CFL Homemade Closet Grow

[StUpId HiGh PaNdA]

Hello again everyone, its been a long time. Been doing a lot these past few years. BUT, I'm back with another grow. I wont be using the same technique as before, but a homemade bubbleponics system. My room is 43" deep, 70" tall and 26" wide.

I have been doing a lot of research before i even started putting things together, but money is tight and I am on a time limit, so to speak.

Right now I am germinating 2 different types of seeds. honestly i dont know what they are, just happened to get some seeds with what i had bought about a month ago and what i had last week. I didnt really know the best way to germinate but i just put them into 2 different cups with water filtered thru a fridge filter and covered with foil and put into my grow room to make it easier to control temp, ext. I let the water stand for about...actually i dont remember, but it was a while, lol. not a day tho. But anyway, i let the water stand to also get it to room temp. (around 70-75 degrees F). So my seeds are germinating at the moment. I have a smaller sized space heater at the edge of my grow room that is set at 75. so it turns on periodically to keep the room at that relative temp.

I have a a pot, prolly a 3 gallon pot filled with tap water from sink, it has been sitting since 7 or 8 pm yesterday (central). Its got a lid over it but the lid has holes in it on one side to allow the chlorine to air out. I have another gallon sweat tea jug filled with water from the fridge filter also open to let any chlorine out as idk if there would be any harmful amounts in it, better safe then sorry.

My lights as of now are 2 x 55W (200W equivalent) CFL, I have only 1 10" light reflectors from hardware section, and also have 2 socket extenders and 2 y socket attachments. I have 2x 3 1/2 ft of chain and wall hooks to adjust light levels during grow.

Nutrients are GH Flora Series, Micro, Gro, and Bloom.

Air pump is an aquarium air pump with one hose spot and the air stone is for an aquarium as well, (Aquarium Bubble Stone).

Homemade Bubbleponics set up: 1 x 5 gal container w/ lid, 4 x 3" net pots, hydroton, and 4 x rockwool blocks, 1 x water pump w/ 1 outlet, and 1 x 4 way drip irrigation, 1x 1/2" fitting for water pump to 4 way drip.


A few questions i have is:
1. Is it alright that i let the 3gal pot stand for more then 24 hrs? While the lid on top have a bad effect on the chlorine evaporating into the air?

2. The lights I have now, will i need more of the same size CFL? These bulbs are rather tall/long, so it is a bit difficult to figure how they'll fit into the reflector with the y attachment socket. If i do need more, what wattage should i get and how many?

3. As for my water, i read a lot that you could leave your water open for 24 hrs and it be alright for your plants, well should i get distilled water or just keep leaving it out? I would collect rain water but the weather here is a bit strange, so if would be rather difficult.

4. My light cycle, I also read it should be 18 on 6 off for veg or 24 hrs for veg. I would 4 pm to 1 am 4 days a week, 2 days work, 1 day off 2 days work 2 days off. I was wonder if anyone has any recommendations of when to start the day and night?

5. The air pump and air stone, are they going to work well enough to provide enough well circulated air to the roots to prevent root rot?

6. My container, yes its only 5 gallons and the room is so large, but will this container provide enough room for the roots, so they dont become intangled and get root rot? And how much water should i put in to use, i was thinking 3 gal, is that too much?

7. I will only be planting 4 plants. but i have 3 seeds of one kind about 3-5 of another. how do i choose which seeds to plant? Also they are not feminized, and i squeezed each one to see if it would break/crumble, the ones that didn't are germinating, this is how its recommended to choose seeds to germinate?

Sooooo with all that being said, pics of everything soon, seeds will hopefully be ready to plant tomo before i go to work at 4
recommendations and tips welcome, Thanks for checking in and enjoy

 

[StUpId HiGh PaNdA]

OK! Update on room. Pics are here of, pretty much everything. first is the container, 5 gal, and have the 4 holes cut into the top.
If i cut one of the holes to big on accident, what would be recommended to uses to make the hole tighter so itll hold the net pot with the plant at whatever size itll be.
Thanks for the input.

2 is the light in the reflector. Thats how far it sticks out with the extender socket, Still wouldnt be enough room for 2 bulbs in one reflector of this kind, any advice on that?

This is the setup, sorry for the side was pic, forgot it would do that if i took a vertical shot. But the hole room is covered in foil, cardboard boxes were uses to cover the walls, as there is so drywall in my room, i make-shifted a cardboard wall (will see left wall in another pic), then the foil on top of that. i taped all the seems with, chrome duck tape for restrictiveness , don't wanna waste any light. lol Also need advice on cleaning of the tank, ill have to leave the lid with plants there, how should i suspend them there? Also floor is covered with basic kitchen trash bags cut to fit floor and up bottom of wall a little. Another thing, you only see one light mounted, that's cause i only have one reflector light that, the other would be mounted just to the right in that corner, there are hanging hooks to hold the lamps in the corner to give it an angle, so their a bit more stable.

These are the toys, minus the water pump, thats on its way, should be here tomorrow. Water Pump, Water Stone, 4 x Net pots, 4 way drip, 1/2" fitting. the thing thats in the net pots on the left is just a check valve for the air pump, it came with it. Should i use that with the air pump or what? never heard anyone using one in a grow, idk.

From about 3-4 ft away, you can see the basic setup of how its going to look all together. the space heater at the bottom to keep germinating seeds warm, oh and forgot to mention but was probably already noticed, the hydometer w/ thermometer is sitting next to the 2 cups with seeds in them. temp in there is 75, and was 54 humidity. Looks good so far.

To show its a decent height, ready for general size plant if necessary. The wall i mentioned earlier is somewhat better seen in this pic, its pretty much 2 pieces of cardboard boxes. NOT very steady, but holds decently for not, the duck tape helped, but haha didnt tape the outer side thats open so the top box wouldnt slide down the other, making the middle weak and bow. its happening a little, but not to bad.

This is the water, the pot is full to a bit above the handles with tap water from sink, the holes at the top of the lid should be letting the chlorine escape into the air. I take the lid off every so often to let a big gust out, if im close enough, i can smell the chlorine in the air from being trapped under the lid not coming out fast enough. The gallon jug on floor is the filled with water filtered thru a fridge filter, dont know how much better it is then tap, so its standing in open as well. The cup, is about half full now, it was water from the fridge filter also, i let it stand until room temp, used that for germination. the pot has been there for almost 36 hours, the jug about 12 hours, and the cup, about 8 hours. any comments about better watering tips or techniques is welcome, thanks for any

This is the bulb, self-explanatory, but i did measure the bulb and its roughly 8 1/2 inches, top to bottom. I have 2 of these, they are not blue, more of a sunlight color, is that alright for starting out seedlings and veg? Should i have more then these 2 when set up?, recommendations, trying to keep it CFL, dont have money for MH or HPS and/or ballasts for either, and CFLs wont make my light bill look like im running xmas all the time, lol. discretion is a must. as i dont pay the electric bill, so trying to stay under the radar.


Finally, keep tuned for updates regularly, stay high, paper planes, big thick bong rips, pipes that kick asses, and blunts all round, keep smokin rollin tokin, lol. Im high right now......duhh. haha peace yall, stay up, keep in touch. and thanks again for any and all help

 

[StUpId HiGh PaNdA]

PRetty pissed right now actually. SO my water pump that i was hoping for today, and the estimated shipping said would be here today, september 20, but, the dumbass who sent it, didnt send it the day i order it, i mean cmon, i f some1 orders something, at 11 am, the payment should process and the item shipped that day, not 3 fucking days later. Everyone else i ordered from got payment and shipped items that day. WTF is so hard about that. and then to make it worse, it was in KC, at 2 am, about an hour from my town, so naturally, you would like it would come thru this town, BUT!!! it DIDNT and DOESNT!!! instead it goes passed this town, to another town 2 hours away, then its gonna bring the package back this way. IDK about the rest of you, but i feel like the government is wasting time when moving packages around, like for real. If everything is taken from you, and you only have, what, your word. A mans(and womens) word are then only thing you have in this world, and when you break them, you not worthy and shouldnt b aloud to do anything that involves a promise like that. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKKK!!!! im pissed for real, wanted to fuckin spam the sender with hate mail. Obviously they're not getting a good feedback from me, they lost that the second i opened the mailbox and it wasnt in there. so yea. oh and its been almost a week and a half since i ordered the itme, i dont think it takes that long to go from south cali to central mo. maybe 4 days, if that, you mail ppls need to get on your shit.

see thats another thing, why the fuck we got the dumb mother fuckers delivering and sorting our mail, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FIX YOU FUCKING MAILING SYSTEM BEFORE THE COUNTRY REVOLTS ON YOUR ASS FOR BAD SERVICE, ASSHOLES!

Anyway, about to check on germination, hope its going good, ready to fucking plant, ugh, damn water pump.

 

[StUpId HiGh PaNdA]

ok just checked on them, no sprouting yet, in both cups all were still floating except one in the red cup. I just pushed them down with my finger to cover them with water. water was kida cold, idk if thats bad for seeds or not. turned the heater at the corner of room up to keep it running on low 80 setting. SO itll keep it 80, heating it slowly.

As of now, its 73 in there, 54 humidity. gonna warm it up hopefully and get these seeds sprouting. guess its ok my pump didnt come today, dont think i could plant btt i go to work anyway. SO another day germing and pump'll be here tomo on mail delivery, if im lucky. haha, knowing my luck it might not be here till next monday, fuckin bs is that happened. lol. anyway, update tomorrow, later

 

[Toolage 87]

If you are worried about the power bill look at 50w to 70w MH and HPS bulbs because there is some that are good for growing.

 

[StUpId HiGh PaNdA]

this a pic of most recent shit i got, just for kicks. guy who got it says its Blue Cheese, but idk, smells rediculous tho, lol. like some funky cheese to be honestly, lol. so it could be BC. Iphone picks, so not best quality, but here it is.

You can see , how light green it is, has many red hairs as well.

A better pic i think prolly the best of the 3. Has a bunch of little white hairs all over, i cant really tell with naked eye but trichs are prolly cloudy/milky. anyone think they know what it could be from these pics?

 

[StUpId HiGh PaNdA]

i have looked into HPS and MH, i dont have the extra money for a ballast for them and the reflectors you need cause the bulb fitting, (screw in part) is way bigger then normal socket. didnt really know this until i ordered a 400w MH and got it, saw the end and was like, WOW, dont think thats gonna fit, haha. so im sending it back adn getting refund....

i did wanna sk opinions on the Ona Block stuff. i got one of those when i got the MH. theyre supposed to nuetralize the smells, but this one smells strong itself, so idk. You all think itll get rid of the smell when i get to that stage? anyone got a review on them, or anything that'll work better? Im working on ventalation also, will have pics up soon displaying how id like it. advice welcome

 

[Toolage 87]

No no no. The 50w to 70w MH and HPS lamps and ballast kits costed me $150 with tax for both and they both screw into a regular light socket. As for the reflector I used a 150w ceramic light fixture that are used for Lizard lights witch are made to withstand the heat. Just have to wire it or plug in and your good to go.

 

[Toolage 87]

Here is a photo of the 70w MH and the 70w HPS lamps that I am talking about and both of those fit into a regular light socket no need to but a bigger light socket to run these.

----- MH -----
Watttage - 70
Lumes (Initial) - 5200
CCT - 3000k
Average Rated Life (Hours) - 10,000
Lumes Per Watt - 74.28


----- HPS -----
Watttage - 70
Lumes - 6300
CCT - 1900k
Average Rated Life (Hours) - 24,000 +
Lumes Per Watt - 90
​

 

[StUpId HiGh PaNdA]

ahh ic. interest. do you have the link to the site, i would like to shop around a bit. thanks for that information. I just figured that having to run a ballast to run lights would cost more, idk. my dads the electrician, haha.

would you showing me how you have those lights set up with your light fixture and all. are you just running those two lights? or do you have multiple of the same set up? how do the plants grow under these lights?

 

[Toolage 87]

I was able to pick the MH and HPS lamps and ballast kits from a local electrical store so I didn't have to order it online.

As for pictures of the setup I don't have any because I haven't used it for almost 1 year now but 1 70w lamp did a perfect 1 square foot area with no problems so it should be able to handle that area that the CFL has to cover.

 

[StUpId HiGh PaNdA]

hey everyone, anyone have advice on a light timer? I have 2x 200W CFLs, that run 2700k warm light, i looked at local supercenter and found a 3pk of CFL with 6500k cool light. i was wondering if i should get those, and use for veg instead of the 200W's and use the 200w w/2700k for flowering?

On the light timer, should i get a power strip that has 2 timed outlets, and 4 non timed, or get one timer, and plug a regular power strip into that? if i do that, then the fans for circulation and ventilation, water pump, air pump, would go off along with the lights.

HELP!! please. thanks

 

[Toolage 87]

The closer to 6500k is better for veg. As for a timer I would use a digital one since you can program your lights to come on or turn off down to the second. Then get a good surge protect bar or a Battery Backup things since it stores power just make sure the stuff you put on it isn't to much draw.

 

[StUpId HiGh PaNdA]

ok, so if the water is to cold when you first put seeds in to germ, will that shock and kill the seeds? or will it just make it take more time to germinate?

also, got my water pump this morning. happy, but not happy cause the seeds.

I have 3 in a red cup, and 3 in a black cup. in the red, non of them have changed, they sunk to the bottom. in the black, one sunk to the bottom, and 2 afloat, the one on the bottom has a crack in it and i can seed a little root coming out (i think thats good), then i pushed the other 2 to the bottom. so ill leave em for another day, hope tomorrow is the day.

The temp in room is 80- 84, trying to keep it warm for the babies, and humid does matter at this point ill assume, so not going to worry about that till later. Is that temp to hot or should it be warmer for them to germinate?

 

[JohnBaked]

You'll probably want to get 2-4 more of those cfls and either use a y attachment and take off the reflector and make another one, or you can get more sockets cheap at Walmart ( says its a lamp kit) or home depot if you want to wire it up yourself. You can surround your plants with them or keep your plants low and put them mostly on top. And of you are dechlorinating your water you should probably leave the top off.. I just use a water filter that gets out the chlorine and stuff. Setup looks good though as far as I can see. What type of ventilation do you have? And yes use the warm whites for flowering and pick up some cool whites for vegging. You can do fine with 30-50w per plant in veg but need around 100+ in flowering per plant. Temps are ok for now but ten degrees cooler is better. Just make sure they aren't in the 90s

 

[The New Jim Jones]

veg with 6500k, dont build walls out of cardboard and aluminum foil, use white paint or black plastic, also dont heat your seeds when you germ, there is a higher probability of males from it, do you think a 5 gal tub can hold 4 plants and all their imense root systems? i would think 2 per tub would be best

 

[The New Jim Jones]

Hello again everyone, its been a long time. Been doing a lot these past few years. BUT, I'm back with another grow. I wont be using the same technique as before, but a homemade bubbleponics system. My room is 43" deep, 70" tall and 26" wide.

I have been doing a lot of research before i even started putting things together, but money is tight and I am on a time limit, so to speak.

Right now I am germinating 2 different types of seeds. honestly i dont know what they are, just happened to get some seeds with what i had bought about a month ago and what i had last week. I didnt really know the best way to germinate but i just put them into 2 different cups with water filtered thru a fridge filter and covered with foil and put into my grow room to make it easier to control temp, ext. I let the water stand for about...actually i dont remember, but it was a while, lol. not a day tho. But anyway, i let the water stand to also get it to room temp. (around 70-75 degrees F). So my seeds are germinating at the moment. I have a smaller sized space heater at the edge of my grow room that is set at 75. so it turns on periodically to keep the room at that relative temp.

I have a a pot, prolly a 3 gallon pot filled with tap water from sink, it has been sitting since 7 or 8 pm yesterday (central). Its got a lid over it but the lid has holes in it on one side to allow the chlorine to air out. I have another gallon sweat tea jug filled with water from the fridge filter also open to let any chlorine out as idk if there would be any harmful amounts in it, better safe then sorry.

My lights as of now are 2 x 55W (200W equivalent) CFL, I have only 1 10" light reflectors from hardware section, and also have 2 socket extenders and 2 y socket attachments. I have 2x 3 1/2 ft of chain and wall hooks to adjust light levels during grow.

Nutrients are GH Flora Series, Micro, Gro, and Bloom.

Air pump is an aquarium air pump with one hose spot and the air stone is for an aquarium as well, (Aquarium Bubble Stone).

Homemade Bubbleponics set up: 1 x 5 gal container w/ lid, 4 x 3" net pots, hydroton, and 4 x rockwool blocks, 1 x water pump w/ 1 outlet, and 1 x 4 way drip irrigation, 1x 1/2" fitting for water pump to 4 way drip.


A few questions i have is:
1. Is it alright that i let the 3gal pot stand for more then 24 hrs? While the lid on top have a bad effect on the chlorine evaporating into the air?

2. The lights I have now, will i need more of the same size CFL? These bulbs are rather tall/long, so it is a bit difficult to figure how they'll fit into the reflector with the y attachment socket. If i do need more, what wattage should i get and how many?

3. As for my water, i read a lot that you could leave your water open for 24 hrs and it be alright for your plants, well should i get distilled water or just keep leaving it out? I would collect rain water but the weather here is a bit strange, so if would be rather difficult.

4. My light cycle, I also read it should be 18 on 6 off for veg or 24 hrs for veg. I would 4 pm to 1 am 4 days a week, 2 days work, 1 day off 2 days work 2 days off. I was wonder if anyone has any recommendations of when to start the day and night?

5. The air pump and air stone, are they going to work well enough to provide enough well circulated air to the roots to prevent root rot?

6. My container, yes its only 5 gallons and the room is so large, but will this container provide enough room for the roots, so they dont become intangled and get root rot? And how much water should i put in to use, i was thinking 3 gal, is that too much?

7. I will only be planting 4 plants. but i have 3 seeds of one kind about 3-5 of another. how do i choose which seeds to plant? Also they are not feminized, and i squeezed each one to see if it would break/crumble, the ones that didn't are germinating, this is how its recommended to choose seeds to germinate?

Sooooo with all that being said, pics of everything soon, seeds will hopefully be ready to plant tomo before i go to work at 4
recommendations and tips welcome, Thanks for checking in and enjoy

1. i dont understand why your letting it sit out in the first place
2. get more reflectors, or take the hoods off and just use it as a hanging light, you need at least three of those per plant if you want them to give you a lot of buddds
3. i just use water from the hose, and i know of many people that also do that, just pH it and check its ppm if you are really worried about chlorine
4. you can choose whatever light cycle you want, 24/7 20/4 18/6 16/8, and 14/10 but some plants can flower at 18/6-12/12 autoflowering is what they are called, or you could do 12/12 from seed, and make them grow as four tight colas, its really up to you man
5. they should, as long as they are being used correctly
6.i honestly dont know, but i dont think it will, also depends on how long you veg, if at all
7.seeds that are for good germinating are snakeskin, big and dark colored.

 

[StUpId HiGh PaNdA]

thanks you guys. lots of helpfully words.

JohnBaked, as of now, what kind of filter do you have? one that attaches to the sink facet, or one that is a seperate dispense and the filters under your sink? I dont have any ventalation right now, i was thinking i would get 2 fans, probably from walmart, and get 12 ft of ducting, and run it thru the left wall, (the weak one) up between the houses air conditioning duct (kinda big) and turn it right, go over the top of the ac vent and between my ceiling boards, and place the end in my bathroom, it has a broken window, so i figure it would be easy to have that as the exit as its already made. dont worry, if confused, ill put up pics to show visual how i want to set it up.

Jim Jones, cardboard was all i had an abundance of as i could get as mush as i wanted from my work. and it was cheap, have limited budget, not enough to buy plywood or drywall and tools to make a new wall. i took the heater out of the room. i just, a chicken egg needs warmth, babies need warmth, a lot of things need warmth to thrive, so i figure a plant seeds would be no different. i guess chemically, i am wrong. ive watched a lot of videos of hydro grow, and most have shown the inside of their tanks. i knew a small tank wouldnt be enough for a large amount of plants, but i only plan on planting the ones that germ, and so far thats only ONE!, and barely at that. i mean its barely got a small root cracking the shell. I started germ'ing wed at around 3:30 pm, and only one has gotten that far in 2, almost 3 days of consistant environment, i dont get it. Also, out off the seeds i start, ive been hearing and reading that half your plants will turn into males anyway, so i'd only have probably 2 out of the 4 holes in use after veg. but then again, i'd have to cut the males down, and they say to not let the roots get tangles up in each other, could cause root rot i believe and bad growth. so, if seeds actually germ, ill end up getting another tank to split 2 and 2 as u suggested.

on the questions, 1. i set the pot out to let the chlorine evaporate.
2. I need 3 of the lights, the 200w equivalent 2700k bulbs, (ones i have pics of)? or the 100w equivalent 6500k bulbs, they are much smaller then the 200w and i can get 3pk for around 13$. If i got 2 3pks of the 100w, would that be enough for veg on the amount ill propably be working with (2 - 4 plants)
3.i dont have a pH tester yet, no money for that, thought it would be alright to use the set out and open method and wouldnt need to get one till next check, (coming soon), so if there are good cheap ones u know of.... oh and would the pH tester tell you the ppm or u have to get a different tester for that too?
4. i want to use the cycle thatll give me best bud results. idk if i have autoflower types of not. guess theres no way to tell yet. if i start it 12/12 from seed, wouldnt that put some kind of strain on plant because its skipping its initial growth period? or would i just have, a stem, and 4 stems off that, and 4 colas on those with little leaves excess branches?
5. alright good to hear about that.
6. ok...
7. the cup with 3 seeds, they are all big, dark, and the snakeskin idk, they're dark with light spots on them, and stiff as hell, lol. the other 4-5 are a lightish green, and one out of those has a root coming out while the others have nothing going as far as i can see.

 

[Toolage 87]

I need 3 of the lights, the 200w equivalent 2700k bulbs, (ones i have pics of)? or the 100w equivalent 6500k bulbs, they are much smaller then the 200w and i can get 3pk for around 13$. If i got 2 3pks of the 100w, would that be enough for veg on the amount ill propably be working with (2 - 4 plants)

1 - 2700k won't work well for veg and you need the lights to be as close to 6500k as possable.
2 - The equivalent doesn't meen crap. It has 0 value when it comes to growing. When the CFL says it uses 13w it uses 13w. The equivalent rating of CFLs is the rating of light that is compared to the old incandescent bulbs that aren't made for growing.

oh and would the pH tester tell you the ppm or u have to get a different tester for that too?

There are some digital PH testers that can test the PPM but most don't. The ones that don't you need to buy a PPM in order to cover that if your PH tester doesn't.

I want to use the cycle thatll give me best bud results. idk if i have autoflower types of not. guess theres no way to tell yet. if i start it 12/12 from seed, wouldnt that put some kind of strain on plant because its skipping its initial growth period? or would i just have, a stem, and 4 stems off that, and 4 colas on those with little leaves excess branches?

Run your lights 18/6 , 20/4 or 24/0. For auto flowering it doesn't matter if the lights are on 24/0 and tbh you would prob get better result the closer to 24/0 with autos since they don't rely on 12/12 to flower.

 

[StUpId HiGh PaNdA]

any information about the germination trouble i am having?