Hey everyone, just trying to get some last minute advice before I start a grow under the following conditions:
- Approx. 5x5 closet growing area[
FONT="Arial Black"]5x5 is to big of an area for a 400 watter. I use a 400 watt HPS/MH also, in a 3'4"x3'4"x6'6", and the light doesn't reach my whole tent, nor covers ALL of my plants. And I only have 2 plants going. Now for vegging ur fine with a 400 watt cause u can just raise it to cover all ur plants. But in flowering I wouldn't tryto push that 400 watt in that big of an area, cause u would have to raise the lights pretty high to cover that whole area. In order for ur light to be effective, it has to be so many wattage per foot. 100 watts per foot, if I'm not mistaken. U can google for more info on that.[/FONT]
- 400watt mh (veg) and hps (flower) with an HTG Supply switchable remote ballast and a basic four sided horizontal reflector (anyone that has purchased equipment such as this from HTG please chime in)
I use Sunsystem, and they're AirCooled(very important that ur reflector be air cooled, especially in a closet, which is where I had my girls until 1 week ago, when I purchased a tent)
- Advanced Nutes Grow, Bloom, and Micro (is micro necessary?) [
FONT="Arial Black"]I'm not sure but I think that Micro is the most important one. I think grow is the one u can do with out. I'm not sure on that cause I use Dutch Master Gold A&B Grow and Flower along with a whole Dutch Master line. If I'm wrong please correct me on the Micro thing.[/FONT]
- Advanced Nutes Big Bud, Bud Candy, Voodoo Juice, Overdrive, Final Phase, Bud Blood, and possibly a bud sweetener such as Botanicare's Sweet series or GH's FloraNectar (please let me know any advice you may have on what will or will not be needed/effective)
I am a FIRM believer in my Bud Candy. Unfortunately I ran out of Bud Candy this week, so I have found this new place on line where I get A SHIT LOAD of stuff for 1/2 the price of my local Hydro/Grow store. Check them out for urself. CLICK HERE! The only thing that sucks is they don't sell Advanced Nutrients products. Though they sell Humboldt Nutrients(which are people from Advanced Nutrients, and I have been thinking about switching to them. They are so much cheaper than AN.) So since they didn't have Bud Candy I went with Botanicare Berry Sweet. Now I do use Overdrive, and Final Phase also. But I use other stuff, like General Hydroponics KoolBloom, General Hydroponics Floralicious Plus, and Fulvic Acid I have never used the Botanicare, and don't plan on staying with it because Bud Candy IS THE SHYTE! I save $18 though by getting Botanicare Sweet. And when u just dropped $800 on tents and fans and more nutes and additives, and ducting. Not to mention the $70 a week bud habit, cause I'm a couple of weeks to harvest. That $18 savings sounds good after all that. LMAO! Now let me explain something to u. Bud Candy is a sweetner. If your using Bud Candy.... U DO NOT NEED SWEET OR FLORANECTAR. The Bud Candy has Raw Sugar and Molasses, among vitamins, amino acids and god knows what else. The list can go on. As far as FloraNectar goes, I had a bad experience with it, along with a few other people. I don't know if I ever want to risk losing my crop, like I almost did using FloraNectar. I don't grow in soil though so it might work better for u. But I wouldn't even bother with any other than just the Bud Candy! It freakin ROCKS! As far as taste, I would advice u to use Fulvic Acid. It help in the intake of nutrients. The plants seem to absorb more nutrients because of the Fulvic Acid. And along with ur recipe(which is very close to mine, as I will be using Big Bud and Bud Blood on my next flowering cycle, along with my current recipe) I would recommend getting KoolBloom and Floralicious Plus.
- Fox Farm Ocean Forest soil
I grow in DWC hydroponics, but keep my mothers in Sunshine Organic Mix
- 4 feminized seeds: 1 Barney's Farm LSD, 1 Big Buddha Chiesel, 1 DNA Genetics Kushberry, and 1 Dinafem California Hash Plant (already have the seeds...BIG UPS TO ATTITUDE!!!)
I also have a BB Chiesel seedling that will be a mother in a couple of months, along with G13 Pineapple Express, Greenhouse Arjan's Haze, Greenhouse Strawberry Haze, greenhouse Hawaiian Snow, and 4 of MY OWN strain. Don't know what to call it yet. I had a Hermie in my last grow. The Herm was a K.C. Brains Brasil, and the mothers/seed bearer, was 1 G13 Power Skunk(which I got like 8 seeds out of) and Greenhouse Super Silver Haze(which is the 4 I've got going). So it can be Silver Mango, Mango Haze. How about Fuzzy Mango? LMAO! I don't know, but I know that they are no joke. Those seedlings seem to be moving the quickest. they germinated quickest, and are growing the quickest. And in flowering I have 1-Greenhouse Lemon Skunk and 1-Greenhouse The Church .As far as Attitude Seeds Goes..... I wont mess with no one BUT ATTITUDE! Not until they give me a reason not to. NOBODY can beat them!
- 4 black 5 gallon buckets
- either panda film or mylar to cover all walls and floor with
I would use Mylar, without a doubt. Panda film is GREAT if ur using as a wall to building ur grow room. Being that u already have a wall(ur closet) I would use mylar. It has much better reflection than Panda film. Also as far as the floor being covered, not necessary. Cause if ur using it for reflection on the floor, bad idea. Cause any spill will ruin ur Mylar and any spill or print(weather it be hand or foot) will completely take away it's reflective purposes. So the only reason u should cover ur floor is to prevent from spills. And in that case u would NOT need expensive Panda film. I use heavy duty black plastic, I bought at Home Depot. A lot cheaper than panda film.
Well this is what I'm thinking for now and I will probably be going to purchase all/most of this stuff in the next few days. Obviously I need people like you guys to help me out as this is my first real grow even though I have been reading up like crazy so ANY help or recommendations will be extremely appreciated. I realize I'm racking up quite a budget with this so if anyone has ways I can keep it low that would be very helpful as well. THANKS!
I hope I could help in some small way. I know this post is old but u never know if u still have doubts in ur mind about anything. And if u want ur products for cheaper check out that link I posted for u up top.
Also just a few more general questions:
1. I've looked at the calculators on forums but if anyone could give me a quick calculation from experience of what electricity costs might go up by under these settings (4 plants, 1 400watt light and ballast, basic fan) that would be great (i realize this isn't really a question lol)
OK. 400(ur wattage) divided by 1000(kW) x that by hours u will use light x that by amount of days x that by ur Energy Co. rate(which u can find on their website) and u have ur expense on ur electricity for that 400 watter. and 4 plants is enuff for that 400 watter.
2. How much fan power is too much fan power?
I use a 6" 450cfm for my area
3. I know all about AN feeding chart and have read very much about this but it seems it is very environment specific: Can anyone recommend a weekly feeding schedule for my situation (and I don't mean numbers I'm talking three times a week, twice a week, etc...I have never really found anything specifically on this..or please link me to a page regarding this) (ahaha this isnt really a question either)
4. To all experienced growers out there what water should I use (tap, tap that I let sit for 24hrs, reverse-osmosis, purified, etc)?
I have a filter from PUR that brings my pH down to 6.8 and after a few days bubbling it reaches almost 6.0 and brings my PPM from 150 to 80. So tap is fine as long as de-chlorinate it.
5. Should I put my newly planted seeds (when they are that) under my 400watt mh or something else to start off?
A CFL would be better(cheaper)
Once again, anything that anyone on this great website is willing to offer as information to help me through the process will be greatly appreciated. I know that I asked a lot in this one post but there is a lot I obviously could use help with :D. OH, and I almost forgot to mention I will certainly be starting a grow log as soon as the process starts. StAyHigH my dudes :rasta:
