Hey guys I just purchased some white widow seeds from the Nirvana-shop. This is my first time growing from seed. I used Jiffy pellets to germinate, and I just replanted my new little sprouts into Miracle Grow potting soil. So I come here for advice. Is it better to put fragile little sprouts under a 400 watt metal halide, or to keep them under fluorescent until they become a little bit larger.
I put my sprouts under a 400w MH the day they sprourted 4 days ago at 30" to start. On day two I moved them to 28" and they are at about 26" right now that they grew into. No problems. I've get a fan aimed at the space between the reflector and the top of the seedlings. I'll prolly move it up to 24" next week and that's it. I got that from a HT article and I've done it before.
Thanks for the reply. I just wasn't sure what kind of light new sprouts needed most. And if they could handle a powerful light right off the get go. First time I have ever grown from seed. So of course there is a world of new question's. Most people I have seen cloning and germination are using tube fluorescent's. So you think if the 400 Watt Metal Halide is available that is simply the way to go? Here are a couple of pics, I was going to drop that 400 to about 3feet off the ground and put my sprouts next to the one mother currently under the 400watt mh Another question, should I give the sprouts some rest, like do a 18/6 light cycle or should I zap these little sucker with 24 hours of light?
I got a question does it matter if the light is a soft white, bright white, or day light. Its a 65 watt with 665 lumens, should i just be looking at the lumens?
So here is what I have done, please correct me if I need to do something different. I have seedlings that are yet to germinate, i have clones under the fluorescents on 24 hours of light. I moved my new sprouts under the 400 Watt Metal Halide. Approx 2 feet from the light. And they are going to be 18 hours of light 6 Dark. Is this the best setup? should I do anything differently?
24"' to 30" is ok for the first two weeks with a 400w MH. 24" after that through vegging. I'm doing 18/6 too. When you go to flowering at 12/12 put them at 18" for the rest of the way. The above was from a HT article and is the same for a 400w HID so it's the same for 400w HPS too. According to the article by "Jorge".
Yeah for flowering, I will pull out the big guns, I have a 1,000 watt High Pressure Sodium for that stage, and some killer nutes. I probably have a good 4-5 month of veg ahead of me first though. Nirvana-shop accidentally sent me non/feminized seeds last week, so I went ahead and germinated those, I only got 6 to sprout normally, 1 sprouted without leaves, and another seems like it wants to come out, and 2 that are not going to do anything. That is 6 out of 10. Then today they sent me the real feminized ones, so I plan on planting those suckers tonight. I did not want to sex my plants, but with the 6 that made it, looks like I have no choice but to look for balls in the flower stage and bury the males immediately. Anyway thanks for the advice, and if anyone still wants to add anything else please feel free to help a fellow grow out.
That looks great to me...I put my 5 seedlings under a 600w HPS for a couple days actually because my Metal Halide was being shipped [late ] and I just switched it to the MH today and they look great. So I know it's fine for them to be under such a powerful light, just put them 2-3 feet away. I've heard Flourescents aren't bad to put with an HID for seedlings/vegative growth as well
As long as you take any research you do as a general type thing, remembering that every grow room will be different, it's a good guide to read as much as you can. HID lights include both MH and HPS lights (as well as mercury vapor). MH lights are hotter in my experience than HPS lights, so distance from plants will probably be different, or air movement would have to be different. Best way to judge is watching your plants closely and putting your hand over the top of the plants and seeing if your hand gets too hot. I've had a 400 watt HPS 4 inches above my adult plants in the past but getting it under a foot at this grow site is a challenge. It all depends on individual circumstances. Tommy, looks like you are off to a good start, good luck with your grow.
Thanks everyone, hopefully I can slide in another question. What about room temperture for the new sprouts, I have them in my basement and morning's are becoming a little cool. I do not have any heat source as of yet, my lights seems to be doing fine while they are on. Can anyone tell me what the minimum room temp can be before I run into problems with my new sprouts. And how many plants is safe to veg under 1 400 watt metal halide. I have a dual eye ballast and I can run 2 400 watt metal halide lights with 1 ballast. I just want keep the electric bill reasonable. I want to flower 8-10 plants this time. I assume 8 would be maxing out the 1,000 hps when they are 4 feet tall. 10 pushing the 1,000, space is not the issue. Hope all that makes sense I just woke up. Haven't even smoked yet.
Just a quick suggestion; When your non-fem seeds are big enough to do a decent clone, clone them and once they take, put them under 12/12 until they sex out. Quick way to get rid of the little boys - though collecting some pollen and making crosses can be fun too.
I am not going to bother, when I am ready to flower, I am going to turn everything to 12/12 at the same time, and I will check daily for sex. I am pretty sure I will be able to see a male way before pollination takes place. And at that time I will destroy the males, and just let the females continue. At the current time I do not have a veg room and flower room. When I am ready I am just going to change the bulb flick the switch on my ballast to hps, and flower away. I have 2 more 400 watt lights, I could keep one mother alive, under 1 400 and take clones for my next grow, but to be honest I like the way the stems are growing from seed. I have never seen anything quite like the fat stems I have right now. Everything else I have ever grown was from a clone, this is my first grow straight from seed to germination to where I am at now. It's awesome thick ass stems, very strong plants. My only concern now is getting the lower parts of the plants more light. I need to pick up a couple of lamps that will shoot some light to the lower parts of the plants. Hey bro check out my other thread that is were I am at now. http://forum.grasscity.com/general-indoor-growing/475954-white-widow-nirvana-shop.html