First Grow: A 600W story

firsttimeARE

firsttimeARE

Well-Known Member
Tools:

(1) 600W Ushio Super HPS
(1) 600W Ushio Super MH Conversion
(1) 600W Phantom Dimmable Ballast
(1) 6"x24" 550 CFM Phresh Carbon Filter
(1) 6" Xtrasun Air-Cooled Reflector
(1) Soler&Palau Mixed Flow Inline Fan TD-200 [ 538/419CFM ] w/ speed controller
(1) Secret Jardin Darkroom II Pro DR120 (48"x48"x80")
(1) Hydrofarm TM01715D 7-Day Digital Program Timer
(1) LED Wholesalers 6-inch 240 CFM Inline Fan

Everything is going to be insulated hard-ducting aside from the reflector which will be hard ducted partially and the rest flex duct to allow the reflector to go up and down.

Seeds:

My first grow so i'm going to be using seeds I have already

( 8 ) Orange Kush seeds
(1) Skunk#1/White Widow cross
(1) Purple Haze

Medium:

FoxFarm soil. Starting in 16oz party cups...Moving to 2gal then to 5 or 3gal square pots. Haven't decided how im going to move them yet.

I'm OCD so expect a neat grow.

Last item will be mailed by next friday. Expect pictures next weekend.

I'll keep you all updated....
 
Lanternslight

Lanternslight

Active Member
Can't wait for pics and I am subbing up.

I would recommend 3 gal, going party cup and working your way up. Keep the rootball real tight without being rootbound. It's going to be fun, you will learn a lot about how much there is to learn haha.

Break a leg!
 
firsttimeARE

firsttimeARE

Well-Known Member
Lanternslight said:
Can't wait for pics and I am subbing up.

I would recommend 3 gal, going party cup and working your way up. Keep the rootball real tight without being rootbound. It's going to be fun, you will learn a lot about how much there is to learn haha.

Break a leg!
Click to expand...
Thanks man!

Maybe i'll do party cups > 1.5 gal > 3gal

Can you reuse the soil from transplants?
 
Lanternslight

Lanternslight

Active Member
I think you can Compost it and worm it. I dont think its Quickly reusable.

If you mean the soil that is in the 1.5 goes into the 3 gal, then yes. You wanna do as little disturbance to the roots as possible when you transplant. If possible I would do it when the soil is drier, it will pull away from the sides of the container and won't break up your rootball and get a bunch of dirt everywhere. You can tell how dry they are because of teh weight. Also, Put a little soil in and measure how far you can put teh transplantee in. Generally you can have the stem buried to just about the bottom set of leaves. They will branch out with roots, and it adds to the stability of the plant overall. Also, before setting the transplant try to get soil with myco in it already or put some myco down right where the bottom of the rootball will be placed.

Check out this link if you want more info on Mycorrhizae.

My dad's a Certified Arborist and he turned me onto it. Ecto and Endo Myco is what he uses I believe. It is greatly beneficial to your ladies.
 
firsttimeARE

firsttimeARE

Well-Known Member
Lanternslight said:
I think you can Compost it and worm it. I dont think its Quickly reusable.

If you mean the soil that is in the 1.5 goes into the 3 gal, then yes. You wanna do as little disturbance to the roots as possible when you transplant. If possible I would do it when the soil is drier, it will pull away from the sides of the container and won't break up your rootball and get a bunch of dirt everywhere. You can tell how dry they are because of teh weight. Also, Put a little soil in and measure how far you can put teh transplantee in. Generally you can have the stem buried to just about the bottom set of leaves. They will branch out with roots, and it adds to the stability of the plant overall. Also, before setting the transplant try to get soil with myco in it already or put some myco down right where the bottom of the rootball will be placed.

Check out this link if you want more info on Mycorrhizae.

My dad's a Certified Arborist and he turned me onto it. Ecto and Endo Myco is what he uses I believe. It is greatly beneficial to your ladies.
Click to expand...
Yeah I was talking about soil that once contained the transplant pot.

So you're saying the bottom of the branches shooting off the main can be at the rim of the pot?

Also this myco...It basically reestablishes the soil with this fungi thats ruined by new soil from transplant? Does it need to be taken into consideration for flushing? Also now that we're talking about time how long typically for exchanges? Does it go by height of the plant?

What's an Arborist?
 
ROBSTERB

ROBSTERB

Well-Known Member
when you pull the pot off to transplant the soil should come out in one go! like a sand castle, dont desterb it just place it into the new bigger pot and add extra soil.
 
firsttimeARE

firsttimeARE

Well-Known Member
ROBSTERB said:
when you pull the pot off to transplant the soil should come out in one go! like a sand castle, dont desterb it just place it into the new bigger pot and add extra soil.
Click to expand...
When you add soil around it like you said can you pat it down? I know for new seeds I read that you should never pat the soil down. Same apply for transplants?
 
ROBSTERB

ROBSTERB

Well-Known Member
just place abit soil in the bottom of the new pot, enough so the plants first set of leaves are going to end up just above the top of soil/pot, then place the plant on top leaning roughly the same space around the edge, fill the space with new soil and press down gently! you dont want the soil squashed in though! then give them a good watering, be carefull though if the soill is loosely placed in the pot when you water the plant and soil will end up half way down pot,

so yes pat the soil down with your fingers but not to much, if youve got perlite mixed in with your soil its quite hard to compact it to much! if you havent then you should.
 
GrowThrive

GrowThrive

Well-Known Member
600 is the way to go! if you can at some point get an A/c unit a little portable one, they do wonders!
read more about specific soils and additives , you might find on future grows you can make a cleaner more suitable medium for your girls!
Blue skies! Happy Grows Lucky!
 
firsttimeARE

firsttimeARE

Well-Known Member
GrowThrive said:
600 is the way to go! if you can at some point get an A/c unit a little portable one, they do wonders!
read more about specific soils and additives , you might find on future grows you can make a cleaner more suitable medium for your girls!
Blue skies! Happy Grows Lucky!
Click to expand...
I was thinking of a portable AC...Winters coming and its a basement grow so I think I should be fine for now. Def. going to get a thermo on the plant tops though.

I never used one how does the condensate get removed?

Is it recommended to move the light unit up with the plants or can I keep it up top the whole grow? Reason I ask is because I wanted to use insulated hard-duct to avoid air trapping that's common in flex duct sags for noise purposes.
 
firsttimeARE

firsttimeARE

Well-Known Member
ROBSTERB said:
just place abit soil in the bottom of the new pot, enough so the plants first set of leaves are going to end up just above the top of soil/pot, then place the plant on top leaning roughly the same space around the edge, fill the space with new soil and press down gently! you dont want the soil squashed in though! then give them a good watering, be carefull though if the soill is loosely placed in the pot when you water the plant and soil will end up half way down pot,

so yes pat the soil down with your fingers but not to much, if youve got perlite mixed in with your soil its quite hard to compact it to much! if you havent then you should.
Click to expand...
Gotcha...Whats your take on mycorrihaze? (not to doubt you lanternslight you've been helpful)
 
Lanternslight

Lanternslight

Active Member
endo/ecto myco are the bees-knees. Lol I just got some humbolt myco madness 4 oz for 25 bucks. you make a compost tea with it.
 
firsttimeARE

firsttimeARE

Well-Known Member
Update:

Just waiting on the filter to come in today and need to find an 8" tee-wye. Preferably 8/6

Putting up the ductwork today, wiring the fan, and fitting the tent up with goodies/air.

Germinating tonight. Some are 1.5+ years old so hopefully they pop.

Everything is going on schedule and i'm excited
 
Lanternslight

Lanternslight

Active Member
Sounds like you got it worked out. Have you read about 'static pressure'? It is important stuff for ducting. If I remember the website I read up on I will let you know. I see you have a inline fan too, is that for your static pressure?

What types of oscillating fans are you using?
 
firsttimeARE

firsttimeARE

Well-Known Member
Lanternslight said:
Sounds like you got it worked out. Have you read about 'static pressure'? It is important stuff for ducting. If I remember the website I read up on I will let you know. I see you have a inline fan too, is that for your static pressure?

What types of oscillating fans are you using?
Click to expand...
I did HVAC engineering for 3 years and have a "Ductolator" to measure FPM and SP.

8" @ 480 CFM is about 1350FPM and .35 SP per 100 ft of duct as im using about 15 feet ill be at about .06 plus what the filter carries and the reducers. I used to have a chart that showed how much each fitting increased the SP by. Its all guessing anyways without a Pitot<Spelling> tube test. My fan can handle 1.15 SP so I should be fine.

Its a mixed flow inline fan so it has the advantages of a centrifugal fan with the noise level of an axial fan.

I sniped your idea with those clip on fans. And may put an oscillating on the ground to increase root strength.
 
firsttimeARE

firsttimeARE

Well-Known Member
DSC02529.JPGDSC02530.JPGDSC02525.JPGDSC02534.JPG

Heres some pictures of my setup thus far. Only thing left is the fan needs to be wired. Which might be done already. Haven't went to the grow location in a couple days. Going tonight to drop some soil and nutes off.

First picture is showing my main exhaust and my reflector exhaust.

Second picture is showing my reflector intake (going to get a cap for it to stop the echoing from the air pulling)

Third is everything setup.

Fourth is my goodies..The timer has to go back as they sent me the wrong one. I ordered a dual outlet and they sent me this shit. FTL
 
Lanternslight

Lanternslight

Active Member
Looking nice! You are gonna def need more ph up and down than that though. Do you have a pH Meter? If not I would recommend getting a combo meter. Hanna is obviously great as far as a suggestion. You can get ones just like Hanna for much cheaper on Ebay, although the name isn't behind them. You could find something perfect for you.

A pH meter is going to be your very, very best friend in your new venture. It's not a game. Don't think it doesn't matter. It matters in every detail of that plants life. Get a pH meter, I implore you!
 
firsttimeARE

firsttimeARE

Well-Known Member
Lanternslight said:
Looking nice! You are gonna def need more ph up and down than that though. Do you have a pH Meter? If not I would recommend getting a combo meter. Hanna is obviously great as far as a suggestion. You can get ones just like Hanna for much cheaper on Ebay, although the name isn't behind them. You could find something perfect for you.

A pH meter is going to be your very, very best friend in your new venture. It's not a game. Don't think it doesn't matter. It matters in every detail of that plants life. Get a pH meter, I implore you!
Click to expand...
My friend who grows linked me to that as a beginner thing. He said he just uses the paper litmus or w/e it is. He said a PH meter wasn't necessary when I told him I was going to get one.

I was going to get a hannah, but he said it wasn't worth the price. I mean he grows, but his buds are always popcorny and I know he cuts corners...Maybe popcorn buds are a result?

But i'd definitely take your advice over his. Does EC matter much in soil?
 
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