Ground Zero Newbie Grower

[Screwnuts33]

I am still gathering the final pieces to my new adventure into growing. I have always been facinated with the different methods of growing and finally taking the plunge myself. I started smoking back in the late 70's through the early 80's. I then took a 25 year break. lol. About 18 months ago I sustained an injury that required some pretty extensive surgery with lots of plates and screws. Needless to say they sent me home with a pharmacy of pain meds. Vicodine, Valum, Oxy, you name it they threw it at me. I hated all of them. They made me brain dead and didn't kill the pain. I have a buddy that I know who smokes and asked him to hook me up. MJ to the rescue. Pain was gone, I could sleep, and my recovery progress improved. Since then I am a believer.

On to the stuff you really want to hear about. lol. I won't start this grow until I have everything in place and it has been tested out. I plan to run the tent empty for a day or two just to make sure everything is functioning properly. Once I know it all works and my temps are under control I will begin the grow.

This will be an indoor soil grow in a tent.

Equipment list:

Growlab 120L 4'x8' tent.
Sun Systems Galaxy 600 watt electronic balasts (2ea)
Sun Systems Super Sun 2 air cooled reflectors (2ea)
Hotilux Super HPS bulbs (2ea)
Sun Systems Sun Blaze 4ft 8-bulb T5's (2ea)
GE digital timers (3ea)
CWP PH meter
Oregon Scientific wireless temperature/humidity monitor.

Equipment still needed:

Inline fans (3ea)
Misc ducting
5-gal buckets
Fox Farm soil
Fox Farm nuts
Ocilating fan
1-gal buckets

Seeds (in transit):

Bubblelicious
Alaskan Ice
Strawberry Haze
Purple Force
PPX
Afgan sativa (freebie)

This weekend I will get the tent up and start getting all systems dialed in. Stay tuned for more updates.

 

[Legalize09]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

well for a newb... ya dont sound like one with all that equipment... nice setup i cant wait to see the pics... wish i had the funds for all that lol GOOD LUCK

 

[Screwnuts33]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

I have been doing my homework. Learning every day. This site is an invaluable resource of information. I figure if I have good equipment that is one less thing to worry about. The rest is up to me & the seeds. Hoping for a field of sexy ladies.

 

[Legalize09]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

yeah this site is the best source of endless information...cant wait to see some of ur pics!

 

[The Weed]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

Rooting for you tons Screwnut33! 1200 watts! You are not messing around! Best of luck I will be in the front row for this grow. Exciting.

 

[Screwnuts33]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

Thank you for the support. I am really excited to get started. The seeds have shipped and my fans will be here today. Should have everything assembled this weekend. If all goes well I will be starting my dry run Sunday evening.

 

[Retired Three]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

Good luck on the grow! It sure seems you have a solid grip on what you are doing. I am looking forward to seeing your pics as the grow develops.

 

[Tead]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.



Best of luck. Sounds like you have a handle on things so far.

Cheers!

 

[Screwnuts33]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

My fans and ducting showed up today. Woohoo! I will be able to get it assembled this weekend. The last things I need are my seeds, soil, and nuts. Pictures coming this weekend.

 

[Screwnuts33]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

I have been a busy boy today. I pulled wire (12/3 Romex) for a new dedicated circuit for my grow, assembled the tent, ran the fresh air ducts, and moved the lights into the tent. Now headed to Home Depot for some additional supplies to finish this up. Should be able to do a dry run by tomorrow.

Learned a lesson today. You need more than a 4x8 space to assemble a 4x8 tent. lol. I did manage to pull it off but it was very tight quarters.

For ventilation I am using 3ea 260cfm inline duct booster fans. One is for the air cooled lights, one for outside air intake, and one for exhaust. Hoping that will be enough to keep the temps down. If not I will have to buck up for better duct fans.

 

[Retired Three]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

It sure sounds like you have this all figured out! Don't forget to take some pics so we can all see what your doing.

 

[billybudtoker]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

Hey dude-- you sound just like me. I smoked in the 70's, quit and just recently started again, also on my 1st grow, and I also bought Sun Systems lighting! Guess that also makes you an old fart like me,lol. Do you remember buying "lids" for 10 bucks in the 70's? Post some pics.

 

[gorillagrow]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

everythings sound like it's coming together great, I be sticking around to see this one out! Can't wait to see what, the finished grow room is looking like! And to Billybud I remember lids for 10 buck, when a lid was measured in fingers LOL

 

[Screwnuts33]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

I do qualify for old fart status for sure. LMAO. Ah the "good" old days of Columbian Gold aka brown seed riddled crap that shouldn't even be smoked. The good old days of $1 joints and head shops I mean record stores on every corner.

Making some more progress today and one minor set back. Working on what will be my electronic panel. I am making a mounting board outside of the tent that will contain all the electrical connections. Ballasts, timers, etc all neatly mounted in one location. The 600 watt HPS lights are up but still need the cooling ducts connected.

My set back is I used 12ga wire to run my dedicated circuit which is only rated to 20 amps. Going to run a new 10ga which is rated to 30 amps. I do not want to be running my electrics at close to max capacity. Back to H-D for a spool of 10/3 wire. Still hope to have it running tonight.

 

[gorillagrow]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

Gotta share some pictures soon as your kicking back a bit!

 

[billybudtoker]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

everythings sound like it's coming together great, I be sticking around to see this one out! Can't wait to see what, the finished grow room is looking like! And to Billybud I remember lids for 10 buck, when a lid was measured in fingers LOL

Yeah- a four-finger lid for 10 is nothing now but a fond memory

 

[Screwnuts33]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

About time for an update. Been crazy busy so my grow area progress has slowed. The great news is my seeds arrived today. I am stoked! My electrical is done, lights are up, fresh air intake fan done, ballasts & timers are mounted. Still left to do, cooling fan and ducting for the lights, exhaust fan and ducting for the tent. Then a 24 hr dry run and then the real fun begins. Picking up soil and nutes this weekend. Should be germing by Sunday at the latest. I really will get some pics up too.

 

[Sonzor]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

Sound like you have it all figured out. Your very lucky you are so handy with all the electrical. Good luck and can not wait to see how it all turns out. + rep

 

[Screwnuts33]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

We are off to the races. Hopefully I haven't bitten off more than I can chew. I have the following seeds germing in paper towels today.

Bubble Gum 3ea
Bubblicious 3ea
PPX 3ea
Purple Power 3ea
Alaskan Ice 3ea
Strawberry Haze 3ea
Afgan A-10 (freebies) 3ea

Total of 21 seeds. Allowing for some that will fail during germ and undoubtably some males. My hope is to have 12 plants to go full term. Nice mix a sativa dominate and indica dominate strains.

Pictures coming tomorrow of my tent setup. I finished everything today. I am using Fox Farms Ocean blended with perlyte and vermiculite for drainage. The seeds will be planted into 1/2 nursery pots and later transplanted to 5-gal buckets. No nutes for at least 2-3 weeks providing all look good. I will be vegging under 2 Sun Blaze 48's (T5's). 864 watts of 6500k lighting. Laate in vegging I may introduce the 2 600 watt HPS in addition to the T5's. If my temps look good I will use all 4 lights during flowering.

This is an attic grow so I am pulling fresh air from roof vents. Fresh air ducted in with a 260 cfm fan, fresh air ducted in with another 260 cfm to cool the lights, and a 260 cfm exhaust fan ducted to a roof vent. For now the exhaust from the HPS lights is ducted into the attic space. If heat is an issue that will be routed to another roof vent. Hoping that ducting the exhaust directly out the roof peak I an eliminate using a carbon scrubbers for smell. If the smeel is too bad I will add a scrubber. Also hoping my fans will move enough air. If not I will upgrade to better fans. Pics coming tomorrow evening.

 

[PitViper]

Re: Ground zero newbie grower.

I didnt see in the journal...are they fem seeds?