1st Time Growing with CFLs . Need Help !

RIKNSTEIN said:

If it helps any (cuz ima po man) I got two double 4ft hoods @ Walmart for around 40 bucks with 8 t8 HO bulbs, each bulb puts out about 3,000 lumens, that's 12,000 lumens for 40 bucks...and I added a few single CFLs @ 1600 lumens (more to come for the sides as they grow and vegin w/6500k) but here's how I set it up (with a little help from my friends here)

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thanks man . your setup looks much nicer then mine . this was my first ever grow and I didn't have that much $ to put into.
and I'm growing it in a cardboard box that's rather small.Just upgraded my box to UHAUL wardrobe box that has a bar that im using to hang lights on

Do you have any type of budget for whats the most you will spend.

ChiefsitandChief said:

Do you have any type of budget for whats the most you will spend.

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Hey Chief
Always good to see you here . I take your inputs very seriously
I had always wanted to grow but never had a chance until now and never took any time to read up on it.
Then I found 2 seeds in the bag of White Widow that I got from a friend and decided to do something with it
So I found an old pot , with old ass soil in it ! and threw one of the 2 seeds in there ( the other one was cracked so I tossed it )
Then I went on and bought http://www.amazon.com/GE-Lighting-44848-65-Watt-Reflector/dp/B0002YXGSC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1360247795&sr=8-3&keywords=ge+reflector+light
thinking that would be sufficient for growing a single plant ! obviously I didn't know what the fuck I was doing so all I ever got from that try was molded soil and rotten seed.

I never really sat down and figured out what I was going to need . I just started and kept adding on stuff as I went ... I mean I've spent around 200$ already but not at once.
This isn't even my house so I can't have a grow room here. right now I'm using http://www.uhaul.com/MovingSupplies/Boxes/Clothing-moving-boxes/Shorty-Wardrobe-Box?id=3269

you can see she's stressed out.I looked up your NL grow and compared the two and felt like she wasn't doing too good
in an old box ( meant to move her into uhaul box for flowering ). she was drooping and I think I burned her a bit too by
putting her closer to the lights . oh and I transplanted her yesterday . lots of changes for her for one day but felt like I
had to help her. the last pic is of today (Day 14) and she seems to be alive which makes me happy. hope she bounces back
Do those lights look sufficient to you for vegging ? 3x 20watt 6500k , 1 x 23watt 5000k and 2 x 26 watt 2700k . and
thanks for helping me out , you're the man ! I'd give you rep but don't know how

No problem man and I honestly would change the bulb in the lamp out bro I think that'. one problem just put a spiral cfl in there, also what kind of soil is this and check the bag to see if it has food already then you shouldn't feed them for the first 2-3weeks but looking her she looks over feed also you need a small fan blowing towards her but not directly at her, and lastly how often do you water her. But i like your exhaust, and you definitly will need more light for flower about 200watts but more is always better as they say but the buget reason being i see you do have the small bulbs, you should get some stronger ones in there.

P.S. taking another look just take lamp out and get 5 more y splitters for light, and one to each socket and adjust them out of each other way with stronger lights you will go from 5 to 10 bulbs being you are going through a power strip it can handle a lot more wattage and the heat from them being close can almost be elimated with a fan blowing between the plant and lights

I see ffof yes that's a hot soil just let the soil dry up a bit its looks overly damp for such a small plant remember when there are this little don't go by seeing water come out the bottom of the pot like most new growers think just water her light not a sprinkle but about half a cup of water from looking, I would really try and get her in some new soil.

ChiefsitandChief said:

I see ffof yes that's a hot soil just let the soil dry up a bit its looks overly damp for such a small plant remember when there are this little don't go by seeing water come out the bottom of the pot like most new growers think just water her light not a sprinkle but about half a cup of water from looking, I would really try and get her in some new soil.

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that's from when i transplanted her yesterday and watered her until runoff the first time. before she was in a 4" pot and I'd wait till it was really dry and light in hand before watering.
I knew about FFOF being hot but with all the good reviews I decided to go FF all the way. already have the nutes too but havent used any yet.and not planning on using for at least another 2-3 weeks . wish I had known about your way of watering seedlings yesterday but will keep that in mind.
I have another PC fan that I'm gonna use inside the box that should do for now . I cant wait till I move and have a bigger setup.It's so tight in that box
As far as lights go ... that big bulb actually has a spiral cfl inside and is around 5000K.so Im gonna keep it in there until I get good ones which I just ordered off of amazon.
2 x 42watt 6500K .

ChiefsitandChief said:

No problem man and I honestly would change the bulb in the lamp out bro I think that'. one problem just put a spiral cfl in there, also what kind of soil is this and check the bag to see if it has food already then you shouldn't feed them for the first 2-3weeks but looking her she looks over feed also you need a small fan blowing towards her but not directly at her, and lastly how often do you water her. But i like your exhaust, and you definitly will need more light for flower about 200watts but more is always better as they say but the buget reason being i see you do have the small bulbs, you should get some stronger ones in there.

P.S. taking another look just take lamp out and get 5 more y splitters for light, and one to each socket and adjust them out of each other way with stronger lights you will go from 5 to 10 bulbs being you are going through a power strip it can handle a lot more wattage and the heat from them being close can almost be elimated with a fan blowing between the plant and lights

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I think she's doing a little better Chief . take a look
and here's the PC fan

Next time you get ready and use FFOF, make sure you water it and let it sit for at least 3wks.
Doing so given the microbes times to Ingest and digest the ferts within, breaking them down into a safe plant available form.
The process of the soil breaking down generates actual heat, hence the term cooking your soil.
It's really just cycling your soil and allowing it to be prepared by the microbes for use

Sincerely420 said:

Next time you get ready and use FFOF, make sure you water it and let it sit for at least 3wks.
Doing so given the microbes times to Ingest and digest the ferts within, breaking them down into a safe plant available form.
The process of the soil breaking down generates actual heat, hence the term cooking your soil.
It's really just cycling your soil and allowing it to be prepared by the microbes for use

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thank you I'll remember that for next time
1/3 of it is perlite so hope that makes it little bit better. I'm sure it wouldve burned her more without, although FFOF has perlite already mixed in
I think ill go neutral soil next time and just feed. more control over how much nutes I'm giving

i am using ffof with my seedling it seems to be doing good.
dried out a bit when it just started out of the shell. made a nice recovery.
hope all goes well for you. i am similar in priced as you on my grow.
this pic is about 4 days out of ground other is supplies at the ready when she needs it.
good luck and we will be around similar time frame so i will be checking in.
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hiitsbob said:

i am using ffof with my seedling it seems to be doing good.
dried out a bit when it just started out of the shell. made a nice recovery.
hope all goes well for you. i am similar in priced as you on my grow.
this pic is about 4 days out of ground other is supplies at the ready when she needs it.
good luck and we will be around similar time frame so i will be checking in.
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yeah bro . I knew about FFOF being a little bit too rich for a seedling
and I stressed my girl waaaay tooo much she forgives me thou I hope.
I was told not to water the plant until you get a runoff water.just water a little bit
and increase the amount as days go by. more water releases more nutes in the soil
my setup is all fixed up now so she's recovering already which makes me happy.
Thank you and good luck with your grow. I'm about 10days ahead of you
High Hopes - 14 days old =>

I see she is coming back to life..... here we go.

Day 15 .
High Hopes is making a recovery after her first ordeal .
I'm so excited
going to start another one seed I think , I'm getting addicted

she doesn't look really burnt to me, maybe a little N def..It's good you still have new growth Maybe just keeping the top of her soil a little moist everyday will help. Hopefully she shoots up for you and those few bottom leaves wont matter too much anyways.

It's tricky to get the temp thing down pat! But when you do, it's nice to not have that always in the back of your mind

She's still a little seedling, 1 or 2 lights on her for now are ideal, and add or bring in the ones you have as ambient heating as she grows.

Don't be afraid to keep ur CFL's close, worry about how to control the temps around her instead.

I have High Hopes for this girl

She is looking wonderful...

almost brought a tear to my eye

She's growin just FINE! YAY!!

Thank you Chief and Calicatt
I'm getting more and more excited . soaked another NL seed 24hrs and into the soil it went last nite. Still waiting for her to sprout , so High Hopes is going to have a baby sister )
However ... I realized yesterday that I need to flip her and the new seedling to flowering next week , If I want to finish them by the time I have to move out of here sooo.... I'm kind of bummed about that. Is it ok for a seedling to spend about a week with 24/0 light cycle and go 12/12 ?

ChiefsitandChief said:

She is looking wonderful...

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thanks Chief , quick question mate : How long did your NL take from switching to 12/12 till the harvest ?
I'm moving out of here sometime in April and Nirvana says the flowering time is 7-9 weeks..

calicatt79 said:

almost brought a tear to my eye

She's growin just FINE! YAY!!

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She's a pretty little girl Thank you dear