Oh the Mistakes I've made....

[rhizome]

Don't- Steal power. The utility will gladly sell you all you want.
Don't- Start any shit with your neighbors. You'd be amazed what they've noticed.
Don't- get involved in public " who's got the biggest joint" contests.
Don't- Change more than one variable at a time
Don't- Quit your job, spend more than your paycheck, show a lot of bling.
Don't- carry in your car
Don't- let the grow get fire-hazard sloppy
Don't- tell anybody, show anybody
Don't- do biz with anyone who doesn't have a mortgage
Don't- sell bags. Wholesale, single buyer.
Don't- take other people's cuts w/o quarantine
Don't- give cuts to anybody you wouldn't sleep with. Straight to RICO
Don't- Insist that you have the same rights as anybody else- you don't.
Don't- assume more is better
Don't- bring your cell phone to your grow
Don't- take my word for it, or anybody elses.

DO- stay safe, think twice, and stay free :jointsmile:

[rhizome]

Do u really think the DEA is scrubbing purchase orders to find out if there is someone out there that bought a 1000W HPS light and therefore must be searched to find out if there makin something bad in the eyes of the law?

Do an old man a favor and google " DEA Operation Green Merchant".

Lot of folks comprimised.

Prob before you were born.

Easier now that everybody's got their records in Quickbooks.

[Blunt420]

Well after having my first grow finish up, which by the way got me about 1-1.5 oz per plant. Extremely potent (the kind that goes for $100/quarter oz around here) I know on the small side, but none the less, was happy with the results, I think we need to do some more work on the FAQ's though.

In looking at the FAQ's what some (including myself) are missing is not only some very crucial information about the details, but the waste of time, space, hermies (that always seem to show up in one plant, just a few flowers, but enought to screw up a great grow), cloning to full grow cycling, as well as proper construction techniques for cloners, plumbing, etc... I could go on forever. The piece meal of information is fine for fumbling your way through for a while till you get the hang of it, posting a few pics for answers, or just the regular banter that we all do since we are proud of our plants/rooms/results, or just to say Hi!. But, what I'm seeing as I go along is that there is way too much to figure out as time goes by where I could be growing even better plants, utilizing my space better, choosing the best lighting, and making sure that the cycle from seed/clone to picking is kept going.

Now I know that all of us have differant rooms, closets, or even gardens that we use. But the common thread here is that we all are aiming to achive the best results with what we have. I for one keep making mistakes! Not the same ones obviously that I did the first time, otherwise I'd be a f*cking idiot. The mistakes now are not in keeping the plants healthy, but looking back at how I started, I wish I went with a differant type of system overall. Why, well it sure would have made it easier to get a higher yield, a lot easier to stop growing from seed and clone properly (that is something that I still have to figure out after I finish this grow of where to put my cloner how to start a good crop and pick the best females to clone and how to do it right).

So, with that I'm going to be working on a good FAQ that addresses many of what I'm seeing as missing links and 'workflow' (being a Systems Analyst and a programmer) to keep the small sized grow room working well. Obviously this is not aimed at the guys here that have already figured out what they are doing right and wrong, but more for the newcomer who wants to get 10-20 plants cycling from clone (after picking some good females) to crop.

Obviously I'm going to make some assumptions and base it on my experience as well as the ones I've read. Sure I will also take into consideration the cabinet grower, but this is aimed at the Hydro only grower who has about a 8x8 room available for growing.

I may ask for help from much more experienced growers as not to confuse the beginer. I hope you all don't mind. But what I'm aiming for is a guide from chosing ferts, making your own (real life building) ebb/flood and DWC systems, cloners, cheap sources of lighting (even building your own ballasts), ventilation, and proper care.

I hope that over the next few months my efforts will pay off for others as my first mistakes have. I don't like wasting time, having plants that don't produce at the best possible (or even near optimal) conditions, and I want to make sure that space is utilized well. Many of us only have small areas to use, some large, but those that do... well your very fortunate. There are also some people who are just heads and aren't thinking at all. This ain't work for you that I'm doing. It's more for the people who need it (medicinal reasons).

The last thing anyone wants is to have problems not only with growing, but those with neighbors, kids, and just plain curious people. Remember that anyone who grows and has children runs the risk of not only having them discover your 'project' but your local agency taking your children from you for (in my case growing for medicinal reasons) obvious reasons. That is one of my fears if not my only one.

I don't grow for selling (I will give out a 1/4 to a friend) but both my wife and I live with constant pain (and fear) in a state that is not friendly towards people who have a few plants to ease pain from chronic and life theatening health issues.

Thanks for your time if you read this, and I hope that my quide (or just a giant FAQ) will help others.

-Warning... RANT-

Support your local chapters, write your congress person for those that do use for medical reasons and tell them how important it is for people to have access to a very important medicine that helps people. This here is more of a rant than part of what I'm trying to accomplish for others but it is important to change the world and the views that our government has. WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT, the people who write laws only are there to uphold the Constitution, not re-write it, or figure out a way to make it work for them.

Remember that you can't overdose from your activities (it's not possible!). The people out to bust you will never be your friends, they aren't your enemies, but stick a badge on someone and give them a gun, and they think they are above you, the laws, and are the keepers of the rest of us, as though we are some kind of animals living in a pen. Just look what is going on now with wiretaps, reading our mail, and the 'Patriot Act'. All just more reasons to take away our liberties.

Be smart about your activities and God Bless.

I think that would actully be a very good idea. Its hard to just pick up on things just by reading bits and peices of what people post. If he posted somthing like that, stating, the ferts you need, wich lights to buy, how to make your own stuff, ect ect.... It would be a lot eiser for new growers to pick up on things, instead of doing days and weeks of reasearch.

It would be a big contribution to the growing community.

[Abattoir Dream]

Cold water is better than warm water,

until i see the proof... i will continue with room temp. water...