Total 1st time grow!! Would like some pointers please

[Standaman]

Hey to anyone who reads this post,
I am wanting to start a small grow with a 400w Hps and a single pot Dwc, i have an idea of concentrating on one pot in the beginning as space at the moment is an issue and to be honest i would rather go for an excellent single plant and take it from there than say 4 average one's and end up messing it up (well for now anyway!)
So can anyone give me a pointer as to where to go next? My grow space is 80cm width x 55cm depth x 160cm height i think its 0.44m2 but not too sure with that calculation.

1-Auto-strain or regular or even feminised seeds?

2-Would another grow medium be more easier for a 1st timer?

3-Is it possible to use Cfl's alongside a Hps during veg period? (so it takes the strain off Hps)

4 As above using Cfls and Hps but in flower period? ( to boost lumens)


I'm probably way off the right path here but have no one else to ask as i trust no one around me enough to confide in!

Any help would be well received...

 

[FreezerBoy]

A single tub DWC is a very easy method well suited to newcomers. A 400 HPS will bury you in weed, no need for CFLs.

What are you doing about fans and scrubbers? Ventilation 101

 

[Standaman]

Thanks for the quick response!

Thats what i hoped someone would say, is it more hands on though? with regards to changing over the water supply and is it right you need to be vigilant with nutrient fluctuations?
Not even Cfl's in veg then?
Buried! Really? If i could get 2 oz off it i'd be happy!
Well this is my problem i'm reading so much stuff and watchin various dvd's as well as forum's and i am starting to over-complicate it all.
The reason why i stopped lurking and took the plunge to ask someone.

 

[Observer Tom]

Keep it simple. Things will be complicated enough the very first time, without trying to get all fancy.

You can use cfl's if you want, but a 400 will be fine for single pot dwc. Do some undercutting and you'll be very pleased with what a 400 can do.

Watch your plants and if they look funny somehow, do some searches in the infirmary. Reading and posting on this site will make you a better grower so you're already off to a good start.

Have fun!

 

[FreezerBoy]

If i could get 2 oz off it i'd be happy!

If you pull under half a pound, I'd be shocked! My cab is 56x74x137 cm and a 250 CMH. I'll pulling 4 oz from a single watercured Sativa. Seriously, my 250 pumps out so much, I'm getting uncomfortable.



The first grow has a small learning curve. I quickly got res maintenance down to once every two weeks. That easy enough for you? Using a 18 gal tub (12 gal of nutes) with a single plant keeps swings, if any, mild. A 5 gal tub would require more work.

Remember that manufacturers nute schedules are unrelated to plant health. They're related to how much your plants can endure without frying to death. Start at 1/4 to 1/3 of suggested feed rates and ask your plants how they like it. Lucas says 0-8-16. My 8 Mile says 0-1.25-3.75. I'm sure Lucas is a swell fellow, kind to kids and animals but, I'll trust my plants to tell me the truth.

Closest thing to trouble is res temps in the summer. The ice bottle boogie gets old fast. I shut down in the summer now cause, po' Freezer's got too much weed

 

[Standaman]

Observer Tom Thanks for stopping by. Simple is the word of the day for me!
I want to dive right in and grow loads but like i said before i would rather go for one excellent plant than gettin carried away tryin to grow a couple more and failing or making it harder for myself.
When you say undercutting, do you mean cutting the lower branches away to increase airflow under the plant? Or am i way off?

FreezerBoy- Well i wouldn't want to disappoint you now so i will bare that in mind
Your cabs measurements are rather similar to mine (roughly)
Whoa!! Really? And thats with a 250 too! Ok now i'm worried that i will need an awesome ventilation system going on now if i'm to use a 400w in a space the size of yours!!

2 weeks maintainance!? Oh i would be happy with that, even though i would talk to my baby everyday its nice to think i wouldn't be overly "hands on"
See!! Now my thinking was that the bigger the pot the more i would have to keep an eye on the nutes! See why i'm glad to be in this forum!
I guess like you said about nutes its better to start low and get to know what your "babies" are wanting.
And what is this "ice bottle boogie" you speak of?? lol

And can i just say i've been eyeing up some of your journals, and i gotta say i am impressed! I got like 2 fridges in my garden right now! But they are gonna be sooo mouldy i wouldn't even entertain the idea at the moment
Loved the ventilation system that you conjured up too with the thermos food box, you ain't messing about!
I am a lot clearer in the direction that i would go now

I love absorbing all the different ways people do stuff
Thanks again FB and Observer Tom

 

[Mr. Tony]

Ice bottle shuffle is putting bottle of super cold water in your res to lower the temp of the rez water. once the water bottles have warmed up to the rez temp you switch them out for new frozen bottles.

 

[FreezerBoy]

Venting is easy, it's sound control that's tricky. Fans can be muffled but, they can only be silenced by turning them off. Noise has to be moved, masked or pinned on something else. My hide in plain sight approach uses the patsy method. My new S&P fan is much quieter than my old axial but, it doesn't sound like a beat up old freezer anymore. I'm probably going to be adding noise in the form of a small axial just to get the sound right.

 

[Standaman]

Ah i see! cheers Mr Tony! I thought it was something like that but was scared to say for fear of looking dumb! Thanks!

FreezerBoy- So you reckon it will be a bit noisy then? I was thinking about that before as the fan i have in my bathroom makes a humming noise which you notice more so at night when its quiet =(
Would it be possible to put like a cut up bicycle innertube around it? To lower some vibrations? (for wall mounted fans) to act in the principal of a gasket ? I may be wrong with my terminology here.

Looking at various posts on here and its amazing some of the setups, from ghetto low-tec to high-tec.
It makes me want to start asap but then reality hits me and i'm like a few more weeks/months!

 

[Mr. Tony]

My advice would be to read as much as you can on here.


don't skip on the carbon filter either. a couple small plants will stink up a house real quick.

 

[FreezerBoy]

So you reckon it will be a bit noisy then? I was thinking about that before as the fan i have in my bathroom makes a humming noise which you notice more so at night when its quiet =(
Would it be possible to put like a cut up bicycle innertube around it? To lower some vibrations? (for wall mounted fans) to act in the principal of a gasket ?

There's all kinds of tricks but, if the fan's on, there will always be noise, no matter what you do. Given you can contain fan noise to the room it's in, the best method is to move the fan to a room no one enters. The attic is a great place. If not that, then mask with locked door or louder noise. Or pin the noise on an aquarium, computer, hepa filter, freezer, etc. Show them the noise, the noise disappears.

 

[Standaman]

Oh i am absorbing everthing Mr Tony and yes a carbon filter is right up there on my "essentials list"!
I dont fancy getting neighbours or even worse the filth alerting me to the odours.
Do you know if the DIY carbon filters are any good or would i be better off buying one?
Thanks

 

[BigGreen]

Buy a canfan filter look at my thread 2k scrog rdwc and see how stinky mine look. You walk in the room and you cant smell dam near anything. They work very well and there cheap enough if buying a small one but dont skimp on it trust me. My first grow I had 6 little plant and a shitty little filter not set up right and my entire house stank BAD. The wife put the cabosh to it.

 

[habeeb]

soil for first time growers is a must if you don't want headaches

 

[FreezerBoy]

Do you know if the DIY carbon filters are any good or would i be better off buying one?
Thanks

DIY works GREAT! DurbanPoisons-Scrubber for Dummies! My DIY Odorsock could handle my Destroyer through harvest but, at 3 weeks, my 8 Mile overpowered it. I built the DB Scrubber and smell-b-gone! Until I open the cab. Whew does it stink in there. But, not in the room.

There's a guy on Ebay selling carbon at $1.99 a lb compared to $4.99 a lb at the stores. Woo hoo!

soil for first time growers is a must if you don't want headaches

A single DWC is far easier than soil. Just check the Infirmary.

 

[Standaman]

BigGreen- Cheers for the pointer mate i will have a gander at that thread, any pointers are gladly received.

Habeeb- Thanks for the heads up. The hydro setups i have been looking at on here just points me in that direction. I have been seeing some nice yields.

FreezerBoy- Its because i have checked out your journals that i'm more inclined to go down the dwc road.
And i'm gonna check out the 2 links you also mentioned, i'd be mad not to really!

Again thanks for the feedback guys!!

 

[Bogie]

Good Luck Dude

 

[Standaman]

Thanks Bogie

Update: As of today the ball is rolling people!! I put my life on hold to save for my equpment, so £1000 lighter i now have my setup

Got some cuttings of some UK Cheese en route got a sample and its proper dank n pissy so i'm well happy about that, got some Grapefruits i can have if i want and some Strawberry cough but they are seeds.

All i need to do now is get some gizmos for temps, ec, PH and so forth and i'll be on my merry way.

 

[Elcap]

Almost time to start your adventure Standaman! And that first one is always a fun journey, sometimes frustrating, but in the end you really learn. By the end of the 3rd run, it seems ridiculously easy.

But PLEASE get your pH and PPM meters before you get your cuts. Last thing you want is to start wrong and be fighting to correct things through the entire grow.

Also, be wary of messing with your plants too much. Lots of new growers are so enamored with the whole thing they want to constantly be DOING something to/for their plants...Soil guys always overwatering, hydro guys trying to add every nute additive they read about, etc. When they're young, there just isn't much to do besides monitor your pH, PPM and temps and relax. If you're one of those busybody types, try running a few 4x8 tables with a couple hundred gal reservoirs, a mother room, and a 200 slot cloning shelf ...that'll keep ya busy!

 

[Standaman]

Yeah i'm telling you Elcap i have had major sleepless nights and lots of overtime to get here, so at the moment i'm really on a "high" lol

I know i know i'm looking at the Truncheon right now as it goes, i won't do anything until i do get them to be honest.
I get my equipment on monday so gives me a chance to get cuttings, propagator and gizmos, then i just need blinds and i'm good to go!

Nope not a chance but that could change! lol But seriously i do want a low hassle grow where i keep an eye on what i need to and let it do the rest really.

Oh the Nutes had me in a daze really and one of the guy's in the shop did my head in trying to railroad me into stuff but the other guy must of realised i had more of an idea about what i was on doing!(but i don't! lol)

Is that how big yours is!? Nah not for me mate i was gonna start with 1x DWC under a 400w closet grow!
It's now 4x DWC 1200w XXL tent!!

Does it come over as a major contradiction to you lot!?