Newb Grow CFL/150W HPS stealh white widow

frenchtomytoast

frenchtomytoast

Member
This is my first grow and I'm trying to do it low key and low budget until I do a couple grows before graduating to something bigger.

I've got a piece of furniture in the form of a decorative storage box, which will be in a closet so its allowed to look a little funny. The dimensions are 18"w x 18"d x 24"h. The height can be raised as the plant grows if I build a little tent. Inside I want to line it with mylar and reflective material. In the side I want to drill holes for some computer fans for air flow. I could also mount a computer fan or two inside the box to blow on the plants.

I was thinking of putting one plant in there and doing some low stress training and using a screen to keep the height down.

My thoughts on lighting were a few CFLs for veg and a 150W HPS for flowering. I was thinking of the Sun System® 4 Enclosed Ballast Light System because it will fit in the box, but I'm worried about heat.

I was thinking of growing white widow, but is there a better strain for this environment?

Thanks :leaf:

Edit: The ballast itself will be outside the box
 
Cr8z13

Cr8z13

Well-Known Member
You might consider one of the autoflowering strains. They don't get much taller than 18". Make a box that's 3-4 feet tall. I know you said you can adjust, but better to only build once in my opinion. I'd be uncomfortable with using a 24" tall box unless it was just for clones. I don't believe a 150W HPS will get too hot as long as you install some fans like you stated.
 
pabloezekiel

pabloezekiel

Member
Right now I'm in my first grow all cfl's but next I'm going with 150hps plus 4 23w cfls at the sides, I would Lst them to control the height so far it was worked for me, here are some pics of mine to give you an idea. This was with 6 23w on two plants. Hope this helped.

Buenos Humos!







 
B

bakeddude

Active Member
Your lights are to close....keep em 2" way, looks like you have had some lights touch your plants and burn the shit out of them.

On another note....are you feeding? Your leaves look very very dark green (N toxicity) and looks like I see some twisting and curling. (Possibly pH is off check it and try to get it near 6.5-6.9)
 
pabloezekiel

pabloezekiel

Member
bakeddude said:
Your lights are to close....keep em 2" way, looks like you have had some lights touch your plants and burn the shit out of them.

On another note....are you feeding? Your leaves look very very dark green (N toxicity) and looks like I see some twisting and curling. (Possibly pH is off check it and try to get it near 6.5-6.9)
Click to expand...
Yes I had an accident some lights fell on top of the plant and burned some parts of it. I think the strain is that dark, this are from some seeds I found on a brick that I bought here down in Argentina, and most of our stuff comes from outdoor grows in Paraguay, I did a little search and they were as dark as mine, but still I don't know could be wrong.
 
KaleoXxX

KaleoXxX

Well-Known Member
theres no such thing as "too close" when it comes to cfls in my opinion. ive had plants grow more than 2 inches in a day and when i looked at then they were touching right up on a cfl with no burn at all. im not sugesting putting cfls directly on a plant, but saying, i dont think a cfl will ever burn a plant

to the OP- id make the box 3+ft or grow a lowryder strain and use cfls the whole way through or suplement with an hps durring floweribg like you said
 
pabloezekiel

pabloezekiel

Member
bakeddude said:
You are probably right that it is genetics then. What about your pH?
Click to expand...
Well I don't have anything to check the PH but I have stopped feeding them and I put some calcium to bring the ph up, right now I have those liquid drop things for fishtanks to check the PH, so at this point the water that I water it with is greenish yellowish (green being 7.0 and yellow being 6.5) so I guess it's like 6.8 or something. Still I don't want to jack French's post lol. But thanks for the help
 
Ap0c0leS

Ap0c0leS

Active Member
KaleoXxX said:
theres no such thing as "too close" when it comes to cfls in my opinion. ive had plants grow more than 2 inches in a day and when i looked at then they were touching right up on a cfl with no burn at all. im not sugesting putting cfls directly on a plant, but saying, i dont think a cfl will ever burn a plant

to the OP- id make the box 3+ft or grow a lowryder strain and use cfls the whole way through or suplement with an hps durring floweribg like you said
Click to expand...

Your wrong dude there is a such thing as too close.. you should move those lights another 2 inches away and keep them at that distance the entire grow. Also 150 Watts of CFL is just as hot as 150W of HPS so yes they can burn plants easily.. cfls are no magic trick 150W is 150W
 
bgpimpn07

bgpimpn07

Active Member
KaleoXxX said:
theres no such thing as "too close" when it comes to cfls in my opinion. ive had plants grow more than 2 inches in a day and when i looked at then they were touching right up on a cfl with no burn at all. im not sugesting putting cfls directly on a plant, but saying, i dont think a cfl will ever burn a plant

to the OP- id make the box 3+ft or grow a lowryder strain and use cfls the whole way through or suplement with an hps durring floweribg like you said
Click to expand...
]
i have a plant not touched the CFL and burnt some newgrowth
**watch how close ur CFL's are about 2in is good
 
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