First grow. Any advice?

So I'm about 5 weeks into my first grow. Started with fem Super Sunk seeds. I feel like I have everything I need for a successful grow, and plants look good (I think. Ha.) So any advice for a complete newbie? Tips?
This is a 3'x3'x6' tent with 600w MH, 6" exhaust and 4" intake. Growing in 5 gallon pots. Two front plants were topped for the first time earlier this week.

Was also thinking about starting a second smaller tent to start clones/seeds in when I start flowering these to speed up the next grows. Do people do that? What would that setup look like?

Revilgaz said:

Was also thinking about starting a second smaller tent to start clones/seeds in when I start flowering these to speed up the next grows. Do people do that? What would that setup look like?

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People have veg and flower tents for a perpetual grow. When space in the flower tent is available, they'll move a plant from the veg tent. start another seedling or clone. Or, they might keep mothers in the veg tent and take clones.

Your plants look good. What soil and fertilizer do you use? I would suggest feeding with enough volume to get 20% runoff. I think salt buildup in early flower is a big risk to new growers. They overfeed and without enough runoff it builds up in the soil, acidifying.

If you have a ppm/ec pen, you could monitor your runoff ppms. That would help you dial in your nutrient strength and runoff. For me , they will rise to 1800 (0.5 "Hanna" scale) and I try to keep it there. If it goes above 2200 I'm in the danger range. 2500 is where it shows in the plant condition. I think it's different for different soils and nutrients. But, if you hit nutrient lockout due to buildup (as many new growers do), it's handy to know what your runoff ppms looked like leading up to it. You can use that info to dial in your strength and runoff volume. (Lower strength, no runoff. Higher strength, more runoff. Anything in between.).

Start a grow journal in the Grow Room->Grow Journals area. That can help people help you if you have a problem. You can point to the journal for information about the grow.

az2000 said:

People have veg and flower tents for a perpetual grow. When space in the flower tent is available, they'll move a plant from the veg tent. start another seedling or clone. Or, they might keep mothers in the veg tent and take clones.

Your plants look good. What soil and fertilizer do you use? I would suggest feeding with enough volume to get 20% runoff. I think salt buildup in early flower is a big risk to new growers. They overfeed and without enough runoff it builds up in the soil, acidifying.

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So what I want to do sounds like it requires an exact setup to what I have?

I use all Dr Earth products. Potting soil, starter fert, all purpose liquid fert, and a seaweed supplement. Been following a feeding schedule I found on some forum. Feeding once a week.

Revilgaz said:

So what I want to do sounds like it requires an exact setup to what I have?

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Technically you don't need a tent, extraction fan, filter to veg in. It could be some lights strung over a PVC frame, and a oscilating fan moving some air through the area. Plants in veg aren't sensitive to light during "lights out."

You may not need to get runoff if using what you're using. But, I would follow the runoff ppms if I were you. That's handy to know if something goes wrong later.

I hope you'll document what you're using so others can follow it. I think a lot of people would like to do more organic'ish growing. Most of what's advocated is 3-4 month "cooked" soils. Something simple like you describe would be useful. A grow journal in the journals forum. Or, "how I grow" entry in your blog (like mine) could help people.

az2000 said:

Technically you don't need a tent, extraction fan, filter to veg in. It could be some lights strung over a PVC frame, and a oscilating fan moving some air through the area. Plants in veg aren't sensitive to light during "lights out."

You may not need to get runoff if using what you're using. But, I would follow the runoff ppms if I were you. That's handy to know if something goes wrong later.

I hope you'll document what you're using so others can follow it. I think a lot of people would like to do more organic'ish growing. Most of what's advocated is 3-4 month "cooked" soils. Something simple like you describe would be useful. A grow journal in the journals forum. Or, "how I grow" entry in your blog (like mine) could help people.

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The only problem with not using a tent is that I'm growing in a basement in New England. So temps would be an issue.

Also this may be a stupid question but it this normal for a stem to be doing? Splitting off like that? I feel like all the pictures I see are one long stem

Looks like you got a natural 'mainline'. Two main colas from the base. That's neat. I haven't seen that naturally.