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

This is my first time growing cannabis. I'm growing for personal use. Space & money are limited, so here is my setup:

Enclosure: 2x 4ft garment boxes, 5 sq ft. growing area
Ventilation: 70mm pc fan intake, 50mm pc fan exhaust, 9 inch internal circulation fan, no odor control yet
Grow Medium: indoor, expert gardener potting soil w/ 33% perlite mix, NPK 14-9-12, watering with tap water
Strain: Not sure, seeds came unlabeled, but could be Kush/Afghan/Power/Skunk/Jock
Light: 8 CFL bulbs 12,000 combined lumens, 18/6 light cycle
Growing Method: Low Stress Training - LST



Here is my budget and supplies breakdown:
$0 boxes
$6 clamp light
$6 clamp light
$6 clamp light
$6 clamp light
$3.50 23 watt CFL 1600 lumens 5k
$3.50 23 watt CFL 1600 lumens 5k
$3.50 23 watt CFL 1600 lumens 5k
$3.50 23 watt CFL 1600 lumens 5k
$4 seed starting soil
$6 electric timer
$30 10 seeds
$0 plastic cups
$3 twine
$3 Y-socket splitter
$3 Y-socket splitter
$3 Y-socket splitter
$3 Y-socket splitter
$3 26 watt CFL 1600 lumens 6.5k
$3 26 watt CFL 1600 lumens 6.5k
$3 26 watt CFL 1600 lumens 6.5k
$3 26 watt CFL 1600 lumens 6.5k
$0 copy paper
$0 staples/duct tape
$0 scrap hookup wire
$2 Y-socket splitter
$7 digital thermometer/hydrometer with min/max memory
$0 60mm 12v computer fan (exhaust) 18 CFM
$0 70mm 12v computer fan (intake) 32 CFM
$0 some old 12v DC adapter
$2.50 Y-socket splitter
$2 simple plug socket adapter
$2 simple plug socket adapter
$2 simple plug socket adapter
$2 simple plug socket adapter
$10 9-inch fan
$6 clamp light
$4 MG bloom nutes
$9 plastic storage bin
$9 potting soil
$12 perlite
$6 2-pack power strips
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$180.50 for supplies

$14/mo electricity costs

Germination:

I used the paper towel method. It took roughly 3 days to germinate the seeds. I was only able to germinate 6 of the 10 seeds. I used a regular 60 watt incandescent bulb to keep the area warm.

Seedling:

I have managed to gather some supplies to begin planting. There are no grow shops around here, so i'm more or less limited to whatever wal-mart sells.

All 6 seedlings have begun growing. The two that first germinated are also the two that first sprouted through the dirt, and are the biggest. I guess they are good genes.

I installed an exhaust fan to cool the 4 lights, cut a slit in the back for passive intake.

the seedlings are continuing their growth. I wasn't sure how much to water them so I think I let them get too dry. I found out they needed daily watering.

Yea u should water it daily but just enough 2 give it a drink ...tha idea is for it 2 dry out for the next watering

I purchased some more supplies, which is most of what i'll need for the rest of the grow. I think my seedlings were sluggish to grow big, I found out why once I began to transplant them-they were all root-bound. I was surprised how quickly the little gals fill up with roots.

I decided to stick them all in one single plastic container instead of separate pots. The benefits of this are a lot more overall soil volume, and plus its cheap. This is their final container.

I also made the decision to spend a little extra to get a cheap thermometer. Two of my plants had heat burn, so I needed to find out what temps were inside the grow container so I could install better ventilation.

I looked at a ph/moisture meter wal-mart sold, but it was $20 and thats too much. I might buy one later on if its under $10.

I also got some rooting hormone, i'm gonna try my hand at cloning once I can sex the plants.

I included photos of the two burnt plants.

1 week after transplanting, the plants have exploded in growth. I guess the extra soil to grow was all they really needed. I'm watering every couple days now, i'm letting the top few inches of the soil dry out. I use the finger test =)

I have all 8 lights going now, which throws temps up to 90F if I leave the door on the box closed, so I leave it open most of the day. I plan on installing a second exhaust fan-80mm computer fan for additional cooling. With the door open it hovers around 82F with 35% humidity.

The plants are starting to give off a slight smell, kinda like body odor. Luckily, being a guy, it blends right in with my own musk. I don't really have a plan for what i'm gonna do once they bud to control smell, I might make a ghetto carbon filter or something.

I have most of the light on the left side to see if I can balance out some of the plants sizes.

I took some more macros of the plants as well.

wow this is a great journal. fricking informative keep it up

good shit!!! we have the same idea on that tote. what gallon is it? mine is 18 or 20 i got a few more plants in mines plus im useing a 250 watt hps and some cfl. that sativa ass lookig plant looks amost pure be ready to flower for a while.

It says 85 liters, which is I guess 22 gallons, probably same as yours.

Yeah I seriously considered buying the 150 watt HPS from HTGsupply for $70, but I can use CFL's for regular lighting around the house, where as an HPS is too damned ugly for indoor lighting.

I had to move the CFL up an inch for the runt (1st pic)

Excellent grow journal, like your style!

Would it not have been worth using a cheap wooden cabinet or something, as you are clearly taking a lot of care and attention and that would make the whole thing much 'stealthier' and more robust?

Anyway, I'll be following this one. Very best of luck with your grow, I have a feeling you will do well

give the plants there own pots to grow in and not in 1 tub.

It would be nice to have a wooden grow cabinet, but I can't afford something like that, or the supplies to build one. You can find one of these garment boxes for free anywhere that sells mens suits.

I've been inspired by all the great grows here on RIU, being flat broke I want to see if I can sucessfully grow on a strict budget, and perhaps inspire others.

good work fella! this is excactly how a grow journal should be, full of detail and good pics. some of the more experienced growers could take a leaf out of your book!

clovergs99 said:

give the plants there own pots to grow in and not in 1 tub.

Click to expand...

it really only matters if some of them turn male, if they are all female all you have to worry about it having enough room for them to grow. Reason is males are the ones you want to pull (duh, unless you're breeding) so you don't want to pull them out with dead roots in the soil or accidentally pull the good roots out with the bad plant. If they are all female, just be sure you have enough room/soil for them to all grow and one big tub like that is fine.......to an extent.


On topic now, you're plants look good bro and i like the journal, keep us updated.

Happy Toking

Awesome plants hope they grow pit hair and not balls.Cheers

nice formating very informative good luck man! keep us posted!

thanks for the support guys

I gave the plants a good water a few days ago, they're growing fast.

I had some bad luck, one of my CFL's fell down onto one of the plants for a couple hours until my girlfriend noticed it, it burned the hell out of a bunch of the top leaves I guess thats what I get for using seven year old duct tape.

The larger powerplant leaves are still ok, but it looked like it fried most of the new ones popping out from the top. I'm in my dark cycle at the moment, i'll provide some pictures later this evening.

Also, I started LST on my two largest sativas.