Newbies! Ask Me Questions Here!

[Masterofgenetics]

+rep.........

i dont believe there is any kind of "safe light" for the dark period...

 

[GREEDYGREENTHUMB]

Yes i see a few but it also looks like it has balls on the top. I grow a plant before and had the balls and it came out male, but this one has white hairs

 

[SenorSanteria]

Im in my 5th week of flowering and im doing this all organically the plants look great but I do not smell them at all, unless i touch them, should I be worried. I'm not sure of the strain I think its a indica.

Not at all. Some plants stink more than others. Ive had some strains that were virtually scentless until they cured, at which time they smelled AMAZING. I wouldnt be concerned at all.

Can I use a regular lamp (Reptile Lamp) to grow?

Sure, if you want crappy weed. A reptile lamp does produce useable light for a plant, but not nearly enough. A low-cost alternative that has been proven to grow great buds are CFL's. Compact Flourescent Lights, aka the spirally light bulbs you see. The general rule of thumb is 6 per flowering plant. There are also low cost High Pressure Sodium lights, but those are a bit more expensive than CFL's (although ten times as effective). Plan on your lights being a good portion of your budget when setting up a grow room. pot plants LOOVE light, they cant get enough of it. The more you can give them, the better theyll do for you.

Aloha. Not to sound to stupid,,,but,,,lol.... I have a grow light that is not connected to the ballance. The light has a black and a white wire. The ballance has a black, white, green, and a light green wire,,or turquoise color wire. 4 wires in total. What is connected to what?? Thanks,,,, Rock1999

To be honest.. Im not sure what youre talking about. Ballance? Do you mean ballast? Im not too comfortable giving electrical advice without knowing more, but generally green is your ground, and white and black are your hot wires.

hello to everyone

i am trying to grow 4 plants in a room anout 2x2 m. while searching around in the house i found these lights:
1)[FONT=arial,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Halogen Floodlight Lamp 500w[/SIZE][/FONT]

2)2 x 36w (the lid is removable)

i havent done any kind of gardening before, is it possible to grow something using these lights ? im not interested in the best possible setup.

Halogens are ineffective for pot growing. They produce a whole lot of heat, too much for indoor growing. The 2 36w flouro's you got there will work for vegging a plant (aka the first month or so of its growth), but once you try to flower it, that wont be nearly enough light. Like I said above, I'd go with either 6-8 CFL's per plant, or the biggest HPS light you can afford. Metal Halide will work as well (better than cfl's but not as good as HPS).

hi whats a safe bulb i can turn on a bit when there sleeping

A green bulb will not interrupt their night time, and can be used for night time gardening. I would use it as little as possible, however.

i dont believe there is any kind of "safe light" for the dark period...

See above.

Hi Senor,
I am in need of some assistance. I am attempting my first grow ever and I'm using a homemade bucket bubbleponics with 6" net pot lids filled with distilled water. I just germed 2 seeds of reg and stuck them in rockwool cubes that I had soaking in 5.5PH water for a couple of days. then stuck those in the net pots which i had filled with hydroton. I'm not sure what is the best way to get them to the seedling stage. I've searched the threads and I found posts that say to cover them with plastic to keep the humidity up. others say NOT to do this due to mold and fungus. I currently have them 95% covered with plastic about 3 feet under a 250w MH light (only way I can keep the temp above 73 in the closet) set to 18/6. Temp is hovering around 78 - 79, humidity is at 20 - 25%, PH 6.2, water level is just touching the bottom of the net cups. rockwool cubes are moist but not real wet. I also have (4) 26 w 6500K cfl bulbs which I planned on using for this stage and for seedling, but then I had the lack of heat issue. Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Im not exactly sure what your question is (maybe its me, just did a gravity hit...), but ill try to respond in a coherant way anyway. Seedlings are particularly prone to drying out in a low humidity environment. A plant will never be more vulnerable than when it is a seedling, and the extra humidity would definetly be usefull. Ideal humidity for vegging plants is 40-60%, but seedlings (as in, the first few days after sprouting) can have up to 100%. Once they have a few leaves, I remove the dome. If your room is too cold, you can simply throw a couple incandescent light bulbs in the room. The light they give off would be nearly useless to the plant, but it wouldnt be harmful to it. But it would cheaply warm your room up a bit.

 

[SenorSanteria]

Ok I got some questions. Looking to buy lights and I can only find where to buy bulbs but can't find where to buy fixtures. Do you have any recommended places online???? Also is there a walk through video of how to really make your grow room.

I bought my lights on e-conolight.com while they were running a special ($20 HPS's) unfortunately they no longer have that deal. But they still have a great selection of more expensive lights (many options under $100). You can also try ebay- search for "high bay lighting" and "low bay lighting." Both of these are usually HPS or Metal Halide, and can be found fairly inexpensively (read: dirt cheap). If youre somewhat mechanically inclined, it would not be difficult to adapt one for growing..

Senor, please help me guess yield. I know its not going to be exact but I have lots of stat and pics of the plant here https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/155305-help-guess-yield.html

I would love to get a general idea.

If youre using CFL's, I'd say anywhere from 10-24 grams. That was the range I had on my plants when I grew with CFL's. Most were around 18-20 grams dry. If you can achieve that, you should be pretty satisfied. Granted this can vary largely depending on TONS of other factors.

 

[SenorSanteria]

Yes i see a few but it also looks like it has balls on the top. I grow a plant before and had the balls and it came out male, but this one has white hairs

Probably a hermie then. I knew i could see a white hair, and if you see balls... well yeah, thats a hermie. Check your grow area for light leaks- any light coming in while the lights are OFF will cause a plant to go hermie. If you have other plants (presumably females), I would kill your hermie. If it's youre only plant, you can grow it, but your bud will have seeds.

 

[needhelp]

does a plant have to go through flowering and re-enter the vegging stage to become a mother plant?...i think i read that one time on here but i'm not sure if its true

what is a good P for flowering?...have bone meal but i was told there are better things than that...but i'm afraid the suggestions i were giving, i might not find them...so i want to know whats a good NPK range for flowering...

what are the signs of a magnesium and calcium deficiency? i've already had my nitrogen problems, so i know how that looks now.... just in case i run into the magnesium and calcium problem...i just want to know how it would look...

when is it most important to give them magnesium and calcium?... i want to flower, but i don't want to start it if these are the things i need

thats all i have for now...thanx for the thread..

 

[Survolte]

I have looked into some hps bulbs and I have found some very cheap ones, then others more expensive with added blue light. Do I want added blue light in my flowering stage?

my question didnt get answered so i quoted myself : P.

I guess the main reason I wonder is because this HPS bulb is only 20$. Will it be good enough to flower my plants by itself?
Universal 400watt High Pressure Sodium Grow Light Bulb - 50,000 Lumens
HIGH PRESSURE SODIUM LAMPS - These lamps are red/orange in the spectrum. They are the best lamps available for secondary or supplementary lighting (used in conjunction with natural sunlight). This type of light promotes flowering / budding in plants. It is ideal for Greenhouses / Commercial growing applications.

 

[Sandman3749]

How much water should I be feeding, I have 7 plants all in 5 gal pots, about how much in quantity of water should each be getting, Im about 4weeks from sprout.

 

[juststartin]

my question didnt get answered so i quoted myself : P.

I guess the main reason I wonder is because this HPS bulb is only 20$. Will it be good enough to flower my plants by itself?
Universal 400watt High Pressure Sodium Grow Light Bulb - 50,000 Lumens
HIGH PRESSURE SODIUM LAMPS - These lamps are red/orange in the spectrum. They are the best lamps available for secondary or supplementary lighting (used in conjunction with natural sunlight). This type of light promotes flowering / budding in plants. It is ideal for Greenhouses / Commercial growing applications.

no u want added red light during flowering, plants love blue spectrum during veg

 

[lackie2k4]

ok i have a question. once i have harvested my plants do i have to start from scratch as in do i have to plant more seeds or will the plant just keep growing bud once its been harvested. i know im a nooob.

 

[Rock1999]

Thanks SenorSanteria. Yes,,,, I meant ballast. Indoor growing is new to me. The ballast is made by Lumatek - HID. I understand the wiring as for, black to black, white to white and the green, grounded to the lamp shade. But what got me stumped is there is an extra wire from the ballast > light green or turqoise. I totaly understand your feelings on giving electrical advice. I have been growing for over 30 years,,,outdoors. No wires needed. And in Hawaii, one can grow all year long,,, outdoors. Aloha and a special thanks for writing back.

 

[Rock1999]

Lackie2k4. I normal grow outdoors. A plant can go into regrow. I call it (second generation) I have been lucky enough to have it happen a few time. I dont have the science down but,,,, as the days start to get longer, I would harvest the plants and leave some of the lower branches on the plant. The buds left behind would start to streach in growth, and the plant would go back into normal growth. No hairs,,,no buds,,,just new green growth. One advantage to this is, the root system is already large and will produce more resins when it begins to bug again. Hope this help. Indoors you will need to figure your time out. I am sure you will find more help. Good luck,,,Aloha

 

[comptown]

Im not exactly sure what your question is (maybe its me, just did a gravity hit...), but ill try to respond in a coherant way anyway. Seedlings are particularly prone to drying out in a low humidity environment. A plant will never be more vulnerable than when it is a seedling, and the extra humidity would definetly be usefull. Ideal humidity for vegging plants is 40-60%, but seedlings (as in, the first few days after sprouting) can have up to 100%. Once they have a few leaves, I remove the dome. If your room is too cold, you can simply throw a couple incandescent light bulbs in the room. The light they give off would be nearly useless to the plant, but it wouldnt be harmful to it. But it would cheaply warm your room up a bit.

Senor,
Thanks for the response. Since I am such a newb, I'm assuming "sprouting" means you can actually see the plant growing in the RW cube. Mine were put into RW after germination (you could see a taproot coming out) 2 days ago, but none of my seeds are there yet. I am just trying to find the best way to encourage them to get there. Some people say keep them dark, others say clear humidity dome with 24/0 or 18/6 light. Currently, I have them covered with ceramic bowls to keep the light as minimal as possible and humidity up. My concern is that I have to go out of town this weekend and I won't have any way of checking up on them. I'll definitely use the incandescents for heat (+rep). If they have not sprouted by Fri, should I go ahead and rig the CFL's for growth say 4 -6 inches above and leave them under clear domes? I won't be around for at least 48 hours to check on them. Thanks again for the help.

 

[SenorSanteria]

does a plant have to go through flowering and re-enter the vegging stage to become a mother plant?...i think i read that one time on here but i'm not sure if its true

what is a good P for flowering?...have bone meal but i was told there are better things than that...but i'm afraid the suggestions i were giving, i might not find them...so i want to know whats a good NPK range for flowering...

what are the signs of a magnesium and calcium deficiency? i've already had my nitrogen problems, so i know how that looks now.... just in case i run into the magnesium and calcium problem...i just want to know how it would look...

when is it most important to give them magnesium and calcium?... i want to flower, but i don't want to start it if these are the things i need

thats all i have for now...thanx for the thread..

To make a mother plant, you veg a plant like normal. At 3-4 weeks, most plants will show a pre-flower, telling you what sex they are. From there, you can continue to veg it (24 hour light) to keep it a mother. If it doesnt show sex, you can put it into 12/12, and once it shows, put it back to 24 hour light. REVEGGING is when a plant is grown to flower, is harvested, and then reverted back to veg by putting it under 24 hour light and giving it a boost of nitrogen.

For flowering, the plant needs lots of Phosphorus (P), and lots of Potassium (K). It does not need much nitrogen. I usually wean my plants from grow nutes to veg nutes over a span of a few weeks, during which I'll use half and half (in early flowering). Veg nutes have a good amount of nitrogen, often something like 3-2-1. I use Peters 20-20-20. The actual numbers dont matter as much as their relationship to the other numbers. IE, 2-2-2 is the same as 20-20-20. For flowering, I use Shultzes 10-15-10, but a 5-15-10 or 0-15-10 would be more ideal. (Notice, more P and K, less N). My Peters 20-20-20 comes with other micronutrients (calcium, mag, etc) as well.

my question didnt get answered so i quoted myself : P.

I guess the main reason I wonder is because this HPS bulb is only 20$. Will it be good enough to flower my plants by itself?
Universal 400watt High Pressure Sodium Grow Light Bulb - 50,000 Lumens
HIGH PRESSURE SODIUM LAMPS - These lamps are red/orange in the spectrum. They are the best lamps available for secondary or supplementary lighting (used in conjunction with natural sunlight). This type of light promotes flowering / budding in plants. It is ideal for Greenhouses / Commercial growing applications.

Sorry about that. I use a standard orange bulb, but I've heard good things from the HPS's with more blue. 50,000 lumens is respectable, but there are 400w HPS bulbs that make up to 58,000. Its your call though, $20 is cheap. I spend that much on a 250w metal halide bulb.

How much water should I be feeding, I have 7 plants all in 5 gal pots, about how much in quantity of water should each be getting, Im about 4weeks from sprout.

Pot plants would rather be dry then wet. When you water, water generously. Do not water again for several days until the soil has gotten quite dry. It may stay wet for a few days when the plants are smaller, but as they get bigger they will suck up water faster. The important thing is: dont water too often. Overwatering doesnt mean youre giving it too much water- any excess will drain out the bottom. Overwatering means youre watering TOO OFTEN, and its very easy to do. Soak the soil pretty well, and let it dry out before watering again.

ok i have a question. once i have harvested my plants do i have to start from scratch as in do i have to plant more seeds or will the plant just keep growing bud once its been harvested. i know im a nooob.

Most people cut the whole plant down. Its usually simpler and faster to have clones or new seedlings ready to go, rather than trying to re-veg a plant. Revegging can be done to preserve a strain if there are no seeds or clones for the plant, but it is a bit more time consuming than starting a new plant.

 

[SenorSanteria]

Thanks SenorSanteria. Yes,,,, I meant ballast. Indoor growing is new to me. The ballast is made by Lumatek - HID. I understand the wiring as for, black to black, white to white and the green, grounded to the lamp shade. But what got me stumped is there is an extra wire from the ballast > light green or turqoise. I totaly understand your feelings on giving electrical advice. I have been growing for over 30 years,,,outdoors. No wires needed. And in Hawaii, one can grow all year long,,, outdoors. Aloha and a special thanks for writing back.

Thats probably the ground from the ballast. I connected that to the ground in my electrical cord.

Senor,
Thanks for the response. Since I am such a newb, I'm assuming "sprouting" means you can actually see the plant growing in the RW cube. Mine were put into RW after germination (you could see a taproot coming out) 2 days ago, but none of my seeds are there yet. I am just trying to find the best way to encourage them to get there. Some people say keep them dark, others say clear humidity dome with 24/0 or 18/6 light. Currently, I have them covered with ceramic bowls to keep the light as minimal as possible and humidity up. My concern is that I have to go out of town this weekend and I won't have any way of checking up on them. I'll definitely use the incandescents for heat (+rep). If they have not sprouted by Fri, should I go ahead and rig the CFL's for growth say 4 -6 inches above and leave them under clear domes? I won't be around for at least 48 hours to check on them. Thanks again for the help.

If youre going away, make sure the medium DOES NOT DRY OUT. If they do, theyll die. I'd keep them in a humidity dome with lots of mosture, with the lights a few inches above. Seedlings dont need light until they sprout, but once they do, it is imperative. 24/0 or 18/6 will work. Personally, I think it makes no difference, but some people will argue til the end of the world for one or the other. Its completely up to you- both are proven to work just fine, and 18/6 will save you a little on electric.

 

[Piffstar420]

I dont think you answered mine.

 

[jnuggs]

Yo, while I have no experience with the cheap bulb, I'll give my input. I paid $75 for my HiLux 400w HPS @ 56,000 lumens. 6,000 more lumens for almost $60 more. If you don't desire to spend the extra money but want the 400w, I would say go for it. If it doesn't work as well, at least you'll get a grow out of the bulb. If you decide to use it, please let us know(or pm me) the results! I won't be trying out a cheaper bulb for a while being as I have a few of the HiLux lamps. Just make sure you choose the right base, mogul or medium, to match your socket! Good luck and happy growing!

my question didnt get answered so i quoted myself : P.

I guess the main reason I wonder is because this HPS bulb is only 20$. Will it be good enough to flower my plants by itself?
Universal 400watt High Pressure Sodium Grow Light Bulb - 50,000 Lumens
HIGH PRESSURE SODIUM LAMPS - These lamps are red/orange in the spectrum. They are the best lamps available for secondary or supplementary lighting (used in conjunction with natural sunlight). This type of light promotes flowering / budding in plants. It is ideal for Greenhouses / Commercial growing applications.

 

[BIGEORGE179]

hello senor, i'm super noob lol, i guess i don't really understand the whole lighting thing... i have 4X4 to utilize for my grow, want to grow 4 or 5 plants... I just can't figure out wich lights i should use, i'm on information overload from reading everything, was hoping you could send me in the right direction. btw i'm really only wanting to spend at most 200 for my lights... thanx in advance!

 

[South Texas]

Please explain to me the benefits of 1,000 watt lighting on light movers, as opposed to 400 watt stationary lighting system.???

 

[joeyjoejoe]

Please explain to me the benefits of 1,000 watt lighting on light movers, as opposed to 400 watt stationary lighting system.???

are u serious?