Small personal grow questions

[Garrett]

I've been reading a lot of grow room posts and trying to determine something feasible for a first time grower, me. If I start with two bubble totes, two plants each, and I have one tote in Veg and one tote in flower ... would a 50 watt LED for veg and a 250 watt HPS for flower, small fans for circulation, in separate sides of a simple divided enclosure ... work for a first timer as long as I pick strong strains that are first timer friendly?

[Kingdiamond]

Get a 400 watt hps for flower and a couple t8 or t 12 fluorescent fixtures for veg to start then  upgrade later .

[Restorium2]

CFL's for veg. They make some nice big ones. 600 HPS for flower. Magnetic ballast. Five gallon bucket soil grow. One plant a bucket. Very simple and effective. 

[Garrett]

I'm leaning toward grow tents due to space issues. TopoLite has a 32 x 32 x 63 for about $50. I'll get two and run one flower and one veg when everything is set up. I'll need to work out the timing so I can have medicine available.

It would seem that running four single-totes allows me to spread the growth cycle better ... does that sound like a good plan?

Woot ! My vaporizer arrived via fedex !!

[Garrett]

darn, I just read the "look in Longhairs Lab" thread ... seems like, once built, it would be fairly easy to keep going ...  too many options for a newbie

 

 

[Kingdiamond]

Newbies should start off in dirt its way more forgivable than bubble buckets and totes.

[Restorium2]

These newbie comments take me back.....

All I can say is I hope that vape is a Volcano and always have a dirt grow. Experiment when you get good, but always have a dirt grow. 

[Garrett]

Close Resto, its a Plenty Vape from S&B ... I don't like the idea of using plastic bags to inhale, seems a lot like huffing spray paint fumes ... I guess I'll try a soil grow and a bubble ... see how things turn out. I'll get those 600 HPS lights you suggested and hang one inside each tent. You're not big on digital ballast, should I still go with magnetic?

[Restorium2]

I was big on digital ballasts until they failed, taking at least one bulb with them each time. Doing their crazy 'on and off' game that the plants hate. I tried at least 6 name brands and they all failed miserably eventually.  I think they are ridiculous compared to a magnetic ballast. 

The reason a bag vape is better, in my opinion, is that you breath in at your own rate. 

[Restorium2]

12 hours ago, Garrett said:

Close Resto, its a Plenty Vape from S&B ... I don't like the idea of using plastic bags to inhale, seems a lot like huffing spray paint fumes ... I guess I'll try a soil grow and a bubble ... see how things turn out. I'll get those 600 HPS lights you suggested and hang one inside each tent. You're not big on digital ballast, should I still go with magnetic?

That's because of (at no fault of our own) the seed of stigma planted in your brain long ago that marijuana is a bad thing like paint fumes. 

If you were at a doctor's office, or at a clinic/hospital, getting a breathing treatment, would you feel like a low life huffing paint fumes?

When I went to my first cannabis specialist, Dr. Eisenbud, I luckily got to meet and talk with Paul Stanford, one of the foremost caregivers to have entered the scene back in '08. He had this huge turkey bag for his Volcano. That was a priceless experience in learning what works the best. He ran an awesome cannabis clinic. New patients need to get de programmed and re programmed. He helped send me in the right direction. Fine tuned what I already knew and showed me some things about cannabis I only suspected. 

 

[Garrett]

I agree with you ... I cringe every time I read terms like pot, joint, and weed in articles about medical marijuana ... it's that stigma you talked about.   

[Garrett]

Back on point here ... seems I should start in dirt and keep things simple in the beginning, I'll stagger the planting between the two tents to spread out the harvest times.

Based on my specific needs it seems that Harlequin would be a good starting point ... anyone have grow experience with that strain? 

[Garrett]

After far too much research, massive notes, and just before I start to build excel spreadsheets ... I've chosen my starter strains 

Pineapple Express for day time

Northern Lights for night time 

I'll spare you my research as it would frighten any sane individual ...

Any thoughts are appreciated ...

[Dlo]

Are those strains from known cuts that you have tried or are you popping seeds? Only reason I ask is I haven't seen a northern lights plant that was worth a darn in really ever.  When I first started growing I was all about trying to get a good northern lights plant and struck out every time.  Not saying that there aren't nice ones to be found but if you're popping seeds IMO I wouldn't waste my time. I did have a nice pineapple express plant years ago that was really nice tho. Good luck ☺

[mishigami bear]

The 50 W LED for veg seems much too small. My recommendation is to get a 400 W HPS and use it for both veg and flower. That is the minimum  size that will give you satisfying results.

A 250 W HPS will result in wispy buds. 

[Garrett]

My latest plan ...

Two 4 x 2 x 5 grow tents (due to available growing area)

400 MH for veg and 400 HID for flower with blower, air cooled hood and carbon filter ... hangers for adjusting height

3 6-gallon pots in each tent (two with my daytime strain and one with nighttime)

KISS soil medium

Gentle LST training   

Opinions are always welcomed ... 

[blackhorse]

Is 5' tall going to give enough height? My thought is 3 pots is too many for this size tent.

But then, are you vegging for short time and then into flower?

[Garrett]

I'm looking for a taller tent, hopefully 6 foot ... I was guessing that 4 feet width would allow me to space 3 pots ... I was planning on an 8 week veg and 8 week flower ... I'm trying to create a continual grow with that 8 week between harvest figuring that my consumption would remain within those times ... I'll be using a weird hallway in my home, it doesn't really serve any purpose and I can secure both ends with locking doors .. it's still just planning so I can make any changes the community recommends ...  

[mishigami bear]

For 400 W of light, you will want a tent that is at least 6' tall, and 3' x 3' in floor area. Air cooled reflectors are a good thing, as it allows you to place the lights closer to the plants without giving them heat stress.

I know that many grow books/forums recommend MH for veg and HPS for flower. I don't think it is totally necessary. You can get away with just using HPS for both, saving a good chunk of money.

I really like Pineapple Express!

[Restorium2]

Make your own tent out of panda plastic and make it go all the way to the ceiling. 

[blackhorse]

Veg for 8 weeks and average plant is 2' tall and then plant will double in height while in flower, now you got 4' height. (plus height of pot)

Resto presented a good idea, if you can make it work.

[AmishRnot4ganja]

If you have a tent with a six foot ceiling and a 400 watt light you won't be able to let plants get over 4 feet tall because you have to allow suitable clearance from the light to the top of the plant. You can let them get to within 6 inches or so if you have air cooled hoods, but that six inch clearance has to be on the outside edge of the hood.

It might take you a while to experiment with a strain to find optimal vegging times that will produce a plant that won't outgrow your available space. If you are going to be growing from seed, you may have to pop a lot of seeds to find a plant that works for you. I have found that most strains produce multiple variations from the same batch of seeds. Some stretch a lot during transition while others stretch just a little. To deal with the stretch, you can pull the tops down and tie them off. Look for strains that are bushy and don't stretch much.

Edited August 4, 2017 by AmishRnot4ganja

[Garrett]

Everyone, thanks for the great input ...

I've found 6ft tall tents ... wish I had more room but it's just an unused hallway ... I think dropping to 250 HID would be losing too much potential growth even if it better fits the tent size ... still not sure 

[AmishRnot4ganja]

4 hours ago, Garrett said:

Everyone, thanks for the great input ...

I've found 6ft tall tents ... wish I had more room but it's just an unused hallway ... I think dropping to 250 HID would be losing too much potential growth even if it better fits the tent size ... still not sure 

400 watt is the smallest you want to go in order to get decent buds. I have flowered under 400 watt CHM (ceramic metal halide) bulbs and I was satisfied with the results. I think I used 400 watt HPS bulbs too one time and they also worked OK. I read somewhere that the most popular bulb in Europe is the 400 watt variety while here in the U.S. 1000 watters are the most popular. I think electricity is more expensive in Europe?

[Garrett]

Everything that I've read points to similar conclusions ... 400 watt is not as good a 600 watt but tent size restricts me to the smaller ... they say I'd run into heat issues in this small of a tent if I went with 600 watt ...

The best answer is to stop talking and try the grow, see what happens and adjust from there ... I get that ... investment makes me ask for opinions, that's all