My First Indoor Grow

[epilepticme]

Ok so here is what I have to work with with and what I am a looking to accomplish. I will start with my plans and I hope all of you seasoned grow veterans will steer me in the right direction :)

The space we will be using is the area under a stair case that is sectioned off into a closet space.

The area is 10 feet deep, 3 feet wide and 7 feet high at the door and 3 feet high in the back of the closet.

I already have my partner cleaning the area and painting it flat white.

We will be using CFL's for the lighting. ( How many of what variety is the best bang for the buck)

Whats the most inexpensive air cleaner I can put together?

I wanna get this right and I wanna be puffing on some kind by christmas!

whats next?

[DTRave420]

Ok so here is what I have to work with with and what I am a looking to accomplish. I will start with my plans and I hope all of you seasoned grow veterans will steer me in the right direction :)

The space we will be using is the area under a stair case that is sectioned off into a closet space.

The area is 10 feet deep, 3 feet wide and 7 feet high at the door and 3 feet high in the back of the closet.

I already have my partner cleaning the area and painting it flat white.

We will be using CFL's for the lighting. ( How many of what variety is the best bang for the buck)

Whats the most inexpensive air cleaner I can put together?

I wanna get this right and I wanna be puffing on some kind by christmas!

whats next?

Hey there epilepticme,how are ya!!!

I hate to start off your thread with questions,but i'm going 2,lol...

How much of that space are you planning on using???
Are you gonna have an intake and outtake???
Are you gonna leave the front open during "lights on"

I have more questions,but lets leave it at that 4 now...;)

I've seen some amazing CFL grows...I'm betting your gonna make something real nice...

Talk to ya soon friend...:420thought:

[epilepticme]

Do not appologize for asking questions. That is exactly what I am looking for. I am hoping by the time I actually have germinated seeds all the nice people here will shoot all the required proverbial holes in my setup.

So to answer your questions:

I plan on using all of the space. I will use the back (shorter area) for vegging and the front taller area for flowering.

Yes I want intake and output for the ventilation. I will vent into the workshop next to the stairs where the sounds of air compressors etc will cover up any noise from the fans.

The door will always be sealed (locked) and light proof.


Thanks for the input :):hippy:

[epilepticme]

As for seeds. I will start with some bag seed that I believe to be a canadian commercial variety (maybe a big bud or something similar).

What do you wall think for a first time grow? Should I just grow out a few plants from seed to get a feel for the room or should I start right off right with growing a momma and cloning her?

[DTRave420]

Do not appologize for asking questions. That is exactly what I am looking for. I am hoping by the time I actually have germinated seeds all the nice people here will shoot all the required proverbial holes in my setup.

So to answer your questions:

I plan on using all of the space. I will use the back (shorter area) for vegging and the front taller area for flowering.

Yes I want intake and output for the ventilation. I will vent into the workshop next to the stairs where the sounds of air compressors etc will cover up any noise from the fans.

The door will always be sealed (locked) and light proof.


Thanks for the input :):hippy:

One of the first things you'll need is a hygro-thermeter or similar product to measure temps and humidity...

Check out Jrleister's heat question...He's growing with a closed door also... :420thought:

[DTRave420]

Do not appologize for asking questions. That is exactly what I am looking for. I am hoping by the time I actually have germinated seeds all the nice people here will shoot all the required proverbial holes in my setup.

So to answer your questions:

I plan on using all of the space. I will use the back (shorter area) for vegging and the front taller area for flowering.

Yes I want intake and output for the ventilation. I will vent into the workshop next to the stairs where the sounds of air compressors etc will cover up any noise from the fans.

The door will always be sealed (locked) and light proof.


Thanks for the input :):hippy:

I'd start with a smaller test grow before you fill that space with CFL's...The closer you grow to the front,the easier your access will be as far as caring for your plants...

Sunblaze T-5 systems are economical systems that can be hung on the wall or above the plants...I'd do both...They make 2' and 4' systems that hold 4 or 8 T-5 bulbs...These bulbs come in cool for veg and warm for flowering...I have two 4' sunburst systems that I'm very happy with...As long as you don't let leaves or buds touch the bulb your golden...

Another good CFL system I have is a small Hydrofarm hood that comes with the CFL socket attached...It can accommodate a 125watt or 200watt CFL bulb...I use the 200watt full spectrum as part of my veg...If you want to use a lens cover with this hood,(for air cooling),go with the 125watt cool or warm CFL because the 200watt is to large for this...

Hope you and your partner put something real nice together...Get that Hygro-thermeter so you can get your space dialed in...:420thought:

[epilepticme]

Well I started 25 seeds tonight, mostly bag seed and a couple special seeds from a buddy. I have them all labeled in their own baggie. Using the paper towel method.

Once the lil boogers pop I will put them in some plastic cups with some organic potting soil.

I figure they can all just veg in the closet for now under the flourecent tubes while I put together the 6x 30 watt cfl for flowering and the air filtration system( which I am still trying to decide on a design).

I ordered a nice hygrometer with a probe so I can keep track of both rooms with one unit.

Still trying to decide on a PH test kit.. any recommendations?

I am so excited :) Its almost like christmas

[DTRave420]

Well I started 25 seeds tonight, mostly bag seed and a couple special seeds from a buddy. I have them all labeled in their own baggie. Using the paper towel method.

Once the lil boogers pop I will put them in some plastic cups with some organic potting soil.

I figure they can all just veg in the closet for now under the flourecent tubes while I put together the 6x 30 watt cfl for flowering and the air filtration system( which I am still trying to decide on a design).

I ordered a nice hygrometer with a probe so I can keep track of both rooms with one unit.

Still trying to decide on a PH test kit.. any recommendations?

I am so excited :) Its almost like christmas


Happy for ya epilepticme!!!Curley said "There's nothin' like bringing in the herd"
For me,there's nothing like bringing in the harvest...

Use this as a learning experience and don't get discouraged if you run into a couple of grow probs...Most of all grow safe!!!

Hope ya don't mind me taking my seat a little early for your grow...Come on with it and good luck to ya!!!:420thought:

[Dyranty]

Seeing as how we are all a bunch of damn yankee's ;) I figured I'd come show some love for my fellow New Yorkers.

I'm on my first grow (Indoor) Flowering stage. CFL's.

It's a rough road but once you make it to see them get pretty it's loads of fun :thumbsup:

Wish you good luck, and keep us updated on it!

[epilepticme]

13 little babies peeked their roots out today and were transplanted to plastic beer cups filled with organic potting mix. They were lightly watered then put back into the back of the grow area.

I can not wait to see that first little bit of green pop up from the soil!

I put the other 12 seeds back in the paper towels to give them another day or two to sprout.

I am trying to be as clean and scientific as possible with this experiment so hopefully I will get a decent quality and quantity.

Each germinated seed was labled. 3 strains (A,B and C). Each cup/seed is labled A1, A2, B4 or C5 etc.

As soon as the first sign of green pops through I will turn on two 42 watt cfls and a small circulation fan.

The temp is around 78 degrees with the two lights and the circ fan blowing.

:weedpoke:

[Dyranty]

ROFL I can't believe you do that too. I'm scientific in practice, not to say im a scientist. But that's how I approach my grow. I have a log, labeled exactly the same, i keep track of height, smell, sex, and problems. and update it every watering.

I thought i was the only dork around here.

hah that's great, keep us updated

[DTRave420]

Make sure you have drainage in those plastic cups and a small tray or bowl underneath em to catch the excess...Peace epme...:420thought:

[epilepticme]

Thanks DTrave420,

I cut x's into the bottom of all of the cups before i planted :)

[epilepticme]

Time for an update.

I have 13 plants growing nicely. All the seed pods are now gone. Everything is nice and green and healthy so far. I noticed two started to stretch and lean very bad so I shuffled things around so they all have equal light. I staked up the two that had stretched and fallen over .

Humidity averages 40% Temp 75 F

I am now taking suggestions for the most inexpensive yet effective odor control... Please help :)

[DTRave420]

Time for an update.

I have 13 plants growing nicely. All the seed pods are now gone. Everything is nice and green and healthy so far. I noticed two started to stretch and lean very bad so I shuffled things around so they all have equal light. I staked up the two that had stretched and fallen over .

Humidity averages 40% Temp 75 F

I am now taking suggestions for the most inexpensive yet effective odor control... Please help :)

Hey there epme,

Glad to hear your grows goin' good...

It's said that one should not take the "most inexpensive" route when it comes to "odor control"...
A fan capabil of removing the air in your grow room, which is measured in the term of cubic feet per minute,(CFM) is desired...There's no such thing as overkill with scrubbin' a grow room IMO...My fan scrubs more than 200 CFM and I'm growin' in a small closet...You also want to get rid of this old smelly air by either pumping it out somewhere thats undetectable by others or running into a decent filter such as a can filter...
Now you also need an intake fan to make up for whats being sucked out...

Still havin fun???,lol...

We all went through this and it'll come together for you to my friend even if it's piece by piece...:420thought:

We all went through this bro and it'll come together for you to even if it's piece

[Dutch420]

It sounds like your doing the same set up as me, under the stairs, but i didnt jump into a big set up yet i am using 1 or 2 of my seeds, they just "poped up" out of the seed, should i use the beer cup method too ? the root is only a few millimeters out but the way you write sounds excatly the same as mine, anyways i figured i d say what up and not waste time making a new thread when the answers are just a few feet away lol thanks in advance,

[epilepticme]

Update time!
I have 8 lovely plants growing very well. I applied LST yesterday.
They all look great as far as color and height.
Try to get a picture today.

How long after first LST should I wait to switch to 12/12?

[justanotherbozo]

hey man, just read your thread and thought i'd try to help out.

heres a couple of links to threads with answers to some of your questions.

the one for the carbon filter is the best DIY filter i've seen on this site or
any other. check out his other threads also, he is a very clever guy


http://boards.cannabis.com/indoor-growing/140716-lsttt-low-stress-twisty-tie-training.html

http://boards.cannabis.com/grow-faqs/99371-diy-how-carbon-filter.html

good luck man, have fun

[epilepticme]

Pics as promised :)

[epilepticme]

These plants surprise me every time I check on them. The lower branches seem to have responded to the added light very well. I will switch to 12/12 on Monday and hopefully I will be seeing lots of female reproductive parts poking out :)

[GoldenGraham84]

hooray for you! know what? i'm epileptic too! just a suggestion though...
you could get the Y splitters for each of those sockets and double the bulbs and light output.

[DTRave420]

Hey there epme!!!,

I wondered what became of your indoor grow project...Glad to see you're still at it...:420thought:

[epilepticme]

hooray for you! know what? i'm epileptic too! just a suggestion though...
you could get the Y splitters for each of those sockets and double the bulbs and light output.

There are 4- 27 watt CFLS and 2- 42 watt CFls at the moment.
When I turn on the 12/12 cycle I will be adding 2 more 27 watters and 2 more 42 watters.

I think I need to build some kind of hood or reflector for my light too.

This indoor growing is very involved huh?

[epilepticme]

Well the lights have been 12/12 for 5 days and I found two males in the mix.

They all look great with several showing signs of female flowers

Hope to get some pics Tuesday :)

[epilepticme]

Well the ladies have been flowering for just about a month now.
Things are progressing well. Smells wonderful in there and there are lots of observable trichs. :stoned:
They are in 5 gallon buckets now. Getting fed with Molasses and Guano Tea once a week. Water every two days if needed.

Temps are running at 75 deg F lights on. With 52% humidity.
Lights off 68 deg F w/ a 52% humidity.
Run off pH ~ 6

I did notice that there are some little flying gnats in the room. What should I do about them? At this point I have not needed any kind of pesticides or fungicides. I prefer to keep things organic :)

[DTRave420]

Well the ladies have been flowering for just about a month now.
Things are progressing well. Smells wonderful in there and there are lots of observable trichs. :stoned:
They are in 5 gallon buckets now. Getting fed with Molasses and Guano Tea once a week. Water every two days if needed.

Temps are running at 75 deg F lights on. With 52% humidity.
Lights off 68 deg F w/ a 52% humidity.
Run off pH ~ 6

I did notice that there are some little flying gnats in the room. What should I do about them? At this point I have not needed any kind of pesticides or fungicides. I prefer to keep things organic :)

Howdy epme,long time no see!!!:D

Glad to see your flowering...

As to your "fungus gnat" problem,here's a good cure...You wanna fight em from above and below...For the above,you get those yellow sticky traps that can be hung near and around the grow...This will help somewhat but to really kick their butts and destroy the larva you get a product called '"Mosquito Dunks"...They look like big white lifesavers...Since your doing dirt and not hydro,your gonna bust up the "Mosquito Dunk"and put it in the catch trays under your pots when you water and let em sit in the excess run off...You'll see man...:jointsmile:

[epilepticme]

bacillus thuringiensis? I have some liquid form. Will that work the same?

[DTRave420]

That I don't know friend...Better turn on the bat-light...This looks like a job for stinky...:jointsmile:

[epilepticme]

Finally remembered the good camera :D

[stinkyattic]

Ep- you want post#29 nuked? We can't do individual photos.

[epilepticme]

Yes please, thanks Stinky :)

While I have your attention,

BTI in liquid form ok for Fungus Gnats?

[epilepticme]

Update on the light configuration.
Now running 292 watts of cfls at 19,300 lumens or ~66 lumens/watt.
The floor area of the flower room is 3 x 6 ft.

Just over 50 days of flowering and the look like they could go a lot longer.

[epilepticme]

Update time...
Harvest has come and gone. I ended up with 120 grams water cured and dried.
The herb was loaded with crystals and dense. I have photos but they are on the film camera. Hopefully I can get them scanned and posted.
I left some leaf on and switched the lights back to 24 hours a day and gave some fish emulsion and blood meal.
The lights have been back to 24/7 for about a week and there is already some new vegetative growth. My plan is to re-flower in a few more weeks.
Hopefully I will get another crop and be able to regen. these outdoors this spring.
I could not have asked for better results considering the cfl light source.
I also doubled the lumens to ~ 38,000.

Thank you cannabis.com community for all of the knowledge to get this done!