Pro 200 1st time grow. help appreciated.

Hey, Thanks for viewing my post.

Over the past few months I've been watching several of you and your aerogarden growing endeavors. While I have been interested and amazed by some of the 2007 and 2008 grows, there are a few of you guys that are currently flowering girls that make me jealous.


Having read through nearly every resource I could find regarding mary jane cultivation in aerogardens (including most of the grow journals on this forum), I decided to buy a new Pro 200, air pump and air stone, and Fox Farm nutrients (Grow Big and Big Bloom).
I plan on purchasing : several CFL's for vegatative and flowering, as well as a 150-250w hps for flowering.

As far as genetics go, I've been smoking some GREAT strains recently and I have a small stockpile of seeds pulled from various bags. Jan 22nd I began germing 6 seeds from a bag I had last year. only two germinated, probably due to the age.

the two sprouts were transported into the grow pods and aerogarden has been on for 5 days total. lights have been on Super-Grow (24hr light) since the leaves began to open.

the airstone and oscillating fan are now on 24/7. I put the two 'small' nute ag tabs in the resevoir and I have checked Ph once or twice. Its steady at 6.0.


Now that I've covered what I know, Its time for the inevitable questions (and trust me, I've already looked everywhere for the answers)

1. I went to buy the Fox Farms nutes at my local grow/hydro store and they only carry the Grow Big formula that is meant for soil. The Woman who worked there explained that it shouldn't make a difference, as long as I make sure the minerals don't build up inside my AG/pump. I'm also assuming that I will need to use a diluted formula. Does anyone have any experiance with the NON-hydro Fox Farms Grow Big formula in the AG? Should I just spend the 20 buck on the Hydro formula?

2. The Fox Farms website says that In flowering you continue to use Grow Big but you ALSO add Big Bloom. Because I'm not planning on using Tiger Bloom, should I continue the same Grow Big schedule or add more Grow Big in the abscence of Tiger Bloom?

3. Has anyone seen/made/figured out a Nute schedule specifically for Fox Farm Nutes and the AG? (Other than the Fox Farm Website)

Lastly, If there is anything at all that anyone thinks I missed, or any tips from someone with a similar set up, any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks alot and I'll have pictures coming soon!

keep it up man

less is sometimes better!

watch them and they will tell you what they need..

lets see some pics!

Some one answered your question on my thread, his name is Home Grown Hairy, hes using FF and knows alot about the feeding and what not, good luck, keep us posted

UPDATE

Completed building my stealth grow cabinet today and transported the grow into that. the cabinet fills my whole closet but I barely use it anyways.(See Pics)


Since my last post on Jan 29th I've germinated and planted three more seeds. two were a purple strain called nightshade. one was a bagseed, but from the same strain as the two large seedlings. The one new bagseed seems to not have any root, so at this point I'm working with two nightshade sprouts and two bagseed seedlings, about 6 days apart in growth.


At first I was reaching about 90 degrees in there with 4 additional 100w equivalent cfl's (blue daylight spectrum) so I had to regretfully remove the cfls to make the temp go down.

Now I'm hovering around 77 degrees Air temp and 82 degrees water temp. Is this too hot for my rez?

The Box is a medium sized bookshelf with shelves removed, with the addition of one intake fan at plant level, and an exhaust fan near the top. the inside is covered in Mylar (safety blanket) and the front cover / door are simple cardboard.

I added an additional fan inside the grow to the left in order to lower temp/circulate air. This seems to be working just fine.


As far as PICs go, My camera is the webcam built into my laptop so it automatically mirrors the images. other than that, the images are as follows.

1. Outside of closet looking into grow box.
2. All 5 plants
3. 2 healthy sprouts and 1 seedling, plus thermometer and intake fan.
4. Close-up of same seedling and sprouts.
5. same healthy front sprout, dying sprout, and other seedling.
6. pic showing exhaust fan up+inside box.



That's it for now, but if anyone has any thoughts, concerns, criticisms, or anything to say at all, I appreciate the help.

Happy Smoking and more coming soon!

fersur man u might wanne keep 1 or 2 cfls in there ur plants will probally start to stretch if not...

Or break off the extension bar from the AG hood, get some chains or somthing, and hand it closer

24 hours in the closet/box and the air temp has stabilized right between 79 and 80 degrees. the water temp stays between 81 and 83 degrees.

I'm happy with the Air temp but I wish the Rez would lose a few degrees.

Elove11 said:

fersur man u might wanne keep 1 or 2 cfls in there ur plants will probally start to stretch if not...

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I've been pondering this Elove, and I want to add CFL's into the grow very badly, I even have all the bulbs/hardware for up to 6 100w equivalent blue spectrum bulbs BUT my primary concern, even with just ONE additional bulb is a noticeable increase in temperature, both H20 and Air. I want the x-tra light but I don't want em to fry!

Even with the newest fan blowing right across the grow surface, I feel like my space is just too small for the heat to dissipate. Any thoughts?


[quote="SICC";2032447]Or break off the extension bar from the AG hood, get some chains or somthing, and hang it closer[/quote]

I might try that SICC, thanks dude!

adding more light should be fine, get 2 or 3 bulbs goin and you should set, it shouldnt get that much hotter

Aselker said:

Even with the newest fan blowing right across the grow surface, I feel like my space is just too small for the heat to dissipate. Any thoughts?

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Which direction is that fan in the back of the box blowing? in or out, you should make than an out-take fan and stick a clip on fan or something small in front of it to pull cooler air into it while pushing the warmer air out the back.

Plus that breezy airflow will promote stronger stem growth.

lurkmaster said:

Plus that breezy airflow will promote stronger stem growth.

Click to expand...

Lurk, that has been on my mind since germination, and they have never been in dead air since they took root.

I have one fan that blows directly on them while the lights are on. Meanwhile, there is 24/7 air circulation from the intake and exhaust fans that causes a light breeze through the box when the lights are off. When the lights and extra fan are on, its a hot and breezy day and the plants seem to love it


Long and short of it is my seedlings / sprouts all have healthy stems due to the 24/7 wind flow through the box. Even the one that I said was dying began opening its first two leaves and growing its first node today!



[quote="SICC";2034554]adding more light should be fine, get 2 or 3 bulbs goin and you should set, it shouldnt get that much hotter[/quote]

two CFL's are back in the box. for now one is right over each of the larger plants. Plans to add a 3rd light over the front/center of the grow considering the light at each back corner.

Pics over the weekend. sooner maybe.
Thanks guys and Happy Smoking

i actually popped out the "AeroGarden" sign on the AG hood, and i hung a fixture through there, you can buy those light clamps for like 6 bucc's, if you dont use the clamp, you can just hang it, and add a Y socket for two bulbs, good luck, will be posted for the pics

Aselker said:

Lurk, that has been on my mind since germination, and they have never been in dead air since they took root.

I have one fan that blows directly on them while the lights are on. Meanwhile, there is 24/7 air circulation from the intake and exhaust fans that causes a light breeze through the box when the lights are off. When the lights and extra fan are on, its a hot and breezy day and the plants seem to love it


Long and short of it is my seedlings / sprouts all have healthy stems due to the 24/7 wind flow through the box. Even the one that I said was dying began opening its first two leaves and growing its first node today!




Pics over the weekend. sooner maybe.
Thanks guys and Happy Smoking

Click to expand...

Nice man, glad to see you're already on top of it.