1st Grow: DP, HB, CFL

They felt a little light again this morning so I gave them each another 3 cups or so, again with the bloom ferts and again, with very little runoff. The veg is getting so dense that I've taken to using a funnel to get the nutes into the perlite without drenching the leaves.

I may be having to water them so often because the Hempy hole isn't quite 2" up from the bottom of the bucket - it's more like 1 1/4". I knew I would tend to overwater and I didn't want to drown them. Next time around I will know better and will probably be using bigger containers, too. Not that I care, I love spending time with my babies and don't plan to vacation any time soon.

The 'ingredients' for the 150w HPS/cooltube set up are on their way and when I have all I need, I'm thinking of moving the girls to a separate area to hide them with a fan under an inverted tub and maybe some blankets(36 hours of darkness) while I remodel their little habitat. That will be a good time to double-stick tape some mylar up. My curtain/wall will get an inside layer consisting of an emergency blanket. Anyway, during this dark period, if I put thin spacers on the floor, they will still get some somewhat fresh air, right? I'm going to miss being able to visit them every few hours!

The 1/4" holes in the floor didn't help at all with the temps, so if this continues to be a problem, I might use the jigsaw to cut one or two real (2") holes and cover them with galvanized screen and some furnace filter fabric. I didn't want to do it but, this is why some folks run the lights at night, right? I will sacrifice my frequent visits for the cause.

I know, I know, it's too early to tell because I haven't switched to 12/12 yet but, I don't see any little dingle balls. Do you? I AM looking in the right place, correct?

I keep losing my nerve to try my hand at cloning plus, I'm loathe to cut my babies but, like learning to ride a bicycle, it's only scary until you master it, right? And, reminding myself, I did fine with my tomato plant. Anyway, by the sounds of things, there's no hurry though - unless I wanted to clone to determine sex, right?

On a side note, the mother tomato (out in the greenhouse) is covered in blooms - which normally would have happened, like, 3 months ago. Strange days we be livin' in, eh mateys?

I turned the lights off this morning. I was right, I miss even sitting there just gazing at them! Who'da thunk my black thumb could turn so green? LOL I was going to induce the 36 hours of darkness but ...

About reducing stretch during the flowering stage, I read a tip on ICmag to reduce from 24/7 to 12/12 in stages, each a few days apart. I could still do this even though the lights have been off for 11 hours, right? So, I ended up switching out to all warm 23w CFL until my HPS/cooltube parts arrive.

In the short time it took me to do the daily LST, the temp went from 70 to 80 again (too wide a swing, right?) but, this time my fingers got sticky (which I really appreciated)! I set the timer to go dark from noon to 4 PM but I just realized that the timer controls the whole setup, including the fans - a situation I shall remedy immediately.

...............................................


OK, fans have been removed from the timer, so here's the current plan:
On 10/11, I shall expand the dark time to 10 AM - 6 PM.
On 10/15, I'll increase it to 8 AM - 8 PM.

I'm hoping by the end of the coming week, I'll have the HPS/cooltube situation resolved, including being able to leave the ballast outside the box.

I anticipate having to water every other day or even every day (wouldn't I love that?).

When should I start adding the unsulphered mole asses?

Should I keep on doing the LST during the early flowering stage?

In sweet anticipation of The End, I'm thinking it'd make sense to resume this gradual darkening so as to signal the plant to get busy making BUD. For instance,when the trichs begin to turn cloudy, I should implement a schedule similar to this:

10 dark hrs for 4 days or so.
7 dark hrs for 4 days or so.
3 dark hrs for 4 days and flush.
And then, a couple more days of plain water and total darkness?

Input is more than welcome here. All I hear is chirping. Thanks!

Each plant accepted a full quart of nuted water this morning. There was not much LST to be done - I don't know if this is normal when switching to flowering, or if they're in shock.

If they'd been allowed to grow upright, they'd be 8" or 9" tall. They're 48 days old, almost 7 weeks.

My heat/lighting dilemma has finally been decided in favor of increasing chances at TOTAL darkness at night. So, "night" will start at midnight to 4 AM. I will gradually increase their hours of darkness, kinda like Mother Nature does (only much faster LOL). Hopefully, a 10-degree swing between "day" temps and "night" will be OK. I've been reading about hermies today and I'm hoping like hell that my 11 daytime hours of darkness won't cause this to happen. Since I did it during literal daytime, maybe it wasn't total darkness after all? They did look like they'd missed the light, though.

I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world if they have seeds, as long as they're smokable. I shall NOT mess with the lighting schedule again! OTOH, what am I so worried about? I'm not even sure they're girls. And if this is the only major mistake I make, I'm still pretty proud of my first little grow. Still ...


The glass tube arrived today. I'm looking forward to getting the HPS/cooltube operation set up.

Speaking of DIY projects, I'm dreaming of making a growbox out of foamboard. Seems like it'd be sturdy enough, quicker and easier to work with than wood or PVC/Pandafilm plus, it's already covered with reflective material. To support the light, I'd probably have to attach, say, a 1"x2" across the top (outside) and run wire through the foam over it and back inside to secure. I could even cover it with woodgrain Contact paper. I could probably do it ALL for the price of a set of hole saws. My only question, really, would it hold up to the heat?



I just took more pics of them and, the tips were again reaching for the light. This gives me hope that they're recovering. I was thinking about transplanting them but I don't think I will. Maybe next grow?

The third pic is icmag/sugabears diagram on how to separate the light from the ballast.

Now 1/2 gallon for both "girls," every other day, is barely enough.

I started adding molasses this morning, 1/2 tbsp. to 1/2 gallon with the FNB (1/2 tsp.).

The glass, the light, and the flex duct arrived today. Still awaiting the fan. Meanwhile I'll have to figure out how to set up the ballast outside the growbox and build the cooltube.

Another 3 cups for each girl this morning, with FNB and molasses. No doubt they'll soon take at least a quart every day which I will gladly give. In fact, I'm looking forward to it, so bring it on, ladies!

I've been adding 1/2 hour darkness each day. We are at 18L/6D now. I haven't read of anyone doing this (except for Mother Nature). Does everyone switch directly from 18/6 or 24 straight to 12/12 or 11/13?

Confession time: the lights fell sometime yesterday and I wouldn't have even known unless I'd snuck in there to try my hand at cloning. It looked really scary at first but, after I inspected, things weren't so bad, except one node was lost right off the side of the (top) end of the spiral. Thankfully it wasn't my favorite plant. This morning, I saw no signs of shock - it was as if nothing tragic had ever happened. Had I remembered to take my camera, you could see for yourself. I will do my damndest not to let it happen again, though.

Since I had my sterilized blade at the ready, I removed the damaged foliage, some of which I stuck in the clone-size Hempy cups I'd prepared. My "clones" actually look pretty good this morning! At the very least, they're not wilting. If they survive, I'll be overjoyed, assuming they're female, of course. "Fat bottomed girls, you make the rockin' world go 'round!"

For the price of these seeds, I honestly didn't expect much. The leaves I surgically removed were sticky and sweet-smelling. If this is any indication of the quality of the smokables, then I am in for a real treat if only in quality. If there is quantity, too, I will have really surprised myself.

I'd wire my new light/remote ballast today but I still need some parts - the fan, some duct tape, some electricians tape, some plumbers tape, some flexduct connectors, an appropriate gauge extension cord, probably some other stuff that I've forgotten ... and a big dose of confidence. Not too long ago I changed the TPR valve on my WH, so I can probably do this too - with your greatly appreciated assistance.

I embarked on this adventure with the goal of having a constant supply of medicine - sativa is the best (strike that), the only antidressant that has ever worked for me and I have tried them all (many times at my own great peril). I'm enjoying the journey so much that time seems to be flying. Having something to smoke will be like icing on the cake. Yummy, sweet, delicious icing!

In anticipation of harvest time, I'm thinking I will (within trich-dictated reason) harvest one of them near the beginning of the window of opportunity, the other one a couple/few weeks later. Doing so will serve as a test of the flowering time AND maybe give me some variety until I get set up to do some bedtime smokeables. Also, it'll help set up the rotation needed for a perpetual supply. Right?

I'm attaching images collected from icmag for my own convenience (and that of anyone who wants to jump in and help this wannabe electrician keep from burning the house down).

hey buddy I thought this might help you out a bit Im waiting for my light and bake a round myself!
International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums - How To Remote Ballast a 150W HPS Vapor Tight Light

Thanks DB, I'll take a look.

ETA: Looks familiar! A very detailed tutorial, too, just what the doctor ordered.

In addition to heat issues, I want to get the ballast out of there is that it's so heavy! Also, I went with 5" diameter on the glass, duct and fan - I figured, the more air movement, the better. How 'bout you DB?

sounds good to me Im very new at this so I wouldnt be the best person to ask but that makes some sense
good luck bro!

All right, dirtbagg, thanks to Quazi's reassuring tutorial (for the exact light I bought), I got the ballast wired remotely from the socket and tested it out - it worked! I ran short of wire nuts so I used electricians tape - temporarily. I used the original housing to contain the mess (and heat). Thanks again for the link.

The 5" fan arrived yesterday. I'm going to replace the 9" muffin fan set up so I'll have to patch the 9" hole with a thin piece of paneling, then cut a 5" hole instead. For that, I'll need wood glue which I won't be able to get until Thursday. I made some brackets for the glass tube from 1/4" galvanized mesh and I used wire to make a hanger for the original socket-holder from the lamp. Unless someone here can tell me how to McGuyer a flange/collar to hold the fan securely in the ceiling, I'll have to get one of those, too. I'm REALLY looking forward to getting it ALL hooked up.

For now, the girls seem happy enough under the CFL. I caught myself thinking "where's the bud?" so, I flipped them from 18/6 straight to 12/12 last night. Some minor LST is still required to keep the tops level, but not much.

So, you're a dirt guy, huh? What keeps you from trying out the Hempy Buckets? They're pretty fuckin' amazing!

ETA: Londoners' guide to epsom salts, apparently helpful in early flowering.

Another quart for each girl this morning and just a little more LST. They're pretty uniform overall, I think.

I will get my 5" flange/collar tomorrow but realized last night that my dinky little timer won't work for this - I was tempted to sacrifice it but, it's not grounded. So, I found a better one (sold elsewhere for literally 10x this price!). So my flowering mamas will have to make due with the CFLs for just a little while longer. This timer will be my last hobby-related purchase for awhile, right? YUK YUK, HAR HAR HAR!

The (scorched) babies appear to have survived, though, dontcha think? I re-cut them under water, rolled 'em in cloning powder, stuck 'em in these shallow Hempy Cups and put 'em in the south window hoping for the best. The new growth on little one with the brown stem impresses me most of all.

For (hopefully not too far in the) future reference: Last minute forced resin tips.

I'm glad I drilled the floor to close my cooltube - doing so dropped my day temps by a good 10 degrees, which brings them within a much more acceptable proximity to the night temps. Because it's that time of year, I'm using a 12/13 schedule until the lights come on in the evening (instead of in the morning). I hope this is a gradual enough shift so that they don't go all hermie on me. After all I've put them through, I'll be amazed if they don't.

Now about my super-ghetto cooltube setup, I MUST make due with what I've got around here as much as possible so don't laugh!

I used 3/8" galvanized mesh and a couple of old dog (chain) collars to hold the ends of the tube; attached all connections with duct tape; a section of the flexduct for a batwing reflector; a strip of old metal roofing and the last of my epoxy for the bracket to hold the socket; and a baking/cooling rack to set the ballast box on.

Speaking of the ballast, wow, am I thankful I wired it remotely. After the light was on for an hour or so, I had to use an oven mitt to move it onto the cooling rack. I put a fan on it and now it's pretty much been heating the whole house (which is EXACTLY how I justified the expense of upgrading to this HPS light). Now I can use the old non-grounded timer for the portable radiator. Don't ya love it when a plan comes together? LOL

Assuming they're both girls, in anticipaton of harvest, I'm thinking I might take Gladys near the beginning of the time-window, and Ruthie 2-3-4 weeks later and with each one I will try my hand at water curing for stealth (drying AND smoking). I mean seriously, how hard can it be?

Since I decided to quit fucking around with gradually increasing to 12/12 and they've been in "hard" flower for less than a week, I probably have another couple of months to go, at least. I should start watching for dingle-balls, though, right?

Rambunctious said:

All right, dirtbagg, thanks to Quazi's reassuring tutorial (for the exact light I bought), I got the ballast wired remotely from the socket and tested it out - it worked! I ran short of wire nuts so I used electricians tape - temporarily. I used the original housing to contain the mess (and heat). Thanks again for the link.

The 5" fan arrived yesterday. I'm going to replace the 9" muffin fan set up so I'll have to patch the 9" hole with a thin piece of paneling, then cut a 5" hole instead. For that, I'll need wood glue which I won't be able to get until Thursday. I made some brackets for the glass tube from 1/4" galvanized mesh and I used wire to make a hanger for the original socket-holder from the lamp. Unless someone here can tell me how to McGuyer a flange/collar to hold the fan securely in the ceiling, I'll have to get one of those, too. I'm REALLY looking forward to getting it ALL hooked up.

For now, the girls seem happy enough under the CFL. I caught myself thinking "where's the bud?" so, I flipped them from 18/6 straight to 12/12 last night. Some minor LST is still required to keep the tops level, but not much.

So, you're a dirt guy, huh? What keeps you from trying out the Hempy Buckets? They're pretty fuckin' amazing!

ETA: Londoners' guide to epsom salts, apparently helpful in early flowering.

Click to expand...

Im actually using coco its been good to me so far Im also working on my first grow and those tutorials are great! Im glad I could actually help lol being as Im in no position to give advice

Plants are looking real good by the way!

Thanks, man! I'm pretty proud of 'em. I don't see any dingle-balls yet.

About being in a position to give advice, I bet you learned something from your first 2 grows, even if it was what not to do. This isn't technically my first grow either - it's just the first one that's made it to the flowering stage.

The mice got my first 3 plants, grown from bagseed and only about a week old - one looked really different from the other two (for lack of a better word, the leaves were "frilly"). I'd have been curious to try the results of that one especially. At the time, I was under the tutelage of an self-proclaimed expert who turned out to be a real dumbass.

Moral of the story: grow in your closet or in a mouse-proof cage and, "the more you read, the better the weed." ~ quazi from icmag

OK, fine, it's operator error.

Everything seemed to be going well but, when I awoke this morning to check on my little garden, the lights were on, the cooltube fan was off and the temp was 100 degrees! WTH? I pulled the plants out and turned the light off to let things (most of all myself!) cool down.

Having the plants out gave me a chance to clean up some dead/dying fan leaves and rinse the catch basins. I gave them a generous drink (w/ferts and molasses as usual), of which they each took almost a quart - I'm pretty sure I fed/watered them yesterday, too, so naturally, the high temps made them extra thirsty. Poor babies! Light and heat stress all at once. They didn't look all that bad, though. No burns or curling, droopy leaves. These plants MUST be pretty hardy because I noticed a healthy-looking bloom coming from a stem that looks almost burned in half!

The previously-burnt clones look OK, too, I think. Their little Hempy cups were pretty dry yesterday so I gave them a good, barely-ferted drink. I'm tempted to germ a couple more seeds but I'm trying to remain optimistic the current grow will weather this storm for me until I can finally get everything right. Plus, it may be best to get the whole learning-curve thing behind me first, eh? The next grow should go so much better with all I've learned, especially if I'm properly medicated then!



I realize now that I must have bumped the "manual override" button on the light timer (a Brinks from Walfart). It's super-sensitive - I wish it was located within the confines of the protective slide with the programming buttons but, for the price, it'll do. I'd have gotten all this set up before I even germ'd the seeds had I felt the slightest confidence that I could grow anything, ever!

Anyway, to help keep day/night temp variations in line,

I set the lights and fan to come ON at 10 PM.
I set the lights to go OFF at 10 AM and the fan to go OFF at 10:15 AM.

I can only hope that my light-proof curtain is adequate during the day because I don't dare switch their schedule around again, do I? This is embarrassing but, maybe another noob along the way can learn from my FNG mistakes.

If the lights/fan work as scheduled tonight and tomorrow morning, I'm not touching those fucking timers again! I may even build a little box to protect that MO button.I'll check / feed & water / photograph / transplant BEFORE 10 AM (while the lights are still on) from here on out.

I think I've got a line on a couple of square 5 gallon restaurant supply buckets in case they're (still) girls. I think I can cut these buckets down to 3.5 gal and then transplant. Thanks for reading - you're welcome to join in with a comment if'n ya wants ta.

I would throw some glue on that MO.

Thank you, hugconcentration!

Believe me, I considered doing exactly that, but I didn't want to take even the slightest chance on glue running down inside and ruining the timer. Plus, last night, the light AND fan had come on as scheduled. After it shuts itself off this morning, I'll put something in front of the timer so it's less likely to be bumped.

I just now checked the plants and, even with the cooltube, the temp is at 90 - so much for running the lights at night to even out the day/night temps! It's better w/out the carbon filter but, w/out it, there is a light leak. For subsequent grows, I'll run the lights during the day and leave the odor sock off (since the cooltube is closed). Opening the curtain 2x/day will have to suffice for ventilation. Prior planning prevents piss poor performance. LOL

Yesterday, Kali kindly assured me that herming due to light stress was rare - besides that, what can I do about it now? Nothing. Even considering the heat, the plants seem to be OK - I'd have taken a pic for you but, the batteries in my digicam need charging. So now, it's a matter of feeding/watering every couple of days and watching for sex so I can hopefully take more clones and transplant the just-flowering "mothers." Worst case scenario: I have to germ more seeds.

Plus, I'm learning, so "it's all good."

I haven't seen any dingle-balls yet, but I thought I'd upload a new pic of my stretchy little forest. No funds for Bushmaster this time around so I'll have to muddle through, clinging to the idea that, at the very least, I'm learning stuff.

If they turn out to be male, I'll learn how to make cannabutter. If they herm on me, I'll try my hand at making honey oil. If they remain straight female, I'll start a few more seeds soon so I can get a rotation going.

Speaking of timers, I found a little bowl shaped thingie to tape over the overly-sensitive MO button.

"It's all good."