Hi all. I'm a newbie starting a first time grow. Thought I'd post and see if there's anything I am doing majorly wrong, share my experience and ideas, and eventually share how things turn out.
So, the basic info of my grow so far:-
Planted (approx 3 weeks ago): 2x Blue Cush (2gal fabric pots), 1x Mephisto Sour Hound (10l pot), 1x Low Ryder #2 (10l pot) (All fem. autos)
Medium: Approx 80% Coir (rinsed w/ pH ˜6 tap water), 20% Perlite
Lights: 8x 24w 6500k CFL (Philips) + 3x 150w 5500k CFL (Chinese made, so skeptical about actual wattage) = ˜650w total
Nutes: Just water (not pH'd) first 2 weeks, 5 days crappy local nutes (NPK ratio ok from what I can tell tho), Now on 2 part 'Grow' nutes, switching to 'Flower' once I hit that stage. No supplimental nutes planned (Cal-Mag + other minerals/etc in grow nutes I have).
Here's a few photos so I can show where I'm at:-
This is the beginnings of my Stealth Cabinet. It's approx 44cm x 88cm x 1m high (excluding th ply part that houses the CFL's). Needs to be small because I need to go stealth. Why? to a) hide from those who think it's wrong to grow a plant and b) hide from the mrs because she won't want people who think it's wrong to grow a plant turning up.
Currently I have it inside as the mrs is away for a couple of weeks, so I don't have to worry about hiding it. Eventually, I will intergrate into an outdoor table thrown together with some ply and other spare crap I have lying around. I will line with the panda sheet (pictured, currently just draped over the box).
Here are the bulbs. It's basically the 8x 24w CFL's spaced evenly with 3x 150w in between each pair. I have only had the full power of these lights on the plants for today, with roughly 100w on for the first 10 days and 400w for the rest of the grow.
The reflector is just a cut up windshield sun reflector which seems to be doing an alright job, and only cost a few bucks.
Thankfully I have an abundance of angle iron with holes from my work. It makes up the basic frame and lets me hang my pots from it as the next picture shows.
I orignally thought I'd only plant 3 seeds, but I planted 4 in case one failed to germinate, but as they all managed to bust out ok, I'm going to keep them all going and see what happens. I'll likely put a third 10l pot in the centre that currently has 2x 2gal fabric pots hanging. The good thing about the holey angle iron is I can move the plants up and down fairly easily.
And finally these next 3 photos are the plants. They look pretty healthy so far. If I hit issues I'll add to this thread and hopefully someone will read and help out.
The below is one of the the 2x Blue Cush in the fabric pots.
I think this is the Mephisto Sour Hound, tho I may have mixed it up with Lowryder #2 at some point. Will figure that one out eventually I guess.
And finally, what I think is the Lowryder #2 on the far right (with the 2x Blue Cush hanging in the fabric pots)
Like I say, things seem to be going well so far (if a little slow perhaps). I am not _exactly_ sure when I planted to be honest. I have transferred from the original smaller pots I started them in (today) so hopefully that doesn't shock them at all. Once I have them in their final grow place I'll throw some more photos up so peeps can get the gist of my stealth box.
Comments/suggestions/etc are all welcome.
Thanks, and happy growing to all.
h-saw.
So, the basic info of my grow so far:-
Planted (approx 3 weeks ago): 2x Blue Cush (2gal fabric pots), 1x Mephisto Sour Hound (10l pot), 1x Low Ryder #2 (10l pot) (All fem. autos)
Medium: Approx 80% Coir (rinsed w/ pH ˜6 tap water), 20% Perlite
Lights: 8x 24w 6500k CFL (Philips) + 3x 150w 5500k CFL (Chinese made, so skeptical about actual wattage) = ˜650w total
Nutes: Just water (not pH'd) first 2 weeks, 5 days crappy local nutes (NPK ratio ok from what I can tell tho), Now on 2 part 'Grow' nutes, switching to 'Flower' once I hit that stage. No supplimental nutes planned (Cal-Mag + other minerals/etc in grow nutes I have).
Here's a few photos so I can show where I'm at:-
This is the beginnings of my Stealth Cabinet. It's approx 44cm x 88cm x 1m high (excluding th ply part that houses the CFL's). Needs to be small because I need to go stealth. Why? to a) hide from those who think it's wrong to grow a plant and b) hide from the mrs because she won't want people who think it's wrong to grow a plant turning up.
Currently I have it inside as the mrs is away for a couple of weeks, so I don't have to worry about hiding it. Eventually, I will intergrate into an outdoor table thrown together with some ply and other spare crap I have lying around. I will line with the panda sheet (pictured, currently just draped over the box).
Here are the bulbs. It's basically the 8x 24w CFL's spaced evenly with 3x 150w in between each pair. I have only had the full power of these lights on the plants for today, with roughly 100w on for the first 10 days and 400w for the rest of the grow.
The reflector is just a cut up windshield sun reflector which seems to be doing an alright job, and only cost a few bucks.Thankfully I have an abundance of angle iron with holes from my work. It makes up the basic frame and lets me hang my pots from it as the next picture shows.
I orignally thought I'd only plant 3 seeds, but I planted 4 in case one failed to germinate, but as they all managed to bust out ok, I'm going to keep them all going and see what happens. I'll likely put a third 10l pot in the centre that currently has 2x 2gal fabric pots hanging. The good thing about the holey angle iron is I can move the plants up and down fairly easily.
And finally these next 3 photos are the plants. They look pretty healthy so far. If I hit issues I'll add to this thread and hopefully someone will read and help out.
The below is one of the the 2x Blue Cush in the fabric pots.
I think this is the Mephisto Sour Hound, tho I may have mixed it up with Lowryder #2 at some point. Will figure that one out eventually I guess.
And finally, what I think is the Lowryder #2 on the far right (with the 2x Blue Cush hanging in the fabric pots)
Like I say, things seem to be going well so far (if a little slow perhaps). I am not _exactly_ sure when I planted to be honest. I have transferred from the original smaller pots I started them in (today) so hopefully that doesn't shock them at all. Once I have them in their final grow place I'll throw some more photos up so peeps can get the gist of my stealth box.
Comments/suggestions/etc are all welcome.
Thanks, and happy growing to all.
h-saw.
Last edited: