New to Forums, First time growing.

[Topping]

I'm moving my thread from the welcome section to here ill include everything that was there.

Hi I'm new to the forum Id like to start a grow journal, but it doesn't look like i have permissions.

So it my first time growing, I'm about 4 weeks in to the grow. I have had so many troubles but I've learned tons and it has been a great project. I'd like to show off what I've done so far and get some constructive criticism. I can barely remember all the names of the nutrients let alone all the deficiency's the plant can develop, I'd like to get some social input into my grow so I can get some good chronic out of this. I will put up photos of everything and explain in detail how I built all of my equipment as none of it is store bought.

Ps. I'm on a tight budget so suggestions like try sodium grow lights will be ignored.

View attachment 2699299This is the grow currently, i have time-lapse photography of the seedlings growing and Ill show how I did everything from the beginning.

What do you think?

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honestly? Im scared as fek for ya bro. It looks awsome but the waters green? Youll be able to start a journal i believe when you get your post count up. I believe that its so that spammers cant make bogus threads. I think the set up looks sweet, id have lots of questions for ya thats for sure. Just check a bunch of threads and say some nice crap like, plants look good man, or nice lookin ladies and you should be able to get the journal going soon, then hit me up so i can sub to it. Oh ya, dont be a dick, its a tight community and missinformation gets ya in trouble too. + rep for the cool, however stange set up ya got goin on there

The green is from a Organic Seaweed growth regulator to help with root, shoot and flower development. I had some nutrient burn so i pulled back the nuts to a Quarter strength and added the regulator. its been in for about 3 days and the plants are loving it.

Just TOP'ed one of my plants, FIM'ed the other, and left one to grow as normal so I can see what I will do in future.
View attachment 2699304View attachment 2699305

Ive added an image of one of my plants, I suspect its an auto-flowering strain can anyone confirm? see image below.


I made this light cost around $20, Its wired in parallel so it wont shutdown if i loose a bulb, The center is a pen holder, its made of tin and the small holes allow for self tapping screws to go in anywhere. Each bulb is 20watt CFL, I have double the recommend 50watt per M2.
View attachment 2699311

Is 50w p/m2 enough, what are your thoughts?

Up until this point the equipment has cost as follows:

Light Rig - $20
Containers - $15
Piping - $10
Water Pump (not in use yet) - $15
Oxygen Pump - $5
Nutrients - $15

Total +/- $80 (not bad going I think)
I live in South Africa so everything is more expensive than USA or UK, if you thinking thats to much.

Lastly I need opinions on nutrients, this is what I bought and what it consists of, its all still greek to me.

Macro Nutrients
65 g/kg N - Nitrogen
27 g/kg P - Phosphorus
130 g/kg K - Potassium

Micro Nutrients
70 mg/kg Ca - Calcium
1500 mg/kg Fe - Iron
10 mg/kg Mo - Molybdenum - A metal needed for Nitrogen fixation??
22 mg/kg Mg - Magnesium
240 mg/kg Mn - Manganese
75 mg/kg S - Sulfur - Plants use sulfur in the processes of producing proteins, amino acids, enzymes and vitamins. Necessary in the formation of chlorophyll
240 mg/kg B - Boron - The main functions of boron relate to cell wall strength and development, cell division, fruit and seed development, sugar transport, and hormone development.

The descriptions are mainly for me to learn and other new growers Ill finish the descriptions in the Journal.

Anyway there isn't much going on in the welcome thread what do you think of the green water?

 

[OnlyDopesSmokeDope]

its algae, you need to make your pots lightproof.

 

[Topping]

Light proof is a good Idea ill do that in case of algae, but I saw the water go from clear to green before my eyes as i mixed it. The plants bounced back from bad nutrient burn because of the stuff. Whats your take on the lighting?

This is what the manufatoure say about there product the green stuff Kalpak
_______________________
"Auxins are natural plant hormones produced in a plant’s shoot tips and translocate downwards. One of its effects is to signal a plant to increase its root growth.


Cytokinins are natural plant hormones produced in the root tips and translocate upwards. One of its effects is to signal a plant to produce more and larger foliage.


While most plant growth stimulants make use of high Cytokinin levels to temporarily promote top growth, this does little to improve the roots of the crop, often resulting in an
unbalanced plant.


Kelpak, through its unique extraction process, contains a very high Auxin to Cytokinin ratio. This auxin domination stimulates vigorous primary and secondary root development in the
plant, thus enhancing the plant's hormone production with a resultant improved crop output."
________________________


Not sure what it means but the guy at the shop recommend it, he might have been drunk.

 

[superstoner1]

Dude, the plants like light and the roots like dark. You dont see the roots growing up out of the ground to find light. Paint the outside of the buckets black then white or you are will regret it. Res's and root chambers are always to be as light proof as possible.

 

[Topping]

Light proof is a good Idea ill do that in case of algae, but I saw the water go from clear to green before my eyes as i mixed it. The plants bounced back from bad nutrient burn because of the stuff. Whats your take on the lighting?

Yes I said Ill do it?

 

[superstoner1]

Just one of those basic things of hydro u should have known about before getting anywhere close to growing.

 

[Topping]

So i flushed the Kalpak and it has dyed my roots green, I imagine they put a dye in it to make plants look like they are getting healthier. I'm gonna stay away from these types of products from now on. The roots still feel healthy and because of the small reservoir, the amount of chlorine from the tap water seams to keep any algae away. I'll need larger containers soon enough, so I'm not gonna bother painting them.

I'm topping up fresh water daily now so I'm going to add a central reservoir to keep the tanks toped up. Ill add my nutrients there as-well to keep things uniform.

I upgraded my O2 pump, I noticed my plants looking over watered this morning, I was concerned about the small O2 pump I had, Ive upgraded to a 4.2w from a 1.2w.
This look much better to me, moral here for me was "With out air you drown!"


I'll post pics of the plant before and after adding more air tomorrow.
peace

 

[Topping]

Just one of those basic things of hydro u should have known about before getting anywhere close to growing.

Hey buddy I'm so sorry I didn't read the entire instruction manual before starting to grow, I am growing for medical purposes my Gf is sick and she needs the stuff, we cant afford to buy cause medical grade cost so much here. but I do apologize for not going about it in the correct manner.

 

[OnlyDopesSmokeDope]

don't worry about stoner, he seems to be like that with most people. he has good knowledge though so i'd listen to him. as for your lights, i haven't really read up on cfl so wouldn't like to comment. there is a lot of good info on this forum, check out the stickies and do some searches. good luck with the grow.

 

[superstoner1]

I'm really just trying to help you. I have seen hundreds with the same story but only the ones that spend time, not money, educating themselves are successful. It's just a failure waiting to happen and i was trying to stress that upon you. As for cost, less that $10 in spray paint will save you a major loss.

 

[Topping]

Thanks for the help, I'm going to cover the containers with scotch-lite.