good. If you can find a water source with a close spectrum (from 6-7) then thats great, couple drops to get it where you need. Could try a Brita filter, or refilling gallons at the store, their water is good.

 

[Gloryfades]

I don't know that I'll be able to get another water source, but I'll try. Should I try distilling the water first? Does that effect the pH at all?

 

[cbraaszsy]

yes about the pictures and there are so many journals its hard to see em all

 

[UrbanMystic]

haha! that is a very mellow dog cbraaszsy

 

[Muddy Paws]

Hold off on the Superthrive, they aren't old enough for that, Glory. Wait til they are a month or so for the Superthrive, they are still gonna have to get used to the nutes in the soil.

You might start seeing some flaking on the tops of the leaves soon, this is from too many nutes or "hot" soil. Don't worry about it, they'll grow through it.

This pic is of a plant I did last summer with MG soil and PH water only. No other fancy nutes or even Superthrive: