Hello everyone, just wanted to share my experience on my first grow. Hopefully I can learn more from you all along the way, and maybe another noob will pick up on some of my mistakes. Grow info: - Homemade PVC enclosure 2.5 x 2.5 x 5, LxWXH - 2x Clamp Lights set up with 2 42w CFL's 6500/2700k mix, 3x 23w in triangle formation between the plants = total 237 watts (actual) at the moment. - 2 Northern Lights Auto Fem from Royal Queen (bought from the Vault, great service). - 5 gal smart pot filled with Fox Farm Ocean Forest. - 6" fan for ventilation. Planted the two seeds on April 1st directly into final pots, no germination, moist soil. Both seeds sprouted from soil in 4 days. One sprout came out all wilted, could not stand up on its own. After some research I concluded that it had "dampened off" (too much water in soil). So I germinated (48 hrs) a second seed and planted it on April 8th. The CFL's have been kept relatively close about 2-4" from plants at all times. The plants are on a 20/4 schedule. I have more 23w CFL (2700k) and am contemplating about using them now. I know the preferred spectrum for different stages but concluded that a mix spectrum from start to finish would work fine. I have a 400 watt HPS (cool tube) from Apollo in my amazon cart, not sure if I want it yet though. Also I did discover some gnats (4-5) around week 2, I added some Mosquito dunks (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) to the soil. They have not gotten worse so I think its working. Below are some Pics Now some questions: The smaller plant (planted a week later) has shown some discoloration, after doing research this subject area seems difficult to diagnose with so many variables but here is an image Any ideas? Should I add the additional 23w CFL's now? or wait till they begin to flower. Should I pull the trigger on the 400w HPS? I would still use a couple of CFL's for under canopy penetration but would get away with the clamp lights and it would make managing all these little lights easier. After the April 29th (4weeks) should I start using nutes? Which one (assuming FF) grow big or ... ? Additional notes: I plan on doing some LST when they get a little bigger. Any suggestions welcomed.
Normally using "Fox Farms Ocean Forest" they end up with a Calcium/Magnesium deficiency. I suggest adding some "Dolomite Lime" or "Azomite"as a top dressing at half of recommended dose every other watering. (1/2 tbsp per gal) I suggest feeding soon along with picking up some "Mosquito Dunks" and adding 1/4 dunk crushed into the water every other watering to help prevent "Fungus Gnats" from ever coming back. Just a word of warning, from my past experience using "Smart Pots" , your girls will establish a very healthy root system when using FFOF and when she does her roots will grow vigorously through the pots. I had to transplant my girl into a 5 Gal pot after 4 weeks because she was growing so fast. I avoided cutting her roots from the bottom and allowed her to continue growing through the pot while transplanting her into the 5 gal. She is about 3in down in the FFOF soil that was added to the 5 gal pot while still sitting in the 2 gal pot. After a week or two she did the same to the 5 gal pot.
Hey Speedy thanks for the reply, Im going to visit my local hydro store and see if they have the lime you suggested. Also I am going to continue with the dunks for a few weeks just to make sure there is no larvae growing under the soil. As for the smart pots, the plants are already in 5 gallons and from what I have read the roots will not continue to grow out of the pots if they happen to push through into the open air. They like to stay in the moist soil environment but I guess well see what happens. What did you use for the feeding (Im assuming Fox Farm) and when did you start, I know the ocean forest has most of what they need for about 4 weeks?
I 2nd that, really ocean forest or happy frog doesnt have enough calcium in them. i always have calmag issues with it and im currently looking for a better premade soil, any ideas anyone/
I use to use Happy frog then switched to Ocean forest cause Happy frog was burning my plants with to many nutes, it could have just been a bad batch of soil but ive read similar reports from other people all over the net. But i use Ca/Mg+ in my soil/hydro grows. It cost 15$ for the bottle. I just add 3-5ml every watering.......thats it. You mix it with your nutes in the water you are going to feed it. And even if you arent watering with nutes, still throw 3-5ml of Ca/Mg+ in there.
Better off going to home depot and getting a 40lb bag of powdered dolomite lime, got mine for $3.50 6 years ago and I'm still using that same bag. Don't buy "pelletized" lime. It doesn't help when a soil recipe calls for a cup of lime per cubic ft and what you're using is mostly clay pellets. It's way overpriced too.
I do not feed with Fox Farms nutes. I use "Sunleaves Mexican Bat Guano" and "Sunleaves Jamaican Bat Guano". I slowly add some at about 1/4 recommended dose and work my way to full. My girls always seem to thrive when I feed them. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
I was going to by some nutes this week (fox farm) since plants will be approaching 30 days in ocean forest soil. I was going to get big bloom and tiger bloom (no grow big since these are autos and should start to flower any day now). Would these two nutes suffice for the rest of the grow? Any thoughts about my question on original post on adding more light (cfl or hps)?
/bump P.s. picked up some azomite today, do i just put a thin layer on top? There are no dosage instructions on it. Thanks
Id also like to add that i just harvested a northern light auto i bought from the vault, i dont remember if it was sensi seeds or royal queen but the plant was a beast, i harvested 100g from a single plant.
You get 1/2 a tablespoon of "Azomite" per gal of soil. You will need 2-1/2 tbsp spread around the top layer of soil evenly. Water like you normally would and watch her get all happy for you!