New grower need help on a Budget $200

Hello to all sorry for the stupid questions upfront. Finally, I got 2 tween's to grow from Wife. Clones locally - Purple Punch and Sunset Octane. I purchased a 2x4x5 tent, Got a Sunset 175 watt grow light. Went from red dixie cups straight into 7 gal buckets. I am using recommend from the grower I got the clones - Black Magic. He said not to use any extra feed since the soil has everything we need. I need help following:
- Exhaust system like to keep this to 2 - 4 plants, so 4in sound great for my system. Do I need the carbon filter? Like to keep this under $100
- How often do I water or when do I tell if I need to water? Do not want to wait for the leaves to wilt. (Do not want to over water)
- I bought 2 6in clip fans - where do I put them on the opposite sites of the tent facing the plants downward or level or below pushing up?
- Currently, I am using my big fan pushing in the air from the side vent so forcing air down onto the plant will make the plant work more and be stronger it is only hitting the top canopy or very top. Is this ok or will it make this section weak?
- when should I feed my plant and with what? How often a cycle?
- I have 2 tall about 32 - 36" plants one is tall lots of leaves (female right) other is tall very little leaves I think might be a male? (see photo)
- How do I make my plants bushier? How do I use a Netting around will that make the plant produce more bushy leaves instead of skyrocketing?
- was told that these are about 30 days old... can you tell?
- when can I take cuttings to clone these plants as mothers?
- take a look at the soil should I water each day so the top is wet I see dry spots should I water? 9-gallon pot how much to water each day?
- ordered an ebb water system - again how much should I daily water and when should I feed the plants?

thank you all even if you read this far down the post. Truly need help from everyone.... finally I know what it like on the FB sourdough pages when the newbie's ask what is a starter and how do I grow/feed it. Since I answer a lot of questions there figured this would be the place and the site to ask. Others seem to fake and all about selling stuff, but this site seems underground common sense with smart people that actually grow. I am hoping to figure out how to do this and become successful in my crops and be able to do the 3 crops per plant cycle. But is am only standing at the start line so I do appreciate all the help.

I have a wife that is supportive of not spending too much money, but I know she is just waiting for the moment she can look me in the eye and tell me. Really I figured you could not do this but great try so can we go to the local smoke shop now. Hell no!!! With your help, I can be answering these questions in the future!!! No idea what tomorrow will provide but just need to know I did what I was supposed to do today!

From what I understand, the carbon filter is really only if you’re concerned about the smell coming from your exhaust. Also, this wasn’t a question but if you’re keeping the male and the female together it will fertilize her and you’ll get seeds in your harvest. Sorry I don’t have more answers as I’m still learning the super specifics.

CruzV said:

From what I understand, the carbon filter is really only if you’re concerned about the smell coming from your exhaust. Also, this wasn’t a question but if you’re keeping the male and the female together it will fertilize her and you’ll get seeds in your harvest. Sorry I don’t have more answers as I’m still learning the super specifics.

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thanks, no I was asking if both are male or females, but I see the hairs coming off on both plants. luckily I have females! i really want to know when to water, how much and what feeding to use. Read so much not all the same information

I'm actually trying to get into sourdough, so probably could learn a thing or two from you on that. I'm new here as well and there is a lot of great info spread across the site. I'll answer any questions I can based on what I've read, but please not that this comes from research rather than experience and I'd defer to others advice as I just started my first grow.

- Exhaust system like to keep this to 2 - 4 plants, so 4in sound great for my system. Do I need the carbon filter? Like to keep this under $100
I just bought this filter for 35 and I have the same size tent and the reviews are positive (4.5 stars) -> Link

- How often do I water or when do I tell if I need to water? Do not want to wait for the leaves to wilt. (Do not want to over water)
I struggle with this as well, as it seems you can only really learn from experience. I would water until the medium is thoroughly wet and then wait 3-5 days or wait until the top looks unbearably dry and then wait another day. Better to underwater than overwater.

- I bought 2 6in clip fans - where do I put them on the opposite sites of the tent facing the plants downward or level or below pushing up?
I've read that placing them to blow in the area between the canopy and the lights is a good idea. The thought is to create air turbulence rather than direct air in a certain direction, and direct fanning onto the plants seems to be a no no from what I've read.

- Currently, I am using my big fan pushing in the air from the side vent so forcing air down onto the plant will make the plant work more and be stronger it is only hitting the top canopy or very top. Is this ok or will it make this section weak?
I don't know if it will make the plant work more or make it weaker, I would defer to other's on this question

The other questions I can't really help on, as I'm going the organic super soil route and haven't even gotten to the transplanting part yet.

Best of luck to you! Hope you find the info you need to keep the plants happy so they can keep you happy lol

mhpack said:

thanks, no I was asking if both are male or females, but I see the hairs coming off on both plants. luckily I have females! i really want to know when to water, how much and what feeding to use. Read so much not all the same information

Click to expand...

go

mhpack said:

thanks, no I was asking if both are male or females, but I see the hairs coming off on both plants. luckily I have females! i really want to know when to water, how much and what feeding to use. Read so much not all the same information

Click to expand...

good rule of thumb in general with potting soil is letting about an inch of the top of the soil to get relatively dry (not desert), with babies keeping them humid is key because the leaves absorb a lot of the humidity. depends on your soil, depends on your drainage.

dajestergrow said:

I'm actually trying to get into sourdough, so probably could learn a thing or two from you on that. I'm new here as well and there is a lot of great info spread across the site. I'll answer any questions I can based on what I've read, but please not that this comes from research rather than experience and I'd defer to others advice as I just started my first grow.

- Exhaust system like to keep this to 2 - 4 plants, so 4in sound great for my system. Do I need the carbon filter? Like to keep this under $100
I just bought this filter for 35 and I have the same size tent and the reviews are positive (4.5 stars) -> Link

- How often do I water or when do I tell if I need to water? Do not want to wait for the leaves to wilt. (Do not want to over water)
I struggle with this as well, as it seems you can only really learn from experience. I would water until the medium is thoroughly wet and then wait 3-5 days or wait until the top looks unbearably dry and then wait another day. Better to underwater than overwater.

- I bought 2 6in clip fans - where do I put them on the opposite sites of the tent facing the plants downward or level or below pushing up?
I've read that placing them to blow in the area between the canopy and the lights is a good idea. The thought is to create air turbulence rather than direct air in a certain direction, and direct fanning onto the plants seems to be a no no from what I've read.

- Currently, I am using my big fan pushing in the air from the side vent so forcing air down onto the plant will make the plant work more and be stronger it is only hitting the top canopy or very top. Is this ok or will it make this section weak?
I don't know if it will make the plant work more or make it weaker, I would defer to other's on this question

The other questions I can't really help on, as I'm going the organic super soil route and haven't even gotten to the transplanting part yet.

Best of luck to you! Hope you find the info you need to keep the plants happy so they can keep you happy lol

Click to expand...

CruzV said:

From what I understand, the carbon filter is really only if you’re concerned about the smell coming from your exhaust.

Click to expand...

Well, for growers using HID lamps with air-cooled hoods, the filter acts as a dust and debris filter for the air before it is pushed/pulled through the glass, keeping it clean.

mhpack said:

Hello to all sorry for the stupid questions upfront. Finally, I got 2 tween's to grow from Wife. Clones locally - Purple Punch and Sunset Octane. I purchased a 2x4x5 tent, Got a Sunset 175 watt grow light. Went from red dixie cups straight into 7 gal buckets. I am using recommend from the grower I got the clones - Black Magic. He said not to use any extra feed since the soil has everything we need. I need help following:
- Exhaust system like to keep this to 2 - 4 plants, so 4in sound great for my system. Do I need the carbon filter? Like to keep this under $100
- How often do I water or when do I tell if I need to water? Do not want to wait for the leaves to wilt. (Do not want to over water)
- I bought 2 6in clip fans - where do I put them on the opposite sites of the tent facing the plants downward or level or below pushing up?
- Currently, I am using my big fan pushing in the air from the side vent so forcing air down onto the plant will make the plant work more and be stronger it is only hitting the top canopy or very top. Is this ok or will it make this section weak?
- when should I feed my plant and with what? How often a cycle?
- I have 2 tall about 32 - 36" plants one is tall lots of leaves (female right) other is tall very little leaves I think might be a male? (see photo)
- How do I make my plants bushier? How do I use a Netting around will that make the plant produce more bushy leaves instead of skyrocketing?
- was told that these are about 30 days old... can you tell?
- when can I take cuttings to clone these plants as mothers?
- take a look at the soil should I water each day so the top is wet I see dry spots should I water? 9-gallon pot how much to water each day?
- ordered an ebb water system - again how much should I daily water and when should I feed the plants?

thank you all even if you read this far down the post. Truly need help from everyone.... finally I know what it like on the FB sourdough pages when the newbie's ask what is a starter and how do I grow/feed it. Since I answer a lot of questions there figured this would be the place and the site to ask. Others seem to fake and all about selling stuff, but this site seems underground common sense with smart people that actually grow. I am hoping to figure out how to do this and become successful in my crops and be able to do the 3 crops per plant cycle. But is am only standing at the start line so I do appreciate all the help.

I have a wife that is supportive of not spending too much money, but I know she is just waiting for the moment she can look me in the eye and tell me. Really I figured you could not do this but great try so can we go to the local smoke shop now. Hell no!!! With your help, I can be answering these questions in the future!!! No idea what tomorrow will provide but just need to know I did what I was supposed to do today!

Click to expand...

Most of that is so situational it can't be accurately answered. The rest is so basic that you can learn it without asking there's tons of new grower threads how many threads did you read before starting this one?

spek9 said:

Well, for growers using HID lamps with air-cooled hoods, the filter acts as a dust and debris filter for the air before it is pushed/pulled through the glass, keeping it clean.

Click to expand...

That’s very interesting! Thank you for the info. As a beginner I realized right away that anything other than led seems very complicated!

CruzV said:

That’s very interesting! Thank you for the info. As a beginner I realized right away that anything other than led seems very complicated!

Click to expand...

...and here, to me, honestly, LED seems complicated.

I even started a thread [here] to get better clarification.

Making HID complicated didn't cross my mind at all

xtsho said:

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I have not had respectable sour dough bread since the last time I visited my daughter in SF. I need to learn how to make my own.

spek9 said:

...and here, to me, honestly, LED seems complicated.

I even started a thread [here] to get better clarification.

Making HID complicated didn't cross my mind at all

Click to expand...

LEDs just seem very “plug and play” for lack of a better term. Where there seems to be more to HID or the other kinds when it comes to the ballasts and amps and such. I will be checking out that thread, thank you.

Watering... For me, the most important thing is to know what your pot feels like dry.. not the soil but the weight of the pot. This is how you know when to water. Pick it up, is it light? Water. Still heavy? Leave it be. Doesn't need to be anymore complicated than that.