First real grow FINALLY!!! all advice welcome

[RastaLove91]

Thanks for comin thru with the tips I have a dimmable ballast so right now im running it on 400w until flower. But yea my intake is passive the intake duct is sitting inside the tent at the bottom all I need now is a fan for blowing on the plants/better circulation but as far as intake and exhaust im set. How many plants you plan on doing in what size pots??

 

[fogo4life]

hey rasta, there is one thing i want to tell you about the ffoc. its a great mix but i learned that they use sea shells to buffer the ph. the sea shells however do not last nearly as long as lime. . .

i took the ph of my run off water a week ago and its kinda low, in the 5's. now its kinda too late, but i really should have mixed lime from the hydro shop into my soil. when you transplant to bigger pots please add lime. i would hate to see you with the same issue my friend. i know my next batch is going to get a much better analyzed soil mix.

i have no idea how much lime to add per gallon or whatever, but im reading up on it.

 

[timlang420]

Thanks for comin thru with the tips I have a dimmable ballast so right now im running it on 400w until flower. But yea my intake is passive the intake duct is sitting inside the tent at the bottom all I need now is a fan for blowing on the plants/better circulation but as far as intake and exhaust im set. How many plants you plan on doing in what size pots??

if your looking to get a small fan to hang to blow on your canopy id suggest going to like walmart or kmart and getting alittle fan like this : http://www.walmart.com/ip/Barjan-1126-6-inch-Clip-On-Fan/26381001 for like $12. i hang mine down by zip ties, that way i can raise it as i raise my lights. if moneys not a problem id suggest getting two of those fans blowing in opposite directions, lots of air flow.

my ballast is dimmable too. costs a little more but for a one time buy, id rather spend more for something thats gonna last longer and do a better job, you know what im talking bout.

right now i got 5 going. id like to do 6 but one of them didnt make it i can only fit 4 in my tent because the pots i use are too big (glass 1/2 full view- better root system) and i still have my ol rubbermaid setup that i grow 2 smaller plants in. i just recently heard and plan to buy these: http://www.roguehydro.com/hydro-supplies-superoots-air-pot-3-gallon-equivalent/ they are smaller (which will hopefully allow me to fit 6 plants in my tent plus the two in my rubbermaid) but still equivalent to the 3 gallon pot size, which is the perfect size pots for our tents seeing as how we can grow a 3 ft plant easily. its a one time buy of like $60 but it will allow me to grow two extra plants...every grow after.

 

[timlang420]

also, i dunno if you did this or not, but your reflector is switchable (mh/hps) i believe you said, like mine. so when you set up your cool tube and ducting make sure you set it up in a manner that allows you to just loosen your duct clamp, disconnect the ducting, reach in and unscrew your light bulb, then reach back in to screw in your next bulb. i almost made that step very difficult for myself. i have an inline fan connected right to my reflector, behind my bulb, by some ducting (had to connect a strap to hang the fan). the first time i set it up i put the inline fan infront of the bulb, so i would have had to take the fan off everytime i switched bulbs. i caught it before i put my plants in tho.
and when you switch bulbs, use a rag to replace them, that way your bulb stay as clean as possible to shine as bright as possible. ive heard that grease/oil from your fingers (or any liquid for that matter) can pop your bulb, although ive never had that happen...but i also use a rag everytime i switch. also suggest lightly cleaning your reflector and cool tube for the same reason but only between grows, never during.

 

[lamopa]

Your giving good Good advice in general lamopa but i hate this quote. I'm not trying to be rude but to be frank wattage per/sqft is complete crap. Your lumens can vary even within 600 watt MH or HPS, bulbs degnerate at different rates etc etc. That's not even getting into the different lights or even bulbs within one system. Even bulbs within one system like LED, MH, Floros can put out different PAR lumens per watt (which is what counts). let alone light loss due to a variety of reasons or other factors unique to each situation.

Hey Cannabidude, I understand what you're saying, this is more of a general guide that has been around for ages. It is good to go by for beginners, as you get more advanced you can mess around with PAR lumens and such.

 

[RastaLove91]

if your looking to get a small fan to hang to blow on your canopy id suggest going to like walmart or kmart and getting alittle fan like this : http://www.walmart.com/ip/Barjan-1126-6-inch-Clip-On-Fan/26381001 for like $12. i hang mine down by zip ties, that way i can raise it as i raise my lights. if moneys not a problem id suggest getting two of those fans blowing in opposite directions, lots of air flow.

my ballast is dimmable too. costs a little more but for a one time buy, id rather spend more for something thats gonna last longer and do a better job, you know what im talking bout.

right now i got 5 going. id like to do 6 but one of them didnt make it i can only fit 4 in my tent because the pots i use are too big (glass 1/2 full view- better root system) and i still have my ol rubbermaid setup that i grow 2 smaller plants in. i just recently heard and plan to buy these: http://www.roguehydro.com/hydro-supplies-superoots-air-pot-3-gallon-equivalent/ they are smaller (which will hopefully allow me to fit 6 plants in my tent plus the two in my rubbermaid) but still equivalent to the 3 gallon pot size, which is the perfect size pots for our tents seeing as how we can grow a 3 ft plant easily. its a one time buy of like $60 but it will allow me to grow two extra plants...every grow after.

Thanks dude. I just got a fan from target it's a small oscillating desk fan it's ok for now those pots look real space saving

 

[RastaLove91]

Ok guys everything is under control they are all looking pretty healthy. After looking at the 12/12 fs thread I'm considering doing this in a perpetual system type thing. Lemme get some opinions

 

[RastaLove91]

Day 14 bagseed

 

[RastaLove91]

Day 14 more pics

 

[fir3dragon]

Day 14 more pics

Looks good man. I will chime in. I got a 3x3 tent too only mine is a cheap ass one from eBay.. I mean its good quality and the corners are metal but the ducting holes aren't big enough for my 6 inch ducting to go through at all so I can't vent properly. If it wasn't for the pawn shop having a 10k btu ac for 60 bucks I'd be fucked. I'm running that 3x3 tent with a 6 inch carbon filter and inline fan attached to a cooltube. Plants are almost 2 weeks old but look nothing like yours lol. Bagseeds as well I've done them since I started growing. Hydrofarm phantom ballast with ipower bulbs lol. Upgraded from a 400w excited to see a difference. Temps are 80 max in tent and 77 lowest in tent running light at 24/0 gonna switch to hps for sexing in about another week. Then ill transplant veg another week and flower. Got 12 seedlings hoping for 5-7 females. I'm using botanicare nutes pro blend grow, bloom, liquid karma, and cal-mag.

 

[fogo4life]

hey rasta, looking pretty good!

i would back the lights off a little maybe, so this way they grow with better node spacing.

i would personally be trying to find the best pheno's. if im not mistaken, i think you said your have a 400 watt light? if so i would totally pick the best 4 plants and then continue them into 3 gallon pots blah blah blah

idk if i said this earlier in the thread already, but make sure to get some lime for that ffoc when you transplant to bigger pots. if not your ph will pay for it after a few weeks

good luck bro

 

[RastaLove91]

hey rasta, looking pretty good!

i would back the lights off a little maybe, so this way they grow with better node spacing.

i would personally be trying to find the best pheno's. if im not mistaken, i think you said your have a 400 watt light? if so i would totally pick the best 4 plants and then continue them into 3 gallon pots blah blah blah

idk if i said this earlier in the thread already, but make sure to get some lime for that ffoc when you transplant to bigger pots. if not your ph will pay for it after a few weeks

good luck bro

Thank you for this fogo. Def appreciated but yea that bit about moving the lights back I definately thought about doing that today thanks for confirming my thought I'm gonna do that right now lol. Also I have a dimmmalbe 600w joint also certainly will have to do that lime cus they're kinda dry I can tell they're suffering a bit

 

[RastaLove91]

Also if I only plan on vegging for a month, assuming these are dense bud producing indicas, what would you say I could potentially yeild from a maximum of 5 3gal buckets?? Consider lst/topping into it as well. I know it's hard to determine yeild but I just wanna know your best hypothesis.

 

[fir3dragon]

Also if I only plan on vegging for a month, assuming these are dense bud producing indicas, what would you say I could potentially yeild from a maximum of 5 3gal buckets?? Consider lst/topping into it as well. I know it's hard to determine yeild but I just wanna know your best hypothesis.

you will easily get at least minimum 1 oz per plant. im more into the 2 oz a plant range. how many grows did you do?

 

[RastaLove91]

you will easily get at least minimum 1 oz per plant. im more into the 2 oz a plant range. how many grows did you do?

Yea man I'm shooting for 2 if not more! I've vegged a plant a good size a few years back but never got to flower. This is my first real attempt at growing

 

[HankDank]

Focus on each phase of your grow as it comes. Counting your yield when you just germinated your seeds is kind of a waste of time. Get your plants through each phase and worry about yield when all is dried and cured.
Good luck, post specific questions as you have them!!

AMEN. These are words you should definitely listen to. Never count your eggs before they hatch. You have a LONG journey ahead of you with many perilous issues that could arise. Remember, DON'T LOVE YOUR PLANTS TO DEATH!
And for god sake, when your near the end of flowering, let them actually mature, don't chop them early!

 

[RastaLove91]

Looks good man. I will chime in. I got a 3x3 tent too only mine is a cheap ass one from eBay.. I mean its good quality and the corners are metal but the ducting holes aren't big enough for my 6 inch ducting to go through at all so I can't vent properly. If it wasn't for the pawn shop having a 10k btu ac for 60 bucks I'd be fucked. I'm running that 3x3 tent with a 6 inch carbon filter and inline fan attached to a cooltube. Plants are almost 2 weeks old but look nothing like yours lol. Bagseeds as well I've done them since I started growing. Hydrofarm phantom ballast with ipower bulbs lol. Upgraded from a 400w excited to see a difference. Temps are 80 max in tent and 77 lowest in tent running light at 24/0 gonna switch to hps for sexing in about another week. Then ill transplant veg another week and flower. Got 12 seedlings hoping for 5-7 females. I'm using botanicare nutes pro blend grow, bloom, liquid karma, and cal-mag.

Glad you solved your problem, I really wanted to void a/c but there was no way around it. You doin a journal on your grow? Or a thread? I would love to see how your set up looks

 

[RastaLove91]

AMEN. These are words you should definitely listen to. Never count your eggs before they hatch. You have a LONG journey ahead of you with many perilous issues that could arise. Remember, DON'T LOVE YOUR PLANTS TO DEATH!
And for god sake, when your near the end of flowering, let them actually mature, don't chop them early!

I will hold fast to this. Thank God I do have a good sense of patience

 

[fir3dragon]

Glad you solved your problem, I really wanted to void a/c but there was no way around it. You doin a journal on your grow? Or a thread? I would love to see how your set up looks

no thread or journal. Ill take pics and upload maybe later today. Yeah I agree, no way around ac. I still got more upgrades I want lol. Like a blockbuster hood, a secret jardin tent etc.. So I can vent properly. My intake isn't doing too good either, so I got a wind machine fan to suck air in but the fan is bulky lol so I'd rather have something else. I got a desk in there too so the tent can't be moved unless I take it out. I think it's because I'm venting in the same room, but I gotta do what works ATM lol.

 

[RastaLove91]

Today was graduation day for these ladies and hopefully minimum gents lol. I forgot to get the dolomite lime and just transplanted them into the ffof hoping they won't suffer in this soil as its said to have a ph problem, if it is too low what can I do to adjust the ph correctly without havin to get more ffof and lime and re transplant??????