A
AndyBotwin
Guest
Hi everyone. First of all, thanks for all the info and the friendly vibe here. I've done a lot of reading on all the 'big' sites, but this one just seems like a better place to call home. I'm a first time grower, not counting some largely unsuccessful outdoor bagseed experiments years ago. I don't need big yields, and for this grow I'm mainly looking to keep the cost down and learn some things.
My setup is a Sterilite storage cabinet roughly 3'x2'x20" HxWxD. I originally lined the interior with mylar space blankets, but it wasn't very smooth & I was concerned about heat build up. I tore it out and painted the interior flat white. But this thing really glows when you light it, so I had to partially paint the outside also to block the light. This area is private so stealth is not a huge factor, but I didn't go with a tent because I needed something that could be easily moved in the event that I did need to give someone access to the area.
Inside I've got an intake and output fan, both 75CFM PC fans. Each has a homemade light trap on the outside. For the lighting, I built a PVC light fixture that will hold 4 CFL bulbs in the center with two additional lights on the side. There is a steel reflector painted flat white, and the whole setup moves up and down on ratcheting hangers. Fully raised, I've got a little over 2' from the dirt to the lights. I could hang them directly from the ceiling and gain close to 6 more inches.
I've gone with CFLs for affordability, simplicity, and lower temps. I have this setup in an unfinished basement area that is not climate controlled, so heat is a concern this time of year. So far the ambient temp has stayed below 80 even on the hottest days, so I'm hopeful that I'll be OK. I plan to use an 20x4 cycle all the way through and I'll have the off time during the hottest part of the day. I have made no plans for odor control as of yet.
For a growing medium, I've gone with a compo mix similar to the one detailed by FullDuplex in his awesome thread: FD's Guide to Growing Hefty Autos in Small Places.. For nutes I'm going to try to save a few bucks and go with the Better-Gro line from Lowes. No doubt I'll have some questions about that soon enough.
I germed my fem auto LR2 and Pakryder seeds a couple of days ago, and both cracked open nicely. Today when I checked them the LR2 had grown a long tail that was starting to corkscrew, while the PR was showing about a quarter inch of growth. I placed them about 3/4" deep in damp soil, so I guess I'm off and running!
Now for some questions:
1. I have a total of 4 2700K 42W CFLs and 4 6500K 42W CFLs. For veg I'll be using all the 6500s, but should I also put two of the 2700s in the other outlets? More watts is better, and I think I've read that mixing the spectrum is a good thing.
2. Should I be running lights before the plant breaks the surface?
3. Once the seedling does break through, how close should I move the lights, and should I place a clear container over it like some photos I've seen?
Thanks in advance for any comments! I'll keep you posted as things progress. :thumbs:
My setup is a Sterilite storage cabinet roughly 3'x2'x20" HxWxD. I originally lined the interior with mylar space blankets, but it wasn't very smooth & I was concerned about heat build up. I tore it out and painted the interior flat white. But this thing really glows when you light it, so I had to partially paint the outside also to block the light. This area is private so stealth is not a huge factor, but I didn't go with a tent because I needed something that could be easily moved in the event that I did need to give someone access to the area.
Inside I've got an intake and output fan, both 75CFM PC fans. Each has a homemade light trap on the outside. For the lighting, I built a PVC light fixture that will hold 4 CFL bulbs in the center with two additional lights on the side. There is a steel reflector painted flat white, and the whole setup moves up and down on ratcheting hangers. Fully raised, I've got a little over 2' from the dirt to the lights. I could hang them directly from the ceiling and gain close to 6 more inches.
I've gone with CFLs for affordability, simplicity, and lower temps. I have this setup in an unfinished basement area that is not climate controlled, so heat is a concern this time of year. So far the ambient temp has stayed below 80 even on the hottest days, so I'm hopeful that I'll be OK. I plan to use an 20x4 cycle all the way through and I'll have the off time during the hottest part of the day. I have made no plans for odor control as of yet.
For a growing medium, I've gone with a compo mix similar to the one detailed by FullDuplex in his awesome thread: FD's Guide to Growing Hefty Autos in Small Places.. For nutes I'm going to try to save a few bucks and go with the Better-Gro line from Lowes. No doubt I'll have some questions about that soon enough.
I germed my fem auto LR2 and Pakryder seeds a couple of days ago, and both cracked open nicely. Today when I checked them the LR2 had grown a long tail that was starting to corkscrew, while the PR was showing about a quarter inch of growth. I placed them about 3/4" deep in damp soil, so I guess I'm off and running!
Now for some questions:1. I have a total of 4 2700K 42W CFLs and 4 6500K 42W CFLs. For veg I'll be using all the 6500s, but should I also put two of the 2700s in the other outlets? More watts is better, and I think I've read that mixing the spectrum is a good thing.
2. Should I be running lights before the plant breaks the surface?
3. Once the seedling does break through, how close should I move the lights, and should I place a clear container over it like some photos I've seen?
Thanks in advance for any comments! I'll keep you posted as things progress. :thumbs:
Last edited by a moderator:
Light Warrior about 24 hours ago, and the PR has already sprouted and is standing 1/2" tall. Hopefully that's a sign that she's a strong one. :smoke: More info when there's something to report...
