My small indoor attempt

Ok so I figured I'd make the post in here this time. My first attempt didn't end well but I did learn a lot about how much effort is needed to get something out of it. If your interested (or bored enough) this was my first attempt. Fair warning I didn't have enough of anything set-up when I had started so it was kinda ruff.

Anyhow since then I've made a new light setup (ruffly using this guide). As you can see in the pictures I have 4 bulbs. 2 100W and 2 26W cfl's. These pictures are with a 100W and a 26W bulb on, I found with all 4 on and the rig that low the box got ridiculously hot (around 98-105F). I'm using 550 cord to be able to adjust the height of the lights as it grows. Not the prettiest set-up or wiring job but it works.

I plan on adding some higher sides to the box on the floor so that the sides reflect light also, right now it's just the floor that has it. Also I am going to build a stand for the bank of cpu fans as it's currently too low and blows under the pot rather than on the plant. My original plan was to attach it to the lighting rig but it made it too heavy on one side and would sit lopsided so I scrapped that idea.

So my first question is what do you guys think of this set-up? Any suggestions on things that would make it better? A side note, I do have the doors to it just took them off for the pictures so night time it is sealed pretty good. I also have a blanket I put over it just in case.

Well that's all I have for now, just put some seeds in the paper towels to germinate so will post some more pictures of them once they come to life.

Oh I do have one question if any one can answer it for me. The 100w cfl's i have are 3500K which is normally used for flowering, if I have them in along with the other 2 daylight cfl's will that mess up the plant or can I run them all together and it be ok? I was kinda hoping that as long as you have some of the proper lights in there adding in extra wouldn't be bad for it.

 

Planted 4 seeds yesterday. changed the lights to all 26w cfl's. Saw these new kind of cfl's called true color or some such thing so figured I'd try two of those with the two other "daylight" ones.

Wasn't really planning on planting 4 plants but got tired of germinating one at a time and getting nothing so put 8 in the box. Put them into some seed boxes and 2 of them are already popping out. Got the next set of pots all ready for them today so at least that much is prepared. not sure how well that many will do in the little space I have and with the amount of light I have.

Went to a few stores looking for higher watted cfls but 26 is the highest I could find. Well ok I did get 2 that are 42 watts and 1 55 watt one but they are rather big and not sure if I will be able to fit all of them together in my lighting rig. They are for flowering though, couldn't find any that would work for vegging. Maybe I will have to break down and order some online but if I do that will probably also get a grow tent as I'm not really liking this cabinet I have. Keeping all 4 lights on, even with all of them being 26w, it's rather hot inside. I think I need to make up some kind of better intake/output for air, hopefully that will help out a lot on the temp. Right now it's sitting around 82F.

 

thought I'd add a pic of the little seedlings. I tried pulling the shell off the top right one but it didn't come off and I didn't wanna use too much pressure and kill it. I'm assuming it will just come off when it's ready.

 

so it's a been a week now since I planted. Moved them into larger pot's today, maybe a tad early but I think they will do fine. I tossed one seed away, the root had curled up and it wasn't growing very well at all. But it's all good cause I only had 3 good pots anyways

also last time i just used the MG potting soil but this time I sifted the MG soil to get some of the larger chips out of it and mixed it with some peat moss. Hoping it will be a little nicer of a combo and hold water a little better than before.

So here is the pictures in the new pots:

 

lol i guess I waited too long in making that post here's the pictures.

 

It's MG potting soil, once I get all the larger bark bits out it's the same stuff and it saves me from having to spend another $20. Also, if I don't use it what else would I do with it?

 

rather than try and convince you it's fine to use, lemme put it like this. The Pots are filled and the plants are planted in them. Not trying to sound rude but my last grow thread turned into all the things I'm doing wrong and how I should go buy product X or Y or Z. The problem last time wasn't that I was using MG soil it was that I overfed them.

On another note, i need to find or make a little taller stand for the computer fans I'm using by the pots. At the moment the top of the pots is in line with the middle of the fans so only half the air being pushed by them is going over the plants. The cabinet is normally on the hotter side so gotta make sure I keep the air moving over them, at least till I can lift up the lighting rig a little higher and get the larger fan in there.

 

just adding some new pictures. they are 2 weeks old now, one is a little small but I think that is because it was in the spot that gives a little less light so it gets less growth. Been trying to rotate them every other day or so to keep the growth even.

Three plants total, you can tell which is getting less light. Thinking about adding in an extra light to fill in the spot.

edit: the leaves may look like they are laying down but that's because I pushed them down. Took these pictures after watering. Trying to keep the height down, probably start LSTing them after next week or so.

 

just a quick update. The smallest one is finally doing a little better. The leaves got a little more yellow than in the picture so I flushed out the soil until water poured out the bottom. Today it seems to be doing better, the yellowness has gone down a bit. The other two are getting pretty big compared to my last attempt. I'm thinking about moving the lights a little higher to get some stretching. The leaves are growing up at about a 30-45 degree angle. I keep pushing them down to flatten the out but each time i check them they have moved back up. Maybe I'll tie then down to keep them flat. I think it's a bit early to do any LST though, the main shaft is still kinda skinny and I don't wanna break it

will try and get some more pictures taken in the next couple days.