Thoughts on my micro grow?

I am posting a video on YouTube. This video is of my micro grow in a box I have retrofitted with lights, intake holes for fresh air and a pc fan working as an exhaust. The Box is 2 and a half sq foot. This box is also 3 and a half to four foot tall.

The box details. At the bottom I have 4 intake holes about half an inch wide, drilled on opposing sides of the box. I also have holes near the lights so that it works as a cooling system for those as well. The heat that comes from the exhaust is pretty satisfying. My soil normally dries up within a day or so after I water them with a spritzer.

Soil: For the Soil I am using simple industrial grade soil with Styrofoam as well as added coffee grounds.Will be Added to the soil as needed.

I have in MY BOX: 3 24watt Cfls ranging at 6500k with a lumen output of 1600 each, an additional 18 watt 6500k bulb (outputting 1300 or so Lmns), with a final huge Cfl bulb rated at 54watts outputting 3800 lumens.

Total Wattage: 144 watts
Total Lumens: 4,800+1300+3800=9,900 lumens.

I am aware that I may need more light, also something I am here for advice on.

I am trying to grow medical marijuana for personal use only. I am looking for tips and additional techniques, suggestions on soil and nutrients, changing wattage, or environment; but as this is a personal grow I would like it to be a feasible(money wise) as possible. I am looking to grow more with A HID Or better CFl system soon. Specifically What I am looking for are suggestions about maximizing my bud in a micro grow and outside of this(at a later date).

Once My plants grow I am planning on making a mother. Oh by the way I had forgotten almost the most important part the plants that I have now are from a strain I had a while ago; It was some damn good Trainwreck. I was lucky to get the seeds.

ANyway Peace & Pot.

Thanks!~~


Youtube Vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHZuaNMt75E


Oh and PS I plan on purchasing Mylar and the three step PH perfect Nutrients from AN, Ideas about that?

hey guy

ok from the looks of it u have a basi idea but i see a few things u can change around

1 u have a 2700k bulb going in the film that yellow looking light .........take it out put in a daylight bright one 6500k
2 u need to have a intake fan the upper holes for the exhust will work ..........the air in the box need replacing u need a powered fan ( the air in the box only moves with heat now so it will get stale if u place a 2 6 volt computer fans at the bottom u will have a better evo for the plants )........u can see how to wire them on utube
3 u have mutli plants in one planter ...............this is a bad idea unless u are using a megagrow hydro system ( u want to move the plants to there own soil bags (amazon and type in smart soil bags)
4.. your soil if u can spring for fox farm ocean forest (works great for me) it is all mixed up for growing weed
5...as for feed line AH is good but that is mostly ment for Hydro systems since ( look into the GO BOX on amazon ....it is a one buy complete organic feed system with plan on side for u to fallow ........under your lights as they stand u should get aleast 1 oz per plant from this feed)


6 ...........they are making new verison of LED lights that go into regural sockets ............look around see if u can find some for yourself they will improve your lumen output and decrease on the heat ...........(i started with cfls as u increase the number of cfls to handle the bush the heat factor goes up mutli jump to a point it is not worth it .....save yourself from having a bag of 30cfls move to a LED light ) .............just make sure u look to see if they are grow or flower LED most i am seeing are marketed to flowering

7..........u are growing photo plants this means u are incharge of the light time (grow 18/6 flower 12/12) and light waves .........since this is a micro grow u have to watch it ......meaning when in the grow stage the plant is about 1/3 maybe little more of the total height u can grow.....move it to the flowering stage becuase it will strech up 1/2 to 2/3 it size depends on strain ...........factor in the height of the lights and the plant needs to be atleast 3 inches away (can get with 2 and half but extra to be safe)

8.......i am personally byist to strains i love autoflowering plants .............u might want to look into them since they are short in height by gentics and the turn around from seed to smoke is 72-97 days ..........i am working with some strains that can make upwards to 400-450 grams ....others are targeted around 120 grams

ps
to save u head ache ............u really should order yourself some pipettes for feeding ................1 ml and 3mls...............if u are growing alot get the 500 count each

justugh said:

hey guy

8.......i am personally byist to strains i love autoflowering plants .............u might want to look into them since they are short in height by gentics and the turn around from seed to smoke is 72-97 days ..........i am working with some strains that can make upwards to 400-450 grams ....others are targeted around 120 grams

Click to expand...

care to share what auto strain produces 400 grams? and what seedbank did you get it at?

EGrower said:

care to share what auto strain produces 400 grams? and what seedbank did you get it at?

Click to expand...

i always use Attitude SeedBank due to there policy of getting u the seeds (u have to pay extra for this but worth it when ordering 300 bucks in seeds)

as for the strains
Biodiesel mass by Advance seeds..............always a frosty plant i am getting 7 oz currently from a 5 gallon bag (working exps to dail it in )
Berry Bomb by Bomb seeds...............new ones for me
THC Bomb by Bomb seeds...................ditto
Auto Berry Diesel by advance seeds......ditto
Ultra Lemon Haze by auto seed............frist time running it ment to be a 90 day plant got it in 7 gallons of soil
350-450 grams is what the maximum possible yeild can be once u dail in what the plant wants and need plus your skills

those are the ones i found i got some other but the strain failed to sprout on 3 of the 5 seeds so sending them back

ps
u can click the auto flowering strain on attitude page and the ones i listed are off the frist page so click on the one then hit the back button to see anouther one

i am working my way down the list find the strains i like and the one my ppl like then plan to order a mass amount once a year
and all the THC counts on those are 14% or higher so they are NUGS on the market by set values

the majority of autos arent worth the space.

We like auto's for outdoor grows as our summer is limited and often does not have enough hot weather in October to finish, so with auto's we can harvest by September
Dr. Jekyll

Auto's have seldom impressed us, yes we have seen great yields, but the quality has never been top shelf
Mr. Hyde

just doing tha math a auto plant is the money maker

the life span is short 2 months
since u do not need to do that 12/12 time in a month time a auto flowering plant gets 50 days worth of 12/12 in 30days time running on a steady 20/4 time the whole way out

and as for size and all that
this is a auto i messed up the feed for 1 plant 4x4x6 tent the whole damn thing .........all the details are there for someone else to copy it with any strain of plant

I appreciate your quick Input. I have a few questions for this grow inperticular. I Am wondering if I will be able to have enough space in there for more than 2 plants? I was thinking of taking them when they are a little more mature(as you said) and putting them in their own individual planter. With a better soil mixture, for the mixture you were mentioning how much does it range price wise?

I already have 2, 6V PC Fans hooked up and spliced with usb chords/chargers. Air flow could be better, Will work on in the future probably when I add addtional lighting and switch the seedlings to their own medium, again any other suggestions for this?

Don't get me wrong. I love auto-flowering plants. I have grown a few before as well. I am also curious about your advice with replacing that 2500k bulb. I have read in several places that having a broad spectrum for plants is an optimal situation, I have as close to 10,000 footcandles/lumens as possible as the second(9,900lmns). I am probably going to include another 6500k bulb though, off of amazon. Local Depot Stores have almost nothing I need. If i was to use a LED to my system I wouldnt spend more than 150 dollars on it. Which is why I had not purchased one yet.

Thanks again mate,

B.

i knew that would be a issuse about the led

i had this saved for that ..............the cost effectiveness of the LED
the avg life is 50,000 hours with u running a 20/4 that is 2,500 days that is 6.8 years .......6.8 years every singal day that is 82 months that makes autos growing 41 times (2 month per grow)

your right about the multi spec but u have the it reversed ..........it is during the flowering of auto flower the blue light helps thicken the buds up


as for how many u could do 2 in that set up if they are small 1 if it is a big busher type

With the LED Systems, what would you recommend the Blue and reddish light system or 6500k? If I wanted to get more than a few ounces from these two plants how much more light would they need? I am thinking around another 100watts would suffice.

honestly i am one of those loves overkill (in most all my projects i do this in most areas)

depending on the strain u run ...........i look into those UFO lights (working on a buddys grow with him) we figured out that with 2 of those 100-180 watts would be a decent amount of lumens vs the power cost to bud output ...........we are going to try to angle them from the coners and get a cross thing going on vs hanging them vertical over it

that should increase the yeilds .......i am thinking about getting 3 or 4 for my tents

as for types u still need one of both ............grow and flower (this will cover u like me i have 600 mh and 600 hps in same tent ) this is how i got my 7 oz from biodiesel mass

ps.......i have not finished all my work on this what i do know is BlackStar and BlackDog are the 2 top rep led markers
2nd thing is the light waves they admit are a formula and each one is pattened
3 some of them do admit UV lights (this can be a good thing forces plant to make resin to protect cell walls) but it can also blind u over time so double check the design of what ever u get and if it does have UV light invest in some Growroom glasses they are designed to block the UV and allow u to look/work in there for a short time


i have 2 apollo ballast they good i sawl this as i was flipping around ..............this bad boy
this should do everything u want

Do you have an idea of the the lumen output of that Apollo series led, the 180W. It is said to only draw 108w on the amazon description.

If your looking into led lights please read up in the led section on this board. Those UFO lights are not the best. Most stuff you see on amazon (led) is not going to be a good investment. Led is a great way to go but you have to spend money and can't cut corners. For your space look at Hans led. Ditch the cfl, you need to many to have a successful flower and they will put out to much heat.

I know that I would need to spend a great deal of money for a led system that works. It is just not feesable at this time. I hardly think using cfls will effect if my plants flower or not.

Just wanted to stop in and say good luck!! But mainly just wanted to get on you about your filming vertical with your iphone. Please never do that again, learn to shoot video and pictures landscape (horizontal).

That is all.

DirtyJerzey said:

Just wanted to stop in and say good luck!! But mainly just wanted to get on you about your filming vertical with your iphone. Please never do that again, learn to shoot video and pictures landscape (horizontal).

That is all.

Click to expand...

I have a Galaxy S3

Not saying it would effect if your plants flower or not just saying CFL do not typically produce big or dense buds. I know there are plenty of guys here who will argue that and they run 10-15 CFL and constantly moving then around to keep them 2" from their plants. Just saying check out something besides that UFO....like the http://www.bonsaihero.com/ledgrow.html / $240.00

Do you know of anyone who has purchased one of these? Pictures Please. How do I know these are legit, because they look homemade to be honest. Details. I am definitely considering this though...if it's legitimate. Also the only method of payment is Paypal, how do i know im not going to get scammed? Not being a downer just being cautious.

Thanks guys, I would like to keep this post going.

Go to the led section of this forum. You can read about this light and see peoples grow journals. I just made the switch from 400 hps to Area 51 led. It cost $500 and is supposed to be as good as the hps and half the power. I personally don't know anyone using that light but they are legit based on everything I read. When I bought my light from Area 51 (based in us) it was same deal I used credit card but transaction went through PayPal.

I would love to do a LED Grow when I am done this one. Like I said I am looking for both advice on this grow and future ones . When Summer Comes around I am hoping to get some clones out in the Sun. I want to experiment more than anything with this grow. By the way thank you guys for all the support and your two-cents. Day 12 and things are looking good. I just got back from a trip and my shining star has already started on her third set of leafs.