Trying indoor CFL and dirt. Great Googly Moogly. Pics from the first week.

25 gallon bin had a huge crack in the side and would never hold anything. Used a slightly smaller (10-12gal maybe) bin instead. It fits better in the box anyway. They started to show a little bit of what I think is nute burn so I flushed them a bit yesterday. They're kinda droopy. Any thoughts on that? I mean they're growing pretty fast still, lots of new growth but they're just not seeming as perky as they were a few days ago.



That's yesterday. I'll get today's later. I'm tired as a hooker after nickel night. Gunna take a nap.

Pics from this morning. They're a little droopy. Probably a little shock from the transplant.

On the upside the big one (the only one that's been big enough for it) has responded incredibly well to super-cropping. I've pinched each of the grow tips (keep in mind I'm learning this on the fly) and lain them over and they're all now sporting nice thickened scar sections on the pinch sites (nice rigid branches) and have each shot off a new shoot. There are the appropriate new budding sites too which is super cool. It's way easier than I thought it might be. I even made a tool for it.





Cmon' guys. I'm trying to take the advice you give me so keep giving it. Let me know if I'm screwing the pooch.

You'll also notice a maglite in frame.

I was doing a test on a single leaf to see what sort of reaction I'd get to leaving a mag-lite LED humming at 1" from the leaf.

Result? I gotta get some proper lights. This cheap azzing it just isn't going to fly. Much like everything, I'll have to save some cash up and build a proper room.

The hell of it is I bought a house 2 years ago that had the garage converted into an apartment with 2 rooms. I stupidly de-converted it. That would have been the ultimate grow room.

When do I or should I top this thing? Should I be topping it at the grow tips on the lower branches since they face and grow upward now thanks to super-cropping?

I'm probably not the best person to give you advice as I'm relatively new to this, but I'm really interested in seeing how your grow goes, so I'll probably be lurking. Just wanted to say hi and wish you good luck.

Thanks. Picking up a couple more light fixtures and a timer today. Going to go for 14 lights, let that ride for another week at least and then we'll see about taking them to flower.

Said screw it with the low LUX factor. Going to a hybrid light system. CFL + 150W HPS. I'm going to move the CFL's to the rim of the bin and put the HPS up top. I also picked up a light timer. You can't even find them at Home Despot/Lowe's/OSH but the local hydroponic store had everything and a guy behind the counter that knew his shizzle. Got the timer and the light kit for 100 out the door. Their prices were kinda high on a lot of things but "the skillz" being had by the employees is worth the extra.

He also told me it looks like the plants are a bit over watered and that they'd perk back up if I stopped watering them. So, I won't water them so much. In the bin I'm using I can probably get away with once every several days.

Light fixture came with everything, hooks, chain, bulb, fixture w/ ballast, blah




What kind of yeild results am I looking at now? How does this affect the overall size of the plants? ie, figure they're going to go nanners getting tall and wide and then burst the box during flower, or just better overall by a little and I'm still ok on container (if a bit tight).

That's a good deal, you got there.

hey whats goin on...im subbed...cant wait to c how it works out for u..good luck brother

Ya the guy at the store was most likely right about the over watering. When I did my first soil grow I had the same issue. I stopped watering them and they perked back up. When it comes to certain things more is better, to a degree. But water never is in soil. You were smart getting that light. Good idea on the CFL's on the outside. Use them for supplemental lighting. Side lighting. When it comes to lighting more is better, again to a degree. You should read more on lighting. That way you can learn all you can on the subject. You can learn a lot about growing from reading, but I believe you learn more from doing after you read. Its like school. First you read from a text book. Then you go to the lab to learn from hands on reality and experiments. This site is a great way to read if you have the time.

Well you wont have any regrets with the HID system, even if it is lower wattage. Once people make the switch they never look back. Just try to keep your plants trained by using topping/lst/super cropping. Personally I like to top them then tie down the new shoots, and you will end up with some nice bushy plants. Good luck.

topped em last night. Got the HPS mounted and side light setup done.

Pardon the lines in the pics, the pulse of the HPS messes with the CMOS in my phone camera something fierce.

HPS light



side lighting



embiggenated fan opening to bleed off the extra heat from the HPS



the old small vent hole ... couldn't handle the heat from the HPS.


plant close-up


the biggest thing for me really is the light timer. I know that thing will pay for itself just in me not having to remember to turn them off or on.

Another upside, embiggenating the hole for the fan made is way breezier in the box. the plants are seeing some swaying action now, hopefully that will LST them a bit.

So, when do I take them to flower? 2 more weeks? 3 more? 1 guy said do it now, and seeing how much growth there is post 12/12 switch I'm inclined to thing they may have been right. I don't want to short change the yeild though... there's so little leaf on them right now I just don't want them to lack the energy to build big buds for lack of light processing capacity. Thoughts?

oh.. and being a sort of renaissance man (shit I spelled that right the first time) I do have a few other hobbies. While building the grow op I'm also getting back into making knives.

Here's one I just did for a buddy who's goin' hunting with me in a few weeks. His 2nd big hunt so he's getting a proper knife. Sort of a coming of age / welcome to manhood present.


It's damascus 1095 + 15N20 steel with acid etched blade, the handles are exhibition grade amboyna burl with hand rubbed linseed oil finish (still working on the finish, takes days, literally).

To answer the question I get most, yes I do make them for other people. No it's a hobby, not a business. i tend to lose a few bucks on each one. Yes, i'll make one for you but it'll take a few weeks to a few months depending on what you want. Something just like the one above is $300 minimum plus shipping. The materials cost me very nearly 300 bucks so I'm not doing it for money, just to keep the hands busy.

Today. They've perked up a tad. Growth continues even if they're still a tad droopy. The soil continues to dry out but is still quite moist. The fan is helping and it's drying out nice and evenly. With all the water in play and with the lights running 18/6 instead of 24/0 there's a lot of room for mold to find a way to start so I've hit the plant and spoil with a anti-fungal to make sure nothing gets started.

Some fan leaves are a little yellow but I'm calling that transplant shock. If I should be doing something else, LMK.

whats the temps? she is looking unhappy.

65 at night up to 81-85 during peak daylight. perhaps I'll cut off some of the cfl's for a bit. thoughts

r3dn3ck said:

65 at night up to 81-85 during peak daylight. perhaps I'll cut off some of the cfl's for a bit. thoughts

Click to expand...

definatly bring the temps down, and make sure you let it dry pretty good before you water again. She will perk back up.

I've killed half the CFL's for now. That'll keep the temps down a bit, also bumped the fan up a setting.

I feel like they're dying. I'm just feeling that I'm going to end up pulling them up and trying again. All six kinds of anxious over this. Can't afford to keep blowing cash to only end up worse off each time.

Well here is my advice. That plant will live, you just have to get it into an environment that is healthy for it to grow. I would first get some good soil like fox farm, then I would transplant into a bigger container. Then I would concentrate on getting the right amount of light going witout the plant getting too hot. Water when the soil is dry when you put your finger at least 2" into the pot. Your plant looks like it wants to live but is stunted by something either the pot is too small, the soil is bad, the soil is too wet or its just too hot where your growing. good luck

after consulting a helpful chap at my local club and a couple pages about the subject I think I'm in pH induced nute lock.

I'll be grabbing a pH tester and some distilled water on the way home. Give it a good dousing with a lower pH and give it a few days. If it doesn't die outright and that doesn't help I'll switch soils. That's a big and pretty traumatic step.

It appears that the specific brand of nute lock I'm dealing with appears that it's likely a pH induced zinc deficiency (inter-veinal banding on the affected leaves, no splotches). This is something I think I can deal with. I was told a few drops of vinegar in a gallon of distilled water should probably knock the acidity down. In any case, I'll be testing it. I'm under the understanding that I should set up at 5.8 with the flush and from then on. Confirm/Deny?