I'm on my first grow and I used bag seed. The seeds were saved because the weed was so good. I planted three seeds, all three grew great. Unfortunately, two of them were male so they met an untimely fate. I also used t12 florescents in a single two tube fixture with a couple of clamp-on incandescents on the side. Miracle grow soil, MG tomato food for veg & MG bloom booster for flowering. I haven't had any apparent problems w/ MG but I don't know what I could have accomplished with something else. I know a lot more now & I've also got a 600w light now as well. I've got a lot more to learn, but I think my instincts are good. I've grown a lot of flowers, vegetables, house plants, etc., but I've never been as involved with a plant as I am with this cannabis. I'm not ready for $100 seeds but I'm going to get something with a known heritage. Not because the seed I have is bad, but because I want to measure my efforts against a known entity.
Sadly, I'm going to have to cut this one way short. I'm going out of town for ten days starting next weekend and I have no one to take of her while I'm gone.
(You never forget your first one, amirite?) I can't wait to get back and get started again.
Bottom line: Start somewhere,
anywhere. Get your hands dirty. Put a seed or two in some soil add a bit of water and watch the magic begin. Just don't use seeds you get from a store bought product, you'll be disappointed.
Like any hobby, your level of engagement is almost endless, and you'll only get back what you put into it.
Have fun, there's plenty of good folks here to help if you run into problems.