My First Small operation

[xxgmrxx]

I am a first time grower, and due to a restricted budget, have decided the CFl's are the way to grow for me. I firstly would like to say, i am new to this so any comments or coaching is welcomed.
I would like to use a four-stage SOG to harvest every two weeks.I wanna grow 3-4 at a time. I have saved up like 30 seeds so i should have enough to get a few cycles going before i get a mother worth cloning. Im germing 8 seeds right now in just the damp papertowel

My vegg chambers are both 17" tall 14" wide. The 1st is 16" long, and the second 20"
The flowering ones are both 36" tall 14" wide and 18" long

I will start the plants with 4 13w CFL's
For soil i'm mixing a basic potting soil with some topsoil in a 30/70 ratio
Water im just using distilled until i get a ph meter (should be getting a cheap one soon)
For fertz i am going to try regular 24-8-16 miracle grow, however, i've decided to dilute it to a ratio of 1/4 tsp per gal. instead of 1/2 tsp. I also am only going to be watering with the fert water every sencond or third time. I have heard that miraclegrow can easily damage young plants so i hope the dilution can counter some of this.

 

[xxgmrxx]

I havent quite finished the rest of my grow space ( outta double side tape) but i also have to install all the fans for each chamber. I realize that yes my grow box is cardboard ziptided to a small set of shelves, but i had to kind of skimp in some areas so i'll have enough money to buy plenty of lights

 

[FrostickZero]

ok here's a few poblums

1 - never feed your plants till they are at least 1 month old
2 - you might be able to get away with using a product called thrive on your babies but not alot (please correct me if I'm wrong on that) its vit B
3 - use 20-20-20 plant food because its balinced

 

[FrostickZero]

I havent quite finished the rest of my grow space ( outta double side tape) but i also have to install all the fans for each chamber. I realize that yes my grow box is cardboard ziptided to a small set of shelves, but i had to kind of skimp in some areas so i'll have enough money to buy plenty of lights

well its ok starting that way, I started growing on my comp desk with a 10w CFL for a month then I got some money and invested into a light and light fixture and now I am using my closet with some cheep suplys that I have laying around to build a temp grow area till I get a few harvests under my belt

 

[xxgmrxx]

I wasnt planning on staring any fertz for at least 2 weeks, but any idea if diluted miracle grow will work, mind you im not trying to get killer yeilds or anything, just a hobbyist wanting some free smoke

 

[FrostickZero]

I wasnt planning on staring any fertz for at least 2 weeks, but any idea if diluted miracle grow will work, mind you im not trying to get killer yeilds or anything, just a hobbyist wanting some free smoke

well I find that 20-20-20 works awsome you could also use 15-30-15 that will work to but if oy uget a product called thrive then you could use a bit of it mixed with your food I heard

 

[homegrownboy]

Those little 13W cfl's are crap dude. Get at least a 27W one...42W if you can...and make sure for your seedling and vegging stages you use the 6500K daylight....not the 2700K warm white cfl's.

You are going to want to have at least 1 light per plant for any decent growth for the first week or so after it pop's ground...and you will need at least 5 per plant once it get's any real growth going.

For your plants during it's veg stage...you don't want the 15-30-15...that's just promoting stretching. Look for something that is like 15-5-5...it needs the (N) high for vigourous growth, 20-20-20 is ok...but i wouldn't use it...try to give what your plant needs and you'll be happier in the end.

 

[xxgmrxx]

I returned the 13w's and bought 4) 27w generic cfls, 2) 26w 6500k Daylight and 2) 42w cool white bulbs. Plans now are to redo the inside from foil to a flat white printer paper i think will work way better more pics and updates as i finish my box.

 

[homegrownboy]

Good to hear...good luck with your grow...need any questions answered just ask.

 

[xxgmrxx]

Ok finally finished the rest of my box. I have decided to keep the top half of the shelves, one section to give me more room to hang lots of lights. ALso added an outlet air flow for every chamber. still no seeds germin but its only been about 48 hrs from when i started them

 

[FrostickZero]

Ok finally finished the rest of my box. I have decided to keep the top half of the shelves, one section to give me more room to hang lots of lights. ALso added an outlet air flow for every chamber. still no seeds germin but its only been about 48 hrs from when i started them

I gotta build my closet so that my room looks like it has a closet and its not a grow space

 

[Florida Girl]

I realize that yes my grow box is cardboard ziptided to a small set of shelves, but i had to kind of skimp in some areas so i'll have enough money to buy plenty of lights

LOL... stoners... some of the most ingenious people on the planet! I mean come on... we are the people who took one look at an empty TP roll and thought "Hey... I can use that!"

I like your growbox... cardboard and all! The only thing I would do is get rid of the printer paper and slap up some cheap white paint. Something about a bunch of paper in such close proximity to electrical devices makes me nervous.

 

[xxgmrxx]

Ok just got back from wal-mart and got a few things for really cheap. 4) 26w 6500k daylight cfls, 6) 26w Cool Whites, this extension cord that automatically shuts off if there is a surge, or overload, (was the cheapest because i only need like 6 ft of chord and it was the only grounded one under 20 ft). some extra fans. And some distilled vinegar. the tap water here has a Ph of 7 so i wont have to add much to the water. I still may need another 2-4 daylight cfls we'll see. Oh florida i ran the lights all last night with the fan and everything and it ran about 77. I made sure to bundle my cords tightly and the surge protector where all the electrical connections are, isn't by any paper. I'll for sure keep an eye on it though because the last thing i need is my first grow to burn down my apartment

 

[xxgmrxx]

whooops ment to post this last time

 

[poppinsmokey]

XX, do you have a way to check your water's pH? You will be surprised at how little vinegar it takes to drop your pH a bunch. I think I accidentally put twice the vinegar into one of my plant's water (none in the other), and it jacked my pH up bigtime. Just wanted to give you a heads up. Good luck with your grow!

 

[xxgmrxx]

yes as a matter i did by a ph test kit for water, and a different one for soil. and your right it only took 1/8th tsp. vinegar to take a gal of my water from 7.0 to 6.5

 

[BlessAmerica]

Looks Great man! Good job at jumping to the better lights, I've never used CFL's but I think I'm going to install 2 this afternoon.

I want to make a statement of my own however. Miracle Grow IS GARBAGE! It is synthetic crap that your plants become dependant on (much, no joke, like crack). Take homegrownboy's advice and for vegging go with 15-5-5 or 5-1-1 ( For that ratio I STRONGLY recomend using fish emulsion, its natural, will not burn, and lasts in the soil longer than synthetic garbage). My bigges problem personally with Blue water (Miracle grow) is that even when flushed it can make your bud harsh and for people like me (sensitive to smoke) it gives me a BAD headache. GOOD LUCK MAN your off to a good start, keep us updated, take pics, and be smart.

 

[xxgmrxx]

Hey blessAmerica, yeah i've heard that miracle grow isn't the best to use, however, right now, i really dont have the extra 35-45 bucks to pick up good organic stuff. (Side note: i found a hydroponic store literally 3 mins from my pad, so i do plan on eventually making that upgrade.) Hopefully my tax return will come before my plants need any nutes.

Two seeds have germinated and been planted!!!
more pics and stuff later

 

[s|ean]

thats great, tax return funding grow op. =) Im anxious to see how your plants turn out. Good luck

 

[xxgmrxx]

quick question: will 8" pots work for me the whole way ima flower at 9-10"