150w 2.5'x1.5'x1.5' mini cab-grow - 1st time

So here's my journal. I'm a first-timer with anything serious like this, so we'll see how it goes.

I was originally planning on a stealth grow, but due to temperature problems, and a lack of materials, costs, and time it's become pretty stealthless.

The box has a roughly 120mm house-fan and 90mm CPU fan as out-take, with passive intake, and the door is left 2-3 inches open for regulation. The box is lined with mylar. It keeps at an even-keeled 30 deg. celsius during the day, and about 25 at night. I've not been monitoring the humidity, but I use a spray bottle to induce humid conditions once a day.

I cultured the seeds in moist paper-towel, and planted them in mostly nutrient-less "Miracle Gro" seed-starter soil. This was MUCH more successful than the jiffy-cubes that I tried first (which caused stunting in one, and root rot and death in all the rest).

I have the plants at about 4 inches from a 150W HPS, with a 5W R/B LED light pointed diagonally at them, and a 23w CFL hanging around, which stays on at night to maintain warmth (otherwise it drops to 23-24 degrees).

I plan to have 3-4 plants, but at the moment have only one that is beyond its sprout stage. Here are my results for the past 5 days (which I think would actually, by my guess be days 9-13). This one was stunted by a jiffy-cube but recovered. Maybe that means it has stronger-than-normal genetics since it survived conditions that killed all the others? lol.

Day 9:

Day 10:


Day 11:


Day 12:


Day 13:


On a hunch, based on a pH test, the nutrients in this soil were disappearing fast, so today she has been moved to a 30-30-40 perlite-vermiculite-soil mix that has been suffused in nutrients. To prevent shock from this change I planted her with some of her old soil so only new root growth will gradually make this transition.

That's all for now! What do you think?

P.S. I'm trying to develop my senses for nutrient problems, at Day 10 I thought I noticed yellowing of new growth (micronutrient deficiency?) and when I added nutes, for the first time, this colour went away (look at Day 11). Does that sound right?

yeah sounds right mate, reckon you will need more than a a 150 watt for 4 plants, im running a 200 watt enviro and 2 70 watt hps for 4 plants and could prob do with a little more but im trying stealth, get a 100 mm inline fan, much better than computer fans or bathroom extractors, will help the temps, 23 degrees is fine at night.

Thanks del, you've talked me into ordering one of those 225 LED panels that are floating around. I think I'll stick with this setup, and see how it goes. Even if I can only support 2 plants, that's enough for my purposes

not sure about the led panels, havent seen any great reports on them, large cfl are good for heat, i had 600 watts in a cupboard 20 inches deep, 32 inches wide and about 36 inches tall, only had the 4 inch inline fan and it did the job just. you going to put the led in with the 150 hps?

del66666 said:

not sure about the led panels, havent seen any great reports on them, large cfl are good for heat, i had 600 watts in a cupboard 20 inches deep, 32 inches wide and about 36 inches tall, only had the 4 inch inline fan and it did the job just. you going to put the led in with the 150 hps?

Click to expand...

Yeah just as a supplement. I'm not going to upgrade anything serious for this grow, and adding CFLs, I've noticed, have really just added too much heat to the box, so I figured the LED would be a good trade-off.

Day 14:




And here's #2 (Day 3 since sprouting):

More updates:

Day 15:

Day 16:

As you can tell, on Day 14 I started LSTing. Today (16) I also FIMd because she was on her 5th node.

Number 2 Day 4:



Number 2 Day 5:

Here are some pics of my space:





I have the plants hanging under the light on a pyrex tray. This is so I can adjust them, rather than the light so that the fans can remain nearest the light to suck out hot air.

just be sure you dont pull on the roots to much when lst, thats certainly a compact cab for sure.

Some updates:


Day 17:


Day 18:


number2 Day 6:


number2 Day 7:


Diagnosis:


Now, I've got some leaf-colour woes which have me worried. On this last pic you can see what I mean when comparing the 2 plants under the same light conditions. It seems that my first baby is having some sort of nute burn. The leaves have a yellow-to-green banding pattern, which, according to this site may be Zinc toxicity: http://www.marijuana-seeds.net/Thanks-ThankYou.htm
Or, according to this site, is Potassium toxicity: http://www.onlinepot.org/grow/PHfluctuationsornutrients3.htm

I'm leaning towards the second possibility, and I justify it based on the fact that I have been feeding her a 5-10-5 NPK solution (quite possibly in too-high a dose). So in light of that fact, P-overdose must be the case. I've since flushed her thoroughly, and I will keep her flushed until she returns to a healthy glow. I wonder, however, if there isn't a similar onset with number2? Maybe I'm just paranoid, because I don't recall feeding her nutes, but the new leaves are slightly yellow. Since she hasn't had any nutes, it may be that she's deficient, so this time with the water I gave her some, and I made absolutely sure to make it a mild dose (1/4th the recommended, AND this time with a 28-14-14 NPK solution to avoid P-overdose).

We'll see how it goes!

i really wouldnt be feeding to early or to much as the nutes in your growing medium should have been fine for a while.

I guess I learned that the hard way. :X

Day 19:


Day 20:


Day 21:


Number2 Day 8:


Number2 Day 9:


Number2 Day 10:


Also, an update on the nute burn situation (close-ups)

Number2 (left) - Number1 (right)

In natural light (top) it looks to be subsiding. The lamps give it a yellow colour by default (bottom) which makes it hard to tell, but the flushing seems to be doing its job.

Day 21:


Number 2 Day 11:


Also, a new pic of my setup as I added 2x23W CFLs:

its a long and winding road that leads to your bud.

Is that an LST joke?

was a bit of beatles but could have been if i was quick enough, but im not, to much of the old volcano

Day 22:



Day 23:



Number 2, Day 12:



Number 2, Day 13:





Things are going really well

In fact, I'm pretty sure I can see crystals forming. Yet, I've had them on 14/10 hours of light (with, during the dark hours a 5W LED light shining). Is it possible they can flower this early? I wouldn't exactly compain...

Here's a super-closeup:

yeah, its possible they could start flowering since your light schedule is only set to 14/10....its basically like growing 12/12 from seed...

to veg you need to have lights on at least 16/8...nothing less...20/4 is ideal or 18/6

plus, i'd raise your 150 watt'r up a coupla more inches...your plants are suffering heat stress (note the deformities of leaves). Don't introduce a nute regime till the plants are at least 3 weeks old either...

what soil medium are you using?