Welcome to the Passion
If you haven't done some serious reading, its time for you to get started. Seriously, so many people want to grow their own smoke and just have no idea what it takes to actually successfully grow decent smokables. You really need to read all that you can. I have 4 books and a half dozen websites of just MJ growing info that I have read, not to mention all of the reading that I have done here. Some people say that I am a growing Guru but there is so much that I haven't learned yet.
Growing MJ is very difficult, but at the same time, its not very difficult. The reason I say that is because MJ is a truly hardy and determined plant that will grow and give you great results if you treat it the right way.
MJ is a very need specific plant. It is also a very high energy plant that is able to produce such complex chemicals that societies are just beginning to discover the uses for it.
There are some fundamental elements for successful growing: Light, air ventilation, grow medium, nutrients(MJ specific), water (pH adjusted to proper levels for MJ). These are the basic elements but there are many little elements that will come into play as you grow, like temperature and humidity, that will have large effects on the plants.
Light: as I said, MJ is a high energy plant. It needs a lot of light, but in the right spectrum off color. For vegging plants I recommend 4000 lumens per square foot of growing space. This light should be in the 6000-6500Kelvin spectrum for best vegging results. This light should be on them 24/7 until they are ready for flowering. MJ doesn't need sleep accept when flowering.
When the plants are mature enough for flowering, then you need a light source that is in the 2100-3000Kelvin spectrum, and you need a minimum of 5000 lumens per square foot (I recommend to go with 6500 Lpsf for best results). This is when you have to maintain a balance of 12hrs on and 12hrs off, with the off time being in total darkness so that the plants will properly flower.
Air: having proper ventilation is crucial to the success of your plants. This involves more than just a fan blowing through an open door. High energy plants need lots of CO2 to do their functions optimally. Most will tell you on here that you should get a centrifugal fan that will move the total cubic air space of your grow area at least 1-2 times a minute. A centrifugal fan is the absolute best as it works like a vacuum to pull the air out of the space and allow fresh air to be pulled into the space passively. This not only gives the plants fresh air to breathe, it also removes built up humidity and heat. It also allows for you to connect a carbon filter to the ventilation and filter the odors of flowering from the exhausting air.
There is much more to learn about. I am sure others will chime in and fill in what I have started. Don't be afraid to ask questions
