Northern Grow Lights Photon 180 Citizen 1825 90 CRI

I ditch the wires and use the metal clips with a few links of bulk chain that is at local hardware stores. You can greatly reduce the hanging height. I have different fasteners in use here, but you may use your existing clips:

Measure distance from fixture hanging point to center and estimate number of links needed each side. pic is 7 links each side, I could trim that to six links easily. Okay sorry if I'm hogging the thread, just good stuff..

Six9 said:

Okay sorry if I'm hogging the thread, just good stuff..

Click to expand...

Oh no, not at all Six9! I know I said earlier about keeping it on the topic of the thread, but I kinda realized that this being my first grow I also have a lot of other questions as I go along. I am really appreciative and grateful to you and everyones' input. Thank you for sharing this!

I have mounted the lamp like this with 2 rope ratchets

Ruh-roh. This little gal made it out today but her cotyledons have yellowing spots on them. I turned the light back down to 50% and hoping that at such a young age popping out, that maybe this is due to the light bleaching it? I hope that is the case...



Also, I've been spraying a bit of water gently around them in the morning and night to keep the soil around them a bit moist but not overly wet. Is that recommended or should I do something different?



Robincnn, I'm assuming you included this other type of dial with the lights to more accurately understand what percentage the luminosity is set to? To what point should I install it on lowest setting, pointing directly down or maybe the direction of 'south-west?'

The lamp comes with the small chrome platted knob.
You can use the plastic black knob if you like it better. I turn the knob to max power and then push the knob in so that the line points to 12 /UP.
Which one do you like better.

I don't dim photons. Metal

ColaKoala13 said:

Also, I've been spraying a bit of water gently around them in the morning and night to keep the soil around them a bit moist but not overly wet. Is that recommended or should I do something different?

Click to expand...

let it dry out on top or it will rot the stem. that has already sent down a 3" taproot so as long as soil underneath is moist at all you are fine

CobKits said:

let it dry out on top or it will rot the stem. that has already sent down a 3" taproot so as long as soil underneath is moist at all you are fine

Click to expand...

Ya or just throw a small clear plastic Tupper ware like thing on top of it with a 1/8" small hole in the top for venting. Keep the humidity up and dont spray at all.

Okay, will stop spraying. Thanks @Airwalker16, CobKits, won't be so manic about it

robincnn said:

The lamp comes with the small chrome platted knob.
You can use the plastic black knob if you like it better. I turn the knob to max power and then push the knob in so that the line points to 12 /UP.
Which one do you like better.

Click to expand...

The chrome plated knob I like better, nice quality. But for the practical purpose of ascertaining a 50% luminosity the other works for right now.

I used this app that uses the light sensor on the iPhone to take a measurement of the Lux/FC (though PPFD is the preferred measurement?). The dimmest setting comes out at about 300 lux, the max about 620, some fluctuations. At what I think is roughly 50% it comes out to 440 Lux & 41 FC.

I was just reading over this thread here: https://www.rollitup.org/t/estimating-lumens-to-ppf-or-lux-to-ppfd-for-cxbs-for-a-given-color-temp.902597/#post-12416669

If I understood this correct: LUX reading ÷ 1000 x 15 = PPFD?

I'm going to have to study up again on these terms PPFD, PPF, Lux, etc... I know I've read it over before but need a refresher.

As of today, 5 of the germinated seedlings sprouted from the soil. The latest one to sprout also is demonstrating paler, yellowed cotyledons. However, the others look just fine. I did realize that two of the feminized seeds I germinated were slightly smaller and much paler in comparison to the others. This may be reflected in the way they are now growing with paler leaves and slower growth (especially in comparison to the others).

Update [09/11]: Opened the tent this evening and the two paler/yellowed seedlings have filled in with a healthy shade of green. Finally placed last germinated seed in soil and watered, the others I have yet to water again as the soil is still damp about an inch in. The ones with previously yellowed cotyledons are at 3cm, one at 4cm and two of them (the most vigorous) are at 5cm. This appears to be a bit stretchy?

Reading up on it in Marijuana Garden Saver: Handbook for Healthy Plants by J.C. Stitch. Not nearly as bad as some of the examples pictured in the book however... This shouldn't be a problem as I'll probably add in a bit more soil to fill up these containers closer to rim.

Current RH is 70% and temp. is 77%.

I increased the light luminosity back to 75%



Here are pics of the two 5cm tall plants:




I will post back when the seedlings really get started with the vegetative stage, maybe by the 3rd set of true leaves?

This brings me to an important question that I've seen discussed here and elsewhere. At what point should I really start counting week 1? Some people say from the time the seedling sprouts from the soil. What makes more sense to me is counting from about the 3rd set of true leaves to appear as others have suggested. But for the sake of understanding when to start the timing with any nutrient supplement regime? Others say that any nutrient regime should start at about the second week in a soil medium.

I count from when I put paper towel germed seed in the little red solo cup. Flower time is from12/12 flip since that is the only firm point of common reference.

[Update] - To consider marking day one on the 10th (of Sept.) when 2 seedlings sprouted from the soil and 3 more popped up on the 11th (lets just say the 11th, last Sunday), growth rate seems to be doing great. I can't really be the judge on that, being that this is my first grow...

Just to show some pictures thus far:




One observation is the slightly 'twisted' leaves on the first set of true leaves to come up. Most all are displaying this to some degree or another. Any ideas as to what this could be from anyone with experience? When I opened my tent today the current RH is 60% and temp. 79º/81º.
I turned up the light to 100% yesterday morning and it seems that temperature has increased a bit to 81ºF (27.2ºC).

There has been a blower fan in the tent directed away from the plants but they have been dancing gently in the light breeze, I also had placed a wet towel suspended by a clothes hanger and rope ratchet with a dish of water under it to wick up the moisture and remain moist all day (the last few days, the humidity had dropped considerably to about 40-50%). The RH meter reads a high of 84% and a low of 40% in the last 24-48hrs.
I also put a timer on my exhaust to come on for 15 minutes every half-hour. As long as the temperature outside of the tent with or without the AC on isn't too high, the tent doesn't get too hot and humidity levels stay higher.

Check the PH sometimes the twisted leaves is an early sign off PH being off.

Evil-Mobo said:

Check the PH sometimes the twisted leaves is an early sign off PH being off.

Click to expand...

What would be the best way to go about that with a soil medium? I just have the little pH test kit with the vial and drops. Soak the pots then collect some runoff and test that? I've tested my water source, which is municipal water that I filter twice, once through a ceramic and clay filter then through a special carbon type filter that removes chlorine, fluoride, etc. ( https://www.clearlyfiltered.com/products/clean-water-pitcher ) The water tests at about 7.0 neutral. I guess I could buy an instrument...

ColaKoala13 said:

What would be the best way to go about that with a soil medium? I just have the little pH test kit with the vial and drops. Soak the pots then collect some runoff and test that? I've tested my water source, which is municipal water that I filter twice, once through a ceramic and clay filter then through a special carbon type filter that removes chlorine, fluoride, etc. ( https://www.clearlyfiltered.com/products/clean-water-pitcher ) The water tests at about 7.0 neutral. I guess I could buy an instrument...

Click to expand...

You need to definitely know the PH going in, and it would not be a bad idea right now to see what's coming out to help diagnose any potential issue. You don't have an end of the world ordeal going on here just offering my opinion as I recently learned this the harder way lol.

Evil-Mobo said:

You need to definitely know the PH going in, and it would not be a bad idea right now to see what's coming out to help diagnose any potential issue. You don't have an end of the world ordeal going on here just offering my opinion as I recently learned this the harder way lol.

Click to expand...

But what would you recommend being the best method to test the soil?

Test the run off of a flush or get a soil PH meter.