*noob cfl pc grow box*

Hey wassup guys, im a noob when it comes to growing and this is my first grow...i have read many threads on grasscity's forums that have been very helpful to me, but still even with all that info im pretty sure something is going to go wrong. I am open to comments and critics, please do, it will only make me a better grower like most of u guys here on grasscity!!

So, i used a seed from a bag of weed that my boy had, until i get the seeds i ordered online. I am growing in a pc case for now, just to get the hang of things, then i will go bigger! For soil i am using miracle grow, i will be switching to fox farms soil when i have the money to buy it. Got 3 fans ventilating the case and its at perfect temps. For lighting i am currently running 2 23W daylight CFLs and 1 23W soft white CFL, which are on 24 hrs. My seedling is 2 days old and looks healthy, but it looks like its stretching so i will be adding more lights because it might be stretching due to not enough light? Please help! Also, the stem looks like its a little burgundy reddish, hopefully you can see what im talking about in the pics, is this a bad or good sign? Thanx guys, i will be updating with pics!

Day 1




Day 2

if you view feel free to leave comments!!! Any help on the stem being that color? is it normal?

Red stems do mean something, I think its something to do with nitrogen but Im not sure. It looks like it might be stretching a little because the light is too far though.

how close should i put it? i just moved it a little up and the top of the plant is about 4 inches away from the light... and do you know where i can find more info on what the red stem means? thanx mmm223300

Yeah stretching is due to the proximity of light, aim for 2-4inches.

well i moved the plant closer and will be going to buy fox farm soil tomorrow as well as the fox farm nutes... i will transfer it to the FF soil, i noticed the mircale grow soil i am using is not an organic one, it is a "Moisture Control Potting Mix".... might be hurting the seedling maybe?

just 1 quick question, its too early to start giving it nutes right since the stem is reddish?

hey guys, i havent been updating the journal daily but heres an update... i purchased some organic soil and transferred the plant into it...at 8 days old and a day after transferring the plant over to the organic soil, i noticed a yellowish color in the bottom leaves... i dont know what the problem could be but i think its a ph problem, which i must admit that this whole ph thing is giving me a hard time...when i first checked the runoff water of the soil it read 5.5 but i think the ph meter i have is no good...but i also read that you should give the soil an hour of sitting in water b4 checking the ph, so i am planning to get a new ph meter to see whats the ph of the soil but i need help on doing this the correct way... Should i move the plant away from the bulbs? i kno i shouldnt feed it nutes since i dont know the ph of the soil...ANY HELP/ADVICE WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!

here are two pictures of the plant

Are you sure? I have read that the ph of soil should be between 6.3-6.8???

Yeah, pH is for sure a critical factor. 6.6 is optimal.

Yellow issue could be a nitrogen deficiency, caused by a nutrient lockout by the pH.

Yeah, pH is for sure a critical factor. 6.6 is optimal.

Yellow issue could be a nitrogen deficiency, caused by a nutrient lockout by the pH.

Thanks man... How do you properly check the ph of the soil? I believe the procedure i am doing is incorrect

I can't help you with measuring the ph, but what I do when I notice ph problems is flush the plant with pure water, not like faucet water but distilled water or water thats sat out 24 hours.

I would double your lighting, trust me, I've got double your lighting and even then I'm not seeing a good yield. Lights maybe 4 inches above plant.

I can't help you with measuring the ph, but what I do when I notice ph problems is flush the plant with pure water, not like faucet water but distilled water or water thats sat out 24 hours.

I would double your lighting, trust me, I've got double your lighting and even then I'm not seeing a good yield. Lights maybe 4 inches above plant.

Im going to try that... Once i flush the plant is it ok to start feeding it nutes? And this is just to get the feel of things, i will go bigger once i feel comfortable with everything. And how much water should i flush the plant with? Thanks!!!

Im going to try that... Once i flush the plant is it ok to start feeding it nutes? And this is just to get the feel of things, i will go bigger once i feel comfortable with everything. And how much water should i flush the plant with? Thanks!!!

I would wait on the nutes until you are on the 3rd node, maybe nutes as the 3rd starts and if you plan on topping top it after that.

I just water until I see some run-off (with some time between the pours, so I don't flood it). But I'm pretty sure there are better ways.

I just don't think you'll make it through flower with that much light, but to each his own, maybe add some more as you see some growth?

Yea i have to add more lights as it grows... I have 4 cfl 23 watt "daylight bulbs" and 1 23 watt "soft white bulb" in there right now... Temp is at 86 right now so i dont want to add more right now but plants will be growing in bigger space when i start the flowering stage. Hopefully i can get to that stage smoothly but i doubt it, i am trying my best though.

Oh and 3rd node means 3rd set of leaves, correct?

Yea i have to add more lights as it grows... I have 4 cfl 23 watt "daylight bulbs" and 1 23 watt "soft white bulb" in there right now... Temp is at 86 right now so i dont want to add more right now but plants will be growing in bigger space when i start the flowering stage. Hopefully i can get to that stage smoothly but i doubt it, i am trying my best though.

Oh and 3rd node means 3rd set of leaves, correct?

Yep.

Hows your ventilation situation? I'm just using an air-purifier/fan thing from Wal-Mart for $20 and it works great, keeps my temps in the 70's, although I'm in a cold basement anyways.

I am using two small fans that come with the pc for intake and 1 big fan for exhaust to take the hot air out... Its a 120mm fan i believe. Is that air purifier that small that you can fit in the pc? Or do you leave it ourside next to the pc or something?

I am using two small fans that come with the pc for intake and 1 big fan for exhaust to take the hot air out... Its a 120mm fan i believe. Is that air purifier that small that you can fit in the pc? Or do you leave it ourside next to the pc or something?

I'm growing in a rubbermaid and keep it outside but I keep my box open (My room stays dark). It may fit in there though, check out my grow journal if you wanna see it, link is in my sig.

Im gonna check it out now... Im planning to build a bigger growing box for the flower stage... Im thinken about a rubbermaid or one of those rubber trash cans

Im gonna check it out now... Im planning to build a bigger growing box for the flower stage... Im thinken about a rubbermaid or one of those rubber trash cans

I'd recommens turning them or getting a really big one, i wasnt expecting my plants to get very big but they were too tall for the rubbermaid, the lights were basically under the planta until i put it on its side.

yea i see you had to turn it over so it can stand vertical... i seen this guy grow 2 nice plants out of a rubbermaid garbage can