Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wasting more $

Lusi

Lusi

New Member
I'm about to click the order button for a tent for growing inside. :-D Of course, I ended up with other things that look cool... way too much.

Can Someone review this and tell which items are not needed or a waste of $$? I'll include what things I have already been using for nutes and bugs, and the few things I just bought in case some of these items on my wish list aren't needed. I hate wasting $$! There's a few things on my list that sound kind of neat... I'm a sucker for new things. :-D

Oh, and for the grow tent. This one stayed under $500 because they replaced the 20' flexible aluminum ducting with an 8' semi rigid one. What the heck is the difference in reality? in 8' enough?

Here is the list in a much nicer form than I could type in. smile
BetterGrow Hydro Online - Wish List Items Page

I have too many bug killers and other odds and ends on this list. LMK what is not needed or a waste of $$! Below, I've listed nutes and bug killers I just bought (and can still return) and included a list of what I already have.

Here's the tent I'm getting! It's larger than I have space for, but I'm moving out of this dump as soon as I find a better place that is also larger.

am I missing anything essential items? I fired up my 150HPS and 250W CFLs. Not enough light for 3 flowering plants. I'm still reading about possible LED, 400W, or 600W lights. UGH! So many choices for a 3x3 tent!

Nutes:

Here's what I've bought locally and want to check before opening:(if they suck, LMK so I can return them!)
Dr Earth Blended Fertilizers (company website)
-for vegging: Organic -5 - Dr. Earth Products
-for flowering: Organic -8 - Dr. Earth Products

-Miracle grow tomato food (have been using all summer, not so wonderful)
-Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Bloom for soil (am using for flowering, not impressed)
-Root Juice (not sure if it does anything?! Would it help my sad clone?)
-Super thrive (helped the little seedling, 2 drops per gallon, NOT what the bottle says to use!)

Unused yet, but perhaps useful:
-Substral Rhodo-Vital Rhododendron food for acid loving plants.
I bought this in Germany, but never used it. Someone please let me know if this is useful since MJ loves more acidic soil also!
Here are the ingredients:
Raw materials: seaweed, mineral fertilizers
Organic-mineral NPK fertilizer
5-4-7,5 (-1,3-1,4-5,5)
with magnesium, sodium and sulfur, and with micro-nutrients
It is supposed to lower the soil PH

Bug killers:

I just bought these local bug killers, are they good? (if the such, LMK so I can return them!!)
-Green Light BT Worm killer concentrate $17 makes 32 gallons
-Green Light Neem concentrate (clarified) $20 makes 16 gallons
-(for non-food plants only, but awesome stuff!) Bayer insect and fertilizer spikes. (Imadacloprid) Used it in the EU for aphids and white flies! 8 weeks:) It's awesome for house and container plants!

Bug killers I have:
-Safer insect killing Soap. (Not impressed, but better than bio dish soap)
-General Hydroponics Azomax (Azadirachtin) $20 makes 4 gallons!? Will save it for fungus.
-Deltamethrin (Europe)
-Rotenone (France)
- Lecithin from Soybean plant for powdery mildew in fruits, vegetables and ornamental plants. (didn't do much, neither did the EU neem derivative Azadirachtin)

Phew!! OK, fire away. I'll be sending that order in tonight so it can ship tomorrow! :-D

Thanks for the help... I've been taken for newbie rides every time I buy things... I hope for once to get something useful for a good price! LOL
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

Check out the DIY pic in my journal. Of course if you are not handy, then a tent, but there have been serious gassing problems. You probably need to air it outside for a few days in warm sunny area, then wash it down to get rid of residues
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

If you have room for a tent isnt it cheaper to just get some 2x4's and plywood and build a cab of equal size that you can break down and if you plan ahead you can make your cab so that you can split it in the middle so it can be enlarged when needed just make a joint in the middle and if you need to expand split it in half and insert plywood extension walls and ceiling just like the center leaf in a dining room table. Other then that everything is probably going to come in hand sooner or later and its always best to be prepared. And even though they are cheap the ph strips are kind of a waste I personally would get a top notch digital soil ph meter and a good meter for testing the ph of your nutrients.
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

PF, do you have a link to your Journal? I can only find the posts and threads you have. Computers are not my thing... What do you mean by gassing problems? I've read that earlier tent models have toxic fumes from the coating on the metal. This newer tent is supposed to have these issues fixed. Is it this you speak of, or just the smell of new plastic, like a car? I could turn the lights on (small 150W for now) and air out the tent with a few fans if it is just the odor.

Cat, I move every few years, all over the world, plus rent houses. Building an area that is difficult to move is just not going to work. Well, building much of anything from wheel chair is difficult and frustrating. I've tried out 2 closets now neither did me much good and light shows. I have Mylar wrapped around a frame of shelves for now. Not so good. It's not worth the headaches. I'm too old and sick for DIY. :-)

I've been looking into options and trying cheaper ideas since April... wasting hours a day! Time is $$. Unless the tent will grow toxic plants, I've already decided to get it. I got $500 for my birthday and this looks like the best way to spend it. It's all the other things on the order that I'm trying to decided on. Bud sprays and nutes fro soil for growing inside are overwhelming! Every product claims to be the best.... apples and oranges. I've spent more than the cost of the tent buying products that don't work or a re just a huge rip off. I can't find any information on a few items!

I have a soil PH tester already. It always sits a 6.5 to 6.8. The darn things seems rather useless!? Even the plants in the ground are actually in a grow bag, so not in the local clay. It's the water I need to test.

Why doesn't the soil meter also work for water? I stuck the one I have in a lemon and the reading didn't change. ??! I bought a second soil tester. It's PH doesn't change much either and it always says I don't have enough fertilizer, despite me feeding and feeding to make the meter happy. The leaves were curling like too many ferts.... What a disaster!! This is why I chose PH strips. No room for error in this low tech choice. Why are the strips a waste? I don't know what else to get... Does aquarium PH adjuster work OK to adjust water for the plants? Are there all in one meters you guys recommend? My light/ water meter is broken, so a few all in one options might be a better choice. Buying products that don't work is just driving me crazy!

All these options and choices are frustrating. No wonder so many people give up! Indoor growing is certainly not sounding as easy as outdoor... HydroP looks like human error can kill everything over night. I'm hoping to learn the dos and don'ts of indoor growing before I consider Hydro. It seems very easy to kill indoor gardens. My black thumb could do a lot of damage. LOL :-D

Are the fogger and aerosol insect sprays good for inside? I can't find much on them and only want one product. How long have you fellas been growing? What were your first set ups? What lights do you use? How big of space? I luv pics, if you have any to show off. :-)

TY for the tips!! I hold on to things like this, keep a list of ideas and products to try.
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

Yes, I was referring to the fumes=gases=gassing.
Just click on the link in my response. It takes you to my journal, my preferred method is not for the faint of heart. But if you are keen to learn and willing to blow a few grows, within 2-3 grows you should be rockin with it.

Also, though I haven't checked any out, go to the top of any 420 page and click on Grow Room tab. First drop down is How To Grow MJ

First determine how much you need and how long you will be in one place. Keep, in mind you need a good 4 months from seeds, maybe 2.5 months from clones.

I am using a UFO 90, plus CFLs. I have gotten very good yields. Although the buds were a bit airy, everyone loves the taste and the head. Consider a 180-200 x 3 watt LED if you want/need 4+ ozs. Check out our sponsors, read a few of the LED journals and decide which is best for you.

HTH
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

As for a soil ph meter I was actually meaning one of the good digital soil testers there are models available that will tell you the ph and ec of your soil but if you just need to find a decent ph meter for water check the ebay stores for affordable instruments I picked up a milwaukee 600 for $20 and you can get those hanna pc/ec/tds/temp meters with automatic calibration for $125 , as far as for testing your soil ph though just use a good ph meter and test your runoff as long as the runoff comes out near 6 your fine personally I have found that when my runoff is sitting at around 6 its perfect for veg and just need to bring it up a little bit during flower to increase phosphorous intake and lower the nitrogen uptake ,
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

Huh, I never thought about testing the run off... that makes sense! Would the run off be more accurate as to what is in the soil, and it's PH? If you pour in alkaline water and it comes out the bottom acidic, does this provide valuable info about the soil?

My PH meter has a dial... I'll look up the one you got so I can get an idea of what a good one looks like. :-D

Here's an off question.... when you water do you pour enough to saturate the soil or just a little? I've been giving a little each time, same with nutes. But when I check, the meter says not enough nutes. I notice my roots are more to the top also... is this my problem, not enough H2O or ferts at a time?
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

Okay that isnt really that bad a question a lot of people take the cannabis doesnt like wet feet statement to mean never water to run off and then they read info that says to water to 30% runoff slowly though and then test the first 10-15 seconds of runoff to determine ph and tds the remaining runoff that comes out of the plant will be much higher in salts . What I do myself is ph my water to where I want my soil and water a 3 gal pot with only 1/2 gal of water so there is no run off and it takes about 3-4 days to dry out and every 2 weeks I water till I get 30% runoff to test where my soil ph is at and to leach salts ,and if there is any problems then I with ro water till runoff to get a test on the problem to see if it is ph related first .

But I also only add about 10% extra perlite to my soil so if you go with 2parts soil 1part perlite your drainage will be much better then my own, but I just have found that by using straight promix and being very carefull the ph of my soil is never a problem.
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

PF, I read my book cover to cover. It doesn't say anything about watering, in how much water at a time! I read the "How to grow MJ" part and pasted all of the things I need to loo into in a word doc. Mostly, I print things out so I can read them more comfortably. There's all sorts of things about watering plants and giving nutes. Checking the run off is a completely new idea to me! It made me wonder if I was supposed to be giving them enough water each time so that there is a run off to look at. I had thought roots needed air and that saturating the soil would take that are away... by my roots at the top made me wonder if this is wrong, so I asked about it.

I flush the plants every time I'm not sure what is wrong, then redo the nutes. The book (cervantes) covers flushing until the run off is clear and covers various meters to test, PH, Ferts, Water, light... nothing on testing run off. The book seems to go toward larger grows and hydroP. I'm not good on the computer, so I rely on piles of Garden books and my Cervantes book for most of my info. This is the first forum I've ever joined. I wish there was a way I could organize and save individual posts in here. My word file of useful stuff is getting out of hand!

I hate computers and am looking for a new book... or two. I need one that focuses on small grows and small set ups. The Cervantes book did seem helpful for my outdoor grow. Do you or anyone else know of a book like this? Basic set up with soil.

I don't need 4 ounces from a plant, maybe 4 ounces 3 times a year. I was told a 1/2oz a plant is what to expect?! It's impossible to say how long I will live here and where I go next. I plan to move locally by spring and figured the plants can get moved in a trash bag.

Also, links to things help. You say to click on a link in your post, but I don't see one. My searching here and on google is not working for me. I'm wishing I had never bought a computer! I'm looking at various meters right now, plus LEDs, a vacuum sealer and gadgets that one needs to seal a canning jar. My tabs open of things to read might be what's slowing the frickin computer down. :-( I can't believe all of the things one needs to grow MJ!!

It's better to not reply than reply with rude comments.
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

I think whoever told you 1/2oz per plant is thinking you will buy rooted clones bring them home put em in 3 gal pots veg a week and then flip the light cause if you grow from seed and flip the light 30 days after they come outa the ground you could expect 1 1/2-3oz per plant depending on strain.
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

Cat, is this what you have?
Milwaukee pH56 High Accuracy Pocket sized pH/Temperature Meter, Milwaukee PH56 - at the Test Equipment Depot

I'm curious, why are there temp readers on meter too? Also, can aquarium supplies be used in growing? Like anti algae drops, liquids to alter PH, those little gadgets where you put in peroxide and place the thing in water. It then gives off O2.

I'm hoping to find an all in one meter somewhere. My various meters only reach onto the soil 6-8". Since this is no where near the roots, I have to wonder if the readings are even useful?! Some of these nicer meter look like you can shove the want in there a lot deeper if needed...? So much to read and avoid more bad buys!

I bough one of these this summer: EasyBloom Plant Sensor: plant care, how to grow anything, gift for gardener, gardening tool
It has fert, water, temp, and light info if you leave it out there at least 24 hours. Not so good for instant readings and no PH info.
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

Mine is this one
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The temp meter is cause ph is affected by water temp and some ph meters have auto temp correction and others dont.

There are a few soil testers that are very accurate but expect to pay around $100+ most will only have 24cm probes however ,the longest I have seen is a 29cm probe.

As for aquarium supplies I would think if they dont harm your fish they wont harm you or your plants but I personally would by hydroponic ph up and down ,as far as peroxide goes its used all the time in cannabis farming to treat root rot and as far as the anti algae pills you would only really have to worry about algae in a hydro system where you allow the water to be exposed to light constantly.
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

Does that plant sensor tell you what plants will grow well in your current enviroment. Cause from what I read I think it reads the ph but just doesnt tell you what it is as from what it said it reads the conditions of your soil light water etc and tells you waht plants you can grow if thats true it has to take into account ph as you cant grow strawberries very well in soil with neutral ph they require acidity so take a look and if it says you can grow tomatoes in your pots with no changes required then you are about spot on for cannabis as well.
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

Hi Cat,
The meter you have... My computer won't let me download the manual from the manufacturer's website . :-( I've never seen such a gadget at all of these hydro sites... this seems a great deal for $20!! I like that this doesn't need calibration solution too. How does it handle the nutes and dirt in your water run off? Is it easy to keep clean after that? When you say temp effects PH, do you mean extreme temps, or does it only effect it a tiny bit? The meter says it is good from 32 up into the hundreds, as do the other Milwaukee meters, temp meters or not. The next model up that says temp and PH also has the same specs for temp. I need to find info on that. I wish I could see what the electrode storage solution is for too... I'll add this to my want list! :-D

Algae... I have it growing in my vegging room. It's on the surface of my growing cubes and all over the water trays. Slimy green and brown stuff. I'm worried it is one of the reasons my seedlings didn't sprout roots. I found some aquarium water conditioner in a moving box and wondered if it would help... or any algae free supplies. I scrub everything each time I'm finished, but it grows back.

The EasyBloom inventors live pretty close to me. The #1 complaint is their product is that it doesn't measure or show PH. They are working on a solution to this and also adding more plant care and bug guides to their website.

If I set the sensor to "recommend" and stick it in the ground in an area I want to grow in, I can put in info like the PH, type of soil (clay for me), and the time of year I want plants to bloom along with many other drop down lists.

The Monitor setting is what I use the most. There is only a choice of what kind of plant you are monitoring. (tomato) It's been great outside! I have it in my hibiscus plant (half dead) now for 2 weeks... that's a bad sign. When it needs water, the light flashes orange with an alarm. Same thing when set in water mode, instant feedback.

I think the gadget is great for gardeners! It seems to use the Sundown gardening website for local conditions based on zip code. The sensor keeps a record of your light and watering, which I found extremely helpful! I bought it mostly for fertilizer info, but am seeing how more experienced gardeners would value the light and water info. It stores all of this on there for as long as you leave the meter out! You can stick it in your computer and look at graphs for how many hours of direct light, how intense, moisture levels ion the soil, etc. If I know another person that garden's, I'd buy one for a gift. LOL I can't wait to try it inside! There is a choice to set it for in and out. Inside I don't think includes the light info.

The customer support is also awesome and the website stores all of you plant data for you. :-))

I just bought some more books at Borders... this time checking for the date it was published. LOL I'm going to look for your meter and temp info.

TY for the help, this looks like a great item well worth its price. :-)
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

I would suggest taking a look in our Grow Journals, then look for "Journals In Progress", or "Completed Journals" and browse them until you find one that fits the style of growing, then follow what that person does.

There are far to many possibilities to say what's right for you, but let me suggest just a few things off the top of my head:

Don't worry about bugs too much - Hot Shot No Pest Strips are all you will need for bugs.

Hempy buckets are simple and great if you are worried about over watering - you will need that cheap milwalkee PH meter.

Don't get caught up in the expensive nute hype - your success depends much more on light, genetics, and medium.

Try a continuous release food like Osmocote Plus.

Dirt is tried and true though, and will not depend so much on your PH. And yes, measuring run off does tell you what the acidity of the soil is... but you only need to do it when you have a problem.

Tents are great for a quick, simple set up.

Algae can be a problem - you need to keep light away from the grow media by covering it somehow. However, small amounts on rockwool usually are not a problem - more often, high PH caused by un soaked rockwool kills seedlings.

Do you already have a light?
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

Hi Ob, TY for the info! I've been browsing through forums and getting distracted too much with info that I don't need yet.Just a few small differences in someone's situation can make such a huge difference in solutions to problems. My searches aren't getting what I'm looking for... . Heading to the journal area and just finding something similar is a good idea! I'm hung up on when to harvest and need to find info on this in my own situation. Someone told me to harvest a few weeks ago, but my buds and trichs aren't amber and the buds aren't dense... the 2 things to look for for harvest. My new book (bought last night) says heat causes airy buds. I had lots of heat! The trichs, they are stumping me. I hope I did not miss the peak harvest! I'm sure I killed off the pistils over 6 weeks ago, so there is nothing left to turn a lovely shade of orange. Does the strain I grow matter?

Dirt seems more fool proof...One screw up with hydro can kill everything! Those Dr. Earth nutes I bought need to be made into a tea and look like a pain in the @ss. However, they were $10 each for huge bags. The nutes online are just overwhelming to read up on. I'm glad to hear about the at little PH tester, something inexpensive and accurate is welcome!

I'll have to look up Hemp Buckets!? The pest strips... are they the little yellow sticky traps? I haven't found these or tanglefoot since the season is done in the local stores. Finding a weed/ bug free soil is also a challenge.

The algae.. all of my grow trays and cube holders are white, now green. Sould I cut up some black plastic and tape it around the little green cubes to cover them and the trays?

I don't have lights yet. My new book speaks of LEDs and CFLs, more up to date than my Cervantes. I only have the 150W HPS, 2 T-5s, and 10CFLs equaling 250W in 2700 and 6500 spectrum. I have the CFLs and the 150 set up for two indoor flowering plants. The tent will come soon and has twice the space!

The info and choices for grow lights is overwhelming, as are the prices! LEDs are the most expensive, but have the least probs for heat. HPS, 400W sounds good enough for the 3.5x3.5 area, 600W is better... I'm now sure how much hatter the 600 is. Mixing all of these sounds best, but the CFLs and LEDs must be close and the LEDs would block the lights from an HPS. I'm nowhere close to finding the best LED product options. 2oo Wat LED could be enough, 2 100's better, but more costly. Phew!!!!!!! Any suggestions?
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

Before anyone can be of much help here, it would be helpful to know how many ounces you want/need every 5 months. If it's less than 5 ounces you should have no problem doing that with 4 plants and the lights you have now.

LEDs are kool and sexy but not there yet, unless you don't mind throwing them away every 4-5 years. I have had 2 power supplies blow on newish LEDs. It's a pain (and maybe a lost grow) to have to return and wait for repair/replacement.

Today I bought a quantum Bad Boy T 5- 8 bulb (2 X 4 foot print) for $235. Bulbs are $5 each. I bought 8 x 6500 for veg and 8 x 2900 for bloom. They also have 4-6 bulb Bad Boys. You should have no problem growing 4 nice plants under the 4 bulb, but for a small difference in price you can double the lumens, assuring phat nuggz. No need for additional ventilation, just a fan blowing over the tops of your plants will also cool the bulb, but at 4 inches from the bulb, temp is < 80 degrees

I would use a soilless mix (OB can give you a good recipe) in a minimum of 3 gallon planters (5 is better), use simple nutes like Dutch Master ONE- one bottle for grow, one bottle for flower. Like OB said, don't obsess over nutes, there's plenty of time for that down the road.

HTH
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

hi PF,

Hope this new book of me gives you enough info to help me! :-P
Bare minimum, not using MJ for pain relief, 6 ounces a year. Break through pain so far, I think about 12 oz a year. To replace these heavy duty narcs in use over a decade, I'll need to make honey oil. I could get a little to try at 20oz a year, and max at 100oz a year including shake, if this is what it takes to replace the narcotics without tolerance buildup.

I'd be happy with a start of 5 ounces every two months... I do have a ton of seeds, so males will pop up too. I'm hoping a month or two with my current lights in the new tent (3'11"x3'11", 3x3 space) I thought I had the best choice picked at as 400W, which I'm hoping throws out less heat than a 600! Now the LEDs are confusing new choices. At the prices, I sure wouldn't want to toss them out every few years!! Are even the newest types so unreliable?? If you have returned to florescents, that says a lot! Do you also have a heat problem? Why are you not using HPS or even CFLs? Is your room about a 2x4' or a bit more? I guess mine is tech a 3.5x3.5. The tent, it says to use a 400 or 600W HPS. Only the smaller size tent, a 2x4 says 8 T'5s or 400W. The four footers won't fit in the one I'm getting. I debated on the smaller tent for this reason, the larger was $6 more. :-( Too late!

I have 2 curved 4' t-5s into a 2' long reflector. My seedlings like this more than the CFs. I can't imagine enough to flower with! I hope this works for you better than broken LEDs, What a waste. :-(

As for nutes, I just bought a local variety of organics. It's looks a bit of a pain to use... but much much less expensive than the online stuff. Plus I can just take the stuff back if it fails. :-) One for veg growth and one Bud and Bloom booster. It this fails, I'll check out what you fellas like! I still have MG tomato food and another fancy hydro nute that seems useless and is gladly about gone. I also have Root Juice and Super Thrive from a hydro place that made some $$$ of me. WHat are these best used for? I already wasted a bundle at my first nute purchase. LOL Dutch Master does sound pretty good!

After searching all over for guaranteed weed and pest free soil, I'd gladly try another method similar to soil and not as complex as hydro. The soil is more fool proof. They won't die if I go on vacation for a few days. Do you have a rec for this?

Do you put your seeds right into big pots or work your way up? I have some plastic and cloth pots in a few sizes. I still need to look up better options for material. Neither of these was wonderful.

Thanks for all of that info! I love my books, but hearing what works for other people that aren't pros at this is much more real and informative. I'll be out a few days. Cya later!
L
 
Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

Look for my answers/comments within yours

First you must know your seeds genetics- what will be its height and width at maturity? Then design your grow space round it. How much space does your light choice require?
See my article 'So you Want to grow mj, huh?' Your planters should be at least 2 ft deep (most aren't). Tent plants need to be Indica or Indica dominant strains. Indica (short) Sativa (tall). Unless your seeds come from known sources, your seeds are likely to be Sat or Sat dominant that were grown outdoors in mother earth, where they can easily reach 6 ft. Trust me, my last journal I used 10 year old bag seed. Plant tops were growing past my lights and stems were too thick to LST


Lusi said:
hi PF,

Hope this new book of me gives you enough info to help me! :-P Which book?
Bare minimum, not using MJ for pain relief, 6 ounces a year. Break through pain so far, I think about 12 oz a year. Piece of cake with 4 female plants and basic (do no harm skills) To replace these heavy duty narcs in use over a decade, I'll need to make honey oil. Google Dr Hulda Clark Liver Cleanse. essential to clean out pharm toxins built up in your liver. I have done 14 cleanses so far. I could get a little to try at 20oz a year, and max at 100oz a year including shake, if this is what it takes to replace the narcotics without tolerance buildup.

I'd be happy with a start of 5 ounces every two months... Hard to do in one 4 X 4 tent. You can use your curved T 5 for vegging new seedlings in a separate space, while bringing other seedlings along in the tent. I do have a ton of seeds, so males will pop up too. This is why you start with 30-40% more seedlings, so you can cull the worthless males;-) Also search for my UN to find a thread I started on maxing females without buying fem seeds. I'm hoping a month or two with my current lights in the new tent (3'11"x3'11", 3x3 space) I thought I had the best choice picked at as 400W, which I'm hoping throws out less heat than a 600! Now the LEDs are confusing new choices. (See OB 1s vertical grow with CMH-less heat) At the prices, I sure wouldn't want to toss them out every few years!! Are even the newest types so unreliable?? Don't care to find out, but the ultimate problem remains- hard to repair power supplies or replace bulbs. If you have returned to florescents, that says a lot!

Quantum has re-engineered the T 5, using better ballasts to stabilize HO bulbs (54w) X 8 bulbs = ~400 watts: it takes up very little height and throws very little heat. I can replace bulbs quickly, and blend 6500 and 2900s to simulate seasonal changes.

Do you also have a heat problem? Why are you not using HPS or even CFLs? Heat is a problem here from June- October, but the 90%+ Relative Humidity is the bigger problem.. CFLs are cheap, but do not provide the best spectrums. HPS costs $$$$, between electronic ballast, hood (if growing horizontally) and need to vent all that heat, it is too much work and expense where I live.

Is your room about a 2x4' or a bit more? I can configure my space any way I want. I guess mine is tech a 3.5x3.5. The tent, it says to use a 400 or 600W HPS. Only the smaller size tent, a 2x4 says 8 T'5s or 400W. <This one is your best bet IMHO. The four footers won't fit in the one I'm getting. I debated on the smaller tent for this reason, the larger was $6 more. :-( Too late! This is why it's so important to study all aspects BEFORE jumping in. If you haven't opened the tent box you should be able to exchange it. Think about how hard it is to get to the 2 plants in the back of a 4 X 4.[/COLOR][/I]

I have 2 curved 4' t-5s into a 2' long reflector. My seedlings like this more than the CFs. I can't imagine enough to flower with! I hope this works for you better than broken LEDs, What a waste. :-( The company I bought my UFO 90 from exchanged them, but plants are very sensitive to light type changes, especially going from say 90 watts of LED to say a 400 hps ...doing so can/will shock your plants, if not kill them. You would need to put the hps up high and slowly drop it over 1-2 weeks.

As for nutes, I just bought a local variety of organics. It's looks a bit of a pain to use... but much much less expensive than the online stuff. Plus I can just take the stuff back if it fails. :-) One for veg growth and one Bud and Bloom booster. Most 'bloom boosters' provide too much K. How much is too much? Depends on plant size and container size.It this fails, I'll check out what you fellas like! I still have MG tomato food and another fancy hydro nute that seems useless and is gladly about gone. I also have Root Juice and Super Thrive from a hydro place that made some $$$ of me. WHat are these best used for? Google them. I already wasted a bundle at my first nute purchase. Haven't we all? lol LOL Dutch Master does sound pretty good! Most importantly, it is formulated for mj.

After searching all over for guaranteed weed and pest free soil, I'd gladly try another method similar to soil and not as complex as hydro. The soil is more fool proof. They won't die if I go on vacation for a few days. Do you have a rec for this? Search the soil forums here. Personally, I hate soil. Although it can be forgiving, but when you have problems soil is hard to adjust fast enough. You will minimize problems by using large enough pots for roots to grow without crowding. Most growers do not understand this important aspect. If I knew my plant genetics was 2 ft tall, I would use a minimum of a 5G pot- and a 10G even better, but that doesn't leave much breathing room in a 4 X 4 tent for 4 plants. However, the yield will be higher, as more nutrient can be delivered to more roots.

Do you put your seeds right into big pots or work your way up? I use starter cubes. I have some plastic and cloth pots in a few sizes. I still need to look up better options for material. Neither of these was wonderful.

Thanks for all of that info! I love my books, but hearing what works for other people that aren't pros at this is much more real and informative. There are a handful of people here who know what they are doing. I would call them professionals I'll be out a few days. Cya later!
L
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Re: Newbie help! Ready to buy these things, but better ask first to avoid wating more

As far as nutes go one of the most effective nutes to use from seedling to finish is just GH maxibloom there are a lot of growers prodcuing sticky dank buds with Maxibloom and possibly a bloom booster during flower but that isnt needed , I personally am using maxibloom at a dose of 1 tsp/gal feeding every other watering and For my first grow I have plants that look like this
Flower_Day_26_37_.JPG
and in this pic the plant has about another 30-40days left,
 
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