My First Attempt....

[skmaduev]

Hi folks

Well hear goes....

I am looking for any advice and help any friends may think I would benefit from.....

I have just bought all my kit and am about to start my first grow..

Kit List
a) Easy 2-Grow Pot System (with added 2 pots) Is gravity fed (with 1 x aquavalve for each 2 pot tray) from 47ltr tank..Pots each are 8.5 ltr volume.
b) Gold growing medium (a mix of perlite and fine grade vermiculite).
c) Hydroponicum general purpose liquid feed.
d) Powerplant MH superveg 600w for vegetative.
e) Sylvania GroLux 600w for flowering.
f) Root Riot 2" Rockwool propagation/germination cubes
g) 9" Oscillating Fan
h) Grow room is bedroom cupboard approx 4 x 3 x 6ft (painted completely with matt white emulsion)
i) I will be buying 100mm extraction system with carbon filter in the very near future.
j) Ph testing kit.
k) Pack of 10 Super Skunk feminised seeds (Sensi Seed).

OK!.....

So far i have placed 4 rockwool cubes (pre-soaked) on a plate and cut 1/4" holes in which I have placed a seed in each and then used a corner off each cube to cover top of hole....i have then covered plate with a plastic bowl and wrapped in a towel to shut out light (this was done last night approx 16.00 GMT)...I had placed on livingroom floor with a small spotlight close to provide small amount of heat, about 5 minutes ago I moved to above my gas fire with fire set on low (I'm guessing this would be roughly equivalent to a heat-mat as is warm to the touch but no more....Firstly when do I know if seeds have germinated? Once I am sure they have my second important question is how much growing medium do I place in 8.5ltr pots and where do I place the rockwool cubes?....ie at bottom of pot and cover with grow med or fill with grow med and place cubes just below surface? I have many more questions as this is my first grow (gotta say I'm excited!) but will take it one step at a time.....

All and any advice at this point would be greatly appreciated as I really want to succeed with this as I'm sick of paying extortionate prices from rip-off merchants for green when I think I could do better myself (and save a small fortune!).

Many thanks in advance!!! :guitar:

p.s. my tap water Ph is 6.2 so I think this should be fine when mixing with feed when transfering seedlings to hydro system?

(Special thanks to HIE and LF!)

 

[nouvellechef]

What is a 100mm extraction system, sounds high tech?

Is that growlux bulb for flowering and packing at least 60K lumens?

You need a digi tester, forget the kit.

Does that nutrient line have a schedule? For a 1st run a schedule could make a world of difference.

GL and get some pics up as you go

 

[skmaduev]

Hi m8 extraction system just 1 x fan, 1 x carbon filter and coupla lengths of 100mm flexible ducting..nothing technical about it yeh the feed has a schedule but after some good advice I'm swapping to a more specific canna feed, and finally yep the GrowLux is a HPS 600w specifically for flowering, Im going to start my journal in the next few days so we can all compare notes and help each other out.

You mentioned using a Co2 system (apparently it turbo-boosts plant growth), since my grow cupboard is smaller and for specifically four plants I'm going to go down the cheapy route....(2 x 2ltr plastic bottles with small holes punched in lids containing small quantities of sugar and dried active yeast and then filled up with plain old tap water.....you just simply give them a couple of days for the chemical reactions to kick in and then..hey presto! instant Co2 generation) You just have to remember and give them a shake up one or two times a day to excite the mixture, oh yeah! anremember and provide some kind of circulation....I'm just going to be using a 9" oscillating desk fan for that for the foreseeable future as I am using a relatively small-scale setup.

Can anyone give me a rough idea how far I should hang my light from the pots to start with and is their a general rule of thumb for distance from light to plant as it grows? Also I need tips on light cycle times for vegging and flowering......any help most appreciated!

skm...

 

[skmaduev]

From now on I'm going to stick to this forum for most of my posts as I dont want to splash the same posts over 2 or 3 different forum topics....I'm night-shift tonight but I will try and start my journal tomorrow with some pics of my setup as I am installing the hydro system, light etc tomorrow in my little cupboard of love...lol!

kind regards to my brothers and sisters-in-arms
skm...

ps I just pray to the fertility gods my 4 seeds germinate first time!

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

You mentioned using a Co2 system (apparently it turbo-boosts plant growth), since my grow cupboard is smaller and for specifically four plants I'm going to go down the cheapy route....(2 x 2ltr plastic bottles with small holes punched in lids containing small quantities of sugar and dried active yeast and then filled up with plain old tap water.....you just simply give them a couple of days for the chemical reactions to kick in and then..hey presto! instant Co2 generation) You just have to remember and give them a shake up one or two times a day to excite the mixture, oh yeah! anremember and provide some kind of circulation....I'm just going to be using a 9" oscillating desk fan for that for the foreseeable future as I am using a relatively small-scale setup.

Forget this--it does not work or help and IMO, is simply a waste of time effort and money. CO2 has to be regulated (1200-1500 PPMs) and monitored (plus a bunch of other conditions have to be met) for it to be of any benefit and this takes some expensive equipment. Exchange the air in your closet 3-4 times a minute and you will have plenty of CO2 for your grow. You are, however, going to need far more ventilation than a 9" desk fan. How large (how many cfms) is the fan you are going to get? You are probably going to need some serious ventilation to keep the 600W cool.

 

[nouvellechef]

24 or 18 veg and 12/12 for flower. I never said anything about CO2. Woul rather see air exchanged for small grow. What is the cfm of your fan? Oh and I would get a digi ph/ppm tester, gonna save yourself alot of heartache. I'm willing to bet ALOT of other members will 2nd a solid and accurate way to test your solution. Sounds like your well on you way.

 

[legalize_freedom]

is your light reflector air cooled? if so you can get it right down to 8 to 10 inches away, if it's not you should probably go with 18" to start and then move closer. USE THIS FOR ESTABLISHED PLANTS.

I just remembered you were starting seeds. if you are going to use your HID (600w) for your seedlings you are going to want to keep it a good distance away at first at least 2 ft, maybe 3, and gradually move it closer. I would recomend using a floro for seedlings if you have one, and then moving it under the HID once they have their first set of true leaves. If you don't have a floro to use, then I would keep the HID at least 2-2 1/2 ft away.

Good call on getting a different nute line! what are you going to get? I'm not saying there is anything wrong with what they gave ya, but I do know that it is not one of the more popular brands, and so is therefore not designed for cannabis

 

[HippyInEngland]

Skmaduev.

Are you seeing that it is not as easy as germinating a seed and letting it grow?

Once you get your head around the basics, the rest will slowly fit into place

You will also notice the amount of help people are willing to freely give.

I'ts a bit mind boggling at first.

You joined the correct place.

eace:

 

[skmaduev]

sorry NC m8 Co2 was a reply on the hydro room post I made then subsequently deleted so as to concentrate in this room, thanks for the exposure time advice bud, THG I hear you sister on the Co2 and I know its tricky to control levels but I want to experiment as I have back-up seeds if it all goes pete tong....Im catalogueing each stage down to the finest detail so I might or might not try it....if not this time defo next .

LF negative m8 reflector is not air cooled and no fluero lights so tyvm for the distance guides (very important info) and fan is 760cfm m8 which I think is not too far off for the size im growing in?

best regards
skm...

 

[skmaduev]

Last Q for the meantime....I'm like a sponge when it comes to this, I think ive found my calling !!! should i run fan constantly during light periods of have it in regulated bursts? also is their a general optimum temp. or is it dependent on strain, grow room size, no. of plants etc?

skm...

 

[HippyInEngland]

Fan constant, this makes the seedlings stem grow strong.

What happens is the stem gets tiny rips in its surface and while the plant repairs itself this causes the stem to strengthen.

The ideal temperature for the light hours is approx 68 to 78 degrees fahrenheit and for the dark hours there should be about a 15 degree drop in temperature.

eace:

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

sorry NC m8 Co2 was a reply on the hydro room post I made then subsequently deleted so as to concentrate in this room, thanks for the exposure time advice bud, THG I hear you sister on the Co2 and I know its tricky to control levels but I want to experiment as I have back-up seeds if it all goes pete tong....Im catalogueing each stage down to the finest detail so I might or might not try it....if not this time defo next .

LF negative m8 reflector is not air cooled and no fluero lights so tyvm for the distance guides (very important info) and fan is 760cfm m8 which I think is not too far off for the size im growing in?

best regards
skm...

It is not that it is tricky to control the CO2 levels--it is impossible if you do not have the correct equipment and grow room set up. It won't kill your seeds, it is just a waste of everything. I would suggest spending the money on an air cooled reflector. This will help out FAR more than some kind of homemade CO2 system. Some things are worth experimenting with--this is not. You are going to have plenty to learn and experiment with. IMO, it is silly to experiment with things that have been PROVEN to not work.

 

[skmaduev]

I think you just need to chillaxe, im gonna do the CO2 thing and I bet I get monster plants...why you so anti about it.....?

 

[zem]

skmaduev the sugar yeast way is not that effective since you would need too much sugar and yeast to make it effective and then it will be too costly, try look up the amounts you need i looked into it before simply a small 2L bottle will not do any difference and if you get monster plants i bet it wouldnt be the CO2 effect from that bottle, however you can still do it you'll get good amount of alcohol from it

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I think you just need to chillaxe, im gonna do the CO2 thing and I bet I get monster plants...why you so anti about it.....?

I don't need to chill. I am so anti about it because IT DOES NOT WORK! Why do you even ask if you do not care to take the advise you have been given. If you did any kind of research at all, you would know this. But, don't listen to any of us that have been growing since you were in diapers, you obviously know better, just go do your own thing.

If you get monster plants it will have nothing to do with mixing sugar and yeast in a 2 liter bottle.

 

[nouvellechef]

She's right dude, listen up if you want giant nugs. I hate being told
what to do, but I listened the 2nd go around and, well pics talk. Holla
with other questions. I will subscribe.

 

[Krazeydays]

In this small of a room and with constent air circulating your plants will not benefit from a dyi set up of this scale.
To benefit from co2 you need between 7,500-10,000 lumens per. QF. and co2 @ 1000-1500ppm so with this said you would just wasting your time. Just a thought and my opinion .