Please assist me on my first grow! (Northern Lights)

Hello everyone. First, let me say that this website has been a huge help. I got 90% of my information on growing here. Without the stickies and many of the posters here, I would be lost. However, I still have some questions before I get started, and any input/advice would be greatly appreciated. I also plan on keeping a grow journal with many pictures once I get all my equipment and seeds (hopefully within a month). Now let me start by listing what I PLAN on using for this grow. If you think I should change or add anything please let me know.


Seeds - Nirvana Northern Lights feminized, already ordered from the attitude - http://www.cannabis-seeds-bank.co.uk/nirvana-seeds/nirvana-seeds-feminized/nirvana-seeds-northern-light-feminized/prod_941.html
Room - Small closet located in basement, about 3x3 feet, 5 foot tall
Ventilation - The closet doors have a bunch of vents/slots, I can keep the doors cracked open for a majority of the day if necessary, and my basement is usually quite cool, so I don't think heat coming from the lamp will be an issue. There's also a window pretty close to the closet that can be opened anytime.
Lighting - 1 400W HPS Light from htgsupply.com http://htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=47929
Soil - Fox Farms Ocean Forest
Pots - 3 gallon plastic pots
Fertilizer - Haven't decided. Assuming I should go with Fox Farms to go with my soil. Any recommendations?
Odor control - From what I hear, Northern Lights is one of the lowest odor strains available. I plan on using Ona Gel, febreeze, maybe a glade plugin nearby.
Accessories and misc. stuff - Thermometer/hygrometer, timer for flowering, mylar for lining walls, also heard styrofoam is good for the floor cause mine is cement and kind of cold. Some other stuff that probably isn't worth noting. Timer, spray bottle, plastic cups for germinating, ect.

Think that's about it. Now on to my questions!

1. I am somewhat concerned about odor. Running a duct outside isn't an option. Do you think anyone could smell my plants one floor up (my main concern)? I keep no vents open in the basement. What about if someone walked past the closet? The thing is, my house is for sale and I occasionally show it, maybe once or twice a month. This is the ONLY time people will enter the basement. Would I be able to completely mask the smell of 3-4 northern lights plants with ona gel, and febreeze before I show my house?

2. How many plants and what size pots do you think I can get away with in my closet? I'm thinking 3-4 plants in 3 gallon pots. Not sure if I should be using 5 gallons, less plants, or whatnot.

3. Anyone have recommendations on fertilizer and perhaps when/how to use? Assuming I should also go with Fox Farms.

4. Think I can just use Ocean Forest as my soil? I heard it is wonderful, but may burn seedlings. Any other recommendations would be great.

I also plan on putting a 400w MH lamp in a small cabinet with a mother plant, and making clones off of this once money allows. That's all I can think of at the moment. Sorry for the long post. If you could offer any help at all, please do. I will be starting my grow report ASAP. Thanks for reading!

Your on track for everything...really. As for the 400 watt for the mother you could get away with a 250 watt or so.

GrowingfortheGold said:

Your on track for everything...really. As for the 400 watt for the mother you could get away with a 250 watt or so.

Click to expand...

I would be a little concerned about the odor and shop around for better odor controls. I'm also growing in the basement and the smell is trailing outside. Granted, you are growing fewer than I am, but odor would be my concern if you are having people look at the house.

I would constantly be using odor controls, even when no one is being shown the house.

You should be able to get away with 3 gallon buckets, but I'd be careful not having an enormous vegetative phase, especially considering space.

I agree that you could get away with a smaller light, but you should have no problems with yours as long as you can control heat.

As far as nutrients, everyone has a cocktail that works best for them. You could get Fox Farms' Big Grow for vegetative and Big Bloom and Tiger Bloom for flowering. Be careful with the nutes at first because Fox Farms soil packs in enough nutrients for the first few weeks. Start at a quarter to half strength every other watering.

To avoid nute burn on seedlings, try Jiffy Seed Start. After two weeks of the plants emerging from the soil, you can safely transplant your seedlings into Fox Farms soil.

Otherwise, you seem off to a good start. Best of luck!

Tabu said:

Think that's about it. Now on to my questions!

1. I am somewhat concerned about odor. Running a duct outside isn't an option. Do you think anyone could smell my plants one floor up (my main concern)? I keep no vents open in the basement. What about if someone walked past the closet? The thing is, my house is for sale and I occasionally show it, maybe once or twice a month. This is the ONLY time people will enter the basement. Would I be able to completely mask the smell of 3-4 northern lights plants with ona gel, and febreeze before I show my house?

2. How many plants and what size pots do you think I can get away with in my closet? I'm thinking 3-4 plants in 3 gallon pots. Not sure if I should be using 5 gallons, less plants, or whatnot.

3. Anyone have recommendations on fertilizer and perhaps when/how to use? Assuming I should also go with Fox Farms.

4. Think I can just use Ocean Forest as my soil? I heard it is wonderful, but may burn seedlings. Any other recommendations would be great.

I also plan on putting a 400w MH lamp in a small cabinet with a mother plant, and making clones off of this once money allows. That's all I can think of at the moment. Sorry for the long post. If you could offer any help at all, please do. I will be starting my grow report ASAP. Thanks for reading!

Click to expand...

As for the smell you can make a carbon scrubber on your vents. There pretty easy to make and I found you a link to a thread on here with plans for a DIY carbon filter that will work.

In regards to the space you have, it depends on how big your closet is and how you train your plants. I have found the LST method to be the best choice for cramped spaces. And here's a link to read up on that some.


For fertilizer I use Fox Farms Grow big for vegging and then at the end of the veg cycle I switch to fox farm Tiger bloom. Once I have switched to 12-12 I add in Fox farms big bloom and Molasses.
If you want to spend some money they make this stuff called sweets but I personally don't think its worth it. This is a link to Fox Farms site, I use there directions to the letter with great results. My suggestion on that is to use half the recommend amount.



I use Fox Farms Ocean Forest soil all the time and have never had a problem, however it is strong. It would be my advice to water the pots your gonna use a few times before you use the soil so that it flushes it out a little. Another option is soiless mixes such as co-co. It works like soil but it has no nutrients in it so you would be responsible for all the feeding and would have to work a little harder to to keep your plants fed.

If you have any questions feel free to let me know.

Good luck!

nice grow room

1. I am somewhat concerned about odor. Running a duct outside isn't an option. Do you think anyone could smell my plants one floor up (my main concern)? I keep no vents open in the basement. What about if someone walked past the closet? The thing is, my house is for sale and I occasionally show it, maybe once or twice a month. This is the ONLY time people will enter the basement. Would I be able to completely mask the smell of 3-4 northern lights plants with ona gel, and febreeze before I show my house?

- MJ stinks. I grew Northern Lights for my first grow and it still smells. Low odor my ass. I wouldn't grow and show your house personally, especially if a law enforcement officer decides he is interested in purchasing. However, fi you are hellbent on it, I suggest using carbon filter as it eats the smell rather than just masking it glade. Wouldn't they want to look inside the closet? Most women will to see about space/storage. The hum of the lights and fan is going to give it away as well.

2. How many plants and what size pots do you think I can get away with in my closet? I'm thinking 3-4 plants in 3 gallon pots. Not sure if I should be using 5 gallons, less plants, or whatnot.

You can grow about 2 plants in 10 gallon pots and let them get really big. Probably even 3.

3. Anyone have recommendations on fertilizer and perhaps when/how to use? Assuming I should also go with Fox Farms.

Most everyone uses Foxfarm, I however, swear by Jack's.

4. Think I can just use Ocean Forest as my soil? I heard it is wonderful, but may burn seedlings. Any other recommendations would be great.

You should research Coco Coir. It is the shit.

I also plan on putting a 400w MH lamp in a small cabinet with a mother plant, and making clones off of this once money allows. That's all I can think of at the moment. Sorry for the long post. If you could offer any help at all, please do. I will be starting my grow report ASAP. Thanks for reading!

You don't have to keep a mother plant. You can always clone clones. Mothers become a drain and well, lets face it, old. They take up alot of room too. You should consider just taking a few cuts from your plants as they grow and begint he flower cycle.

SunnyDaze said:

You don't have to keep a mother plant. You can always clone clones. Mothers become a drain and well, lets face it, old. They take up alot of room too. You should consider just taking a few cuts from your plants as they grow and begint he flower cycle.[/B]

Click to expand...

To maintain a strain I just keep a mother for a couple months. I cut a few clones from her and flower or trash her. Once the clones are healthy I keep one.

You're going to have to rethink your exhaust options - a 400w in that small of a space will not allow you to just leave the door shut (or even cracked) - it'll get too hot in there.

^^^^i agree you need to vent for 2 reasons
-SMELL
-HEAT

both will be massive problems if you dont. even micro grows can stink up an entire house without a proper exhaust and carbon filter

MJ stinks. I grew Northern Lights for my first grow and it still smells. Low odor my ass. I wouldn't grow and show your house personally, especially if a law enforcement officer decides he is interested in purchasing. However, fi you are hellbent on it, I suggest using carbon filter as it eats the smell rather than just masking it glade. Wouldn't they want to look inside the closet? Most women will to see about space/storage. The hum of the lights and fan is going to give it away as well.


Ugh. That's kind of upsetting to hear your NL stunk. I've heard many mixed things about the smell. I'm pretty much set on growing. Tired of buying bad overpriced weed. My contract with my Realtor is actually up in two months. Think I'll wait to renew it until I see how bad my house stinks. I plan on putting a lock on the closet.

I think I'll be going with the big grow, tiger bloom, and big bloom fertilizer. Cloning clones sounds like a wonderful idea. I would have never thought of that. I'll be sure to water the pots a few times if I use the Ocean Forest soil. Which I most likely will.

About the carbon filter/scrubber... I could just rig that up to an exhaust fan to blow air out of the vents on my closet doors?

Would I be wasting a lot of money on soil planting in 10 gallon pots? Or would my plants grow so nice that it would be worth it? I'll have to read that LST article later.

Thanks for all the awesome responses +rep to all!

congrats on your selection, a favorite of many here
can't talk to the nirvana NL, but i did a grow of nl#5 a few months ago
the odor was NEXT to zero, used no odor control, the longer it flowered the less smell
it started low with low odor, and finished with even less

Tabu said:

MJ stinks. I grew Northern Lights for my first grow and it still smells. Low odor my ass. I wouldn't grow and show your house personally, especially if a law enforcement officer decides he is interested in purchasing. However, fi you are hellbent on it, I suggest using carbon filter as it eats the smell rather than just masking it glade. Wouldn't they want to look inside the closet? Most women will to see about space/storage. The hum of the lights and fan is going to give it away as well.


Ugh. That's kind of upsetting to hear your NL stunk. I've heard many mixed things about the smell. I'm pretty much set on growing. Tired of buying bad overpriced weed. My contract with my Realtor is actually up in two months. Think I'll wait to renew it until I see how bad my house stinks. I plan on putting a lock on the closet.

I think I'll be going with the big grow, tiger bloom, and big bloom fertilizer. Cloning clones sounds like a wonderful idea. I would have never thought of that. I'll be sure to water the pots a few times if I use the Ocean Forest soil. Which I most likely will.

About the carbon filter/scrubber... I could just rig that up to an exhaust fan to blow air out of the vents on my closet doors?

thats the idea

Would I be wasting a lot of money on soil planting in 10 gallon pots? Or would my plants grow so nice that it would be worth it? I'll have to read that LST article later.

idk if itd be a waist but id probably go with 5-7 gal buckets and put more plants in unless your trying to weasel your way around a law. in my state you get the same minimum sentence if you grow 1 plant or 999999999999999999999999 so id put like 10-20 in 5 gal pots and SOG it up. but if you are set on only 3-4 then yes the 10 gals would be worth it. the growth will be bigger and faster

Thanks for all the awesome responses +rep to all!

Click to expand...

anytime
-kid

Would a carbon filter blowing air out the vents keep heat down? Or just the smell? I will look into exhaust options some more and I will definitely be making a carbon filter.

NL #5 eh? Might try that in the future. Thanks again guys.

if done right it will take care of smell and heat. to use a carbon filter you need an exhaust. a good grow room will always have a negative air presure. that means you suck out more air than your intake can supply. so that means ALL the hot stinky air goes through the exhaust then through a carbon filter. there are a lot of articles here and im willing to answer any questions you have

kid cannabis said:

if done right it will take care of smell and heat. to use a carbon filter you need an exhaust. a good grow room will always have a negative air presure. that means you suck out more air than your intake can supply. so that means ALL the hot stinky air goes through the exhaust then through a carbon filter. there are a lot of articles here and im willing to answer any questions you have

Click to expand...

like kid says having the exhaust fan drawing air from ur grow helps in more ways than getting rid of smell, it draws heat off and also causes new fresh air to be pulled in to ur grow area, add a fan a u reduce the chances of mold massively. i use a grow tent and the wall are always slightly pulled in by my extractor/carbon filter fan.

I'm all out of questions for now, and have a really good idea on what I'll be doing once I get all my equipment. Thank you all so much. You guys have been a MAJOR help.

Remember pics or it didn't happen!

Lol. I'll be posting a grow log with tons of pictures once I get everything together. I think I'll be starting my grow in about a month. I actually just took a before pic of my closet. Gonna clean it up today and paint it.