Noob questions and Answers - Brand New

[entheogens are neat]

I made a shot but effective guide to growing from what I have learned so far as well as a list of questions I have that can help me and people who will read this guide.

My Questions:
What are the chances of getting caught because of ordering online from seedboutique.com?
Would a 50/50 Perlite/Peat Moss be a high quality way to start germinated seeds before transplanting to Ocean Forest?
Is 400w HID enough for 4 plants, with Mylar surroundings?
Is there a big different between MH lighting on seedlings and CFL's?
Why do people use CFL's in combination with HID's?
what local stores would contain HID lighting or MH Lighting?
Is fresh air that vital and would put C02 into the air replace the need for this?
Of the 3 ways to put a germinated seed in the pot, which direction should I use?
How often do I water, should I worry about root rot?

And to help newbs I have compiled important information I have learned for Indoor Growing (I do no condone these actions, germinating seeds are illegal in many countries and entering into flower state is very illegal, merely for informational purposes):

Firstly definitions:
Nutes - Nutrients
CFL - Compact Florescent Lights (those energy saver spiral bulbs)
HID - High Intensity Discharge lights
MH - Methal Halide light (used commonly for seedlings before going HID)
Ballast - Plug in lights with them, covered in reflective material (expensive)
Mylar and PVC - A couple different reflective materials
Cooling Tube - Tube to cool hot grow lights (not needed for LED grow)
PH - Level of PH in water
Vegetative - 18 hours of light a day (summer), how to start lighting cycle
Flowering - 12 hours of light a day (fall), causes buds to from in 6-12+ weeks (vary on strain)

Next to supplies and suppliers:
My favorite priced seeds are seed from (for US, prices could be better from other sites for other countries)
seedboutique.com

Lighting:
1000bulbs.com
LED: solaroasis.com

Local Stores (walmart, wallgreens, so on):
Pots
Soil
Thermometer
Yeast/Sugar or Vinegar/Baking Soda (for creating C02 so plants can breathe)
Fan(s)
(Extension Cables)
Electric Socket Timer
Filtered Water

After everythingâ??s set up:
First to Germinate seeds put them in a wet paper towel (USE FILTERED WATER) in a zip loc bag and keep in the dark 1-2 days, ideal temperature 75-78 degrees (try your best to not vary 5 degrees from these boundaries).
Next plant the germinated seeds VERY carefully (tweezers and extreme caution) into seedling soil.
Make sure Seedling Soil is not Fox Farms brand Ocean Forest or certain others because they are too nutrient filled and could kill them. Don't use nutrients the first few weeks, see chart.
Ideally use MH or CFL's for vegetative and move to HID for flowering (highly recommended)
Have light source no less than 2 feet above plant tops, can have several feet during flowering.
(my edit will provide info on watering)
After 1 month or desired time for strain change cycle to 12 hours of light 12 hours pitch black (very important)
Harvest buds in desired time for strain.
Dry and cure (water or dry method) (my edit will provide more info)
Burn your hard work away with a deep sense of satisfaction

Strains:
LowRyder is a good plant to use for short growing areas
Bag seed is very popular
Silver Haze is supposedly a very great high but with a very low and long yield
Skunk is a high yield strain and as good as the best Kine Bud
Pure Stavia Strains have a long flowering and low yield

Also:
Cloning your plant (cutting it at node and sticking in water) can save need to buy seeds
Consider that regular seeds have a good chance of being male (non bud producing) so you may want feminized
Many occasions of electricity monitoring have led to arrests of growers, keep this in mind

entheogens are neat Reviewed by entheogens are neat on 11-08-2006. Noob questions and Answers - Brand New I made a shot but effective guide to growing from what I have learned so far as well as a list of questions I have that can help me and people who will read this guide. My Questions: What are the chances of getting caught because of ordering online from seedboutique.com? Would a 50/50 Perlite/Peat Moss be a high quality way to start germinated seeds before transplanting to Ocean Forest? Is 400w HID enough for 4 plants, with Mylar surroundings? Is there a big different between MH lighting Rating: 5

[Garden Knowm]

What are the chances of getting caught because of ordering online from seedboutique.com?
very tough call, more chance of it being a source of long term paranoia than actually being caught

Would a 50/50 Perlite/Peat Moss be a high quality way to start germinated seeds before transplanting to Ocean Forest?
I recommend rockwool

Is 400w HID enough for 4 plants, with Mylar surroundings?
yes, depends on how big you want to grow them... you should consider flowering them at 12-18 inches tall

Is there a big different between MH lighting on seedlings and CFL's?
yes,, if you use an MH or any hid for clones/seedlings.. you need to make sure you don't burn your plants and/or dry out your medium, ventilation and light proximity will be key when using HID lighting on babies

Why do people use CFL's in combination with HID's?
CFLs are easy to use as side lighting

what local stores would contain HID lighting or MH Lighting?
Home depot or any hydro store

Is fresh air that vital and would put C02 into the air replace the need for this?
sort of and YES

Of the 3 ways to put a germinated seed in the pot, which direction should I use?
i don't understand the question.. but I recommend germinating in rockwool cubes

How often do I water, should I worry about root rot?
only water when the soil is dry and the pot is light, the exception being when you have seedings.. young tender roots need to be kept moist.. drainage holes are a must in your pot... water with less frequency but with heavy saturation... this promotes even root growth and avoids root rought... you should not be watering more than every 3-10 days depending on temperature, plant size, container size


iloveyou

[entheogens are neat]

Thank you for the detailed response, here is a follow up with questions I still have:

I was reading about CFL's and saw that there is a daylight frequency and assume this is what to use, can this be found at home depot?
I was unaware that I could not just plug a HID into any ol light fixture, where can I find a fixture for a homemade design? I found the website http://www.ballastwise.com/ and seems to have extremely good deals, and searched and are reasonably repeatable. If I want to use a 400 watt HID which product should I get from there?

When I was referring to direction to plant the germinated seeds I was talking about

Seeds should be placed in a neutral soil (minimal fertilizers). Placing the seed with the root tip facing up, down, and sideways each have its advantage. If the root tip faces up, the plant will develop an initially strong root system. If the root tip faces down, the plant will sprout more quickly. Placing the seed with the root tip facing sideways is a compromise of these options.

- Wikipedia

Thanks again your help is very much appreciated

[bejay]

I usually place the root tip down and just barely cover the seed up with loose soil.
as per the hid light both high pressure sodium and metal halide are hid lights and if your only going to get one type would suggest you get a high pressure sodium while metal halide has a little better spectrum for veg and hps better for flowering you can get by fine with just one type and seeing how flowering is most important you should probably choose a hps.
and the link you posted doesnt have any hps ballast that I saw, they do have mh ballast.
the link in your first post at 1000bulbs does have hps ballast, reflectors and socket cord assembly all made by sunlight supply under horticulture lighting section if you wanted to buy a complete system, your other option would be to buy a multi tap ballast kit and ballast box and socket and bulb and you wire it up and install the socket in your own reflector or a homemade reflector.

[entheogens are neat]

How does this look for HID ballast kit http://www.goodmart.com/products/243348.htm? It says for MH but its 400 watt, would this work with HID just fine?

If anyone knows better deals please let me know

[bejay]

first mh and hps are not interchangable so you need to find out which one you want then pick a ballast kit either hps or metal halide.
here is a hps http://www.1000bulbs.com/products.ph...ressure-Sodium
here is metal halide http://www.1000bulbs.com/products.ph...Halide-Ballast
im sure there is probably some cheaper places just dont know of any off hand and you should choose a multitap ballast kit, multi tap means you can wire it for different voltages standard house current is going to be 110 or 220 volt while there is other industrial voltages like the one you linked to a 480 volt ballast kit is going to be useless to you as you wont be able to use it.

[bejay]

here is a faq link that will help you to wire it up.
http://www.drugs-forum.com/growfaq/1563.htm
http://www.drugs-forum.com/growfaq/966.htm
and dont forget the socket and also recomend getting a ballast box.
http://www.1000bulbs.com/category.php?category=6