New grow - help with lighting

timmythetooth

timmythetooth

Active Member
Im starting a new grow and have 4 seeds germinated and growing nicely. They are about 3 days in an are looking healthy and green!

They are under a shop light (bought from home depot) with 2 30w 65k fluros. Will this be enough to veg them until i can clip clones to sex them? (I am going to use a 400w HPS to flower) or should i add another light with 2 more 30w fluros?

The strain is skunk#1 and it takes about 80 days to flower.
 
timmythetooth

timmythetooth

Active Member
Im still in need of some sort of advice, did i not include something or am i in the wrong section?

Here they are on day 6. The temps range from76-79 and the humidity is about 63-66. The leaves look at bit warped and stuff but i think its because there isnt enough light; am i right or is something else wrong?
 

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inthebuilding08

Member
shop light ?? id get 5 42w cfl and put xoxoxoxox (23w r cheaper thou if cost is issue)
x=light o=flower use 600w for flower not much dif. in price
 
timmythetooth

timmythetooth

Active Member
inthebuilding08 said:
shop light ?? id get 5 42w cfl and put xoxoxoxox (23w r cheaper thou if cost is issue)
x=light o=flower use 600w for flower not much dif. in price
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They are a cheaper version of grow lights - they have been working like a charm so far. I will get pictures up tomorrow. i was thinking of going for the 600w but space is an issue and 400w fits in the small space with less heat because im not looking for a huge setup, just a fan, light, vortex exhaust and carbon filter. Basic and easy for my first harvest.

The lights are around 30$ at home depot and come all assembled, just need to wire them together or to separate plugs. They run 20w (2 per light) or the higher wattage are bigger and cost more.

here is the link - http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=972636&Ntt=972636&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=51 5&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber

(i removed the plastic cover on the bottom of course...)
 
wyteberrywidow

wyteberrywidow

Global
Those floros will do good for veg until u can cut clones.You really dont need much light for veg but you can add more lights so you can take good clones.
 
abe23

abe23

Active Member
hey timmy,

Those tubes are great for cloning and vegging, but I think by week 2 or 3 you have to either 2 more of them or just go straight under the HID and use the fluoros for your clones.

I'm about 2 weeks away from harvesting with pretty much the same setup you're describing, except that I used 27w and 42w cfl bulbs. Those worked great and I was totally happy but as soon as they went under the 400w MH they just took off and started growing like crazy. I did have some issues with overferting/ph and heat, so I would make sure you have your soil and ventilation all figured out before you put them under there, but come week 3 you will definitely see better results with the 400w system. By the time your plants are a month old, you should be able to take some clones and put them under your tubes.

I have a lumatek ballast, MH and HPS bulbs and an air-cooled hood with a 6" vortex. If you haven't bought your lamp yet, I would definitely go for something similar, i.e digital/switchable ballast and air cooled reflector if you're limited on space the way I am (my closet is about a 4x4).
 
timmythetooth

timmythetooth

Active Member
abe23 said:
hey timmy,

Those tubes are great for cloning and vegging, but I think by week 2 or 3 you have to either 2 more of them or just go straight under the HID and use the fluoros for your clones.

I'm about 2 weeks away from harvesting with pretty much the same setup you're describing, except that I used 27w and 42w cfl bulbs. Those worked great and I was totally happy but as soon as they went under the 400w MH they just took off and started growing like crazy. I did have some issues with overferting/ph and heat, so I would make sure you have your soil and ventilation all figured out before you put them under there, but come week 3 you will definitely see better results with the 400w system. By the time your plants are a month old, you should be able to take some clones and put them under your tubes.

I have a lumatek ballast, MH and HPS bulbs and an air-cooled hood with a 6" vortex. If you haven't bought your lamp yet, I would definitely go for something similar, i.e digital/switchable ballast and air cooled reflector if you're limited on space the way I am (my closet is about a 4x4).
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Wow! Thats the help i have been looking for Thank you!

would the 4" vortex fan work just to take care of the smell? my room is smaller i think. i am going in to do final measurements and move in so i will buy the fan then but im sticking with the 400w light.
 
abe23

abe23

Active Member
You're welcome....happy to help!

The vents won't take care of the smell, the stinky air is just being moved out of the closet. You'll need a filter, ionizer or something of the sort. I was worried about that but I'm about a week or two from harvest and the funk from the plants is still bearable and I'm not really in need of too much odor control. I just have a piece of home depot pet odor filter in front of my intake and that seems to be plenty up to here. If you're very worried about smell you could also get a proper carbon filter (pricey!) or make one yourself...there are instructions for making your own all over this forum.
 
timmythetooth

timmythetooth

Active Member
I picked up my ballast and a nice 3k MH. So im gonna use that for my veg. and when it comes time to flower i will pick up a HPS lamp.

Anyways - im going to set it up with a makeshift hood (a big cone but flatter) for now and stick my plants under.. My only question is how close to the tops of the plants? Do i just throw them under the light, or slowly introduce them??

thanks for all the help so far!
 
timmythetooth

timmythetooth

Active Member
OK; so here is an update on what i have done over the past 2 days - The light is hung w/ a very quick reflector. I'm going to rework it into a air cooled one but i don't have the time. I'm gonna restart them on 18/6 tomorrow. My only concern is one has light colored leaves - I'm thinking its a nutrient deficiency so I'm feeding them at 1/2 strength tomorrow instead of the usual 1/4 strength of Botanicare Grow(im growing organic for my broseph who has backpains and refuses to take presciption meds)

so here they are!


they have a long way to go...
 

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timmythetooth

timmythetooth

Active Member
Im not sure how much to be watering them - i split 2L of the nutrient solution and plan on watering 2L more tomorrow (maybe more). Is this an ok watering schedule OR should i just be giving it a good watering when its dry?

The plants are growing fine and are almost ready for clones!

I will put pictures up when i cut clones.
 
timmythetooth

timmythetooth

Active Member
wyteberrywidow said:
give it a good watering when its bone dry.you don't want to overwater..
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Im not too worried about over watering its under watering.

I cut clones today from the sick plant - im not sure whats wrong so i planted it outside to see if it gets better. I will continue to cut clones from it to flower. The other plants are almost ready for clones.

The picture is from this morning (day 3 under the MH i will be moving closer tonight when the lights come back on) before the pant go put outside and clones were taken.

If anyone has any idea whats wrong with the light green/yellow plant let me know..
 

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323cheezy

323cheezy

Well-Known Member
looks early to cut clones.... id wait till the lower branches have atleas three nodes.... i also would have kept them under that floro longer.... still small 4 400hps.... but its cool..... try to keep them within 18 inches of the light..... but atlest 14 inches away....
 
timmythetooth

timmythetooth

Active Member
The one i cut clones from was bigger and they seem to be doing ok.

I cut some more yesterday and they are still green and look like they are still attached.

The plants seem to have slowed down in growth so i have moved up to full strength nutrients instead of 1/2. They are about 49 days old now. Its so humid out its hard to know when to water.

I have noticed some of the leaves are twisting - is this because its too hot? it averages around 75-80 day and night.
 
timmythetooth

timmythetooth

Active Member
I dont think temperatures are a problem because the leaves seem to be drooping a bit. Is the light to much? Or am i not watering enough? the soil feels wet to touch the top and about 2" deep it still feels wet. Should i wait 3 or 4 days then water it?
 
323cheezy

323cheezy

Well-Known Member
timmythetooth said:
The one i cut clones from was bigger and they seem to be doing ok.

I cut some more yesterday and they are still green and look like they are still attached.

The plants seem to have slowed down in growth so i have moved up to full strength nutrients instead of 1/2. They are about 49 days old now. Its so humid out its hard to know when to water.

I have noticed some of the leaves are twisting - is this because its too hot? it averages around 75-80 day and night.
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any sign of droppy leaves or krinkled leaves or even spots are bad... try to keep that too a minimum.....
the humidity is suppose to be 40-60 if your not in these peramiters you need to make sure you buy a humidifier or dehumidier....
and make sure temp gage is in right placed .... the temp right below the lights is higher by about 5 degreess
as for the problems it could be ventillation or bugs or heat .....anything.... sometime when my plants leaves dropp i water them and they popp up.....
id say water them every three day 4sure
 
timmythetooth

timmythetooth

Active Member
I turned the fan on them (its usually away blowing air out of the room and that seemed to work. the soil stays wet for 3-5 days sometimes. Is it just the humidity? (its averaging 60-70 on a really hot day).
 
timmythetooth

timmythetooth

Active Member
peaceb2usall said:
interesting post and read for me :) tx
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Your welcome i didn't know that any of this would be beneficial.

I have been away for 2 days soon to be 3 and am stressing about my plants because of the intense temperature we have been having (30C and higher). I will put up some pictures of the clones and plants when i get back if they are not dead and burnt.
 
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