BigBudsNPK
Member
Hello folks, I've been doing a lot of learning this run and I just wanted to show where I'm at on my current grow and talk about my experiences as a new grower. I've attached some pictures of my plants currently in week 7 of flower and I hope they display properly on your device.
I want to start off by saying there is an overwhelming amount of information on this subject and I've taken what has made sense to me and adapted it for my own budget and living situation.
My venture into growing was haphazardous at best. I started with a 15w led light I got for $25, a bag of miracle gro, some solo party cups, and a couple of seeds I found in my bag from the dispensary. After scratching the surface on research it dawned on me I would need a new light for any real growth.
Unsure of what to buy I grabbed a 200w led for $80 which I later found out was of poor quality with regard to spectrum and heat intensity. This light served well until an accumulation of dust caused the fan to malfunction and subsequently overheat the lamp and cause it to short. Thank god I had a surge protector on the circuit! The dust ended up being from my humidifier which is not intended to be used with tap water. This dust also clogged my carbon filter.
My setup was ruined by a cheap dehumidifier... I was upset, but after my first harvest still being the best pot I'd ever smoked... it was time to invest in my new hobby. Covid was also getting scary so the investment was totally justified.
I ordered myself a Phlizon 100w qb with Samsung lm301b diodes for $125 for my 2x2 tent and these are the biggest colas I've grown. The humidifier was scrapped for a model that is compatible with tap and placed outside of the tent along with my carbon filter to prevent future clogging.
To unclog a vivosun carbon filter you unscrew all the outer screws, pry the rivets off with a flathead screwdriver (rivets are in cardboard and pry easily), dump the carbon out into a tray and dry in the sun, and rinse the mesh sock. Reassemble it and you're good to go.
With those changes made I'm finally able to control my environment for the full duration of the season. Grow environment aside my nute situation also had to change. I've used Fox Farms for all 3 of my grows including the current one and the big bloom went rancid on me within the year. I thought it was just a smelly fertilizer but apparently big bloom goes bad in 3-4 years and I bought it expired on arrival.
I switched to Blue Planet Farmer's Pride nutrients and I'm hoping my next run will be my best ever. Just based on popularity and old stock... I would not recommend Fox Farms. I feel like my growing education would have been more enjoyable had I started on the right foot with fresh nutrients. Similarly priced nutrients do the same if not better than Fox Farms. I just knew the name and went with it.
All that being said, my main reasoning for not going with raw dry amendments is that I grow in a 2x2 in 2.5 gallon pots and I've heard that you need 7gallons and up to get an ecosystem that isn't running into deficiencies constantly. I also don't like the idea of adding beneficial insects and mites to my tent because I sleep in the same room.
I'm hoping that the Farmers Pride will be a nice middle ground between synthetics and full on organic gardening. I loved how easy fox farms was but I want the same convenience from a reputable company with flow in their inventory that can provide me with certified organic ingredients. With that figured out I think my system will be functioning at peak performance.
It has been a long and winding road trying to get the best pot at the cheapest price point for my living situation... mostly because I learn things the hardest way. Lots of good people on here tried to point me in the right direction and I just wasn't sure how much time or money I wanted to invest in growing so it seemed overwhelming and I resorted to trial and error.
All in all I'm getting better quality than ever before and in the end that's what learning to grow is all about right?
I want to start off by saying there is an overwhelming amount of information on this subject and I've taken what has made sense to me and adapted it for my own budget and living situation.
My venture into growing was haphazardous at best. I started with a 15w led light I got for $25, a bag of miracle gro, some solo party cups, and a couple of seeds I found in my bag from the dispensary. After scratching the surface on research it dawned on me I would need a new light for any real growth.
Unsure of what to buy I grabbed a 200w led for $80 which I later found out was of poor quality with regard to spectrum and heat intensity. This light served well until an accumulation of dust caused the fan to malfunction and subsequently overheat the lamp and cause it to short. Thank god I had a surge protector on the circuit! The dust ended up being from my humidifier which is not intended to be used with tap water. This dust also clogged my carbon filter.
My setup was ruined by a cheap dehumidifier... I was upset, but after my first harvest still being the best pot I'd ever smoked... it was time to invest in my new hobby. Covid was also getting scary so the investment was totally justified.
I ordered myself a Phlizon 100w qb with Samsung lm301b diodes for $125 for my 2x2 tent and these are the biggest colas I've grown. The humidifier was scrapped for a model that is compatible with tap and placed outside of the tent along with my carbon filter to prevent future clogging.
To unclog a vivosun carbon filter you unscrew all the outer screws, pry the rivets off with a flathead screwdriver (rivets are in cardboard and pry easily), dump the carbon out into a tray and dry in the sun, and rinse the mesh sock. Reassemble it and you're good to go.
With those changes made I'm finally able to control my environment for the full duration of the season. Grow environment aside my nute situation also had to change. I've used Fox Farms for all 3 of my grows including the current one and the big bloom went rancid on me within the year. I thought it was just a smelly fertilizer but apparently big bloom goes bad in 3-4 years and I bought it expired on arrival.
I switched to Blue Planet Farmer's Pride nutrients and I'm hoping my next run will be my best ever. Just based on popularity and old stock... I would not recommend Fox Farms. I feel like my growing education would have been more enjoyable had I started on the right foot with fresh nutrients. Similarly priced nutrients do the same if not better than Fox Farms. I just knew the name and went with it.
All that being said, my main reasoning for not going with raw dry amendments is that I grow in a 2x2 in 2.5 gallon pots and I've heard that you need 7gallons and up to get an ecosystem that isn't running into deficiencies constantly. I also don't like the idea of adding beneficial insects and mites to my tent because I sleep in the same room.
I'm hoping that the Farmers Pride will be a nice middle ground between synthetics and full on organic gardening. I loved how easy fox farms was but I want the same convenience from a reputable company with flow in their inventory that can provide me with certified organic ingredients. With that figured out I think my system will be functioning at peak performance.
It has been a long and winding road trying to get the best pot at the cheapest price point for my living situation... mostly because I learn things the hardest way. Lots of good people on here tried to point me in the right direction and I just wasn't sure how much time or money I wanted to invest in growing so it seemed overwhelming and I resorted to trial and error.
All in all I'm getting better quality than ever before and in the end that's what learning to grow is all about right?
