This is my first grow, but second attempt this month. I started originally 5/14 with 3 seeds, a 2x2x5 tent, 600w mh light and struggled with super, super high temps for 5 days.. In 5 days 1 sprouted, the other 2 I cut my loses on and took them out the tent. Day 5 the only sprouted plant fell over, was way too weak. Round II: 1 papaya seed, same tent, 250w mh Equal parts FFOF and Happy Frog (1) 3 gallon fabric pot No nutrients (yet) (2) circulating fans- one 6" at the top and one 12" sitting at the bottom (on plant) Distilled water every 3 days 18/6 Germ started 5/25 with the paper towel method. >> Planted 5/28 >> Sprouted 5/30
Hi. Sorry about the first round of seeds that didn't go so well. But until you get the heat down in your tent, you're probably just going to experience the same thing. Once you get into the mid 80's and above, heat can and will knock them down. MH and HPS are both great light sources, but any time they're used in a confined space, like a tent, you have to have ducting, an in line fan, along with good air movement down around your plants aside from anything pulling heat off your lights. But until you get the heat issue fixed, pretty much anything you put in there is going to have issues. TWW
84-86 is where i usually start to see heat issues. That exhaust fan is going to be a requirement in a tent that size even with a small hid. Long as it gets there soon though i think vegging plants will do ok if you can keep it to the low 80's.
Your going to want to do one of two things. Either get a bigger tent for the 600w or get a smaller light. 600w mh in a 2x2 tent is just too much. I wouldn't run anything more than a 400w with a 2x2 and even then you're still going to have to make sure and keep the temps down. If you want to stick with the 600w I'd recommend a 4x4 tent...taller the better imo.
Thank you so much for your comment and insight much appreciated. I've had my lights on mostly at night (10 hours at night) and that alone has helped a great deal with getting the temperatures down. Although still high, much lower than they were in Round 1. I'm getting an AC unit (window) put into the room tomorrow as the room the tent is in doesn't have central cooling. Also will be getting an inline fan on Friday. Oh yeah, I have a 12" oscillating fan at the bottom of my tent and a 6" clip fan at the top for air movement.
I actually ditched the 600w and I now have a 250w. I know now my two biggest issues are ambient temperature and lack of an inline fan. But fan will be here Friday.
What seeds are you using? are they autos? feminised? Ok, from what I've read you want to ease them into it. Metal halide and high pressure sodium lamps give off a lot of heat. It would probably be worth banging together a propagation unit to get them started before you subject them to the fury of 1000 suns. It's like inverse hardening, plant heat, heat plant, ok see you tomorrow. I have a 3 cfl propagation box i use to get them started usually. This time for my grow I was confident enough to pop the seeds in and let them sort themselves out, (auto feminised)
Yes, first grow second attempt. The first never made it as my temps were wayy too high. This girl was planted 5/28