CFLGrow's Soil, White Widow, CFL Stealth Growbox Journal - 2010

cflgrow

New Member
Hey 420 world!

This is my first post ever. To be honest, I wasn't sure how wise posting everything online would be... but the knowledge sharing I've seen on these forums has outweighed the potential 'cons' :) So enjoy the sideline view - I'm about two weeks into what will hopefully be a very fun, educational 8-month process!

Comments, criticisms, musings and compliments are very much welcomed.

So let's catch everyone up!

I decided to start a stealth grow. I realized I had a cellar in my basement that was relatively unused, and a full year ahead of me with nothing but work and free time. The idea of growing weed was fun/interesting, but not getting caught (by anyone, really - police, friends who wouldn't approve, parents, etc) was a major issue. You guys might laugh at the idea of not wanting to get caught by friends or parents... but whatever :) It's important to me. Haha. So stealth grow was the way to go.

I browsed through all these forums, and the Rubbermade grow box seemed like the ideal little start-up method. Compact, cheap, mobile... kinda perfect.

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I started with two 28 gallon Rubbermades, $10 a piece at Wal-Mart, and MetalTaped them entirely. Bolted in two 3-way light fixtures (about $12 a piece), and wired them all together. I've got six 23 watt CFLs - a 6500 K set for the vegetation stage, and a 2700 K set for flowering. In total, I'm running 138 watts for my baby :)

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Next I hit the issue of cooling/ventilating the cab - my first purchase was two duct fans. I rigged up two carbon filters (a bit excessive, but again - stealth is paramount to me) and connected one to the ventilation fan. Should the smell start to become noticeable, I'll connect the second one.

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In the bottom of the grow cab I installed a 3", 33 cfm air intake. I found a guy online who was selling these computer fans for $4 a piece. I'll be using more eventually, so I bought 10 :)

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We're now at present day. Everything is built, and I'm doing a 8-hour temperature test. I'm going to see if the fans will keep it cool, or if I need to install the next ventilation fan. I have a wireless thermometer inside, so I can check up on the temperatures without opening things up.



To come:

I'm going to be spending the next few months (while the current crop is veg'ing) creating a stealth dresser. I'm hoping to SOG and ScrOG with clones from this venture. Here's the first stages of dismantling the dresser:

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Last night I turned on everything - the CFL's, the intake and exhaust fans, and the wireless thermometer. Temperature climbed then stayed steady at 81.5º for 12 hours. I know people recommend not exceeding 80º - anyone know a good range to keep it in? I've heard 70-80º... anything more concrete than that?

Should I add another CPU fan to drop it below 80º?

Also, I'm thinking my cellar is going to be around 60º during the winter. During night time my grow cab might drop below 70º - anyone have any simple methods for keeping grow cabs at 70º+ during the 12/12 cycle?
 
Still no replies... but I have some questions for you, 420magazine!

First, the question earlier - is a 81º resting temperature too high? Should I be working to drop that into the 70's?

Secondly, I'm having a hard time finding a pH meter for the water. For a single plant, first grow... how important is a pH meter? Are there ways around one?
 
Hello CFL

My first grow was similar if not exact to your grow. It was extremely succesful with two plants. Nearing 3 oz. harvest off of two small plants.

For your question 81 is suitable for growing, however youre growing inside of a box. Which is fine, you should be able to go start to finish with 81 degrees. If there is a way to cool it down more however I would steer towards that investment.

If not another relativly cheap option is supplamenting C02 into your room, be wary however. There is a certain level of PPM to air ratio thats acceptable. Dont want to over do it.

As far as the Ph meter..
Ive used the Hanna model (cheapest digital one available).. It works pretty good, however has its flaws. (Re-calibration is a must at least 1 every 3 months and it IS NOT waterproof) I learned that the hard way.
Soo
I invested in this model.. Oakton waterproof ph meter.
I love thing thing, its accurate and only needs calibration once a year if handled correctly. (This model costs more but in the end it worth it)

As for ph meter however you really need one for checking your water before feeding, assuring its within an acceptable ph range (Look that up if, it varies with different mediums Soil, CoCo, hydro ect..)
I wouldnt worry about a soil ph meter, just get yourself a good ph meter for water and test the water before and after watering.

(Meaning check your runoff water, the plant should drain about 20-30% of the water you feed it. You can tell a lot about your plant by testing its Run-off.)

Also I would recomend a PPM meter. This way you assure there will be no over-fertilizing. (A serious problem when growing in soil)

Hope this helps.. Sorry for it being so long I just took an interest in your stealthbox as it reminded me of myself a few years back..

Check out my stealthbx grow, it was def. worth it. Good luck
 
Hey Ghetty!

I read through that grow journal you posted... I'm impressed! Things turned out pretty well. I have a few questions for you, seeing as you've done the same setup I'm trying. Some of them are pretty basic. Sorry if get's too newby :)

What was the general lighting schedule you stuck to, and how long? ie, 24 hrs for 2 weeks, 18-6 for ___, 12/12 _____, or whatever.
Did you have any issues with temp's, or have any suggestions for me on that?
You mentioned you only used molasses... do you still stick to that, and how much/when would you recommend?
Anything else to help me through my first grow :)
 
Hello cflgrow, and welcome to 420Magazine.

Your intentions look good, your attitude is positive, and your goal is admirable.

But there are a couple of things: For various reasons, live links to other cannabis-related message forums are Officially Frowned Upon here. Please do not post them. Live links to businesses that are in direct competition to this site's sponsors are also generally frowned upon. If you wish to reference a site in order to discuss a specific product, that can be a different matter - for example, if a business is a competitor to a site sponsor but it has a unique product or one that the sponsors do not carry, that's probably in the fuzzy area. But with seedbanks, that almost never comes into play as most strains produced by reputable growers are carried by several different seedbanks.

So, when you mention a seedbank only to state that you're ordering from them and to ask if anyone has any information about it, you do not need to post a live link to do so.

(I'm NOT bitching, lol. Just figured that I'd mention.)

Speaking of that seedbank that you mentioned... Yes, their prices are unbelievable. But by "seem to be pretty reputable," what do you mean? The last time I did any searching about that particular site I saw almost universally BAD reports - and I saw the same thing just a few minutes ago. There were a few unconfirmed reports of good service (actually sending seeds, sending them in a decent amount of time without the person having to make repeated threats and pester them, sending what the person ordered instead of a bunch of low-quality crap, et cetera) but they all seemed to be "one-post wonders" that created their accounts, posted a positive reply in a thread asking about that seedbank - amidst a score of bad reports - and then never posting again. I just didn't see ANY positive posts by people on message forums who had actually been members for any length of time prior to making the posts. But then again, I stopped looking immediately after I discovered that that seedbank's server is located in the Washington DC metro area. (Folks around here can tell you that I am occasionally somewhat paranoid. But then again, they really ARE out to get you, lol.)

Good luck and enjoy your visits here! And thanks from all of us for deciding to run a grow journal.
 
I stand informed, Tortured Soul :) Thanks for the polite critique.

As for your thoughts on the seed bank, I've come to agree with you. Several of my friends mentioned it... hence why I thought it was 'reputable'. But they weren't talking from experience, and I think I donated $30 to the world wide web as a result. When I dug into that website online, I found exactly what you mentioned, so I cut my losses and bought another batch from Amsterdam.

On a different note, I'm eagerly awaiting my ten White Widow, ten Master Kush and 20 random seeds :) My grow cab now runs 24/7 at 75º, so I've turned my enthusiasm towards the dresser grow. I want this one to be a bit more... 'stealthy'. My Rubbermade spaceship was cheap and fun, but looks pretty out of place.

So far all is going well. It's a 4' x 1' x 3' tall. I had a Honeywell 'Baseboard Heater Thermostat', and I wanted to connect it to all my fans. I realized that it operates the wrong way, however: when temperatures are high, there's no connection. When temperatures fall, it engages.

I'm wondering if any electrically savvy growers can problem solve for me. Is there any way I can have this thermostat regulate my fans? When the temperatures rise past ___ (whatever it's set at), it deactivates. Could this deactivation somehow be used to turn on the fans?

Any clever ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Also, I'm still mulling over pH/ppm meters. I'm wary of using eBay, as the only 'cheap meters' will be just that - cheap. Can you guys suggest some reliable, proven products that aren't going to break the bank?
 
Last night I turned on everything - the CFL's, the intake and exhaust fans, and the wireless thermometer. Temperature climbed then stayed steady at 81.5º for 12 hours. I know people recommend not exceeding 80º - anyone know a good range to keep it in? I've heard 70-80º... anything more concrete than that?

Should I add another CPU fan to drop it below 80º?

Also, I'm thinking my cellar is going to be around 60º during the winter. During night time my grow cab might drop below 70º - anyone have any simple methods for keeping grow cabs at 70º+ during the 12/12 cycle?

We use ceramic heaters for snakes etc. for heating...and a herpstat to regulate the useage. Like this one here only black (I couldn't quickly find a link to a black one but they are out there for sure) ESES Short Stem Ceramic Infrared Heater for use with Light Bulb Socket Type Reflectors

BTW 81.5 degrees is perfectly ok. 70-80 are not absolute values. :smokin:
 
Still no replies... but I have some questions for you, 420magazine!

First, the question earlier - is a 81º resting temperature too high? Should I be working to drop that into the 70's?

Secondly, I'm having a hard time finding a pH meter for the water. For a single plant, first grow... how important is a pH meter? Are there ways around one?

pH meters are VERY important for hydro grows. This link can head you in the right direction for them (at the least for manufacturers names to aid in google searching etc.) Search Results : neHydro.com, Hydroponics and Gardening Supplies
 
Well, the first batch of seeds arrived today! They're from cannabisseeds.com, so I'm a bit dubious as to what I'll end up with. Hopefully it'll be something of quality, even though it probably won't be White Widow.

The seeds from AMS are due to arrive in a few days, so I'll be growing my 'unknowns' alongside AMS's White Widow.

Aaanyway. I have a few questions. I priced out nutrients at the local hydroponics store, and was kinda surprised. It's just about impossible to do a true 'budget grow' if you want to buy a full set of nutrients. A lot of brands have 12 or 13 nutrients in their feeding schedules. That comes out to several hundred dollars...

So my question is, how important is a full lineup of nutrients like that? What kind of impacts does it have on quality and yield? Has anyone compared grows with/without nutrients? Obviously the quality and yield will be higher, but will it be worth the several hundred dollars?

As a first time grower, would I be better off to stick to a two or four nutrient routine, or maybe just stick to guano?

Any help would be appreciated :)
 
Hey cflgrow welcome!

I love your setup, you're more tech-savvy than I am so I won't offer any tips that might get you electrocuted :)

I assume from your title that you're growing in soil? I saw talk of hydro above so I'm not sure. If you're growing in soil spend a little money and get some good soil. Mix in a bunch of perlite, the more the better.

Take a good hard look at control release ferts (crf's) if you haven't already. There's a great thread on Osmocote Plus, and others are discussed in it as well.

Osmocote Plus Plant Food - Discuss Its Use With Cannabis Here!

I'm getting ready to start my second grow and my first was in soil. I had all kinds of problems trying to test ph, not overfeed, worry about nute lockouts, etc etc.

With something like OC+ you mix it into the soil and just add water. It's almost impossible to screw up, and it's guaranteed to not burn your plants. People are having great results with it. And best of all you can buy enough for years of growing for about 20 bucks.

My only other comment is that you're very space limited. These plants get huge in a hurry. I'd consider going from seed directly to 12/12 lighting. It will keep the plants smaller and finish them sooner. Probably your best strategy for maximum yield in your environment.

Good luck with your grow! The hardest part will be in not doing too much. Less can be more.
 
Hey BlueDog! I really appreciate those bits of wisdom :) I had heard one or two people mention going straight to 12/12, but I didn't know the pro's/con's. Can you get as much yield with no veg stage? I plan on LST'ing like crazy to keep them low... will that compensate, or are you still suggesting 12/12 in spite of the LST?

And I've done a bit of research on CRF's... but I dislike the inability to control them. ie, the nitrogen levels stay just as high during bloom as they do during veg. I found a pretty decent marijuana-focused fertilizer made here in my town, and the people I've talked to say it's pretty solid. It's a simple two-part fertilizer mix - one for veg, one for bloom. $40 for both, and will probably last me for almost a dozen plants.

Any tips on topping? That's one subject I'm a bit clueless on.
 
Hey BlueDog! I really appreciate those bits of wisdom :) I had heard one or two people mention going straight to 12/12, but I didn't know the pro's/con's. Can you get as much yield with no veg stage? I plan on LST'ing like crazy to keep them low... will that compensate, or are you still suggesting 12/12 in spite of the LST?

And I've done a bit of research on CRF's... but I dislike the inability to control them. ie, the nitrogen levels stay just as high during bloom as they do during veg. I found a pretty decent marijuana-focused fertilizer made here in my town, and the people I've talked to say it's pretty solid. It's a simple two-part fertilizer mix - one for veg, one for bloom. $40 for both, and will probably last me for almost a dozen plants.

Any tips on topping? That's one subject I'm a bit clueless on.

I don't think all strains do well going straight to 12/12 but I could be wrong. I'm going to try 12/12 and lst this time and see how it goes. DocBud's 12/12 grow produced some big plants and nice yields.

My last grow I fim'd and lst'd the plants and they still got 3' tall, two were over 3'6". Add in the pot and you're over 4 feet. You need headroom for your lights too. I'm not sure how much height you have to work with.

I did veg them for 6 weeks first though.

There are a lot of threads here on topping, fimming and lst. But I wouldn't worry about it too much, I had no idea what I was doing and it was fine. I basically fim'd all of them once they got to about their 5th set of leaves. I'd just take the small, sharp scissors that's on my 2" swiss army knife and cut the emerging top about 1/3 of the way up from where it was growing. A few days later boom they were back to growing away happily.

I'm not doing it that way this time because I ended up with so many tops it was really unruly to try and lst. There were colas growing everywhere.

This time I'm going to do the following:

Start the plant offset towards one side, not in the center of the pot. My buckets have a 12" diameter so I'm planting them about 4" from one side. If you haven't done this, no biggie I just think it will be easier.

Next I drill 2 holes, one behind the plant and the other directly across from it, maybe an inch above the soil, which is also about an inch below the top of the bucket. I then take string and use it to secure the base of the stem so you don't pull the plant out by the roots.

In my example I feed the string into the hole that's 8" from the plant, loop it gently around the stem at ground level or just above and then tie it off back at the hole I drilled. I'm not trying to move the stem at all, just secure it.

Next I take another string, feed it through the other hole closest to the plant, loop it around the plant a few inches up (5-6) and gently bend the plant towards the hole until the stem is roughly parallel to the ground. Tie off the string.

Very soon the plant will start growing upwards again where you tied it. The branches below the tie will also start growing upward, they will eventually form colas.

When I drill those first two holes I just go ahead and drill holes every 2-3 inches all the way around the bucket.

When it's grown a few more inches I tie it again, this time to the hole next to the first one. If you can visualize it I'm going to 'walk' the plant around the circumference of the bucket.... so eventually I'll get all the way back around to where I started. I think that's the best way to take advantage of all the space you have available.

Hope this makes sense, if it doesn't ask away.

Regarding nitrogen in flower, all I know is that my plants grew great in veg but when I switched to flowering nutes they steadily had problems. Maybe the plants are just less hardy once they flower, but DocBud grew awesome plants and buds with crf's. Not a yellow leaf all the way through harvest. He maintains that big healthy plants produce big healthy buds and I think that makes a lot of sense. But I've not done it yet, and there may well not be a 'perfect' recipe to grow.

He did add some stuff during flower, you can check his grow journals. I'm one of these people, if there's a way to screw something up I'll find it. So I'm trying to simplify things as much as possible.

Good luck!
 
BlueDog - that was an awesome post! Thanks :)

I put 12 seeds - 4 White Widows, 4 Master Kush, and 4 'White Widows' (that I'm unsure of) into ziploc bags with paper towel and water. This morning, the first 8 were all germinated. The sketchy seeds haven't popped. But those 8 all went into beer cups with holes drilled in the bottom, 30% perlite topped with a soil/perlite mix. I've got two 4' fluoros going 24/7 right now, and misting them twice a day.

If anyone wants to critique this approach, feel free :)

I'm also on the last stretch of finishing up my sexy little grow dresser... but I bumped into an issue. I wanted to run 10 lights in series on either side of the dresser. But when I run even two CFL's in series, they start to flicker. Does anyone know how to easily run a parallel wire for all of them?

This is the a diagram of the top of my dresser (with O's being the light fixtures):


______________________
| O O O O O- - -O O O O O|
| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
| O O O O O- - -O O O O O|

Because they ring the whole roof of the dresser, series would've been really nice. I could just loop wires from one fixture to the next. I don't really want to split the main power cord 20 times...

Any suggestions?
 
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