# My first grow in 20 yrs



## Slingblade69 (Mar 20, 2015)

Bought a auto flower strain of lowryder 2 thought about an outdoor grow as I have seen good results in photos of outdoor grows but have thought of building a box for my back porch for using cfl lights  but usure about plant width to build my box I am growing 5  plants any input as for size of width for max yeild would be appreciated thanks


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## Slingblade69 (Mar 20, 2015)

Sorry guys forgot to to ask what are the best nutes for an auto flower plant
An I'm old guy starting to grow  in a game that has changed so much


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## Grower13 (Mar 20, 2015)

Slingblade69 said:


> Sorry guys forgot to to ask what are the best nutes for an auto flower plant
> An I'm old guy starting to grow in a game that has changed so much


 

 I don't see how you can go wrong with General Hydro's nutes.


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## DankColas (Mar 21, 2015)

Welcome Slingblade69

Also welcome back to the grow. I like organic grows with chemicals used to aide in budding. I grow in a closet. I can get 4 adult plants in there. The floor space is 4 foot by 4 foot. The average extra bedroom closet. It works for growing my medicine. I currently have one plant in bud. A dark angel. I messed up on my last 4. I have 4 more seeds to start 4 more new plants. I like the closet because the top is for the babies and the bottom is for the adults. Now that I'm somewhat on track I will be doing 4 at a time every time. Easy way is organic. You can ride organic all the way to the end. You just need to reload on enzimes. After a few months. You can also spend lots on nutes. The choice is yours. 

Guys correct me if I'm wrong. The last thing I heard about autos is you plant them and let them do there thing. All you do is water. 

I have done photos every time. I like to make clones. 

Any questions we are all here for you. 

Keep it green
Here is my plant that was on organic then on chemical budding as of today. 

View attachment 20150321_051210.jpg


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## Slingblade69 (Mar 21, 2015)

Thanks for the input guys any input is always welcome will try to post pics as they start to grow


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## WeedHopper (Mar 21, 2015)

An Auto needs to be grown inside if possible because it does better,,much better ,with more hours of light then your going to get outside.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Mar 21, 2015)

Autos need food just like other cannabis.  In fact because of the set life of an auto, it is best to keep it as happy as you can.  I am partial to GH flora series of nutes.  

They do best inside because they do best with 20 hours of light a day.  And if at all possible, get T5 and/or HID lighting rather than CFLs.  CFLs are the most expensive to run of all the lights we use to grow and they produce less.  This is because CFLs put about about 30-50% the amount of usable light as other sources--less lumens per watt.  Most CFLs run about 62 lumens per watt.  T5s run 92 to a bit over 100 lumens per watt.  HPS run 100-150 lumens per watt.  The wattage though is less important than the lumens.  You want a minimum of 3000 lumens per sq ft for vegging and 5000 for flowering.  That takes a chunk of CFLs and about twice the electricity of other light sources.


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## WeedHopper (Mar 21, 2015)

NICE THG.   :yeahthat:  You are the BOMB.


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## Slingblade69 (Mar 22, 2015)

Thanks guys I'm planning to use the box like an indoor grow with a top and reflective sides.Im trying to keep my light bill from spiking and causing suspicion so I think cfls would be my best bet for this grow if I'm right what type of cfl should I use? Any input would be helpful thanks


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## pcduck (Mar 22, 2015)

I would rather use a small hps then a large cfl.
Nothing is gained by using cfl, but a lot can be lost.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Mar 22, 2015)

Slingblade69 said:


> Thanks guys I'm planning to use the box like an indoor grow with a top and reflective sides.Im trying to keep my light bill from spiking and causing suspicion so I think cfls would be my best bet for this grow if I'm right what type of cfl should I use? Any input would be helpful thanks


 
That is a misconception held by many new growers.  CFLs individually are not that much money, but you need a whole bunch of them--you cannot just throw 5 or 6 26W  bulbs in there and have it do the job.  I believe that is the reason that some believe that CFLs are cheaper, they are way underlighting their spaces.  While I realize that you are not "new" per se, growing has changed so much in the last 20 years that for all intended purposes, you are a new grower.  So welcome to CFLs 101--THG style

CFLs are NOT cheaper than other lighting, _*when you get as many as you need*_.  This is because they produce less usable light (lumens) per watt than other types of lighting.  And lighting needs are figured by lumens per sq ft.--3000 lumens per sq ft of blue light for vegging and 5000 lumens of red light for flowering.  When talking of CFLs we will be using actual wattage as the equivalent wattage numbers are meaningless for growing.  A 400W HPS is going to emit about 40-50,000 lumens, 400 actual watts of CFLs is going to emit about 26,000 lumens.  So as you can see, it will take almost 800W of CFLs to equal the light from a single 400W HPS.  And the light from the HPS is better, will produce more bud that is denser.  CFL grows tend to produce light airy buds.

But it is not just paying double the money in electricity every single month.  There is the initial setup.  For 5 autos you are probably going to want at least a 3 x 3 space or 9 sq ft. (maybe more).  Since you are running autos, you will be running flowering lights most of the grow (as a side note, while I am wondering why you picked autos that is a discussion for later).  Nine sq ft requires a min of 45,000 lumens, but most of us like to run more.  If you use 42W CFLs, they emit approx. 2700 lumens.  So that is 17 bulbs @ $12 (or so) each, and reflectors, and cords.  The bulbs alone will run more than a 400W MH/HPS setup with a cool tube [ame]http://www.amazon.com/Apollo-Horticulture-GLK400CTAC-Digital-Dimmable/dp/B00547RGI8/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1427038506&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=400W+HPS+cool+tube[/ame].  And when you get that many bulbs, they will run hotter and the heat will be harder to deal with than with a cool tube.

You will be absolutely amazed how things have changed over the years.  While I do not like autos (consider it the 'watering down' of the genetics for supposed easier growing), it is just one of the changes we have seen.  We have learned so much more about what the plant wants and needs and we have products specially formulated for growing.  Strains bred for about every imaginable taste.  No longer are we flying by the seat of our pants.  Welcome to the new world of cannabis cultivation!  It is an adventure for sure.


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## WeedHopper (Mar 22, 2015)

Its called EVOLUTION.


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## Bongofury (Mar 22, 2015)

Read this http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71038

My new peeps set me straight. :aok:


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## The Hemp Goddess (Mar 23, 2015)

Also, there is no way a small grow is going to cause suspicion because of your electrical usage.


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