This year I made my own soil... Lowes sold all of it; Perlite, Sand, Cattle Manure non-smelly variety, top soil, and grated stone.... mixed it all up in a plastic kiddie pool... 3 inches deep of grated rock in a 5 gallon plastic bucket first. Then add the mix on top of that. I always recycle my soil... last year's happy frog soil and mix went into a large camping cooler, and it will grow tomato's outside. I have gone longer than the 18/6 cycle myself... but only for a short period of time.... Alaska gets 20+ hours for a brief moment of time too... Over nuted and over watered is my take on the curling leaf batch noted earlier... I just placed my batch into Flower... they get a large Pepsi glass worth of water every 9 days at this moment. As for draining... no... that 3" of grated rock serves a purpose it wicks away that fluid from the plant and forces the root system to chase it. STOP OVER WATERING THIS PLANT!!!!! It does not need it. When the plant is drooping... hint: it needs water. That same measured large Pepsi glass... till it droops again. Water three times... feed once.
SG1, Hey bud, I love your thread! Of course, I have a few questions. I'm building a 5x5 room in my basement. I have a 3 inch pipe : radon recovery: can I get a strong enough fan to fit in 3 inch? Or, should I go bigger and vent out the window?? I plan on using a 1000 dual ballast and 4 ft. fluorescent lighting for side lighting. You help is greatly appreciated... Thanks!!! :subbed:
3" is fine for that wattage. Reduce a 4" fan to 3", but will knock your CFM's down to about half. During the summer, if temps get too high, you may have to add an alternate exhaust route. Should be fine, since basements are cool naturally.
Thanks for the reply SG1. it would be convenient as the pipe vents through the roof. Im not worried about the smell as I have my med. card. I'm hoping in the winter, to just recirculate the air to help heat the basement. Im guessing during summer I'll probably need a dehumidifier down there. I plan on getting some red wigglers. All organic. I'm wondering if I should put a tee in that pipe? Or maybe a 45 might help pull air thru better. Thanks....
If you recirculate basement air for warmth, you'll set yourself up for serious mold issues. I use these and are temp controlled. These come in real handy and allow the air to warm up before the exhaust kicks on. Find it on amazon.
The orange temp switch can also be found at Home Depot. I have a few. SG is that just a thermometer? PEACe Sent from my iPad using Grasscity Forum
I just subbed, looks like a have alot of pages to look through 0.0 thanks for all the great info I've read so far!
Thanks, that's what I figured, just wanted to confirm. I love those temp switches. PEACe Sent from my iPad using Grasscity Forum
Mornin Guy's... I got wondering, I'm building that 5x5 room in my basement. In the winter, temps stay between 50 and 55f. So, that would be the intake temp. Into my room. What I'm wondering if I should connect this to my hood, to cool the light? Or, just vent right into the room. Will the hps. 1,000 be enough to heat my 5x5 ? I'm guessing I'll need a heater, in the room during winter. Any thoughts on this??? Also, whats an excepted humidity in the room? I'm not sure of the relative humidity in the basement during summer, but I think I might need a dehumidifier in the main basement..... "I hate mold" :edit: questions answered...
50-55 are normal for night temps, not a big issue. Your light is your heat source for this space during winter/cooler months, just exhaust the space, not the light. In summer, and if temps spike, then vent your hood as needed. Humidity is fairly stable in a basement, though be it on the high side. FYI humidity and temps are tied together. Lower temps of air carry less moisture than does warm air. So cooler spaces will register lower humidity, say RH registers at 50% at 60F Increase the temps to 80F and you can expect the RH to register 80-90%. The moisture is always there, but will fluctuate depending on temps. You'll always need to tweek exhaust as needed for keeping temps and humidity in check.
MELORD I'm working on Summer tweeting right now. My humidity won't stay above 40% at 80. I was hoping the larger plants will create more humidity, but any advice for an increase?
Thanks SG..I've noticed that before. Especially in the house during winter. It can be 70 degrees and dry inside, and you feel cold. Turn on the humidifier and bang. It feels warmer. Damn! I'm so wound! I can't wait till my room is done lol. I've grown out doors quite a bit, but indoors, them plant's will be my bitches. Anyway 's Thanks for your reply...B) eace:
I wish I had that problem of low RH. Just know that pot is a very adaptable plant and has survived in both humid jungles to arid desert conditions. Part of the Keep It Simple solution is to let the plants and your grow adapt to it's environment. Accept your low humidity as a gift and the mold issues you'll rarely see. I say leave your humidity as it is, Leave water buckets in your grow space for when you water. The added water surface will add a bit of humidity. Put the meter away, makes you worry too much. People become obsessed with trying to control. Reminds me of a twelve step program. "Change the things you can, accept the things you can't. ---A good grower learns to adapt, more so than control---