HPS: a Coming of Age Story

 Okay GC HipHopaddix here, lets do this. Im really not too sure where to even begin. I've been growing on and off the last couple years without much success, I've put a hell of a lot of time and spent a good chunk of change on my lil operation and Im having trouble getting those big bushy plants all the 600w HPS grow journals have on the GC forums with my setup. so here it goes, keep in mind this is my first time growing with all the correct equipment (hood, ballast, HPS instead of CFL or HOFl) and my first attempt at a grow journal so keep it constructive ey?
 
 Alright so my growing space is somewhat limited, my girls are gonna be in a 36"x36" closet but im only gonna germinate three seeds this go around. So the closet should have plenty of space for now. I got three feminized seeds from a good buddy of mine, two THC Bomb seeds and one Sour Diesel seed. I literally just put them to soak for a few hours in a Tupperware container under my sink till morning then I plan on sticking them into some moist paper towel and in a dry Tupperware keeping the paper towel continuously moist.
 
 My last few runs I've been using Root Riot cubes soaked in Rapid Start Rooter for like 30 mins and rung out till there barely dripping when squeezed,  I'll plant the sprouted seed tip root down, dome them and keep the humidity high until they break the surface. 
 
 During the first two weeks I light them with one 2' T5 High Output Fluorescent made by Sunblaze which has always worked great for the first two weeks then the plants just don't get enough lumens to really start to veg out. So I recently purchased a Sun Systems 600w HPS setup with a Nanotech 600w dimmable ballast and the Sun Systems Yield Master II 6" air cooled hood and a Digimax 600 w digital HPS bulb to handle the lumen situation which it completely has.
 
 I know one of my major battles last go around was that I skimped out on the one thing I really shouldn't of.. I bought shit potting soil from Lowes for like 3$ per 20 lbs. bag and it had like rocks and sticks mixed in with it but it was what I had since I couldn't get to my hydro store. I literally had roots hanging out the bottom of my root riot cubes. Apparently that's a huge no no. So first off, shit. I honestly contemplated cutting my losses and starting fresh with these feminized seeds weeks ago and I wish I had, at least then Id have saved that little bit of nutrients, oh well we live and we learn.
 
 So after i set up the whole 600w shebang of course my temps sky rocketed which I expected but holy shit I had to do something quick because it was gonna devastate my plants. So I rigged up a some 6" ducting with a fan and now my temps are stable around 82*F.
 
  I am using bottled nutrients. I heard so much good and so little bad about Dutch Master Nutrients that I had to give them a try even though its a lil more pricier than Advanced Nutrients. Its a two part solution(A& B) for each stage of growth and a flowering additive called ADD.27.  So I figured if I use Fox Farm Ocean Forest or Happy Frog then ill just go easy with the nutes for the first couple weeks because from what i heard those are water only soil for a month or so right?
 
That's about my whole setup from top to bottom. Any advice, pointers, tips or general knowledge is much appreciated. even if you got a 600w setup and you want to compare how I might be doing that would be awesome too. much love GC, cheers.
 
~HipHopaddix
<SKI.THE.EAST>









 
 

 

What's good GC community? HipHopaddix here, I'm back with a little update of the progress of my three babies.
 
So I read up a bit on some new germination techniques, and I think I've found a very effective and relatively cheap way for a 100% germ rate.(with my last 6 fem seeds). anyways I went to Walmart and got myself a fish aquarium heater(17$) and a large 5 gallon Tupperware with a lid(5$), and a much smaller 2 cup Tupperware with lid for the seeds (2$). That's it. The rest is so simple its hard to believe it works so well.
 
The aquarium heater temperature rests at 86+- 1 or 2 degrees which happens to be the same temp seeds love to germ at, so I fill the 5 gallon Tupperware 3/4 full and submerge the aquarium heater and let the water get up too temp. My heater has an indicator light that turns from red to green. Next take the small Tupperware and fill it the warm water from the larger Tupperware and soak the seeds for 6 to 12 hrs. After a good soak pull all your seeds out and put them between two moist paper towels in the same 2 cup Tupperware but with no water just moisten the paper towels with the water from the big tub, leave the lid a little vented for some of that humid air to get in the smaller container to keep the paper towels moist and at 86 degrees. Now you want too float the smaller Tupperware on top of the warm water in the 5 gallon container, usually my seeds sprout within 12-24 hrs 36 hrs at most.
 
Once they have a decent size root tip I plant them root tip down in Root Riot cubes soaked in Rapid Start Rooter for a few mins and rang out nicely. Then in 24-48 hrs you'll see cotyledon breaking the surface. That's where im at now, check my pics. The third sprout broke the surface an hour after I took these pics. the last picture is of my germination setup. try it out, let me know what you think. it works wonders for under 30$.
 
HipHopaddix out,
<SKI.THE.EAST>

 

HipHopaddix back again,
 
So I picked up some Sunshine Mix #4 at my hydro shop for my babies when transplant time comes, and I'm plan on adding some perlite and dolomite lime to the mix as well to help with aeration and pH spikes, anyone know of a good ratio to use for the lime? I've heard 1 or 2 tbls pre gallon is pretty standard. I'd like to get some experienced advice before I go chucking in handfuls of the shit and screw myself over again.  
Anyways my babies are doing great. They are still in the Root Riot cubes in the germ closet under the Sunblaze T5 light staying warm and hydrated. The first pic is of the two THC Bomb and the second pic is the one Sour Diesel both were planted like a week ago. I'm hopeful for this soil mix cause I've literally bought top notch everything from lights to nutes and the only thing I skimped out on was soil. So I'm praying for an actual harvest since I haven't seen one yet. Wish me luck guys. Cheers.


 
HipHopaddix out
<SKI.THE.EAST>

 

Eyy what's good GC,
 
So I just mixed up my first batch of soil. Its a real basic mix of Sunshine Mix #4 (20$ for the small bale, 2 CuFt) 1 1/2 cups powdered lime (1.99$ 10lbs bag) for a pH buffer and like 6-8 large handfuls of Perlite (8$) that's it. I'm hoping this mix will work great with my Dutch Master Nutrient line. This mix has essentially no added nutrients or amendments, just the Mycorrhizae that comes in it. By the way I found out its pronounced my-cro-rye-zeh if anyone cant figure that one out, like myself. The second pic is of all three girls transplanted into one gallon pots. Third is the shit soil I am using with my first grow and the fourth is the hand mixed by yours truly, organic soil mix I just transplanted my girls into. Any input is appreciated. Much love GC.




 
HipHopaddix Out,
<SKI.THE.EAST>