First Grow w/ CFLs...Got a couple ?'s

Not only my 1st CFL grow, but my first grow period. So i literally just got my set up going yesterday. I got a box im using thats roughly 2.5'x3'x4.5' that i lined in aluminum foil. Im only goin with 2 plants to start, if i have success ill go for more. So i have 2 starter pots with organic soil for my bagseed. I got a small fan i hung in a hole i cut in at the top and another hole at the bottom on the opposite side to get the air moving. I currently only have 2 26 watt natural light cfls in the top. So my question would be is that gonna be enough for my small space and 2 plants? Another thing im worried about is heat. Now the bulbs get no where near as hot as normal bulbs, but they do get warm. I have the fan blowing directly onto the bulbs and fixture. But im still worried about a potential fire hazard since the box is cardboard. So if you have any input, feel free to add it. Ill get pics up once the seeds sprout up.

Get rid of the foil... your better of painting the inside flat white then foil... better if you can get some mylar (emergency camping blankets)

Get at least 4 26w daylight cfls, and a timer.

and you should be good to go for now.

Well here are some pics of my little setup and of my 2 little seedlings...

Those bulbs won't start fire. Keep the temp below 90°F and watch 'em grow.

You can complete a grow with only those two lights but you'd need to do 12/12 light cycle right away so they don't outgrow the lights. Expect only a few grams per plant though.

If you get more light look for the soft/warm white. The bulbs you have now are cool white I think and work well with warm white. The daylight bulbs are not needed in my opinion since you have plenty of blue spectrum in the cool whites.

a bigger fan added to your setup when they get bigger.

and lose the tin foil, its a no no.

I plan to get at least 4 more lights tommorrow. Probably more 26 watters. Plus 2 more of those small fans. One to draw in at the bottom and another to blow out. Not really having a problem with the heat like i thought i would. About the only problem i have is that i realized i got continuous feed soil and its turning the very tip of one of my seedlings yellow. I plan on getting some good soil in a week or so to transplant them into.

whats up BUDZ ? yea, the feed miight be a bit too much for seedlings, although they sprouted in that soil, the fact that its a constant feed may be the problem.

Yeah its a continuous nitrogen feed its a small amount (like 0.003% i think) but its still not gonna be healthy.

so i added 3 more lights 2 warm whites and another cool white the plants are comin along alright one is pushing up its first set of true leaves ill get pics up tommorrow as for mow i gotta get back to work

im sure you know but you can put those bulbs just a fraction of a inch away from the plant. they will love it.

just dont touch your leaves to the bulbs if you can help it.

Yeah i had them about 2 inches away with the new lights but they got really hot. Like the planter was really hot as well as the soil so i dropped them back down. What im gonna do as well is change the light cycle from 24 to 18 to cut the heat. Plus i read a HT article that said 24 hours of light promote more male plants and with only 2 plants i cant really afford that.

well i guess you'll be running out & getting that timer sooner than you thought..i did the 24h thing but can't say its what caused or helped cause me to have males, but 1 things 4 sure...i'm damn glad i planted so many seeds !...lmao

lightweight said:

Those bulbs won't start fire. Keep the temp below 90°F and watch 'em grow.

You can complete a grow with only those two lights but you'd need to do 12/12 light cycle right away so they don't outgrow the lights. Expect only a few grams per plant though.

If you get more light look for the soft/warm white. The bulbs you have now are cool white I think and work well with warm white. The daylight bulbs are not needed in my opinion since you have plenty of blue spectrum in the cool whites.

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I would give them at least a 2 week veg... and scrog them if you thing they will get out of control during flowering... Trust me you will love it at the end =]

Well one of my plants is dead, the other is dying. I dont know what happened, i went to bed one night with them being a tiny bit yellow around the edges and woke up to find one compleaty brown and dry and the other on its way. I been keeping the soil moist, kept them away from the bulbs so they didnt burn abd had a fan on them to keep em cool. Im still keeping the one to see if i can save it cuz it has still been growing. But i plan on starting at least 3 more in a week in new rich soil.

when nothing is noticeably wrong with a plant and its dying 9 our of 10 times its root rot, transplanting can help. but sometimes the damage has been done.

when transplanting make sure you water your plant in real well. dont worry about overwatering today. this not only soaks the soil well, but helps push air pockets out of your pot. (or hole if one were growing outdoors) the open air pockets can cause bacteria and other microbial bad guys that can ruin your root system.

not 100% that is wut happened to your grow, but its a possibility.

best of luck! glad you arent gonna give up!

What kind of soil are you using now? If it is "rich" soil, or pre fertilized soil.. that could have giving your girls nute burn... look for a clean soil and add some perlite..

It could also have been over watering.... a soaking every 3 to 4 days should be good.... this statement lets me to believe that it could be over watering

Budzilla420 said:

I been keeping the soil moist,

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If you keep it too moist.. you could deprive the roots of oxygen... you have to let the water drain down the pot and air will follow it as the dirt starts to dry.... then you water again keeping the cycle of water the air.

Last thing is to check you RH... babies need lots of humidity... you may want to make them some humidity domes... clear plastic cups with some holes at the bottom to let some air in will work.

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Micro ebb/flow (NOW DWC), all CFL ScrOG, perpetual Stealth locker

Wolfman Zen said:

a soaking every 3 to 4 days should be good.....

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Yeah thats what i was doing, when it got dry id water. The soil is miricle grow organic gardner which is continuous feed, i beileve this was a big cause. Also i used tap water to water. A friend had the same problem when his were a month old, he always used distilled but one day used tap and the next day he had the same problem. Lucky for him his were able to bounce back

looks like you are right... the combo of tap water and pre fertilized soil burnt your little ones....

Next ones, use clean soil (no extra fertilisers). and don't forget to mix in some extra perilite.

You can still use your tap water... just let it sit out for a day first... Good idea is to have a bucket, fill it. lit it sit out, and use that to water... refill your bucket so it will be ready for your next watering...

Good luck man... and don't worry all of these trial and error is all part of the fun and learning experience =]
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Micro ebb/flow (NOW DWC), all CFL ScrOG, perpetual Stealth locker

doh.

say no to miracle grow.

and wolfman is right, you have to let your water sit out, even it comes from a well you are smart to do so.

Yeah this next grow im gonna do the things i should have done the first time but neglected just cuz i was impatient. Ive got a pretty good grasp on what i need to do and how to go about doing it (ive been researching and reading on this subject for damn near a decade ) I just got jittery about actually doing it. This next go around i plan on some straight pure soil, with perlite, and certain organic nutes mixed in. As well as cutting the 24 hour light schedule out and going straight to 18/6. But for now im gonna have fun with this little guy thats just barely clinging to life and just go ahead and go 12/12 on him. See what sex it would have been, just for fun.