First Grow - A few questions (CFLs, Temps, HPSvsMH, Seedlings)

Hey guys, want to say that I love the site, been using it to research here for almost 3 months now. Finally got the money and feel like I have most of the knowledge I need to start my grow.

I just put my seeds (northern lights, chosen for leinency towards new growers) in plugs 24 hours ago. I heard HPS might be a bit much for the plants at this stage so I'm currently using 4x 27 watt florescent's.

I wasn't sure if I was just supposed to drop the seeds in the plugs or if I was supposed to cover them, so they have 2-3 hours of not being covered (using fox farms ocean forest to cover them, they're in peat plugs though).

I have a grow room about 3x3.5x4 going, mylar on all 4 sides and a tray with plastic dome over it. Currently I have to put a heater in there to keep the temperatures up for the little seedlings. Ambient temps are ~56F. I have an 80cfm fan set up for when I plug in my 600w HPS. (Is the difference between MH/HPS big enough to warrent getting a second bulb just for veg?)

TL;DR version:

Is 100ish watts of CFL enough for seedlings? (12 inches above) -ANSWERED! THanks!

Is MH big enough of a difference above HPS for veg to warrent getting a MH? *Seems like it's just a perfectionism thing, thanks for replys!*

How long should it take for plants to start sprouting from seeds (germed for 48 hours)? *Answered, thanks!*

Thanks for looking, and thanks for the site in general! You guys are a huge help!

make sure you put some of the peat back over the seed hole. your floros for seedlings is perfect. i use the mh for veg and hps for bloom but i don't know if it really makes a difference or not in veg, but def in bloom. your seeds should pop in a couple more days. welcome to the wonderful world of growing. good luck!!!

guitarzan420 said:

make sure you put some of the peat back over the seed hole. your floros for seedlings is perfect. i use the mh for veg and hps for bloom but i don't know if it really makes a difference or not in veg, but def in bloom. your seeds should pop in a couple more days. welcome to the wonderful world of growing. good luck!!!

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Thanks for your quick response, the peat is kind of tough though, I tried to squeeze the holes shut and its kind of like squeezing a sponge.. it just goes back to where it was. Would you recommend breaking up another plug (I have a few extras) and covering it with the peat alone? Or is the ocean forest I have over it enough?

Walk said:

Thanks for your quick response, the peat is kind of tough though, I tried to squeeze the holes shut and its kind of like squeezing a sponge.. it just goes back to where it was. Would you recommend breaking up another plug (I have a few extras) and covering it with the peat alone? Or is the ocean forest I have over it enough?

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ive just started my second grow in peat pellets to see the diffo from the paper towel methods seems the peat pellets work best i personally stuck the peat pellets in rockwool then soaked them up to fill the hole in the rockwool. using a bookie pen or argos pen popped a whole about the size of your finger nail in length then drop seed in n cover. 2 wappa, 2 buddha and 2 big bud all popped through after 48 hours the next step im taking is sticking them under 2x27w fluro's for a week then bang in the other 2 x27w fluro's for the second week after this i notice heavy foliage growth which spurs the plant on during veg. after 2 weeks of fluros they go under the the 250w mh to start vegging i dont count the fluro's as vegging so the time scale starts from there. no need for nutes in the first 2 weeks but as soon as u start vegging fire in your grow at a small dose than stated as to not over fertilize your babies. also wot i noticed from doing different strains is each strain to there own some strains take a week to germ some 48 hours usually the seedbanks tell u the strains charecteristics. if you have the cash i recommend mh for veg and hps for flower my hps and mh both fitted in the same ballast so i was a score for the bulbs each. I do reckon your gonna have trouble with temperature tho i only have 250w in roughly the same space as ureself and that was my major obsticle in my first grow. hope this helps.

u most certainly can grow the whole veg time in cfls many people do it is more on the spacing of light and how many plants u plan on them supporting i will tell u cfl's need to be much closer than 12 inches 3-5 is much better cfl dont have the penetration and the farther the light has to travel the weaker it is

WiiFred said:

ive just started my second grow in peat pellets to see the diffo from the paper towel methods seems the peat pellets work best i personally stuck the peat pellets in rockwool then soaked them up to fill the hole in the rockwool. using a bookie pen or argos pen popped a whole about the size of your finger nail in length then drop seed in n cover. 2 wappa, 2 buddha and 2 big bud all popped through after 48 hours the next step im taking is sticking them under 2x27w fluro's for a week then bang in the other 2 x27w fluro's for the second week after this i notice heavy foliage growth which spurs the plant on during veg. after 2 weeks of fluros they go under the the 250w mh to start vegging i dont count the fluro's as vegging so the time scale starts from there. no need for nutes in the first 2 weeks but as soon as u start vegging fire in your grow at a small dose than stated as to not over fertilize your babies. hope this helps.

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I don't plan on using much neuts at all, I might get some for flowering but right now I think the ocean forest alone should be enough for veg.

What temperatures would you suggest for getting seedlings to poke through the surface? The standard 75-80 for growing, or a little higher?

Walk said:

Hey guys, want to say that I love the site, been using it to research here for almost 3 months now. Finally got the money and feel like I have most of the knowledge I need to start my grow.

I just put my seeds (northern lights, chosen for leinency towards new growers) in plugs 24 hours ago. I heard HPS might be a bit much for the plants at this stage so I'm currently using 4x 27 watt florescent's.

I wasn't sure if I was just supposed to drop the seeds in the plugs or if I was supposed to cover them, so they have 2-3 hours of not being covered (using fox farms ocean forest to cover them, they're in peat plugs though).

I have a grow room about 3x3.5x4 going, mylar on all 4 sides and a tray with plastic dome over it. Currently I have to put a heater in there to keep the temperatures up for the little seedlings. Ambient temps are ~56F. I have an 80cfm fan set up for when I plug in my 600w HPS. (Is the difference between MH/HPS big enough to warrent getting a second bulb just for veg?)

TL;DR version:

Is 100ish watts of CFL enough for seedlings? (12 inches above)

Is MH big enough of a difference above HPS for veg to warrent getting a MH?

How long should it take for plants to start sprouting from seeds (germed for 48 hours)?

Thanks for looking, and thanks for the site in general! You guys are a huge help!

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Welcome -

The CFL will work fine. You can grow under them until you bring them into the flower room if you like.

Seeds take a day to a week or more. depending on many things. After about two weeks I give up

MH vs HPS there is a difference, but how big? You don't need to veg for long so I don't think it matters much.

Walk said:

I don't plan on using much neuts at all, I might get some for flowering but right now I think the ocean forest alone should be enough for veg.

What temperatures would you suggest for getting seedlings to poke through the surface? The standard 75-80 for growing, or a little higher?

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The standard 75-80 for growing should work fine. I wouldn't go any higher.
don't over water..

cazador said:

The standard 75-80 for growing should work fine. I wouldn't go any higher.

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yip temp sounds good maybe the lower end of 75 to 80 i had my girls sitting at 30C or 86F a bit high u mite think but i have a 1part flow outake with a 4part flow intake and i circulation fan inside the rooms airtight or compressed but i doubt ure willing to goto that trouble im growing as a conissuer lol want everything perfect. a good trick is to keep them humid and dark the babs love it.

cazador said:

The standard 75-80 for growing should work fine. I wouldn't go any higher.
don't over water..

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What exactly would you call over watering. I've been giving them each a splash.. (not really measuring, just doing it so the peat is wet) about 1.5 times a day *14-15 hours apart*

WiiFred said:

yip temp sounds good maybe the lower end of 75 to 80 i had my girls sitting at 30C or 86F a bit high u mite think but i have a 1part flow outake with a 4part flow intake and i circulation fan inside the rooms airtight or compressed but i doubt ure willing to goto that trouble im growing as a conissuer lol want everything perfect. a good trick is to keep them humid and dark the babs love it.

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Yeah the room isn't airtight but it's light-proofed. I have one exhaust. The seeds are all already germinated and put into the peat plugs to sprout. I've been using 24 hour lighting, when exactly do you go to 18/6? I was planning on doing it once i up-pot the plants.

Walk said:

Yeah the room isn't airtight but it's light-proofed. I have one exhaust. The seeds are all already germinated and put into the peat plugs to sprout. I've been using 24 hour lighting, when exactly do you go to 18/6? I was planning on doing it once i up-pot the plants.

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changing from 24/0 to 18/6 isnt something i would do theres really no difference apart from cost. most plants do there work during the dark hours as why dark time is leave them alone time for all growers. its really up to yourself i keep it 18/6 rite up to 6th week of veg then gradully turn it down 16/8 for a day 14/10 for a day and finally 12/12 worked for me in past dont think it will kill them to turn them down at this stage but maybe some1 who's done this can help u more