So here is my stealth cfl grow (not enough of those are there?). I plan to update this with pictures every couple days. Constructive criticism is appreciated but dont be an ass about it. If you have a suggestion say it politely, and if you dont like what I'm doing then dont follow my journal.
My setup:
About a 3.5x1x2 ft area under/behind my bed. Walls were first covered with the dull side of tin foil but that was causing hot spots so now they are covered with shiny wrapping paper (thin mylar?), the white side of wrapping paper, and still some tin foil on the top. There is a fan in there blowing straight at the lights and slightly at the plants that is on when the lights are on. There is also a vapor thing to increase humidity when I need it. There are two computer fans that are for exhaust and one for intake. The two top ones come on when the lights go on and the bottom exhaust one stays on 24/7. They blow out into an area under the bed and when I'm home that area is more open since I can move my bed over and expose it. There's also a window right there that I keep open to try and keep the outside air pretty cool. Oh and there are 2 26 watt cool cfls, 2 40 watt soft white, and 1 42 watt warm cfl. I know cools are better for veg'in but I didnt plan to veg that long. Temps typically range anywhere from 63-70 degrees with the lights off to 80-95 with the lights on. And humidity is pretty low, anywhere from 15-45%.
The plants:
I started with ten bagseed (some may have been hermie seeds ah!), put them in a cup of water for 2 hours, then in a wet paper that was inside of a ziploc bag in front of a vent so that temps. would stay warm. 9/10 germinated and were planted within a few days of each other. They were planted in a mix of about 40% fox farm ocean forest, 30% of some cheap mix that has little branches and crap in it, and 30% perlite. One never sprouted bc the soil was too dry and another was really thin and purple and just looked dead so I tossed it. So I was left with 7 sprouts. I kept them on a 24/0 light schedule. Five days ago they were transplanted into the new container and switched to a 18/6 schedule. It is just one long pot with cut out plastic pieces separating each section. The soil is the same mix but I added some dolomite lime to it. There are plenty of holes drilled in the bottom for drainage, and the perlite should also help. I packed the soil a little too hard though so the bottom is staying pretty moist while only the top 1-2 inches has dried out. I plan on watering them every 5-7 days while spraying the plant and the top of the soil with water every day (it dries out everyday but past the top the soil is still moist). Oh and I water with tap water that has sat out for over a day. I dont have any ph stuff yet to test the soil or water.
mistakes/problems so far:
First, the tin foil was a bad idea. In combination with the tin foil and hot ass temps, two of my plants got burnt. As of now they are both still alive but the leaves that got burnt turned yellow and black on the edges (after a night of extreme temps). All the leaves above the injured ones seem to be doing fine other than some very slght yellowing on the tips. I believe those plants also are a little over-nute'd since I made the mistake of trying to introduce a little bit of fox farm's "grow big" too early. I haven't given any of them extra nutes since then. The main problem I'm having now is controlling the temp. When I'm not home I have to push my bed back and it gets pretty hot.. There have been multiple times when the high temp. has read 98-102.. but my plants are still pushing along. Since they are so heat stressed they have been growing quite slowly. There also isn't a high enough humidity level most of the time. I wouldnt be suprised if I got a bunch of hermies..
Pics of the setup:
My setup:
About a 3.5x1x2 ft area under/behind my bed. Walls were first covered with the dull side of tin foil but that was causing hot spots so now they are covered with shiny wrapping paper (thin mylar?), the white side of wrapping paper, and still some tin foil on the top. There is a fan in there blowing straight at the lights and slightly at the plants that is on when the lights are on. There is also a vapor thing to increase humidity when I need it. There are two computer fans that are for exhaust and one for intake. The two top ones come on when the lights go on and the bottom exhaust one stays on 24/7. They blow out into an area under the bed and when I'm home that area is more open since I can move my bed over and expose it. There's also a window right there that I keep open to try and keep the outside air pretty cool. Oh and there are 2 26 watt cool cfls, 2 40 watt soft white, and 1 42 watt warm cfl. I know cools are better for veg'in but I didnt plan to veg that long. Temps typically range anywhere from 63-70 degrees with the lights off to 80-95 with the lights on. And humidity is pretty low, anywhere from 15-45%.
The plants:
I started with ten bagseed (some may have been hermie seeds ah!), put them in a cup of water for 2 hours, then in a wet paper that was inside of a ziploc bag in front of a vent so that temps. would stay warm. 9/10 germinated and were planted within a few days of each other. They were planted in a mix of about 40% fox farm ocean forest, 30% of some cheap mix that has little branches and crap in it, and 30% perlite. One never sprouted bc the soil was too dry and another was really thin and purple and just looked dead so I tossed it. So I was left with 7 sprouts. I kept them on a 24/0 light schedule. Five days ago they were transplanted into the new container and switched to a 18/6 schedule. It is just one long pot with cut out plastic pieces separating each section. The soil is the same mix but I added some dolomite lime to it. There are plenty of holes drilled in the bottom for drainage, and the perlite should also help. I packed the soil a little too hard though so the bottom is staying pretty moist while only the top 1-2 inches has dried out. I plan on watering them every 5-7 days while spraying the plant and the top of the soil with water every day (it dries out everyday but past the top the soil is still moist). Oh and I water with tap water that has sat out for over a day. I dont have any ph stuff yet to test the soil or water.
mistakes/problems so far:
First, the tin foil was a bad idea. In combination with the tin foil and hot ass temps, two of my plants got burnt. As of now they are both still alive but the leaves that got burnt turned yellow and black on the edges (after a night of extreme temps). All the leaves above the injured ones seem to be doing fine other than some very slght yellowing on the tips. I believe those plants also are a little over-nute'd since I made the mistake of trying to introduce a little bit of fox farm's "grow big" too early. I haven't given any of them extra nutes since then. The main problem I'm having now is controlling the temp. When I'm not home I have to push my bed back and it gets pretty hot.. There have been multiple times when the high temp. has read 98-102.. but my plants are still pushing along. Since they are so heat stressed they have been growing quite slowly. There also isn't a high enough humidity level most of the time. I wouldnt be suprised if I got a bunch of hermies..
Pics of the setup:
. I'll have lots of sexy pics of hermi plants for you guys (but hopefully not :/). Anyway, I am getting worried. The growth on these plants is super stunted and I dont know if they are going to get big enough to produce any decent bud.. but I have never grown before so I don't know how much the plant will grow during flowering. I'm worried I should've veg'ed for longer to compensate for the slow growth 
. BUT i was also thinking (trying to look on the bright side here), if i do have REALLY small colas then wouldn't those buds just be nice and dense (and packed full of crystals?!) since the plant can focus more energy into that little cola?
