New grower - New set up

[OregonGrown79]

So I bit the proverbial bullet and purchased a 400watt mars2 and their small grow tent. I have been test running the tent for 3 days and have averaged 80ish degrees and 40% RH with light on, about 70 and 55% with lights off. I have 1 small fan for circulation pulling air from outside through a bottom passive vent.
I put 2 Sour D seeds in a shot glass for 24 hours and both had tap roots exposed at that point. BTW, water was 6.5 ph and left out for 48 hours to dechlorinate. I have since placed them, tap root down, in solo cups with a seedling potting mix. The soil was well drenched prior to placing seeds in the media.
So now, my questions! Since this is my first attempt I am a little nervous! Should I use a humidity dome on the solo cups? Should I place the cups in the tent with lights on? I heard that the first few hours the seedling pops its head out of soil it should have immediate light? I don't wanna screw this up as I have only 1 bean left!!
IF these beans pop and get started I have 7 gallon fabric pots that I plan to fill with Zen Blend soil. I plan on using House-Garden A&B nutes for veg. Still haven't decided on bloom nutes or supplements.
I can't decide if I want to start at 12/12 for this run or try a scrog. I really want this to succeed so my lady doesn't have to visit the local dispensary so much! That means less $$$$ outta my pocket! Any advice or pointers would MUCH appreciated! If these little babies take off I will start a journal but I don't want to get it going premature!!

 

[Spitz]

Temperatures sound great... No worries

Humidity is less than prime. At 40%RH, they'll still be fine. Every seedling I've ever grown has been <50%... No worries

What to do when they break ground.. This worries me the most for a 1st timer. Yes, you want them under light ASAP. That LED can be dangerous for seedlings. You can use it, but be careful. No closer than 30" and I wouldn't put your cups in the center of the spread. I recommend a couple 6500k 23w CFLs for the first week or 2. Still, the LED will work fine.

Light schedule... i say 18/6 for this reason. Photo plants grown under 12/12 go through a vegetative period. It's a combination of plant size/health and time before it actually starts flowering. The most likely time for an error is in the first couple of weeks and is usually over watering. I'd keep her at 18/6 until she's strong and growing well. If you grow 12/12 from seed, she'll start flowering in 4 weeks or so. If you go 18/6 and flip to 12/12 after 3 weeks, she'll flower in 4-5 weeks. At least this way, you get to chose based on her health after 3 weeks. I like to grow to the 5th node, top at the 3rd node, let her heal up, transplant, grow 1 more week, then flower.

Biggest tips..
Don't over water
Resist the urge to feed her anything for at least 2 weeks
Careful toasting her with LED

Good luck!!!

 

[OregonGrown79]

Thanks for the reply Spitz! I only have the growth portion of the light on now, top of cups are about 36" away. Temp is 78 and RH is at 50% exactly and holding steady. I will resist the urge to overwater and feed too soon. I have been lurking here for almost a year and soaking up as much as I can! I figure I should see the seedling in a couple days max, tap roots looked really good! I don't plan on switching the bloom portion of the light on till I see these babies are in good condition and maybe starting their 2nd set of true leaves. Again, thanks for the advice!

 

[Spitz]

Start a journal? Either way, good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Raymont]

Biggest thing is patience. We always want them to be perfect and tend to over do it. Just realize they grow at their pace not ours...Best of Luck on this grow.

 

[VladPutin]

Hi Spitz,

I read your reply to OregonGrown79 and you seem to be quite the pro. Wondering if you can take a look at my first post (no one has responded yet)? Here it is:

Hi,

7 Bubba Kush seeds from CKS. All popped. Planted in soil, indoors under a ViparSpectra 300 watt LED. They popped up fast once under light, but now two of the seedlings have yellow leaves, and they're all growing slow. Please let me know how I can help them improve....

Specs:

It's been one week under the LED light - which is about 12 inches above plants.
No nutes. I water them morning and night with collected rain water as they look quite dry.
Humidity 40.
Temp 68 degrees.
5 planted in jiffy peat pots. 2 with yellow leaves live in small clay pots.
Organic soil.
All plants are about half inch tall.
Window in room is cracked during the day for air.
24 hour LED light cycle.

All thoughts are greatly appreciated! Thanks! OregonGrown79 - sorry to jump onto your thread. Good info on this thread; had to jump in.

Vlad

 

[dr.h00k]

VP...my thoughts...hold back on the water and definitely raise the light or go with some CFL's for the first few weeks 4 to 6 inches away from seedlings...peat starters are a little more forgiving with moisture retention, but still resist the urge to water twice a day...clay pots will hold moisture...so cut back...also...feel free to start a journal...great way to maybe get a lil more exposure...and therefore help/advice...cheerz...h00k...

 

[Spitz]

Hi Spitz,

I read your reply to OregonGrown79 and you seem to be quite the pro. Wondering if you can take a look at my first post (no one has responded yet)? Here it is:

Hi,

7 Bubba Kush seeds from CKS. All popped. Planted in soil, indoors under a ViparSpectra 300 watt LED. They popped up fast once under light, but now two of the seedlings have yellow leaves, and they're all growing slow. Please let me know how I can help them improve....

Specs:

It's been one week under the LED light - which is about 12 inches above plants.
No nutes. I water them morning and night with collected rain water as they look quite dry.
Humidity 40.
Temp 68 degrees.
5 planted in jiffy peat pots. 2 with yellow leaves live in small clay pots.
Organic soil.
All plants are about half inch tall.
Window in room is cracked during the day for air.
24 hour LED light cycle.

All thoughts are greatly appreciated! Thanks! OregonGrown79 - sorry to jump onto your thread. Good info on this thread; had to jump in.

Vlad

Ha! I'm far from a pro. It's easy to read the "how to threads" and get overwhelmed. I recommend the 80/20 rule for the first try. Truth is, they need light water, and carbon dioxide. Seven plants is a doozy! I would tried 2. Not much to do about that now.. Lol.

Listen to hook's advice. Pot them up to 3G pots as soon as they are ready. Just give them light and water when dry. Start a journal and I'll gladly follow. I look good in a cheerleading skirt!!

 

[OregonGrown79]

So, both seeds had shown a tap roothe and put in a solo cup of potting soil. 1 has broken the surface and is looking good! Looks like I have done something right so far! I tried hooking up my light timer last night to go 18/6 and ithe has no grounded plug receptacle. Duh, guess I should have noticed that! So, until I can get out to get another one tomorrow how strict does my 18/6 have to be? Last night lights were off for 8 hours, I figure this is fine till I get my timer hooked up. Also, my potting soil had bark mulch in it. I have heard , just recently, seedlings hate bark? Thanks for any insight. This growing is really testing my patience but I am taking the slow! Haven't watered or fed yet!!

 

[Spitz]

You should try and be consistent with your lighting. it won't mess with them too bad while growing. It is critical when flowering. Glad one popped for you. Good luck!

 

[VladPutin]

HAHA! Great advice, Spitz! Thanks for this. I look forward to seeing your cheerleading skirt! HA.

 

[OregonGrown79]

So everything is chugging along nicely. Looks like only 1 of the 2 I put down popped but I'm gonna give the other one a couple more days. Got a new timer and am running 18/6. Should I leave my fan on 24 hours even with lights off or turn it off too? I have been running it 24 and everything seems fine.

 

[welshpony]

My fan goes on and off with my timer, i like to try and save energy where i can, at the moment id say it can stay off at lights out. Thats both my exhaust fan and fan for air and plant movement.

OG and vlad when you both get a journal growing let me know

 

[Spitz]

So everything is chugging along nicely. Looks like only 1 of the 2 I put down popped but I'm gonna give the other one a couple more days. Got a new timer and am running 18/6. Should I leave my fan on 24 hours even with lights off or turn it off too? I have been running it 24 and everything seems fine.

I run 2 fan/filter combos. One with the lights on and one 24 hrs/day. I do this for a few reasons.

Sound: with 2 fans running during lights on, it's not as loud (I don't have to run them as hard)
Stink: with no fan running, i can smell them
Humidity: I saw humidity spikes when I stopped exchanging air at lights off with no other fan.


Dropping money on 2 fan/filter/regulator combos might be tough. It all depends on what your needs are. I'd say go 24/7 if you can only manage a single fan setup. That being said, it's always "dealer's choice"

 

[OregonGrown79]

Well, since I have managed to keep the little one alive above ground for 4 or 5 days so far I started a journal! We shall see how it goes, I am a little nervous. I really want to do well and am willing to invest $ into this project, it will pay off in the end with less trips to the smoke store!!! Wish me luck!