First Grow - Bag seed, soil in a cabinet.

Hi Folks,

Like most, I'm looking for advice on how to improve this project. I got a great book on hydro growing for my birthday back in September and decided it was time to get busy but needed a place to grow. I ended up building a cabinet with the following features:

Kinda stealth, nothing obvious showing from the front, most controls are on the back along with vent input and exhaust output.

Top Section - 4' w x 2' d x 4'10" h, 600 w HPS (air cooled), CAP Air-3DN, input ventilation 2 x 60 cfm duct fans, exhaust 2 x 50 cfm bathroom vent fans, going to use small heater to maintain night temps.

Bottom Section - 2 x 24" florescent tubes (daylight), 3 x 100w (23w) CFL, seedling heat mat with controller.

Our seed stash was a collection of what ever with no known heritage. First germination was in Rapid Root cubes with 14 seeds. Ended up with 6 germinating, 4 living. After a week with only 4 babies, we decided to germ a 8 more seeds but used Pro Soil in peat pots. Basically poked a hole in the soil, laid the seeds in, sprayed down the medium and put in a black plastic bag until they germinated.

At this point we're 2 weeks into the grow with 9 babies. I've ditched the mini-greenhouse lid because it seemed to keep them too far from the lights and was causing stretching. The cabinet temp is being maintained at 68-76 deg and I vary it by turning lights off if it gets too hot. Currently I have the tubes off, but have 3 CFLs going with 74 deg.

I'm not liking the color of the older babies and think I may have over watered. My partner in crime is telling me we need to start with nutes very soon..

Any comments and/or advice will be much appreciated.

Here's the pics.. well, once I figure out how to put inline in a post!

Thanks! Farmer Rich :)

Since I can't seem to figure out how to put pics inline in a post, here's the link to my gallery:

First Grow - Bag Seed - Whoopee.. - Cannabis Photo Gallery

Thanks! Farmer Rich

Cute seedlings. perhaps its the Camera light but they look a tad yellow. If this is the case, is your soil pre-nuted?

If not, forgive a stoner in the morning

Now your cabinet set up... That is some dope shit man. Wanna come build me one of those? :P

Also your partner in crime is wrong unless they're 2 weeks old. some strains can handle ferts earlier but 2 weeks is just the safe mark for nutes. (also start with 1/4 the reccomended dose, then 1/2 then the full)

nice set up:thumbsup: Good luck with your grow:D

Hi Mic,

Thanks for the comments! After a quick trip to get a Ph test kit, I've found out our water is very alkaline, like 7.5+. Currently I'm using some fish tank chemical to balance it out. I ended up adding 1/2 tsp to a quart of water, which brought it to about 7.2. Added 1/2 strength nutes, which took it right to 7.0. As usual, I've read your advice after feeding the babies last night. What I did was put the pots in a smaller round drain tray and added about 8 oz. of the nute solution and let it soak up through the roots.

I'll send some more pics in a day or two after I see how they're going to react. Partner in crime is also telling me to move them up to the top under the HPS. What do you think about that?

Thanks man!

Farmer Rich

PS - Thanks on the box! It's a work of love.. Let me know if you want more pics of it.

I wouldn't nute yet. In my experience if a plant cannot grow a few inches from what's in the soil , then it isn't worth the effort (problems later). Having said that I agree that the plants are yellowing, what is your soil medium? Also if you can buy good fert, not MG or the 20-20-20 as they burn seedlings quickly.

Good Growing
Bless
specs:rastasmoke:

Heya Mic, how's it going. You weren't off base, those little suckers were on the yellow side. Since you were diggin' the box I uploaded a few more pics for ya. This wasn't what you'd call a budget box! I have a whole stack of receipts that I'm afraid to add up..

Who says bud and power tools don't mix!?! - Cannabis Photo Gallery

Peace, Rich

Like I mentioned above, added the nutes.. these pics are from the morning after.. they seemed even better this evening but my photo ability was sucking tonight..

A little improvment overnight - Cannabis Photo Gallery

Peace!

Hey fellow weed lovers.. one thing you learn during your first grow is patience. After dialing in ph, temp, humidity and moving the babies under MH lighting, things appear to be takin' off!

I'm planning on starting flowering on 12/31, and going 18/6 lighting about week prior to that.

Since I can't figure out how to post inline photos, here's a link to the pics of the grow in the gallery.

First Grow - 34 day update - Cannabis Photo Gallery

Be great to here any suggestions/recommendations.

:) Farmer Rich

http://gallery.cannabis.com/showphoto.php/photo/17205

http://gallery.cannabis.com/showphoto.php/photo/17204

http://gallery.cannabis.com/showphoto.php/photo/17203

http://gallery.cannabis.com/showphoto.php/photo/17202

http://gallery.cannabis.com/showphoto.php/photo/17201

Hey Farmer Rich what kind of ventilation do you have hooked to that light? Are they 6" duct fans? If so do you have one blowing in and the other sucking out or are they both sucking hot air out?