1st grow

[should]

Hey, i just ordered everything I'm gonna use, could u guys just look it over and give me some tips.
I'm gonna grow 2 ppp plants indoors under a 250w hps light
I'm gonna use 5 gallon buckets with drainage holes in the bottom and miracle grow moister control as soil (the bottom of the bucket will have an inch of mulch for drainage and the miracle grow will b mixed with perlite). For nutrients I'm gonna use fox farm and I'm gonna use the instructions given on the website http://www.foxfarmfertilizer.com/soilfeed.pdf
for odor control I'm going to use Febreze TrueAir Tobacco Odor Filter so hopefully that will work...
Is this setup going to work well?

[Acezx]

you'll want to start them out in something smaller, also ive used/still use the MG moisture control (some around here scold it) but mines done well on it anyway about the soil it already has about 10% perlite u really only want 25% I read so don't go overboard the mulch might cause ph problems I was going to use that and someone told me not to (weedhound?) anywho my 2cents. :smokin:

[Rusty Trichome]

I wouldn't start them in the 5 gal. buckets. Start-out with cups or small pots, and transplant when necessary. Let soil dry a bit before transplanting...this keeps the rootball intact.

In emergencies I use MG, too. I've also been forced to start seedlings and cuttings in it. It actually works better for my clones and seedlings, than the super-rich medium I usually use. (I refuse to pay $6.00 for a ziplock-baggie-sized bag of seed starter mix) Anyone that says the MG doesn't work has a hole in their head. You just have to remember what you are working with, and adjust to suit needs, and don't overwater.

Curious: Why not just use a 1" to 2" layer of rocks in the bottom of the buckets for drainage? Any type of soil in the bottom will restrict airflow thru the roots system, and prevent proper drainage.

Since MG has some nutes already, I don't add nutes for about 3 weeks to a month, (unless seedlings and clones start showing defeciencies) then start with 1/2 strength Fox Farms veg. and micro-nutes, and watch for how the plants react. Best to sneak-up on the maximum dilution strength your plants can handle, then to start-out too strong in the first place.

During the summer, the moisture control mix is ok, but during the winter, or when starting seeds or clones, I add approx. 20% more perlite, for better drainage.

[grey1223]

While I haven't used MG I know it works as Rusty said plus I knew someone who used to use it. I remember one time I put 1" layer of perlite in bottom of pots and boy was that perlite full of roots and drained well.

[daihashi]

While I haven't used MG I know it works as Rusty said plus I knew someone who used to use it. I remember one time I put 1" layer of perlite in bottom of pots and boy was that perlite full of roots and drained well.

I can never find a perlite that's thick enough to not constantly flow out of the holes when I Water the plants.

I'm thinking of using hydrotron at the bottom of my pots for my next grow.

Just another option for him to use aside from rocks and perlite.

edit: On another note I'm not sure hot hydrotron at the bottom of my pot will effect my runoff ph, might not be such a good idea after all.

[Rusty Trichome]

Rocks are free, and they work great if rinsed well beforehand.
Not sure that looking for more things to spend money on, is fruitful in this case. Even if you have to buy the rocks, they last forever. (pieces of broken terra-cotta pots work well, too) :thumbsup:

[should]

thanks for all the replies, also a friend told me to use bat guano. when should i use this?
so what your saying is use rocks on the bottom instead of mulch, start them off in around 4 inch pots first before transplanting to the buckets, and start the nutes half strength after around 3 weeks? (sounds right but i just want to make sure i dont screw up my first grow by mis-reading anything)
also, when starting out with seedlings, how far away from the soil should i keep the 250w hps?
i really appreciate all the help, thanks guys :)

Edit: also look for my grow log when i start everything up! (should be after all the supplies are shipped to me, which hopefully is in a week or so)

[Rusty Trichome]

Keep the lights high enough to avoid burning the tops of the plant, and to avoid rapid moisture loss. A general guideline I use, is to put your hand under the light, (the back of your hand facing the light) If after 30 seconds, the heat is too much for your hand, it'll be too much for the young plants. I'd guess start at 16"-18", but this is only a guess.
The distance will change throughout the grow. Young, tender plants will need the light further away, but mature plants are heartier, and can take a bit more heat. You'll have to adjust the lights (or the plant's height) often.

In my outdoor shed, during the winter, I keep 400w lights about 8" to 12" from tops of flowering plants, but during the summer, I can only get them about 14" to 16" from the tops.
In my veg closet, my 400w MH light was kept about 24" from tops of clones and seedlings, 16" or so for adolescents, and about 12" for those about to go into flower. (same closet, same light)

Good luck with it. :thumbsup:

[should]

alright, thanks rusty. one more quick question...since the MG already has nutes in it, i think it may be too much for the plants to add bat guano to the soil, should i just dizzolve it in warm water and spray it on the plant leaves every so often? and if so, when is the best time to use it?

[Rusty Trichome]

I've never used as a foliar, but guess you could. Then again, I've never used guano. They grow pretty good with the nutes aquired thru the roots, tho. Especially with the MG, as you'll want the plant to use all the nutes in the soil asap. If any defeciencies are noticed, foliar or soil applications (nutes) will likely need to be increased.

If you must, you could add the guano into the soil mix you'll use for it's future transplants, but don't over-do it. Also, adding it to soil that will be used for seeedlings and clones will likely make the soil too 'hot', possibly causing death.

By the way...what Fox Farms products did you get?

[should]

I got the big bloom, grow big, and tiger bloom. and i think ill take your suggestion and add the guano to the soil in the final pot.
I'm getting excited! i just got an email saying the seeds are in the mail and the grow light and nutes will be coming in 3 days!:D Does anybody know what yield i should be expecting off of 2 plants?

[should]

I finally got my light and ph meters and all that good stuff and set it all up yesterday. Here r some pics, tell me if you think it will work. any suggestions would b greatly appreciated:thumbsup:
Photo Sharing by MyPhotoAlbum.com :: MyPhotoAlbum (http://should.myphotoalbum.com/)


Edit: im still waitin on seeds so i cant start for about another week (thats why nothing is in the pots)

[Rusty Trichome]

Yields vary with different techniques, nutes, strains...I usually can squeeze about 1 1/2 oz dry or so, from a 3 gallon pot. (estimate from decades of purchasing experience. Haven't had a scale in years, tho)

Looks good, just a couple things...

Safety first. Would move the power strip and timers. Water splashes are inevitable.
Careful not to blow-out the pilot on the water heater.
Will heat from the water heater be a problem in the summer? Perhaps a board of some sort between growspace and the heater itself? Could cure both situations. (heat and explosions)

I think that's it. Oh yeah...is the light adjustable, or fixed?

Have fun. :thumbsup:

[should]

Hey rustytrichome, was thinking about that (the heat from the water heater), i was gonna put one of those car sun blockers in front of it to reflect light and stop the wind from hitting the pilot light, but i didn't think about putting a board there. Do you think its worth it to set up a board there? or should i just wrap it in insulation to keep the heat from radiating on the plants?

the light is neither fixed nor adjustable lol, i just wrapped a chain around a pipe and hung the light from it but when the plant grows i bought zip ties to bring the light up. i tested the method out and it seems to work fine (fingers crossed).

Is there anything i can do about heat that wont make my electric bill go up and without using ventilation? i will open my door every day at 3 to air it out and mist the leaves with water when i can.

[Rusty Trichome]

Not too sure about the fire resistence of the sunshades.

But anything that won't easily melt or catch fire would likely do, but give the heater some space. Heat will rise and accumulate as the day wears on, so if you have adequate ventilation to exhaust the heat, should be ok. Again...don't blow out the pilot. Very important.

Another thought...when the lights are out, and the water heater comes on, can you see the pilot light or flames? (is it an unwanted external source of light, subject to coming on at night?) Is your furnace in there, too?

[should]

Ive never seen a flame when the lights r off so i assume its covered...ill check again at night tho just to be safe. ill try and set up an exhaust if it gets too hot in there. and no, the water heaters the only thing in there(besides the soon to be plants:jointsmile:).

[phatsesh101]

it looks like an apt cause your water heater is on the ground and not elevated to 18 in so its not a garage either.

When you burn natural gas , propane, or other gases for heat burns oxygen and turns it in to Co2 that water heater will help you more than it will hurt. i live by myself so the water heater only kicks on when i use hot water so it fills my G.R. with co2 two or three times a day. I only have to worry about heat and its being a prob in the summer in the winter it keeps my GR warm. you dont have to worry to much about a explosion your pilot is in a contained area just make sure it gets adequet oxygen which it should since its a utility room or it wil burn co2 and leave co (carbon monoxide which will kill your plants).

I knocked my exhaust off so it fills my room and since my exhuast is in the roof the heat rises and goes out new air comes through the vent holes in my utility room door and the large gap underneath. a fan circulates the air b4 it leaves and i took a co2 reading once since it cost me ten dollars but i was at 500ppm approx. since the fresh air that comes in is cooler, it is what feeds the heater which is on the ground heat rises. thats alot of writing any ?s just ask. thats my 2 cents . oh btw i now flower in that room and my veg gets no co2 enrichment and you can really see the differance.

[should]

Hey phatsesh, your right, i do live in an apartment building. So what your saying is the water heater being there is mostly good news? thats awesome and a big relief. i didnt even think about it giving off Co2.
i dont think i will have to worry about oxygen for the pilot light because the plants will give off O2, right?
do you think i will b ok with all of the heat it gives off? since you have experience with it...

[phatsesh101]

it should be alright i dont no where you live but summer is coming and those lil utilty rooms arent insulated very well or a/c and thats a problem im going to have I should probly should start some sort of out door just in case.

just watch your temps what i do is shortly after i take a shower i check the temps. thats when its on the longest cause thats when i use the most water and if its not to hot i say mid ninties cause it will only be that hot for a breif amount of time maybe an hour for me, you should check your own times, my set up is slightly altered to take more advantage of the co2 which it can get warm but the difference in growth i see is worth it for me.

for you i dont think it should be a prob cause per safty regs and air flow most of the co2 will be hot end rise out of that metal thing on top out the vent and the room is built most likley built with more than enough passive airflow as long as you didnt make it air tight by trying to hide light. Other than that just find your clean air in, it will probly be the door vents and a gap in the bottom and make sure thers no blockage of the path between the air and you heater no clutter but from pics should be just fine.

[should]

alright, thanks for the info. I did block one of the vents so light wouldn't come through but i still think i left enough room for air to get in. Right now when i take a shower it goes up to 85 and thats without the light on. I think what I'm gonna do is grow 2 plants at 18/6, clone one and set one outside to see how that works and leave 2 in the room to flower so worst comes to worst i will still have one outside if the other 2 do shitty.

[should]

Ive been doing some research on lst and think its really cool. should i wait until im more experienced or should i try it out? and do you guys think its affective?

[phatsesh101]

I put a piece of loose hanging plastic over my vents to block light,

as far as lst, every set of clones is some sort of experiment for me but I make sure i have at least a mother or some non experimental aside from my experiment.

some plants wont grow outside some wont grow inside depending on strain i had some NLxTrinity that would just not grow outside inside did fine wierd

[should]

I have really bad news. I just tested the lights out for 2 hours and the temp went from 75 to 90!! what r my options besides giving up :(?

i do have a small vent on the door that has a radious of 1.5 inches or so. Is there any way i could connect a small fan to it and it would sove all my problems??

[should]

alright, i just bought a carbon filter that should fit my vent, so hopefully that will work and also ill add another plant so ill b growing 3 plants now as long as the temp goes back down *fingers crossed*

[phatsesh101]

dont give up, ive grown out doors in 120f degree weather, not that hot indoors though but try it any way

was the water heater on when it got that hot if so it wont stay that hot. thats a big increase for only 250w i run 400 and dont jump like that. do you have fans? whats outdoor temp? maybe position fans to blow cooler fresh air in from vent area

dude thats a small vent

[should]

was the water heater on when it got that hot if so it wont stay that hot. thats a big increase for only 250w i run 400 and dont jump like that. do you have fans? whats outdoor temp? maybe position fans to blow cooler fresh air in from vent area

dude thats a small vent

no it wasnt:(.
i dont think its the light thats the problem, thers just nowhere for the air to go since i made the room light proof.
i have a fan but not blowing on the light cuz i tried it once and the light was moving with the wind the fan created .
the outdoor temp wasnt even 75. im about to hook up dryer vent thing to the small vent on the door and hook up a computer fan to that, then when i notice a smell i will hook up the carbon filter i bought to it. i just hope thats the problem

[should]

Alright i got some pics up of my temporary fix with a comp fan. its steady right now at 88.5 s its goin down slowly. the site is should.myphotoalbum.com

i just felt the ballast (digital) and its really hot, i couldnt keep my hand on it for more than a couple seconds. is this normal??

[phatsesh101]

my ballast gets hot when theres noy much air circulation are you upstaris try running lights at night if possible when its cooler or leave door cracked I live second floor so i open my door a crack and put fan over there

use the small fan to blow air in to room, you have a passive exhuast that exits through heater exhuast and it will be the hotter air the heter creates. place your other fan to push the air your vent brings in. you might want to lose the tape and use some screws and seal it to door so it is not using the same air in the room alredy bowl just hit me ill finish later

[should]

haha alright thanks. btw how do i give rep?
you think they will b ok in high 80s?