JJs 700w HPS+CFL Closet. Bag seed - Moved to new closet!

Whats up,

I grew one plant a few years back using CFL's, but it turned out to be a male, so I trashed it. I travel a lot for work, so I havn't had time to try again until now. My travel schedule should be nill for the next 4-5 months, so I figured wtf, I will try again.

This time I had the funds to purchase a good 400w HPS system. Going with 4 plants this time, hopefully I will get a winner. I do not know the type of seed at all, just the best looking seeds from a good batch I had.

My closet is not that large, so I need to try and keep these plants short, I am thinking about the LST technique....still researching though. I have an attic to use, but it gets way to hot up there, and I can't fix that right now.

I am starting this on Day 10, but here is the brief history.

-germinated seeds using the moist paper towel method, 4 of 5 made it.
-planted the seeds in some thoroughly cleaned, reused pots.
-Soil is Jiffy All-Purpose Potting Soil, added some pearlite into mix.
-Watered and let sit covered with plastic wrap, sprouts appeared after 2 days.
-Started grow using 3 CFL 100W with reflectors while I waited on HPS to arrive. 24 hour lights on.
-HPS system came in on day 9, re-setup closet to work with larger lighting system. Approx. 15 inches above sprouts. Still running 24 hours on.
-Added large oscillating fan. Approx 1 foot from plants


Some problems I could use help on…….

The few websites I've seen discussing LST say starting with primo seeds is a recommended. What is the reason I could not do this with my middie bag seeds?

I am not able to get the temps below 90 during the day, but they drop to around 80-85 at night. Will I be ok or should I add another fan?

Will an exhaust fan help bring my temps down? My ventilation plans are to run an exhaust fan on the ceiling of the closet, the attic is above it so the smell can dissipate up there.

I have 3 bottles of Fox Farm Nutes from my grow 3-4 years ago, I never even used them so they are sealed. Will they still be good now?

Pics will follow.

Any input is appreciated, thanks.

JJ

 

Thanks for that advice Smurfy, I will rig something once I get ahold of a fan, think I have a box fan somewhere.

I added 3 100w "Daylight Spectrum" CFL's. 2 with reflectors and one without (it was blocking light from the HPS) I have 2 more bulbs to use but no way to light them yet.

Pics tomorrow.

-JJ

 

I picked up another fan today to blow directly on the ballast/light. Found a moisture and pH monitor and also now have a digital thermometer with humidity reading. It has a wired sensor which I placed in the center of the 4 plants.
Is that the best place to measure?

My temps today jumped between 85 and 90. I turned the A/C down to 73 and the temp went down to 83, but I cannot keep my A/C there or I will go broke. I am moving to another closet tomorrow, and will be able to setup the fans more effectively, may even add another one. In the new closet, I am going to add ventilation for the heat.
I assume one end of the conduit goes to wherever I am venting. Where do I put the other end? Under the light to suck the heat away?

Here are some pics of the closet now. New closet pics tomorrow.







This plant seems to be drooping, heat?



My best looking so far



Something wrong here, is that burning from the lights?


You can see the temp probe in the middle.



-JJ

 

Tags fixed, haven't posted on any forums for a few years so I am re-learning. How do people make their tags so the thumbnail opens the full size picture on the existing screen?

I like your copper pipe idea, I may look into that, I respect the McGyver way of working

 

Ok, so it took me all day, but I finally finished the move. I'm now in a larger closet and have a small ventilation system setup.

Temps are more stable, sticking around 85-86, but I want to get it down to 80 during the hottest part of the day, so I have some more work to do.

The fan I used for the ventilation is a small computer fan. It doesn't have the great of suction, I only see a 1-2 degree difference when it is turned off, but I am going to add another fan on the topside of the pipe, a larger one.

I also need to try and seal up the cracks as much as possible, then find a way to get nice cool clean air sucking into the closet.

Nice new clean larger closet


With new doors


Ventilation





I had no idea how to connect the duct work to the hood, so I just used some loose material to seal the hole.



A leaf I saved from my first attempt at growing about 4 years ago. Still green as the day I framed it. Hopefully this grow will not follow suit though and turn male.



Final setup....for now.



-JJ

 

Good news: I found my good camera, so pictures will be better.

Bad News: I turned my HPS light off last night because I couldn't keep my temps below 89 without keeping every door open and that was too loud. I also had to keep the A/C on 71 and that is just too cold in the house, too expensive as well.

I re-arranged the 3 CFL bulbs for now, until I come up with a solution for the ventilation.

My ventilation solution includes replacing the in-line 80mm computer fan with one of these:
Inductor 8 In. In-Line Duct Booster Fan - 500CFM




.
Temp Setup




This is why I love this camera. Light burn? pH and moisture are ok.


Another good closeup, different plant, same issue.




-JJ

 

I added a humidifier this morning, humidity is hovering around 53% now. Temps are stable at about 83-84 as well.

 

I woke up this morning to a new problem. Half the tip of two leaves have turned black/grey. Can anyone identify what is causing this? It is on 2 different plants.

Could it be from moving the grow room and then soon after changing the light source? Too much stress?


Plant 1


Plant 2


I am hunting for a digital pH pen around my town today.
My babies are looking weak, I could really use some advice.....

 

My CFL's are 3 inches from the tops of the plant. When I was using the HPS, it was 14 inches away.

 

Thanks for the help dude. Sorry, but I am not sure what you mean by T8's or T9's??

I was reading other peoples grow journals and found one with a similar problem. Cutting back their lighting watts and lighting times (from 24 to 18/6) seemed to help their issues. I am going to start that tonight.

I have one of the shitty pH and moisture testers from Lowe's right now, but according to them I am not over watering, and my pH is in the 6.5-6.8 range. Again, according to my shitty meter. I am researching what digital meter to buy, but am getting confused with all of the options. I am using distilled water with a few drops of lime juice to lower the pH for now.

I stopped using the HPS a few days ago. I am going to save it for when these get more robust.

-JJ

 

No updates for a while, sorry, had to go to Vegas for business. My little ones are not looking that great, they are struggling to grow.

I just took these pictures today, Day 30, and they look like I just started. I really must have fried them with that HPS light. I had to cut off the first small leaves becuase they were dead.


After looking at the pictures, are my plants ready for me to put my HPS back? I feel I could get more even lighting and maybe more/faster growth.

This is the plant I have the most faith in.



Plant 2
Another one I have higher faith in.


Plant 3
Smaller growth, probably due to the placement to the lights.


Plant 4
This has not grown much at all, but I am keeping it.