New Growers Journal for A Newbie, DIY Veg setup

[stepheneking]

Hello everyone,
Man it's been a while since I have had the chance to grow. I have always enjoyed and wanted to grow my own and now after years I am finally able to! Now without added stress! Congrats to the people! Good decisions that will eventually pay off and create opportunities and jobs for many !
Okay now with that out of the way, I'm so pumped. I am going to soak up as much here as I can from the community. I am starting my budget setup for myself and my wife to learn and grow together, legally

I am fairly new and have not done this in some time so please, patience.

More to follow..........

 

[stepheneking]

Let me know your thoughts.
Looking to a cheap, broak man's grow to start, with upgrades along the way.
Current materials;

LED lighting I picked up at Home Depot
FEIT Electric 19w 2ft/pi LED GLP24FS/19W/LED
VAC 120
A .158
W 19
Luminous Flux lm 1200
CCT K 3300
CRI Ra 75
Photon Flux
400-499 5.23595
500-599 6.92223
600-700 13.4475
Total 25.60567

 

[umbra]

as you meet others here, you may find other LEDs suit your needs better. its an on going process for sure.
number one thing is genetics, number two is environment

 

[stepheneking]

So for now I have a small wardrobe carton I found cheap at Lowes. I have sealed up bottom and coated the inside sides with waterproofing boot spray, foot locker(had around house) and thought I'd use it.


Figured the space was good for the lighting, thoughts. I wanted to use this as a small Veg chamber. What's your thoughts?

I'm going to give updates as I prepare carton... Do you think any circulation venting needs installed?

 

[stepheneking]

as you meet others here, you may find other LEDs suit your needs better. its an on going process for sure.
number one thing is genetics, number two is environment

Good review of specific light so we can add to list
Genetics, can you elaborate...?

 

[stepheneking]

Readying the light.
Drilled holes for mounting cables on bar


Add in cable and light..


Add in some power

LET THERE BE LIGHT

 

[umbra]

There a number of threads here that cover different leds and peoples experiences with them. My choices and experience would not apply for someone starting out. I currently use a Fluence spydr+, double ended HPS, and T5 fluorescents. As for genetics, some many different things for so many people. When first starting to grow there are many variables.
Anyone with extensive experience will tell you that what matters the most to increase your chances of consistently growing high quality cannabis is genetics. Even a beginner grower can grow top shelf cannabis given the best genetics to start with. By contrast, unstable and low quality grown by the best growers can not reach the potential of high quality strains and genetic vigor. Reputable breeders are a huge advantage. The process of finding that special cultivar can be a long process but a lot of fun. It is a journey not just a destination. As to seeds, there are regular, feminized, autoflowering, and feminized autoflowering. All have their advantages and disadvantages. Research everything. Many stickys here, read them all.

 

[stepheneking]

There a number of threads here that cover different leds and peoples experiences with them. My choices and experience would not apply for someone starting out. I currently use a Fluence spydr+, double ended HPS, and T5 fluorescents. As for genetics, some many different things for so many people. When first starting to grow there are many variables.
Anyone with extensive experience will tell you that what matters the most to increase your chances of consistently growing high quality cannabis is genetics. Even a beginner grower can grow top shelf cannabis given the best genetics to start with. By contrast, unstable and low quality grown by the best growers can not reach the potential of high quality strains and genetic vigor. Reputable breeders are a huge advantage. The process of finding that special cultivar can be a long process but a lot of fun. It is a journey not just a destination. As to seeds, there are regular, feminized, autoflowering, and feminized autoflowering. All have their advantages and disadvantages. Research everything. Many stickys here, read them all.

Thanks for the information! I appreciate you sharing your experience and knowledge. I have decided on LED due to not wanting to deal with heat issues. What disadvantages of any will i face? With LED low heat won't I be able to add side lighting in flower chamb.
I will read up on what your talking about with our great site

Looking forward to learning more

 

[stepheneking]

Since this is my first grow in some time I have chosen to use some seeds I had packed away. I don't know the strain or really much about the seeds. I just started to get a collection anytime I could. Figured best to have a dry run with these


Seeds are ready, should have gotten these in yesterday....


I'm reading the soil


In with the girls...


Just using pan from dollar store w/ lid for greenhouse


In and ready....

Need some advice here for light time cycle.?

 

[hollowpoint]

I veg with 20 hours on... 4 hours off.... But some folks will veg at 24 hours of light...All so I add light before they emerge. Good luck!

 

[QBCrocket]

I veg 18 - 6 always worked for me but Im a cloner

 

[Fortunado420]

Hi,

I think you need to check the lighting. 19W is not sufficient for even 1 plant with LED lights. Lowest wattage I've used to grow 1 plant to maturity is 80W. Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but if you are a newbie, I think you need a lot more wattage.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Yes, you will need way way more light, even for a bare-bones budget grow. That is simply not nearly enough light for a high energy plant like cannabis. First, LEDs are different than other lights in that they are not usually actually the stated wattage. For instance, I have a 700W LED that is actually only about a 300W light. So, you probably don't even really have 19W, probably more like 10. Hamster Lewis is using some budget LEDs that he is very happy with. You are probably going to want at least 300W for a single plant, but I would buy as much light as you can afford.

You are also going to need good ventilation. This is something you need to read up on. Ventilation is for much more than heat control--plants need a continual supply of fresh air (CO2) for proper photosynthesis.

If you are using bag seeds, you have a lot greater chance of the plant hermying. In this day and age seeds found in bags are almost certainly the result of selfing.

The walls of your grow space need to be painted flat white or coated with some other reflective surface. Flat white paint is about the best, cheapest way to go to get a good reflective surface.

I understand being excited and rarin' to go, but I really think that you need to spend a bit of time studying what it takes to set up a grow space. I hate to see you spending time and money on something that you find 2 months down the road is not going to work. There actually is a whole lot to growing indoors.

Good luck and Green Mojo

 

[Locked]

You don't have even remotely enough light to Veg let alone Flower. I get wanting to go the poor man's route but you still have to meet certain requirements. Things you should not cheap out on are light, nutrients and a PH meter. I use King LEDs and find I get a big bang for the buck. Nutrient-wise I use General Hydroponics 3 part. It is affordable and works well. Meter wise I use a digital with a replaceable probe. I change the probe once a year. Not a fan of cardboard boxes either. A cheap tent off of eBay would be a huge step up. Good luck and Green Mojo.

 

[stepheneking]

I veg with 20 hours on... 4 hours off.... But some folks will veg at 24 hours of light...All so I add light before they emerge. Good luck!

Thanks, been running 24hrs so far

 

[Aksarben]

I veg with 20 hours on... 4 hours off.... But some folks will veg at 24 hours of light...All so I add light before they emerge. Good luck!

Very good advice @hollowpoint .
IF you plan on total indoor growing , 24 hours would work fine. However, according to Ed Rosenthal, in his book "Marijuana Grower's Handbook (HIGHLY recommended!) he writes that if your plants are grown indoors and destined to be moved to outdoors, you should cut the light regimen to 16 - 18 hours light and 8 - 6 hours of darkness. Some varieties, especially Indicas, are less likely to be shocked into flowering when moved outdoors this way. pg 329-330.
I agree with Hemp Goddess and others, that the light is way on the weak side. Also, I might suggest "IF" you are going to stay with the box, as least buy heavy duty aluminum foil and line the bottom and sides of the box with it. That will have a better effect of more usable light getting to all parts of the plant. Another option, that is NOT that all expensive, is a nice 2'x4'x60" grow tent I saw on Amazon for only $80.00 here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DXYMQ9M

 

[Locked]

If I were starting out again from scratch and needed to watch my budget but also wanted success, I would budget 100-150 on LED lighting. 80-100 on a tent, and 100-120 on a very good PH Meter. GH 3 Part would be my Nutrients of choice. Get training and cloning down so that you can manage your plants and have a quicker turnaround on Flowering and harvesting. Most people struggle when they don't have enough light, getting a true 12-hour dark period and biggest of all, PH issues.

 

[stepheneking]

Hi,

I think you need to check the lighting. 19W is not sufficient for even 1 plant with LED lights. Lowest wattage I've used to grow 1 plant to maturity is 80W. Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but if you are a newbie, I think you need a lot more wattage.

Hey Fortunado, thanks for your advice. I agree, I was worried it was too little of light. But I didn't know if LED was different at low watts. I am going to beef it up!

Appreciate you guys!

 

[stepheneking]

Yes, you will need way way more light, even for a bare-bones budget grow. That is simply not nearly enough light for a high energy plant like cannabis. First, LEDs are different than other lights in that they are not usually actually the stated wattage. For instance, I have a 700W LED that is actually only about a 300W light. So, you probably don't even really have 19W, probably more like 10. Hamster Lewis is using some budget LEDs that he is very happy with. You are probably going to want at least 300W for a single plant, but I would buy as much light as you can afford.

You are also going to need good ventilation. This is something you need to read up on. Ventilation is for much more than heat control--plants need a continual supply of fresh air (CO2) for proper photosynthesis.

If you are using bag seeds, you have a lot greater chance of the plant hermying. In this day and age seeds found in bags are almost certainly the result of selfing.

The walls of your grow space need to be painted flat white or coated with some other reflective surface. Flat white paint is about the best, cheapest way to go to get a good reflective surface.

I understand being excited and rarin' to go, but I really think that you need to spend a bit of time studying what it takes to set up a grow space. I hate to see you spending time and money on something that you find 2 months down the road is not going to work. There actually is a whole lot to growing indoors.

Good luck and Green Mojo

Thanks for your advice The hemp goddess!
I have another light I have been wanting to setup that I have been saving, but I will need to make a hood.
I have plans to make walls better reflective,

Working on updating it I'll get you guys an update

 

[stepheneking]

Very good advice @hollowpoint .
IF you plan on total indoor growing , 24 hours would work fine. However, according to Ed Rosenthal, in his book "Marijuana Grower's Handbook (HIGHLY recommended!) he writes that if your plants are grown indoors and destined to be moved to outdoors, you should cut the light regimen to 16 - 18 hours light and 8 - 6 hours of darkness. Some varieties, especially Indicas, are less likely to be shocked into flowering when moved outdoors this way. pg 329-330.
I agree with Hemp Goddess and others, that the light is way on the weak side. Also, I might suggest "IF" you are going to stay with the box, as least buy heavy duty aluminum foil and line the bottom and sides of the box with it. That will have a better effect of more usable light getting to all parts of the plant. Another option, that is NOT that all expensive, is a nice 2'x4'x60" grow tent I saw on Amazon for only $80.00 here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DXYMQ9M

Definitely going to look into a tent real soon Looking to get some reflective setup going.....