My First Grow

[THarris]

Hi everybody,
So I'm a medical cannabis patient in the lovely state of California and i'm starting my first grow. Wanted to start of this journal by first letting you guys know what my set up is. I have a 4' by 4' by 6' grow tent. In this tent I have a 4' 2 blub T5 light system and a 2' 4 blub T5 light system (both on 24 hours) and a 250 HPS lamp (18/6 timer) for temp control and to provide my babies with a whole new spectrum of lighting. I also have 2 clip-on oscultatating fans for plenty of air movement. As of right now I have a Whitefire OG seed (cost me $100)that was placed in a root riot grow plug after germenation. 2 days ago I just noticed the first set of true leaves. I also bought 2 healthy cones from the local shops. 1 Black Berry OG and the other is $100 OG (both rooted ($10 each)) until I get my soil mixture i'm using an organic potting soil.

Soil mixture plans:
Foxfarm Original
Foxfarm Ocean Forest
Coco Coir
Perlite
Bat Guano
hydroton
(Should be a nice mixture of water/nute retention and plenty of drainage)

As far as water goes, I have this machine hooked up to my drinking water spout that filters and adjusts regular water into ph water. setting go from 3.0-10.0 (very costly, but I already have it so might as well use it) i'm watering my plants with the ph at 6.0 until I get them into the soil.

So I've been doing my research but I figured that I could try and get some advise from some expierenced growers on soil mixtures and neutrients

 

[THarris]

So here is some pics

 

[THarris]

Thank you for the link i will check it out after this reply. I was thinking about putting a little hydroton in the bottom of my pots for a little extra drainage but wasn't sure.

 

[THarris]

Yeah was looking at that mix. is alittle advanced but doesn't scare me well deffently do some research on these ingreadents. any clue on how much this makes? looking to fill 4-6 five gallon pots once my babies develop a nice root system. less transplat shock

 

[THarris]

also, i could find all of these ingreadents at a hydroponics store correct?

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

You paid $100 for a single seed?

Do you have any kind of exhaust? You need more than oscillating fans moving air around. You need to actually exchange the air in your space--out with the old CO2 depleted air and in with new air.

I do not know what you have hooked up to your drinking water spout, but regular filters do little to improve water quality and no filter is going to change the pH by 7 points. ROs do not even necessarily give you neutral pH.

You are also underlit for your space. You are going to want 3000 lumens per sq ft for vegging and 5000 lumens per sq ft for flowering. What are you planning on using to flower with?

 

[THarris]

You paid $100 for a single seed?

Do you have any kind of exhaust? You need more than oscillating fans moving air around. You need to actually exchange the air in your space--out with the old CO2 depleted air and in with new air.

I do not know what you have hooked up to your drinking water spout, but regular filters do little to improve water quality and no filter is going to change the pH by 7 points. ROs do not even necessarily give you neutral pH.

You are also underlit for your space. You are going to want 3000 lumens per sq ft for vegging and 5000 lumens per sq ft for flowering. What are you planning on using to flower with?

Yeah i kinda figured that I over spent on that seed. I bought it at a local dispensary. they told me that it was a feminized whitefire og seed.

I'm going to the store today to get my exhaust and intake set up. i'm buying 2 4" inline fans (one for intake the other for exhaust). once I start flowering I have an inline activated carbon filter for smell. I also bought a Dust shroom for my intake (pest,dust, etc. control)

As far as that filter goes. I have a Jupiter Ionizer by Royal Water "melody" I bought this machine brand new 2 years ago for $3,000 (wife was on a health trip) seems that the price has gone way down online.

Underlit? I was afraid that I had too much light for such a small room. I have my 2 t5's running on a 24 hour and then the 250 HPS lamp on a 18/6 timer (the t5's are set 4" from the top of the plants) I also rotate my plans 1/4 a turn every 24 hours.

For flowering I have 2 400w HPS lamps and 2 400w ballests. My original plan was to just have a 1000w HPS but after a little research I seen that Bigger isn't always better (plz correct me if i'm wrong)

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I would forget the 4" intake fan and get a 6" exhaust fan--a centrifuge type. Expect to pay $100-175. Inline duct booster fans will not do the job.

Actually, a 4 x 4 space is not a small space. You are not horribly underlit, but you are somewhat. It is all about the lumens. Not sure of how you have got the lights set up, but the 250 HPS is putting out more lumens than the 2 T5s, so part of the tent is probably well lit and the other part underlit.

On the light--yeah you're wrong. While there is a point of no return with lighting, a 1000W certainly is not overkill for that space. I personally would have gone with a single 1000W HPS rather than 2 400W, especially given that your grow space is square. The 1000W gives you better lumen per watt ratio--the 2 400W will put out about 100,000 lumens, the 1000W puts out about 150,000 lumens. Twenty % more electricity for 33% more light. I am currently running 2 600W in a space 3 x 6.5.

 

[THarris]

I would forget the 4" intake fan and get a 6" exhaust fan--a centrifuge type. Expect to pay $100-175. Inline duct booster fans will not do the job.

Actually, a 4 x 4 space is not a small space. You are not horribly underlit, but you are somewhat. It is all about the lumens. Not sure of how you have got the lights set up, but the 250 HPS is putting out more lumens than the 2 T5s, so part of the tent is probably well lit and the other part underlit.

On the light--yeah you're wrong. While there is a point of no return with lighting, a 1000W certainly is not overkill for that space. I personally would have gone with a single 1000W HPS rather than 2 400W, especially given that your grow space is square. The 1000W gives you better lumen per watt ratio--the 2 400W will put out about 100,000 lumens, the 1000W puts out about 150,000 lumens. Twenty % more electricity for 33% more light. I am currently running 2 600W in a space 3 x 6.5.

sweet. Thank you so much for the information. I'm glad that I have keept all of my reciepts. I'm planning on going to the hydro store today to get my soil and pots (keeping it simple) (FFOF, lime, and perlite) I'll take back the 2 400w and get myself a 1000W.
so I won't need 2 fans? one for intake, the other for exhaust?
or are you saying instead of getting the 2: 4" get 2: 6"?

 

[THarris]

oh yeah. i'll try and post some pics on how i have my lights set up a little later. this Metamilk eatable is kicking my *** right now. lol can't move

 

[dontknowmuch]

I think most use one 6" fan for exhaust and passive for intake, so your sucking in fresh air while pulling out the old. I am just setting up my tent for the first time here for flower

 

[THarris]

i say skip the perlite, the FFOF i get is loaded with the stuff i dont see any need to add any, i see so many people do it i just dont get it ( i think i did recommend it above, dont know why ). lime is a good idea

Try a Happy Frog and Ocean Forest 50/50 mix. i think youll love it.

lol compleatly forgot you told me to do that. but I got your message just in time. got back from the hydro store just now. bought the bag of happy frog and ocean forest. got the lime too. gunna smoke a joint, grub down on some bomb *** chicken, then get to mixing

 

[THarris]

You paid $100 for a single seed?

know of a good (trusted) website to get feminized OG seeds for cheaper? I've been pretty sceptical on ordering seeds online.

 

[THarris]

the banner on the top of the page (Attitude Seeds) is the very best in my opinion. ordered from them alot and always got mine. i currently have some on the way also

Yeah I just checking out the site. I like how they have seeds that run from $30 for a pack of 5 all the way up to $700 for the pack of 10 depending on the strain.

 

[THarris]

dont fall for that $700 stuff, no reason for prices to be that high. i guess you looked at Doggys Nuts Seeds

if you order this month i would go with a Dinafem pack, that way youll gets some extra freebies. and the experiance i had with thier strains have been great.

another good one is DNA Genetics and Reserva Privada, same company i believe and they have some OG Kush.

Cali connction is a good place for OG strains too, prices are a bit higher liek $111 but they are worth it.

yeah I seen doggys nuts. busted up laughing then clicked on it. (wasn't laughing anymore)

So with the Dinafem pack. just pick any 5 or 10 pack on any of the Dinafem seeds then you get the freebies? just making sure because i'm gunna order this week. 9 seeds for less then my 1 seed. soooo down

 

[THarris]

lol nvm. I just had to re-read the news letter. Your the best PuffinNugs