Comments please

[sawmiller]

Hello evryone,
I'm just starting my first ever grow and would welcome comments and criticism.
Am growing White Widow in my cupboard which I have lined with cooking foil. Lighting is provided by 3x23W cfl's 12 inches above the seedling with a couple more (not wired in yet) standing at each side. The temperature is stable at 20C/68F with the lights on and this cupboard is in the middle of the house so should remain at a fairly constant temp.
Humidity at the moment (with the seedling only just broken the surface) is 58%
Air movement will be provided by a small 7 inch desk fan.
I have been growing flowers & vegetables in my garden for years and so have chosen to do this 1st grow in soil (actually potting compost from my garden centre) as I have experience with that. I do however have the equipment I need to make a 'bubbleponic' DWC system.
I know there are better reflective materials and lighting systems around, but living where I do they can only be bought online, and in a tiny community like this, parcels from hydroponics supplier would excite too much comment!
I have attached a photo, for your viewing pleasure.

Please let me know what you think, I'd really appreciate any advice.
Thanks in advance

Sawmiller

[truepunk87]

keep your light 2-3" away bro. cfl lumens are not very strong and your plant gonna stretch big time.:thumbsup:

[sawmiller]

done that - thanks for advice

[Wantukcheese]

cooking foil tends to reflect heat to much and can concentrate the light and laser the plants so to speak, althogh with such low powerd light may not be a problem, but flat white paint reflects more light so I would go for that.

[bluntar]

Am growing White Widow in my cupboard which I have lined with cooking foil.

foil reflects heat

Lighting is provided by 3x23W cfl's 12 inches above the seedling with a couple more (not wired in yet) standing at each side. The temperature is stable at 20C/68F with the lights on and this cupboard is in the middle of the house so should remain at a fairly constant temp.

get more light, they are cheap, you can get them bulbs anywhere (walmart, target, homedepot, lowes, radioshack, publix, win-dixi) you will be thankfull in the end. temp is a bit cool so the foil might be a good thing. this is with the lights on. dont let it get any cooler with lights off when you get to 12/12


Humidity at the moment (with the seedling only just broken the surface) is 58%
Air movement will be provided by a small 7 inch desk fan.

good good

I have been growing flowers & vegetables in my garden for years and so have chosen to do this 1st grow in soil (actually potting compost from my garden centre) as I have experience with that. I do however have the equipment I need to make a 'bubbleponic' DWC system.
I know there are better reflective materials and lighting systems around, but living where I do they can only be bought online, and in a tiny community like this, parcels from hydroponics supplier would excite too much comment!

do lots of homework and make one order if you can, less of a paper trail and make shure you know what is in that soil, it must drain well and you need how much nutes it has so you know when to feed them youngins

I have attached a photo, for your viewing pleasure.

TY!:) looks nice n clean

Please let me know what you think, I'd really appreciate any advice.
Thanks in advance

Sawmiller

quote

[sawmiller]

thanks for your help guys...

with the second set of lights wired in the temp is now stable at 26C/78F and growth of my seedling is progressing nicely. I have to be away for 4 days in about 3 weeks, so I think I'll get my bubbling bucket working. If all goes well I plan to switch to 12/12 when the side shoots start appearing on alternate sides of the stem. Doing lots of reading on forums regarding nutrient schedules and not yet decided on one. Like the idea of more light, especially as I already have a couple of extra cfl's. Junk shops this weekend for some tatty old lamps cheap!

Thanks again for your help and I'll post a photo every week so you can see how I'm getting on.:thumbsup:

Sawmiller

[bluntar]

right on, ill b watching

[GetThisOrDie]

Nice clean setup. Looks good so far... keep up the good work and keep reading, it will help you in the end!

[sawmiller]

7 days in and the little plant looks healthy to me. Never having grown under lights before I'm amazed at the rate of growth. Experience with other plants I hope will stand me in good stead......I usually raise seeds under a cold frame outside and gradually harden them off to cope with the rigours of the big bad world. It works for my vegetables, and because of this I had no fan on this little'un for the first 6 days. The fan is now on 8 times a day for 15 minutes, mainly to stimulate the stem to strengthen, although if any signs of mildew etc appear I can easily change that. Temp and humidity are remaining constant. Let's hope week 2 shows the same level of growth!

[sawmiller]

Put my little seedling in hydroton and then into DWC yesterday. The nutrients I'm using are chempak from the garden centre and I mixed them to 10% strength. Less than 24 hours later they looked like this! I have flushed with water and it is now in the bubbler at 0% nutrients. I'm assuming this is nutrient burn....bottom 2 sets of leaves only.
Please don't ask about pH....my meter hasn't arrived yet!
Will she recover, turn herm, die?
In the words of Eric Theodore cartman..."I'm so pissed off right now":(

[everything]

whats up sawmiller?

So,......you went from soil to dwc? How did you do that? Did you remove your soil from your roots and then transplant into the hydroton or did you transplant your entire soil mass into the hydroton?

From my readings, switching from soil to hydro can really create an ideal world for algea.
Lots of "stuff" in that soil that will love to grow in your dwc reservoir.

As far as your lower leaves looking so rough, I'd guess a combination of nutrient burn and or PH.

I follow the rule of no nutes, none at all for the first 28 days above ground.

That darn PH can do some evil things if left unattended so I hope you get your meter soon.....

Good luck:thumbsup:

[everything]

And by the way, you have a very nice and tidy setup. Nice to see!

Hows she doing today?

hope she's doing well!

peace:cool:

[sawmiller]

Thanks for the concern.....
she's still growing (some new roots showing through the net pot) and I cut out the damaged areas, just in case they became a site for infection. one or two small areas of damage have shown themselves, but not nearly as bad, and maybe she'll heal. Still no sign of pH meter, but in pure water I'm hoping she'll come to no extra harm 'til it arrives.
This is all far too stressful! Next grow will be in soil....I understand that! And I'm soaking a new seed ready to start again if I've f'd this one up.
And I'll certainly try that 28 day rule next time.

Cheers :thumbsup: