First grow box build (Hydro)

[JiveTurkySamich]

Howdy, Gents. Just finished my first grow box build and I''m just looking for some ideas for improvement. Basically,my main goal was to make a cheap grow box (~$250-$350) that contains the smell but isn't particularly stealthy.

First, I built a frame with 2x4s and screwed corrugated plastic sheets to the inside for the walls and plywood for the roof and floor. I covered those up with some aluminum foil and foil tape but not before siliconing the seams inside and outside the box. Hopefully it does the job. I think the weakest point is probably the door which is made of corrugated plastic and is held in place by a slot and industrial strength velcro.

Anyway,I got 2 seeds germinating right now so with a little luck I`ll have some youngins to show off soon. Im experimenting as this is my first grow so I have one in hydroton balls and the other in coco earth, with a jiffy pellet in each pot to encourage a fast germination

Feel free to critique or encourage.
Cheers

 

[Call me clemoh]

Hello I'm new to the forums and to the growing too! So great Job on getting your feet wet bro. So I would look into some panda film instead of foil. Also Try some cfl's a couple 23 watts high in kelvin until them girls come out and start playing. Idk just sum thoughts looks cool as ever! Can't wait to see sum progress

 

[JiveTurkySamich]

The flood lights I have in there right now are 18.5 watt cfls. Right now I only have 2 set up because one of the fixtures I bought was broken so I need to return it. Once the head pops on these fellas, I'll have all 4 lights in there. I was trying to get the box wrapped in mylar but the home depot didnt carry it where I live.

 

[Beggy]

I'm a first time grower, too. Very interesting to see what other people come up with to suit their situation. Did my setup with Panda Film, nice stuff to work with. Good luck with your grow and I'll be checking in on you.

 

[JiveTurkySamich]

These are the seeds I've got.

 

[Beggy]

Did your seeds pop? How are things going?

 

[JiveTurkySamich]

Did your seeds pop? How are things going?

I think I might have drown my fist 2 seeds so I started to germinate 2 more using the paper towel method and I just transplanted them into their containers last night. One of them has already started to sprout so I'm much more hopeful about this batch of seeds

 

[Beggy]

I lost two when I was starting my grow, too. They are very delicate in the seedling stage. This being my first grow I am quite anxious. Feel like a first time father. If I get some nice buds out of this grow, I'm sure the next will be more relaxing. Keep us posted.

 

[stoneybud2]

I might be able to help here. I've built a lot of cabs or converted things into cabs.
Your cab looks pretty good. Something that woulda cost 100$ pending how you did er.
Ie checking out what they got for off cut lumber at the stores. Built a cloning cabs thAt way.

We will go back to building in a minute.
From that pic I see few things. 1 is your lamps. No no no. As mentioned b4 get some cfls if you must use them. 5600k to veg 23-26w. Those lights you got in there now are doing nothing for you but wasting power n creating heat. Your looking to obtain atleast 3000 lumens per sqft. For veg. Your coco is soaked this can lead to rotting your bean. If there in jiffies then leave them out till popped n rooted. Plant into coco or hydroton once roots start popping out.
Another thing is you shouldn't be able to obtain the smell. Fresh air must come in and go out.

You have the right idea just mixed up. If you want stealth you have to either hide it or blend it in ie old record player. fridge. Dressers. Stand up speakers. Shit like that at first glance it looks to be what it is.
I found one of those cabinets with 2 doors n have turned then into host houses. Run 3-4 2' t5's for light muffin fan for exhaust holes in back with ducting for intake. Sides n front n top appear normal.
I'll snap some photos if you'd like of a hidden box I built in runs an open 400w HPS carbon scrubber 200cfm inline fan dimensions 2'w x 3'L x 3'h

Hope this helps some
SB2

 

[JiveTurkySamich]

3 days since they sprouted. I got some CFLs and I'm getting another 2 in the cab, I just need a new light fixture first

 

[stoneybud2]

Good deal. If you don't already get a fan blowing on dem lil ones n keep as close to light as ya can.
SB2

 

[JiveTurkySamich]

I have all 4 cfls in the cab now and the lights are set about 3 inches above the girls. Also, I thought about what you said, Stoneybud2, about soaking my coco. I switched out the containers so now they are about 80% hydroton balls and 20% coco at the top to wick some moisture from my res. None of the coco is in water now and I check on the girls every 4 or 5 hours unless I'm asleep.

 

[JiveTurkySamich]

My girls need to drink more milk!

My girls need to drink more milk!

Well, I learned my lesson the hard way about the wet coco. Opened up the cab yesterday morning, to find some white mildew starting to grow on the coco so I flushed my res and transferred the girls to hydroton only containers.

The night before that, one of my plants started to get really orange at the tips and I figured it was either the lights being too close or a calcium deficiency so I put the lights up and fed the girls about 1/4 of the recommended dose for seedlings of nutrients and got the pH to ~6 (I read that plants thrive at calcium absorption at a pH of 6.2).
After a couple of days, it looks like the feeding did the trick because the orange faded to brown and the tips of the leaves began to grow green beyond the brown spots.
also I added some wet paper towels to increase the humidity since it's pretty dry where I am.
Recovering Plant

Second Plant

 

[JiveTurkySamich]

Quick Update: Magnesium Sulfate to the rescue!

Quick Update: Magnesium Sulfate to the rescue!

Alright so a few hiccups but this is how one learns.
As some of you probably noticed in my last post, my second plant's leaves were reaching toward the light and the day after my last post they actually began to twist.

Second Plant- Day 8

Second Plant- Day 8

I looked it up and it would seem that my plant had a magnesium deficiency. I was also under the impression that both plants were under a nutrient lockout because I trimmed the brown tips to allow the rest of the plant to get health and then the ends started to brown again.

Recovering Plant- Day 8

I attributed the lockout to the relatively hard water here (Upwards of 210) and figured some epsom salts, good ol' Magnesium Sulfate, would do the trick for both my problems.

Recovering Plant-Day 11

Second Plant- Day 11

 

[stoneybud2]

Good deal. Lil survivors

One thing I'd like to say. This might help you some this is only my opinion
But I would not feed them anything but a water for a good 1-2 weeks not even a fraction of a seedling measurement.
They will have enough food stored in them to get ripping. Once those round leafs start to yellow or fall off then you can start slowly introducing food.

I also would have hand watered till I got some good roots coming out the pellet.
Your pellet is quite wet. Which ime this only happens with over watering. I also don't think the lock came from trimming. But from adding nutes to a plant that didn't need em and leading to toxicity causing lock out yes. I beleive that could be your issue. Notice in the last pic the light green/yellow tip. Your first sign of over feeding. The rest falls into play as more food is given.
SB2

 

[JiveTurkySamich]

There is a significant amount of roots coming out of the container and the pellets aren't in the water. I have been watering the pellets with a ladle from my rez and the root have made their way through the hydroton and into my rez.