First Grow. Phototron box.

[WeedyMcWeedWeed]

ok so this will be my first grow. i have the phototron box its and older one, but it works. so heres my question. whats the best way to water, add nutrients, is there a specific soil that would work best? should i add and exrta light? and feedback would be nice. i will add pics soon. im germinating my seeds right now, papertowl method.

[l8tnightskunk]

Im looking forward to checking out your grow! Pics will help alot! good luck with the grow! How to Grow Marijuana - Everything You Need to Know!

[resinator]

420 massacre, best of luck on your grow and with all the help on 420 i'm sure it will be a massacre. good luck

[TorturedSoul]

Originally Posted by 420massacre.

i have the phototron box its and older one

Which version? How much light does it have? Regardless...

Originally Posted by 420massacre.

should i add and exrta light?

Yes.

In addition to l8tnightskunk's link for general MJ knowledge, you can learn a lot by clicking on the Search link, then on Advanced Search; type phototron in the Keyword box on the left, highlight Grow Journals in the list of forums on the right (make sure that "Also search in child forums" is checked), and then click on the Search Now button. This will bring up a list of current and past journals that include the term "phototron" in them.

[WeedyMcWeedWeed]

for sure thanks guys. umm im not sure which model it is. i bought it for a half of some regs from a friend of mines mom. it has 3 45w flouros. i will probably take pics tonight. im going to buy the rest of my supplies today. and i was debating on another light, or what kind. because i was told hps would be to much heat and too close to the plant once it gets bigger. my box is i believe its the 3 and a half foot tall one. i do wish it was bigger.. well we'll see what happens.

[TorturedSoul]

Might think about a 70- or 150-watt HPS if you have a little airflow (there will be some heat) or a large-wattage (105-200) CFL to hang on top.

[WeedyMcWeedWeed]

Originally Posted by TorturedSoul

Might think about a 70- or 150-watt HPS if you have a little airflow (there will be some heat) or a large-wattage (105-200) CFL to hang on top.

thanks i will definetly look into it. i heard that althought HPS are better it maight be too much for the box.

look forward to pics coming after the weekend of the box, and possibly the seedlings.

[Ms.Fox]

I think the hps might be too much... The size of the phototron is an issue. The plants have a tendency to reach the top of the box during flowering if not flowered early enough. An hps light would burn up the leaves that got near it. I would say keep it simple by adding some cfls in the mix for this time. Next time, if you want to change to the hps you could go that route. How many plants are you going to grow?

[WeedyMcWeedWeed]

Originally Posted by Ms.Fox

I think the hps might be too much... The size of the phototron is an issue. The plants have a tendency to reach the top of the box during flowering if not flowered early enough. An hps light would burn up the leaves that got near it. I would say keep it simple by adding some cfls in the mix for this time. Next time, if you want to change to the hps you could go that route. How many plants are you going to grow?

yeah thats exactly what i thought. i figured id throw a double cfl at the top for some extra light. and hang a fan above it for airflow. i just bought my soil and some compost manure and perlite, along with some MG plant food.

my questions right now are mainly what watt cfls should i use, and is there a better food, because it sounds like most people hate MG products.

[Ms.Fox]

Yes, most of us hate mg... It's not personal. MG just isn't made to grow cannabis. It's made for the masses and doesn't meet the specific needs of cannabis plants. ;-) I like Fox Farm nutes. I supplemented my grows with Grow Big and Tiger Bloom, and had great results. There are plenty of other nutes out there, so this is just MO. As far as CFL's go, I'd buy the best kind you can find with the most lumens, because of the size of the phototron. The more lights you have in there the less space you have to grow. ;-)

[Dain Bramage]

my first grow was in a phototron never got much but it was a start

[WeedyMcWeedWeed]

Originally Posted by Dain Bramage

my first grow was in a phototron never got much but it was a start

well shit cant complain i got the phototron for a half of regs. and i will have my soil and everything ready tomorrow, just waiting for seeds to finish germinating.

i was told the person who had this before me was getting a pound per crop out of it, i don't really believe it but hey, its my first grow ill be happy with any yield.

[WeedyMcWeedWeed]

my tron.

[TorturedSoul]

Originally Posted by Ms.Fox

I think the hps might be too much... The size of the phototron is an issue. The plants have a tendency to reach the top of the box during flowering if not flowered early enough. An hps light would burn up the leaves that got near it. I would say keep it simple by adding some cfls in the mix for this time. Next time, if you want to change to the hps you could go that route. How many plants are you going to grow?

Originally Posted by Pitviper

HID wont work well for you.

The only Phototron I ever saw up close and personal was given to a friend of mine when the owner's (then) wife threw him out. It's been years but I'm pretty sure that after my friend gave up on trying to follow the program and fixed the drainage issue (issue being that there was no drainage), he then tackled the lighting issue by adding a small HPS. I was thinking that it was a 150-watt but it might only have been a 70. Whichever, it was an improvement over the three U tubes. Think it was a version 2 or possibly even an original (looked a lot like the photo above). The additional fixture was not installed in the 'tron but rather directly above it. I can't remember whether he was able to remove the top piece or if he had to cut it away. He had air blowing in at the bottom of the unit and rising up through it.

Seems like he was then able to get a couple ounces or so out of it a few times. At that point in time he gave the 'tron to someone else and bought a 400-watt HPS. You'll have that lol.

Originally Posted by Ms.Fox

Yes, most of us hate mg... It's not personal.

Oh, but it is personal.

Originally Posted by Ms.Fox

as CFL's go, I'd buy the best kind you can find with the most lumens, because of the size of the phototron. The more lights you have in there the less space you have to grow. ;-)

I don't think there were any CFLs when my buddy wanted to upgrade his. They do give one more options - but with a center light it would seem to me that a person would want to go with a small HID if at all possible for the greater penetration (in addition to the additional lumens). After all, the existing side-lighting is not likely to penetrate into the center of a filled 'tron.

I glanced at the Phototron web site and saw that they are now up to version 9 which is taller (along with v.8) and has more light: six 24-watt and six 55-watt biax fluorescent bulbs for 36,000 lumens. Which reads like it's a semi-respectable amount of light until one stops to consider that they are then using 474 watts (not counting losses) to do it with - and that the suggested retail on it is $629.95(!!!). For about a 1/3 of that one can buy a 400-watt HPS and output 50,000 or so lumens which is suitable for a small closet or cabinet. Or one can take half the cost of a new 'tron and get a nice 600-watt HPS and put the other half towards a decent home built setup (or some good genetics).

Phototrons just never seemed that efficient to me - whether you were speaking in terms of lumens per watt, grams per watt, or in initial cost and cost per month vs. yield.

But they do seem like they'd be fun to play with. Or to use as a somewhat elaborate and rather expensive mother station. Or even a place to segregate a member of the herd if need be.

And it certainly sounds like in your case that the price was right.

[WeedyMcWeedWeed]

Seems like he was then able to get a couple ounces or so out of it a few times. At that point in time he gave the 'tron to someone else and bought a 400-watt HPS. You'll have that lol.

yeah. i need a bigger better spot to grow when i move up to HPS and MH. a buddy of mine has a 8X6X6. and he has a 600W HPS and a 400 HPS. his set up is nice. its a hidden room in his trailor. hes got just bagseed growning right now, but its from some purple haze, Kali myst, northern lights, and a few other kinds of chronic. hes got about 12 plants going right now about 4 or 5 weeks in. theyre all looking quite good. but either way i need to upgrade my GR here eventually.

I also will be growing out of my bagseeds. but they are out of all the same stuff my buddys go, but i also have some seeds out of nebula, columbian gold, some sour diesel. plus a couple other kinds of funky funks.

And it certainly sounds like in your case that the price was right.

you cant beat a 4 or 500 dollar unit for 50 bucks worth of regos.