These plants are about 8 days old, the ones in the red solo cups are white widow(non-fem) and the other ones in the green cups are just 5 random seeds that they sent for as a bonus. I have them in a closet type setup with the temperatures staying around 76-82 and humidity 45%-60%. They are on a 18/6 light schedule with 5 26watt equivalent to 100 watt bulbs, so 500watts of CFL. I have just been watering them with plain h2o and nothing else. I planted them in organic miracle grow soil. Now I know it is early to be thinking about nutes and all that stuff but what are the little things I could do to make these plants really flourish? peroxide in the water? molasses at the end of flowering? Also, you can see that I have 8 plants which could be either male or female, hoping to get 3-4 females do you think a 250 hps would be enough or 400? I want to keep a continuous supply of plants coming through. I can't figure out how to post the pics on this thread but you can just click my name and look at my gallery. Thanks
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- Thread starter bpo
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Wiimote
Member
First off, 5 26w CFL bulbs is NOT 500w of flourescent light. It is 180w of flourescent light. The equivelent wattages really mean nothing to your plants. That only means that the 26w bulbs put out the equivelent of a 100w incandescent bulb (as far as your eyes can tell).
Second, since you used the MG soil, I wouldn't even think of using any other ferts until your girls (lets hope anyway) show they need more food. (I've never used the organic, but regular MG soil only needs bloom ferts added and usually only once or twice before you want to flush)
Third, get those CFLs as close as possible (within 1-3in) without burning the tips of the leaves. You won't see any real fast growth for a while yet (around week 2 or so they should start taking off, but won't really take off until you switch to 12/12)
Lastly, a 250 HPS or MH would give better results than the CFLs (as would of course a 400 or larger) as long as your cab is large enough, and your ventilation strong enough, to handle the additional heat.
Second, since you used the MG soil, I wouldn't even think of using any other ferts until your girls (lets hope anyway) show they need more food. (I've never used the organic, but regular MG soil only needs bloom ferts added and usually only once or twice before you want to flush)
Third, get those CFLs as close as possible (within 1-3in) without burning the tips of the leaves. You won't see any real fast growth for a while yet (around week 2 or so they should start taking off, but won't really take off until you switch to 12/12)
Lastly, a 250 HPS or MH would give better results than the CFLs (as would of course a 400 or larger) as long as your cab is large enough, and your ventilation strong enough, to handle the additional heat.
Say you had a closet about 8 feet wide, 4 feet deep, and ceilings about 8 feet tall. I can fit a couple of fans in there too. If I really needed to I can also crack the door during the day to ventilate as well. How much heat would a 250 or a 400 watt hps give off? Right now my temps run from the hottest of 83-84 during the day and 74-75 during the nights. My humidity is around 60%. I don't have any way of running actually ventilation and continuous fresh air in and out of the room. I'm only looking to grow 4-6 plants at a time.
Levitikuz
Member
i have a closet that big and i ran a 400hps is it .... if you have good enough venalation no worries dude...and a 400 is much better then a 250...and if you can get a switchable ballast, you can run both hps and mh in the same one, and the cost is the same where i live at the grow shops....400w so much worth it man
Wiimote
Member
My closet is 22in X 46in X 7ft and I run a 430w HPS with a 180 CFM fan exhausting the closet, and a passive intake. My temps hit 84 for a high and 76 for a low.
Could you run a 250/400w light with the door open during lights on? Prob, but you would need to have some circulation going to move the hot air out of the doorway. Not to mention the security issues of having that door open 12 hours a day.
I would recommend you try and find a way to get air in and out of the closet with any kind of HID lighting. If that is not possible, then I would suggest you get some more CFLs, and read heavily on LSTing.
Could you run a 250/400w light with the door open during lights on? Prob, but you would need to have some circulation going to move the hot air out of the doorway. Not to mention the security issues of having that door open 12 hours a day.
I would recommend you try and find a way to get air in and out of the closet with any kind of HID lighting. If that is not possible, then I would suggest you get some more CFLs, and read heavily on LSTing.
Well I actually just bought a 400watt hps so I'm going to try and use it, I'm pretty much right next to the attic and there is like a hole to it....but I don't know about making a hole in the roof or anything that's just to crazy(i'm renting). I think I have a pic I'll post it on here and tell me what you think I could do.
Wiimote
Member
If you can vent out into the attic, your golden. There is no need (at all) to vent completely outside. Mine vents directly out into my basement. I'll admit venting outside would be "ideal" but venting to a diff room is good enough. Especially if you can intake from one room (bedroom or whatever room the closet is in) and exhaust into another (the attic or even a different room in the house).
As for scrubbing your air, I just took one of the wife's old nylons, filled it with activated charcoal, put it in an old coffee can with a hole in the bottom, and let my squirrel cage fan exhaust the air through it. Muffles the fan sounds nicely, and there isn't even a hint of smell, and to top it off, the coffee can blends in with the other 50 or so that are scattered around my basement holding screws, nails, and various other things us packrats acquire.
As for scrubbing your air, I just took one of the wife's old nylons, filled it with activated charcoal, put it in an old coffee can with a hole in the bottom, and let my squirrel cage fan exhaust the air through it. Muffles the fan sounds nicely, and there isn't even a hint of smell, and to top it off, the coffee can blends in with the other 50 or so that are scattered around my basement holding screws, nails, and various other things us packrats acquire.
alright guys, i have a new problem on my hands. i checked my plants this morning and they just seem droopy. i looked on my sick plant guides but there are several different reasons as to why they could do this. i feel like it is either overwatering or underwatering. i feel like i don't know how much water my plants really need. i'll attach new pictures that will be in my gallery so you can see for yourself and decide. approx. how much water do you guys put in each time you do water? i'm using solo cups for 5 of them and they seem to be the ones that are really acting up. i'm thinking about going to buy a couple gallons of distilled water today and add 2 lid fulls of peroxide to each gallon and give them a good watering.
heres a hint for proper watering and what i and many others do.bpo said:
water the container just untill drainage is achieved stop move to next plant when plants are done draining 5-10 min's lift plant this is your plants approx watered weight. now each day lift the conatiner you'll notice the moisture level drop when it feels light or 20-25% moisture left water again. some ppl say wait till the plant starts to wilt some i feel thats undue stress never let container go compleatly dry 1 min plant is fine lookn great next min its wilted when soil dry's out compleatly = undue stress
PHANTOM
Member
oops wrong button
ANYHOW, my plants drooped when I put them in the closet...........it was due to too much heat.
I went out and got a 4INCH bathroom extraction fan and fitted it (about 20 mins)
problem solved
I have now fitted a clip on 6INCH fan for air circulation
I am running a 400 WATT HPS at 20 INCHES from the top of my tallest plant
PHANTOM
ANYHOW, my plants drooped when I put them in the closet...........it was due to too much heat.
I went out and got a 4INCH bathroom extraction fan and fitted it (about 20 mins)
problem solved
I have now fitted a clip on 6INCH fan for air circulation
I am running a 400 WATT HPS at 20 INCHES from the top of my tallest plant
PHANTOM
i really dont think heat is my problem right now, my thermometer is reading 74-80 now that the temperatures outside have cooled down. i really have a feeling its to do with my watering situation. i'm going in the closet at 6pm to check on them again and to water them. i have some miracle gro liquid food formula that isn't to strong, do you think this could hurt to maybe put a couple drop of this in the water with them only being about 2 weeks old? or should i just stick with peroxide and water?
You are going to kill you r plants worrying about them too much. Chances are what they other dudes are saying is that you are watering them too much, very common mistake for a new grower. Your plants should be good like they said until at least you start to flower. You will be able to tell when they are hungry. Wait until the pots feel like there is no weight left to them. Work the soil a bit, so the water does not just run down the edge of the pot, when you do water. Then wait until you need to water again. 2 week old plants will probably need watering once or twice a week. Right after you water lift the pot, you will then learn the difference between, when your plant need and do not need water.
I would not give them any food for a few more weeks yet
Good luck with your grow
I would not give them any food for a few more weeks yet
Good luck with your grow
dude,,,stop torturing these poor plants! and if you transplant into a MUCH bigger pot than a cup,,,not only will you notice a major diff. in growth,,,but you will be able to give em a good watering and not woorry about it for a week ,,,give or take. everyone is right,,,,,,,LIFT THEM ! OFTEN. oh and mg soil is TOXIC imho. too much amonia nitrate and urea nitrate which is toxic to mj plants. i hate the stuff,,,lost plants because of it,,,and would NEVER use it again. there are some really good soils on the market...fox farm ocean forest for vegg. because it contains high N,,,,and fox farm planting mix,,for 12/12,,,,it is more nutural and you can use your nutes. do as you will with that mg,,,but personally,,,,i hate it ! okay,,,,gotta burn one after all that !
i have called all the nurseries around me and none of them carry any fox farm products. the only thing i have found that is organic is the MG organic. i could order it online but i just don't have the funds right now. i really need to transplant in to bigger pots so i'm just going to have to use the MG organic soil for now. this is only my first grow, even if all does go wrong i still have 20 more seeds(crystal, and ice. sounds like meth but w/e) and i'm not going to give up. maybe in a month or so i can order some of that good soil but for now i just have to use what i have. i may order some femenized seeds so it takes the guess work out and unnecessary plants growing. here's my list of shit that i still need to buy..
400watt hps(ordered and shipped just not received yet)
2-4 bags of ocean forest,
2-4 bags of happy frog,
pH tester,
mylar.
and maybe some random nutes, not sure what yet though, any suggestions would be great.
400watt hps(ordered and shipped just not received yet)
2-4 bags of ocean forest,
2-4 bags of happy frog,
pH tester,
mylar.
and maybe some random nutes, not sure what yet though, any suggestions would be great.
G
Guest
Best advice I can give you is to read. We were all in your shoes at one time. No need to reinvent the wheel. Just take the time to read and you will be rewarded.
Hey guys, put some new pics up in my gallery. This is week 5 now. On week 4 I added a 250 watt MH that has been on for 18/6. Getting a 400watt HPS in about 2-3 days. Still in veg. How much longer do you guys think I should let them keep going in veg and should I trim some of the lower stuff? or just let them get really bushy. The tallest one is ~17 inches and the other shorter ones are about 11 inches. 4 of them are white widows and the other 3 are random seeds.
