First Time DWC El Monstre & Extrema Scrog Grow

This is my first attempt at growing hydro. I am going to be trying DWC in a 20 gallon rubbermaid. I know 5 gallon buckets are probably better for DWC but this seems to be easier to maintain the proper levels until I get everything dialed in and get the hang of it. I have tried soil grows before with each ending in early termination. So I hope to succeed this go around with the help of you people. I have 2 Extrema and 2 El monstre from Sannies Seeds (great business). All 4 popped in 2-3 days I was surprised. The extrema seeds are just a little more developed than the El Monstre so Im not sure if that has any bearing on the way they will grow tho. I am going to be using Advanced Nutrients Sensi Grow/Bloom A & B, B-52, VooDoo Juice, Big Bud, Bud Candy, & Overdrive for this grow. I have a PPM meter and a Ph meter in the mail. I am using well water with 56 PPM out of the faucet. I dont have any Rockwool or Plugs so I put them in a cup of hydroton and water but then put them in a mall cup of soil and then I am gonna move them into the hydroton and rubbermaid (RM) once they get a little root base to them. I have never done this but I assume tat as long as I clean the roots off really well and wash the hydroton really well then this method should work for me. I am also using a 400w MH/HPS light. I do not have any sprouts yet. Just germ seeds sitting in soil waiting to pop up and see some light.
There has to be an easier way to load these pics on here. I am also wanting to make this my Grow Journal. How do I do that? Just keep posting in this thread or is there somewhere specific that it needs to go? For easy access by me. Any input please

Has anyone tried either of these strains? I am going to let them sit in the hydroton (after I rinse the roots really well) for a couple of days with the water half up on the pots with no nutes. Then mix nutes 1/4 strength and keep my PPMs below 300 til about week 3. With 4 of them, assuming they are all female I am hoping to yield approx. 1/2 lb dry between them. If all goes well. Does this sound about right?

My box was constructed from 2x3's and paneling on the outside walls. It is a 4x3x6 box lined with mylar 4 ft up on the walls. I have more if I need to take it all the way to the ceiling but considering I am trying SCROG I dont expect my plants to need that much height. How long should I lave them in the soil to establish roots? Couple days or week? I dont wanna leave them too long and cause a problem. Next time I will just get the starter plugs and save myself the trouble.

I went and checked them again and I had one sprout that broke the surface. It was the Extrema. It seems to me like this is going to be a fast paced strain. Both strains are Indica and have 8-9 week flowering time so they should grow good together. The others should sprout by tomorrow then I will start them under the light. I have an air cooled 400w MH that I will keep high above plants (24-36 in) until i feel they can handle it a little closer. I know I should prob start them under CFL's til they get a little older, but I have started under MH bfore with no problems as long as I kept my temps right in the room. I know I dont have much going on in my Journal, but does anyone have any insight or input on anything?

I put my RM in the box and filled it up with water to test the bubblers (2 5in round airstones). They flipped over on the bottom of the tank and wouldnt bubble. I had to get some suction cups with a hook on them. Like the ones for in a shower. Suctioned them to the bottom and ran the air line the the hook. Works like a charm now. With 4 plants in 20 gal RM, am I going to have a problem with the roots tying together during flowering?

I went and checked them this morning and I have 3 that have sprouted up now. They are still bent over and havent fully opened up. I put them under my light and have the fan blowing on them. Last I checked it was 77 deg with 49% humidity. I do not have my intake or exhaust holes cut out and installed yet but that is coming in the near future. I have a vent in the floor outside the grow room right next to my box so once my hole is cut the vent will either blow warm air in to warm it up or I can shut the vent and close the bedroom door and it will keep cool air in the room which will suck into the grow box. I dont have anywhere t exhaust the air too tho other than back into the bedroom. So for now I dont think it will hurt to do that since there is no smell but I plan to get a carbon filter and suck it thru filter blow thru the light and then out into the bedroom. That is my plan anyways. But I have to figure what kinda intake I want to use. A 6 in flex duct with holes in it or like an ext dryer vent cover? Both should stop light from seeping out. Any suggestions?

I was gonna hook up my intake and exhaust, so I went to Lowes to get some flex duct and I got the aluminum vent duct. Very shitty product, every time I moved it it tore and broke off. Waste of $15, so I am gonna go back today and look for something more like a dryer vent duct. I have the intake hooked up but when i look at the hole from the outside I can see straight in to my floor, so I was thinking of using the new duct if I can find it and wrapping it around the floor of the cabinet with hopes of light not being visible from the outside.

First night of using the light last night 18/6. Lowest temp light off was 61 and high of 84 light on. Once my intake and exhaust is hooked up properly I should be able to dial it in a little more and control the temps. I have all 4 sprouted and turned up looking at the light. I'll give them a couple more days to establish some roots & then transplant them into the hydroton. Can't wait. Woo Hoo!!