first grow, budget grow box - grow log from zero to 420

lmn8r · May 8, 2009

I'm humbled :joint:

Feel free to ask me any questions, maybe the n00b mistakes I made can be avoided.

Sorry if i'm not updating as much, theres not much to update. The plants are slowly flowering every day bit by bit. The two runt clones and two skunk clones are now clearly flowering female like they should be and are in their larger containers. My one sativa plant is beginning to flower after a freakin month of sitting there doing nothing, as well as one of the clones of that same plant in the front is flowering. So thats eight confirmed flowering females. I can only conclude they must be really dominant sativas being the reason they are so slow to flower.

One neat thing I noticed being a first time grower is since I did LST especially so on my runt is the budsites are EVERYWHERE. I never expected nearly ever single point where side stem connects to the main stem to be a budsite. When I see pictures of other peoples plants, most of the bud growth happens at the top/middle on the main stem. I guess with LST since the plant grows horizontally it also flowers with the same philosophy.

lmn8r · May 8, 2009

Since i'm always referring to my plants as my skunk, runt, and sativas, here is a map of the main plants so you know what i'm talking about. The two empty spots were the males I pulled out. Since I don't know their strain, these are the names I came up with :leaf:

I also added an airflow diagram. As you can see I have cool air coming in from the bottom right into the fan, it passes past the plants/lights then goes up out the exhaust so the heat will be pulled out. Since I have the grow box nestled away against the wall I keep about an inch of clearance between intake fans and the wall, otherwise they barely pull anything in. Duct tape and cardboard toilet paper rolls equals an easy light guard for when the plants are in their dark cycle. I used a larger poster board shipping cylinder for the bigger 80mm exhaust fan. If your using computer fans, any of these would suffice. You could also use a pringles can (yum!).

Afrogrow · May 8, 2009

simply butiful man! marvelous!

lmn8r · May 13, 2009

Turns out my front sativa, the one I suspected of being a hermie is a raging hermie. Balls are showing up everywhere, and another of the clones from that plant are infested with balls.

Theres too many to control it and let the female parts develop, and I risk pollinating the others, so i'm going to chop it. I still have the clones from that though, I might stick those in the woods somewhere, come back at the end of summer to see if it made it, if so-free seeds.

Blows, thats a bunch of plants down. I guess it's ironic that the strongest, fastest growing out of all the plants was so strong it decided to just go ahead and be arrogant and selfish, and pollinate itself.

I included some macros to show you the clear dual sex stems showing up. I took some overall low quality shots of the rest of the canopy. As you can see leaves here are there are getting burned, i'm trying my best to keep them away from the lights. Theres zero space left, colas are touching the top, every cubic inch of space is filled with green. Lesson learned: next grow, have a lot more vertical space. I was never expecting the sativas to be so bamboo-like. I'll take some high quality budshots a little later on once I clear out the junk plants. So far so good, they're accepting slightly higher doses of liquid nutes i've been giving them. The next water is coming up soon, I plan on juicing them up with some sugar.

Prod1gy132 · May 13, 2009

sux man but good luck with your others

lmn8r · May 14, 2009

As promised, here's some bud development photos. I couldn't get many useful shots of my skunk. It seems to be more indica dominant, so thick bushy leaves cover most of the stem.

My runt is progressing nicely, other then leaves that got burned touching the light, it looks very healthy. These are buds 40 days into flowering.

blazedkiwi · May 14, 2009

Bet your box smells like pure heaven

blazedkiwi · May 14, 2009

^^^ sounds like an offensive pick up line. sorry.....i just had to say it

afsmaekker · May 14, 2009

blazedkiwi said:
^^^ sounds like an offensive pick up line. sorry.....i just had to say it

LOL, nice one KIWI

Grow is looking good, +rep really tight setup of journal as everybody else have metionedkiss-ass

Prod1gy132 · May 14, 2009

Hey, what size box are you growing in?

nitroman · May 14, 2009

blazedkiwi said:
Bet your box smells like pure heaven

otherwise known as gods vagina lmmfao

kash959 · May 14, 2009

Hey don't worry bout the hermie

smoke it lol
It's about the experience man. My first grow was ok, second one was terrible but this one is lookin sweet because of xperience

lmn8r · May 14, 2009

42"x18"x42"

L x W x H Box size in response to prodigy132.

The odor isn't as strong as I would think, the stinky 30 year old carpet here probably masks the smell though. It's funny because I can be nearby and not hear the lights/fans come on when it starts it's light cycle, but I definitely smell it-thats how I know.

I cut out and dumped the main hermie plant. I had a couple clones from that plant that were obviously hermies as well, I planted them out in the woods. No pictures for that yet, it's a long way to drag a tripod. I figure they will either live or die, if they live then I might have some seeds in a few months.

I'm going to look around to see if any pet stores around here sell uvb cfl's. With the size of my grow box, all I need is one bulb to have enough ultraviolet to bump up trichrome production.

lmn8r · May 15, 2009

Bought a UVB bulb. Got it for $18 at Petsmart. It's in the reptiles isle. I'm maxed out for space, so I might as well up the potency.

lmn8r · May 15, 2009

Installed, it looks just like a normal CFL. UVB is invisible :idea:

and this bulb emits a good amount of it, so eye protection (sunglasses) is necessary.

neversummer28 · May 17, 2009

one of the best grow journals i've seen so far... great visualizations. using your grow as a point-in-time comparison for my own grow. keep up the good work and feel free to check out my journal. +rep

anthony6216 · May 17, 2009

Hey dude really like your style good cheap and awesome one the best cheap grows really anxious to see that UVB. Ill be watching it let me know if you see drastic change good shit dude :weed:

.

Peace and 1love,
Anthony

kash959 · May 18, 2009

wat the hell is a UVB?? does it emit UV rayz coz that increases resin production

lmn8r · May 18, 2009

Yeah, it is supposed to aid in the chemical reaction to produce THC. Cannabis like other plants produces trichromes to protect against UVB. It makes sense, Ultraviolet light in moderation stimulates the plant to build up it's defenses, which just happens to be that delicious white frost we all want. From what I read there won't be a big visible difference, but adding UV to your indoor grow should be the money shot for potency. Now that the bulbs are becoming inexpensive you'll probably see a lot of indoor grows with them. I probably should have gotten one earlier on, i'm learning as I go.

I have it positioned near my runt, the most developed plant, which is in the middle stage of flowering. Hopefully the UV will help stimulate it to frost up. The UVB 10.0 strength bulb claims it imitates high noon UV strength in the desert at a range of up to 20 inches from the bulb.

Three types of Ultraviolet light:
UVA: The purple glow from black lights, harmless to humans, not used by plants.
UVB: Invisible, what the sun/tanning beds puts out to give you a tan, very harmful to eyes, useful for plants.
UVC: Invisible, not harmful, useless to everyone.

lmn8r · May 19, 2009

Finally picked up some molasses. Going to use some for the next water.

Here is the latest price breakdown data:

Lighting/Electrical:
clamp light $6
clamp light $6
clamp light $6
clamp light $6
23 watt CFL 1600 lumens 5000k $3.50
23 watt CFL 1600 lumens 5000k $3.50
23 watt CFL 1600 lumens 5000k $3.50
23 watt CFL 1600 lumens 5000k $3.50
electric timer $6
Y-socket splitter $3
Y-socket splitter $3
Y-socket splitter $3
Y-socket splitter $3
26 watt CFL 1600 lumens 6500k $3
26 watt CFL 1600 lumens 6500k $3
26 watt CFL 1600 lumens 6500k $3
26 watt CFL 1600 lumens 6500k $3
Y-socket splitter $2
Y-socket splitter $2.50
simple plug socket adapter $2
simple plug socket adapter $2
simple plug socket adapter $2
simple plug socket adapter $2
clamp light $6
power strip 2-pack $6
26 watt CFL 1700 lumens 2700k $2
26 watt CFL 1700 lumens 2700k $2
26 watt CFL 1700 lumens 2700k $2
26 watt CFL 1700 lumens 2700k $2
26 watt CFL 1700 lumens 2700k $2
26 watt CFL 1700 lumens 2700k $2
26 watt CFL 1700 lumens 2700k $2
26 watt CFL 1700 lumens 2700k $2
26 watt uvb bulb $18
scrap hookup wire $0
some old 12v DC adapter $0
scrap light fixture $0

Soil/Nutrients:
MG seed starting soil $4
large bag regular potting soil $9
perlite $12
MG 10-30-10 bloom nutes $4
molasses $2.50
pH/moisture meter $10

Grow Box:
22 gallon plastic storage bin $9
twine $3
boxes $0
copy paper $0
"staples, duct tape" $0
"plastic cups, milk jugs" $0
coat hangers $0

Ventilation:
9-inch fan $10
70mm 12v computer fan (intake) 32 CFM $0
80mm 12v computer fan (intake) 22 CFM $0
60mm 12v computer fan (exhaust) 18 CFM $0
80mm 12v computer fan (exhaust) 22CFM $0
fan screws $1
spray bottle for misting $1
digital thermometer/hydrometer $7

Seeds Cost:
10 mixed seeds $25
seed shipping $5

Electricity Cost per month, 12/12, 410 watts: $14
Water Cost: $0

:leaf:

Lighting/Electrical $126.50
Grow Box $12
Ventilation $19
Seeds Cost $30
Soil/Nutrients $42
Electricity/Water $56

Supplies Total: $229.00
Entire Grow Total: $285.00

Assuming $10/gram average street price for high end dank, amount of bud I need to produce to break even:

1 ounce

first grow, budget grow box - grow log from zero to 420

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