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First time grower...setup critique requested

Discussion in 'First Time Marijuana Growers' started by avg_joe, May 21, 2020.

  1. #1 avg_joe, May 21, 2020
    Last edited: May 21, 2020
    Hello everyone. First of all...What a great site this is. I spent some time doing a little research before hand but now I'm in it. I received 2 clone plants last Friday...pineapple and blueberry kush. The blueberry was already a bit tall and has continued to grow. The pineapple was smaller but has also grown a bit this week.

    I'm using an Apollo 4x4 tent, a sunraise 1000w LED light, a small fan on the floor facing the corner constantly blowing to circulate the air, and an iPower 4 inch fan.

    So far I've been able to keep the temps around 75F and humidity between 48 and 60.

    I've attached a few images of the plants and the setup. I would just like some input on what I have, what I should get, etc. I do have some Fox Farm soil and Bud XL fertilizer coming in Friday and plan to transfer each plant to a 5 gallon fabric grow pots. Should I trim the blueberry? Do I need to tie it down?

    Anyway thanks for looking and any tips, etc would be great appreciated. Thanks.
     

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  2. #2 StickyBudHound, May 21, 2020
    Hey Joe! Welcome to the best hobby ever. ;)

    You're gonna get all kinds of answers for things. I think the first thing to remember is to grow your grow and not a replication of someone else's. It will come with time and trial and error but you'll find your groove.

    Suggestion for soil: add a bunch of extra large perlite to the mix. It helps with drainage and bringing O2 to the roots. I usually use equal parts of FF Ocean Forest, FF Happy Frog soil conditioner and extra large perlite.

    Your light: New growers are often surprised to find out that their 1000W LED doesn't actually use 1000W. Yours runs at 165 +/- 3% Watts. If you want some true watt LEDs check out what they have at horticulturelightinggroup.com. The watts on these is what they say it is and not some gimmick trying to make you think you could replace a 600 watt hps. Your light will grow some buds but you won't be happy with them. The HLG QB lights will knock it out of the park for you.

    This is your first grow. Don't expect greatness yet. Lol look at it as practice and learning.

    Read everything at growweedeasy.com. Great site for learning.

    Your plants look good but they're lanky as hell and gonna get even taller and require a lot of help to not fall over if you don't top them at least. Read up about training them. Learn how to control their height and girth. You only have so much room in that tent.

    You didn't mention your water. Getting it from tap? You need to know what your giving them. Get a decent pH meter to see where you're at. After you add feed to the water, it should be around 6.5 pH +/- about .3 to make sure you don't cause other problems you're not ready for yet.

    Temp and RH are good where you're keeping them.

    Good choice on using fabric grow pots.

    Good luck!
     
  3. #3 avg_joe, May 21, 2020
    Thank you so much for the reply stickybud!

    Sounds like I need to get a better light ASAP. I took a look at the site you recommended and they're all sold out. Any other recommendations for lights?

    I did forget to mention water. I've been using filtered water that alone measures 6.85, but I do have a pH kit that I've been using to bring it down to 6.5.

    A question about the fertilizer...when you mix it with your water do you keep it in your watering container from then on until it runs out or do you mix a new batch every time?

    Now off to read to about keeping the height and girth in control.

    Thanks again!
     
    • Like Like x 1
  4. #4 StickyBudHound, May 21, 2020
    No problem. Sorry HLG is out on their site. I found some of their lights on Amazon though. Check here.

    Horticulture Lighting Group

    There's also a great up and coming company out of Australia I've seen people growing with and doing very well, comparable with the HLG lights.

    https://growlightsaustralia.com/product/double-high-light-heat-sink-driver-combo-350-450w-max/
     
  5. #5 avg_joe, May 23, 2020
    Just an update. I transferred the plants to the 5 gallon fabric pots and switched out the LED light for HID. The temps have risen a bit with the new light and the humidity has dropped some. I may need a humidifier now.

    Thoughts?
     

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  6. #6 StickyBudHound, May 23, 2020
    A rise in temp and reduction of RH is to be expected with HID.

    Open a vent in the tent. Do you have a filter fan hooked up in there to pull hot air out from the top? You need to pull cool fresh air in from the bottom.

    Yes, you'll need a humidifier. It doesn't take much but it needs to stay around 50 to 60%.

    More concerning is the clawed leaves. Looks like a bit of Nitrogen toxicity. Water a few times over the next week with just straight pH adjusted water. Don't over water. Do you have a soil moisture meter to use?

    Lastly, if the plants start to grow well, they're probably gonna get too tall for the tent unless you train them. That tall one can be pulled down, lightly bent over to break it's apical dominance.

    Read through this to learn about low stress training so you can control their height.

    Cannabis Low Stress Training (LST) Tutorial | Grow Weed Easy
     
  7. #7 avg_joe, May 23, 2020
    I've only been using adjusted water, no fertilizer yet. I do have a moisture reader. I'm using a 4in filtered fan to pull the hot air out, but the temps are still rising and humidity dropping. I have all vents open right now to help lower the temp.

    I have a small fan blowing on the plants also.

    I'll work on training the tall plant and order a humidifier now.
     

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  8. #8 StickyBudHound, May 24, 2020
    What's the temp outside the tent?

    What watt is the HID light? Its definitely producing a lot of heat. Does it have an intensity control on it? In veg, they don't need as much intense light.

    To help with humidity, put a bucket of water in the tent with a few small hand towels soaked in the water and draped up over the edge of the bucket but still in the water so it will wick up the cloth. Put a fan blowing across the top. Keep an eye on the water and make sure the cloth is always wicking it up. You can also mist the plants a few times a day while they're in veg.
     
  9. #9 avg_joe, May 24, 2020
    Humidifier ordered.
    The temp in the room is about 75. The wattage of the HID is 1000w but I have it set to the lowest which is 600w.

    I'll set up a bucket. Thank for you that tip.
     
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  10. #10 StickyBudHound, May 24, 2020
    Way to go Joe! You ain't fuckin around. :cool: With a 1000 watt HID, you're gonna be able to flower some really nice buds dude. The heat will be your constant enemy though. You gotta figure out how to get a lot more cool air in and dissipate the hot air out. Out of the room where the tent is if at all possible.
     
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  11. #11 avg_joe, May 24, 2020
    I've been keeping the door to that room closed so now I'll just leave it open let the cool air from the rest of the house enter and hopefully more heat will exit.

    I set up another small fan on the outside of the tent facing in but not directly at the plants to avoid wind burn. Hopefully all of the little tricks will help control the heat.
     
  12. #12 Foxymel, May 24, 2020
    I would put the fan inside your tent. The idea is to have good airflow. I have three fans in my tent blowing from different directions but they’re all pointed at my plants. I just keep the speed low. Airflow is super important especially when you get into flowering. Your plants will thank you. But you’re setup sounds really good. Happy growing! :)
     
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  13. #13 avg_joe, May 24, 2020
    Thanks Mel. I have one inside aiming down at the plants. I'll order 2 more fans then.
     
  14. #14 avg_joe, May 26, 2020
    Well I don't know exactly what's happening, but I assume its too damn hot in the tent now. Also even with the humidifier I can't get the humidity up. I'm thinking about running some ducting from the AC vent in the room straight into the tent.

    Any suggestions?
     

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  15. #15 avg_joe, May 26, 2020
    I just ordered a cool tube reflector hood to replace the one I have now. I'll then connect my 4in fan and carbon filter to it to pull the heat out. Until then I'm stopping by home depot after work to buy some ducting to run it from the AC vent in the room directly into the tent.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  16. #16 StickyBudHound, May 26, 2020
    There you go! That'll help. Sorry, I would have suggested that but, I figured it already had one.
     
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  17. #17 avg_joe, May 29, 2020
    Another update: cool tube arrived this evening. I installed it first thing. Temps have been steady 75-77 and humidity back to around 50. I'm hoping my plants start feeling better now.
     

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