First HPS grow 1200w autogarden

This will be my first attempt at growing on such a large scale and using HID lighting. I will be growing 5 differing strains of auto flowers and a couple AK47 and some Fem'd bagseed (it's a long story). Primary focus will be on the autoflowers though.

Strains:
1. Auto-Blueberry FEM
2. White Moscow Auto FEM
3. B/B Cheese Auto FEM
4. White Cheese Auto FEM
5. Purple Wreck Auto FEM

Here is the set up:
See Pic 1
►76"x76"x76" Mylar tent
►2x 600w Digital Greenhouse ballasts
►Easy cool 6's
►424 CFM vortex for carbon filter and cooling lights
►285 CFM inline fan for intake of tent
►FF Light Warrior to start
Followed by a mic of FF Light warrior, FF Ocean Forest, and perilite in 3 gal grow bags.
►Technaflora/BC nutes
►Watered with PH'd tap water left for at least a day with air stones in it and adding a small amount of aquarium dechlorinator (about 1/4-1/3 recommended amount).


So far I have the Fem'd bagseeds starting under a 10,000 lumen 6500k color t5 hood. Doing well so far. Auto's and AK's should ship tomorrow from the email I got.

I will try to update at least weekly. Initial pics of The bagseeds wont go up (I have 8 popped and sprouted for 2 days now but meh).

Any input/suggestions/questions are welcomed. Just don't be a douche.

Most of the seeds I germinated have popped above the soil at this point. Everything is under the t5 hood with exception to a small foray into hydro with a rather small DWC bubbler in a coffee container I had sitting around. I figured I should give it a shot and see how it goes. The DWC is under a 68w CFL.

So the seedlings are now under one of the 600w's that's between 2 and 2.5 feet away. The little hydro coffee can isn't dead and seems to show a little root growth out of the net pot even over night. I am pretty surprised by that. Still waiting on those seeds. Shipped about a week ago and should be here any day now.

So about 3/4 of the seedlings have been transplanted into 3 gallon grow bags so I can water them and leave town for the weekend. That and the majority of them were starting to push roots through the bottom of the peat pots. I removed the peat pots when I transplanted them so the roots don't have to struggle to grow through them. All of them had fairly extensive root coverage in the soil they were in. The soil they were put in was FF Ocean forest with perilite and some FF LW added. Seem to be taking it fine but it's only been about 18 hours.
The DWC has more happy white roots. I am fairly surprised at how well it's doing. I have been having an issue where it jumps about a full pH point in 24 hours (Eg 5.6 to ~6.6). I changed the res today with 5.6 pH water and a light feeding of a 1-1-1 technaflora nute (roots 66). I fed it with that just because it's the most mild nute I have that isn't made exclusively for soil.

Currently germinating 36 Auto Fem seeds from 6 different strains.. Cant wait to sample this bouquet

The non-auto plants have been doing well under 1 600. Third true sets of leaves are just starting to come out. I am considering letting these go until last frost and put them outside for some monsters.
I mis-counted the autos, there are 37 and they are all in oasis foam and will be transplanted straight into 2 gallon grow bags from when roots start to show through the oasis. I know there are 6 strains and they are separated but I don't know which ones are which because they weren't individually labeled when i got them Pics at the end of the week.

14 of the 37 Auto Fems popped up over night. They have been in a dark humidi-dome thing in oasis. Added a 2 foot 2x54w (one 6500k one 2800k) hood that covers the length of the tray they are in. Only one is standing straight up so far. Hopefully through tomorrow I will have about 30 up.

Still waiting for 19 to pop out of the oasis foam. A couple are just starting to push through. The others were moved today. Put into two gallon grow bags with FFOF and perilite added for the bottom 2/3 and FFLW for the top third. Most of the cubes I put into the actual soil had started to show roots already. Currently residing about 3 feet below one of my 600w HPS. I will change that height depending on their response to it as they are only a day or two old but most show 1st true set of leaves and were under a 10k lumen hood that was essentially right on top of the dome with a bit of clearance to facilitate blowing the heat off (there is a pad under the tray already).
The other plants in the second photo are about 10 days old now and seem to be doing fairly well. They will probably stay in the tent with the auto and then go outside after the last frost date.
Oh, and the Jiffy pellets in the first are for peppers and the container in my tent is full of wildflowers.

Got a few more in there now. Ordered a RO system after checking out my water report. We have had the most chemical violations in the area with 19 since 2006. The closest place around here has had three. Add that to the high calcium and almost 190ppm and I think my plants will thank me for the 1-20ppm water they will get from the $60 I had to spend.
The little hydro one is gone, was having mg problems due to the calcium locking it out. Maybe will get another one in there once I get some clean water.

More additions to that room to go outside in about a month will be a variety of hot peppers. They are in peat pellets waiting the long germination and the varieties are as follows:
Royal Black
Pasilla Bajio
Bolivian Rainbow
Purple Serrano
Purple Flash
Long Red Slim Cayenne
Kung Pao Hybrid
Jamaican Hot Chocolate
Habanero Brown
Golden Cayenne
Fatalii
Chiltepin
Yellow Habenero

Here are some photos of what things are looking like right now. There are 3 weak starters that are off to the side that you can't see. In 3.75"x3.75" FFLW containers. Hoping they catch up soon. 4 more seeds are just starting to crack and show some root. The styrofoam plates were added to keep some light off that soil and increase the time between waterings.

SICK! def subscribed!! doing something simular...stareted 30

beans of 4 diff. strains...auto ak47, LR2, white dwarf Fem and auto ak47 x auto BB....they are 4 days old in 18oz party cups in MG seed starter mixed with MG spangum peat moss & pelite... under a four bulb 4' HO T5's in a clonebox with a humidifier, 2 6" clip-on fan and a S&P TD-100 inline fan,(107CFM) wiith 4" odor-sok...My flowering tent is 56" x 56" x 78.75" with a 600hps, mini dehumidifier, two 6" clip-on fan a windtunnel 6" inline fan,(409CFM) for exhaust connected to a active air carbon filter...four 2' HO T5's, (one in each coner) with a tower fan, for air-circulation) growing in 3gal bags with FF ocean forest as well... Good luck will def be here for entire grow...

So I gave up on 8 of the seeds that hadn't cracked yet for sure. The ones that have been going are doing well. On their second set of true leaves that came out on most of them throughout the day today. Seem to be liking the bulb at about 20". I likely wont lower it until I get both of them going but I am trying to hold off on that for a bit (electric bill).

And thanks Uptosumpn. Do you have a journal? I'd follow it.

Nah man, didnt start a journal yet...but I will put it up tomm....I will put the link in my sig,,,,,,stay tuned & safe

Fired up the other 600w today. Been watering with RO water with magical added at about 1/4-1/2 dose and a tablespoon of molasses per gallon of water. Seem to be liking it so far. Pics next update.

When did you start given them molasses???(how old from sprout)

uptosumpn said:

When did you start given them molasses???(how old from sprout)

Click to expand...

Once they started to show their third true set of leaves. I mean as soon as they were beginning to separate from each other at the top.

thanks! I have plenty of it too! < Baer rabbit black strap!

Oh, I forgot to ask, where did you order that RO system from? I think you said you paid $60< I need one of those bad! the PPM of my tap water is around 180...
and where did you find these;
B/B Cheese Auto FEM
White Cheese Auto FEM
Purple Wreck Auto FEM
THANKS!

Found at 420discreteseeds.com. They ran a special that I couldn't pass up. I think they are from reputable breeders but then seed runs are done and they are resold. Some of them have some odd leaf shapes but it's only a couple of them and they seem to be doing fine otherwise. They recently had a price increase though.. Still decent specials from time to time though.

Everything is going well with the Autos. They are about 6" now and really starting to take off. Fed them 1/4 strength nutes last night (380ppm BC boost, BC grow, Thrive alive B-1, Sugar daddy, Magical - no molasses this time because of the carbs from sugar daddy). and they seemed to love it. There were a couple that had popped later thn the first round that went into the 2gal bags and they were kind of lingering at one stage of growth but even they took off and livened up.

The ones vegging to go outside for the summer are great. One kinda LST'd itself by leaning over and attaching itself to the ground but the secondary shoots are coming up through the fan leaves from the side almost the same height as the main cola. I topped most of the ones that were getting tall quickly as there was one pheno that I seeded that grow rather short and very dense foliage. The only one that concerns me is one showing signs of light bleaching when the 600w is about 16 inches above it. I moved it off to the side and it seems to be doing alright. I worry about the hardening off process for that one.

Unfortunately I can't find the battery charger for my camera. I have been looking for like a week and to order a new one isn't cheap because I wont order off brand for my nikon

sounds cool. subed...whats your temp with the 2 600's in there?..and are you giving them 18hrs or 24?