CFL PC CASE GROW, first and second attempts :-P

[basscadet]

Okay, so this is my first grow having thought about it ever since I started smoking. Looking through these forums gave me the inspiration for the PC grow, from the Nanomachine that blew my mind to all the successful grows that have followed it, I thought it’s the most stealth way to grow a personal stash known to mankind.

Ironically, as I was building the grow box I remembered a nursery rhyme I had on a record as a kid, “The Farmer in the Dell”, now I am one.

The first attempt to germinate saw three C99 and three white skunk seeds in dishes of water over the heating vent. Two of each popped their tails out and they went into some soil in an egg carton. Me thinking it’s the perfect container to start seedlings in, Newbie mistake #1. One skunk launched itself towards the light so the egg box went into the PC that I was still dialling in, Newbie mistake #2.

I definitely needed to get the PC right before starting anything in it. Temps were around the 40*C mark so still trying to cut through the front light trap to add intake.

So the strongest seedling burnt to a crisp under the lights and the other five slots were baked dry, they have been given a nice burial in the compost so they can help future generation to live. Two seeds were still in their casing so I tried to get them to germinate in some soaked soil in pots. A week later I noticed what looked like a small spider web amongst the soil. Closer look FUCK, the Borg! So the soil gets tossed after a spray of alcohol and water, now I find more in a small worm farm I had on the kitchen bench for scraps. Same fate for that.

Not even a bud and I get the Borg. Damn, I must be one lucky fucker!

So, after my first grow attempt;

Loss; six seeds…
making three newbie mistakes and having a possible Borg infestation; frustrating

Knowing that there are more seeds; priceless!

So my second attempt will be with one feminized Gigabud seed that Attitude sent me by mistake instead of the G13 Poison Dwarf I ordered.

But that’s kinda works out okay, I’ll start with one seed and hope to hell I don’t turn it male.

I’m using two PC’s converted to IBM’s (Inconspicuous Bud Machines). One as a flowering box and a smaller one, which was going to be my auto flower box, as a veg/clone/mother box.

Flower box
L 44.5 cm
H 43.5 cm
D 20 cm
.94 sqr feet
4 x 23W 27000k CFL globes (92W)
6200 lumens in total
120 mm PC fan exhaust

Veg/ clone/ mother box
L 38.5 cm
H 39 cm
D 20 cm
.83 sqr feet
3 x 23W 6500k CFL globes
4650 lumens total
80 mm PC fan exhaust

LIFT OFF!!!

Germinated on 13/05 and broke soil on the 18th.

Hell yeah, finally! Hopefully I can get this little girl to harvest. Man do I love a challenge, not only my first grow, but while I’m farming in my PC, my in-laws will be staying here for two months… scrubber in place for sure!!

Stick around for my grow if you can stand the ramblings of a newbie, hoping to get a quarter from this one… but if I get more, oh well. LOL

Please, if you see something I'm doing wrong or could be doing better, jump in and let me know.

 

[ScrubNinja]

Hiya again basscadet! Looks good bro, nice work on the lights.

Make sure you cut your intakes low. And always have your exhaust at the top. Uh oh, yours is not at the top, it's midway. So that's one thing I see. You'll be fighting science right from the get-go. Sounds like you're in a cooler part of the world so it won't neccesarily ruin your grow, just not great design.

I don't grow in soil, but is it decent soil? It looks a bit gluggy. Haha hope I don't seem too negative. I know how exciting it is! Good luck man!

 

[basscadet]

Hey ScrubNinja,
Thanks for dropping by. Your words of electrical wisdom helped me get to where I am now. K+ for you!

I'm still tweaking the intakes, I have them low but with light traps and having to enlarge the vent to double the intake.

On the veg case, the exhaust is at the top, the flowering case has the exhaust mid-way but I have more temp issues in the veg box. Weird I know. I added an 80mm PC fan to circulate air and cut a hole where the floppy drive would be but that hasn't helped. It dropped the temps 2*c but still in the too-hot zone.

Ahh the fun of physics and gardening or maybe this one

The soil is made up of 40% perlite, 10% Wettasoil (like vermiculite but with kelp extract) , 25% potting mix, and 25% soil from my veggie patch. The veggie patch soil feels so good. I spent three months working in chicken manure, seafeed extract and worm castings. It feels like silk, almost but when i planted veggies in there, my hand went through to my elbow with hardly any resistance. So warm at the bottom of in.

So I figured it would be good in a pot. I did water it before I took pics and maybe stired the top in search of any bugs, just in case, but turned it into mud LOL.


I did over water a little, the tips went a little brown, nothing too bad, just the edge of the tip so I backed off the water the next day and all is well. It is a small pot and with high temps it an make it dry out a little quicker.
http://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=5184&pictureid=77885

 

[ScrubNinja]

Cool, you got it all under control! Yeah that soil mix sounds pretty decent. I miss my vegie patch. I think it's ok to have higher temps in veg. What is the temp in the veg?

 

[basscadet]

Hey ScrubNinja,
I managed to get the veg temp down to 33*C, but that is still 12-13*C above ambient. The first time I nearly burnt my hand on the top of the PC when temps were in the 40's

I did read somewhere on a horticulture site that high temps creates a larger root mass, something to do with the heat making the plant send out more roots to bring in more water.

This pdf is of a study into pot colour and how it can affect root temps, kinda interesting too.
http://www.canr.org/02008.pdf

Although I still spend way too much time over at Redgreenery's ventilation 101, I get the temps down to 27*C and be happier.

 

[stealthcabber]

mad props man those are clean looking cases. after one grow you will want to upgrade tho trust me. if you say theres no way, you will find one http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=4788&pictureid=77971

btw the t1 fresh compact flouros are ionizers and lights in one

 

[basscadet]

thanks for the props Stealthcabber,
I know what you mean about upgrading, I look at the two cabs I have and wonder if I really need a veg cab or two flower cabs haha, but gonna reveg some moms after this grow so we'll see how it goes.

Nice one about the ionizing cfl's really cool idea. Could save on carbon filters I think. I' might look around for them in the future.

 

[stealthcabber]

bog talks about new method in his book on taking clones so you never have to have mothers. might stagger harvests a little more also.

 

[stealthcabber]

btw other tips, use black pc cases as you did...

 

[ScrubNinja]

Why is black better?

 

[basscadet]

Okay, just a small update, my girl started sprouting her second set of leaves on the 25th.

Probably not the sexiest pics on IC but for me, I'm sitting here watching my first plant gradually making her way out of the soil. Strange in a way how a plant that will eventually (hopefully) fill out this case started from something so tiny. That's life I guess.

Still having heat issues, cut the intakes to double the exhaust today but there's no change in the temps. I think i'll have to do away with the light traps I made. Hope this fixes the problem and I can have a comfortable 27*C in there.

bog talks about new method in his book on taking clones so you never have to have mothers. might stagger harvests a little more also.

hey stealthcabber, do you have a link for that, sounds interesting, I tried with some bamboo cuttings but they didn't make it.

Also, why are black cases better? One of mine is black and the top feels hotter than the white one. Age could have something to do with it though 'cos most newer PC's are black and made with thinner aluminium than the older, cream coloured ones.

For me it just depends on what the neighbours have thrown out. Sometimes I'll take the dog for a walk and someone has left a pc sitting by the road for collection and I have some weird compulsion to bring it home, strip it down and see it I could grow something in it or just use the fans. I have another case ready to be turned into a drying chamber as well haha.

I can just imagine the people's reaction, thinking the pc is worthless throw it away, and i run back home thinking, yah I can grow pot in this thing!

Enough rambling, leaf long and prosper people.

 

[ScrubNinja]

I help out sometimes at a place where people donate stuff, sort of like a vinnie's or goodwill, and it's so hard to not buy everything that comes in.... Every day is a stream of PC's, fridges, freezers, wardrobes, dehumidifiers, AC units, air pumps, light fittings. It's awesome!

Be proud bro, that little sprout will soon be hitting the lights and you'll be cursing how quick it grows, lol. I take it you have some more gigabud seeds if anything goes wrong? Also you said you were just gonna do the one seed so what's the other pot for?

 

[basscadet]

Time for an update;

leaves are shooting off, coool

I added a layer of perlite, I read that it stops fungus gnats so, prevention is better than cure and all that. Had a couple of thrips in the box and a weird looking fly. They got squished quick!

They sit on an old VHS copy of "Heat", great movie and considering the temp. issues I'm having, it gives me a giggle when I open the case.

Scrub, the other pots in the earlier pics are from the seedlings that didn't make it. Good moving getting a job in a place like that, the temptation must be overwhelming. You might get the boss asking why you take home the cabinets and lights though.. haha


But I couldn't leave a lone gigabud there so poped three White Skunk seeds in a pot each. Picked up some peat moss the other day so added that to the soil mix. Three days later they're poking out the perlite.

Added a new scrubber hoping it will help bring the temperature down from 37*C to 27*C. Managed to get down to 33*C so I may need to change to a larger fan. The 80 mm PC fan just won't move enough air but not enough room for a 120mm without major cutting.

I like this scrubber, kinda looks like a big red tit in the grow box

Hopefully be putting her into flower in the next couple of days. Should I transplant to a larger pot before or after inducing flowering?

 

[bugasman]

Hey where did you find C99 seeds?

The most important thing in a PC grow is ventilation and CO2. Try to add some fermentation CO2 to your grow. I don't have a thermometer. I bought one in ebay, I'm waiting for it to arrive. But if your plants have leaves uplifting, in a 45º+, is a signal of heat.

I lost 5 seedlings of Utopia Haze in my first attempts. Now, after some mistakes, I figured out how to grow weed in a PC case. Maybe this week I will make a thread of my grow. I'm growing my last seed, Thai Super Skunk, a freebie I got. Let's hope she is a girl. I'm a little shy because my box is very ugly and dirt. Many cables and mess around. But what matters is the grow! Another problem, I'm very lazy... Many resistance to grab the camera, make some photos and create a thread. But I have to do this for the Icmag community.

 

[ScrubNinja]

Please do bugasman. Hey if anyone wants a thermometer recommendation, get a wireless one. I have a picture-frame lookin' thing that measures the temp and RH around it, plus it has a small tv remote lookin' thing which is a wireless temp and RH sensor. The good bit about it is, you don't have to open the cab to check the temp all the time, so it's more accurate readings imo. Plus it keeps daily max/mins and all that jazz. Quite cheap too, I thought. Looks like you might already be using one, BC?

Haha red tit. Nice! I would say repot before 12/12 for sure. I'va always aimed for a week before but that's in big ass coco pots outside. The roots don't seem to fill in the new space the further along in flower you are. Not so sure about a micro soil grow though.

Good luck with those skunks

 

[basscadet]

Welcome bugasman,
I got the C99 as a gift when I ordered the White Skunk seeds through Planet Skunk. Cool move, I order the cheapest seeds in their catalogue and get C99 for free, you've gotta love that! I tell you, the temp issues have been driving me crazy, I've opened the passive intakes to 2 &1/2 times the exhaust, followed as much as I could redgreenery's ventilation 101 thread for the temps to drop 7*C but still be 4*C over the optimum temp range. Would C02 be necessary in such a small space, I thought you only needed it in a larger room with lots of plants?

I bought one of those remote weather stations, so far the most expensive item in my grow, including seeds LOL. Deffinately a good buy tho, if you're opening the case to read the temp, the case cools down so you don't get that accurate a reading.

I'll try to repot the Gigabud in the next couple of days, the in-laws have arrived and will be here for the next two months so stealth will be key.

And bugasman, do a thread, we want to see you pc. I got 5 of those Thai super skunks, gifted from attitude. (first and last time I'll order through them!) I still have no idea if I'll grow them in the pc, sativas generally being super tall and all that. The three months of flowering time is daunting to say the least, but hopefully good smoke.

 

[basscadet]

The white skunks have popped out of the soil. Out of three White Skunk (WS)seeds, three popped out of the soil. Only one didn't make it, it still had the seed shell wrapped around the emerging leaves and I helped it off, then it kind of withered and died.
WS #2

WS #3

I've noticed the stem of WS3 turning slightly purple, is this normal or a pheno type trait. Might be cool to have a purple white skunk, I'd be tickled pink... (ok, bad joke)

group shot, GB and 2 WS in the veg PC.

the GB has now been in 12/12 for the past three days, she looks better now but still bears the scars of my newbie mistakes.

she is under 46W of 2700k cfl's atm, I want to increase that to 96W in total after I fix up some things in the case. I left the vent on the case originally, now have to remove it cos it's restricting airflow and also add another fan on the rear lights. I put one 80mm pc fan on the front lights which reduced the temps, but need to cut the fan hole larger to really see a difference.

Another question. How do you tell the difference between growth and stretch. She was backed away from the globes by about 3- 4 inches and the stem grew a bit under the "canopy", is that stretch for more light or good growth?

In the mean time, enjoy the seedling porn. Sex should be showing soon, little hairs are growing between the first set of branches. need a better cam than my mobile phone, but it's starting to get more exciting now!

 

[stealthcabber]

hey sorry it took me so long, as far as the bog method i havent read the book yet, buying is on my list. but he hints at the new method in his continuous production thread in the indoor soil forum..

As far as black comp cases, when you put 4 64w ti's in a computer case the light comes thru the case. harder to light tight. one little crack inside can light up a whole side of the case.

 

[neo247]

hey bass just came by to check out your grow. looks great so far. alot nicer looking than mine! haha ill continue to follow your grow. good luck.

 

[basscadet]

High everyone,

stealthcabber, I'll check in with his threads, Have yet to clone with mj but it seems like a great way to grow. I'm practiceing on a small Vietnamese mint stem atm. Dunno if it'll work cos I got the stem when I went out for dinner so it could be too old, but hey, practice is practise. 4 64 W's... damn, I'm having trouble trying to get 4 23W's in the case haha, but I can see what you mean. maybe it could be the thickness of the aluminium, try the older black cases.

hey neo, welcome to the grow, yours looks good, mine just has more glue and duct tape holding it all together.

More growth since the last post
WS#2

WS#3 is getting bigger still.

happy veging.

Hoping I get one male and one female, make some seeds in case the mother dies and maybe cross with the Gigabud for an interesting combination.

GB has been in flower under 46Wof 2700k since the 2nd.

very happy with the growth so far. Can't wait till I start LST. Tie that girl down hehe

Transplanted to a 1 litre pot on the 4th and started giving her a nitrogen rich nute called "Seafeed". Good organic stuff with kelp meal, seaweed and decomposed sea creatures. Started out with 1/4 dose along with earthworm castings and she loves it so will increase as we go along.

Sex should be confirmed in the next couple of days, hopefully I can zoom in close for that.

Leaf long and prosper growers!