super thrifty grow! R U on a budget?

ifartsmoke

ifartsmoke

Well-Known Member
So far everything I have is from a major super center, my attic, and goodwill and under $75 all together. I don't plan on spending more than $100 for all the materials overall.
Ok so here is my set up,
to start i have 12 energy efficient day light 26 watt bulbs. Only 1 is on right now, it's all I need!! It's in an aluminum camp light-super bright.
jiffy potts 4$
miracle grow starter soil 4$
clear beer cups or water bottles cut in 1/2 free
5g distilled water 5$
4 clip on fans 10$
12 daylight CFL 8$
6 camplights with clip 20$
yarn free
Medusa lamp loaded with 26 watt daylight CFL's already had it but I think it cost 25$ at target. Ebay has em for 10$
digital ph meter 5$
ph up and down 10$
hydroponic plant food 10$
I think that's it ?
I germinated my seeds with a moist paper towel in a plastic bag for 2 days. I put 2 in MG starter soil inside a used water bottle that I cut in 1/2 so I can see the roots, the other 2 I placed in jiffy potts. I've got 1 light on all 4 of them right now and I'll post pics later tonight. they have only been in the soil for 2 days and have already popped up over 1 inch from the soil.
FYI I don't plan on using a HPS lamp or what ever they are called, I'm going to go CFL for the whole grow and see what happens so stay tuned!!
Now to toot my own horn. I know there may be (some) people that will take this grow and the materials I've used and change the way they grow if this works out haha. or even find cheaper ways than I did. the reason I say that is because the materials are so inexpensive, and it saves so much on electricity bills and such. The materials are so easily accessible. And there is hardly any heat from the lights! I know that cost of lights, ballasts, heat, electric bills, concealment, and just general set up/space were a huge factor for me, and may be for many of you too. So lets see how this dirt bud turns out with this thrifty grow!! and also I will be growing some ice grapefruit in the next few weeks the same way.
So enjoy and please send me your thoughts on how this wont work, hate mail, and let the name calling begin. hahaha JKJK. I'm positive thousands have tried this b4 with success and failure so I'm not claiming to be original.. just thrifty :)
 
ifartsmoke

ifartsmoke

Well-Known Member
photo4.jpgphoto1.jpgphoto2.jpgphoto5.jpgphoto.jpgfinaly a friggin update! I'm about 1 week in I've got a 26w dayglow CLF and a 26w daylight. one is full spectrum I think? Is there any advantage to full spectrum bulbs during any part of the grow?
the little one broke out of the jiffy pot and when I was trying to repot (it was just a sprout at this point) it broke out of the seed shell. I was like "SHIT!!" I didn't think just this little white sprout would pop up :):) Well I think the leaves got chem burn by the fert in the soil? and the bigger one look good but not as bright green as the others. But it's starting to smell like a philly cheese steak haha
photo3.jpg
 
PurpleRhinoceros

PurpleRhinoceros

Active Member
Nice dude. I like the CFL clamp lamps.

This is my budget DWC setup.

DWC Setup: For one plant. For two, get a dual output pump and two pitchers and two net pots and two airstones.

Dual Output Air Pump: $9.00 Walmart
Black Silicone Tubing: $3.00 Petsmart
4" Volcano Airstone: $5.00 Petsmart
Two-Quart Rubbermaid Pitchers: $2.00 Walmart
5” Net Pot w/ Lid: $3.00 (Hydrostore/Internet)
Cocotek Chip Brick: $3.00 (Hydrostore/Internet)
Subtotal $25.00

Budget Nutrients: Aside from the recipe for success
Botanicare Hydro Kit $20.00
Botanicare Supplement Kit $20.00

Or

Humboldt Oneness $13.00
Humboldt Ginormous $16.00
Humboldt Equilibrium $11.00
 
ifartsmoke

ifartsmoke

Well-Known Member
I've never done a hydro grow. Seems too much hassle for me hahah. I'm just too busy and too lazy to try. For instance I don't even know what 1/2 that stuff is hahah. whos a dummy<------ this guy
how much care do you have to give em daily?
 
PurpleRhinoceros

PurpleRhinoceros

Active Member
Deep Water Culture is like that pitcher of water in your fridge.
Your roommate always drinks it each day and expects you to fill the pitcher back up without complaining.

If you could handle re-filling a pitcher of water daily, and dumping the water out once a week to put in fresh water, you can do DWC.
I don't check the PH or PPM, I just do a routine change an spend 79cents weekly per plant at publix for a gallon PH balanced/De-ionized water. When I get into flowering I admit some plants can drink quite a bit. I still haven't stepped up from 1 gallon per plant. I've mostly harvested Autos and plants I did little to NO vegging on. DWC is like a rocket. two weeks veg is max needed.

I saw someone use Lava Rocks as a medium. So essentially you just go to your local petstore or walmart and buy some pet fish supplies.

1. Buy an Airpump, an air tube, and an airstone(air comes out of this stone and into the water)
2. Buy some Lava rocks(i've seen this done, but they might need to be broken into pieces the size of hydroton)
3. Using a plastic bucket and a plastic cup with holes in it re-produce this or just buy a netpot online for $1 and get a lid.
View attachment 1251987

I don't have a picture, but my 2quart pitcher fits a 5inch net pot perfectly. I've used plastic RX bottles(the orange ones) as net pots before. Just drilled a shit ton of holes in it.

Once you start DWC, everything else just seems so slow. Maybe I'm just growing into an impatient person.

Edit: Also a popular medium for DWC is straight perlite. I figure its one of the most easily available dwc mediums. Aside from a grow sponge or sponge.
 
ifartsmoke

ifartsmoke

Well-Known Member
thanks man, you just talked me into trying hydro grow out next!! I'm headed out to my local hydro store tomorow!! haha
 
ifartsmoke

ifartsmoke

Well-Known Member
Well, now I've been following a realy cool grow https://www.rollitup.org/cfl-growing/379951-smellys-12-12-seed-party.html
he is growing in party cups. So I am jumping on the band waggon and givin that a shot as well. he's a cool dude and full of info!! My grow will include afgan kush and skunk #1 in clear party cups with organic MG. nothing fancy, still using CFLs but I'll need more for budding I think? They are going in the tub I guess. haha. Thanks to smellytrez for the inspiration
 
SmeLLyTreeZ

SmeLLyTreeZ

Well-Known Member
ifartsmoke said:
Well, now I've been following a realy cool grow https://www.rollitup.org/cfl-growing/379951-smellys-12-12-seed-party.html
he is growing in party cups. So I am jumping on the band waggon and givin that a shot as well. he's a cool dude and full of info!! My grow will include afgan kush and skunk #1 in clear party cups with organic MG. nothing fancy, still using CFLs but I'll need more for budding I think? They are going in the tub I guess. haha. Thanks to smellytrez for the inspiration
Click to expand...
Looking good bro and thanks for the shout out lol.. You have some good strains going there so I'm going to sub to this to watch over them along the way.

The only thing I've noticed so far is the clear bottles your using. Once the roots start to grow they will be exposed to the light through that plastic, so you should probably just wrap them in tape or something that will just block out the light for now :)

I don't have much experience with MG soil but I think I remember reading that the soil itself is a lower ph than some.. Another thing I would reccomend checking just to get it right from the begining is the ph of the soil, "which you can do by testing the runoff water.."
 
ifartsmoke

ifartsmoke

Well-Known Member
yessh, I didn't even think to cover the roots!! the big one has got roots all over the place right now and I was just wondering why she was going so slow.... I'm a dope sometimes haha :) I'll get em wrapped up. Acctually I'm dumping her into fox farm soil today, and that's in a black pot. but the others I'll get wrapped!! Thanks for the sub TreeZ and all your advice!! I should update later today or early eve. I've got some more lights going up so I'll throw that in the photos.
 
ifartsmoke

ifartsmoke

Well-Known Member
So time for an update. Everytime I hit the head I'm like... who farted?? then I realize it was me!! haha, yeesh what a dope!!
So this lil gal I planted 7 days ago on the 30th of oct. The roots are showing alot so it's time she goes into a biger container. A standard party cup filled with 1/3 MG and 2/3 FF for the next 1 1/2 - 2 weeks to veg out and then into a 2 or 3 gallon pot bucket or what ever. So this lil gal smells a lot like mint, lemon, and like my dog farted. So I'm trying to think of a name for her. Heres what I came up with.. Menmon bomb, lemint skunk. I'm open for any suggestions. what you got??
172.jpg170.jpg171.jpg165.jpg168.jpg166.jpg167.jpg169.jpg173.jpg
 
PurpleRhinoceros

PurpleRhinoceros

Active Member
ifartsmoke said:
So time for an update. Everytime I hit the head I'm like... who farted?? then I realize it was me!! haha, yeesh what a dope!!
So this lil gal I planted 7 days ago on the 30th of oct. The roots are showing alot so it's time she goes into a biger container. A standard party cup filled with 1/3 MG and 2/3 FF for the next 1 1/2 - 2 weeks to veg out and then into a 2 or 3 gallon pot bucket or what ever. So this lil gal smells a lot like mint, lemon, and like my dog farted. So I'm trying to think of a name for her. Heres what I came up with.. Menmon bomb, lemint skunk. I'm open for any suggestions. what you got??
Click to expand...
Menmon Bomb, sounds like Lemon Balm?
Lemint Skunk, sounds like Lemon Skunk.

Lemint Balm? Balm sounds like Bomb

Balm Balm Balm, Balm balm balm balm. You can't say "balm" on a plane!
 
PurpleRhinoceros

PurpleRhinoceros

Active Member
ifartsmoke said:
sombody's a stoner ^^ hahaha!!
Click to expand...
Hahaha,
I was trying to help, lol.
However, I do love those jokes, especially here in this ever so fitting place. But they don't drop those jokes enough.

Whenever I try, people take it the wrong way. No tone in text and all.

But yes, now after reading that back... that was an incredibly high sounding post.
I just couldnt get over Balm and Bomb. It's still funny.
 
fictionalgrower

fictionalgrower

Well-Known Member
sub'd bro,

I'm joining in on the party cup grow too. I started 4 in MG soil tonight but I think I may do a few in party cups with this coco/perlite mix the dude at the hydro store gave me a sample of. I am ordering the budget nutes you gave the link for to use on these.
 
PurpleRhinoceros

PurpleRhinoceros

Active Member
ifartsmoke

ifartsmoke

Well-Known Member
fictionalgrower said:
sub'd bro,

I'm joining in on the party cup grow too. I started 4 in MG soil tonight but I think I may do a few in party cups with this coco/perlite mix the dude at the hydro store gave me a sample of. I am ordering the budget nutes you gave the link for to use on these.
Click to expand...
sweet!! can't wait to see em, My others haven't broken ground yet so we may be on similar sceduals!! Thanks for the sub
 
ifartsmoke

ifartsmoke

Well-Known Member
PurpleRhinoceros said:
Hahaha,
I was trying to help, lol.
However, I do love those jokes, especially here in this ever so fitting place. But they don't drop those jokes enough.

Whenever I try, people take it the wrong way. No tone in text and all.

But yes, now after reading that back... that was an incredibly high sounding post.
I just couldnt get over Balm and Bomb. It's still funny.
Click to expand...
yea, some dudes in here are wound pretty tight!! no room for humor.
The names I came up with also struck me as sounding similar too. haha
Lemomint dog bomb? maybe?? haha
 
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