Ready, set, go!

[jackson1]

Hello all.

I've officially started my first grow. I'm pretty stoked but worried all the same.

Way to soon to take any pictures of boring rapid rooter plugs with nothing showing but I will start pictures in 3 weeks or so.

Here it is and what I'm working with in a nut shell.

• Strains - MI5 - Onyx - Russian Rocket Fuel from Short Stuff (RRF is still on its way) started 3 onyx and 3 MI5 seeds.
  
• Lighting - 10,000 lumen 2' T-5 for the first two weeks, 400 watt HPS for flower. Lumtek ballast, Extrasun 6" A/C hood and Hortilux Super HPS bulb.
• Propagation - Using heat mat, dial in thermostat, humidity dome
  
• Grow tent - Secret Jardin 32" x 32" X 63" ( not her yet due to back order ETA - 2/22/2010)
• Inline Fan - Vortex 6" 452 CFM with speed controller (over kill?)
  
• Carbon Filter - 6" Organic brand
  
• Nutes - Advanced Nutrients - Iguana Juice Grow and Bloom, Big Bud and Wet Betty. (No railing me on nute choice, it is what it is)

I spent the money and did it right the first time or right for me.

• Current Conditions - Seeds in Rapid Rooter plugs, under Humidity dome, temp is 77 degrees and 44% humidity, started 2/19.
  

• Highs and Lows - Temp - H - 79 L - 73 Humidity - H- 59% L - 28%

This was when first dialing it in. stays right at 77 degrees and 44% is this a fair number to be at?

I noticed that i have low humidity in my grow space, as low as 29% last night so i put a humidifier in there and it stays at 44% now, Is this a decent number for seedlings and vegging if they really even veg? What is the best humidity for flower? I am not worried about high humidity issues for flower but don't want to be too low either.

Honestly, I am pretty much prepared just instantly forgot everything once I started! Lol.

I have questions with the nutes I chose though. I will have to figure out a schedule from the Advanced website but what are you using and how much are you using with autos, especially if you are using Iguana Juice, or Big Bud or even Wet Betty or all of the above. It would be great to hear what you are doing/using as well.

ETA - I will be transplanting into PRO-Mix BX in 3 gallon square pots when ready, FYI.

 

[BOSTON BAKED BEAN]

wow,, I feel real ghetto about my set up,,, my tent I made from a wallyworld portable closet,, lined with mylar... wow nice stuff man good luck....bbb lots of help here

 

[jackson1]

Thanks BBB, don't feel ghetto. I looked at this from all angles and looked at a lot of the DIY stuff and actually bought some stuff to make but brought it back due to time constraints. Spending the money actually will save me time and money in the long run not having to deal with it and so I just store bought the best I could within a given budget. Yep, I went over that budget but it is a nice set up and I don't have to worry about fixing/repairing any DIY stuff.

I would have saved half the cost but spent double or triple the time on it and I have more money than time right now so it made sense to make the purchases. I don't really have the time to be on here as much as i am so this set up affords me some extra time to ask questions and run a journal to get some help along the way.

ETA - Any of the "good stuff" N.L. or Sour Diesel for example type of strains are $400 an ounce here so I will not only break even the first grow, I will instantly start saving money and hopefully will have a copious about of buds and I also will know what they went through as well as i control what is being used throughout the grow so I'm happy even if there was a $1,200 - $1,400 initial investment..

 

[ArtVandolay]

Real nice, jackson . Onyx is good stuff . Mine were EDIT: 30" at harvest. My rrf is almost done - another week or so. Lots here have grown/are growing it. Nice fan :hubba: - I want one, too. I'm not clear - is this a soil grow with hydro nutes or a dwc? Good luck!

 

[jackson1]

Thanks a lot, Art for stopping in. Well, that is a good question, is it soil or hydro? Basically, i am going to grow in PRO-Mix BX in 3 gallon square pots, manually watering. It has a hint of both styles, No? Yes, I can't wait to test them all. Can't wait until u harvest the RRF, love to hear how it turned out and smokes. Also, 3 FEET at harvest for an AUTO is quite large. Really cool. How many ounce was the yield?

 

[ArtVandolay]

I don't know, jackson, I've been afraid to own a scale but I bought one last week for $7.50 delivered to the door. Cheap enough to throw away after I measure the current crop :hubba: You can delete that extra post yourself - click the edit button and look for delete And I misspoke earlier - it was 30", not 36. I don't usually get baked this early

 

[jackson1]

I don't know, jackson, I've been afraid to own a scale but I bought one last week for $7.50 delivered to the door. Cheap enough to throw away after I measure the current crop :hubba: You can delete that extra post yourself - click the edit button and look for delete And I misspoke earlier - it was 30", not 36. I don't usually get baked this early

I can understand that for sure. Thanks for the delete tip. Still, 30" is well above the average height of previous autos available by far. They should be called "Not so short stuff seeds" because they really breed for taller plants and they made it work. Great, now i can't wait even more. Ima gonna have to go to yoga or t'ai-chi or something to relax.

 

[Locked]

I don't feed autos till they start to flower....then it is a light regimen of bloom nutes...

 

[ArtVandolay]

The breeder description says 20" - 44" for MI5 and 20- 36 for onyx

 

[jackson1]

I don't feed autos till they start to flower....then it is a light regimen of bloom nutes...

Thanks for the tip Hamster. This brings up a question too. When do autos start to flower? like 3 weeks in, 4 weeks in usually? Also, do you foliar feed and if so, at what point do you start, for how long and what do you use if you do foliar feed?

Thanks, man.

 

[Locked]

Thanks for the tip Hamster. This brings up a question too. When do autos start to flower? like 3 weeks in, 4 weeks in usually? Also, do you foliar feed and if so, at what point do you start, for how long and what do you use if you do foliar feed?

Thanks, man.

I believe it is something like 17-21 days before they show sex...and that is pretty much when they start flowering as well. I never foliar feed. I start bloom nutrients at 1/4 strength once they start flowering and ramp it up each feeding while keeping an eye out for nute burn...

 

[jackson1]

All 3 of the Mi5's have popped. I thought these would be slower to pop than the Onyx from other posts regarding Mi5's taken a bit longer. So far none of the Onyx have popped. See, I'm a bit calmer now.

Hamster, thanks for the tips. I will follow your lead and do the same although, why no foliar feeding them? Just preference or is there another reason?

 

[Locked]

I just don't foliar feed...I don't with regular strains either. I don't know if it wld be bad for them...give it a shot if it is something you like to do.

 

[jackson1]

I just don't foliar feed...I don't with regular strains either. I don't know if it wld be bad for them...give it a shot if it is something you like to do.

That's cool. There is just many different opinions about all of this that its crazy. Can't hurt and will help in case I have some unfortunate visitors.

 

[jackson1]

Ok, i'm already freaking some. I came home to two of six already breaking the surface. (Just put in rapid rooters the 19th around 10pm so i am pretty happy) However, with that i feel like my T-5's are going to be to hard on them. They are about 10" away from the T-5. Am i cool hear? Would you anything differently? I also have a fan going for circulation.

I also feel as if I have to water the plugs two or three times a day to get them moistened up again. Is this about right also?

I am quite excited about the success but want to keep the good stuff going.

Temp, 79 degrees, humidity 42% - 44% humidity.

Thanks all.

 

[ArtVandolay]

All systems go IMO :hubba:. I put my popped seedlings straight under the (300 watt) hps, but they're 2 feet from the light because of the "bigger" girls Keep the plugs moist! 2x/day watering is enough for my setup.

 

[jackson1]

Awesome Art, thanks. I just want to do good with it and this is all new for sure to me so I naturally don't know what i haven't experienced no matter what I've read, it doesn't usually answer specific stuff like this. Thanks for the calmness i feel now.

 

[Rusty Gribble]

I put my seedlings under 400w MH right off the bat, im growing Himalayan blue diesel and RRF. some seedlings didnt particularly like it but most of them loved it. I think youll be good with the t5s

oh and you should check out my grow journal thats in my sig. auto grow as well.....

 

[jackson1]

I put my seedlings under 400w MH right off the bat, im growing Himalayan blue diesel and RRF. some seedlings didnt particularly like it but most of them loved it. I think youll be good with the t5s

oh and you should check out my grow journal thats in my sig. auto grow as well.....

Very cool, wally. I'm jealous about the Himalayan blue diesel. I don't think they were available when i ordered or else i would have gotten them. I will definitely check your GJ, thanks for comin in.

ETA - I got in my Titan Controls Apollo 4 inline timer for the 400 in today. I have to say that they are well made units and I'd highly recommend looking into them if you are looking for a good well built heavy duty timer or other controls. I am surprised to be honest.

 

[jackson1]

Question on humidity. Right now I have had to or felt i have had to keep the humidity up as if i don't it goes as low as 25%. I've been trying to keep it around 40% or a little over that for the babies. Is this about right to keep it at until 17 - 21 days when they start to flower or what do you do?

Everything is also looking great. The last onyx popped out tall this morning so all 6 are healthy and strong looking.

Right now I am on 24/0 with the T-5. Would you continue this until flower where I will go to 20/4 with the HPS?

Thanks all.