Newbie with some questions

Ok so I have my grow room set up and a plan in my head of how its gonna work but I want to run it by everyone on here to see if I can get any good feedback, so anything at all would be greatly appreciated....ok I have a 400W HPS light in my closet. My grow space is 36"*26 1/2"*96". I plan on getting two clones to start out with and keep them in two seperate pots under my light. I have my room lined with black trash bags to keep it dark when I want it to be dark. Of course my light is on a timer and i have a ph/light/moisture reader that I can place in the soil. I am using all Fox Farm Materials, Big Bloom Nutrients and Ocean Forest soil. I really only have one question I cant seem to find the answer to. When I first plant my clones how much light should they get each day and when should I switch to 12 hrs light, 12 hrs dark? Oh and another question, When should I start adding the nutrients? Ive heard different things and im not sure which advice I should take. Im very optamistic about what I have goin on so if you see anything that youve read that isnt right please let me know how to fix it. Thank you everyone for the time at least reading this.
 

ow.douglas

Well-Known Member
I would veg the plants at 18/6, you can do it as long as you like just remember that they will double in size during flower. 400W in a closet is going to get hot, do you have a plan? As far as the trash bags, look to reflect light not absorb it. Think white and reflective. FF Ocean is a great start and you should be good for a couple of weeks with no nutes at all. When you do start use 1/4 to 1/2 half strength and build up from there. Just me but, better safe than sorry. I would also make sure that all of your temps and RH are good before you put anything living in there. This is just one mans opinion, I am sure that you will get others. Good luck with your grow!
 
OW. DOUGLAS: I forgot to mention the box fan in my closet to help with the ventilation and cooling. I'm not sure what you mean by RH but i agree and have everything setup to test tomorrow before i xfer clones. What would you suggest to use for the white and reflective material?
 

Single White Pistol

Well-Known Member
OW DOUGLAS is pretty money....

1. Go with white on your walls ie; visqueen plastic from the local hydro shop or flat/matte white paint.

2. Make sure you ventilate to keep heat down.

3. I would use Compact Flourescent bulbs for the first 3 weeks of the Veg cycle to save money on electricity for the same result if not better. Keeps the heat down as well. Use atleast a 24 true watt bulb, 6500K (temp) for each plant. Not a bulb that says "equivalent to a 24 watt incandescent".

4. I only use Fox Farm Ocean Forrest Soil because it's the BOMB DIGGITY (drains well) and it feeds your plant for like a month. I usually start small with nutes 3rd week in.

5. Veg for as long as you want, however, expect your plants to grow an extra 12 to 14 inches during the flowering cycle. Call it 14 inches to be safe. Mine have never grown passed that. You can always tie branches down if they get too close to the light.

6. With 2 plants under a 400w HPS, you should definitely train these babies. Check this link. You'll yield so much more weed!

https://www.rollitup.org/view.php?pg=faq&cmd=article&id=685
 

Wanna Learn

Member
I would agree on the 18/6 light cycle as well as the black bags taking the light. I take it you don't have a frame to work with other than the closet itself. So with that in mind you are basically running a tent in your closet. If money is an issue you can use tall kitchen bags as your white, reflective surface for now. With a 400w HPS you def. need to think about ventilation. As far as the nutes go, yeah let them root and then worry about adding food, and def. keep the mix ratio low and build up slow. I never us full strength myself, like douglas said, better safe than sorry!
 

dura72

Well-Known Member
mylar is the best reflective material, if u dont want to pay for that the next best option is flat white paint(water based coz oil based stink to hell when warm), cover all ur walls and ceiling and floor. veg light is ur choice, as long as they get at least 18 hrs of light per day they will grow. do NOT trust your moisture meter, they are shit, all of them, just use the ph setting. if u want to check for moisture stick ur finger in the pot and use ure sense of touch and eyesight, water ur plat untill u get a little run off and then pick it up and feel the weight(it will take a few time b4 u can fully judge this but its far and away the best and most reliable method)if its too light then it needs watered, remember mj likes to dry out a lot b4 its watered. as for when to switch to flowering(12/12) thats up to you, sum people give there plants a time window, others wait on pre flowers, some do it by plant height. i do the last because i grow in a 6.5' tent, when u switch light times the plant will double, and possibly treble in height so u must keep this in mind, i switch mine at around 2' in height. hope this helps
 
I have box fan that i plan on cooling with. Is there any other suggestions i should use to ventilate? Should i try to ventilate to outdoors or to outside the closet?
 

Wanna Learn

Member
I would vent into the room, and never outside. Do you have to worry about smell? If not, than just run the fan as an exhaust and have a spot at the bottom to pull air, but don't forget to run at least a small fan for stem strength, always a good idea.
 

Single White Pistol

Well-Known Member
I have box fan that i plan on cooling with. Is there any other suggestions i should use to ventilate? Should i try to ventilate to outdoors or to outside the closet?
Ventilation is a touchy subject in terms of smell. I vent outside but it's because the way I'm set up no one smells it. Vent in and your place will stink. I'd vent out with a carbon filter if needed.

To be honest, all the strains I've grown don't even smell like weed until I touch the plant and break the trichomes. Smell has never been an issue for me.
 

dura72

Well-Known Member
i use a carbon filter that hangs inside my tent(at the top coz hot air rises) and is attached to an extractor fan, outside the tent, with aluminium ducting. this helps three ways; it draws air in to the grow area thereby giving ur plants fresh air and avoiding mold/mildew problems it also removes heat build up and it removes the smell. the last point isnt that important when vegging but will become increasingly so the further into flower u get, im in my last two weeks of flower and if i didnt have it the whole fuckin house would be reaking of grass. filters arent that cheap to buy but theres a few threads on here showing u how to do a diy one. i use 1000watts in my tent which really is the limit for its size and u gotta have an extractor fan to deal with heat issues. i vent out side if u dont ur kinda recycling the heat and stale air, u really want fresh air going in to ur grow area.
 

ow.douglas

Well-Known Member
RH=relative humidity. I agree with the white paint, mylar or panda film for the white/reflective. Run your test and let us know how it went. I suspect that you may have a problem with temps.
 
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