First indoor soil grow need advice

Ok guys i have a 600 watt mh.bulb and a 600 watt hps bulb with a round reflector on the way. I have a space that is basically 6 foot long by 4 foot wide and 12 foot tall. I am not ordering any special seeds just taking seeds from the best high mids in the area. I was needing advice for example i thought of growing in miracle grow bags just cutting holes in and sitting the sprouted seeds into the actual bags of miracle grow potting soil. I am basically asking advice from start to finish. I have read alot on here. But i need the actual distance i should keep my light as well as the best nutrient formulations and how often i should water soil as well as should i spray actual foliage daily? Just planning on getting my nutrients and supplies at wal mart and babying the hell out of my plants. Was thinking of letting the plants grow for like 60 days before turning my lights back to start the bud process and then how long do i let the plants bud in other words how do i know when to actually pull the plant? I know i sound stupid to all of the experts but i really need as much advice as possible.
thanks friends

How about you start from the beginning, which is learn how to germinate your seeds before you worry about anything else? If they don't germinate, then what does it matter if we talk about what kind of potting soil to use or what spectrum the bulbs should be or how often to water?

That said I hope you are getting lights that are anywhere between the 5000k and 6500k spectrum of light. People are 50/50 on which to use from all I've talked to. Some get a mix of different spectrums, some don't. Some use only 6500k, some use only 5000k, and some I've seen use 5500k. Basically since it sounds like this is gonna be your first grow, I'd recommend 5000k lights for veg, 2700k lights for flower, and a 24/0 cycle during germination and rooting, and then a 18/6 cycle for veg, and a 12/12 cycle for flower. If you want to use MG potting soil, keep in mind that it's great for a newbie grower that doesn't have the time or money to buy fancy nutrients and test your soil and water run off all the time for ph levels, but you must remember not to water it but every 3 days on average, otherwise the time release nutrients in the miracle grow soil will burn the roots and kill your plant(s), unless you're using MG seeding soil (which I believe has little to no nutrients in the soil, but you'd have to check the box). But also keep in mind that you shouldn't just pop a few holes in a bag of soil and throw a few seeds in and hope they grow, cause they more likely not germinate that way. The best thing to do is get a large pot per seed, say 6" or 12", that way you're less likely to have to transplant to a larger pot later on (unless the plant gets that big from topping the plant, or even just on it's own). There are a bunch of videos on Youtube that will show you how to germinate a seed using paper towels and water, and from there you just plant them in your pot with your soil, a little water, and wait for the first sign of life to sprout out of the soil. Water them when the soil is dry to the touch about an inch below the surface, and only water them until you see the runoff water below the pot (I use a pie tin to catch my runoff below my pot).

Basically you're doing what I'm doing, except........I'm using a clone I got as my first time patient gift at a dispensary, and you got way more powerful lights than I, and I'm also only doing a single plant grow. I'm using four 14w CFL's at 5000k spectrum, so I'm getting about 250w equivalent and 3200 lumen output.

Keep in mind you're asking for like months worth of knowledge all at once and perhaps you should digest each phase of your grow as you grow and learn as you go along. I find it easier myself to focus on what I'm doing rather than what I need to be doing 2 months from now when I'm ready to flower my plant (or it should be ready about then).

Good luck!

600W Metal Halide Bulb:


Power: 600W (High efficiency)
Expected Life Span: 10,000 hours
Lumen: 60,000 lumens
Color Temperature: 4,200K
Contains blue spectrum, which is best for vegetation.
Non-luring insects
Strong power to penetrate fog
High output, high luminescence efficiency.
Fit for all standard 600 watts MH grow light systems
Special good efficiency for leafy plants such as Lettuce and Herb
Fit for the Heliophile, such as Rose and Camellia, which grows better at longer sunshine time.

600W High Pressure Sodium Bulb:


Power: 600 watts (High efficiency)
Built-in heat output holes
Expected Life Span: 24,000 hours
Lumen: 90,000 lumens
Color Temperature: 2,100K
Contains more red spectrum, which is best for flowering.
Non-luring insects
Strong power to penetrate fog
High output, high luminescence efficiency.
Fit for all standard 600 watts HPS grow light systems
Fit for the Heliophile, such as Rose and Camellia, which grows better at longer sunshine time.

These are the exact specs from the site i ordered from on my bulbs. First let me say thank you for the information. I think i posted a bit off. Many years ago i actually grew indoor hydro when i was young but only a couple of grows and it was in rock wool cubes. Well its been basically two decades since then and i actually want to put as many plants as possible into the space i mentioned that i have so advice on that would be great too. I know exactly how to germinate the seeds and get everything started. But i need advice on how often to fertilize as well as what formulation and just all around good grow tips to maximize my yields in the limited amount of space i mentioned which is basically 6 foot long x 4 foot wide and 12 foot high. As mentioned i thought about letting grow as big as possible for 60- 70 days before turning my lights back as my thoughts are if i let the plants get as big as possible then more yield correct? Anyways all advice is greatly appreciated. And if anybody here in the states have a few extra seeds you dont need from a good strain i could pay a fair price. Thanks guys

read this post, it has up my knowledge and game x 10000000000!

https://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/267989-uncle-bens-gardening-tweeks-pointers.html

good luck!

Welcome to RIU.
First off, don't ask for seeds here - it is forbidden & will get you banned.

With that out of the way, I would not use MG, and I would run the grow in buckets that sit in tubs as to catch the runoff when you water.
My area is roughly the same size as yours and I also use two 600's (Metal halide during Veg/HPS for flower).
If using a good soil you won't need to fertilize much, and when you do, you allow the plants to tell you how much/often.
I am using amended super soil and therefore only topdress during flower with bat guano.
You also might consider growing in a SCRoG style - it will help maximize your yield while keeping your canopy more managable.

Got any pics of your space ?

Thanks for the information and sorry about the seed comment. Please dont ban me admin i dont have pics of my space but i really appreciate all of the useful information thus far.

SCRoG style what do you mean by this term?

Screen Of Green.
You install a screen of some sort above the plants and as the upper branches reach it they are pulled sideways to allow the lower growth to catch up. This makes a nice level canopy of buds.
Like this.

So from the looks of the pics you can really put a lot of plants into a small space with no problems. Also do you leave the screen up from growth stage all the way to maturity meaning even during the budding cycle and at what point do you put the top screen on . Maybe when they reach the desired height you set out to produce? Thanks for the damn good pics they really shine a lot of light on things.

rudolphov said:

So from the looks of the pics you can really put a lot of plants into a small space with no problems. Also do you leave the screen up from growth stage all the way to maturity meaning even during the budding cycle and at what point do you put the top screen on . Maybe when they reach the desired height you set out to produce? Thanks for the damn good pics they really shine a lot of light on things.

Click to expand...

I typically have 10 buckets (4'ish gallon) - I've run as many as 2 plants per bucket for a total of 20 in that space. I find it seems to be less cluttered to run only 1 per, so that's what I typically do.
People will try to convince you that the plants will "fight" or kill each other some how (possibly some sort of root ninja action) which simply is not true. What I will tell you, too many plants presents diminishing returns & popcorn buds will be your primary yield should you have too many.
I install the screen when they begin to hit my desired height - (around 29" from the floor as I recall) and from there I pull the tops back down to allow undergrowth to catch up.
Using this technique allows for a really good yield Psf.
Good luck

Thanks for the information my friend

check out the 600w club too.

Thanks for all of the useful information thus far guys. The scrog method is what i am going to attempt. I found a deal on some seeds. 20 white widow, 20 sliver haze and 20 himalayan gold all feminized so should be enough to last a while. Anymore helpful hints on maximizing my yields will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Ok i understand the scrog theory. However if my space is 6 ft long 4 foot wide and the top reaches into the attic meaning i would have around 8 foot of possible height to actually let grow and still have enough room to keep the light around 20 inches above.so with having this height advantage would you suggest maybe putting 10 plants and letting them just grow as tall and bushy as they will get for my first grow instead of the scrog method? Maybe to take clones for the second go around? Would i yeild more doing it this way or the scrog method?

rudolphov said:

Ok i understand the scrog theory. However if my space is 6 ft long 4 foot wide and the top reaches into the attic meaning i would have around 8 foot of possible height to actually let grow and still have enough room to keep the light around 20 inches above.so with having this height advantage would you suggest maybe putting 10 plants and letting them just grow as tall and bushy as they will get for my first grow instead of the scrog method? Maybe to take clones for the second go around? Would i yeild more doing it this way or the scrog method?

Click to expand...

In a closet style grow, my experience is that SCRoG is the best way for me to maximize yield.
And its damn easy once you're dialed in.

Thanks for the info. Ok another question you said you add your screen when your plants are around 29 inches ,my question would be would it produce more yield if i waited to ad the screen for example when they reached 4 -5 foot in height?? Would that give me more yield in the end result?

rudolphov said:

Thanks for the info. Ok another question you said you add your screen when your plants are around 29 inches ,my question would be would it produce more yield if i waited to ad the screen for example when they reached 4 -5 foot in height?? Would that give me more yield in the end result?

Click to expand...

NO! One purpose of SCROG is to keep the canopy vegetation at a density the light can penetrate somewhat. Plus try working a SCROG that tall in a closet. I always wonder when somebody who doesn't know something and is advised but immediately begins changing things up.

Hey bro no harm meant. Trust me i totally appreciate tour advise i just want to get my first grow right with as little problem as possible so as you can imagine my mind is coming up with all kinds of ideas in my head.but your words of wisdom are greatly appreciated.