What am I doing wrong?

F

Frogvenom

Member
:wall:Hello!

This is my first post and hopefully not my last. I have started to grow in my closet and am wondering what I am doing wrong...

My EQ is as follows

* 2 27 watt Daylight CFL's
* 2 23 watt Soft White Bulbs
* 1 Exhaust fan

I want to let you know I have done much research but I am having a really hard time with this initial learning curve. Also I choose CFL because it was all I could afford on my college student budget.

Thanks in advance!
 

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orzz

orzz

Well-Known Member
Frogvenom said:
:wall:Hello!

This is my first post and hopefully not my last. I have started to grow in my closet and am wondering what I am doing wrong...

My EQ is as follows

* 2 27 watt Daylight CFL's
* 2 23 watt Soft White Bulbs
* 1 Exhaust fan

I want to let you know I have done much research but I am having a really hard time with this initial learning curve. Also I choose CFL because it was all I could afford on my college student budget.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
What about a water schedule? and what is the pH? ppm? nutes?
Your plant looks good ...what is the problem?
I'll help as I can. Good luck.
 
F

Frogvenom

Member
orzz said:
What about a water schedule? and what is the pH? ppm? nutes?
Your plant looks good ...what is the problem?
I'll help as I can. Good luck.
Click to expand...
I water it whenever I feel the top is dry. I have never fertelized this plant (No added nutrients). My friend gave me everything and just said , turn it on 24/7 and go...
 
Lennard

Lennard

Well-Known Member
CFLs need to be closer to the plant to prevent it from stretching. Your going to need so many more CFLs to flower that right that its just cheaper to go to ebay and get a 400 watt hps system. I used CFL for my first grow too but HID lighting really makes that big of a difference and a difference that in turn pays for itself.
 
F

Frogvenom

Member
Lennard said:
CFLs need to be closer to the plant to prevent it from stretching. Your going to need so many more CFLs to flower that right that its just cheaper to go to ebay and get a 400 watt hps system. I used CFL for my first grow too but HID lighting really makes that big of a difference and a difference that in turn pays for itself.
Click to expand...
I would LOVE to use a HPS system but I cant swing the 200$. I am just trying to do with what I have or can purchase for a minimal price so any suggestions that will help me in my current situation I am in would be very much appreciated!


Thanks
 
orzz

orzz

Well-Known Member
Frog u r going to need to find out what the condition of your municipal water supply. You can usually find that info on the internet.
You could use a Brita system. PPM and pH is important to know. The tester's are around $70-$80 for the good ones. I use an Oaktron pH meter and a ppm meter.
 
driiifter

driiifter

Active Member
that plant looks like it needs nutes.

need a lot more CFLs closer to it, also. CFLs can be within inches of the plant. daylight and coolbulbs are effective because of blue spectrum light.

balanced PH also. good luck!
 
Ramen Shaman

Ramen Shaman

Well-Known Member
The advice has been given. I might suggest using mylar on the walls to help the plant get all the light it can. Go get a roll of shiny mylar wrapping paper from the Dollar Store. Add that to the walls, and you'll most likely see the results. But remember to keep the lights close, and buy more CFL's whenever you have the chance. Get 'em at Lowes, or Home De Pot. And thank you for having such correct grammar. While it's not rare, it's appreciated. Keep on tokin'!
 
LAX Skunky BwS

LAX Skunky BwS

Well-Known Member
if your soil is a soiless mix then u need nutes... make sure your PH is at 6.5-7.0 to prevent nute lock up and u dont want that
 
Chiceh

Chiceh

Global Mod, Stoner Chic
Frogvenom said:
I water it whenever I feel the top is dry. I have never fertelized this plant (No added nutrients). My friend gave me everything and just said , turn it on 24/7 and go...
Click to expand...
You should water when it needs it. Just the top can be dry but the bottom can be soaking wet. I check from the bottom for moisture and watch for the signs from the plant when to water. The leaves get a bit lighter, the pots are lighter to pick up. Over watering can harm the plant as can underwatering.
As for the nutes, that plant could use some now. :mrgreen::peace:
 
Night Claptoman

Night Claptoman

Well-Known Member
like everyone else said - get the lights closer. you can use higher wattage bulbs go get more effective.
what Kelvin is the soft white? (2700K, 4500k, 6700K etc)

you'll need more light to flower unless you get it to flower about now, which is possible.
BUT
your yield will be low. a mere few grams. but getting it bigger will make you get much more light and nutes.
if you do flower it now you'll only need flowering nutes, which will save you up a few bucks on veg nutes and such.

I'd say flower it up (turn the timer of the lights to 12/12).
You might need another 2 bulbs of 2700K color with about 45W rating so it will actually produce something worthy.


you could use tap water that sat for 24 hours to grow it but using water with a ph of around 6.5-6.8 is more efficient.



as for air movement - you will need some air intake. i'd recommand a hole in the bottom part to act as a passive air intake.
the outtake fan should be positioned as high as possible and a small fan (PC fan will do) positioned near the bottom of the plant moving air up and shaking the herb a bit.



if you wanna go a bit more hardcore and aim for more yield get just a bit high Nitrogen nute, feed your starving plant (actually even 5 bucks slow realese fertilizer sold in gardening stores will do but you will need to repot it) and train it up.
you do that by tying a lightweight thread to the stem and tie it to the pot bending the stem.
that way the bottom part of the plant gets more light.
you can grow the plant bigger and flower it with about the same emount of light which will give you higher yield.

if you wanna increase yield just a bit you can grow it for another week or so and top it to encourage growth of 2 main colas and stunning the upper growth encouraging lower growth.
 
F

Frogvenom

Member
Night Claptoman said:
like everyone else said - get the lights closer. you can use higher wattage bulbs go get more effective.
what Kelvin is the soft white? (2700K, 4500k, 6700K etc)

you'll need more light to flower unless you get it to flower about now, which is possible.
BUT
your yield will be low. a mere few grams. but getting it bigger will make you get much more light and nutes.
if you do flower it now you'll only need flowering nutes, which will save you up a few bucks on veg nutes and such.

I'd say flower it up (turn the timer of the lights to 12/12).
You might need another 2 bulbs of 2700K color with about 45W rating so it will actually produce something worthy.


you could use tap water that sat for 24 hours to grow it but using water with a ph of around 6.5-6.8 is more efficient.



as for air movement - you will need some air intake. i'd recommand a hole in the bottom part to act as a passive air intake.
the outtake fan should be positioned as high as possible and a small fan (PC fan will do) positioned near the bottom of the plant moving air up and shaking the herb a bit.



if you wanna go a bit more hardcore and aim for more yield get just a bit high Nitrogen nute, feed your starving plant (actually even 5 bucks slow realese fertilizer sold in gardening stores will do but you will need to repot it) and train it up.
you do that by tying a lightweight thread to the stem and tie it to the pot bending the stem.
that way the bottom part of the plant gets more light.
you can grow the plant bigger and flower it with about the same emount of light which will give you higher yield.

if you wanna increase yield just a bit you can grow it for another week or so and top it to encourage growth of 2 main colas and stunning the upper growth encouraging lower growth.
Click to expand...
So you think flowering right now is a good option? it is only about 5-6 inches tall.... I will coat the walls with the "mylar knockoff" and give the plant some nutrients as well as move the light closer, and we will see what happens. BTW the lights are on 24/7 right now. Thanks and comments are still wanted if you feel something needs to be said!
 
orzz

orzz

Well-Known Member
Frogvenom said:
So you think flowering right now is a good option? it is only about 5-6 inches tall.... I will coat the walls with the "mylar knockoff" and give the plant some nutrients as well as move the light closer, and we will see what happens. BTW the lights are on 24/7 right now. Thanks and comments are still wanted if you feel something needs to be said!
Click to expand...
I would let it get bigger before flowering. That way you could get some clones. Clones are much easier and the grow goes quicker than with seeds.
good luck.
 
theloadeddragon

theloadeddragon

Well-Known Member
way overfertilized it, and its too late to flush. Its not too late to start over... and a simple solution to all of your lighting problems is: Put it outside.
 
S

seadog

Active Member
Buget growing....for what it's worth

when I first started I managed to pick up an old sun tanning unit. It was about 6' long x about 2' wide and had 5 sun tan tubes with it. I took out the reflector and the tubes, fitted hanging hooks to the ceiling, fitted 5 cool white tubes and hung my setup.....put in my babies and let it go. When my plants had got to the hight that I wanted I turned the timer to 12/12 took down my reflector, changed the tubes to warm white, and re-hung, and flowered them out.

The benifit to this is it was cheep to run and set up, the tubes were about £5 each, and it all worked off a three pin plug, so with an R C D fitted you are safe.......you wont get pounds from it but enough to keep you and your friends happy
 
Madhadda

Madhadda

Well-Known Member
Without reading what others posted becausei m lazy, heres my input.

Youre doing good so far. Try and get a bigger pot. Like a 5 gal bucket. (2.50 at home depot) and soil is like 5 a bag.. you'll need 2.

$15 total.

Also, get those CFLs on their Side, above the plant :D. Other than that, i could recommend topping.

Good job, keep the good work up .
 
mattyblade1

mattyblade1

Well-Known Member
you need a 250w/400w HPS light, I know you said you are on a budget but thats what you need... If you can get one put your light way closer to the plant
 
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