Need help figuring this auto coco thing out

J

joshin_yah

Member
Got a question I’m in the process of germinating grapefruit auto and bubblegum auto from gyo seeds, this is my first grow in roots organic which is a coco mix but it’s a premix that has some nutes already in it such as bat guano, fish meal feather meal, etc... will it support the life of the grow of the autos or should I add my advanced nutrients regime, and cal mag , an mammoth p, etc, first time growing autos also, I know they really don’t need a light schedule, just gonna stick to the 18/6 once they pop.. if this isn’t a good soil, I’ll be glad to purchase cyco coco pearl blend, maybe would be a better option with all the advanced nutrients I’ve bought already, I know autos take anywhere from 60 to 75 days till harvest normally, just wanna go into this right, even though knowledge comes from experience and making mistakes, also how would coco loco from fox farms, work if I got that as another alternative would I add my own nutes? I sound so newbish... and I think I’m gonna need a bigger tent for the grapefruit auto because I only got a 36’x30’x18 and have heard that they get up to 120cm .. I’m running 300w led viparspectra in that little tent I don’t wanna burn them up, I attached a photo so you can see the soil I purchased.. and help sending me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated!
 

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coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
Bloody hell Hawkems, talk about setting me up for a fall. :bigjoint:
Coco with nothing in it is my bag, all these variations with added nutrients baffle me!
The best I can say is it should get you through your veg period, after that you need to watch for any nutrient needs and slowly introduce your AN. I wouldn't add cal mag unless the plant shows its in need, the Mammoth P should help eek out those nutrients within the medium. If they were not autos you could pot up before flip to flower and buy the plant more time without adding nutrients from a bottle but as they are autos its best not to be potting up.

Like I say though, not my type of medium. I am more comfortable with plain coco where I am in control of what is been fed to the plant.

I am more comfortable talking about the lighting. The 300w vipar is actually only a 136w light, despite the claims you want to be aiming for 50 real watts per square foot. If im reading you right you have a 3ft by over 2.5ft area to light, so you want more light my a fair chunk, more than two of those lights, although you should get reasonable results with 2 if the space is not entirely filled.
Sorry to be the barer of bad news :sad:

Edit, the one light will get you through early veg, but been autos the sooner you bump up the lighting the more you will gain in the long run.
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
Hang on though, did I get the dimensions wrong? I took it you meant 36" long and 30" wide, but maybe im wrong?
if its 36x30x18 inch then its 3 feet high? Or did you mean 180cm high and it was a typo?
If the tent is only 36" high then you need a bigger tent anyway. That would be way too small.
 
J

joshin_yah

Member
coreywebster said:
Hang on though, did I get the dimensions wrong? I took it you meant 36" long and 30" wide, but maybe im wrong?
if its 36x30x18 inch then its 3 feet high? Or did you mean 180cm high and it was a typo?
If the tent is only 36" high then you need a bigger tent anyway. That would be way too small.
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Yes the tent is 36 inches high and 30 inches long by 20 inches wide .. I’m going to upgrade to a 62in height by 36 wide, I just felt I needed to have the light 18 to 30 inches off the plant if I want it to stretch properly, I don’t want a 6 inch auto there already kinda short as it is.. so yes I fumbled with the smaller tent the new one is on the way with a 4 in vent fan and carbon filter smell really isn’t an issue I just know it needs some fresh air pulled out thinking an oscillating fan inside will do the trick to get air moving also.. and okay so I’ll buy some soiless coco, when would I start the Nutrients, I’ve got the advanced nutrient sensi grow and bloom a&b, got rhino skin, mammoth p, and cal mag, so far I didn’t think I needed sensizym yet... idk just trying to figure this thing out I knew I would have set backs..okay so I’m going to buy the cyco coco pearl platinum I attached the photo,
Okay and about the light it’s the 300w led reflector series with a built in timer.. I didn’t believe it when it said it converted into 250hps .. cause that’s a lot but this is a bigger model than my buddy has and seems brighter.. I just am growing 2 at a time till I get more comfortable and I figured autos would be a good start, I’ve always grown outside in concentrated organic soil and I don’t have that option anymore dude to nosey neighbors
 

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H

hawkems

Active Member
(@coreywebster We're friends now, I'll catch you Buddy.:bigjoint:)

Can we get a more concrete length/width/height for your garden?

And just to say, my thoughts are you have about a month of plant life per 2 gallons of complete amended soil before adding nutes. However it's a double edged sword in that if you develope deficiencies with an auto it is hard to recover from.

(Edit: posted pretty much as soon as you replied. But....Woot a direction corey can help you with even further! #smokebomb)
 
J

joshin_yah

Member
hawkems said:
(@coreywebster We're friends now, I'll catch you Buddy.:bigjoint:)

Can we get a more concrete length/width/height for your garden?

And just to say, my thoughts are you have about a month of plant life per 2 gallons of complete amended soil before adding nutes. However it's a double edged sword in that if you develope deficiencies with an auto it is hard to recover from.

(Edit: posted pretty much as soon as you replied. But....Woot a direction corey can help you with even further! #smokebomb)
Click to expand...
 
J

joshin_yah

Member
The new tent is going to be 62’H x 36’L x20’W .. which I feel should be much more suitable, and comfortable for the plants and equipment, and I have decided to make the purchase on the cyco coco, now just to figure if I need another light like Corey said..
 
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hawkems

Active Member
I feel like I push this a lot... But a 3 board diy qb120 build on a hlg-185-24a. Total cost of about $200 for great full spectrum white led 3000k spectrum full cycle.

Your frame would be different but here is a sample build.

 
rob333

rob333

Well-Known Member
hawkems said:
I feel like I push this a lot... But a 3 board diy qb120 build on a hlg-185-24a. Total cost of about $200 for great full spectrum white led 3000k spectrum full cycle.

Your frame would be different but here is a sample build.

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why not buy a 250w hps for 65 bucks and pull twice the amount pls dont tell me its heat issues
 
H

hawkems

Active Member
rob333 said:
why not buy a 250w hps for 65 bucks and pull twice the amount pls dont tell me its heat issues
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He could, not saying that wouldn't work. But I'm just suggesting something you don't have to replace a bulb down the road. That's my preference, however I see a lot of good things from cmh/led/hps grows all the time.

Also where I'm at hid lighting is pretty expensive too. of the cost of leds so I'm biased there.

Edit: there is a bunch more I find better about leds but I'm not really trying to get into it.
 
rob333

rob333

Well-Known Member
hawkems said:
He could, not saying that wouldn't work. But I'm just suggesting something you don't have to replace a bulb down the road. That's my preference, however I see a lot of good things from cmh/led/hps grows all the time.

Also where I'm at hid lighting is pretty much 75% of the cost of leds so I'm biased there.
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i have seen more issues with leds then any other light u have more working parts diodes drives and fans i have a grow lush ballest from 1992 still kicken ass and the bulbs u replace every 4-6 grows longer if u only flower with them i have seen 800$ units die mid grow
 
J

joshin_yah

Member
rob333 said:
i have seen more issues with leds then any other light u have more working parts diodes drives and fans i have a grow lush ballest from 1992 still kicken ass and the bulbs u replace every 4-6 grows longer if u only flower with them i have seen 800$ units die mid grow
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I definitely like hps, but I went with leds just because I didn’t want to see that much of a spike in my electric bill, plus felt it would be less complex and would be easier for what I’m trying to do...trying to decide on a light was the hardest thing I had to do.. honestly so many damn choices....
 
rob333

rob333

Well-Known Member
joshin_yah said:
I definitely like hps, but I went with leds just because I didn’t want to see that much of a spike in my electric bill, plus felt it would be less complex and would be easier for what I’m trying to do...trying to decide on a light was the hardest thing I had to do.. honestly so many damn choices....
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the ammount of led light needed to grow anything good u will have about the same power spike as u would a low watt hps
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
Yeah the taller tent is a must, you will need more light, either another of what you have or replace with either what rob above said or hawkems suggested. Or a HLG 135w kit in addition to what you have.
With the cheap LEDs you need to run the same wattage as HPS anyway. If its a toss up between vipar or similar led vs HPS then HPS wins.
 
hotrodharley

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
rob333 said:
i have seen more issues with leds then any other light u have more working parts diodes drives and fans i have a grow lush ballest from 1992 still kicken ass and the bulbs u replace every 4-6 grows longer if u only flower with them i have seen 800$ units die mid grow
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Agreed on LED damage. More show every day.
 
rob333

rob333

Well-Known Member
hotrodharley said:
Agreed on LED damage. More show every day.
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im not having a go at leds well i kinda am but i have a few mates that use them awesome for the first 2 months now its just issue after issue diodes going out drivers dying funny plastic smells fans grinding humming and whistling one mates whole unit will flash off and on off and on for 15 mins before it goes stable
 
rob333

rob333

Well-Known Member
rob333 said:
im not having a go at leds well i kinda am but i have a few mates that use them awesome for the first 2 months now its just issue after issue diodes going out drivers dying funny plastic smells fans grinding humming and whistling one mates whole unit will flash off and on off and on for 15 mins before it goes stable
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one is a timber light works another is kind
 
hotrodharley

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
rob333 said:
im not having a go at leds well i kinda am but i have a few mates that use them awesome for the first 2 months now its just issue after issue diodes going out drivers dying funny plastic smells fans grinding humming and whistling one mates whole unit will flash off and on off and on for 15 mins before it goes stable
Click to expand...
People are putting them too close. They feel with their hand at 12". Feels okay. Plant under it and they burn.
 
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