Greetings: Newbie Here

[Bob's Auto's]

Thanks, Bob! Do you think the Mars Hydro kit is better than the one from Vivosun? If so why?

Well, telling you Vivosun still sells a HPS kit while Mars Hydro is on the edge of light development should be enough, but that wouldn't be helping you much now would it
Price/Quality wise you're better off with Mars. And it all starts with the quality and spectrum of the leds used in their lights!!
Don't know what your budget is and where you are from, but I think @Marshydro sure can help you out in picking the right one. I have this kit, but with a 2x2 tent in stead of 2.3x2.3 because of space constriction. If you want to know some more details about the tent have a looksee at this thread

 

[StankyDanky]

Thanks guys! Awesome info. I think I have enough to make an informed decision.

 

[Shugrows]

I got a 27 x27 mars hydro with the fce 3000. And ac infinity can fan. I like it alot. The light is alot for the tent but rather have to much then not enough. Hope your next grow goes better.

 

[CannabisMingus]

You'll get a better light with a @Marshydro set then the vivo.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

@StankyDanky Welcome to AFN When people use the Jiffy peat pellets there are two common mistakes they make the first is not adjusting the PH up. Peat is naturally acidic and this can limit root development. Soak your peat pellets in PH 6.4 water before planting in them. The second mistake is not watering the pot they are transplanted into completely. A lot of new growers water in a little circle around the plant. This stunts root growth.

What you need to learn about watering will come with practice. Here are the basic rules: Never let the soil dry out. Soil and or coco can become hydrophobic if allowed to dry. This means it repels water. This in turn will create dry pockets in the soil and the roots and microbes will die there. If your soil - coco have accidentally dried out use a surfactant to help re-wet it. I like yucca powder. Don't let soil remain soggy by watering too much too often. Root rot, damping off, molds, fungus gnats and other problems start in soggy soil. When you do water water the entire pot. How to learn when to water starts before you plant the seed. Fill your container with fresh soil/coco and weigh it (heft it) this is the lightest weight and consider it a dry pot. Now slowly water until the soil/coco will no longer absorb the water and run-off begins; weigh the pot (heft it) this is the maximum water, the wettest the pot can get. The difference between wettest and driest is the maximum water weight, for ease of explanation lets just say the water weighs 20 pounds. When the pot loses 10 pounds (half of the water weight) it is time to water again. There is an art to watering.

on your next grow!

 

[StankyDanky]

@StankyDanky Welcome to AFN When people use the Jiffy peat pellets there are two common mistakes they make the first is not adjusting the PH up. Peat is naturally acidic and this can limit root development. Soak your peat pellets in PH 6.4 water before planting in them. The second mistake is not watering the pot they are transplanted into completely. A lot of new growers water in a little circle around the plant. This stunts root growth.

What you need to learn about watering will come with practice. Here are the basic rules: Never let the soil dry out. Soil and or coco can become hydrophobic if allowed to dry. This means it repels water. This in turn will create dry pockets in the soil and the roots and microbes will die there. If your soil - coco have accidentally dried out use a surfactant to help re-wet it. I like yucca powder. Don't let soil remain soggy by watering too much too often. Root rot, damping off, molds, fungus gnats and other problems start in soggy soil. When you do water water the entire pot. How to learn when to water starts before you plant the seed. Fill your container with fresh soil/coco and weigh it (heft it) this is the lightest weight and consider it a dry pot. Now slowly water until the soil/coco will no longer absorb the water and run-off begins; weigh the pot (heft it) this is the maximum water, the wettest the pot can get. The difference between wettest and driest is the maximum water weight, for ease of explanation lets just say the water weighs 20 pounds. When the pot loses 10 pounds (half of the water weight) it is time to water again. There is an art to watering.

on your next grow!

Very useful info there. Judging by my first grow I learned that watering cannabis is just like watering any other plant with similar needs. I’m new to cannabis but I love growing. I have raised beds for tomatoes, peppers, okra, chard, herbs and lots of house plants. There’s just so much info out there about cannabis; big buds and nutes and light schedule and on and on. It can be a bit overwhelming. I’m trying not to overthink it while still getting good results. I’m am enjoying the learning process and just watching the plants grow and change.
That being said I have a soil question. I used Fox Farm Ocean Forest (FFOF as I’ve commonly seen it abbreviated) for the first grow and plan to use it for the upcoming grow. I have a full bag leftover that I bought last year. It’s date stamped 6/something/21. It’s been sitting in my carport since I bought it last year. Question is; should I treat it like a new bag and not feed for the first three weeks? Or have the nutrients been depleted from being exposes to all the temperature and humidity changes over the past year?

 

[StankyDanky]

The soil question above is for anybody who can answer it by the way.

 

[StankyDanky]

Soil question answered. According to a Fox Farm rep the soil should be fine. On another note; I broke with suggestions and purchased the Vivosun tent kit. All in it set me back less than $267 and it was the easy way out. Seems like a pretty solid setup. Will I have buyers remorse and upgrade the light later? Time will tell. Anyway now that I have it, I have questions on what height to position the light for germination. 12”, 24”? What brightness setting should the light be set to? It has four settings; 100, 75, 50 and 25. Should I purchase a light meter for this? Suggestions for a small humidifier for a 2x2 would be appreciated too.

 

[StankyDanky]

Forgot to post a pic.

 

[Drownomatic]

I have the small Holmes humidifier in my 2x2, and a big Yokeon in my 3x3.

The Holmes has only a high and low setting. I leave it on the low setting, and it will last several days on a fill.

I use a phone app, its not far off me Sekonic.