# First Grow



## ssjric (Jan 26, 2010)

Hey guys. This is my first grow and would just like some comments and suggestions. Iv'e been reading around and feel like I'm doing good so far but I think a second opinion would help. I just set my closet with two 430 watt T5'S. Using white 6 inch pots. About 50% soil 30% peat moss 10% perlite !0% manure. I had them on 18/6 but just switched to 24/0. I water with R/O adding MagiCal and NCS17 Grow coco. I try and keep my Ph around 6.3 to 7. I'm watering two or three times a week. So any suggestion or comments would be appreciated. Thanks


----------



## Locked (Jan 26, 2010)

Looking good...are those clones? It looks like they already hve alternating nodes...for soil a ph of 6.5 has been golden...


----------



## ssjric (Jan 26, 2010)

Yes, they're clones. Been veggin since 1-12. Some are starting to produce alternating nodes. Mainly my GDP and Blue Dream! I'm setting up my flowering room since I probably going to start flowering at the start of the month.


----------



## legalize_freedom (Jan 26, 2010)

I like my soil sitting at 6.5 also


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 27, 2010)

Are you saying that you are running 860W of T5s?  What is the lumen output?  Are you going to run these all the way through flowering?


----------



## leafminer (Jan 27, 2010)

Wow what a lamp setup! :farm:  :aok:  :woohoo: 
Wonderful. I can't wait to see the setup for the flower room.


----------



## spiritlovescolorado (Jan 27, 2010)

SSAAAwweeeeet! :hubba:  Wanna Trade? :bump:   lol!

'Whatever you give a woman, she will make it greater. If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her. So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of *#@$.'


----------



## Droopy Dog (Jan 27, 2010)

Looks great!

The only suggestion I would make is, upping the amount of perlite in your mix.  But that's just me.  Peat+soil can get real soggy and compacted real quick.

DD


----------



## ssjric (Jan 27, 2010)

Each light emits 33,600 lumens and 430 watts.  I put blue lights every other one for a total of 6 blues in each lamp. I am setting up my flowering room. I currently have one 600 watt sodium light, about to buy two more. Then I will transplant into my 10" pots and switch to my NCS17 Bloom with MagiCal and 12/12 light cycle. I will use more perlite for the transplant. Everything sounds ok?


----------



## ssjric (Feb 2, 2010)

Ok, so I have now set up my flowering station. I currently have 20 plants under a 600 watt sodium, about 1 foot away. Just flushed all my plants today and am starting to water my plants that about to start their 12/12 with half CNS17 grow and CNS17 Ripe. Aswell as using 30 ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide per gallon and MagiCal for trace.


----------



## DonJones (Feb 2, 2010)

ssjric,

WELCOME to the forum.  

It looks like your doing great.

You already know that you need a lot more light for flower so all I'm going say is don't wait on it.  It would have been better if you had held them in veg while getting your flower lights in order rather than not having enough light in the flower room.

If you have red lamps/tubes for your T-5s, they plus your one HPS would be better than nothing while you're getting the other HPS lights set up.


Please give me some more information on your T-5s.  Are they HOs?  What brand and model?  How much do they cost?  Do you have a website link for the manufacturer?

Thanks for your information.  I can always learn from anyone.

Great smoking.


----------



## Tact (Feb 2, 2010)

Looking good man, if you cant afford another light in the bloom room maybe a light mover would compensate for this grow?


----------



## ssjric (Feb 2, 2010)

I am going to by another 600 watt. I'm just not sure if I can run that much wattage. I want two 600 watt lights. Currently theres 20 under that one. For now I think will be ok but not for long. Correct me if I'm wrong.


----------



## Mokey1 (Feb 2, 2010)

First let me say the little guys are looking nice.  ssjric, I've got a question for you as well as others.  Seems like you have plenty of head room in there, so why are you so anxious to set them to 12-12?  No offence to any of you ladies and gents out there but if height isn't an issue why flower so soon? I have around 6 foot head room and vegged for 3 1/2 months and topped many times before going 12-12.  That gave me ladies in the 20" to 24" range that were bushy before swiching to 12-12.  Naturally you need head room for the light but once again why so soon?  Maybe it's just a personal thing with me but I like to grow 6 bushy 4 foot plants with a higher yield then lots of small short ones with lesser yield.  Like I say though, I do understand if head room is a problem.  After all I wish I had another 2 foot of headroom.  I'd be growing trees. Maybe you fellow growers can teach me and have me change my ways.

Peace


----------



## ssjric (Feb 2, 2010)

I'm trying to grow more plants in the same amount of space. Faster cycles...


----------



## legalize_freedom (Feb 2, 2010)

Mokey the yeild should average itself out.  Meaning that we go by the amount of sq footage, your big plants have used 2 1/2 months more electric than those of us who do many plants in a short amount of time (using alot less electricity.)  A big plant can still only yeild whatever it is geneticly capable of.  

Give this a try your next grow, you will be harvesting more in the long run because you will be getting more grows in the same amount of time.  Your plants that you are growing right nw to be huge, will yeild close to the same if you had say 30 small clones of them, vegged for a short time, and flowered should equal close to the same of 6 big plants in the same space.  Do some reading on SOG style grows.


----------



## ssjric (Feb 2, 2010)

Yes, Sea of Green(SOG)!!! I love the look of a bunch of small plants!!!


----------



## Sinisterhand (Feb 3, 2010)

WOW, very very nice. Looks great. I would consider a light mover, great investment.


----------



## ssjric (Feb 3, 2010)

Could someone explain the benefits of using a light mover over buying another 600 watt light and how to utilize a light mover? Thanks


----------



## PencilHead (Feb 3, 2010)

ssjric said:
			
		

> Could someone explain the benefits of using a light mover over buying another 600 watt light and how to utilize a light mover? Thanks


 
Unless you're Tool Time Tim, save the heartaches on the light movers and go buy that other 600w. JMO.


----------



## ssjric (Feb 3, 2010)

Ok cool...with two 600 watt lights how many plants should you be able to typically fit during flowering?


----------



## nouvellechef (Feb 3, 2010)

It all depends. You push them together inches apart, all the lower stuff will be joint material and hurt yield. If you are gonna cram them together, I would lollipop them. If not, I would spread them out, pound them with light, enclose them in something.


----------



## Mokey1 (Feb 3, 2010)

I started with one 600 watt light and thought I'd do better with a light mover.  Some may like them but it wasn't for me.  It was right out of the box and no matter what I did it made noise.  It screamed, your growing something down there.  No matter what I did there was noise and vibration.  Even took it all down and put rubber between the track and the joist.  I even sent it back to the company to have them check it out.  I finally, just called it a loss and bought a second 600 watt light.  I'm much happier as is my better half.  

On the other subject of small vs. large plants, I guess I rather get caught with 6 plants instead of 30.  After all they won't weigh them.  Least I don't think they will. 

Thanks for all the conversation and getting me to think about doing things in different ways.


----------



## legalize_freedom (Feb 3, 2010)

well the trick is to not get caught!


----------



## ssjric (Feb 3, 2010)

So I just bought and set up my second 600 watt light! Transplanted more of my plants into 10" buckets. Starting to use my CNS17 Ripe with Hydroplex. I'll post pics soon!!!


----------



## ssjric (Feb 4, 2010)

Ok so I now have both of my 600 watt lights up and running at 75%. I keep tripping the breaker at 100% on both. I also added bamboo sticks for support. It's so hard for me to imagine that these were only 5-6 inches less than a month ago!!! Let me know what you guys think so far?!


----------



## PencilHead (Feb 4, 2010)

I think you need to find a separate breaker for each light first.  That's gonna bite you sooner or later, guaranteed

And, you need to get some oscillation going in there if you don't have any.  I never need supports until I'm budded out totally, but I run 12" fans on mine constantly.

All in all, you're looking good though, doc.


----------



## ssjric (Feb 4, 2010)

I have an 18" fan oscillating on them and I'm adding 2 16" oscillating fans today. How will running my lights at 75% come back and get me?


----------



## ssjric (Feb 5, 2010)

???


----------



## PencilHead (Feb 5, 2010)

ssjric said:
			
		

> I have an 18" fan oscillating on them and I'm adding 2 16" oscillating fans today. How will running my lights at 75% come back and get me?


 
No, no--using a breaker that keeps popping off will come back to haunt you.  It'll go off while you're gone or at some other most inopportune time, or it'll get fried eventually and you'll have to replace it.  Sorry about the miss.  Still looking good though.


----------



## Droopy Dog (Feb 5, 2010)

PencilHead said:
			
		

> No, no--using a breaker that keeps popping off will come back to haunt you.  It'll go off while you're gone or at some other most inopportune time, or it'll get fried eventually and you'll have to replace it.  Sorry about the miss.  Still looking good though.


:yeahthat: 

Running that close to a circuit's limit is not a good thing and it will bite you in the *** sooner or later.

Much better to split the lights and be safe rather than sorry.

DD


----------



## ssjric (Feb 5, 2010)

Oh ok, so just run an extension cord from another breaker into the room for one of the lights. If thats right then sounds like an easy fix.


----------



## legalize_freedom (Feb 5, 2010)

or use a circuit with more power.  Extension cords are allright, just make sure you use a cord that is the right guage wire, you don't want a little wimpy cord


----------



## ssjric (Feb 6, 2010)

Ok, sounds likes it's easier and cheaper to buy a heavy duty extension cord and just run it from another breaker.


----------



## Droopy Dog (Feb 6, 2010)

ssjric said:
			
		

> Ok, sounds likes it's easier and cheaper to buy a heavy duty extension cord and just run it from another breaker.


 You would also need another timer, yes?

DD


----------



## ssjric (Feb 6, 2010)

Yes, but luckily I have an extra lying around! Sweet!!!


----------



## ssjric (Feb 9, 2010)

So here is an update of my girls starting their second week of flowering. Some of them are almost two feet tall already!!! They've grown almost 6 inches in one week!!!


----------



## legalize_freedom (Feb 9, 2010)

yep they really take off for a couple weeks after flipping to 12/12....you'll be showing us bud pics soon enough!


----------



## PencilHead (Feb 9, 2010)

Bro, you're looking great there.  Got pubes on 'em yet?


----------



## nouvellechef (Feb 9, 2010)

He said pubes 

After I paid some guy to put in the new breaker and run the romex to the 4-gang boxes for the old room. I watched intently, I could totaly do that again. PM Viper he knows his electrical. Just safer than electrical cords and peace of mind. Also, is that timer you have Heavy Duty?


----------



## legalize_freedom (Feb 9, 2010)

I agree with Nouvelle....I hate haveing cords strung all over the place, and it is really not the safest way to do things.  Make sure they are all off the ground in case of a water spill.  Also feel the connections from time to time to make sure they are not hot to the touch...cords will get you through this one, but I'd be looking for a better set-up for future grows.


----------



## ssjric (Feb 9, 2010)

Thanks guys for the help and support, I appreciate it. They are indeed growing pubes haha. Some plant are along more than others. I have about 4-5 different strains flowering right now. I am using a 2 out-let Brinks digital timer. Not sure if its heavy-duty but I haven't had any problems with it. I will probably stick with an extension cord for now since I already bought it and I don't know if I am staying at my current place after my lease ends in a few months.


----------



## ssjric (Feb 9, 2010)

I was wondering if someone could tell me what rh range I should be keeping my girls at during germination, veg and flowering? Thanks


----------



## legalize_freedom (Feb 10, 2010)

germination and clones I like it high...like 70 -80% in veg 50-70 and in bud I like it below 50%...but as close to 50 as I can....I hate mold


----------



## ssjric (Feb 10, 2010)

Ok, I hover between 30-55 depending on temp in both veg and flower room. Is this normal and ok for a fluctuation like this?


----------



## legalize_freedom (Feb 10, 2010)

yeah...I notice during lights out, my RH goes up, and lights on it's down...alot of it depends on the environment your grow is in.  Like mine is in my basement, and it is damp down there naturally, I have to run a dehumidifier occasionaly, to keep RH in my room dialed in.  See what I'm saying if the grow is pulling it's air from a damp room it's going to be higher RH, so controlling the room that your venting from is as important as dialing in the grow its self.


----------



## ssjric (Feb 10, 2010)

I see. I grow on a second story apartment. I will go an pick up a humidifier from wal-mart I guess. I've been putting a cup of water in the middle of my flowering room but I guess that hasn't helped much either. haha


----------



## legalize_freedom (Feb 10, 2010)

No man...I was not saying that your RH was too low, those numbers should be fine...maybe a little higher for in veg, but about perfect for flowering.  I don't think you need a humidifier.


----------



## ssjric (Feb 10, 2010)

Fosho...sorry but I'm heavily medicated at the moment. I'll see what I can do about the veg rh.


----------



## ssjric (Feb 26, 2010)

Update!!! It's day 24 of flowering


----------



## Aldebaran (Feb 26, 2010)

Wow Looks Great!!! How much does a set up like that effect your E. bill?


----------



## legalize_freedom (Feb 26, 2010)

Looking good man!!!  You'll be rollin in it in another month or so!  They look nice man!


----------



## hugs4nuggs420 (Feb 27, 2010)

Nice man looking real good. I see a real heavy harvest in your future. Your plants are loving you for that second 600w HPS light right now good investment. Ever think about looking into venting though, it's prob an extra 10-15 degrees hotter in that room which must kill your E-bill.


----------



## ssjric (Feb 27, 2010)

Haven't gotten the new pge bill yet!!! Little nervous...owell. Come Tuesday it will be day 30 of flower! As far as temp, I haven't had any problems. Was able to bring my humidity down at night too! I feel like I have my grow room pretty dialed in...unless someone would like to chime in...:fly: :fly: :fly:


----------



## PencilHead (Feb 28, 2010)

Not bad for a rookie. 

Nice job, sir.


----------



## ssjric (Feb 28, 2010)

Thank you guys for the positive words. They do help!!! H4N, how can you tell if my air ventilation is insufficient? Temp doesn't raise above 83* or go under 65*. My rH stays within the teens to the mid 50's depending on the day. I have multiple fans running to help with combating mold and pest as well as keep sufficient airflow for a decent Co2 exchange.


----------



## legalize_freedom (Mar 1, 2010)

it could be cooler during lights on...but 83 isn't that bad, but I'd prefer the mid to upper 70's.  Sometimes we have to work with what we can get.


----------



## ssjric (Mar 1, 2010)

my temps don't normally run that high. A normal temp for the day would range between 71* and 79* on average for my flowering patch and my veg stay at 65*-78* normally.


----------



## ssjric (Mar 10, 2010)

Ok here we go guys, and gals... Yesterday marked the beginning of week 6 of flower. Here are some pics...


----------



## Jericho (Mar 10, 2010)

Thats one heck of a grow for your 1st mate. Big Congrats!! 

And Good Vibes to ya plants till the chop.


----------



## PencilHead (Mar 10, 2010)

Beautiful work, grower.  That's friggin porn right there.


----------



## legalize_freedom (Mar 10, 2010)

Right on brother!  On the home stretch now!  Lookin good!


----------



## Rusty Gribble (Mar 10, 2010)

looking great!


----------



## matt612346 (Mar 11, 2010)

nice work sir


----------

