My first grow

I don't know if I am in the right subcategory, but I saw a lot of guys to be posting about their progress in this forum, so I thought I might try it as well . This is my very first indoor grow. I will be growing THC Bomb. I have put my seeds into a cotton wool and covered them with cling film with holes in it. When they sprout I will be putting them into 0.5 gallon pots.

Medium: 1/3 Vermiculite, 1/3 Perlite and 1/3 Moss Peat. I told the boys in the shop to give me a nutrient free peat, it does, however, say on the package they you don't to feed for about 4 weeks in the soil, so that's good also.
I have measured the pH of the soil and it goes around 6.4–6.8, so I think that that's pretty spot on, although I will endeavour to bring it down a little with my water.

Water: My budget is very tight, so I'll be using tap water. pH of the water is at around 7.5, and TDS at around 193 ppms (European conversion), and 250 ppms when using warm water from my boiler, but I think that I'll be using the city water (193 ppms) and leave it sitting in the room and a bucket to warm up and clear up a little.

Bringing down the pH: I thought I might put in a few drops of lemon juice because the local store is useless and they don't sell pH UP&DOWN, and I am sick of paying the p&p's on the net.

Feed (vegging): I couldn't find anything better in the shop than 24-8-16, and it also contains micros.

Ventilation: Budget, budget and budget again. I am actually using a vacant bedroom and it has a window (upper, high below the ground and no neighbours for at least 30 meters). I have left the window open and completely covered with opaque material with glossy gold aluminium on the inside. I have cut a 6" hole in it and inserted ducting. In the ducting I have put two 3 inch pc fans and using them as extractors, hoping to create negative pressure. The door has a lot of little slits.

So what do you guys think?

All advice will be appreciated.

Thanks.

I'll be posting pictures of course when there is something to photograph.

Any chance you can post pics? What light are you going to use and how are you going to reflect it? Cheers! and dont worry, if you know your shit you can always get good stuff even if you are on tight budget.

You can get ph adjustor at a pet store as well...

You can prob get peat moss cheaper elsewhere next time. my mix is largely the same except i mix in one part cheap potting soil to get some dirt in there. I also add in some dolomite lime for ph.

I would worry about smell. I doubt two pc fans will do it. If there is an intake in the room, deal it off really well so smell doesn't get sucked into it and through the house.

peat has no nute value.
perlite and vermiculte do the same thing. choose only one.
you will need composted manure.....75/25 peat/lite then the manure
add Epsom salts and dolomite lime. a small handful of each
the ph of your soil will mitigate the ph of your tapwater. shoot for 6.8 for soil grows.
if you let the water sit out 24hrs the chlorine will evaporate

Cannanonymous said:

Any chance you can post pics? What light are you going to use and how are you going to reflect it? Cheers! and dont worry, if you know your shit you can always get good stuff even if you are on tight budget.

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Here are some pics. Note that the pots are not in their final setup, and of course the light has adjustable height. I know you will give out to me for having the plastic in black , but I intended to get white, but just couldn't get, and I got this one for free, I know it will absorb some of the lumens. The light is 600W MH, I have a 600W HPS on stand by.

P.S. sorry for whiting out some stuff, but just to hide some of the rooms straits, better safe than sorry.

GrowinDad said:

You can get ph adjustor at a pet store as well...

You can prob get peat moss cheaper elsewhere next time. my mix is largely the same except i mix in one part cheap potting soil to get some dirt in there. I also add in some dolomite lime for ph.

I would worry about smell. I doubt two pc fans will do it. If there is an intake in the room, deal it off really well so smell doesn't get sucked into it and through the house.

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No, I do not have a intake, but I heard that you can do it via negative pressure. I might consider a carbon filter in the future, but I am not worried about the smell inside the house, only outside, but the room is quite high.

It actually says multi-purpose compost. I asked him for moss peat and he used that was it

I tried using just PC fans, 2 out and 1 in and they didn't move enough air to keep my 400 watt HPS cool but that was in a smaller space. What kind of light are you using?

sla said:

• good info its happening to me right now and i don't know what to do its my first time growing i had no problem germinating at all it took a little over 14 hours and it started growing really fast but then just stopped this is the only one still alive out of 12 plants i have tried changing to a larger pot (5 and 3 gallons) and they just died after a week or so. This one has been like this for about 3 weeks now any suggestions ? btw is crippy if it helps at all thanks View attachment 2900725View attachment 2900729View attachment 2900736View attachment 2900737​
  
  
  
  

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You fried em with the light

sla said:

• good info its happening to me right now and i don't know what to do its my first time growing i had no problem germinating at all it took a little over 14 hours and it started growing really fast but then just stopped this is the only one still alive out of 12 plants i have tried changing to a larger pot (5 and 3 gallons) and they just died after a week or so. This one has been like this for about 3 weeks now any suggestions ? btw is crippy if it helps at all thanks View attachment 2900725View attachment 2900729View attachment 2900736View attachment 2900737​
  
  

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just a few things i noticed, You soil looks like mud (no offence) and im guessing that your lights definiltly no 12-8 inches from the top because that thing is so streached out its not even funny, i dont think you will save this plant, you can only learn from your mistakes.

ok i thought as much i just moved that one to a cooler spot moved the light higher up and started planting new seeds. Is it possible to still save this guy? and is it normal for them to grow so long they can't stand up on their own strength ?

MrMcFreely said:

You fried em with the light

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Plants the strech light that most definite arnt getting "fried" Your giving him bad advice with absolutly no reasoning. Dont give advice unless it actually is going to help

yeah i know thats what ive been thinking its way to stretched how can i avoid this ?

jswett1100 said:

Plants the strech light that most definite arnt getting "fried" Your giving him bad advice with absolutly no reasoning. Dont give advice unless it actually is going to help

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Ok expert what is it? I fried seedlings once and it looked just like that. Instead of criticizing me help contribute to a solution for this guy. I'm just trying to help.

i didnt mean to start an argument... i just wanted to learn to avoid this i really want to be able to grow .-.

sla said:

i didnt mean to start an argument... i just wanted to learn to avoid this i really want to be able to grow .-.

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Its getting too much or too little of something. I can at least say that much with absolute certainty. Just wait and more answers will pop up.

thanks i just planted some more i used soil that has "peat moss, perlite, top soil, organic compost and a "wetting agent". should that work?

sla said:

• good info its happening to me right now and i don't know what to do its my first time growing i had no problem germinating at all it took a little over 14 hours and it started growing really fast but then just stopped this is the only one still alive out of 12 plants i have tried changing to a larger pot (5 and 3 gallons) and they just died after a week or so. This one has been like this for about 3 weeks now any suggestions ? btw is crippy if it helps at all thanks View attachment 2900725View attachment 2900729View attachment 2900736View attachment 2900737​
  
  

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Your light is far for your seedlings to reach! they are stretching and this is not the best. I suggest you read the thread about Transplanting Long Stems, it should be on top of this sub forum. Put the light closer to them. About 3 inches. Cheers

Cannanonymous said:

Your light is far for your seedlings to reach! they are stretching and this is not the best. I suggest you read the thread about Transplanting Long Stems, it should be on top of this sub forum. Put the light closer to them. About 3 inches. Cheers

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Also, if they are investing time and energy going upwards for light they dont spend that time growing.