Florida Mike's 25/26 Indoor Rockwool Grow 9-1-25

[LoveGrowingIt]

Seeds sewn directly in 1.5" Rockwool starter cubes, Pre-soaked with 5.6 ph, RO water, at 4:20 am, Sept 1, 2025

4:20 AM on the first day of the month makes it easy to remember when the grow started. I flipped my current crop on the 1st of August--also easy to remember.

I've been using a humidity dome and RQS soil plugs. That has mostly worked well. It has its own lights and a controller for them. I have a control plug to run the heater when the lights are off. I see you have a sensor in yours. I just use an Inkbird hygrometer and thermometer in mine to monitor humidity and temperature. I ran it for a week or so without seeds in it to dial it in. I've only had one issue with it. The seedlings stretch too much toward the light. Next grow, I'm going to move the lights closer to the plants thinking that should help. Overall, I like using a dome. I've had the best germination rate ever since I've been using it.

 

[Florida_Mike]

4:20 AM on the first day of the month makes it easy to remember when the grow started. I flipped my current crop on the 1st of August--also easy to remember.

I've been using a humidity dome and RQS soil plugs. That has mostly worked well. It has its own lights and a controller for them. I have a control plug to run the heater when the lights are off. I see you have a sensor in yours. I just use an Inkbird hygrometer and thermometer in mine to monitor humidity and temperature. I ran it for a week or so without seeds in it to dial it in. I've only had one issue with it. The seedlings stretch too much toward the light. Next grow, I'm going to move the lights closer to the plants thinking that should help. Overall, I like using a dome. I've had the best germination rate ever since I've been using it.

Yeah, I just forget that the count is minus 1 day from current the day. So 1st to 2nd = day 1, 2nd to 3rd = day 2 etc. So today being the 5th = day 4 (same way centuries work).

The controller probe is in there bc my AC Infinity controller just happens to be there to power my 6" blower for my laminar flow hood.

I started with the light 12" above the dome, it's now 2" bc of stretching

I just opened all four vents to get temp and humidity down a little bit

This is only the 2nd time I've started seeds in rockwool cubes.

I must've had some beginners luck the 1st time around

 

[MileHiGhost]

Nice!! My new gadget is sitting in distilled water, instructions say in distilled water for 5 hours before calibration.

 

[Florida_Mike]

Welp, my 100% method ain't so 100 anymore.... Only thing I can think is perhaps I didn't ph the cubes correctly? Also, I think I put bottle caps between the heat mat and tray last time. I think I straight up kilt them with too much heat and humidity These will still be enough if I can keep them alive... I hate growing from seeds

 

[Justlovetogrow]

Yeah, I just forget that the count is minus 1 day from current the day. So 1st to 2nd = day 1, 2nd to 3rd = day 2 etc. So today being the 5th = day 4 (same way centuries work).

The controller probe is in there bc my AC Infinity controller just happens to be there to power my 6" blower for my laminar flow hood.

I started with the light 12" above the dome, it's now 2" bc of stretching

I just opened all four vents to get temp and humidity down a little bit

This is only the 2nd time I've started seeds in rockwool cubes.

I must've had some beginners luck the 1st time around

Seedlings don’t really like the domes like cuttings do I used to have a problem with em dampening off now no dome no problem unless u live in the desert of course

 

[Florida_Mike]

Welp, 8/20 in coco now
5 or 6 died prior to cotys opening
rest no germinate
One came out upside down and had
helmet head when I did surgery to help
it along. It's a little rough but I think it'll
survive.

Slow starters sometimes turn out to be
the best of the lot

Not so good for my track record, but
it is what it is

Def use the soak/p. towel method next
time so I can see the seed crack before
committing to rw cubes

Did I mentioned that I hate growing
from seed? Hopefully I'll get a couple
good mothers out of these eight.

I would like to start a grafted "hydra"
mother like @Mikedin with 5-6 strains
on it

edit to add: I've never grown in coco -
should be interesting (only in coco
until I get clones and sex everything;
then rockwool).

20 oz coco brick was wetted with 2.5l-boiling,
mild nutrient solution. MegaCrop 1 part -
5.6 ec @ 5.8ph; I hope it's not too hot.

 

[Justlovetogrow]

Welp, 8/20 in coco now
5 or 6 died prior to cotys opening
rest no germinate
One came out upside down and had
helmet head when I did surgery to help
it along. It's a little rough but I think it'll
survive.

Slow starters sometimes turn out to be
the best of the lot

Not so good for my track record, but
it is what it is

Def use the soak/p. towel method next
time so I can see the seed crack before
committing to rw cubes

Did I mentioned that I hate growing
from seed? Hopefully I'll get a couple
good mothers out of these eight.

I would like to start a grafted "hydra"
mother like @Mikedin with 5-6 strains
on it

Is that coco mate sorry re read it u said it at the start I’m a moron move on what made ya go the coco route mate thought u was grodan till death

 

[Florida_Mike]

Is that coco mate sorry re read it u said it at the start I’m a moron move on what made ya go the coco route mate thought u was grodan till death

Bc of Solo cup contest. I have two bags of soil mix, but I decided with coco bc it's closer to what I know.

 

[KG1]

I struggled with heat mats and germination. The general one just seemed to heat up until the thermostat turned off by which time too much heat.

The other (I forget a lot) were termed constant or low powered and would run to a set temperature continuously without thermostat.

Then the thermostat the same, one type heat up the other cycle a constant voltage to achieve a set temperature.

I'm going to say most heat mats are not good for seedlings and you might find better luck with the low powered or constant ones plus a thermostat that adjusts wattage not heats and cools.

Maybe some food for though or something you can look into if you need the temperature raising.

 

[MileHiGhost]

What issues are you having?

"My way" as you called it, is
capable of pulling 10lbs out
of a 3x9' area, 8' high ceilings.

I'm trying to match it, in a 4x8'
tent, with lights fast mounted
to the tent ceiling.

That is awesome!! my issues were bad timer setting my flower back 3 weeks, I was worried so I stayed home all day to see why they didn't start flower. Shit timer was turning on fer 2 hrs during dark cycle. I had really slow start with a few beans. I think I have everything dialed in now.

 

[Florida_Mike]

Slow starting, but I think they are starting to pick up now

 

[puertoesc25]

4:20 AM on the first day of the month makes it easy to remember when the grow started. I flipped my current crop on the 1st of August--also easy to remember.

I've been using a humidity dome and RQS soil plugs. That has mostly worked well. It has its own lights and a controller for them. I have a control plug to run the heater when the lights are off. I see you have a sensor in yours. I just use an Inkbird hygrometer and thermometer in mine to monitor humidity and temperature. I ran it for a week or so without seeds in it to dial it in. I've only had one issue with it. The seedlings stretch too much toward the light. Next grow, I'm going to move the lights closer to the plants thinking that should help. Overall, I like using a dome. I've had the best germination rate ever since I've been using it.

4:20 on the first day of the month... i'm gonna steal this idea. provided i'm up early enough

 

[Florida_Mike]

They are finally getting some legs under them.

I think I pH-burned the crap out of them at the start.

I doubt I'll be able to catch up for the contest.

You all might eat steak, but I might still get myself a hamburger out of the Christmas deal.

To be fair, I have to remind myself that this is only the second time in many years that I've grown from seeds—and my first time ever growing in coco.

Mistakes have been made.

I didn't rinse or sift my coco. I also forgot to add perlite. As long as they stay green, I'll still have a chance to save them.

Why is the title "rockwool grow," but you're in coco, some will ask?

Simple: it's because I'll be pulling clones from these to use in my rockwool grow, and one will be used for the Christmas contest.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Both pictures are at 18 days (the six circled in red in the second picture)—the babies aren't looking too good.

 

[Justlovetogrow]

They are finally getting some legs under them.

I think I pH-burned the crap out of them at the start.

I doubt I'll be able to catch up for the contest.

You all might eat steak, but I might still get myself a hamburger out of the Christmas deal.

To be fair, I have to remind myself that this is only the second time in many years that I've grown from seeds—and my first time ever growing in coco.

Mistakes have been made.

I didn't rinse or sift my coco. I also forgot to add perlite. As long as they stay green, I'll still have a chance to save them.

Why is the title "rockwool grow," but you're in coco, some will ask?

Simple: it's because I'll be pulling clones from these to use in my rockwool grow, and one will be used for the Christmas contest.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Both pictures are at 18 days (the six circled in red in the second picture)—the babies aren't looking too good.

If it’s brick coco I’d be rinsing a shitload of cal mag heavy feed not a high ec bout 1.0 but half that as cal mag cause the coco sucks all the cal n mag out of it if it hasn’t been pre buffered starving ya plants run it through em till the runoff stops being that brown colour then just leave em for 3-4 days I find whilst they small you can actually over water the coco so that’s y I go 3-4 days when they small between waterings once their established I smash the water into em every day I buy the best pre buffered Coco but it’s 50$ for 50litres but it’s good shit I use this stuff never steered me wrong yet

 

[Florida_Mike]

Gaining steam. They are now 12" below a 200w full spectrum led; 24/7.
There are going to be some fat-ass leaves on a few of these.
Still dunking daily to water and rinse out the coco; 300ppm @ 5.8ph
Controversial to run 24/7 lights I know.
I'd like to hear some evidence based thoughts on the matter

 

[MileHiGhost]

Gaining steam. They are now 12" below a 200w full spectrum led; 24/7.
There are going to be some fat-ass leaves on a few of these.
Still dunking daily to water and rinse out the coco; 300ppm @ 5.8ph
Controversial to run 24/7 lights I know.
I'd like to hear some evidence based thoughts on the matter

Is that Clai Blue Myst?

 

[KG1]

12" under most lights is too much PPFD for seedlings and very young plants looking at PPFD maps for lights.

24/7 is fine the plant needs no down time but any issues are amplified.

Coco won't suck up much calmag from your solution and most ferts should be able to compensate for the difference from the start. A good company probably already washed it with an appropriate solution, most of this harks back to the days before Coco was processed properly and had obvious issues. It has a small cation capacity some ignore the extra calmag step.

Letting the Coco dry is not good, should be adding ferts daily with small amount of runoff.

To really appreciate Coco or hydro light temps etc need to be in the right range otherwise you'll end up hating the stuff.

I see a temp meter under the lights, never put it there but away from the light as it will simply absorb light radiation and heat up past air temps which is how a leaf works and cools but unfortunately this is a air temp sensor we want to read only the air not the light. You'll notice a big change at lights on as the light heats it up, your room isn't heating and reducing humidity but your meter tricks you into believing that and the environment gets set wrong. A big consideration, put it closer the light it will change more but you didn't change the air temp or humidity. We need to seperate out light and air readings not trying measure them together, light doesn't heat air directly but will heat any surface you place under it.

Hope this helps seedlings are an absolute chore to get perfect, slightly too much if something and the leaves can't hold enough water and burn/dessicate.

 

[Florida_Mike]

Is that Clai Blue Myst?

Cali Blue feminized

 

[defective]

Goddamn I was so confused with the name change . I’ve got a Pbb okie cman going outdoors right now. Rock solid nugs…curious to see how yours turns out.

 

[Justlovetogrow]

12" under most lights is too much PPFD for seedlings and very young plants looking at PPFD maps for lights.

24/7 is fine the plant needs no down time but any issues are amplified.

Coco won't suck up much calmag from your solution and most ferts should be able to compensate for the difference from the start. A good company probably already washed it with an appropriate solution, most of this harks back to the days before Coco was processed properly and had obvious issues. It has a small cation capacity some ignore the extra calmag step.

Letting the Coco dry is not good, should be adding ferts daily with small amount of runoff.

To really appreciate Coco or hydro light temps etc need to be in the right range otherwise you'll end up hating the stuff.

I see a temp meter under the lights, never put it there but away from the light as it will simply absorb light radiation and heat up past air temps which is how a leaf works and cools but unfortunately this is a air temp sensor we want to read only the air not the light. You'll notice a big change at lights on as the light heats it up, your room isn't heating and reducing humidity but your meter tricks you into believing that and the environment gets set wrong. A big consideration, put it closer the light it will change more but you didn't change the air temp or humidity. We need to seperate out light and air readings not trying measure them together, light doesn't heat air directly but will heat any surface you place under it.

Hope this helps seedlings are an absolute chore to get perfect, slightly too much if something and the leaves can't hold enough water and burn/dessicate.

Have you heard of cation exchange coco will most definitely lock up your cal and mag if not pre buffered I do agree letting coco dry right out in between feedings is a no no but these plants are small and from my own personal experience a feed every 3 days untill the root system is established works best for me once the roots have filled the pots out I smash the water into em