Noneed4me2's first medical/cabinet grow with cfl's

Here's my setup. Bought a pre-maid box, thinking it would cut back on start-up time, now I spent my wad wished I had gone with a grow, diy hydro DWC system, tent and a 250w hps/cfl combo custom setup. Will be slowly upgrading equipment as I can afford it. Added another air pump and the drip system plus the hanging lights. Also added a net a 1/2 way up the box which 2 of the 4 are growing into now.


Been vegging 22 on 2 off since March 20th clones doubling in size. Using mostly 7000k spectrum cfl's with a few 2700k for better spectrum mix. Will reverse lights when I flower. Using FoxFarm Hydro trio and Aquashield. Water in reservoir is changed weekly from 5 gallon slightly nuted sparklett's water pre-ph'ed to 5.5 to 6.3 range sitting in grow area to maintain equal temps. Box stays in 35% to 50% humidity and 70's to 80f (at 80 I do something) with box always slightly open with small high cfm fan blowing in. No heavy breezing on plants though.

Started clones on 1/4 strength nute regimen (based on bottle measurements). Now I have been adding about 1/4 teaspoon every 2 days of Big Grow and Tiger bloom to reservoir with only a very light indication of nutrient burn so I keep it there. Aquashield a little less than directed. Going to move into an A/C room soon as it gets real hot here early on in summer.

Starting with 4 clones in a dwc/bubbleponics type setup. Its supposed to be an indica dominent hybrid called Grape/Ice I got from my wife's old uncle who works at a collective around me. Never heard of it but it looks good growing so far. Very nutrient tolerant. Recommended by a few people at the dispensery and so I figured its quicker than starting from seed and less male worries. I like the color and it is showing it's sex nicely with no signs of hermy'ing. Their clones, I know, but still.

Going to flower soon but my question to folks is how soon should I to avoid overgrowing my box? Got some bagseed seedlings growing outdoors one is from Humbolt O.G. xxx/crossed with what (got 2 seeds from this topshelp 1/8th I got a week ago and germinated 1). When these are done may move the one plant into the hydro setup, for now it's in soil with other's but labeled as half known genetics. Keep it in the box at night but move it outdoor for as long as there is direct sunlight.

Let me know what you think. I have read through several journal's and even gp420's fork strain thread and if that Humbolt OG/cross turns out female and good I am going to name it after his funny as half-assed of an incomplete grow. It showed me what I could do if I didn't listen to anyone and tried it on my own; therefor I sought out further knowledge on my own.

Here is the most recent pics.

Bump. Any thoughts on when I should switch to 12/12? The strain is called Grape/Ice and is local strain I believe to my area but I have no knowledge either growing or smoking it. Here are a couple of pages with pics from the dispensaries that sell this strain but detailed info is limited http://weedphotos.com/nugs/item/grape-ice , http://budgenius.com/Grape-Ice-CWCC-BG0010001EB20.html . Hopefully by the time this grow is finished I can flower my bagseed plants in the box.

Arghh, got some more nutrient burn. Mainly isolated to the older foliage, all newer growth looks clean. Changed out a couple of the hanging cfl's from 13w to 26w. Now all hanging match with 26w, 2000 lumen, 6500k spectrum. Changing out my water tommorow already prepping new water batch. Going to go no nutes for the first couple days to see how it does. Reservoir and roots are still cool. PH has been dropping a little had to up it to 5.8; seems stable now. All other signs look good. Add pics later.

Here's some seedlings mostly outdoors; trying some lst'ing.

Hey man you might wanna get your lights closer to your plants unless you like that bit of stretch. I'd wait until your net is about half way filled then flip to 12/12 but thats just me. The longer you veg the better

I know it looks it but they really haven't stretched that much. The stalks have gotten alot thicker and the net was haphazard and thrown in at the last minute. The lights are two inches above the uppermost foliage and I do get some heat stress up there. I am vegging another week from tomorrow for sure then playing it by ear from there (an exact month but I am adding a week for the plants to adjust to my setup). The net is acting more as the limit I want the side foliage to grow to which I have been lst'ing a few branches to fill in the unused spaces and adjusting the hangers to fill in some of the lower branches better and its working. Side branches pulled down are now twisting up towards the light in the unused space.

I am still tweaking my nute regimen but I noticed my ph was dropping so my growth slowed and probably had some nutrient lockout. But all is still good. I have been pinching the stalks and they have hardened and fattened where I have pinched. I don't snap them all the way but damn close.

Also I move the lights around for the photos and perspective isn't done very well. It's all done from my wife's ipad 2.

Update. Well things are bouncing back on my 4 girls. Got past the nutrient lock. Made some light adjustments and doing more lst'ing to get the lower branches some more light to better grow out the foliage. Roots are still awesome and I am getting some fresh growth from the netty basket not just in the reservoir. Got a new water source where the water ph is a perfect 6.0. I trimmed down some of the more heavily burnt/damaged foliage and am extending my veg time. I am now being alot more religious about ph control as the fox farm nutes seem to cause alot of ph fluctuations. Fine tuning is coming along. My main focus now is to limit upwards growth and wait for denser foliage till I flower (two weeks from, now fingers crossed).

My seedlings are doing well; pics included but I am not sure what will be culled do to sex/health whatever. Ones a keeper for sure which I successfully topped for the first time (thanx Rod), if its a male i will be so disappointed as it's got alot of vigor. All these seedlings were planted at the same time. Three have been culled so far and the 2 growing with Biggy are now companion plants to draw away predators till Biggy needs the space. I might grow him to term in soil but move him to my cab once this grow is done. The others in the pot by themselves seem nearly equals. My precious Humboldt xxx cross is being kept apart from the other random bagseeds. If all grow/goes well I will move both biggy and precious to my cab eventually for my first seedlings grow.

My brother is maybe going to try to get me a 150w or 250w hps to mount on top my box to enhance flowering. He was a grow master till he became domesticated but thankfully he and has been right by my side whenever I need some tips or info confirmation. I would love to open up a collective with him and my old ass hippy dad someday. Comments are welcome and yes I need better light just making do with what I have as best as I can for now.

Well tommorow another reservior change. After a week of semi stress they seem to really be bouncing back. They seem to like the upper ph range. 6.5 being their ideal. once it starts to drop below that growth slows and leaves start to yellow. My outdoor seedlings and my Precious and Biggie are doing fine. The one I topped (Biggie) is still growing, well, like a weed. The cheapo potting soil (well its some name brand) that I got from the 99 cents store works great. I thought of changing, but hey it works. I added a half teaspoon of my Fox farm big grow for my outdoor/indoor grow-water and will have to see how they take it. I know it's early for nutes but this is diluted light dose to ph'ed water and they're in 1 gallon planter pots. I didn't nute precious as she/he is a couple weeks behind the others. I think I will keep updates weekly from now on unless I got some major news/changes.

Well just ordered a 150w hps light by Sun Systems for about 90 bucks (thanx bro). Now a week from now I should be able to flower under better light. I got everything except a piece of tempered glass for the hole I plan to cut into the top of the box. Will post pics once I get everything together. I plan on pulling one of the clones (the weakest one) and transplant it to soil and stick it outside to flower. The other three are to strong and healthy and I know I am going to need more room in the box to maximize yield.

Here's some new pics. Moved a couple to separate pots; real windy right now so everything is indoors till the weather clears. Running out of room.

Got my 150w hps light today. Will mount permanently tomorrow. All is well. Yanked the drip system but left in the water pump for circulation. Used a splitter and added a second airstone. Seems to have helped. PH levels now stay much more balanced. The drip system was an algae maker. I anticipate these plants are now to big to fully flower in this space effectively and am working on getting family to help put together a second box on the cheap and move the hydro setup in there and the soil plants to the smaller box. I am looking at 4.5'x2.5'x2.5' in size. Anyways here is some pics.

Been flowering for little over a week now. Bud sites popping up. Plants look real healthy and strong. Added a second air pump. Brother is working on getting me a second box with the dimensions of 5'x3'x2.5'. The plants have been fm'ed the crap out of them to keep upwards growth slowed and tying down branches has helped but I barely have 6 inches left of upward growth room even with the cfl's gone.

Nutes now include full strength regimen of the powdered stuff I got with the my box not sure what it is but it seems to work great. I supplement with the fox farm big grow and tiger bloom. Outdoor seedlings are also doing well and appear to be showing sex but I need a better camera to get a decent set of close ups. Been volunteering at my collective trimming and thats been a great learning experience. Also gives me access to many variety of strains and help give me ideas what would work well for a micro gro. Blue Dream is one I would like to try out some day.

P.S. The string on the light isn't there for support that's for something else. I made it so the light won't drop in unless you really wanted to destroy everything.

Here is a few white light pics.

Looking nice man!
Hows ya temps goin with the hps vs the cfls?

baskarz said:

Looking nice man!
Hows ya temps goin with the hps vs the cfls?

Click to expand...

temps are great low eighties max, but when summer really hits I might have to add a window A/C. I have been following your grows looking nice.

Sweet as man!
Yeah summer could mess with ya temps, I think that was why my last couple went hermi cost of day temps around 40c for weeks on end... a/c will solve ya heat issues tho. Wish I could've had a/c during summer lol

Update. Plants are flowering nicely although my middle plant took a dive. Has some root rot the reservoir must've gotten a little warm as water was cloudy. Still I think I should get something from it once I put them in a bigger box. Will have to up frequency of reservoir changes. The other two on either side are strong and overgrowing the middle plant. Even my clone I threw outside to flower is just starting to show it's flowers but is way behind the hydro but at least its getting there. My other seedlings are doing well have topped almost all of them. Here's hoping for females; still no sex yet.

The box my bro and dad are putting together has gotten bigger than we first planned but that's cool. I will be saving up to get this light http://www.ebay.com/itm/Complete-GROW-LIGHT-w-BALLAST-HOOD-GLASS-LENS-BULB-400w-250w-HPS-MH-Kit-Lamp-/160719881445?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item6b1cf26465 . It will give me the option of going from 150w to 250w hps in the bigger box and 400w hps down the road if I so desire.

New pics. Plants went through some stress from heat I think. One is hanging strong but took some damage. One is going to go straight to the hash pile no matter what I get from it. And thankfully my best one is also the one that seems the most resilient. No apparent heat stress or otherwise buds are coming in fast and pretty, really long hairs. Surprisingly my clone I pulled and put in soil a couple weeks back is flowering; more slowly but its getting there. It was out in the sunshine but i had to put it inside so its hanging right outside the box open door getting plenty of light. It may work out that I will finish this grow in this box if they don't get to much closer to the light. To get my bigger cab set up right I need to go atleast 250w/400w light with some good cooling for the lamp to get optimal growth and density that hps lights can produce. I know now I won't get much but what i get should be good quality. Still boning up on tips and ideas. Got to get some molasses and start adding it to the reservoir. I think I might get a bloom booster when it gets close to the end. I am still using tiger bloom but have no idea how effective it is versus the powder stuff I am adding.

Coming along nicely bro! I had problems with heat stress with my last cab grow, went hermie on me but that strain seemed very touchy with stress and going herm. Urs should be fine tho mate, keep it up!
got my bubblegum clones on the weekend, they going well. Got one in my new cab in dwc bucket and another in soil in the PC case which will be my bonsai mother, hopefully

Plants are looking sweet! Should get some good results with the use of molasses.