I'm a first-time grower and after a few failed plants and some more research, I am now operating with this setup:

I have a 4 ft. long metal diamond-plate reflective shop light. There are two 40-watt T12 flourescent bulbs, one cool and one warm producing around 3400 lumens per bulb. There is an oscillating fan going as well constantly. I also have a small hand warmer I turn on occasionally to increase temperature and humidity. The space is also covered in foil, but I am going to order Mylar sheeting.

I am feeding with a mixture of Earth Juice "Grow", Earth Juice "Bloom", and Vienna Worm Castings. I am using a mixed medium of a small part Garden Grow humus, a small part Perlite, and large part of Scott's Seed-Starting Soil with Phosphorus.

I have 4 plants, all 3 weeks old today, in 6"x6"x6" containers with lids underneath, and I am just growing for personal... or "small" usages. There is one plant doing very nicely and growing quite strong and accordingly in the picture. Although it has an odd leaf discoloration with light greens swirls. The others have gone through some harsher experiences with nute burn or unlevel pH.

One plant had to shed all its leaves due to bad nute burn, but with a strong flushing and watering with no food for awhile, he has sprouted new leaves and is back on track.

One plant is doing a lot better with the leaves, but stopped essentially stopped growing and is now stunted. Is there a way to fix this? Or does it matter? This plant's leaves also have unusual color patterns, sort of light green swirls. Is this bad?

One plant is being supported by red lava rocks because he grew taller, faster and started to keel over a bit. The root is already beginning to strengthen since doing so.

I think you need to get a bunch of high wattage CFLs... it looks like they are growing pretty slow.

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'Chance favors the prepared mind.'

My First Grow

What CFLs Should i get? Like the Watts or brand

Correction**

I made a mistake in the ages of one of the plants I described. The taller skinnier one is actually only 1 week and 6 days old. It is the one with 3 rocks supporting its stem.

Loose the foil even paper would be better than crapy foil.

You want a couple diffrent types of CFL's. For vegging you want to keep your the majority of your light in the 5000k or above range. This is the blue light spectrum and helps a lot in the vegitative state. You will find most lights in this range labled "Blue Light" or "Day Light"

Most "Full Spectrum CFL's" are 5000k. 5000k is basicly right in the middle of the light spectrum and gives you a little of the effects of both blue and red spectrum.

When you switch to flowering its best to have a majority of your lights in the Red light spectrum which in CFL's translates to 2700k. You will find these lights labled "Soft White."

In my set up I have 4 giant Full spectrum CFL's. In addition to those I also have 4 more soft white since I am In the Flowering, but durring the veg state I had 4 "Day light" bulbs. I have 4 plants and I should really have more lights but they are doing ok with just these so they aren't getting any more.

Hope this helps your questions.

Alright. I got really lucky and found 70 Watt HPS security lights at Home Depot on sale for 15$ each WITH the bulbs included! I took out the fluorescents (do I need them at all now?) and installed two of the HPS lamps above the plants. I have 3 plants grouped in a triangle under each plant.

Is this okay now?

yes, it will buy you time to find a long-term solution.

This is the new setup.

good improvment, you added nutes too early, this is why you got nute burned.

you started out pretty well, do loose the foil, the cheap hps's was a good idea, this can finish your grow with o.k. results.

dont make a habit of refering to your plants as a "he" or your wish might come true...

if your plants stopped growing but isnt getting any worse.. i would wait, my first crop did this, and came back strong..

good luck, and keep up the good ideas.