First auto flower grow

[Scubasteve27]

whats goin on got my first grow started its an auto flower called Mexican airlines she's on day 3 and looks decent I gotta t5 double bulb one night one day it was for an aquarium. I've got a few cfl's that I was gonna start using in a week and some nutes for later on so nothin but water for now. I'm a rookie so any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[TopDogTHC]

Welcome. All I could suggest so far is raising the pot off the saucer so you get air flow through the pot and in/out the holes in the bottom. I've just used cut up hose to sit mine on.

 

[Connoisseurus Rex]

Swap those bulbs out for a 2700-3000k (red) and a 6500k (blue) for the best spectrum.

Don't water it too much and don't start nutes too soon.

Pot size looks ok. 3 gal?

Keep temps around 75 and humidity around 60-70% if you can.

Other than that, welcome and happy growing.

 

[Scubasteve27]

Right on thanks for the good word. It's a 2 gallon and I got it lifted off the tray a bit now. Will that be enough light through the whole grow and do I need special water or does tap work fine?

 

[Connoisseurus Rex]

Right on thanks for the good word. It's a 2 gallon and I got it lifted off the tray a bit now. Will that be enough light through the whole grow and do I need special water or does tap work fine?

3 gal would be better but 2 can work.

More light is better. I don't know your budget or how much space you have or your ability to control temps.

HID would be the way to go but you can pull decent bud with a T5 setup if you have experience. Seeing as it's your first grow, if you can get an HID and keep it cool, that would be your best bet. If you're sticking with the T5, you need more bulbs or supplemental lighting.

For water, get a ph and ppm tester. If your ppm is low and your ph is good, tap water will work just fine. You'll just have to see how your nutes effect your ph.

For your first grow, autos can be downright finicky bitches. Use LOW levels of nutes. A lot are nute sensitive. Also depends on your soil. What kind are you using?

 

[Scubasteve27]

I'm working with a 34" sterilite plastic cabinet. Funds are low so I'm stuck workin with what I got. I got 5 soft white 550 lumen 40 W CFL's that I can add on ? Here's a pic of everything I'm working with (soil and nutes) Got a ph/light/moisture meter so I'll keep an eye on that too

 

[Scubasteve27]

Thanks again for the help much appreciated.

 

[Connoisseurus Rex]

Never dealt with fertilizer spikes, maybe somebody else can help you with them. I also can't tell if that premixed soil is amended or not. It doesn't look to be but you'll have to check the bag.

The other nutes look ok. Just go easy on them, especially if the soil is amended.

Here's the problem your going to have. You're in a small area which means you'll have to train it. I'm more than likely going to get bitched at by some for saying that but you don't have any other option unless you get a bigger area.

You're also going to battle heat like a mother, even with cfls. Get some badass ventilation in there. You really only need to exhaust the heat and fresh air will pull through the cracks. It's going to be a battle though.

No prob. We all start where you are right now. It's a journey to the top, but with some diligent research and attention to detail you'll be just fine.

 

[Scubasteve27]

Looking forward to It been doin some reading on here we will see how it plays out. Here's how I got it rigged now gonna cut a hole n throw a vent on it here soon.

 

[Medizzinman]

My experience with autos. They transplant fine, however I'd do one transplant in your case, straight into a 5 gallon pot after maybe 2-3 weeks. Just get it in a 5 and not 3 gallon pot, and you'll only have to do it once, and save allot of stress for her. Also do transplant when she on the dry side (3 or more days of no water) so she'll hold together better. Then water her up good when youre done. Finally autos need lots of light so I do 20/4 or 22/4. I think they benefit from a little night period, but not much. As for fertilizer be gentle and work your way up in strength between plain waterings. My autos have been just as hungry as photos. Observe and your strain will tell you what she needs.

 

[az2000]

Here's how I got it rigged now gonna cut a hole n throw a vent on it here soon.

If you can get reflectors on those CFLs you'll be *much* better off. I just did a test with a bare CFL (suspended in mid air, radiating light into unwanted directions) versus in a clamp-on reflector (5-1/2") from Home Depot. The light was 4x stronger with the reflector (180 vs 720 lux).

See my page about how to hang/mount/aim LED lightbulbs for some ideas. A can cut lengthways in half and painted white inside might be a way to reflect some of that light in the right direction.

I like autos. They're like bonsai versions.

 

[Scubasteve27]

Might make the switch to the 5gal next week medizzinman it'll be my first transplant don't wanna mess it up ya no. Been keepin it on 20/4 though and just opening the cabinet for a while here and there for ventilation. and been pointin a little mini fan at it to toughen up the stem. Got some root grow and floralicious plus that I'm gonna start usin next water. Az2000 I appreciate the info on the lighting I'm just gonna make the move to a hps here soon though I got my eye on one out here at the hydro shop for 35 bones doesn't look half bad either. I like what I hear about autos haven't grown one before but enjoying the trip.

 

[Connoisseurus Rex]

Looking forward to It been doin some reading on here we will see how it plays out. Here's how I got it rigged now gonna cut a hole n throw a vent on it here soon. View attachment 3580219

You should lower that aquarium light back down on top of it about 6" away and supplement the cfls on the side when it gets bigger.

No offense, but your attempt to give it more light took away more than it gave.

That aquarium light is plenty of light until it gets to the second or third node. You're going to make it stretch and you can't afford that in that small of a space.

 

[Kingrow1]

You should lower that aquarium light back down on top of it about 6" away and supplement the cfls on the side when it gets bigger.

No offense, but your attempt to give it more light took away more than it gave.

That aquarium light is plenty of light until it gets to the second or third node. You're going to make it stretch and you can't afford that in that small of a space.

Good advice on the t5's.

 

[Scubasteve27]

I've got it lowered now Like u said connoisseurus I see what you mean and it makes sense. don't know how I didnt realize that before ha I guess I just didn't know which light was more important so I crammed em in there. I've got three nodes on it now I'll put a pic up in a bit so I'm gonna turn on those CFL's again

 

[Connoisseurus Rex]

Sounds good. The T5 puts out more lumens and will penetrate deeper. The cfls just fill the voids.