First Grow: CFL/Soil- Small Cab and Rubbermaid Set Up

[basspirate]

Hey Fire, great read so far. You remind me very much of myself. I have been tinkering with growing with CFLs and no budget for quite some time myself. I just run one 18gal rubbermaid setup though.

Other than some reflectivity and maybe squeezing in a few more watts, I think you are lookin great. That plant is definitely producing. If you like the smoke, you should reveg it and try it with some better veg time on some clones. Also, love the LST. I am so addicted to it myself, you can produce so many budsites with relatively little work. As for the watts, I've been reading and reading for years myself on here and OG before about growing while kind of standing on the sidelines. It seems like people reccomend between 80-100 watts for CFLs if you want some tight buds but in my very limited experience and reading it seems like you can really get some extra push on the 100 w/sqft side. I could be wrong!

What are you planning to grow next? You mentioned that you were getting some clones. Lastly, I wouldn't get too excited with the nutes if you are just toying with that plant, but a little unsulphered blackstrap molasses. You can get a bottle for less than five dollars at the grocery store and it will fatten those buds up right towards the end.

Anywho, cheers to the grow...keep us posted and the budshots coming.

 

[Fire On High]

basspirate: excellent advice. I really appreciate it.

I think I'm right around 80 watts/square foot, but with the one plant I've got and the way it's sitting in the lights, its got to be getting a 100 or 115 watt equivalent.

I've been considering trying to reveg, what I'm worried about though is that since the plant was so stretched when I put it in, there's nearly a foot of stem before any leaves. I'm afraid it will just die if it has too much of itself to take care of, plus that'd be one tallll mother.
Additionally, this is some unknown bagseed, and while it's fun, it'd be really nice to find a quality strain. One friend has got some ssh growing, but he just dealt with mites and needed clones to get his own grow going again and cant get any to me yet.

Where nutes are concerned, money is a big deal, so yes, five bucks is the kind of solution i'm looking to buy. I haven't played with it too much, I'd rather get something less than perfect than ruin my plant cause I overdid it. I will however look in to the blackstrap since I dont imagine I'm going to hurt the plant, and the miracle grow nutes are probably going to be running out here pretty soon.

 

[basspirate]

As for the reveg, you might be able to get a clone or two out of the plant without it having to gain much more height. Just leave a couple budsites near the "bottom" of the plant intact after harvest. It takes a couple weeks, but might keep you in business while sourcing another strain or some clones.

I can also say on that end, strains that is, if you can amass a solid 45 bucks or so, got to the seed boutique and look at gypsy nirvana's strains. they are less than thirty bucks, the boutique charges fair shipping, amazing quality and they are stealthy as can be. Being a family man, I am always paranoid about that stuff (thats why i grow-keep off the radar), but their methods, which I wont disclose, are just as low key as possible. The only bugger is paying the 14 bucks for internation priorty mail if you send off a money order.

Lastly, and I gotta bail; that blackstrap won't hurt your plants. It's pretty gentle stuff from what I read....some good threads floating around here. I will see if I can link you one in a bit.

Cheers matey!

 

[Mrpiston38]

hey man good looking plant so far. if u wana revegg it is quite interesting and fun. I did a whole thread on revegging and its on here. all u have to do is look up threads that have me in them and ull find it. otherwise GL man and happy harvest.

 

[Fire On High]

I should be going on a trip starting 11/5.
Today (10/15) I'm at 39 days flower. Hopefully it will finish before then (21 days). I've seen so many threads where guys have rushed, and I really don't want to do that.

That said, were I to add molasses, what's good timing for it? Pretty much whenever, or a specific time in the plants life cycle?
I'll hunt around for some threads.

She's definitely fattening up. Things are getting crystally. I said I'd post pics yesterday but there isn't enough noticeable difference, so I think I'll just update with pictures tomorrow at day 40.
My goal for this plant is a half ounce. I think that's a reasonable expectation. Hopefully I go over.

 

[johndenver]

Ive got nothing against CFL growing (as a matter of fact they are superhelpful during veg). But I do have a few probs with this cab. Since your light source is acrylic or plexiglass covered whatever air you suck out is only from the light source. The plants need fans too and fresh air exchange (which is why people put oscillating fans in their grows, to simulate nature). Always use 6500k for veg and 2700ks for flower.

Enija said dont be scared to put the plants too close to the lights, with CFL IMO I noticed they will barely burn, if ever. Those lights run very cool.

My only suggestion is to maybe get a few (4-6) PC fans and make an airflow vent on the long side (one each side each pair of fans should be lined up) so the plants at least dangle a lil' (this is more important than you think).

One more thing, you can at least staple some Panda film or mylar in there. In my CFL box I use those $1 hardware store reflectors for the lights and get a splitter so I can have two CFLs per reflector. I use three reflectors total in the box so thats six CFLs. I'm not sure if my tub is longer than yours.

Thats my .02c, easy growin Fire on High

 

[Fire On High]

Thanks John. My lights are 2700k right now and my plant is as close as I can make it without actually burning it. I know cause I've burned it plenty. I spray painted the inside white, but its a thin layer and doesn't show well. I'll redo it when I have time.

As for ventilation. I've got two PC fans on top of the cab as well. Pulling air through a makeshift carbon filter. I haven't filled it with carbon cause I haven't noticed a problem yet. I also haven't yet put plexiglass over that light setup. So those fans aren't contained. Eventually I'll have a passive intake air system, with a seperate vent system for cooling the lights. Right now its 2 fans on the bulbs, 2 fans pulling air out of the cab. The fans pulling air past the bulbs are running at real low power. They basically just make a pocket of hot air above the lights and keep everything cool underneath them.


After reading, I think the bulk of your advice was regarding the rubbermaid tub. Thats almost the same as redgreenery's. There's a strong fan on top of the cab and completely different ventilation for those bulbs. That cab isn't running yet though.

 

[Fire On High]

Just took a bunch of pictures. I'll upload them when I'm off work. Take it easy guys.

 

[Fire On High]

 

[basspirate]

I still don't understand how those particular carbon scrubbers work. Lookin nice with the budshots!

 

[Norrsken]

This is great Bud porn!

 

[Fire On High]

I still don't understand how those particular carbon scrubbers work. Lookin nice with the budshots!

I dont even know that they actually do work haha. But yeah, the activated carbon is just sitting right there, I just never poured it in.
I smoke weed. My room smells like I smoke weed. Thats about all, so no big deal yet. I'm sure when I've got a sog full of tasty skunky plants it'll be an issue.

 

[Fire On High]

Day 46 12/12

Day 46 12/12

Hey guys.
Got some decent pictures today. I also cleaned up my space and did some math for how I want to set up my next run.

I'll start with my problems. I believe I've got spider mites and I'm certain I've got gnats (fungus gnats?). I took pictures of both. The gnats are annoying but I've read they're not a serious problem and I think they're something I'd be able to get rid of pretty quick. Spider mites on the other hand, I understand are horrible. I'm kind of just hoping that I'm far enough along that they wont really hurt the plant, as they are not all over the place, just on certain leaves. My leaves are also yellowing and falling off. I know that's a natural process, I just hope its at a healthy rate. I gave it 3 teaspoons of molasses with its watering two days ago. It wasnt black strap, just unsulfered brer rabbit.

I have a two week deadline before I leave for a trip. This means I'll have to finish it, have someone else finish it, or have someone take care of it at my house. I'll be gone two weeks, starting November 7th.
Think I'll make it?
... Its not really looking like it

At any rate, that will give the cabinet time to air out and any residual pests or whatever to die before I start again. Next time I'll make sure I keep it very clean.

This is a lot of fun.

Day 46 of 12/12

Fungus Gnat

Spider mites

Leaf Yellowing

Cola Development

Biggest Cola

Trichs Up Close

Thanks for the input so far guys. Take it easy.

 

[Fire On High]

bump cause I need some opinions

Will this plant even be close to finished in two weeks?

 

[killerweed31]

maybe yes maybe no, the plants revealed when turn ripe for chop or if you want chop her little early like wait only the trik's turn milky from clear ...just my 2cent bro!!

 

[alecto]

hello again
my newbie opinion about your spider mite problem...
this may be the first generation since its your first encounter and no spider webs yet(from what i see...)...they probably laid their eggs that will hatch in 7 to 14 days...next generation will be far more worse....
you may clean your leaves of most of them with a solution water+alcohol...

It has been suggested that spraying plants with a 1:1 mixture of alcohol and water will kill spider mites on contact. Rubbing alcohol, like any alcohol for any creature, is poisonous in high dosages, and it evaporates quickly doing little damage to the plant it’s been sprayed on. Some people suggest a 1:3 mixture of rubbing alcohol to water, but the strong the mixture, the more certain you are to get as many mites as possible. Make sure to cover the entire plant, focusing on the bottoms of the leaves where spider mites tend to hang out.

I would use the 1:3 mixture applied on leaves with a swab...

I repeat "newbie advice"...so wait for confirmation

 

[Fire On High]

killer. I know what you mean. I prefer weed that is more cerebral than stony in the first place, so that gives me a few days. I dont mind harvesting on the early end of the ripe spectrum, but i really want to get it once it is ripe. Ughhh. I'm hoping it will.

alecto. I might do that next light session. Most of the leaves with mites have been falling off anyways (not cause of the mites) so I dont think they're gonna continue growing, but i'll check it out. Thanks.

 

[Fire On High]

Day 51 of 12/12

 

[Fire On High]

It smells like grapefruit.

 

[basspirate]

Lookin /good/ dude. I honestly wouldnt have been able to tell that skinny lady had it in her. Good work!