The ultimate Newb humbly asks for help for first grow ever...

[stonedar]

seed shopping is addictive

I use Floranova Bloom, Floralicious plus, & Koolbloom

there are soo many good nutes

 

[HopefulNewb]

yeah I'm pretty newb all around, wish i could sample a little from each heh. Thx for all advice. You use all three of those at one time? Sorry if I'm stealing your nute recipe but I figure you've had a few grows and have had awesome advice everywhere else.

 

[stonedar]

yeah they are designed to work together I keep MagicCal (CalMag by another name) just in case I see an issue.

 

[HopefulNewb]

figured it out, heh

 

[Dr. Worm]

#1. I have NO clue on lights, on what to buy, where to look anything. Can I use just one type from start to finish?

While you can use any of the recommended lights from start to finish (HPS, MH, CMH, LED, CFL, T5s), the most popular/efficient, in terms of lumens/watt, are HPS hands down. IMO, a CMH would be better (especially for the whole cycle), but they only make them in 400w or less

#2. I sorta understand Lucas formula, and will probably buy a semi-expensive ppm/ph meter, but in the terms KISS, I feel like I'll mess with it too much and over-feed or something. When making very first nutrient soup, how should I clean the containers? Another confusing part, do I use tap water and should I alter it's ph before adding nutrients?

I use and recommend HM Digital Meters over Hanna. Only reason is because peeps on an aquarium thread were recommending HM and saying negative things about Hanna. If you feel like you are going to overfeed, then recite your new mantra "Less is more." And if you use tap water, be sure to leave it sitting uncovered for at least 24 hours to let chlorine evaporate. And last, but def not least, always pH your water LAST.

#3. Biggest problem is figuring out where exactly. I have an empty closet, but I'm confused on how much ventilation two plants will need, I don't have security issues living alone in a house. Do I crack closet door and have a fan on the plant, should I set up a airfilter right outside to limit smell and circulate cleaner air for plants? I could hang the lights off top of closet.

I leave my closet door open with a fan on the floor blowing upwards to circulate air and help push how air up and out.

#4. What size rockwool cube should I start the seeds? in ? 1.5 inch or 4 inch??? Also after it starts I'll have hydroton all around, but I do take it out of rock wool right? I'm worried about the transfer if I can even get the seed to bloom.

1.5 in rockwool goes into the netpot and then surrounded with hydroton. DO NOT try to remove the rockwool from your rootmass.


I'm gonna go against the current here and say you should stick to your guns and go with your hydro setup. DWC is very easy, and very efficient for a small space grow.

 

[HopefulNewb]

getting confused on ballast/power setup on lighting right now,

I'm almost tempted to just get this -
http://www.greners.com/grow-lights/led-brand/haight-solid-state-ppf-800-led-grow-light.html


otherwise I'm a bit confused if I should just get a hood with ballast built in? like -

http://www.greners.com/grow-lights/...ballast/sunburst-400w-hps-mh-convertible.html

? want to get everything ordered but am stuck on the lighting setup, and still haven't heard back from greners on vent setup with tent

 

[Emph]

It's probably better to go with a separate ballast and light... Simply because when the ballast is in your light's hood, that's more heat in your grow area, which means more you have to do to cool your area.

 

[Guest 88950]

you soundlike me a few yrs ago.

i started with DWC 2 plants but i couldnt keep my res temps down and too much fluctuation with my ph so i went to soil.

FFOF soil is what i started with then i started ammending my soil with dry organic nutes (bone meal, blood meal, kelp meal, worm castings) and i fed with compost teas and guano teas.

i like the fact that the recycled soil gets better with time if done and ammended correctly and there is no need for a PH / PPM meter.

i was kinda pushed into usin Coco and ill stay with it b/c the growth is fast. i run a perpetual harvest with many strains and the nutes i use is the easiest system ive tried so far.

i use 1tsp MaxiBloom per gal h20 on all stages of growth and for the girls in flower ill add 1/2 tsp KoolBloom per gal for 5 days prior to a 14 day flush then chop. i can water every other day, daily or multiple times a day if i choose. i dont recirculate my nutes, im DTW.
check out the K.I.S.S. thread in the nutes forum and let the pics speak for themselves.

i use a 400 hps and its plenty for my 2 oz month need but im changing to 55w PL-L bulbs and ill have 8 in my cab and ill have better lumen penetration due to 8 light sources.

ill do something similar to ANTI or TILT.

good luck and remember...............................K.I.S.S.

 

[Trichromedout]

Soil is so much simpler, more forgiving and less maintenance in my opinion. Also it tastes better... Just fill those 14gal buckets with some 1/3 Foxfarm ocean forest, 1/3 chunky perilite, 1/3 worm castings, a little dolomite lime, maybe some greensand and rock phosphate and you are ready to rock my friend.
Depending on the strain I would go with a HPS for indica leaning and MH for sativa. Both if you can afford it.

 

[CFL_Grow]

I would get a seperate ballast and hood. Look for a SuperSun2 Aircooled Hood and a 400w switchable digital ballast. 2 bulbs, 1 Metal Halide, 1 HPS and your set.

You can use this hood and vent it in a tent and it is highly rated.

You'll be able to set it up cheaper then the LED and get more bud. If your long term power consumption is a worry or you can't deal with any heat, go with the LED.

 

[HopefulNewb]

Yeah I did all sorts of research on led's and it seems the one with actual results and that would work the best is also way out of reach for me. I'm not gonna sell any of what I grow it's all just medicine for me so probably going for bulbs now.

I can swing a MH and HPS bulb, and seems like it does make more sense to just get a ballast and a diff hood.

I love the KISS method and the coco/peri mix will help me so I don't over kill it, like a lot of the suggestions, and again can't thank everyone enough for the help.

Assuming I hear back from greners tomorrow I'll have everything ordered and then will hopefully be able to take some pics on setup and at the end of it all have something I can use for self.



One other last dumb question came to mind... with the seeds I get from an AF fem plant are those useable and will they be fems? I saw some review of what I ended up getting saying "great great smoke/plant, but one of six turned out hermie" ???



Pretty sure this is answered, but if I'm starting with just an AF shouldn't I just use a HPS over the mh?

 

[TheGreenBastard]

Yeah I did all sorts of research on led's and it seems the one with actual results and that would work the best is also way out of reach for me. I'm not gonna sell any of what I grow it's all just medicine for me so probably going for bulbs now.

I can swing a MH and HPS bulb, and seems like it does make more sense to just get a ballast and a diff hood.

I love the KISS method and the coco/peri mix will help me so I don't over kill it, like a lot of the suggestions, and again can't thank everyone enough for the help.

Assuming I hear back from greners tomorrow I'll have everything ordered and then will hopefully be able to take some pics on setup and at the end of it all have something I can use for self.



One other last dumb question came to mind... with the seeds I get from an AF fem plant are those useable and will they be fems? I saw some review of what I ended up getting saying "great great smoke/plant, but one of six turned out hermie" ???



Pretty sure this is answered, but if I'm starting with just an AF shouldn't I just use a HPS over the mh?

Some advice on fem AF seeds, don't buy them. Your much better off getting 10 reg seeds, doing a quick seed run, then making your own fem seeds using CS (colloidal silver). Besides, many of the best AF's don't come feminized, for example, mdanzigs gear.

I suggest getting a pack of Sour 60, throw them all in the same room and get at least a few hundred seeds. After that, pop a bunch, select the first fems to show sex and use those to make the femmed seeds. If you do that you will end up with a shit-ton feminized seeds that won't hermi and it will only cost you the price of the seeds (~$60) plus a couple of bucks to make the CS.

About the the lighting, it would still be beneficial to start your AF's under a MH for a few weeks as the blue spec will help regardless of strain. Even though they don't have a true veg the MH will still help control the stretch.

 

[HopefulNewb]

Awesome response , yeah looks like the sour60 looks awesome, I heard some good things about Short stuff Onyx seeds might give them a serious look also.

I know it's long term but if I'm still around in like a year I can't wait to learn about crossing and stuff like that, I have very little clue but hopefully enough to find the pistils on first grows .

 

[HopefulNewb]

k what about...

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics...s-or-mh-switchable-remote-ballast-p-3126.html

with

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics...anced-blue-spectrum-hps-grow-bulb-p-2985.html


then run like 18/6 or something?

 

[stonedar]

they would work together fine, someone earlier suggested a supersun 2 hood to go with it. they are good hoods, if you intend to use 6" ducting and cooling. have you settled on whether or not to use a tent? and which one?

and you can't go wrong with maxibloom (on here they call it K.I.S.S.)

 

[TheGreenBastard]

Awesome response , yeah looks like the sour60 looks awesome, I heard some good things about Short stuff Onyx seeds might give them a serious look also.

Any of those would be a great choice. Bluestreak is also a great strain if you are looking for a very flavorful and fairly potent AF.

I have very little clue but hopefully enough to find the pistils on first grows

I'm sure you'll be able to spot the males from the females. Keep in mind that AF males usually show up first, so that should help you identify sex.

 

[HopefulNewb]

stonedar I'm thinking of getting this tent... http://www.greners.com/grow-tents/secret-jardin/secret-jardin-dark-room-grow-tent-dr80.html

what about venting/filter ect for that setup then? want to make sure fans will work,

Do I need to get two fans now one for hood and one for just smell?? Feel like I should grow at least two at a time since I'll be wasting so much power for just one plant lol

 

[stonedar]

I can reach out and touch a GL80 as I sit here and type. I own a DR60. I say that just so you know I am familiar with growing in tents.

here's the deal. a 400w is perfect for that tent. it will require good cooling, with an air cooled hood. However do some layout planning. 6" cool tube or 6" air-cooled hood will be tight in that space. It will work it will just take some planning.

I'd rather see you buy a 4" air-cooled hood/fan/filter combo for that size tent.

you will see all kindsa people on here that will say a 6" will work in that tent, and it will. it is just tighter than snot.

a 4" will do the job 100% perfectly. I can reach out and touch one right now, no lie.

more to follow.

 

[stonedar]

if you go on plantlightinghydroponics.com you will see a C.A.P. $69 reflector that would work great or you could spend a little more and get a sunlight super sun not the 6" version the 4"

that with a 4" filter/fan would take up a whole lot less space than a 6 inch reflector would

what takes up so much room with a cool tube or a 6" air-cooled reflector is all the 6" duct work. that stuff is pretty big. doesn't sound like it but it is

just to throw another option at you a 250w will run in a DR80 with out the need of an air-cooled hood. the only deal there is metal halides need a glass to be safe. so if you decide to go 250 I want to have you read about a different bulb.

 

[stonedar]

either way you only will need one fan be it 4" or 6"fan




on auto flowers, I still would start with either CFL's or the MH til they start to stretch and flower. you will be able to tell. then switch to HPS...


can you PM yet, I am sure the mods would like it if we posted less and pm'd more