Anyone Mellow enough to help an absolute beginner?

b8dw1fi

Active Member
[FONT=&quot]Hi all,:peace:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I definitely need help here just a push to get me in the right direction. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Some background into our climate, we have had 11 days of weather over 38c in a row the longest heat wave in Australian history! Which may or may not contribute to her problems.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]OK, this is my first attempt to grow anything, so I’m not even an amateur I’m more like an absolute novice! However I have managed to get the equipment and build a cupboard especially designed for growing hydroponics , I have spent about $400 which got me a Phat filter 150mm 280Ltr per second inline filter, ducting. 600W HPS + ballast and shade, 2 pots and pump with reservoir and Dutch musters “one” Oh and pearllite. the cupboard has a mounted fan on the side [/FONT][FONT=&quot]And a 120mm fan on the top blowing fresh air in whilst the duct is sucking hot are from the cupboard in the Phat filter.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]As I mentioned before it was so hot! For 2 weeks almost I had to move an air conditioner into the room because the room was about 80f in the day and at night when the light are on it was 115!!! Thankfully the heat wave is over! And the heat is normal now,. My plants had suffered some heat and the tips started to burn.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I'm into the 3rd or 4 week on and she still has burnt tips, I have moved the lights higher and it hasn’t really made a whole lot of help. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]With the Ph level I’m pretty confused, I use Dutch Master One my tap water Ph level is about 7.0 and the instruction say add 100ml to 10 liters of water. If I do that the ph is about 7.5! So I added 150ml to 170ml to 10 liters and the ph is around 5.8 to 6.0 is this the incorrect way of doing it or the correct? As some leaves curl on the sides a little. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Basically it was Chaos from day one. The dude who was supposed to help me is being a real dick! Basically just helping himself and not sharing any knowledge even after he suggested and coached me to do my own setup, as I had about 4 HPS lights and 2 ballasts. He’s just laughing and being insanely paranoid even if we talk in my own FU&(king lounge, as well as he’s trying to say Dutch master super bud is the best and if I don’t use it I’m stupid?? I thought that shit was recalled? For health reasons (not in Australia tho????????) So I’m on my own + a DVD of Jorge Cervante's Ultimate Grow DVD :joint::peace:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The heat waves over so was the plant in shock and is recovering? What is the suggestion? Anything will be greatly appreciated![/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Thanks in advance[/FONT]
 

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CALIGROWN

Well-Known Member
ill take care of you...but its late so pm me a list of questions and in the morning ill be glad to help the best I can....and welcome to the site....:blsmoke::peace:
 

Florida Girl

Well-Known Member
ROFL... well I'm a complete novice myself... but if you don't mind a "blind-leading-the blind" friend ...then I'll be happy to entertain you until the PROS arrive.

Your "so-called" friend sounds like a dick! (I believe the UK translation is WANKER). Anyway FUCK HIM (tell him to SOD OFF)! The Experts here will be along shortly to help you (and me).

Honestly I'm lost on your case.... except for possibly the 2 400wt. HPS. What is the size of your crop? 2 HPS @ 400 watts seems like too much if you have a small crop in a small area. Maybe they are getting burned????

I dunno... I'm just a novice guessing :D
 

cream8

Well-Known Member
first off you found a way better place full of usefull information and nice people willing to lend a helping hand other then you douche "friend"
 

CALIGROWN

Well-Known Member
maybe cut the light to one 400 for a couple weeks till it gets bigger...then kick on the second one when you start flower....
 

b8dw1fi

Active Member
Sorry to mix my paragraphs lol I have 2 400hps but I didnt use because I read that they put out the wrong color to much blue or green. But in this setup I'm using 1 600w hps
I'll get thermometer and reply lat time I checked was in the heat wave which was about 115 I think it's back to about 75f


double checked looks like the grow cupboard is 85-90
 

b8dw1fi

Active Member
You guys are heaps helpful! :peace:
Thanks so much in advance!
I don't know if the digital thermometer is stuffed or not but the latest reading is 101f!!! far out! It definitely doesn't feel that hot in there, I guess that does explain the burning as well. I have just setup an evaporative air conditioner in the room. And set it to the light timer. The other unfortunate thing is I cannot make a hole through the roof as to set the Phat filter up there although I’d love too. Most of the heat in the room is generated from it sucking the heat out of the cupboard into the filter which is in the room. I know I need to re design things but I keep thinking in the back of my mind, “it works for other people”
Thanks guys
 

b8dw1fi

Active Member
Looks like I don't have sufficient privileges to PM yet :roll:

I don’t want to keep you'll stressed and re pm you all the time regarding various questions which may seem logical as I’ll try to source as much as possible myself too and read many books

But I guess the obvious question I’d like to know is can I lower the Ph by adding more Dutch Master “one” to the water as the Tap drinking water has a ph of 7.0 and I noticed that the more One I add the lower the ph is despite the instructions stating add 100ml per 10 liters the instructions said then adjust accordingly to get a ph of 5.8 so I guess when I add more the ph goes down?

Second is, well I think I know this lol how to lower the heat as grow room is 90 to 100f I’ve added a evaporative aircon and I put the lights up another 6” tonight. Hope it helps. And I just disconnected the Phat filter for now and put a second ducting from the inline fan to another room as to blow the heat away from this room.

3rd and last. How often should I water? I have hydroponics in pearllite so I’m basically set the timer to water them for 15minutes every 2 hours and off in the dark periods.
I’m not too sure on the flowering stage yet, but I have 5 weeks to learn I’m quite sure I can read and find plenty of info in that time for super flowering nutrients.
Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it! Hopefully with a bit of love I can save this one :P
 

platypusmann

Well-Known Member
I am fairly new myself, but I read ALOT and I have encountered two of the three problems you are having, and have overcome them. So....let me take a stab, and we will see if anyone disputes me.....
Question one....my tap PH is like 9.2. ALWAYS add your nutes before you ph your water. Add the nutes. wait 2 or 3 mins...test ph...add an acid (ph down is what I use and it is just food grade phosphoric) slowly and test ph after each drop until you achieve desired ph. Let it set a few mins and test again to see it has stabilized. That is what I do, per my extensive research and question asking.
Question 2.....I achieved getting temps from high 80'sf to the mid 70's by adding a more powerful exhaust fan than my intake fan. That way I am pulling out the hot air faster.. It works for me quite well.
Question 3....I have been told by my hydro store and by reading in many sources to feed three times a day for 15 mins in an ebb & flow system. Which is what I am using.

So, I hope I have helped. These are things I have encountered, and though a total nube, I am a researcher...so maybe I am passing some wisdom on to you.
May your harvests be bountiful!
 

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
The guys here are always cool (unless one is a dick/wanker)

pH'ing if your city uses chlorine, let it stand 24-28 hours for it to evaporate out then add the nutes and pH it.

Grow and enjoy
 

mexiblunt

Well-Known Member
couldn't help but post after seeing bubs. Just a thought but I think I would go with 1 400w m/h for veg instead of the 600w hps. I think it would gererate less heat and more lumens as you wouldn't have to raise it as much as you are the 600w.
 

b8dw1fi

Active Member
Thanks!! you dudes have been a world of help I never expected so much help and ideas.
platypusmann, in regards to the watering, would that also be consistent enough for pearl lite as it doesn't absorb water to well? I'll give it a go tho, tested ph today to be @ 6.3 . in regards to our water man! I can taste the chlorine :P

mexiblunt, quote me if I'm wrong, I probably am. Doesn't the 400hps have more blue's in it and the 600HPS more oranges for growing?

Thanks in advance you guys rock!
 

mexiblunt

Well-Known Member
Thanks!! you dudes have been a world of help I never expected so much help and ideas.
platypusmann, in regards to the watering, would that also be consistent enough for pearl lite as it doesn't absorb water to well? I'll give it a go tho, tested ph today to be @ 6.3 . in regards to our water man! I can taste the chlorine :P

mexiblunt, quote me if I'm wrong, I probably am. Doesn't the 400hps have more blue's in it and the 600HPS more oranges for growing?

Thanks in advance you guys rock!

You are right with the spectrum differences. I forgot to mention I would use the m/h for the veg stage and the hps for the flower stage. There are ppl on here that can answer that questipn for you better than I can can but I see alot of ppl using m/h for veg and hps for flower, hence the switchable balasts where you run a m/h bulb and switch it to a hps bulb using the same balast and fixture etc.
That coupled with your heat issues was my reasoning for that.
 

mexiblunt

Well-Known Member
Here is a snipit fron the grow faqs.

High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting Systems:

Mercury Vapor (MV)

Mercury vapor lights are not the most efficient light for growing. They are very bright, and relatively cheap. They do emit light at the wavelengths necessary to support your plants growth, but not nearly as good as a MH or Hps light. Much of the light emitted by MV lights is bluish-white. Street lighting is what most MV lighting is used for.

Metal Halide (MH)
Metal halide lighting systems are optimal for use in the vegetative phase of growing. They emit mostly blue light, which encourages vigorous growth of foliage. They are very efficient, but can get rather expensive to start with; fluorescents may seem more appealing because of their lower price, and they are not much different when compared on a lumen-to-lumen cost level. These lights can be used through-out the grow, but will most likely result in light, fluffy buds.

High Pressure Sodium (HPS)
High pressure sodium lights emit mostly orange, yellow, and red spectrum light, which is perfect for the flowering stage of the plants growth. They are (in my opinion) the most efficient type of light available for any application. HPS lights can be used through-out the entire grow. They produce more dense and usually larger buds than any other light.
HPS lights are generally a little more expensive than MH systems of similar wattage. They are more commonly used by experienced growers because of their ability to produce tighter buds, higher lumen-output-per-watt, and will produce from start to finish.
 

platypusmann

Well-Known Member
On the watering..I do not know. I am using rockwool and hydroton....so I would ask around about perlite......I truly don't know the difference in watering frequency between different mediums.
 

b8dw1fi

Active Member
I've gone a 3 power evaporative air conditioner in the room facing the growing cupboard with the door open just-a-little-bit I just bought a thermometer from the hardware so i'll check and edit in a little while.
That was a heaps interesting read by the way mexiblunt thanks! :weed:
 
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