Hi all, new here. Looks like a decent community! I've just started to purchase kit for my very first grow, of anything, ever. Just aiming to seek some advice on my current parts and parts-to-be. I only want to grow 1-2 plants in my spare room and more so doing it for the fun of it, as I'm not a full time toker. Just knocking it off the bucket list I think lol. But real excited! Still lots to learn about the entire process but taking it step by step until I've got all the equipment I need. So far I have: 90 x 90 x 200cm Black orchid tent 265w LED quantum board made by ISH. HLG driver, Samsung 301B diodes etc. 5" Rhino PRO carbon filter - RVK extraction fan & ducting. ThermoPro TP55 Digital Thermo-hygrometer That's all I have sorted so far. I'm still going to need a few bits if anyone can recommend: An inline fan? What size etc. I believe it has to be smaller than the extraction fan to create negative pressure? I've seen people talking about fan controllers, for both extraction and pulling in? Someone mentioned 'ecotechnics' but fuck me the price of it on Amazon and ebay?? No idea what I need to go for there lol. Plant pot sizes to start and progress with according to height of my tent? I think I'm going to start with 1 fem photo seed as photo is apparently better for making rookie mistakes? Plus I think I'll be okay with 200cm height? I presume I'll have to do some scrog or something. And will need a wire net anyway? I recall someone saying jiffypods were good to germinate in and fabric pots to veg in? Going to be doing the whole veg/flower in this one tent. And the more confusing to me right now, what soil and nutrients are recommended for a beginner? Guess I'm also going to need a portable fan or two inside the tent. Cant think of anything else right now? Also as far as extracting the hot air inside the tent goes, will it be okay if I just lead the extraction ducting up to the open window, so it isn't visible from outside, or should I cut a hole in the ceiling and have it extracting into the small loft space? I suppose it doesn't matter as long as it's not smelly and isn't being pulled straight back into the tent through (cant think, whatever opposite of extraction is haha). Or does my fan pulling air into the tent need to have ducting up to the window? Thanks for reading anyway, you probably have to deal with these beginner questions a lot. But after all the reading and trying to wrap my head around bits, it'll be nice to have some 1 on 1 convos and advice from people not just looking to push their own products lol.
The light would be perfect. I would get an xl one though. Pot size is up to you. I use 7 gallon pots in ny 2x4x7 but might switch down to 5 gallon air pots. You want your exhaust to be bigger than intake so if you have a 5inch intake you would want at least 6 if not 8 inch exhaust with a speed controller so you can turn it down if need be or full strength during hot seasons. I would reccomend the vivosun 6 or 8 inch exhaust fan it comes with a built in controller. If your referring to an actual temp controller that's a different story. The inkbird controllers are the way to go as it has a heating and cooling plug where you can set a range of temps and humidity highest you want and lowest you want and it turns on or shuts off your fans accordingly. With what to grow I would suggest 2 pheno fems . You could grow one bigger or even 3 smaller but as a new grower 2 would be fine so if one happens to go in the wrong direction you have another healthy one. Nutrients is really up to you but I use nectar for the gods. Some other good companies would be roots organic Mills Emerald harvest Canna Or advanced nutrients . Make sure you dont get slow release soil. Mother earth nectar #4 or roots organic potting mix is my go to. Add 30 to 40% perlite and your good to grow
First off, good choice in lighting. I agree with the above, two plants is probably good to start, or 6 if you want to veg for only 3 weeks or so but without knowing the strain, yield could suffer. By rule, anything sativa dom will stretch at least a couple feet, and blueberry will hit your ceiling. I’ve grown most ways or know people who have but homemade soil and drain to waste coco are my methods of choice. Big pots for soil, (15 gallons) and little pots for coco, (1 to 3 gallons)
Just my two cents, but with a tent that small you would not need an intake fan. Put Carbon filter inside the tent and blow the clean smelling exhaust air out the top, while allowing that negative pressure to draw air in thru the vents near floor. Save money on an intake fan, and a 4" fan and carbon filter combo would be plenty to the air flowing and scent being cleansed so you have that more than covered with the 5" fan you already have. Good Luck and Happy Growing....;o)
Also, I would HIGHLY <pun intended> recommend the 5 gallon or 7 gallon cloth/fabric pots. ALL newbie growers have to fight the tendency to over-water. Few of us were successful escaping our first grow without over-watering at least once...LOL. Those cloth pots make it awful hard to overwater as long as the excess can drain away and you don't let the pot sit in a pool of it.
thank you for the replies so far - please do keep them coming in, especially regarding ventilation I’ll read through properly tonight and reply individually!
Personally I've found air pots to be more giving with overwatering. And they dry out faster which can be both good and bad. Bad if you aren't around enough and she ends up underwatered ( still better than overwater) and good because if you get the watering/feeding schedule down you can give more feedings/waterings in less time with them. Also depending on climate I would still suggest an intake . I have a 2x2, 4x2, and 4x4 and use intake for every single one because of where I live. If I didnt my temps would reach 90 every day. Maybe do a test run with just exhaust and lights and see the average of 24 hours. Of course the bigger the plant gets the more humidity it will cause. If you think you dont need it , cool save the money and if the time comes where you do, you can always get one.
Should I be doing some LST with this plant? I would presume it’ll always help but it’s so bushy and short already lol
She looks pretty good have you topped her at all (if so how many x) Im pretty new also so im not sure what to suggest on this plant.
So im on the final stretch now haha. It's been a long ride. And I know it's not immaculate but I'm crazy proud to have made it this far on my first grow, of anything, ever. Lol. All I can say is I'm real eager to try a lot of different training methods next time round, as I was obviously too scared to do much with my first precious plant ^_^