My First Grow Setup - Feedback & Questions

GrowzNCali · Dec 29, 2017

Hey Fam,

I'll be using this thread to share my first grow setup. I'm open to general feedback, but I also have a few specific questions that I'd like answered. I'm hoping that by sharing what I have so far you can help me figure out if I'm missing anything and what strategies and products I should deploy.

I've recently purchased the bulk of the equipment required for my first grow. Some I have on hand, some I'm still waiting to arrive. Long story short, I'm not in a position to setup/test anything now or provide environment conditions such as avg. temp/humidity. What I do have is my equipment list and the details of my plan.

Grow Plan (Simplified Edition)

Starting from clones, very trusted nursery, good genetics
Two plants, expecting to yield between 14-28oz. (total)
Hydroponics, Indoor, DWC (5 gal.), Clay Pebbles
Tent, 2'x4'
400W HPS, 400W MH
Screen Of Green ScrOG, 2 Tiers

Equipment List (Does not include harvest equipment)

Single Grow

General Hydroponics Nutrients 1qt. -- General Hydroponics Flora Grow, Bloom, Micro Combo Fertilizer set, 1 Quart, Pack of 3 (Initial supply, still working on how much is needed)
General Hydroponics pH Control Kit

Multiple Grows

TDS / EC / Temp Meter (3in1) -- TDS Meter, Professional-Grade Water Test Kit Tests Water Quality in Drinking Water, General Hydroponics, Aquariums, Ponds, Pool, Spa, Water Purifier, 100% Accurate 3 in 1 TDS, EC and Temperature Meter
Clay Pebbles (Growing Medium) -- GROW!T GMC10L Clay Pebbles 10 Liter Bag, 4mm-16mm (10L is enough for two 5 gal buckets.)
Deep Water Culture 5gal. Buckets (4 Sites) -- Deep Water Culture (DWC) Hydroponic Bubbler Bucket Kit by PowerGrow ® Systems (4) 5 Gallon - 10" Buckets (1 Year warranty)
400W HPS & MH Grow Light Starter Kit -- Deep Water Culture (DWC) iPower HPS Digital Dimmable Grow Light System Kits Cool Tube Reflector Set Add-on Wing (Covers up to 5x5)
SCroG Net Kit (2 nets) -- Scrog Net for grow tents flexible and fits many sizes 2 layer for plant training and flower support One pack is all you need
Digital Hygrometer / Thermometer -- La Crosse Technology C85845-1 Color Wireless Forecast Station
Inline Fan & Carbon Filter Combo -- VIVOSUN 6 Inch 440 CFM Inline Fan with Speed Controller and 6" Carbon Filter 8 Feet Ducting Combo
Grow Tent (4'x2') -- VIVOSUN 48"x24"x60" Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent with Observation Window and Floor Tray for Indoor Plant Growing 2'x4'
Ryobi 18V Hybrid Transfer Pump -- Up to 325 gallons per hour. (For transferring resevoir water weekly / bi-weekly.)
Branch / Stem Pruners -- Fiskars 5/8" / 1.7cm, Steel Blade
Micro-tip Pruners -- Fiskars, Titanium-coated Steel Blade
Catamount TwistTail Cable Ties -- Cable twist ties.

So the questions I have right now are:

Is there anything must have that you don't see on this list?
What do you think of my expected yield against this setup?
I'm considering purchasing a CO2 booster, should I?
EXHALE 365 - SELF ACTIVATED CO2 BAG HOMEGROWN for GROW ROOMS & TENTS + THCiTY LIGHTNING GLOVES (Can search that on Amazon)
I'm considering purchasing GH CALiMAGic as I'll be using distilled, pure water and adding this in when swapping out the reservoir, should I?
I'm considering buying Hydroguard for preventative/treatment, worth playing it safe from the get-go?

To close I'll share this before picture of the space I have cleaned out for my grow. I'll likely add more pics as I get things set up.

Desertdweler · Dec 30, 2017

Do yourself a favor. Do not buy a CO2 bag.

sixstring · Dec 30, 2017

will you be using the 400w hps and mh together for 800w total or just mh for veg and hps for flowering? i ask because of your projected weight or 14-28oz.

GrowzNCali · Dec 30, 2017

Desertdweler said:
Do yourself a favor. Do not buy a CO2 bag.

Well, I'm on the fence. Care to explain your reasoning? I'd like to fill this head of mine with not just the do's and don'ts but also the whys behind them. ;)

sixstring said:
will you be using the 400w hps and mh together for 800w total or just mh for veg and hps for flowering? i ask because of your projected weight or 14-28oz.

Well, I've only purchased a single fixture for this grow, so that limits me to 400W, trading out light type based on phase. The 14-28oz. is based on some light math provided by Jorge Cervantes for yield. After reading around a bit more I realize it is a high expectation. The good news is I don't need that type of yield to have broken even on the grow.

What yield would you expect on this setup, assuming a good harvest and very few problems along the way?

Also, say I wanted to buy another fixture and run both, has anyone seen good results running both types through both phases? I'd likely just purchase higher wattage bulbs to upgrade, but curious to know.

sixstring · Dec 30, 2017

First grow I would say 8 or 10 oz from the space would be good.anything above would be a bonus.strains can play a huge part in yields and also how much you trim the end product.

GrowzNCali · Dec 30, 2017

sixstring said:
First grow I would say 8 or 10 oz from the space would be good.anything above would be a bonus.strains can play a huge part in yields and also how much you trim the end product.

Thanks for the quick reply. Now I've read up on canopy vs # of plants, but in this space do you think I'd raise my expected yield above 8-10oz. if I were to go up from 2 plants to 4? I do have 4 sites available in my DWC system. Or would it balance out? I am planning on running a two-tiered ScrOG net system.

sixstring · Dec 30, 2017

4 plants probably yields more from what everyone around here says.i personally like single large plants but I only get .1 gpw so there's that haha.

GrowzNCali · Dec 30, 2017

Ok... Let the thinking begin... To 4 plants or not to 4 plants? /ponder

Desertdweler · Dec 30, 2017

GrowzNCali said:
Well, I'm on the fence. Care to explain your reasoning? I'd like to fill this head of mine with not just the do's and don'ts but also the whys behind them. ;)

CO2 bags are only used once. They are extremely expensive for the output you will get from the bag. Plus it's not a sterile item, if you know what I mean.

My recommendation is to spend the money for a CO2 tank with a regulator. You can then do the math to figure out how long to run it to get CO2 raised up, during your lights on phase.

Is anyone else running CO2 bags with success... Dollar for Dollar?

Well, I've only purchased a single fixture for this grow, so that limits me to 400W, trading out light type based on phase. The 14-28oz. is based on some light math provided by Jorge Cervantes for yield. After reading around a bit more I realize it is a high expectation. The good news is I don't need that type of yield to have broken even on the grow.

What yield would you expect on this setup, assuming a good harvest and very few problems along the way?

Also, say I wanted to buy another fixture and run both, has anyone seen good results running both types through both phases? I'd likely just purchase higher wattage bulbs to upgrade, but curious to know.

I don't have experience flowering under a 400 watt, but I would expect to yield around 7-10 ounces of dried bud, unless you are using gas... Then your numbers go up.

GrowzNCali · Dec 30, 2017

Desertdweler said:
CO2 bags are only used once. They are extremely expensive for the output you will get from the bag. Plus it's not a sterile item, if you know what I mean.

My recommendation is to spend the money for a CO2 tank with a regulator. You can then do the math to figure out how long to run it to get CO2 raised up, during your lights on phase.

Is anyone else running CO2 bags with success... Dollar for Dollar?

I don't have experience flowering under a 400 watt, but I would expect to yield around 7-10 ounces of dried bud, unless you are using gas... Then your numbers go up.

Thanks for the explanation. Makes sense. I also appreciate you weighing in on the yield. Good stuff.

GrowzNCali · Dec 30, 2017

GrowzNCali said:
Ok... Let the thinking begin... To 4 plants or not to 4 plants? /ponder

Ok, the decision is made. I'll go with 4 plants for my first grow. So here is my updated grow plan plus additional equipment I've added to my list.

Grow Plan (Simplified Edition)

Starting from clones, very trusted nursery, good genetics
~~Two~~ Four plants, expecting to yield ~~14-28oz.~~ 16oz. (total)
Hydroponics, Indoor, DWC (5 gal.), Clay Pebbles
Tent, 2'x4'
400W HPS, 400W MH
Screen Of Green ScrOG, 2 Tiers

Additional Equipment

Single Grow

Botanicare HYDROGUARD Bacillus Root Inoculant, 1-Quart (Rather be safe and avoid the rot!)
General Hydroponics CALiMAGic Quart (Using 100% purified, distilled water, could use the boost)

Multiple Grows

Clay Pebbles (Growing Medium) -- GROW!T GMC10L Clay Pebbles 10 40 Liter Bag, 4mm-16mm
Handling Gloves -- MedPride Powder-Free Nitrile Exam Gloves, Large, Box/100

P.S. Scratched the CO2 bag from the list @Desertdweler. Thanks again!

GrowzNCali · Jan 1, 2018

Quick update. I have about half of my equipment onsite already and the other half in transit. Lighting is here and my tent and air system will be here tomorrow. I should have some more details, pics, and questions to post soon. Stay tuned!

P.S. I'm very excited and with each new piece of equipment that arrives the more real it feels. :)

Rootbound · Jan 1, 2018

Good luck with your first go at it and dont get discouraged. There will be a lot to learn as it goes. Whats the room temp outside of that area?

GrowzNCali · Jan 1, 2018

Rootbound said:
Good luck with your first go at it and dont get discouraged. There will be a lot to learn as it goes. Whats the room temp outside of that area?

Currently, it runs about 76-80 degrees Fahrenheit just outside the area.

DGP · Jan 1, 2018

I would be concerned about water temps in your grow. Your tent will likely be a little warmer inside than outside....maybe a 10 degree F rise. If your water Temps are over 70F you could have a struggle with root issues.

In my DWC room (4x4) I run into bacteria/root issues if my water Temps get above 70F. Since I don't have a chiller I have to keep the room cooler than I would like. I have a 2x4 veg tent but I run it in the garage Fall thru Spring and I keep the reservoir outside the tent so the water is cool and I use a pump to recirculating the cool water into the tent.

I use H2o2 to keep the water pure and oxygenated in addition to air stones. The key is dissolved oxygen and water above 70 cannot hold enough oxygen to suppress the aerobic bacteria that is the enemy of your plants roots.

I am interested in hearing if any one else thinks the water Temps will be a problem. I have never had good luck with hydroguard and other preparations but had best results with H2o2.

DP

GrowzNCali · Jan 1, 2018

DGP said:
I would be concerned about water temps in your grow. Your tent will likely be a little warmer inside than outside....maybe a 10 degree F rise. If your water Temps are over 70F you could have a struggle with root issues.

In my DWC room (4x4) I run into bacteria/root issues if my water Temps get above 70F. Since I don't have a chiller I have to keep the room cooler than I would like. I have a 2x4 veg tent but I run it in the garage Fall thru Spring and I keep the reservoir outside the tent so the water is cool and I use a pump to recirculating the cool water into the tent.

I use H2o2 to keep the water pure and oxygenated in addition to air stones. The key is dissolved oxygen and water above 70 cannot hold enough oxygen to suppress the aerobic bacteria that is the enemy of your plants roots.

I am interested in hearing if any one else thinks the water Temps will be a problem. I have never had good luck with hydroguard and other preparations but had best results with H2o2.

DP

I'll be running some tests and monitoring before I put plants into the environment. So I'll be able to workout those issues upfront. Thanks for calling it out. I'll pay extra attention to it.

GrowzNCali · Jan 2, 2018

I'd read up on H2O2 as a treatment but never preventative. Found this article after your post: https://www.420magazine.com/forums/...ne-should-use-hydrogen-peroxide-everyday.html. Definitely an interesting read with some info to back it up. Curious what others think? Anyone else run H2O2? @DGP do you use the same amount as recommended in the article I linked to?

I suggest getting 33% concentrate, as the crap you get at the pharmacy is full of impurities.

How much? - 3ml/gallon in the rez at change and half that everyday.

DGP · Jan 2, 2018

GrowzNCali said:
I'd read up on H2O2 as a treatment but never preventative. Found this article after your post: https://www.420magazine.com/forums/...ne-should-use-hydrogen-peroxide-everyday.html. Definitely an interesting read with some info to back it up. Curious what others think? Anyone else run H2O2? @DGP do you use the same amount as recommended in the article I linked to?

That is the same article I used for reference when deciding to use H2o2. Just be real careful handling the 33% material. Not sure if there is a way to "pre-test" because you likely wouldn't see an issue until you have plants in the water for some time. Some more advanced growers go long periods without changing water but just adjusting the nutrition levels but I personally do weekly water changes and every 2 weeks max....

Smell the water, check root color to keep an eye on potential issues. Roots should be snow white with lots of branching unless your using fertilizer with coloring in it. General Hydro for example turns the roots amber colored and this can be deceiving causing you to think there is a problem when there isnt.....

DP

GrowzNCali · Jan 2, 2018

A pre-test in the sense that I'll run the entire system without plants and at least get a baseline. I realize it isn't a guarantee that things won't run hotter once plants are introduced. But if I have anything too hot before introducing I'll be able to adjust beforehand.

Thanks for the additional info. Very helpful. I do plan on changing out resevoir weekly/bi-weekly. Will keep the amber roots in mind as I am running GH.

GrowzNCali · Jan 2, 2018

@DGP I can't find 33% I can only find this:

Organic 35% H2o2 Hydrogen Peroxide Food Grade Certified - 2 Bottles 4 oz each - Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide Certified - We ship Daily
by The One Minute Miracle Inc.
Link:

Will that work? Where do you source yours at?

P.S. Found the emergency handling procedures for it:

SUMMARY OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

1. H2o2 contains no poisons or toxins. It is a chemical compound consisting ONLY of water (H2O) and oxygen (O).

2. If contact with skin, do not panic. H2o2 it will TEMPORARILY bleach the skin color and will sting. However, no permanent damage is done and color will return in less than one hour - and usually within minutes. No poison or toxic substance has been absorbed through the skin as h2o2 contains no toxins. The bleaching is caused by the oxygen in h2o2.

If contact with skin, wash off area generously with water or any drinkable liquid (soda pop or any beverage if water is not available.)

3. If contact with eyes, immediately flush eyes generously with water.

4. If internally swallowed, do not induce vomiting. Drink as much water as possible and contact emergency medical care immediately.

5. Spill clean up? Just wash down with water. H2o2 contains no toxins or contaminants to ground or ground water.

6. H2o2 is not flammable.

My First Grow Setup - Feedback & Questions

My First Grow Setup - Feedback & Questions

Do you think I'll hit my expected yield?

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My First Grow Setup - Feedback & Questions

My First Grow Setup - Feedback & Questions

Do you think I'll hit my expected yield?

Yes

No

GrowzNCali

Attachments

Desertdweler

sixstring

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