New Grower WileyWilly's NL Virgin grower

[wileywilly53]

Well I have been lurking around for what seems like months now and I think I have enough to start. But I will still be asking to many questions and posting to many pics, so feel free to just tell me my next steps a day ahead of time. Never grown anything before not even a Chia Pet. SO here we grow. I just wanted to start with one, but I thought I messed up the one and I started a second. now I have 2 Northern Lights Fem from Nirvana, Got me a 32x32x62 tent with Hydrofarm FLCDG125D 125-Watt Compact Fluorescent Grow Light System with Dew Guard. That's all the light I have for now. again I only wanted one plant. I have a 4in inline fan hooked up for exhaust, Filter should be here tomorrow or someone is getting a call. I started the seeds in Straight Jiffy Starter Mix, trying the FD tiered method. I have Miracle Gro Organic soil and some perlite. also some ground up fine egg shells. I have the grow Big, Big Bloom and Tiger bloom I did get a pump and air stone to bubble rain water. Got a digital Ph tester coming I do not like the drops and the ones I got only goes down to 7ph. Reading what Muddy says I want about a 6.0 coming out of overflow later. so 7ph won't work anyway. I also got a soil tester. no TDS meter yet ? See only day one and look at me rambling. so When do I put them under the light in the tent and how far below the light. and just keep Jiffy soil moist correct ?. I ain't anxious I am down right petrified. Here are some pics you can see the soil mix types better.

 

[alley_walker]

Hey! First big step there! First and foremost I need to tell you that those seedlings need to be covered with a clear plastic of some sort. (With ventilation) A soda bottle top works perfectly. You need to keep a nice warm gentle and humid environment for these little gals. Your set up is awesome, just need a few tweaks..

 

[wileywilly53]

Like this ? If so I can get another bottle tomorrow. but a clear bottle huh.

 

[wileywilly53]

well go figure was really busy at work today could not wait to get out of there. So I forgot to get some clear soda bottles on my way home. I hope they will be ok for tonight. I went ahead and set my timer on for 20/4 starting at 4 pm EST. I put plants approx 1 ft 3 in (15in) below the light. maybe that will keep them warm enough. They were looking like they were starting to stretch, maybe the concentrated light will stop the stretching. so here is day two above the dirt.

LOL just for giggles here are more pics four hours later, that light sure straightened them beeeeches out

 

[VapedAs]

Hey there, wileywilly. Looks like off to a good start. To keep the plants moist you could also mist the leaves through the "lights on" phase lightly occasionally throughout . But then of course, you must be around for misting periodically so lights on starting at 4pm, I guess you'd be up all night worrying. I am wetting the leaves of a seedling growing out it's 2nd set of true leaves atm 2-3 times a day and seems to like it. Am using Low Watt led so little to no heat output compared to your 125W cfl.

Goodluck with your NLs:drool:

 

[The Squid]

Hey there ww53. Nice simple setup, I like those. I think you should drop your light on down. They are sprouts now and you are using cfl so they can be pretty damn close. They're doing fine, but beginning to stretch out some. Drop your light to about 5-6 inches, and when they sprout another set of leaves you can go even closer. You wanna keep your nodes about an inch apart.

I think the green bottles would be fine. It doesn't really matter if light gets through, because there is no plant and when it does sprout, you'll remove the cover anyway, so don't worry about getting clear ones. I would be careful misting the plant itself due to water droplets on the plants and magnifying the light. (not to say it won'twork and no offense at all to any other advice here) Keep your top soil misted until the cup is dry and light, get that taproot on full search mode. Then toss in a shot(1oz or so) of PLAIN Ph water.

Hope this helps.

 

[wileywilly53]

OK TYVM for the advice I will lower lights, I noticed when I lowered my light the temp went up to 82 degrees, and that was at the 15 inches, But I will take the advice and lower it to 6in. a lil confused about NODES ? does that mean leaves and are we saying to put the bottle covers on them for a few more days with the light lowered ?

 

[The Squid]

Sorry for the confusion.

What is your exhaust fan set on and where is it vented to? Pretty warm for just a 150 watts of cfl. Don't cook it, I am thinking you could get it that close with temps being on point too. I would place a fan blowing across the reflector and light to keep it cool.

Nodes are like the levels in the plant. The spot where each new branching begins that alternate left and right. You want those about an inch apart ideally. Keep them close to have bigger colas and center nugs.

No need for the covers now. That is just for right when you plant seed in mix, and until it sprouts above ground. Sorry if I confused you. :smokebuds:

 

[VapedAs]

Yeah no offence taken The Squid, lightly dampened I meant, moreso then dripping wet:smokebuds:
Love how close clfs can get but too close, too hot and shes fried in an hour or so.

I agree with the Node spacing of 1inch, it's alright to have the first set of leaves higher as to reach over the cup. Nothing like leaves in watered dirt

 

[wileywilly53]

Naw Squid you did not confuse me I have been that way for a long time. You actually answered a lot of my worries in that last post. right now I have the fan in the upper right corner and exhaust is going out a 4in dryer duct out the top of the tent and just blowing out the closet door. (Tent is stuffed in my half size walk in closet until after the holidays.) I know most, not all air is going out the closet door, but some has to be just blowing around in closet getting returned to tent that will be solved when I move tent to guest bedroom. I am still waiting on the filter so the intake side of fan is just that. a hole in the fan sucking air about half height of tent. I had my thermometer DIRECTLY UNDER THE LIGHT next to plants sitting on the same crate the plants are on. My wife moved thermometer to the side of the tent about half way up and it now reads 81 degrees. but I say where I had it was were the plants are and it read 86. so WHERE SHOULD I LOCATE THERMOMETER ?. also I am going to put that big ol fan you see in the pictures above blowing up at the light like you said and I am sure that will help. when the girls wake up here in a lil bit I will take a better photo and I will let the fan be blowing on the lamp and get back to you. You don;t know how much I appreciate the hand holding. I have seen your work and read many of your post. so again THANK You and SwampMan and VapedAs and Nelson and Muddy and all the others I have been trying to learn from. What a grand find when I stumbled on this site. By the way is FullDuplex still with us ? am I posting to much.