Rick needs some help setting up his grow room, would you guys help him out:
I am looking to set up a small grow area in my basement approx. 4-6 plants. I plan on using a combination of LED and CFL lighting. My thought is to set up my grow table below a window that can be opened for outside air,plus using fans for air circulation. My questions are can I use one size pot through the whole grow process?. Second behind my grow table against the wall do I need some reflective material or white background?. Third the issue of CO2, without using a CO2 tank or CO2 generator would the combination of open window and fans be sufficient?. In my basement their are several appliances that use natural gas for heating i.e. Dryer, hot water tank, furnace. I read these give of CO2 when operating, would this also help with CO2 levels. Fourth Do I use CFL in the seedling stage at first or with a combo of the LED lighting?. Or both through the whole grow stage of course timed ?. Sorry for all the questions I want start this up soon. Thanks for your support.
Seems I read an ilgm article about co2. I wouldn’t worry about it myself unless you have some huge industrial grow going on with a no limit budget on lights. I think co2 is useful when the amount of light a plant can consume is maxed out. I could be wrong though, it has happened once before.
Thanks for your input. I think mI am over thinking the whole grow process. I think if I have a fan going over my grow area and use LED lighting I will be fine. I am curious how close does LED lighting needs to be away from the seedling and light time on and off?.
What size / brand led ya got? I put an auto ak sprout under a viparspectra 600 set to veg about hmmm 17? inches away and it grew up nice. It’s a little overwhelming hearing cats talking about ph and ppm and phosphorous levels and npk. Good soil. Good lighting. A fan. Keep within temp range and you good to go. You’ll pick up the other knowledge as you go and next grow will be like tadow dam how you do that
Jheezy,
I have not purchased any supplies yet, just trying to figure out how to set it all up. I am kinda leaning toward a Galaxy Hydro 300 watt. I have a book on LED lighting and they say as long as your plants are surrounded by a white reflective surface instead of Mylar that will work better. I am still in the planning stages. What indoor strains would recommend?. I would like to try my hand at Jack Herer. I’m trying to get my partner who suffers from depression a strain that is more euphoric and uplifting instead a body stone. Any recommendationsn would be appreciated.
regards, Rick
Jack herer lol did you see that pic of monster auto Jack herer too? I did auto northern lights and currently auto ak47. I hear Galaxy hydro 300 a lot With led you want to take into account the actual watts too. Full spectrum. I haven’t thought about 2700k and 6500k in a while and don’t mind the lumens at all. My viparspectra 600 was 189$ and has 272 actual watts I’m pleased with it. Has a veg and bloom setting on it. Not hot at all and works good. I tried getting a cheap led panel and use grocery store cfls and ended up spending $80? On those and plant suffered I like LEDs because of the low heat generated always worry about fires etc
Strain? I’d go autoflower for first run Less light restrictions. Just run light 18 or 20 hours a day. I know white widow is on sale buy five get five free can’t beat that with a stick. That may be for couch sitting though. I’ve never tried it my northern lights was 80%indica 20% sativa. Indica is the heavyish and sativa the peppy one. I guess. Until now I just got what I could get
Ak47 is more sativa so maybe more uplifting. So you’d be looking for a more sativa strain. I remember indica as the more sedative one like this. Indica=inDaCouch. Like gravity will pull you into the couch.
Jheezy,
So if I went with the Viparspectra 600 full spectrum, could I use it through all stages seed,veg.,and flower to harvest?. What height should I set the light at for all growth stages?. Or just set at 18-24inches?. So will the AK-47 grow easily with this type of lighting?.
Autoflower means it grows on its own internal schedule it starts flowering on its own. Regular seeds or photoperiods start flowering when you change light schedule from 18hours light and 6 hours dark or 18/6 to 12/12. Photoperiods need absolute dark during dark times or it will mess up its plant brain and it’ll get confused as to whether it needs to bloom or not. Bad news.
Vipar spectra 600 is good from start to finish. Strong enough for a couple plants I was keeping it about 18" away
A lot of these soils like fox farm ocean forest is “set it and forget it” almost. It’s good enough good stuff in there to cover the need to add nutrients for quite awhile. On an auto maybe 3-4 weeks until you add any grow nutrients if you want. I use dynagro line up seems to be a personal preference ask five people get five recommendations lol
Jheezy,
I was just reading about auto-flowering,I think that’s the way I want to go. I seems they are not as light sensitive during the dark period. Once I germinate the seeds, I should plant them in the container their going to remain in through the grow?. What size container do you recommend and soil composition?. It looks like I will start with AK-47 auto strain. I think this will help my partner the most. Can I keep the lighting the same height from start to finish?. So time my lights 18on 6 off?. Sorry for so many questions.
Lights have to move a couple times during the grow. I’d count on 100-110 days from seed to harvest on an auto. Some people transplant it but for an auto on first time I’d put it in the final pot transplant shock could stunt the plants growth or add time to grow 3 gal good or five gal. I used a 3gal geopot. Can’t go wrong with ocean forest soil by fox farm Light schedule 20/4 or 18/6. Some people say 24/0 but I think things happen during the plants sleep time Good growing things lol
Keep it simple have fun don’t worry. On nutrients : with fox farm soil it’s good to go for quite awhile maybe even the whole grow for autos use 1/2 the recommended amount. For my dynagro I use 2ml of it I use a syringe like you get from Walgreens with a prescription. I like dynagro. Works good
First thing I recommend is patience. Have everything you need for your grow set up and ready before you start your seedlings. Go thru the guides and do some searches in the forums for other grows and see how we did. I went from being the destroyer of crops to a fair grower in the last year from reading and talking to folks here.
WW, ak-47, northern lights, whiteberry… each seam to be more of an upbeat active high regardless of being indica dominant… some of that of course will be influenced by exactly when it is harvested… but you can read up on that in a couple months.
I just got the hydro 300w for $90. I couldn’t pass up. I’m growing autos now and it’s different. I got ILGM northern lights auto and planted 2 and now one is sativa pheno and the other is indica. Totally kinda grow
With a Viparspectra 600 watt. Which I am considering 24 inches to cover a 4’x4’ area. I am just curious if this height is maintained from seed to harvest with auto flowering stains.
I see what you are asking is that for veg if so keep in mind that as plant grows up to light youll be raising the light to keep that spacing and my light says 18 inches for flower so you could in theory keep it that distance till flower
Read your plants if not you could see some stretching in seedlings led lights are different. I have mine 20 inches away plants can’t get enough light and I have 2 300w running. With 2 side LEDs just watch your plants they will tell you. Hands up and they want more light hands down and to much you are looking for a perfect T shape when they are happy.
