First "real" growing attempt

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Malachi

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I know it can be overwhelming when you are just starting out, tons of information to take in all at once, different mediums, different lights, different nutrients, and different strains. I don't want to come off as a "know it all", but I have been exactly where you are before. I started out with flourecents, then upgraded to some shitty incandecent grow bulbs, then I got a 250MH, then a 400W HPS, and then a 1000W HPS. Right now I am running 2-430W HPS bulbs in my tent. (I don't grow commercially, just for myself and my girlfriend.) I have been down the commercial road before and lost my love for the plants. I was over worked, over tired, and started to cut corners. I guess what I am trying to say without trying to ramble on too much on your thread, is growing is a constant learning experience. Starting off with a hydroponics system can be a recipe for disaster. I am not saying that you can't do it, but it is just not as forgiving as a soil or soil less medium. You can burn your plants real easy with hydro. It is your choice what you end up doing, but a simple 400W set-up with (4) 3-gallon grow pots will get you started in the right direction. Once you learn how the plants react to different scenarios (nutrient levels, lighting heights, humidity, pests, etc.) will go a long way. Experience is something that just simply can't be taught, you will figure things out as you go. Oh, by the way I really like the little CFL setup you have going on, very creative. You have a lot of creativity and that is 1/2 the battle when doing DIY.
 
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Covert

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I appreciate the kind words Malachi. Just kinda came to me and since ive always been a fan of electronics i decided to try my hand at my "lightbox".

Thanks for steering in the right direction as far as the hydroponics system goes. Was just browsing the internet and saw that and was just brainstorming. I guess ill save that whole setup when the time comes for me to progress in my learning experience.

Currently, I am running my computer fan 24/7 and my lights on a 12/12 schedule. Probably going to bump that u to a 16/8 schedule to make sure im giving these seedlings enough light.

Unfortunately i looked at my plants a few minutes ago and it seems as though they have a slight yellow tint with the tips of the leaves turning yellow/brownish. I suspect its from the fertilizer as when i replanted them into my solo cups, I had the great idea to give them ore of my fertilizer mixture. Probably not the best idea but from now on i will just feed them every week or so and begin to flush them out with regular water and try to "rejuvenate" my little babies.

I included 2 pictures of what i am referring to as far as the yellow/brownish tint that has come over my plants. Let me know what you think regarding this. I figure the lights aren't the problem since they are not very high powered and aren't too close to the actual leaves or anything.
 
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captainkip

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16/8 or 24/0 for light during the first 2-4 weeks of their life then can switch to 12/12 as 12/12 induces flowering so just a tip don't ever start plants on 12/12 as changing the light cycles can cause them to turn hermaphrodite
Covert said:
I appreciate the kind words Malachi. Just kinda came to me and since ive always been a fan of electronics i decided to try my hand at my "lightbox".

Thanks for steering in the right direction as far as the hydroponics system goes. Was just browsing the internet and saw that and was just brainstorming. I guess ill save that whole setup when the time comes for me to progress in my learning experience.

Currently, I am running my computer fan 24/7 and my lights on a 12/12 schedule. Probably going to bump that u to a 16/8 schedule to make sure im giving these seedlings enough light.

Unfortunately i looked at my plants a few minutes ago and it seems as though they have a slight yellow tint with the tips of the leaves turning yellow/brownish. I suspect its from the fertilizer as when i replanted them into my solo cups, I had the great idea to give them ore of my fertilizer mixture. Probably not the best idea but from now on i will just feed them every week or so and begin to flush them out with regular water and try to "rejuvenate" my little babies.

I included 2 pictures of what i am referring to as far as the yellow/brownish tint that has come over my plants. Let me know what you think regarding this. I figure the lights aren't the problem since they are not very high powered and aren't too close to the actual leaves or anything.
Click to expand...
 
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CAPO

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dude even that organic Miracle Grow soil will kill your MJ plants. gotta to go with something like peat moss or a true organic potting soil. You can buy that Earth Worm Casting liquid in Wal-Mart now. That would be a good place to start and even with that I wouldn't start feeding them till like week 2 or 3. If your feeding them tap water, let it sit out for 24- 48 hrs. to let most of the chlorine evaporate off.
 
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Malachi

Guest
Covert - Keep you seedlings on either an 18/6 or 24/0 light cycle. Don't give them ANY fertilizer for the first 2 weeks. They are very delicate in their seedling stage and can suffer nute burn very easy.
 
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Covert

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I had no idea you could do a 24/0 schedule for the lighting.... I will switch to that starting tonight as soon as it turns 10. And i will discontinue feeding right away. hope I didn't completely screw myself :/

And yea i have always leave the water sitting out for at least 2 days. I actually have been filling a regular water bottle up with tap water and i have poked hole in the top of it so that i can still have the cap on and have the chlorine evaporate at the same time.

Thanks guys!!!!!
 
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Covert

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Little update on how my pants are doing as of right this second. Doesnt look too good.....

Any ideas on how i can save these little babies???

All pictures are of different plants. So yes i have 4 pant growing right now.
 
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captainkip

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just give them plain water for a little bit of time looks like you may have damaged the roots a little during transplanting patience my friend you'll learn a lot to use yours a lot while growing
Covert said:
Little update on how my pants are doing as of right this second. Doesnt look too good.....

Any ideas on how i can save these little babies???

All pictures are of different plants. So yes i have 4 pant growing right now.
Click to expand...
 
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Covert

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Thanks fr the reassurance guys. Just dont want to lose these ya know? Will continue the plain water regime for a week or 2 before i let them even look at any nutes :)
 
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Covert

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Alright well I have an iPhone and decided to make use of my calendarand since these plants are about 2 weeks old and no real progress I would like to try and take control over what they get. First two weeks of these plants life not including germination in the paper towel have been up and down so I am just going to start over in a way.

Here's my idea

1week- flush with plain chlroine free water

2nd and 3rd week- 1cup of nute water at 1/4th strength every two days

4th week- up the strength to 50% and continue 1cup every two days


after that it's pretty much a shot in the dark. Like I said I have that Vigoro plant food that I'm using so hopefully that will do the trick for this grow until they go into flowering. Does this sound like an ok idea or am I completely clueless? :)
 
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CAPO

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If your buying distilled H2O make sure it is sodium free. Don't get ahead of yourself they are still babies, so don't give them vigaro(whatever that is). Just a little drink here and there. You could get a mist bottle and mist them a couple of times a day. Right now they are just trying to create roots bro. I know you feel tempted to help them along by feeding them, but don't. Just baby them along with a little bit of water.
Do you have access to a garden or hydroponics store?
 
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Covert

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Aight so your saying don't feed them any nutes? When should I start doing that then? Like how long should I mist them for?
 
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CAPO

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maybe mist them a couple of times a day. Just so your not tempted to drown them by over watering. You don't need to feed them for awhile, maybe 10" tall. More than likely you will transplant them into a bigger container before food. Keep us posted with your pix and we will give you an idea.

Do you have access to a good gardener store or hydro store??
 
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Covert

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As far as the garden or hydroponics store the only thing we have is lowes and home depot lol. Why do you ask?
 
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CAPO

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you need a quality soil, not miracle grow.
I would suggest using worm castings as a gentle food you can mix into a soil to get things going.
Do a google search for "hydroponic store" within like 60 miles of where you live.
Better than a heartache of finally getting things going, only to kill them later with poor soil.
 
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kushpheen

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Save up some money and visit your local hydro store, for under $75 you should be able to walk out with a good bag of soil (fox farm, roots organics) and a good fertilizer like gh floranova. Using products found at home depot or lowes results in months of wasted time and the poorest quality plants, if they even survive to the finish. Take the time and $$$ to start properly and you'll be rewarded in the end. Otherwise just save your money and buy some decent weed instead.
 
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Covert

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Well looking online for organic soil yielded The website below. Seems as though I can get a 1lb bag or worm castings for 2 bux + s&h of course. If I buy 2 or three bags of this stuff and mix it with the regular potting mix that I am currently using i should be set right? And I guess u guys don't like my vigoro that I have so what do you guys think I should use as a starter nute for when it gets to at least 10" like capo said? Not really trying to load these plants up with stuff like bud blood, hydrozyme, and so on an so forth. Just trying to get the bare minimum of what I need to actually get some type of yield from these things. In other words as organic as possible.

If I just use that worm castings mix in the link, could I get away with just using water? Or at most one other type of nute?
 
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