First Grow (NEED ADVICE) 250w

This is my first grow. I recently gathered this equipment and it's being conducted in the basement. I have a great sized 4.5' x 1.5' x 5' closet to grow in that is painted white on the inside. I have a 250w CFL bulb for flowering. I am using a 125w 6500K CFL along with 2 26w 6500K and 2 10w 6500K CFL bulbs for veg. I also have a 4" fan for now (I am 1 week into veg). Soil is Hyponex with some standard Vermiculite and Perlite. Nutrients are Liquid Karma by Botanicare of which I am using half the amount recommended. After shocking the shit out of the plant by fucking with the pH too much (it was my first time using a tester/control kit) and purchasing a pH reader I have the water at about 6.3 to 6.5, with a humidifier I have the percentage around 55-60% 46% without). I have a timer for the lights currently on 18/6. Another highly important factor is classical music (as seen by headphones) including Mozart, Vivaldi, and the entire Star Wars soundtrack as composed by John Williams.

This is my first grow, I will repeat again. I have done a shitload of reading and research and I believe I am on the right track. That doesn't mean that I am right so if you notice something let's hear it! Just be positive! The older plant is a bag seed that is most likely an AK-47 or Blueberry Skunk strain. If not, it's still good. The newer, now germinating, seed is Thai Lights which I started because I am not sure if I killed the first one (like I said first time). Either way I will have a better chance at a female. Along with some pictures from along the process, I have the journal posted, I will update this on here from now on. Thoughts? Concerns?

THIS IS WHAT I NEED ADVICE ON:
Ok, a couple of concerns. As you can see in the picture, I have some yellow/browning leaves and a very purple stem, very very purple. I have read that the purple stem could be the strain, but the browning and yellowing leads me to believe it is nutrient deficiency related. Can you see anything from the pictures? Thoughts? I did not have the nutrients in the water and did not have the pH balanced for the first week, but I do now and it has been with the new nutrient and pH balanced water for 2 days. I think it is looking better, but that could be my optimism. It is definitely still growing, but for this age, I think it's stunted/short. That's the second concern, does it look stunted or short? I started the germination last Sunday, so the plant is 11 days old.

the initial grow setup in a filing cabinet frame painted white on the inside.


this is the first plant just breaking the soils surface.


After my trip to Vancouver, B.C. for a couple days I came home to the plant with a little yellowing.


this is about a week old, the day after I came home.


this was taken today (Wednesday April 7)


this is currently the grow setup


the size of the closet.


Day 1 (Sunday March 28, 2010) Strain Unknown

I germinated the seed in moist paper towels folded into a plastic bag to contain moisture/humidity. After a few hours I put it on top of an electric heating pad, lowest setting as to not offset the temperature too much then placed it back into a dark spot. I checked every 8 hours or so until the next day.

Day 2 (Monday March 29, 2010)

Within 24-30 hours I noticed breaking of the outer shell and slight protrusion of the tap root beginning to show. I switched the paper towel for sanitary reasons and kept it in the same spot with the heater pad and the plastic bag. While this is going on I have been preparing the grow spot for the vegetative stage. I plan to Low Stress Train this plant in order to minimize the space it takes up and apparently maximize my yield. So far, I have obtained a decent amount of equipment for the veg state. On it's way is a timer, hydrometer, Ph control kit, 125 watt CFL 6500K with a reflective grow fixture, 2 26 watt 6500K CFL's and 2 10 watt 6500K CFL's. I also picked up a 4" fan and some power strips/electrical bulb sockets. I will be using the frame of a filing cabinet painted white on the inside for the initial grow spot. The filing cabinets dimensions are 22" L x 18" W x 32" H.

Day 3 (Tuesday March 30, 2010)

After further tap root growth in the paper towel, I have decided to plant the seedling. Using a mix of potting soil, vermiculite, and perlite I have placed the seedling about 1/4-1/2" below the surface of the soil which I previously watered and let drain for 10 minutes prior so that there is plenty of moisture for it upon initial planting. I have kept it in the dark spot on top of the heating pad as well because it has not broken the surface yet that would require light. As soon as light is required I will begin the cycle at 18/6 for the vegetative stage. After researching 20/4, 24/0, and 18/6 I have decided that since this is my first grow I will keep things as simple as possible, yet functional.

Day 4 (Wednesday March 31, 2010)

Today I finished setting up the vegetation grow spot. I made a reflector from cardboard and aluminum foil until the grow light and good reflector get here. I have started the light cycle of 18/6 on the plant at midnight (when the lights went out) so it actually begins at 6am. I am using the 2 26 watt CFL's and plan to use the 2 10 watt CFL's until the 125w gets here. At that point I may use the 125w along with the 2 26w for good measure. Still waiting for the seedling to break the soil, but I am starting the light cycle so it's continuous for when the seedling breaks the surface. I have also picked up a Sour Diesel seed while sifting through shake bags at my dealers to go along with the White Russian 10 pack I ordered.

Day 5 (Thursday April 1, 2010)

The surface has been broken! I believe this is officially the vegetative stage. I am preparing the 2 10w CFL's just as added light for right now. Today I purchased a 250w CFL bulb and very simple hanger chord for the flowering (I wanted to get everything, because I am going to have to switch spots when it gets time to change the lighting) stage. At the beginning of today, the green seedling was just breaking the surface. It is now 6:30 pm and the stem has risen about a half inch, incredible.

Day 8 (Sunday April 4, 2010)

I have returned from Vancouver, B.C. where I took a small trip just for kicks. I have found that the now week old seedling isn't looking so hot. It has a purple stem, yellowing/brown leaves. After some research I have found that the most likely cause is lack of either iron or nitrogen. The plant reaches about 3/4 an inch, stunted. Tomorrow I will go to the hydroponic store down the street and get Botincare nutrients to help it. On a positive note, I purchased 10 seeds (11 were in the vile!) in Vancouver, B.C. of the strain Thai Lights. This is a sativa/indica blend .

Day 9 (Monday April 5, 2010)

Things could be looking slightly up. I changed the water pH level to something readable after I got a pH reader. I may have just poisoned the plant as I messed with the pH in the water way too much. Growth seems to be very minimal, and the coloring is just getting worse.

Day 10 (Tuesday April 6, 2010)

After getting a pH reader, I have made a whole new bath of water with a 6.3 to 6.4 pH level. I am using Liquid Karma nutrients by Botanicare, which by looking at the plant may be helping some. I backed off the lights and switched a few things around that I think makes things more efficient and comfortable for the plant. I have started the germination process on a White Russian seedling, but 24 hours later I don't see any signs. I will keep waiting. Along with the nutrients, I have moved the seedling to a bigger container as I was worried the stunted growth was due to outgrowing the little cup I had it in.

Day 11 (Wednesday April 7, 2010)

Still waiting on the other seed to germinate (I finally found a way to keep it consistenly warm, this one will probably hermie because for the first 30 hours it went from warm to room temp/cool a lot). The seedling looks about the same so far, no change. The seedling does seem to be recovering after the major shock that I put it through. I am going to keep this pH level in the water consistent and slowly add more nutrients to it's diet. I also have an iPod with classical music playing for it! I made sure the entire soundtrack to Star Wars is in there, with Mozart and some others (including Minus The Bear and Sublime because they were a necessity).

 

btw this thread is supposed to be getting moved to the appropriate section (indoor journals)

 

Day 12 (Thursday April 8, 2010)

After the other seed germinated for about 24 hours under consistent warmth, I have planted it. Hopefully within the next couple of days it will break the soils surface. I have it under a warm light with a plastic bag over it to contain humidity and temperature. The older plant is doing better, I have fed it this morning. Hopefully with this second feeding of pH and nutrient balanced water I will see even better results along with healing of the yellow/brown leaves. The plant currently stands about 1 1/4" tall. The 125w CFL bulb JUST came in, I have set it up as the door of the filing cabinet because it with the reflector fit perfectly in that space. I am still skeptical of the temperature of the CFL bulb. I am monitoring that closely so I don't burn anything. Everything is well separated and efficient so no disasters happen. I will be changing the setup for room purposes very shortly anyway.

 

Day 13 (Friday April 9, 2010)

Today I noticed that the Thai Lights is starting to poke through the soil so I put it in with the other plant to start giving it some serious light, as well as fed it. I found out that my actual temperature in the grow room was 96+. Not a good thing at all. So I moved a couple things around and stuck a dual box fan at the end to extract the heat. Problem solved. It hangs around 80-82 now (81.7), PERFECT. Other than the temperature issue, I think everything is going decently, for a first grower. I have much better plans for the Thai Lights, as I actually have things set up efficiently and correctly (IMHO).

pictures shall come!

 

Well I didn't start the nutes until I got back from a couple day trip and it was like that. I found out today that I my temp reader was reading incorrectly, and it had been around 100 degrees the entire time. I set it up now so it's at 83-85, is that ideal? I believe it is from what I've been researching (which is hours upon hours of forum lurking, ahah). I'm really excited that the Thai Lights is popping through, as I am far more prepared. As far as equipment, I have everything to the best of my knowledge. The first plant pictured was moving around a lot as equipment was coming in.

 

This picture is from today, after getting the temp controlled (found out it was at 100 for the last 2 weeks ).


New setup with 125w and reflector, the tall white fan is dual and i have them extracting heat with a 4" fan at the opposite end blowing in. I have left the 2 26w with the 125w, should suffice.

 

as the plant gets bigger I am going to hang the light and use the rest of the closet, that fan just saved my plant. It was the heat. Now that it's down it seems to be taking off! The yellow/browning is already getting better and I fixed the temps this morning.

 

The Thai Lights, day 2!

 

This is yesterdays entry.

Day 15 (Sunday April 11, 2010)

Today I fed both of the girls, BS (I am going with Blueberry Skunk because I am tired of saying unknown) was very thirsty (2" down soil was dry) and I gave the new Thai Lights seedling some water as well. pH still around 6.4-6.6, very minor amount of nutes (not near enough to burn I think). At the end of the day BS stands about 1 1/2" tall solid. Thai Lights is at 1/2" already! This baby is going to outgrow BS as I think it is rather stunted, oh well. After the watering, BS looks really healthy, still some of the yellowing, but it seems to be receding/going away. Thai Lights is completely green, and very healthy looking. Pictures in tomorrow's update!

 

After the plant stunted and fell a week behind I gave it Liquid Karma at about 1/4 strength because I came back from a 5 day trip and it didn't look good. It has sprung since.

 

this is the start of week 4. It's stunted and when I gave it nutes 2 days ago it did not look like this. It grew that leaf set in two days, it's responding pretty well if you ask me? It looked a little sick when I got back from a 5 day trip and it hadn't been watered.

 

thats what I figured. This is my first real attempt (Thai Haze x Northern Lights "Thai Lights"), which I have 10 more of, plus 13 White Russians that came in. : ) This is the trial, but does the amount of stunted time screw things up a lot?

 

After doing a bunch more research I've realized that this thing is crazy stunted. Most plants that I see on here of the same age are so much further. Here's a picture from today. Should I still bother? It's 3 weeks a day or 2 old.