CFL/ FLUORO Beginners Closet

Discussion in 'Micro Grows' started by tythomas31, Jan 19, 2013.

  1. Alright hello everyone. I will be posting pics weekly to hopefully get the hang of my new found hobby. The date of birth of these we shall call it 12/5/12 so im currently month half in. im poor, using cfls and domes.emergency blanket taped onto cardboard. the space is roughly 48 inches long by 24 inches deep. 8x23 watt 6500k and 2x3500 k. 2 fluoros t12(pos) but oh well i got the wrong ones. lights are on 20/3hours off(1am-3am} im using plain water from the 5 gallon jugs at publix that i let go through my cooling machine in my house, then let sit out overnight before using. Im using about half a liter400-500 ccm of water per plant every 3/4 days mixed with neem oil 2 tablespoons per gallon of water. i dont know whether foliar spraying is good idea cause my lights are about 3 inches away. My temps are going between 73-82 humidity 40-60 depending on how cool i can keep my room. Have a fan blowing. i appreciat any help as i am now encountering issues out the wazzzooooooo.
     

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  2. these are more photos !!! check them out.
     

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  3. Doesnt look like you have any issues to me. Maybe not as bushy as some would prefer at this stage but the overall health looks fine. And having 2 plants in ine pot can cause problems. For side growth i like to put one or two cfls in a desk lamp and sit it next to my plant and rotate the plant or the lamp whichever is easier
     
  4. is it harmful to trim the yellow completely leaves. trim edges of leaves.? should i use neem oil every feed? do you guys advise me to spray the plants in between waterings?
    if you look closer i have an issue with little brown spots all over edges of leaves. plants yellowing bad what do i do
     
  5. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRO1nyKc1Ww]Month 1/2 - YouTube[/ame] here is a link to a closer up video which shows my trouble areas!
     
  6. I personally would not have pulled those because almost any plant can be nursed back to health. But if you were absolutely sure they are dying then it was probably a good move. It will just convert the energy that was going in to those leaves to other parts of your plant.
    Never used neem oil so im not sure about that
     
  7. Yea, get some real nutes.
     
  8. #8 JerryInDFW, Jan 21, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 26, 2013
    I follow a few threads in various places. I've seen a guy doing AMAZING stuff in a 1 sq ft box and about 115 (real) watts of CFL. I recently bought a commercial box that only has 42 (real) watts of CFL, and is about 1 sq ft too. Not happy with the initial appearance vs price, but I'm giving it a fair test, and my seeds JUST sprouted tonight.

    I've begun conversion of a TV armoire, and have pretty much decided to go with eight "100w" CFLs's (23 real watts each) bulbs, for a real watt total of 184 watts. Yeah, I could buy an expensive LED setup, but from what I've seen, CFL seem to work just fine for micro grows. Some will have switches so I can dial back the light if necessary. The entire light setup, including both type of bulbs and hardware shouldn't run more than about 70 bucks, and probably much less. I'll be posting costs on a separate thread when I start it up - Probably organic with clones to begin.

    Good luck!
     
  9. What are you using for nutes and whats your PH run off?
     
  10. First - delete your picture in post #5, it has your license plate # and utility bill account number in it, makes you very easy to find for the man.

    What kind of soil are you using?

    What kind of nutrients are you using?

    I would stop with the neem oil until you need it (if you see bugs).

    I would only water when the soil is dry, not every day (preferably every three days).

    Don't use folier spray until right before your lights go off, or it will burn your leaves.
     
  11. nutes and soil.

    i do not test my ph run off, can only afford a soil meter which say im at 6.8
     

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  12. The problem with soil PH probes is that can be still be off just enough to where you have problems. They give you a general idea but their not known for accuracy. I had a cheap soil PH tester when I first started out and it rarely ever moved off of 6.8 and after getting a digital PH meter found out the PH was actualy a little over 7. It was enough of a difference to cause problems. I would save up for a cheap $15.00 or so digital meter off of Ebay or Amazon along with some calibration solution. A cheap quaurium dropper test kit might work till you can afford a digital meter, the biggest drawback to those is when your run off is discolored from like a nute feeding it can be difficult to read the little PH color comparrison index chart. As for your nutes I would also suggest saving up for some better nutes. I would try to lower the water and or nute mix PH down to 6.5 or a little less. The cheap aquarium dropper kit solutions might give you a little bit more accurate PH reading. Are you PH adjusting the water and or nute mix going in before testing the PH of the soil?
     
  13. heres a look from outside my closet at the vegggins and then my new flowering box. gotta lightproof this biaa still
     

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  14. hey man thanks for your help. no i have just been using the 5 gallon jugs from publix, which i let sit out 24 hours in the gallon jug before using... i will save up for the ph kit, ill check out local fish store i guess. and as far as the meter if you have any links to good brands, if i spend the money i want to make it worth it.

    -happy growing,
     
  15. If your not affraid to spend a little money I would reccomend a water proof digital one by Hanna or Bluelab. If your on a budget then you can get a chepa $15.00 or so one from Ebay or Amazon but thier not water proof and tend to need calibrated more often. PH is important for a healthy plant especialy when using chemical nutes. You get out of it what you put into it. I would also look into some better nutes more geared for growing pot. What you have may work fine for a while in veg growth but its the wrong NPK ratings for flowering.
     

  16. ok ya ill save up for a medium priced one. also should i just save for the fox farm trio? or will schultz liquid fert work. mainly as long as the npk ratio is right, then i should be fine for flowering....
     
  17. I would save up for the Fox Farms trio. In flowering the NPK changes less nitrogen and more on the P&K. To much nitrogen in flowering can slow down or stunt flowering. What kind of soil are you using? To get started properly it does take an investment but in the end its worth it when you have your first successfull grow and have some decent bud to show for it.
     
  18. ya this is my first grow, ever. i already am tapped at the moment( preparing for flowering). but anyways

    im using lambert organic potting soil. its mostly sphagum peat moss, dolomite, lil perlite for draining.. kelp meal and limestone.
     
  19. #19 tythomas31, Jan 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 23, 2013
    LINKS TO THE PURCHASES IF YOUR CURIOUS....

    Alright everyone, or, idk me... haha i ordered, a lovely nutrients bundle and ph kit, and ph meter. so, we shall figure out whats going on. just invested another 75 bones. it will pay off in the end !? =]

    http://www.amazon.com/General-Hydro...ie=UTF8&qid=1358960203&sr=1-1&keywords=ph+kit


    no growth really to update, my cal/mag nitrogen defiency / ph crazyiness has them all down.


    http://www.amazon.com/Technaflora-R...r=8-1&keywords=technaflora+recipe+for+success


    http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TD...lution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=pd_rhf_se_p_t_3_8NNF
     
  20. That meter is a TDS or PPM meter, it measures the total disolved solids or parts per million of the water, more practical in hydro set ups. The PH kit that comes with it is a dropper solution kit, the drawback to those is that they give you a general idea of the PH but not an exact number and when testing the PH run off after a nute feeding the nutes can change the color of the run off making it harder to compare to the little PH range chart. However the PH Up & Down that comes with it is the same brand I use. As for the Technaflora nutes they are really good and I have used them before in soils grows both indoors and outdoors with really good results. The only problem i have with them is that not to many places around here carry them localy and have a hard time ordering them sometimes. Their a really good brand just not that popular.
     

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