Zandor, got a starter question.

[dandman]

Here's the plan:
I want to start a small garden. I have been reading the threads here for about a week now. You seem to know what you are talking about so I am going to trust ya. I would like to harvest about 6 plants a week (just for starters). I have asked some guys at a local hydro store but it seems like they are more interested in selling all of their sht. I just want to start with a small 6 plants per week. I want to go hydro. I want each to yield about 2-4 ozs each.
What would I need to start?
How much space do I need?
How much light?
What kind of time would you think before harvest?

Help the beach out!
Thanks

[Zandor]

6 plants a week is a lot of plants in the long run. If it takes 60 day's (on average) to finish flowering you would need to group 6 plants to have their own feeding system. Not one big reservoir to hold all the water. Each cycle uses a different nutrient balance. You can use one flower room but each plant group of 6 would need separate reservoirs. Do the math, from clone you veg for 30-45 dayâ??s for that yield. You can cut that time down with CO² by several weeks. Then you flower for the 60 dayâ??s, use a calendar and see how many plants it will require. You will need about 48 plants in flower and about the same number in veg and twice that number in clones. You only move the best plants from clone into veg and only the best plants in veg move into flower.

[dandman]

So, it looks like I might be getting alittle ahead of myself for starters then. I guess I will start with just making sure I know what is going on. I don't want to spend that time and then mess them up. I appreciate it Zandor.

[Zandor]

The room is about 10x10x8 for flower. Another 10x10x8 for vegetation. Clones can share the vegetation room.

Lights

Flower room each group will need itâ??s own light set up like

Light---plants---light---plants----light

Like that for each group 600w HPS Hortilux bulbs mounted horizontal and more of sidelight then top lights.

Cool Tubes to keep the temperature down and AC units to keep the room temperature down. Bring a fogger to raise the humidity lever in the veg room. Plants like higher humidity and grow faster.

[Cheryl Lame]

I have just started with a BloomBox and learning to use rockwool. My problem is how much to water and when not to water. How do you know what is the right amount of water in the rockwool and how do you water them? Simple question, but necessary since i've killed a few seedlings. Thanks, Tinkerbell

[Cheryl Lame]

:) In the very beginning stages of the seedlings, how do i know how much to water the rockwool and not kill the plants?

[Zandor]

That is a harder question they you think.

Rockwool only needs to be watered when it is dry. You need to feel the cube or you can water the tray check the weight. When it is dry check the weight again now you know the dry weight and the wet weight. Keep it in between the marks.

[arthurjob]

just by weight cheryl. feel 1 cube which hasnt been used and is dry. then pick up the seedling cube, notice any difference? when watering just plonk the bottom half of the cube in some water for about 2 secs. also if u have trouble with dampness etc a gd little tip ive found out is to place the cube above another 1. this way the cube below sucks alot of the water out. altho this way u have to check every 6-7 hours to see if theve dried out to much. hope this helps.

peace

arthur