Round 2 - Its about time. A [Soil - CFL - Closet] Grow

An example of the oscillating fan,

Never mind the bottom light, I found out that lighting the bottoms is not such a good idea


I'm using one small fan for the three girls as you see in that room, another small fan with four girls in the next room and one small fan for the veg room, I'm thinking one small oscillating fan would be good for your situation, I got them all for like 1 to 3 dollars each as I got them at thrift shops witch are common this time of year.. you can get one new for under 10 bucks but may have hard time finding them this time of year..

Visit my journal when you get the chance,
https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/29010-humboldts-growing-adventures-up-away.html


Good luck with that!



PS: Why not build a plywood box? would cost but maybe 50 bucks!

Thanks for the reply.

I felt weird spending so much money on plywood, I bought a really thin piece 2 x 4 feet, for like $8... and building a box I couldn't use all plywood, I would have to support it with 2x4s somewhere... or maybe wood glue would work... but I have no way to cut it anyways, haha I had to cut down 2ft of the board I bought in my bedroom with my parents home... made so much noise hahaha I even brought up the little hand saw thing.

but the new setup is better... theres a flat surface and its a lot larger, and the hood thing is sturdier. With the wood surface now I can put a giant reflector on the back of the table so light doesn't get out the back. Its a lot better now... and the 2 40watt cfls help a lot. The fan is also reaching the plants better now, I was able to use cardboard to wedge the airflow up towards the cups, but yeah I definitely need an oscillating fan... I will see what I can do.

but I will take pictures soon and post them.

but is it really necessary to literally box in all the light? I mean I probably have almost 300 watts of CFLs on the 3 sprouts right now, and I have more lights to add... and I keep the CFLs as close as possible, within not burning the plant.

Yeah you would have to build some sort of frame first but without a saw that would be pretty difficult, I think you'll be alright with what you're using but keep in mind the more light you got and can keep in the box the better... also it's good that you were able to detour some of the air flow because plants have a hard time growing with constant air specially at a young age...


I'll check back on them pics!

new setup with the first reflector


other reflector on the front that may work better... the cardboard has mylar taped to it, and this box is all white.


new lighting, 8 cfls, better aimed.


Grow 2 - Day 7 - 12/26/07

Soda cans are actually used by a lot of people I learned about the trick here, and they work very well, I noticed huge differences between lighting with can reflectors and without on my last grow.

Flowering I am planning on using about the same setup... I am able to seal out light perfectly when needed.

2 of the 3 sprouts are drooping their leafs... any idea why. My last grow all the leafs started drooping and then it completely died. The plant not drooping was the one in the middle of yesterdays picture. The 2 on the sides are both drooping pretty considerably...

all 3 started branching out now, not very far but its startn to.

Just googled hygrometer and found a result from radioshack, theres a radioshack right up the road from my house so ill go there later, the website said they have one in stock, its like $10, displays temperature and humitity digitally.

I am thinking the humitity could be wayyy off from what its supposed to be, I do leave a bottle of standing water near the lights, and the closet feels pretty humid and warmish. I estimate the temp to be about 75-88 degrees inside the box where they are growing.

you can buy cold air humidifiers for like 15 bucks (mine was 5 at a second hand store) and that'll raise the hum. 5-20 %i've found... depending on the size of space and whatnot...

humidities not the most important thing...

my hole grows basically been done in 15-35% humidity...

I have around 20% humitity so I guess im fine.

but I got the thing, it was $20 freakn bucks im pissed. But I think the last plant that doesnt get as much air, is around 90 degrees... I dont know, Im going to wait a minute for the temperature to balance.

raising the humidity will make the temp drop... so yeah... that might help...

keeping some waterbottles in the freezer at all times will make an easy cooling system if you want to drop your temps in a small space too... just a few around the plants, and a few more in the fridge... just switch them when need be....


i love ghetto grows... they take as much thought/effort as the fancy ones do... haha

haha... and they end up costing almost as much as a fancy one... hell I have about 18 cfl bulbs, spent about $8 ea on them, y sockets, lamps I bought, wood, hot glue, duct tape, I have probably spent about $200 on materials, I could have just bought one really good HPS light or something.

Brokenhope420 said:

haha... and they end up costing almost as much as a fancy one... hell I have about 18 cfl bulbs, spent about $8 ea on them, y sockets, lamps I bought, wood, hot glue, duct tape, I have probably spent about $200 on materials, I could have just bought one really good HPS light or something.

Click to expand...

yeup
.... why didn't you? if you don't mind me askin

I dont really have a way to order stuff online at the moment... I think that is why most people who do grow with CFLs and such grow with them. I dont have a credit card, and if I ordered anything to the house my dad would get to it first and ask about it.

I saw some HPs lights at lowes but I already had all the CFL stuff, and the HPs ones they had were crap security lights, and there prices got above $1/ watt rating on the lights. I believe I saw a 70watt HPs for about 100 bucks... so onlines really the only sane place to get one.

my setups workn better, I finally got mylar [foil gift wrap stuff]. I added a pitcher half full of ice to the side of the fan inside the box so hopefully it will cool it a bit... and after having the hygrometer setup for a bit heres what I have

Inside the box temperature: 96-99 degrees!!!!! At the last plant in the row. I placed the sensor about 1 inch away from the light, the in the plants soil.

Outside the box, above the box: 85 degrees

Humidity: 22% outside the box.

I am guessing the temperature in the box should be around 80 degrees, so if I can't get it cooled down I may leave the front opening open tonight, and air out the closet tomorrow... maybe I could fill some buckets with snow and bring them in the closet? when water gets to room temperature water the plants with it? I heard rain waters good for the plants... and snow water all the same. Theres lots of snow outside... but half a bucket of ice took me forever to get lol.

you need a lot more air movement

and you shouldn't grow in place you don't own yourself...

you're parents don't need to get arrested because of your smoking habits...

Im 18, I can take responsibility for it if I were to get caught... which I wont. I have never been in trouble for this stuff in the several years I have toked, or my last grow that lasted over 2 months.

Alright got the temperature down to 90 degrees, and 79.5 degrees outside the box, I will keep working on it, and I am going to fix up the box some more. I removed 2 of the CFLs too, that weren't really needed, so there are now 6, 2 of them are 40watters.

I cannot get the temperature to stay below 91 degrees. 2 of the plants have leafs dropping and curling, and its definitely the temperature. I may shut off 2 more lights, for the time being. Outside the box the temperature is about 80 degrees.

But keep in mind the temperature sensor is as close to the lights as the plant is and its set up on the last plant in the row that gets hit with the least ventilation, so 91 degrees is as bad as it gets.

2 more of the not completely needed lights turned off, the temperature is now at 87 degrees and dropping, and about 78 degrees outside the box. The fan seems to be blowing mucchhhhh cooler air now... but the plants are still curly. I will try to get the temperature to around 80 by the end of tonight, I may have to start light 18/6 or something though to keep temps down.

Are the leaves still drooping, how bad and do you have any fresh pics?

You're correct usually when leaves droop it's due to high temps, under watering or both, 20% humidity, that's pretty low but I'm thinking if you can get the temps down the hum will rise...

80f is in the safe zone if you have proper ventilation and air flow, try to get the temps down to around 75f, from what I've read less chance the plants turning hermie, from my understanding plants can turn herm from too high, too low or up and down temps, I'm thinking it's best to get it at a certain temp and try to leave it around that..

keeping some waterbottles in the freezer at all times will make an easy cooling system if you want to drop your temps in a small space too... just a few around the plants, and a few more in the fridge... just switch them when need be....

Click to expand...

I may try that for my veg closet using one gallon milk jugs , right now I'm having to leave the door ajar.. good idea!


Good luck with the heat issue!