Tuxy's grow log. [Archive] - Green Grass Forums

WhiteTux

10-21-2010, 08:23 AM

We're starting on day 5, i'll try to post pics daily. Right now i'm using two spot-gro lights from lowes, soon to be changed to 4 4' fluorescent lights. And eventually into two MH 400s. (that's my plan anyway). I'm using trainwreck seeds(i believe). Here are some pics of the ones that are doing well, others aren't doing so hot, and i dont really know why.. Any help/suggestions are always welcome :) And thanks for reading!

-Tux.

WhiteTux

10-21-2010, 08:36 AM

Scratch the pictures. i can't upload right now, for unknown reasons.. my apologies.

-Tux.

Shovelhandle

10-21-2010, 01:05 PM

Maybe you need more posts before you can put in photos? I don't know but that seems to be the case. Welcome.
Anxious to see your new grow log.

Shov

camoxnhx

10-21-2010, 02:01 PM

right there with SHOVE!!!:thumbsup:

yea you need 50 post to post pics but for now you can use a web:thumbsup:site called photobucket :)

WhiteTux

10-21-2010, 05:40 PM

I was actually going to upload to photobucket last night, but i figured they'd delete the pictures because of what they were. i'll do it now :)

canniwhatsis

10-21-2010, 05:43 PM

You can also load em to an album under your User CP on this site and link em that way.

The site started letting me attach pics after about 20-25 posts.

WhiteTux

10-21-2010, 06:01 PM

First picture is of the 10 that are doing well. Or, well, good enough :) They are still stretching, i'm getting better light this weekend to put a stop to that. http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb1/kinjirareta66676/DSCF4983.jpg

Second picture is a closeup of one of the serious stretchers.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb1/kinjirareta66676/DSCF4969.jpg

Third is of the stretchers from an angle that i could get most of them :) Sorry for crappy quality on all of the pictures..
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb1/kinjirareta66676/DSCF4964.jpg

More of the stretchers.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb1/kinjirareta66676/DSCF4965.jpg

Downward on one of the babies.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb1/kinjirareta66676/DSCF4968.jpg

WhiteTux

10-21-2010, 06:24 PM

Here are some pics of the others that are directly under 2 4' fluos. They are 40w, i dont know what their lumen is. sorry :(. These ones just weren't doing as well, so i figured i'd let them get real close to the light that the others were exposed to at the very start.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb1/kinjirareta66676/DSCF4980.jpg
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb1/kinjirareta66676/DSCF4979.jpg
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb1/kinjirareta66676/DSCF4978.jpg
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb1/kinjirareta66676/DSCF4977.jpg
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb1/kinjirareta66676/DSCF4981.jpg

Shovelhandle

10-21-2010, 08:17 PM

"And that's what it looks like, boys and girls..." yep, like watching eggs hatch. Them seedlings are so cute. )

SHov

WhiteTux

10-21-2010, 08:26 PM

Lol, thanks Shov. :). I'm anxious for them to be big enough for me to do some LST. :). I like messing with them, but i dont want to hurt them... I try to leave them alone as much as possible right now 'cause i'm afraid anything i do will kill them.. lol. But, i do talk to them a lot.

Shovelhandle

10-21-2010, 08:36 PM

yep, lookin at them younguns makes me wanna pop some seeds. :hippy:

WhiteTux

10-21-2010, 09:03 PM

Shov, i was reading through your grows.. and.. you're a pro :(.. Not fair.. lol.

WhiteTux

10-21-2010, 09:14 PM

Hey, sorry for so many posts. Trying to get my shiz together for this weekend so i know what i'm going to buy. I need to purchase some sort of vent fan and filter.. I found combos on ebay, but i dont know what i should get.. reading over the forums on ideas for room setups, i need to purchase something that will move at least 320 cfm. (big room). But i wasn't sure what brands to go with.. vortex seems to have strong fans, but they run a little expensive.. the things i found on ebay were this combo of fan and filter 6" CARBON FILTER FAN COMBO inline odor control scrubber - eBay (item 150508146282 end time Oct-22-10 12:54:44 PDT) (http://cgi.ebay.com/6-CARBON-FILTER-FAN-COMBO-inline-odor-control-scrubber-/150508146282?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230afc0e6a) and this vortex fan 6" Vortex Centrifugal Inline Exhaust Fan Duct Blower - eBay (item 400083061869 end time Oct-28-10 19:39:04 PDT) (http://cgi.ebay.com/6-Vortex-Centrifugal-Inline-Exhaust-Fan-Duct-Blower-/400083061869?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d26cf0c6d)

I'm also planning to follow advice and buy some fluos, i already have a pretty good idea of what i'm going to do there. But, any specific item suggestions are welcome. I was told 6500k fluos would work well. Pretty soon i need to buy some different pots.. The peat pots they are in now seem to be letting moisture out extremely quickly. I have to water them every day.
Now, at some point for the light i need to transfer to HID(MH and HPS) but i'm not sure if i should do that now, or wait until they get larger?

Gotta buy a heater too.. Gets kinda chilly down there during the night. I think if i were to go ahead and purchase an HID light, the temp might not be so much of a problem, but, like i said. I dont know if i should go HID or fluo, or maybe both?

canniwhatsis

10-21-2010, 10:24 PM

Optimum temps are mid to high seventy's for most strains. Of course they will tolerate anything above freezing, and below 100f but growth slows down. If it's comfy for you your plants will probably like it.

Welcome to the show! :D Good luck!

P.S. That seems like quite a few plants,... I know from seed you've got to weed out males and hermies,.... but your gonna need a LOT of light to flower them even if you only let them get a few nodes high before kicking 12/12.

WhiteTux

10-21-2010, 10:33 PM

canniwhatsis

10-22-2010, 12:49 AM

First off lets see if my count is correct,... you've got 9 that are growing they're 2nd nodes and 16 that seem to be about a week behind, that are under the floro tubes?

So 25 plants.

Lets assume all are girls, and you let them vege for a month getting about 9" tall (under normal lighting which is WAY more intense than the 2 tubes I see) SOG style.

Each will need around a square foot of space when you kick the lights,.... so a 5x5' space,... 600w HPS is generally considered the minimum for a space of about 4x4' to 6x6' so it would work, but each plant would be low yeild, perhaps 1/4 oz dried/cured. If your looking for more per plant your looking at more wattage!

CFL's and floro tubes if done right you could get away with probably around 400 total actual watts for the same 5x5' space in a SOG grow, but again if you want more yield, your gonna need more light/wattage!

You have a month to 2 months tops to do your reading and decide how you want to spend your money for this investment.

If this is for personal use, I'd look for/ try to set up a 3x3 tent with circulation and ventilation for a 400w HPS and flower 4 to 6 plants at a time once they hit a height of around 18-24" while veging under floro's elsewhere to the desired height.

Your results may vary but I'm pulling bi-monthly harvests of 1.5-2 oz (finished) out of around half that size area under the same wattage!

You could easily harvest every other week a plant that size from a 3x3 area. ;)

Pic speaks for itself. :cool: :jointsmile:

WhiteTux

10-22-2010, 02:02 AM

So, with cfl would you suggest 400 ACTUAL watts? like, 26 x 15=~390? or like, 4 100 watt equivalents? Because cfl doesnt really seem to be too expensive, so i'd probably go that route, unless you'd think i'd get a better yield out of hid? Either way, i understand i need a lot more light. I just didnt expect them to grow this fast.. Wasn't as prepared as i thought i was :(

And, SOG is what i was planning to go with. That seems to be the best way to do it.(from what i've read).
I also currently have an old street light that can power a 400 w hid, could it be used in this situation, as long as i had it held up securely, in cunjunction with some cfl? or would it be a bad idea to combine them?

As for the tent for flowering, that's what i figured i'd do. Just in an area of that room. I figured i'd just cut it in half :).

canniwhatsis

10-22-2010, 03:41 AM

Going on the assumption that my count is correct, yes a blend of 400w floro tubes and CFL's might be able to do it.

Lets go with reality,... You will NOT get 100% female, and ALL of them need to be sexed before flowering!

Your only gonna get 50% Fem if your lucky even from reputable breeders,... likely a higher percentage of hermi's from bag seed, but who knows?

Where did you get your seeds? And what strain are they? who's the breeder? Are they femmed?

There's a lot of work ahead of you, but you look to be on the right track! :jointsmile:

WhiteTux

10-22-2010, 04:12 AM

i actually have 28, and i was figuring on 14 fems. :) And i figure i'll do early sexing at like 8 inches, does that seem alright to you? Seeds came from a vendor i believe in cali. It's trainwreck(as labeled on the bag). That's what i'm hoping for. Not femmed that i know of. I didnt purchase them. A relative did. lol.

What i'm looking at on ebay right now (these (http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-2-LAMP-4ft-T5-FLUORESCENT-GROW-LIGHT-w-6500K-BULBS-/390103362633?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ad3f8ec49)) i was figuring on buying 2 of them for now, and then adding on as i go. they produce 10,000 lumens and are 6500k. And then i figured i'd purchase some cfl grow lights from them as well. I dont really know how their prices compare to lowes and that sort.. but, at lest this way i'm not making a trip to another town to try to find something that might not even be there.. These (http://cgi.ebay.com/2-35-watt-Compact-Floro-6400K-GROW-Light-CF-CFL-300-/120636972574?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c16861e1e) are the cfl they have for sale. 6400k, and 2,400 lumens a piece. They also sell them as bloom bulbs that are 2700k i think. Here those are (http://cgi.ebay.com/2-35-watt-Compact-Floro-2700K-GROW-Light-CF-CFL-300-/390139460028?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ad61fb9bc). I figured for my first purchase i'd get two of the t5's, and then start placing the cfls around as i got the money for them.. do you think that would work okay?

WhiteTux

10-23-2010, 02:29 AM

Well. I think i have mold growing on my peat pots.. And about the only thing i could do was spread them out.. i dont have any other pots to put them in... I also switched the taller plants to a different light.. they now have 4 40 watt 4 foot bulbs about 1 inch away from them... I'm hoping that will stop the stretching.. that'd be nice.. it's about my only option right now.. Tomorrow i should be going shopping for new lights. Might just go with a lot of cfl mounted on a board that i can adjust the height of. It's about the cheapest way to do this effectively.. (or, what i think should be effectively). More pictures and shiz tomorrow.

--Tux

Terps

10-23-2010, 06:33 PM

i doubt its mold...its probably algae. algae needs 3 things to live

1) Algae spores (good luck getting rid of those they are everywhere specially in basements)
2) Light
3) Constantly moist conditions

The most effective way to fight algae (Specially if still in seedling stage and growing in peat cubes, rockwool, or any other type of plug) is to stop light from reaching the moist plug. use some type of foam or 'light blocking' material and cut a slit in it for the stem of your plant and cover the top of the plug.

WhiteTux

10-23-2010, 06:40 PM

Hopefully i'll be able to buy some normal pots today. I don't really know what size to go with though.. I guess i'll just look and see what they have a decent price on, and go with that. Seeing as how i need 28 of them......... So many.. i shouldn't have started with so many..

Terps

10-23-2010, 07:17 PM

Terps

10-23-2010, 07:28 PM

i dont know where you live or your current living situation but if i had 28 plants that needed pots and was looking for the cheapest method available id look into visiting the local hydroponics store (or order online) some grow bags! i wouldnt get anything less then a 3 gallon bag or your going to run into root bound issues and it could effect the quality and quantity of your yeilds.

Grow bags are cheap! last time i ordered some i think it was around 50 cents a grow bag maybe even less!

Another cheap option would be to drive around construction sites where painters have already come and gone and you might be able to score a few old empty 5 gallon paint buckets (Make sure to wash them out RLY good and drill some drainage holes in the bottom)

*a cheap container to veg plants in are tall keg cups (plastic red or blue cups that college kids drink beer outa) you can usuly get away with keg cups for a few weeks worth of veg. Remember, stabilizer roots grow down about as far as the plant is tall and roots grow out about as far as your canopy does. If you ignore this fact for too long your plant will become root bound and will not have the plant vigor and growth that it should.

*also when you transplant, if you notice on the side and bottom or your root ball are substantially built up with strong white roots dont be afraid the rough up the roots ball (literally take a razor and cut the root ball a bunch of times if the plant is root bound) this promotes NEW root development (because the root to shoot disturbance)

WhiteTux

10-23-2010, 07:42 PM

I think i might go with the plastic cup option for now. My seedlings are still VERY small. well, 3-4 inches anyway. so they should do alright in some plastic cups. Thank you for your advice :) And i'll either invest in grow bags when they get large enough, or just put them in five gallon buckets :)

Thanks again

--Tux

canniwhatsis

10-23-2010, 08:06 PM

It's ill advised to put a tiny plant in a huge bucket. (made that mistake on my first grow) The plant doesn't have the root structure to absorb the nutes/water in the soil and you wind up with a bunch of wet soil that will harbor mold/mildew and other problems waiting to happen.

I start seedlings in .5 liter pots, then move up to 1 gallon, then 3 gallons for flowering.

Keep an eye out around your neighborhood for anyone that's planting their garden out of nursery plants. Odds are they will just throw the pots away. TADA!!!! FREE POTS! Most are .5L 1L and 1 Gallon, but I've scored about 50-75 pots just this fall and now have a complete surplus! :D

Another place to search is behind the local hardware store. When the nursery plants get sick or die they THROW THEM AWAY! Dump the dead plant out and SCORE!!!! I got some 7 gallon's off of dead junipers earlier this year, again for FREE! (It's a good idea to check with store management before dumpster diving tho)

Shovelhandle

10-23-2010, 08:12 PM

I agree with pot transplants = good.

WhiteTux

10-23-2010, 08:26 PM

judging from the current size of my plants, do you think it would be okay to place them in plastic cups right now? Just, standard plastic cups.. I cant really afford much other than that. I have to buy new lights soon.. :(. I might just do a couple walls of cfl leaning at 30 degree angles above all of my plants.. that's about the cheapest thing i know to do that will actually be effective.. But, yeah, for now, my main question is on the pots.. Cups? then 1 gallon pots?

canniwhatsis

10-23-2010, 08:50 PM

Your plants don't seem to be big enough to need any kind of up potting. Let em dry more between watering if you think it's mold on the peat pots. Spacing them out to let air flow between them will help too.

Do you have a small fan blowing on them?

Here's a cheap idea for lighting;
Get a cheap bathroom light fixture (for above the mirror) Hampton Bay 4-Light Bath Bar - HB2051-35 at The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-Fans-Bathroom-Lighting/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xhfZbq8w/R-202022451/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053) with 3-4 sockets, Wire it with a plug (cut off of any dead 110v appliance), and screw in "Y" splitters into each socket Leviton 660-Watt Keyless Twin-Socket Lamp Holder Adapter - R52-00128-00W at The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xhf/R-100356967/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053) , if there's enough room, put splitters into the splitters, then you will have 4 sockets per socket, then screw in the little 27w CFL's EcoSmart 23-Watt (100W) Soft White CFL Light Bulbs (4-Pack) (E)* - ES5M8234 at The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xhf/R-100686997/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053) and BLAMO! Truckloads of light for less than $100

WhiteTux

10-23-2010, 08:58 PM

That's a great idea! I don't know why i didnt think of that! :D Thank you so much! :). And yes, i do have a fan, it's a just a standard house fan that stands up.. very similar to this (http://www.mysears.com/OceanAire-16-in-Oscillating-Fan-review-b51c3), but blue. lol. And i have it on 24/7 now. It was only on part of the time. But, i'll see if i can make a home depot/lowes run tonight. that would be fantastic :). By the way, do you think it would be cheaper to have a similar setup, just mounted on a piece of wood? I can buy just sockets from lowes for i think around 2 dollars a piece (I THINK! not really sure), so i could just mount them on a 1x8, or a couple 1x8s to spread the light out, and then still add the splitters in :) Or do you think i should go the other way? I don't mind wiring, i just want to do whichever way saves the most cash, but is also effective :)

canniwhatsis

10-23-2010, 09:08 PM

LOL! that's just my dirty easy way of thinking about it.

I'm lazy and don't want to futz too much with wiring, but yeah tack some sockets to a board would work just fine too.

Something else to think about is mixing spectrums of the lights,... get some soft, and some bright white bulbs,.... Don't remember which is which, you want more blue for veging.

WhiteTux

10-23-2010, 09:19 PM

Looking around at those lights, they are all in the 2700k-3500k range. that's mainly for flowering, would they actually be functional during veg stage?

canniwhatsis

10-23-2010, 09:52 PM

The "Daylight" ones are 5000k. I'll be honest, I haven't messed with lighting much since I've invested in my LED for veg.

6500k is ideal I believe. At least that's what my T-5 is :wtf:

WhiteTux

10-23-2010, 10:06 PM

yeah, that's what i read. But i don't see any 6500k cfl.. so, i guess i'll use the 5000k. in conjunction with the other. Maybe that will do it :). I think i'm going to buy a 12 pack of the 2700k bulbs, and then 5 sockets, with 5 splitters, that way i can have 10 bulbs on them here pretty soon. I need to get as much light as possible, as quickly as possible so that they can survive. I'm worried about them. Do you think it would be a better idea to put the bulbs on the side, facing horizontally? or hanging from directly above facing vertically?

Are the led lights pretty expensive, or would i be able to find them around here for cheap?

canniwhatsis

10-23-2010, 10:23 PM

The panel I'm running was $325 IIRC 120w actual 600w equivalent. I'm still flowering under HPS tho. I'm going to try my first LED flowering experiment next week,.... so, sometime in January I'll know which is better, LED or HID. Well better for me anyway.

As for positioning you lights,... I'd say right over the top until they get big, then you'll need to start thinking about side lighting.

Here's a pic of a rig I slapped together today to add some side/bottom lighting for my flowering room

WhiteTux

10-23-2010, 11:09 PM

That's pretty similar to what i'm going to be doing, just probably with a total of like 20 bulbs.. I figured i'll mount 5 outlets, then put a splitter in them, and do the same thing for 3 or 4 boards, and just position them in a semi-circle around the plants :) Of course, to start with, i'll just be using one board, with 5 outlets(10 lights), with 3/4 being the 2700k, and 1/4 being the 5000k, unless i can come up with some 6500k, in which case i'll make it 1/2 and 1/2. :). Where did you get your fixture there? Not the splitter, but the actual receptacle it screws into?