New to growing and to this forum

[FrankRuzzo]

hi im new to this site, im also new to this whole thing of growing. but thanks to you guys i think i picked up enough to start my set up and i have. i have 2 babys goin in my closet. i didnt germinate i just put them in miracle grow in my patio not even taking them seriously and a few days later that had sprouted and i have fallen in love with them since lol. After the seedlings for a little bigger i moved them inside under cfls. i had them under 2 smaller ones that pushed an equal of 60w's each but now i changed the bulbs to the bigger ones that put out 100w's and i have 3 on them now. i think i have done a great job so far but this is as far as i know. i know now i should start giving it nutrients for the vegetative state, can anyone tell me a good brand name? i could use any suggestions and will appreciate experienced help. i will post pictures soon.

 

[snowcap099]

hi im new to this site, im also new to this whole thing of growing. but thanks to you guys i think i picked up enough to start my set up and i have. i have 2 babys goin in my closet. i didnt germinate i just put them in miracle grow in my patio not even taking them seriously and a few days later that had sprouted and i have fallen in love with them since lol. After the seedlings for a little bigger i moved them inside under cfls. i had them under 2 smaller ones that pushed an equal of 60w's each but now i changed the bulbs to the bigger ones that put out 100w's and i have 3 on them now. i think i have done a great job so far but this is as far as i know. i know now i should start giving it nutrients for the vegetative state, can anyone tell me a good brand name? i could use any suggestions and will appreciate experienced help. i will post pictures soon.

you wanna be careful with miracle grow it already has so many nutes in it, i wouldnt start worrying untill around month 3 about nutes... then you could slowly introduce some nutes at 1/3 strenght... i use fox farm good for just beginning very easy to mix one tablesppon per gallon and its hard to nute burn your plants with this stuff, another thing your gonna want to get a fan in the room to strengthen up those braches for when it comes time to bud. also make sure you have the right temp of cfl 6700 for veg 2700 for flower... o ya welcome i think youll find out this place to be very helpfull

 

[joeiv916]

Well from what I hear miracle gro soil has water release nutrients. So be careful on what you give it. Usually I would say get some grow and flower earthjuice from any hydroponics store. That will rest assure keep your plants growing nice and big

 

[Peter421]

Ah, new to forums. Reminds me of myself just a year ago or so. Now I feel good that I can share some experience and lessons taught by fellow RIU members. I myself used miracle grow for my first and I did make the mistake of putting nutrients. (I have advanced nutrients) My plants took a harsh beating from that + the nutrients already in the soil. So a month - two sounds bout right. No nutrients until then. Earthjuice is good if you're into organics. Advanced nutrients... It has a lot of additives so I don't exactly trust it but I use it and it works. Just keep the plants growing under the lights you have and they'll thrive.

 

[FrankRuzzo]

i already love this site! thank you guys for such a quick response. i see how easy it is to get ahead of once self jus cuz u want ur plant to grow n grow lol. So i will not add any nutrients for a wile and i forgot to mention, i do have lil fan above them, nothing to big juss to keep breeze running through to them. Another thing i remember thinkin about is: The 2 gallon pots i have them inn now dont have a whole in the bottom of them, should that be something to worry bout? if so could i make some wholes in it for ventilation? hope to hear from one of u soon...

 

[joeiv916]

Make about 4 holes at the top. Its important to be able to flush the nutrients out if there too much. If there is no hole the water wont run through.

 

[Spasticsmoke]

Make about 4 holes at the top. Its important to be able to flush the nutrients out if there too much. If there is no hole the water wont run through.

4 holes in the BOTTOM i know it was a brain fart just clearing things up.. its important to have dranage in the buckets and get some o2 to the roots aswell.

 

[FrankRuzzo]

u guys are the shizznit!! lol
i will figure out some way to make holes in the bottom of them pots. n the co2 is another thing i had in mind. what would be a easy inexpensive way to do that? can i jus fill a small co2 tank like the ones used for paintball or what would be the best way? thank u again ahead of time...

 

[snowcap099]

u guys are the shizznit!! lol
i will figure out some way to make holes in the bottom of them pots. n the co2 is another thing i had in mind. what would be a easy inexpensive way to do that? can i jus fill a small co2 tank like the ones used for paintball or what would be the best way? thank u again ahead of time...

easiest thing for c02 get a gallon jug fill half up with water add 6 cups of sugar and a table spoon of active yeast then just sit it in your grow room the yeast eating the sugar releases c02 prolly have to change this every 2 weeks tho thats the only bad part but its cheap!!!

 

[FrankRuzzo]

excuse my ignorance lol
but that active yeast? is that something i can get at a super market? and something also that comes to mind. i know is great to have some reflective material around the set up and at first i thought what i seen was foil paper but i found out is really Mylar some kinda reflective material. i know i could also use white paint but my set up is in my closet where as of now my shit is still inn lol. would it be ok to leave the foil paper reflectors i made up? where can i find that Mylar stuff at? or should i juss take em down n let them be without reflectors?

 

[FrankRuzzo]

something alse that has came up, i been told i should keep my plans on 24h light wile their vegetating but i alos see many people tellin me that is best to do 18/6 specially if im n warm weather. witch i am. i know is really up to individual preference but id like ot hear peoples opinions on that subject specially since we are talkin a power bill here also.

 

[Peter421]

I think people use 24 hours veg just because it makes them grow faster. I don't believe changing to 24 is like.. any difference other than speed in growth. About mylar, theyre mostly readily avail online. I can't seem to find that stuff in hydroponics store and I live in a big city.

Edit: I've used 24 hour lighting for my Mother plant, she grew pretty big within a few weeks. But you should atleast allow your lights a 1 hour off time. Not very good to keep lights on for along time even though they're built for that. Just adds more life

 

[snowcap099]

excuse my ignorance lol
but that active yeast? is that something i can get at a super market? and something also that comes to mind. i know is great to have some reflective material around the set up and at first i thought what i seen was foil paper but i found out is really Mylar some kinda reflective material. i know i could also use white paint but my set up is in my closet where as of now my shit is still inn lol. would it be ok to leave the foil paper reflectors i made up? where can i find that Mylar stuff at? or should i juss take em down n let them be without reflectors?

yup any active yeast you could get at the super market for the mylar you could use any site online best way to go... id us htgsupply there legit for the reflectors id take the foil down and go get a couple reflector lamps from lowes kinda pricey like 7 or 8 bucks but at least one for the top of the plant would be good

 

[FrankRuzzo]

thanks for ur replays guys. i think im gonna leave the plants on 24h at least most of the time, may turn them off for an hour or so every day or 2. the lights i have on them are the reflector lamps, i juss upgraded to 4 of them, i had bought a 300w cfl that was hughe and they where gonna be under 600w total but i broke the bulb tryin to fit it into the 10' reflector witch is the biggest they had. but not that big of a deal i juss put another 100w on that reflector and im up to 400w now.
Im also gonna start a new project, i juss ordered an aerogarden pro200 n im gonna run that set up in the same room. n i ordered 5 feminized white widow seeds yesterday so as u can see ive taken this whole growin experience very seriously n im excited!!

 

[FrankRuzzo]

also the bottom smaller leaves are startin to turn lime green or yellow n startin to not look very good. but the top seems to be growing nice...

 

[Peter421]

also the bottom smaller leaves are startin to turn lime green or yellow n startin to not look very good. but the top seems to be growing nice...

Are you giving nutrients? And about your reflectors and your "100w" bulbs. Are you using 100w HPS bulbs or 100w equivalent cfl bulbs?

 

[FrankRuzzo]

not im not giving them nutrients yet because they just turned 2 weeks n i think im goin to start to todya or tomorrow. what r the best npk ratings fro veg state? i read 20 10 10 or 20 20 20 for veg and 10 30 10 for flowering? let me know if im right and also if anybody can recomend a brand name for the veg state kind...

 

[FrankRuzzo]

excuse my spelling in that last post, i just finished a nice joint lol. about the lights like you asked im using 100w equivalent cfl's, 4 of them pushing 400w total to my babys right now. im thinking about gettin a bigger 300w cfl and run 600w insted. Anybody know any downsides from this? ive alwasy hurd the more light u give it the more it gives u back...

p.s: im gonna do my best to find mylar locally but if not ill have to go and order some online. i dont think is to much to worry right away but it will become more eminent as the plants grow?

keep on growin =)

 

[purpdaddy]

i use 1-400w hid light and 1 -100w cfl like you got man..and they lovin it...
I suggest you sy\tay in the growfaq for a couple days..First learn the cycles of a plant,,how much light it needs,water,nutes...I vegg under 24/0..and flower under 12/12.

 

[elove]

im new too i did the same thing as you ..lol.. i did start from scratch but i also used miracle gro..lol.. my plants is 33 day old and about 1ft. 6 inches im so inlove with it now im really exited and hoping it will happen