1st grow, indoor tent in soil. Few beginner questions

MadFlavour

Active Member
Hi Growers and Smokers

I have been looking to get my indoor tent soil grow happening for quite a while now; been researching as much as possible, reading forums, watching videos... it is getting to the point of making equipment purchases. I think I know what I want but would love to post my current plan and equipment list and see if there are any things the experienced folks can advise or fill in the blanks.

Firstly a bit of info about me and the intentions for the grow:
I have no experience with growing, not just cannabis but any plants! But I have confidence and think I understand the fundamentals from what I have studied about indoor tent growing. And am prepared for 1st attempts to have “results that may vary”.
I have been smoking cannabis every day for over 20 years. I like "fruity" tasting buds with a happy head stone (honestly, have never known what strain I smoke, but I guess I prefer Sativa)
I live in Australia so sourcing equipment / soil / seeds are a little tricker / more expensive. (and not legal)
I will have a partner (my brother, also a daily toker) helping with the grow.
OUR IDEAL YIELD would provide us with personal smoke, and if a cycle of growing is about around 3-4 months, that would be approx 300 grams.

After reading a lot of reviews and suggestions about what kind of reflector, I have decided a Cool Vented Hood is best, as some people report the cool "tubes" have hotspots and poor light distribution, and the circular glass can actually act as a magnifier of heat. I would save some money if going cool tubes but not a lot so figure I will go for a Vented Hood. I would really save money if I went with a non air cooled reflector like a "bat wing" but I can't help but think the heat will become an issue in a tent with a 600W bulb. I read a lot about how 600W is the best bang for the buck, some have said a 400W would be fine but others say just pony up for the 600.

So with these points in mind, I have sourced the following setup for the tent, lights and ventilation:

1. tent 1x1x2m
2. carbon filter 6 inch x50cm
3. ducting 6 inch x6m
4. duct fan 6 inch
5. clamps pair of 6"
6. Cool vent shade 6 inch flanges
7. hps lamp 600w 2100k
8. silver duct tape 50m roll
9. HPS Mag ballast 600w
10. 10A timer universal plug
11. reflector Yoyo 1 pair of 2 pcs

That list of gear is going to be around $600 AUD delivered. I am trying to figure out if there is another address apart from where I will have the grow to deliver this to. I might be over paranoid but I think that it is probably safer to be extra paranoid about this whole process.

The kit does not include a MH lamp for veg. I am deciding between getting some cheap CFL’s for this stage or just source a MH lamp from a local store or eBay (the actual lamps by themselves do not seem to expensive). Most things I read say yields will be better if veg’ing with a MH lamp.

I am also going to get a pH tester, seem pretty cheap on eBay.

SEEDS
I think I have settled on a place to mail order a few seeds. I am not sure what strain to get, but I really do not know what the differences are so am just going with the most common recommendations for a 1st tent grow which seem to be mazar or a superhaze.

SOIL
This is a subject I am struggling a bit to understand, there seem to be many “recipes” and differing opinions. I am not sure if I need to make different soils for different growth stages; or if there is a soil I can use from start to finish? I am also unsure if I use a soil if I need to use extra nutrients or fertilizers, or simply water. Any tips or links to guides are appreciated.
Most things I read on soil suggest “Fox farms” but that is not readily available in Australia. So trying to find info about what Australian growers use, I found this tip (Bunnings is a chain of building and gardening suppliers):
“I had pretty good results from Yates Potting Mix (with dynamic lifter)...it was about $10 a bag from bunnings. I add about 20% perlite to make it drain a bit better (also available from bunnings). Stay away from the cheap brand name potting mixes, they are crap and it's difficult to get seedlings started in them in my experience.”
This sounds great, but I am not sure if (a) this is meant just for seedlings or if it can be used for the whole grow and (b) will this need extra nutrients and fertilizer, and if so what types and how much?

POTS
I am not sure if I need to start seedlings in small pots then transfer for larger pots or “grow bags” after they reach a certain size? Or can I plant directly into the larger pots and stay there? Also, I am unsure if I need to have trays at the bottom of the pots – some things I read say you do otherwise you are just wasting water and nutrients when it comes out the bottom of the pot, others say let that water drain away as it will cause root rot.

I hope to place orders for equipment later this week.. does this look like an OK plan? I have a couple of other questions I cannot seem to find info on:
When you are in a 12/12 light cycle for flowering, do people have the light on udring the day or night? My thinking is it would be at night as it would be cooler then and the light would maintain a better temp, but during the day it is hotter so keep light off then? Also, when you have the light off during flowering and this was during the night, do you need to keep the fan running ie never turn off ventilation?

Thanks in advance for any information or tips. I plan on uploading a grow diary once it starts.
:leaf:
MadFlavour
 

SlimTim

Well-Known Member
You'll for sure want a bigger tent. Check out my thread and you'll see a couple different sizes. 1x1x2 isn't very big IMO. My smaller tent is 2'x4'.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Rollitup mobile app
 

BenFranklin

Well-Known Member
I run a 38" x 38" x 72", so, it's a little bigger than 3 foot square and 6 foot tall, it' the same size as the one you want to run. I pull about 4 zips a month out of this little tent, under a 1000w, in a VERY cool underground basement.

600w is PERFECT for what you want to do.

PS(lose the soil, run DWC hydroponics, it's easy as hell)

PS. PONY UP FOR A PROPER PH METER. ( I can't express how important this is, outside of light, your PH meter is probably the most important tool in your arsenal. Get the one from Hanna that measures PH, EC, and TDS.) This alone will help eliminate most of your noob mistakes.
 

furious248

Well-Known Member
right, its all dow to personal oppinion, if you want to get a couple grows under your belt, have a quick and big yeild then i would suggest sweet tooth auto, with yeilds upto 200g per plant done in your time frame it is perfect for the beginer grower, very easy to look after and you could get maybe 3 in your space, with soil i would say bio bizz all mix, im using it now and has great reviews, for nutes (with soil mentioned) keep it simple, bio bizz bio grow and bio bloom, dont ph ur water the soil will buffer it, if you gcan then do get a 600w, be careful with bulb as a finger print could reduce life of the bulb, with 3 sweet tooth auto in 4 months u could have upto 600g, sound good? and with such low levels of experience needed i think you will be very happy, go for 12 inch pots, would you consider autos?
 

furious248

Well-Known Member
ohh, and i live in the uk it is NOT legal to grow mj here genrally all products are deliverd discreetly and even if they are not no one is allowed to assume you are growing mj, it is legal to have everything, even the seeds, the illegal part is putting the seed in the soil, just remember, do not have scales, no pictures of previous grows, if ever caught it is for personal use (never a lie here) and just incase you expand your branches say you had 50 plants, you say i dont want to grow continuously so i grew a years supply, i am expecting a ounce off each plant, i smoke a ounce a week, now we know we are getting alot more off each plant, but play it stupid, if you read into laws surrounding weed(i really have read) there is no stated ammount that is classed for intent to supply, so as long as you have a cover story you could have a mother fu**ing ton and just say its a 10 year supply, make sure there is evedence of use tho, i was parranoid once, not any more ;-)
 

Greenhouse;save

Well-Known Member
Yea sound advice from furious get at least one small grow under your belt.im currently doing my first grow and found out short and sharp that it's not as easy as it sounds loads of variables but one thing I will tell u is that it is one of the most enjoyable and engrossing things I have ever done in my life totally hooked man sure u will b to best of luck bud.
 

furious248

Well-Known Member
hey greenhouse thanks for following me :-) yea growing is highly addictive lool, starting out on your first grow is the most daunting thing in the world, you find yourself checking your girls every 10 mins, constantly checking all the levels all the time and always making the mistake of taking a tester, then another, then another, then a head ache and realising you are not high, half your buds are gone, you have stressed the shit out of your mj, and eventually end up with a hermie, lool that was just me i guess, just remember to be patient, and only take a tester about 2 weeks from harvest and DO NOT SMOKE FAN LEAVES!!! within the next couple days im going to start a sweet tooth auto journal so i will post a url here to take a look, im going to be using soil/nutes mentioned in my above posts but under cfl's, just need to find out id the seed will be ok going straight into final pots as bio bizz all mix is a bit hot.
 

auswolf

Well-Known Member
Ok first things first the light. If you can afford it, go with a lumatek 600w ballast,
It will give you the option of running 400w and 600w bulbs.(mh and hps). I would try to avoid the old style mag ballasts, there's so many reasons to go digital.

Grow tent I would try to get one a little bigger it will help with yield and more important
Help keep temps down, I'm not sure what state your in but I run my hydro during the day
Because its winter so no temp problems, also I can lower temp during night period to help
Bring out the purple in some genetics.

Soil don't bother with......most growers I know mostly run rockwool.
I myself run 75% perlite 25% vermiculite along with simple nutes such as Dutch master gold one. Feed daily make sure there's plenty of run off, and you can't go wrong.
No other additives, no ph meter, no ppm meter. Keep it simple less to overthink and fuckup.

One more thing I wouldn't bother with mh bulbs, it's just another unneeded cost.
You can veg under hps no problem......
 

MadFlavour

Active Member
Thanks for the post and great info, really appreciated.

As for a bigger tent.. the space I am going to put it in does not really have much room for anything bigger. It is a laundry and I am actually a little concerned i will fit what I already have chosen.. I am sure after a grow or two I will want something bigger but would have to plan further down the track for that.. plus I am pretty stretched on the budget for all this.

I have heard a few suggestions that i should have a digital ballast, which again seems a bit more expensive but maybe I can find a 2nd hand one. I see a lumantek 600W on ebay..

Furious, thanks for the strain suggestions I am hoping to buy seeds in the next few days so have noted your recommendations.

Thanks for the kind words and advice guys! Hope to buy the seeds and gear in next few days.
 

cann.i.bliss

Well-Known Member
Well you have come to the right place for knowledge and experience, so many extremely knowledgeable people on this site that are always very helpful!! I wish u all the best of luck with your 1st grow dude!!
 

ghgou812

Active Member
Welcome to RIU!

Looks like you are set and have done your homework.... now all there is to do now is grow!

As far as your questions, that is totally up to you. People do it either way... depends on the time you have the ability to get in the room and tend to your girls. Night time is cooler to run lights, so you are correct in your thinking.

I keep an oscillating fan on 24 hours a day. Depending on the grow, I will also keep my inline fan running, have a variable control and this helps with the temps. I also will not run the air through my carbon filter until I need to mask the smell.

Hope this helps. God luck and keep us posted!

Cheers
 

furious248

Well-Known Member
hi, again. no worries we are all here to help and learn, definetly go for a digital, i know how it feels for a stretched budget, but it will really be worth while, and mentioning sweet tooth auto got my blood flowing, i grabbed a 3 pack earlyer and am going to start a grow journal on riu in the next few hours, depending on how long untill you grow you may get a sneek peek :-), using cfl's tho so your first grow will probibly blow this one out the water loool, will post url when i start it.
 

MadFlavour

Active Member
3 months in and I just can't get any decent growth in soil in my tent until this last week.
On to my 3rd round of seedlings, but they all kept dying at about 5cm high. Yellow leaves, then they dry out and wilt. Tried more watering, less watering, letting them go without for periods, Tried LED, Tried MH. MH is a bit better as I think the heat helps (none of the pro LED people tell you lack of heat may actually be a PROBLEM).. the extra heat and adding more air flow in the last week has seen my best results but it still so damn slow and uninspiring. My mate has the same strain, tent, lights and soil (except he mixed through his compost whereas all I could do was put it on top of the seedling potting mix I used) and he has amazing plants he just put to flower, I started a month before him and I got nothing but climbing power bills to show for it.
The soil seems crap but my mate says 'it's a living soil, its fine' he gave me some home made compost to put on the top of my potted soils but it's still not doing anything except now I seem to have a lot of creatures in my soil..
I dunno do I just keep going, with just water? Doesn't feel right to not be giving the plants anything but water. Do I add nutes at some point, is that why they keep dying? My mate just watered and later on used 'thrive' powder and his compost, thats it.
All I am trying to do now is get the fundamentals right, and I'm slowly starting to see some growth more like what I've read it should be when I worry about these

Keep the temp between 20-25 degree Celsius (SF2000 LED wasn't warm enough so got a 400W batwing MH) - TICK
Keep the air flow and fresh air into tent constant (wasn't doing this before, just had a internal blow fan that wasn't getting new air in / old air old) - TICK
Keep the Humidity above 70% - seem to struggle with this, so have just got a humidifier with hygrometer for the tent, coming in a few days

Apart from that, how much do I need to worry about the ph of my water going in to the soil? Half people say check it, but I don't know if I got a crap ph meter but everything I test (tank water or tap) seems high - tank water 8.5 and tap water high 7's - I think I probably need some ph down.

If after ph and humidity is ticked and it's still struggling, I'm thinking of trying a coco attempt.. but thankfully this latest soil attempt has been improving.
 
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