Low budget bagseed

Aleph-Null · May 15, 2016

Hi folks, thought it was about time I joined in, as I've gotten so much from just reading already. Thanks to those that have paved the way and done all the hard work before us, making our job just that little bit easier/less mysterious.

Long time smoker, first time grower, same old story. I've fooled around with making extracts and edibles previously, but it's really not cost effective if you're buying the starting material. Hopefully growing will help that some, though I'm just trying to focus on not killing the plant for the moment. I'll worry about yield later.

Discretion on the cheap is the aim of the game. Much as I'd love to do things properly from the get-go, I'm trying to keep this whole thing as quiet as possible. Apologies in advance for not only the noob mistakes but the near deliberate fuck ups that'll happen too! Let's get to it.

The cabinet is a set of drawers my neighbour was tossing, I've removed the drawers, attached a door and tried to light-proof it as best I can with compressible tape on the inner edges. It hardly works, although as a physical barrier it may prevent excess dust/particulate from entering the cab.
It measures 59W, 52D, 65H.

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Lighting is two 24W CFLs, with plans (aspirations more like) to wire one of the drawers with lighting so as to have a more uniform yet still mobile lighting arrangement. Airflow is handled by two pc fans, internal at 5v and exhaust at 12v (I don't have a controller, though do have a ton of disused wall wart adapters. The exhaust fan resides within a DIY light trap made from an old egg carton.

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The plant itself started as bagseed of which there were four, with only the one breaking ground on 12-4 (4-12 for those of you in the wrong hemisphere).

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Aleph-Null · May 15, 2016

There was some light tip burn on the leaves at the second node, I'm still unsure of the cause although it hasn't worsened since. It's warped the shape of those leaves affected, contracting them at the point of the burn.

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Due to a tiny tiny initial pot, it needed a transplant at day 9. Far earlier than either of us would have liked, I'm sure.
And then we get into the first attempt at LST...

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I accidentally supercropped the poor thing!

The broken stem caused it to really slow down for close to a week or so, although growth has picked up substantially since.
Some more LST

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I tried topping shortly after, and fucked that up too. I've now got four shoots, so I'm not complaining. Here's a shot of the FIMed area

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Aleph-Null · May 15, 2016

More LST, trying to open up those growth sites to the light.

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In profile

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And two shots taken today

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I've noticed the leaves curling a lot, I'm assuming this is due to overwatering. I'd like to construct a PPK, although I should probably keep it as basic as I can until I get my first grow out of the way.

Well, that's me for now I think. Fingers crossed I get somewhere with it!

Aleph-Null · May 15, 2016

And of course the images don't work.
Stand by, technical difficulties etc

Jellyfish · May 15, 2016

I don't think you can post photos until you get a post count of, not sure, 50 posts.

Overwatering is a very common newb mistake.

If I were you, I'd quit messing with LST, topping, and stuff like that that you don't know anything about, and just try to raise some plants first.

Everybody worries their first set of seedlings to death, sounds like your well on the way. Seriously though, just put the scissors down and give your plants a chance to do their own thing.

Aleph-Null · May 15, 2016

Hi Jellyfish, thanks for the response. A shame I can't share photos, maybe later. I can't even edit the original posts haha.

I wasn't planning on any further HST, although would like to keep a semblance of control over the plant's height. I'll be cutting back on watering for sure. I'm not able to provide the greatest environment this time around, but I'm picking up on things for next time if nothing else.
I'm kind of amazed I haven't killed it already, it's a resilient little thing.

Jellyfish · May 15, 2016

Just keep it simple. Lots of people succeed using a couple cfl bulbs like you got. But you might get some higher watt bulbs when you get ready to flower your plants. There's a thread called CFL Club that has been helpful to me. Keep it simple.

Don't be afraid to get those CFL bulbs within an inch of your plant tops.

Aleph-Null · May 15, 2016

Yeah, I've picked up a lot from the CFL club and the microgrow section in general, there's some fantastic stuff there!
I was planning on throwing in at least two more bulbs when it comes time to flip, my biggest issue with that is the combined footprint of four (or more) lamps in the cabinet. 24w is the highest readily available wattage for CFLs in these parts. I'd like to tinker with PL-Ls on my next grow I think.

Currently they're about 1.5/2 inches from the plants, things are going as well as I could hope.

Thanks for checking in again Jellyfish!
(tried attaching images again, here's hoping)

Aleph-Null · May 15, 2016

And the rest of the photos.
Now you're up to date :3

PoweredByLove · May 15, 2016

you can post photos from day one, you prolly have your albums set to private.

i see the pics in the last 2 posts though,. looking good so far. might wanna up the food a tiny bit.

Jellyfish · May 15, 2016

Aleph-Null said:
24w is the highest readily available wattage for CFLs in these parts.

Get on eBay for those CFL's. Your plants look fine to me. :tiphat:

angelgoob · May 15, 2016

You can pick up a 65 watt CFL at a hardware store for fairly cheap.

PoweredByLove · May 15, 2016

skip the CFL's get on that LED bandwagon. much brighter once you take the lens off...but they're only gonna shoot light in on direction so you kinda have to have them all on top facing down on the plants.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=314806

Jellyfish · May 15, 2016

PoweredByHaters said:
skip the CFL's get on that LED bandwagon. much brighter once you take the lens off...but they're only gonna shoot light in on direction so you kinda have to have them all on top facing down on the plants.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=314806

Don't listen to this propaganda. :biggrin:

"LED's are better"- except they cost more, and VERY directional. Plus, you have to wade through all the crap LED's that are currently out there.

Stay the course, do some research on LED's vs. CFL's while you're smoking bud from your first harvest. :biggrin:

MicroRoy · May 15, 2016

Good luck with your grow. Getting the first one under your belt is awkward. But it it is rewarding in the end.

LED' are comming down on price. At least for the micro growers. You can pick them up at most big box stores now days.

At least one big manufacturer has stoped making CFL's.

In the Micro Grow forum. Check out a comparison between the two.

Search Blynx this grower has done a good job of documenting different grows. Its good stuff.

PoweredByLove · May 15, 2016

cost more? where? i bought 2packs for $3.50 or less. puts out way more light than CFL. unless you're talking one of those big ass grow CFL. if you're talking about the regular size bulbs. there's no comparison.

cfl have very little penetration. all the plants are gonna be on one side of the bulb unless you're doing vert. if you're doing regular horizontal then you're wasting half the light even with a reflector most of the reflected light goes back into the bulb. with led all the light goes in one direction, has more lumens than cfl, penetrates better... lol i dunno why you would even try and discourage this guy from even looking at the thread. let him make up his own mind.

even at a higher price led trumps cfls.

MicroRoy · May 15, 2016

Good luck with your grow. Getting the first one under your belt is awkward. But it it is rewarding in the end.

LED' are comming down on price. At least for the micro growers. You can pick them up at most big box stores now days.

At least one big manufacturer has stoped making CFL's.

In the Micro Grow forum. Check out a comparison between the two.

Search Blynx this grower has done a good job of documenting different grows. Its good stuff.

Jellyfish · May 16, 2016

PoweredByHaters said:
let him make up his own mind.

that's just what I said. :laughing:

Aleph-Null · May 16, 2016

Thanks for all the responses folks!
I had actually read maybe the first 10 pages of that cfl/led comparison thread prior to making this one, although made sure to read a bit further still today.

Went to the hardware store today and picked up a couple E27 battens and some 14.5W led lights. They're bloody enormous, 136x121mm. I've actually sacrificed a fair whack of vertical space with these.
First time wiring, didn't kill myself or burn the house down. I'll count that as a success!

Angelgoob, 24W cfl is the highest I can find locally, and I don't think I'll go above that on a per-bulb basis for now (unless moving to PL-L perhaps at a later date. I recall reading that the 24W is the most efficient cfl anyway?)

PoweredByHaters, you must have some connects (or the Australia Tax is more widespread than I thought) to get them that cheap, these ones were $15 apiece on special.
I had planned on going vert, but I ought to keep it simple for the first grow at least. Plus, installing the new LEDs has kind of forced my hand with a horizontal grow this time.

MicroRoy thanks for the kind words! It is definitely awkward, between the attempted discretion and trying to put theory into practice, both us girls are really working hard.

Attached is a shot of the battens (feat. my totally professional light trap for the exhaust), and one of the wee babby plant.

Aleph-Null · May 17, 2016

Update:
The leaves are still curling down/in, and I've noticed some chlorosis on some of the older, smaller ones. I've been keeping an eye out for a pH meter, will have to try harder if I actually want a chance at figuring out what's wrong.
I watered last night as it was drooping significantly, and it's picked up since then.

Anyhow, here's some shots of the plant, along with detail on the yellowed leaves.

Low budget bagseed

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