Need Some Start Up Advice Please

[mercerc]

Hello All,

While I've never posted, however, I've been reading your journals. After receiving my medical card, I decided it was time to pursue the hobby. So, here is the set ups I have purchased so far.

Recently, I purchased the Bubbleponics system with the the Multispectrum Lights; one 30K Spiral, one 41K Spiral and one 50K Tube style bulb (15,000 Lumens). [pictures 1 and 2] This comes with an 8 gallon res.

Additionally, I purchased a Grow Cabinet (17 1/2"x25 1/2"x35 1/2") from Craigslist that has a T5 Florescent strip in it. This comes with a 5 gallon res. [picutres 3 & 4]

I also built a Grow Room (3ft.x4ft.x5ft.) under my stairs. The room was constructed with a 3/4" PVC frame and wrapped in panda plastic. I bought two bathroom fans (50 cfm), one to push air into the room and one to push air out. Additionally, the room has a fan to mix the air up inside the room. [picture 5,6,7,8]

Initially, I was going to use the room under the stairs as a veg room and build another flowering room. However, after finding the cabinet for a low price on CL, I altered my intent. My new intentions are to use the cabinet as a veg room with the built in hydro system and the under the stairs room as the flowering room with the bubbleponics system.

My primary concern is the amount of space available for flowering in the bubbleponics system. Others have noted that it becomes too crowded to grow 6 plants in this system. So, what are my solutions to the over crowding? Should I remove the plants from the hydro and put them into large soil pots?

Also, do you think my setup looks okay? Any suggestions? Any recommendations for a cloning station?

Thank you for any input and I look forward to posting a journal after I hear all of your input.

My apologies for the quality, these pics were taking from my phone.
Picture 1: Full Bubbleponic Set Up
Picture 2: Bubbleponic Light Set Up
Picture 3: Grow Cabinet Outside
Picture 4: Grow Cabinet Inside
Picture 5: Grow Room Before Construction
Picture 6: Grow Room After Construction
Picture 7: Grow Room Air Intake
Picture 8: Grow Room Air Exhaust

 

[Locked]

I grew in a 4 pot dwc my first grow and i can say first hand that growing 4 plants in that thing was tough...2 turned out to be male and just having 2 plants in there was tough...I cld see 6 auto dwarfs working...what strain are you going to grow?

 

[mercerc]

i have about 15- 20 clones from big bud, blueberry, and one other cross i can't remember the name. So males shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Locked]

i have about 15- 20 clones from big bud, blueberry, and one other cross i can't remember the name. So males shouldn't be a problem.

So how does the dwc fit in your plans? Even with 15 clones that wld leave 9 without a seat....if they are sexually mature female clones then once they are rooted you can flower them and keep them to a smaller stature. Where you going to do 6 in the dwc and the other 9 in soil? You cld most likely get away with clones in that dwc since you wld not hve to veg them much like you wld from seed...

 

[mrn3wman]

how did u get a medical card?
just curiouse lol

 

[mercerc]

The second batch of clones were shipped today (first batch lost in the mail). Which is nice, considering it has taken a full month for the bubbleponics to arrive (I read you had a similar experience, they're not too bright there). I will start out with 12 hydro plants, 6 in the cabinet and 6 in the bubbleponics. And I was thinking soil for the remaining plants. However, I don't have lights for the remaining plants. I have a bunch of CFL's laying around from greening up the house. So, I might try a setup similar to your first grow Lewis.

However, back to my main question and concern:

Once I hit the appropriate flowering height, I will be left with 6 hydro veg pots and 6 hydro flowering pots (if space permits). What should I do with the pot-less 6? Can I convert them to soil for the flowering stage, until I invest in a larger hydro system later on down the road?

 

[mercerc]

mrn3wman: Well my roommate got one for breaking his collar bone falling drunk (amazing I know). After he got that, I realized I could get one. I have had a demolished shoulder for 5 years that insurance won't cover due to pre-existing conditions. I would've lied about it if I knew they were that corrupt at 19. Hindsight I suppose, but painkillers make me itch and this is really the only solution until Obama passes the public healthcare option and I can have surgery. It truly is amazing to have top quality insurance and not be able to receive any care, only in America.

 

[mercerc]

I feel like I'm going to design an Ebb & Flow for the Flowering room. Then I could veg 12 plants in hydro. =) I've been watching that video "I Grow Chronic".

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I hate to burst your bubble, but there is just no way that you are going to be able to flower 6 plants in that unit, even autos. I would not put more than 2 into that unit. There is simply not enough room and you would be having to fill the res almost every day.

I hope this does not sound harsh, but you really need to do some more planning before you buy anything else. You are going to need a lot more/better lighting. That light will do okay for a small vegging area (3-4 sq ft), but for flowering in a 12 sq ft space you need at least 60000 lumens--you should have something like a 400W (50000-55000 lumens) or a 600W HPS (90000 lumens). That light added with your T5 will probably do a good job vegging. You are also going to need bigger/better ventilation for that space. I like to exchange the air in my space 3-4 times a minute. You should have a fan that will pull 180-240 cfm.

You may want to consider individual 5 gal DWC buckets and fewer plants. I don't think that I would put more than 3-4 plants in 12 sq ft.

 

[mercerc]

I hate to burst your bubble, but there is just no way that you are going to be able to flower 6 plants in that unit, even autos. I would not put more than 2 into that unit. There is simply not enough room and you would be having to fill the res almost every day.

I hope this does not sound harsh, but you really need to do some more planning before you buy anything else. You are going to need a lot more/better lighting. That light will do okay for a small vegging area (3-4 sq ft), but for flowering in a 12 sq ft space you need at least 60000 lumens--you should have something like a 400W (50000-55000 lumens) or a 600W HPS (90000 lumens). That light added with your T5 will probably do a good job vegging. You are also going to need bigger/better ventilation for that space. I like to exchange the air in my space 3-4 times a minute. You should have a fan that will pull 180-240 cfm.

You may want to consider individual 5 gal DWC buckets and fewer plants. I don't think that I would put more than 3-4 plants in 12 sq ft.

Thanks for the input