Captain Jaz
Active Member
Yes, thats what I do, vermiculite dust isn't too bad, but the perilite is a f*cking nightmare! +rep for u
1st Grow... Working with what I got!
- Thread starter captbooyah
- Start date
Captain Jaz
Active Member
A liter of perilite, needs about a liter of water before you can use it without dust.
420stank
Active Member
Hey there, I had the same problem when I first started out. I put a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the container to hold all of the moisture in until they got a couple sets of leaves on them. If they are too tall, try a clear Tupperware bowl or something similar over the top of them, and keep the lights a couple inches away from the tops. As for watering, you wont need too until you take the plastic off the tops of the pots, and then, wait till the soil is dry on top. The way I check to see if I need to water is to stick my finger down in the dirt as far as it will go and if its dry then I water. As for nutes, I wouldnt use any until the lower leaves start to yellow because the MG soil already has nutes in it. Hope this helps!
budlover13
King Tut
I have seen a guy cut open the top of the bag, poke several little holes in the bottom and the hold it under the bathtub faucet for a quick, mess-free rinse. Drawback is you then have to use the whole bag or store the unused portion in another container. Personally, I just use a large mesh kitchen strainer.
Captain Jaz
Active Member
Good idea as just opening the bag gives off dust... Using it all isn't a problem for me as i need 10x10ltr bags for my grow!
Atm, i hold my breath, open the bag, stick the shower nozzle in it, and run out of the room! lol
wannaquickee
Well-Known Member
im gonna start making my own soil that shits to expensive to buy a shit load of bags every time ..ugh
captbooyah
Active Member
LOL... thanks you guys, because this is definitely the first I have heard about the dust... don't want to have that floating around in my breathing air LOLGood idea as just opening the bag gives off dust... Using it all isn't a problem for me as i need 10x10ltr bags for my grow!
Atm, i hold my breath, open the bag, stick the shower nozzle in it, and run out of the room! lol
Captain Jaz
Active Member
Go hydro, use 50/50 perilite and vermiculite, with clay pebbles on the bottom to stop it running out, and on top to stop it drying out (also it looks pretty!
) and you can reuse it as much as you like if you rinse it well after each use, I do the first rinse with boiling water to sterilze it. Plus 50 litres of perilite/vermiculite is ALOT lighter than the same amount of soil so its easier to get home from the shops and to work with.
Captain Jaz
Active Member
pH = The acidity /alkalinity of your medium/water. You want to get it to about 6.5 for veg, and 6 for flowering. Test the run off water as well as you feed water and soil, as you can build up salts in the medium.
captbooyah
Active Member
I know what ph is... just remembering what bonzi said b4... lol
Bonzi Lighthouse
Well-Known Member
Ay eye Capt'an
captbooyah
Active Member
I think for my new lights, I am going to go with the electronic switchable ballast for both MH and HPS... now the deciding factor... 400 or 600 watts... both set ups come with both MH and HPS, but IDK!!! Its really only like a $20 difference ($155 - $175)...
these lights are completely usable for both soil and hydro right... there isn't like like some catch 22 with these lights if i try and change mediums right?
these lights are completely usable for both soil and hydro right... there isn't like like some catch 22 with these lights if i try and change mediums right?
Captain Jaz
Active Member
Yea, you should be fine without one, your main worry is over feeding. I wouldn't feed them anything until week 2/3 of veg, and even then, only a 1/4 to 1/2 mix. Keep that going till week 2 flowering, then bloom nutes/boosters starting at 1/2 mix for week 2-4 flowering and a full strength mix until 2 weeks before harvest, when it should be only fresh water for 2 weeks. Also, if you don't have an EC or pH meter, I would make every 3rd feed fresh water only just to be safe. With soil, you will do alot more damage by over feeding than you could by underfeeding.
Captain Jaz
Active Member
600 is totally worth the differance, I doubt anyone would say different as you have no heat issues. Go for it!
captbooyah
Active Member
Right now they are eating about every 3 days or so... sometimes 4... I have been very patient as to not over water... bc i want to... but thats bad! LOL
Captain Jaz
Active Member
Its the penertration that makes one of the biggest differances for a 600 compared to 400 -
View attachment 1339998
Though the extra lumens are great too.
As you see, a plant 21" from a 600 watt HPS will get almost 2x more lumens than if it was the same distance from a 400w.
And no, both lights can be used for soil and hydro. Consider using a ratio of 1/3 of your wattage from MH, and 2/3 from HPS though. The extra blue will keep your plants greener for longer, and give them more power for making buds. ie 250w MH + 600w HPS
View attachment 1339998
Though the extra lumens are great too.
As you see, a plant 21" from a 600 watt HPS will get almost 2x more lumens than if it was the same distance from a 400w.
And no, both lights can be used for soil and hydro. Consider using a ratio of 1/3 of your wattage from MH, and 2/3 from HPS though. The extra blue will keep your plants greener for longer, and give them more power for making buds. ie 250w MH + 600w HPS
Captain Jaz
Active Member
Lol, i know, thats why over feeding is the biggest newbie problem! Its hard to just watch them... you feel like you need to do something!
Staying cheap we have been down that route and this is what ive found....i see you have many diff types of bulbs (t10 really dont cut it) almost any light will get plants growing juring veg state....but if u must go with fluresent this is my opinion..you can use sunblaster 39w for vegging whicj is cheap and works great then move on to(or use from the beginning) 200 watt sunblaster cfl...you can get great results with this...but dont forget nothing can compete with HPS lights...and using 1 400watt 56,000 lumen hps doesnt give off as much heat as most people think and is fairly cheap,and you will have great results. wish you all the best from Vancouver!!!
Captain Jaz
Active Member
$20 isn't much to pay for an extra 200w! But ofc, i'm not saying she should pay an exta $50 for dual spectrum bulbs and all that crap, keep it cheap and keep it simple as possible.
Bonzi Lighthouse
Well-Known Member
I concur! Heat is only concern, esp when you enclose for flower, but with her enviroment it will be easy to deal with.