First Grow from Day 0

Hey growers,
This is my first grow. As I'm new to this, I will be sharing everything I can.
Setup:
1x1x1.80 meters grow tent with 400w Dual HPS (on ETI magnetic ballast) and 495m3 extractor with 400 - 680m3 carbon filter.
Got negative pressure, so it's ok. Humidity is low (as I don't bring air in from the outside and exhaust it in my living space) and temps a bit too high. But as I posted in a previous thread, the solution will be to make it right with a humidifier and another fan.

Got Royal Queen Northern Light Auto.
Germinated first seeds with water soaking, then paper towel. Two sprouted and one (too little) didn't. And I've put 2 more seeds - one did sprout, the other still didn't.

Now, I've put the first 3 (the 2 that sprouted and the one that didn't) into cups, watered, cover with a plastic transparent film (for humidity) and kept them in the dark for 24 h. Nothing happened yet, so I wondered if I planted them too deep or if the soil made them sank more. Or if temp wasn't good enough for them.
So today, I've turned on the lights and ventilation (as I've read it can be done for seeds).
I've also attached some pictures (you'll see also a tall seedling - it's a cherry tomato ). Sorry for the HPS light lol.

So, what do you guys think? Should I replant - as to be sure they will come out?

just a tad advise, most sounds good, it's clear you have done your research before starting this, but humidity in veg should be at absolute minimum 50 during veg, I'd prefer much higher, but still! there is many very easy ways to raise it!

also for taking pic, either take them right at lights out, or before lights on, I've also found if u have a good pair of sunglasses, between having that in front of the camera lens and playing with settings u can get good pics!

Greenthumbs256 said:

just a tad advise, most sounds good, it's clear you have done your research before starting this, but humidity in veg should be at absolute minimum 50 during veg, I'd prefer much higher, but still! there is many very easy ways to raise it!

Click to expand...

Yes, I want to keep RH somewhere at 60. Will do so with a humidifier, starting some time next week. In the meantime, I will water enough to be moisture and it should be ok.
Thanks a lot, mate!

putyourlightson said:

Yes, I want to keep RH somewhere at 60. Will do so with a humidifier, starting some time next week. In the meantime, I will water enough to be moisture and it should be ok.
Thanks a lot, mate!

Click to expand...

sorry I got busy, I wanted to add, vegging under hps, isn't recommended, most of those systems will also run mh! I'd highly suggest u get a mh bulb, and run that during veg, and hps during flower! if your system doesn't run mh, then I'd look at maybe led or t5s! I personally use t5s, and have some led t5 bulbs! like this...



t5 are very cheap, there is much better options, but the cost is what I love the most! and I feel the amount of heat is almost perfect for me!
good luck with your grow, if u need something feel free to pm me! but from the looks you will do just fine! it appears you have done your homework! so good Luck and have fun!

Just wanted to say I planted some RQ northern lights a few weeks ago and they are really tall already. Make sure you top them or train them so they don't explode in growth when you switch to 12/12

Greenthumbs256 said:

sorry I got busy, I wanted to add, vegging under hps, isn't recommended, most of those systems will also run mh! I'd highly suggest u get a mh bulb, and run that during veg, and hps during flower! if your system doesn't run mh, then I'd look at maybe led or t5s! I personally use t5s, and have some led t5 bulbs! like this...View attachment 4279476



t5 are very cheap, there is much better options, but the cost is what I love the most! and I feel the amount of heat is almost perfect for me!
good luck with your grow, if u need something feel free to pm me! but from the looks you will do just fine! it appears you have done your homework! so good Luck and have fun!

Click to expand...

Yeah, I wanted to get MH for vegging and HPS for flowering. But I got paranoid about the whole mercury business within the MH bulbs, what if they break or the film of the bulb is scratched and whatnot... Yea, I know a lot of people grow under MH, but still... the paranoia )) So that's why I took a dual spectrum HPS (it's recommended for both vegging and flowering). The T5 was also an option, yea, but I wanted to KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid )) ) and had built myself a single setup. And as I already invested quite a bit in all this - and still got to get a few more things - I need to keep this setup.
I guess I'll see how it goes and I'm gonna upgrade in the future (or maybe build another one ) Anyhow, learned a lot till now and still have plenty to ) Nevertheless, I am eager.
Thanks a lot for your support and everything you said, means a lot. And I will pm you if anything.
Cheers, mate!

DoubleX5150 said:

Just wanted to say I planted some RQ northern lights a few weeks ago and they are really tall already. Make sure you top them or train them so they don't explode in growth when you switch to 12/12

Click to expand...

Oh, nice to hear that, man!
I'm looking forward to learn about plant training, it's quite an exciting subject.
But as my NL's are automatic i will be going on 18/6 for the whole grow.
However, their height (the RQ northern lights) is said to be up to 120 cm. And my tent is 180, so I can go a maximum of 150 in height.
Will see, thanks for the heads up! And I wish u a wonder grow!!

putyourlightson said:

Yeah, I wanted to get MH for vegging and HPS for flowering. But I got paranoid about the whole mercury business within the MH bulbs, what if they break or the film of the bulb is scratched and whatnot... Yea, I know a lot of people grow under MH, but still... the paranoia )) So that's why I took a dual spectrum HPS (it's recommended for both vegging and flowering). The T5 was also an option, yea, but I wanted to KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid )) ) and had built myself a single setup. And as I already invested quite a bit in all this - and still got to get a few more things - I need to keep this setup.
I guess I'll see how it goes and I'm gonna upgrade in the future (or maybe build another one ) Anyhow, learned a lot till now and still have plenty to ) Nevertheless, I am eager.
Thanks a lot for your support and everything you said, means a lot. And I will pm you if anything.
Cheers, mate!

Click to expand...

I can't say I agree with who ever told you that, I could be wrong, but from what I understand about that, is its still hps, just has some extra blues in the spectrum, but still no where even near top 10 or 20 veg lights! but great for flower, I use 2 of then 1000w hps, with eye hortilux super bulbs! and even still, I wouldn't not use them for veg! for one, it's too expensive on electricity, and just not needed! heat another point! and last just go with some t5's or something cheap! I'd even recommend cfl (a ton of them) over that hps! I'm sure you can find a ton of info on here about that, like I said I could be wrong, won't be the first time, but I doubt it! but that's on you! just my 2 cents! wish ya the best man!

@putyourlightson welcome to growing. Be warned, growing is addictive. Looks like you did plenty of research and I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Sorry if I missed it, but what soil and nutrients are you using?

If you see water on the film then it's just a matter of time before they do their thing, I'd give them light tho. I think blue spectrums are what tell it where to reach. The more blue in your spectrum the less stretch at flip and overall veg.

RH is important for optimal grows. The higher the RH the less the plant drinks and when it's young it doesn't have enough plant to use lots of nutes.

Greenthumbs256 said:

I can't say I agree with who ever told you that, I could be wrong, but from what I understand about that, is its still hps, just has some extra blues in the spectrum, but still no where even near top 10 or 20 veg lights! but great for flower, I use 2 of then 1000w hps, with eye hortilux super bulbs! and even still, I wouldn't not use them for veg! for one, it's too expensive on electricity, and just not needed! heat another point! and last just go with some t5's or something cheap! I'd even recommend cfl (a ton of them) over that hps! I'm sure you can find a ton of info on here about that, like I said I could be wrong, won't be the first time, but I doubt it! but that's on you! just my 2 cents! wish ya the best man!

Click to expand...

Yea, man, it's ok, appreciate it. No, I can't say you're wrong, it's just what I've read. I would love 1000w's too, but as I said, I wanted too keep a bit low - on price and electricity too. That's why the 400w dual spectrum.
Here's the link for the lamps.
https://grownuphydroponics.com/grolux-sylvania-grow-lamps-dual-spectrum.html

DesertPlants said:

@putyourlightson welcome to growing. Be warned, growing is addictive. Looks like you did plenty of research and I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Sorry if I missed it, but what soil and nutrients are you using?

Click to expand...

Hey, man! Thanks, I can already feel it running through me
I did, yes, some years before I could afford doing it.

Soil for start: Plagron Seedling & Cutting Soil
Soil to switch to: Biobizz Allmix
Nutrients for vegging: waiting to see what the girls ask for, as I understood the soil provides plenty for the first weeks. Just took a PH down solution. Then, maybe some Nitrogen based. But waiting.
Nutrients for flowering: Already took BudXL and Top Booster from House & Garden, as it was recommended for bud developing.

Btw, see below: It is Day 1 for my girls

ChiefRunningPhist said:

If you see water on the film then it's just a matter of time before they do their thing, I'd give them light tho. I think blue spectrums are what tell it where to reach. The more blue in your spectrum the less stretch at flip and overall veg.

RH is important for optimal grows. The higher the RH the less the plant drinks and when it's young it doesn't have enough plant to use lots of nutes.

Click to expand...

Yea, I will improve RH. And checked the light specs - it has more blue in it, but still dual spectrum. Gonna see how it goes.
Btw, see below. It's Day 1 for my girls

Day 1!
The first two girls came out from under the humidity domes. They look beautiful and there are already tiny leaves to be seen.
Named them Nellie and Naala (after their Northern Light genetics - NL)

a tad early to toss the humidity domes, but they look good, if the Temps and rh, are in the right range, ur OK without the dome!

putyourlightson said:

Day 1!
The first two girls came out from under the humidity domes. They look beautiful and there are already tiny leaves to be seen.
Named them Nellie and Naala (after their Northern Light genetics - NL)

Click to expand...

Lol that's great! I love that you named them! My first plant I ever grew, I grew with a buddy, and we named it Thurgood. It ended up being a male, but we thought it was a new strain! Lmao

Anyways, here's a song for at least one of ur girls, hope she grows into a great big elephant lol..

ChiefRunningPhist said:

Lol that's great! I love that you named them! My first plant I ever grew, I grew with a buddy, and we named it Thurgood. It ended up being a male, but we thought it was a new strain! Lmao

Anyways, here's a song for at least one of ur girls, hope she grows into a great big elephant lol..

Click to expand...

Huu-haaa!! (quoting Pacino ) Great song and a genius gift for my girls. Thx!
Yea, the idea hit me as I woke up 2 days ago and I said yea, man, I have to treat them like real beings
Nice to hear about Thurgood too - sounds powerful... and mythical

Greenthumbs256 said:

a tad early to toss the humidity domes, but they look good, if the Temps and rh, are in the right range, ur OK without the dome!

Click to expand...

Thanks for saying that, I saw your post earlier, went for a walk and thought about the problem.
The issue was the girls came out pretty well and tall out of their small cups. So I came up with the solution of making a dome from a large pot covered with transparent film.
Now they all rest inside it - including Cherrita (the cherry tomato plant). I sprayed the inside of the film with water. And even better, I've put a bowl of water in the middle of them - it should start to rise the RH.

Day 3.
The third girl came out yesterday as well - Nlaala. She is still small but seems to be doing well.
The girls, Nellie and Naala, are doing fine. They grew maybe too tall - stretched for getting light? But they got only some 8 hours of light until now...
Until tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, when I get the humidifier, they will get no more light.
Then I plan on starting 18/6. But at what distance would you recommend the light? 15 inches would be ok?