help a new grower out

[meowski916]

(question mark button broke on the laptop sorry)

Hey guys, im about to start an indoor grow and would like to know if these lights are usable. They are currently being advertised on my local craigslist. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/mat/2575378233.html thanks.

I am also looking to start an outdoor grow. What are the recommended nutrients for a beginner grower. I have been using foxfarms lineup; grow big, tiger bloom etc. From reading the forums i have heard silica is the shit. What kind should i get and whats the recommended dosage.

Here are some pics of my first ever grow. A clone of what I was told to be some Northern Lights by a cousin of mine. She is still blooming. Any info/tips are welcomed. Help this new grower out!

 

[urbanfog]

Yes they will, just make sure to take a bulb if they dont have any to test. I was considering that sale too, but I have 2 400 's already (HPS and CMH) Someoone else on Sac CL had them for 40$ each also.

For nutes I use DYna Gro in my hydro and Jacks 20-20-20 for my ffof for veg and Jacks Bloom for flower. For Silica I like Dyna Grow ProTek.

Good Luck man, looks great.

 

[iBlaze]

Those lights will work but they are big. If you could find an actual grow hood you might be better off.

As for nute recommendations you could pick up a "GObox" by general organics. It will be good for 2 small harvests/1 bigger harvest. Comes with everything you need. About 8 bottles of different nutes ranging from BioRoot-BioBud.

Good luck with your grow, hope I could be of some assistance.

 

[Iron_Lion]

Those lights will work but they are big.

....and hard to cool and the reflector isnt really all that suitable for lighting up a grow area. With a light fixture like that you will have a hard time getting the bulb close enough to the plants and still give you an appropriate foot print and at the same time be stuck having the ballast in the grow area.

Best thing you could do with those lights is take them apart and rewire them so the socket is separate from the ballast case and with a long enough cord so that the ballast can be outside of the grow space.

If they have been used part of their life expectancy has alreay been used up so they may require repair sooner than later.

I personally wouldn't bother with those lights and just go buy a new cheap magnetic grow ballast and hood combo. For $100 you can get a new magnetic switchable HPS/MH ballast

 

[memphis man]

....

Best thing you could do with those lights is take them apart and rewire them so the socket is separate from the ballast case and with a long enough cord so that the ballast can be outside of the grow space.

spot on info right there

i have used these before and rewired them to make it a remote ballast. you can cool them by making a home made cooltube either from a pyrex bake-a-round or by getting a large cylinder shaped glass vase and using a dremel tool with cutting wheel to cut the solid bottom out of the vase. you can then add ducting to the glass and for a reflector cut a piece of hard ducting and form around the top half of the glass.

 

[meowski916]

Thanks for the everyone, still trying to work on use the forum. Will definitely look into that brand of that recommended brand of silica. And yea I think im gonna go for the more traditional route of a new grower, Im thinking 1 400w bulb/ballast/hood setup. I dont wanna bang out 75 bucks only to replace it in the near future.

Thanks all,
Happy growing.

 

[Hold Your Fire]

Agree with Iron Lion 100% on this one. Those ballasts get SUPER hot too.
I would get a light, made for growing plants.
http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/econowing-400w-hps-crop-master-remote-grow-light-p-1532.html This would be better.
5 year warranty on the ballast too.
Nothing wrong with FF nutes.
I us GH flora, Dyna Gro has caught my attention because of the price.

 

[Hank Hemp]

Those lights are for a hi ceiling. They would take a bit of work. Go with a real hood or reflector.

 

[meowski916]

self bump

self bump

Well I managed to get my hands on a 250 watt hps floralux hood. The ballast is connected to it so kinda hot. I have 3 plants sitting under it now. I recently turned it off because I have my northern lights drying and I want to keep light minimal. Will this stress my plants ( ) I thought to myself drying usually takes four days right ( ) so it wouldnt affect it too much. The three plants are of unknown strains, about 2.5 ft tall.

I finally harvested my first plant the northern lights. Shes a beauty but ran into some problems with spider mites. Any easy cheap solutions for pest and mites on my next grow ( ) any help would be mucho appreciated. Thanks.

Heres some pics ive attached of the northern lights trimmed.
peace and trees.


did i do it right