1st Time Grow White Widow & Seedmakers Autoblue

[soysawce]

I have a question for my new auto blue. Its in a 5 galon bucket. I am wondering how much i need to water the plant normally since its in a 5 galon bucket. I was never sure how much to water on these plants i grew already either i just guessed. But if there is a certain amount i should aim to water it with every watering let me know

 

[iSmokes]

You'll be the best judge when it comes to watering soysawce. I usually decide by the weight of my pot. Some people feel the soil and water whenever the first 1-1.5 inches is dry.
However, just as an estimate, I'd say a seedling in a 5gal will go for a week after a good watering.. maybe mist the surface if it gets dry, but 5 gallons of soil will hold a lot of water.

 

[TG40]

I agree with ISmokes. I like to use the weight method, but you need to get the feel for the weight first. This is what I do. I water slowly until some water is coming out the bottom of pot, then I get rid of the run off. That's how much water your pot will hold. Then get a feel for that weight. I'm curious though, why don't you start in a way smaller pot? I've read that using say a 1 gallon pot untill your ready to transplant stimulates root growth. The roots grow in the 1 gallon pot until they start running out of room, when you transplant to the bigger pot the roots take off because it has more area to grow so you excelerate growth. Where if you put it in the larger pot from the beginning it doesn't get the growth spirt. Part of what we are trying to do IMO is creat an environment that makes the plant want to grow more, faster. I'm not saying to let it get root bound. When the roots suddenly feel they have more good soil to grow in than they did before they take off, IMO. I also think that having 5 gallons of wet soil that is not going to even touch the roots for weeks might make it easier for you to overwater, and possibly end up with fugus issues. This is just my opinion, although I'm pretty sure I read this in the grow bible.

 

[TG40]

I meant fungus issues. Lol

 

[TG40]

I haven't had transplant shock either. Just be careful. I was worried about transplant shock at first also. I'm just careful and have never had a problem with it. These plants like a little bit of stress anyways, just be careful with roots.

 

[donpaul.p]

so soy, are you saying you got seeds in this plant, if this is the case then you either got a hermie or a male somewhere in the grow, if its a hermie than chances are the pollen is on all the plants, any slight movement of air will make the pollen air born,

let me know, if you have clearly got little green seeds then you have a hermie, get it out the room and if its near harvest harvest it, or grow it out till the seeds are ready and you should then have regular seeds, some get fem seeds from a hermie, i have read a hermie will give fem seeds, but i have been told the seeds will be regular,

but for now take that plant out the room very carefully, place a bin bag over it before taking it out the room, this should stop as much pollen as possible, it sounds like a hermie if you got seeds forming mate.

as for the watering, if you got a seedling in a 5gallon pot then it wont need watering that often, check the top inch and half and see if its dry, the roots wont be to long so you need to make sure the top of the soil gets watered, i usually water till i have some run off but not when i have a small plant in a big pot else it would be way to much water, id go by the top 2 inches of the pot, if their moist then the plant is ok, if its dry then water a small amount say a pint or something similar to make the soil moist, then as the plant gets bigger use more water,

the weigh method is what i use, i have the same size pot with the same soil in it and its bone dry, then i compare the weight by picking them up.

 

[donpaul.p]

plus your plants will tell you when they need water, if the leaves start going floppy and bending downwards then this is either over or under watered, so if you have not watered for say 4 or 5 days then you clearly know its under watered, so then when you water it the leaves will start reaching for the light in less than 2 hours, i usually leave mine till the plant looks like it needs water, then when i water it it all starts reaching for the light, the leaves point up at the light,

 

[spring2012]

Soy,
You have gotten some good advice. The weight method is the easiest. I know many people differ with transplanting but I am not experienced with it. Probably because I grow auto's. I go straight to a 3 gallon pot. Ill probably go straight to a big pot when I grow regulars as well. I am so new to growing but I like to keep everything simple. From what I have read going straight to a big pot is not going to kill your plant and IMO ( not sure ) your yield will not suffer dramatically because of it. That said regulars take centuries to grow and flower so root development is probably more crucial. One of the reasons I grow autos. I really have no need for pounds of weed! One ounce will easily last me months.

 

[soysawce]

Im putting money in my bank to buy this tomorrow . If you guys think this is a bad light let me know asap!

Hydrofarm SBE400 400-Watt Sunburst HPS/MH E-Ballast

 

[iSmokes]

I think this light is a very bad idea if heat is an issue soysawce.

 

[soysawce]

Temp is nice and it will go down in temp when winter hits i bet so itll be fine

 

[iSmokes]

Apollo 400w Watt HPS MH Grow Light w/ Dimmable Ballast + Air Cool Hood Reflector + Rope Ratchet and Accessories -This would be a much better idea for heat management. I'm not in any way recommending this brand or this light. This is just to give you an example of what you should look for. Go for a remote (not built in) ballast. And have your hood cooled. Trust me, I had a 150 in a fixture similar to the 400 you posted, and it produced more heat than I had anticipated.

 

[iSmokes]

Oh, well if it gets cold where you're at then I guess it's ok. My advice remains the same though. Better safe than sorry.

 

[TG40]

What's the temps in your room? I agree with ISmokes you need to have your ballast in a differant room, outside of the tent. The lamp will get really hot. So unless temps get down in the 50s you can't use the light you've shown. You need an air cooled hood similar to what you are showing but it should have an external ballast and an external fan (minimum 4" inline fan and the fan will be attached to the light via a duct. The lights heat is pulled out of the room by the fan. Hope this makes sense. I hate to see you buy something and it not work. This is what I would buy:
1-6" inline fan
Enough 6" flex duct to go from your light to a window (you want the heat to exhaust outside of the room)
1-air cooled hood with 6" duct connections (similar to what ISmokes is showing, but I don't really like cool tubes)
400 watt HPS/MH ballast
Light hangers

Then you should be good to go.

 

[TG40]

I would get a hood rather that a cooltube. Cooltubes have terrible light spread compared to a hood. I know, I have both.

 

[soysawce]

The one i linked has a option to have diff kinds which one should i get you think?

 

[iSmokes]

I agree with TG40, go with a hood. I hate cool tubes. You're spending a good $$ on your lights, get a good reflector to go with it. No point in having all the good light and no way to efficiently disperse it.
-Air cooled reflector
-Fan to cool
-Lights and remote ballast.
If you're gona do something wrong, do it right! lol cheers buddy

 

[soysawce]

I might be chopping down the auto blue tomorrow i wlll update after chop

 

[spring2012]

I have done a ton of research on the cool tubes. I suggest the same. My findings are in lnline with ISmokes and TG

 

[spring2012]

400W 400 Watt HPS MH Grow Light System Set Premium Kit DIMM Green House iPower | eBay

something like that?

Im on my phone now but Ill give you better advice in a few hours. I like the deal your looking at. I may go with it as well. Seems like a good starter setup.