My first grow - journal w/ pics

ZBeebs · Post by **ZBeebs** » Thu 28th Oct 2010 07:38 am

Everything is set up, and I'm going to keep a journal here and post pics as I go. I expect to need help along the way...thanks in advance!

I've got a Growlab GL120, 4 x 4 x 6.5 tent, a Lumitek electronic 600watt ballast, switchable to 400, with a "super lumens" setting...whatever that is...it's now running a Sunmaster grow lamp, which I will switch to a Solarmax for flowering. The reflector is a Sun System yield master 2.

I am using Fox Farm soil in 3 gallon pots, water is at 6.5 ph, seeds are in. Light is set at 400W (will switch to 600 in a week or two), on an 18/6 cycle.

I wasn't planning on any additional nutrients until flowering, and will need suggestions at that time.

I am adding a 4" Vortex inline fan tomorrow, and a 4 x 12 Phresh Filter will be added to that once I need the odor control. I will also be adding a small clip on fan to move air around the tent.

The tent is much bigger than I thought it would be - I should have measured out 4 x 4!

The back row and two of the middle row are vanilla kush second row on the right is a rocklock, then the front row are kandy kush, pineapple express and exile.

I have raised the light up about a foot and adjusted the cord from the light since taking the pic.

Through the tents viewing windows...

Any suggestions/tips about any of this would be appreciated, comments about the specific strains, and if I'm doing something wrong or stupid please feel free to point it out.

Boner · Post by **Boner** » Thu 28th Oct 2010 10:36 am

Nice and tidy.

bigs · Post by **bigs** » Thu 28th Oct 2010 11:12 am

remember to keep humidity high during the germination / seedling stage.

This could be done by putting a propagator hood over your plants, leaving buckets of water in the grow room, spraying the sides etc. looks like a quality set up, I recently got the same lumatek and it's worth the money, good luck!

Kermit · Post by **Kermit** » Thu 28th Oct 2010 12:47 pm

Nice, look forward to reading this!! Dont think anyone has done a grow journal on here, have to go elsewhere normally to read them.

Fox Farm is the bomb but play nicely with it as its pretty well loaded with nutes. The Bloom products are Amazing but a bit pricey back here in the U.K but still worth the outlay. Think they are half the price in the U.S compared to the U.K. You could get away with just the Tiger Bloom if you want to stick to FoxFarm.

Stay safe and looking forward to you updates

AzLaker · Post by **AzLaker** » Fri 29th Oct 2010 12:16 am

Looks real good ZBeebs.

AzLaker

Iko · Post by **Iko** » Fri 29th Oct 2010 12:42 am

Good luck.
I'll look forward to following along as i personally have zero knoledge about the process.

ZBeebs · Post by **ZBeebs** » Fri 29th Oct 2010 03:22 am

It seemed really hot last night, so I went right out and bought the fan and carbon filter. Got a Vortex vtx400, rated at just under 200 cfm. I also bought the 4 x 12 Phresh filter, but I won't put that in until I need it.

The fan is hooked up to a length of 4" straight pipe I had laying around the house and is just exhausting straight out the back of the tent into the room. I plan on running ducting through the wall and into the storage area/laundry room if I have to. Not sure I like how I have the fan suspended, any suggestions?

How do I know when to water? I got the soil moist before planting (watered until water started coming out the drain holes, then stopped) but now the top of the soil looks dried out. Should I water again so soon? The light is at least 24 inches from the pots.

Uncle Ron · Post by **Uncle Ron** » Fri 29th Oct 2010 04:50 am

The way you have the fan set up looks about right. After you start it up you may have to make an adjustment or two, settling from vibrations and all that. I leave a space between the fan and the grow-box frame because of the noise created from the vibrations although you might not experience the same.
As for watering, at what stage is your plant(s)? If in the seedling stage, the plant(s) don't need much water at all. Keep the soil moist but not saturated. One reason is drowning (over watering) and another is that it would flush out nutrients contained in the grow medium. A rule I go by is when the top couple of inches of growing medium is dry, I water. In the seedling stage I use a spray bottle, which aids in preventing over-watering.

Good luck and happy farming.

Stanky Danky · Post by **Stanky Danky** » Fri 29th Oct 2010 12:36 pm

ZBeebs wrote: Not sure I like how I have the fan suspended, any suggestions?

Adjust the crossbars on the top of the tent so you can rest the fan on top of the tent with the sucking end going into the hole on the top of the tent.

ZBeebs · Post by **ZBeebs** » Fri 29th Oct 2010 12:57 pm

Stanky Danky wrote:
ZBeebs wrote: Not sure I like how I have the fan suspended, any suggestions?
Adjust the crossbars on the top of the tent so you can rest the fan on top of the tent with the sucking end going into the hole on the top of the tent.

I would have liked to do it that way, but there is less than two inches between the top of the tent and the ceiling.

Uncle Ron · Post by **Uncle Ron** » Fri 29th Oct 2010 02:21 pm

Not sure I understand the problem, is it because it doesn't look good?
Can you adjust (move or split) the double rod assembly? If so, maybe suspend the fan between the two. If not, suspend it between the double-rod and the outside rod, if the straps are long enough. The rods in my grow box are approximately the same diameter as yours, although in addition to the straps, I have a two piece wire cradle.
Give it a try, it just might work, or not.
As for a question in my previous post about the stage of growth, after looking at the pics I saw the answer. Smoking too much haze...

Use a spray bottle for close-in watering to keep the soil damp; no need to saturate the entire container, not yet anyway.

Good luck
Happy Farming

Cisco · Post by **Cisco** » Fri 29th Oct 2010 04:50 pm

Stanky Danky wrote:
ZBeebs wrote: Not sure I like how I have the fan suspended, any suggestions?
Adjust the crossbars on the top of the tent so you can rest the fan on top of the tent with the sucking end going into the hole on the top of the tent.

So if you have the fan on top of the tent how do you hang the filter vertical ?

ZBeebs · Post by **ZBeebs** » Fri 29th Oct 2010 05:00 pm

cisco wrote:
Stanky Danky wrote:
ZBeebs wrote: Not sure I like how I have the fan suspended, any suggestions?
Adjust the crossbars on the top of the tent so you can rest the fan on top of the tent with the sucking end going into the hole on the top of the tent.
So if you have the fan on top of the tent how do you hang the filter vertical ?

I guess that would have been an issue too.

I will spread the crossbars, when I pulled the straps tight it pulled the bars together. Probably easy to fix. Will do that tonight.

Stanky Danky · Post by **Stanky Danky** » Fri 29th Oct 2010 05:43 pm

cisco wrote:
Stanky Danky wrote:
ZBeebs wrote: Not sure I like how I have the fan suspended, any suggestions?
Adjust the crossbars on the top of the tent so you can rest the fan on top of the tent with the sucking end going into the hole on the top of the tent.
So if you have the fan on top of the tent how do you hang the filter vertical ?

Use flexible aluminum ducting and the hang the filter horizontal.

Cal X · Post by **Cal X** » Sat 30th Oct 2010 09:57 am

I hate to say it ZBeebs, but that Fox Farms soil may be a little nutrient rich to start your seeds out in. I like to soak the seeds or put them in a moist towel until they crack and them put them a plastic cup with sunshine mix or any light low nutrient soil under T5 Florecent lights, if that 400 w is all you have put it as high as it will go and shade the sprouts. Then in a few weeks you can put them under the 400 w light in the 5 gal pots with the Fox Farms soil, I assume it's the Ocean Forest; that will give you about 3 weeks before you have to add nutrients.