my new box, cfl lighting almost done any tips?

[Catchin22]

Smoke tests may not be the best way to test a filter. I did a match lighting tests as well as burning some other stuff and could smell it even through my carbon scrubber. I do not think they are meant to filter those types of particles out completely with a single pass. To be sure I had a friend test his CS out using the same method and his failed as well. You may want to try putting something strongly scented that does NOT smoke inside and see if your filter eliminates that odor instead.

 

[lilrich11]

ahh, thought smoke might be to much too quick. I read on other threads people saying lighting a match failed and p-rip failed.
Whats something good to test it on? The box has negative pressure intakes are working good.
Dont know what to put in to test it.

 

[Catchin22]

Honestly I don't know either, maybe a scented candle? A bunch of non aerosol air fresheners... something like that, OR if you have some smelly weed put that in there without lighting it.

 

[Kronnix]

I'd try another stinky herb u have around. oregano is really strong.maybye crush it up and see if it smells like pizza on the other side?
just a thought i had while i was thinking about some munchies =)

 

[lilrich11]

Ah check the herb rack lol I try to find something stinky enough Thanks Kronnix

View attachment 1977851 View attachment 1977872 The other filter will end up in a box, hidden a bit and with a jug of ona in there hopefully that works.

 

[Catchin22]

I was half tempted to remove some fresh contents out of the cats litter box... but declined.

 

[lilrich11]

lmao thats a bit too far to test a filter. Ill stick with the herb rack

 

[lilrich11]

Looking good. I use fox farms ocean forest and their nute trio with good results. I'm about one week away from harvesting my second grow. As a rule you need about 3,000 lumens minimum pert sf of grow space.

Is this a good soil/nute trio? If not any other suggestion?
Going to the local shop for soil and nutes, one of the last steps.
I was talking to one of my friends, telling him about the box I built. He was saying that if i decide to flower with cfls i would not be satisfied with my yeild and quality.
I was wondering if thats true, he was saying I wont get enough lumens in the box. Is this true?, I will have around 16 lights or soo. Only going to have 2 or 3 plants w/ light extensions to get between the plants.

 

[Catchin22]

If you use the extensions you should be fine, it's just a matter of constantly adjusting them and getting light as close and over as much area as possible. 16 26w bulbs should be good for 2-3 plants with Mylar. I don't think you are likely though to get the bud density as you would from an HPS but it should be decent.

 

[smithmark914]

the rest of your grow is legit...

why not throw a 600w hps in there for flower? (cfl is fine for veg) The CFL's are gonna put out alot of heat anyway, and u got the fan to vent it properly now.

if your worried about the price, try to find a used hps on craigslist or something... i see them around my area all the time for cheap.

but... if you really want to go cfl.. i think they will do fine.

 

[bigbud2012]

69th day as from sept/october with cfl....and yes im only using about 6cfl.s on this plant but have also grown another one which i chopped and now drying but think i kinda messed up on the curing as this is my second grow but on the first they turned out male so didnt get into the harvesting and curing end on them ones....also have another 2 little plants growing but now concerned about them because if i were to turn my timing to 6 hours off 6 hours on to make them bloom then my little ones will think its time to bloom when there only small at the moment .......got 2 boxes to grow in but just havent got any cash to get more lights just yet.....

 

[lilrich11]

Going to get soil and nutes tomorrow. Got a couple bag seeds germinating, im hoping they work.
Is it worth growing in coco block? or whats a easy soil to get, am i looking for soil high in "N" and lower in the others.
Going to a local shop, not sure what they got just need some tips to pick good soil and nutes.
They probably wont have foxfarm..

 

[lilrich11]

Hey guys, just started germinating yesterday evening. Just curious on how long they take for the seeds to crack and show signs of roots?
Would it take 2 days? If I touched the seed during germination does that kill it?
Damn if this dont work might have to get some clones

 

[Catchin22]

I've heard great things about coco, there's a sticky on it somewhere on the forums. As far as germinating goes what I do is soak the seeds in warm water, in a cup or bowl for a day or two until they sink. Then I put them in damp paper towels and cover it in darkness. Once I see the taproots about 1/4" or so, I put a small hole into the soil, taproot down and then sprinkle more soil on top lightly. Then I dampen the soil and place a plastic bag over the cup and put them under a florescent aquarium light until they are a few inches high. Lots of people insist on using tweezers but to be honest ive held every single one of mine and out of 30 seeds I've sprouted all but 2 grew. I have not been nearly as delicate as some seem to think you need to be with them.

 

[lilrich11]

Just watching some vids on grow mediums.
Should i just make my own soil less mix, then add nutes later on?
Or do i buy potting soil and figure it out from there.?

 

[Catchin22]

You could, I think it's good personally to start with soil but read up. It's all I have done so I can't really comment on anything else, I can say that my NEXT grow will be hydro, but I am glad I started with soil.

 

[SativaMe@420]

i thought i read that lumens dont "add up". meaning a 27w cfl puts out like 1600 lumens, and 100 of those same lights together still equal 1600 lumens. i actually think i read that in a sticky somewhere on this site

Not true, they add up. The distance of penetration does not extend though. Think of having 1 CFL sitting on a deck near a large back yard with no moon, complete darkness. How far does that one CFL light up? Now add another, how much FURTHER does the light penetrate? Not much further, but the area the light covers increases in brightness. The amount needed to extend the boundaries of penetration is exponential until no amount can achieve further penetration by the same light source without increasing power.

Unfortunately fellow growers that's just not how it works, contrary to popular belief, lumens don't add up, at least not in the sense your thinking, two 100W CFL's are not going to be as bright as one 200W CFL. I know a guy who has a degree in light cycle and he tried to explain it to me: If for example you have two 65W CFL's (4300 lumens each) and you put them together, they won't then be emitting 8600 lumens, if you used a light meeter it would only read 4300 lumens, however it would cover a wider area as you would essentially have double the amount photons and usable light the plants receive, so all is not lost. I was very confused by this also as I built a CFL fixture with 4 x 65W (4300 lumen) CFL's and 1 x 70W (5000 lumen) MH, I thought the total lumen output would be 22,200 but I was corrected by my friend, live and learn I guess, lol.

 

[lilrich11]

Thanks for the correction again SativaMe@420
k threw a couple other seeds into germination, first ones havent cracked yet.
I found some nice humidomes at the dollar store. Kinda pumped only 1.50$ bought like 9 lol
Got my medium together, just got some peat moss, vermiculite and perlite.
I got some other poting soil mix, figured I would try 2 different things.
Next week or so pics will be up

 

[Catchin22]

Unfortunately fellow growers that's just not how it works, contrary to popular belief, lumens don't add up, at least not in the sense your thinking, two 100W CFL's are not going to be as bright as one 200W CFL. I know a guy who has a degree in light cycle and he tried to explain it to me: If for example you have two 65W CFL's (4300 lumens each) and you put them together, they won't then be emitting 8600 lumens, if you used a light meeter it would only read 4300 lumens, however it would cover a wider area as you would essentially have double the amount photons and usable light the plants receive, so all is not lost. I was very confused by this also as I built a CFL fixture with 4 x 65W (4300 lumen) CFL's and 1 x 70W (5000 lumen) MH, I thought the total lumen output would be 22,200 but I was corrected by my friend, live and learn I guess, lol.

I explained it well, and I never said a 100w would be as bright as a 200w and if you read what I said you would essentially know that IS what I said myself, apparently you didn't understand the last sentence. If you want to see if your lights add up simply turn on one from an object at a given distance and then turn on two. The area of coverage and brightness certainly increases. The luminous output of the light does not, lumens are a fairly bad measure of what we are trying to achieve and really apply to what the human eye sees, not plants.

 

[lilrich11]

not too concerned at this point, going to try with what i have and if it works it works.
First times a learning experience, I will eventually upgrade to a hps light.