Georgeisabamf's 2nd Grow. More Legit!

So I'm starting this thread/journal now basically as a place to save and share my grow experience. I have only grown indoors once before and that plant is actually in flowering now. I just want to get these guys underway and make this experience a lot better than the first (IE: greater yield).

With that being said I would greatly appreciate advice and help on anything. I'm no experienced grower at any rate, but I feel after going at it once (basically as a test run), I can make this out to be a good one. But only with you alls help!

So without farther ado, here is what's up thus far. I recently obtained 7 seeds from a friend of mine. The seeds came out of three different bags of "dro" that my friend and I had smoked. I have them labeled as follows in the picture below:


Bag #1 are seeds I just obtained. The herb it came from was some good smoke, however it just had seeds in it for no reason. All of these seeds are in good quality though, in other words they don't break when pinched. Bag #2 is just a random seed, honestly no idea what the source was as I don't recall smoking this bud. Bag #3 is from a very nice sativa dominant strain that my friend got from someone who ordered offline and grows on his own. I'm not sure of it's origin to be honest, but I am hoping that maybe it will be genetically well-off, if that makes sense.

So tonight I have put the seeds into germination using paper towels (100% success for me), and will be transferring them once they pop.

My grow set up is going to be redone entirely hopefully. My recent set up was just a standard cardboard box, and was pretty "ghetto-rigged." This time around I plan to get a good cabinet that has a lot of room and will add very good ventilation and design it well. All of this needs to be done on a semi-tight budget however.

The lights I am using are CFL obviously. I run ~160 watts (6500k) for veg, and run a mixture of ~140 watts (2700k) + 40 watts (6500k) for flowering. I can always add more if money allows it, but for now this is what my set up will consists of. For ventilation I currently use just two basic fans I purchased at walmart. They are of decent size and put out some air. I plan to rig them (via AC tubing) to become exhaust ports out the top of the box. I may purchase more fans as needed.

My feeding schedule/pattern is still in the air. I don't plan to feed anything with NPK based ferts anytime soon. I want them to play out themselves before I give them a boost. I do own numerous organic ONLY (and I stress this, as I like it this way) ferts to choose from, I'll post more about this as the time comes.

As far as medium is concerned, I really am in the air. I've tried coco coir, and soil. Though I love both (and coir can be hella nice if you do it right), I feel with the nutrients I own, soil is the better choice. I swear by Fox Farm's Oceans Forest so this will more than likely be what these seedlings are goin' into.

Sorry if the post is long, but those who will stick around could become great help. I'm keeping this grow journal well documented just so I can reflect and learn a lot. This is easily the biggest grow I've tried thus far, and with that comes a lot of different things I can learn from.

So I was shopping on craigslist and found a cabinet that looks to be exactly what I want. and they only want 10 dollars for it! Here's a picture (I don't have it yet, waiting on an email back from the seller).

It's the only on the right, sorry the picture is small. My idea though is to remove some of the shelves (or all of them) and to split the cabinet in half vertically. I want to run one half of the cabinet for veg, and the other can be used for flower. This way I can basically cycle my grows for more efficiency.

I'm not sure of the size of the cabinet though, or how I'll fit it in my small ass car. But for 10 dollars it looks to be what I need. Also, I will get pictures when things start making more progress and whatnot.

So as of today, 1 of each seed (for a total of 3) have sprouted quite a bit and are now in small cups with coco noir. I watered them with half of the suggested amount of Liquid Karma to give their roots a boost. This is the mix I would usually use when I water and start clones. They are now sitting in my cloning/germ box under one 23 watt light bulb.

However on a side note, I do have a picture of two clones that I transplanted tonight. The roots were huge inside the cups they were in, and this is actually my first time attempting cloning. Cool stuff.


The only bad things about those two clones is they are off a plant of unknown gender. For some reason their mother plant will NOT flower, it's a whole 'nother story. But it's been under 12/12 for 2 weeks and 8/16 for 1 week and shown no signs of sex.

A couple of the other seeds have sprouted, however I don't have any soil or coir left and won't be planting them until at least tomorrow. I'm also going to plant a few in fox farm's oceans blend as well to compare and whatnot.

A wanna see the cabinet finished, looks like a decent cabinet to use!

CRAVETHERAVE said:

A wanna see the cabinet finished, looks like a decent cabinet to use!

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Unfortunately the seller never emailed me back. But I am on the market for nearly the same thing, plan to also possibly purchase an HPS.

I NEED a new box more than anything, it's a shame cause that would be ideal for what i want it seems.

Anyone have any thoughts on using this as a box?



Not sure of its dimensions. But I feel like I could remove the shelf on the left hand side and use that side for flower. Run the bottom right as a veg box. Though that spot isn't very large, I plan on running my plants veg via CFL to only about a foot in height or so. Then budding them out with an HPS. Don't know if this box would be big enough though.

So a little update. I am still in need of a new box as I'm still stuck with the old one. Right now I have two clones running and 5 seedings that have sprouted. Out of the 12 or so seeds I started with, I only have 5 left. Due to me losing a few of the seeds (don't even ask me how), and a couple growing but dying/drying out after a couple days

But still not to shabby I guess. Today I plan to transfer the sprouted seedlings into a coco/FF Oceans Blend mix. I realized that Oceans Blend is great, but using it in small cups (as I am now), it seems to dry up way to quickly. I know that the coco will help to keep the plants from drying out because coco works like a sponge and it's always treated me well. As we speak, I have some coco soaking at my place in a light mix of Liquid Karma, some FF Grow Big, and some cal-mag.

I hope none of the other plants dry out and die. I think the reason a couple did was due to the soil drying out so quickly from the lighting. So maybe this coco will counteract that. I will get pics when home of the babies

So it's been 10 days since I started germinating the seeds for this grow. I admit I have been slacking on pictures but here is a decently good update I hope.

Today I got a new "grow box" off craigslist. Good deal (in my opinion), as I got it for only $35 dollars and the dude delivered it to my apartment and helped me carry it upstairs haha. Anyhow, it's just a large wooden armoire (for a television/entertainment system). I would have loved to drop a good ~$120 bucks and get a grow tent, however this is a large step up from growing inside a cardboard box. That's for damn sure.

Pictures (Shit quality, taken with macbook and the lights throw everything off of course):

Grow space fully open-



Box as it is set up now (running only half the grow space, for vegging)-



The babies (5 recently germed/sprouted seeds, 2 clones that rooted not that long ago. Mother plants of the two are of unknown sex)-



I hope these are a good visual idea of my progress thus far. The box is really large surprisingly. Though it's hard to see in the pics, there is about a foot and a half of empty space at the top (basically a large shelf). I plan on using this area for a clone/germ section. I plan to run just low wattage fluoros, it seems like the ideal size.

Obviously the box is under construction. Went hunting for emergency blankets today and 2 of the walmarts and the target I went to were sold out of them. Also need to split the box in half with plywood, and figure out a legit yet CHEAP set up for exhaust fans.

Will try and keep this updated. Have been busy with crap lately but I'm stoked to have upgraded to a new setup. Any questions feel free to ask. and of course I am willing to take any advice as it is much needed and appreciated!!

and just to name off basic specs in order for criticism/advice:

Everything above is planted in a combo of Fox Farms Ocean's Forest and simple Coco noir. My feeding schedule is about average. I feed with a very light amount of liquid karma and cal mag every other watering.

The PH of my feed sits at 6.4, my runoff is roughly ~6.5.

I am currently running 108 watts (4 bulbs, 27 watts a piece, 5000k) of CFL sitting about 4-5 inches above the plants.

As aforementioned, any other questions, please ask

So here is a to-do list of things that I need to get done before I'm happy with the box-

1) Split the box in half
2) "light-proof" and Line everything with some sort of material (probably emergency blankets)
3) Obtain a thermostat/hygrometer.
4) Set up legit exhaust system using probably AC tubing and inline fans
5) Obtain an HPS light to run on one side (this is not NEEDED, but if I get money it will be a priority)

Anyone know of a price on Mylar? It's sad, but the local hydroponic store is 10 times closer than the closest walmart that will have emergency blankets. I figured maybe (if it's not mad expensive) I'd swing by there after class to get reflective material.

Any advice on this?

I'm more interested in how the box goes to be honest, i like how ingenious people get when creating there set-up .

I got my mylar off ebay, something like £8 for 5x2m. I can only imagine what walmarts are like, need to get some in the UK.

CRAVETHERAVE said:

I'm more interested in how the box goes to be honest, i like how ingenious people get when creating there set-up .

I got my mylar off ebay, something like £8 for 5x2m. I can only imagine what walmarts are like, need to get some in the UK.

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I love making/setting up boxes. Sometimes it is a lot of work, but it feels good knowing you're building something from the ground up.

The box I had before this was just a simple cardboard box that I set up for growing. Obviously you can only do much with cardboard though.

I know the box shall turn out well. The only thing I am iffy about is ventilation/exhaust and how I am going to set it up. Right now, since the grow area is so open and I'm not running much light, I am cracking the door ever so slightly and it seems to be staying at a good temp.

I just need to find/craft an inexpensive exhaust system, if anyone has links to a DIY thread or something on this LET ME KNOW!!!

So my local hydro store just randomly hooked me up with 4 free smart pots. Nice dudes. Never tried out these guys before but hear amazing things and have been curious for a long time.

Will get pics after I transplant some of these guys into their new bags!

So here they are in their brand new bags. I like these things, they feel sturdy and seem to help with water retention.



I have one plant that is of the same origin as another and about equal in growth (from bag 1). I decided to plant one in a smart pot and the other in a standard pot of about the same size. So we'll see how it plays out and how we'll these things do for me.

Also contemplating setting up a drip irrigation system. However, I don't have a faucet to connect to. I've been looking around for a DIY somewhere on google for a system that uses a pump and reservoir instead of a direct water spout. I've had little luck though.

So here's a quick little update, I've been out of town for two nights and will be heading home in the morning. I can't wait to see how progress is doing. I put them on 18/6 before I left just to be careful with overheating (since the box they are in is fairly new).

couple Seedlings:




one of my clones:

So today will be the day I FINISH my box. I hope. I plan to get some emergency blankets, line the thing. Split it in half. and possibly get AC tubing to run legit exhaust out the back/top.

Plan to also split the box in half.

Also, my hydro store just got in large watt CFL's (only in 2700k though). They are 150 watts a piece and I am contemplating getting some 2 or so for flower. Then again I think it may be more worth my while to get an HPS if I can get the cash.

to be honest i think getting 300 watts worth of cfl compared to getting 300 watts of hps is a bif difference and would only cost 140$ free shipping and all u would have to is address heat issues using a come grow chamber.

keifman420 said:

to be honest i think getting 300 watts worth of cfl compared to getting 300 watts of hps is a bif difference and would only cost 140$ free shipping and all u would have to is address heat issues using a come grow chamber.

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I'm getting the same HPS right as you. Once I sell my PS3 or something.

New pics of the box, and plants soon. Everyone will hate on it but I used foil to line the rest of the box because NOWHERE around me has any emergency blankets (trust me, I have checked). So for now, it's gotta do.

So here's an update for yall. I am going out of town today for a couple of weeks. I'll be visiting my plants every so often to make sure they are watered and whatnot.

Put tin foil over the soil to keep it more moist. Not sure how it will go, we'll see:







We'll see how it all looks when I get to see my babies again!!

Tin foil is going to cause hot spots...