CFL Indoor Grow 1 Plant

[Rupertthedank]

First ever indoor cfl grow
Started germination on 2/1/12 using the paper towel and ziplock bag technique
used my xbox vents as my incubator. Did this for 6 days little bit of an overkill but worked fine. Right now it's 7 days under lights and in medium, I'll make a list of what I've used so far at the end of this post. As a new grower I'm looking for all possible input on the grow, I started a handwritten journal but thought I'd try this out since I've been reading alot of journals and realize many people give helpful info on this site. I have photos but I'll wait on those til I get a follower or two.
Not including the "stealth box" I built this is what I'm doing and using
1 seed from 60 an eighth shit that was real nice
1 1400lumen 5500k 27(actual watt)
1 2100lumen 3500k 30 watt
2 1450lumen 6500k 27 watt each
1 small natural fiber pot
SOIL: 9oz of cocoa coir/ perlite/ compost soil at a 2(.5) ratio in order
NUTES: fox farm big grow and HG root enhancer so far

 

[Rupertthedank]

Also I'm doing a 24/0 light cycle and I guess why first question that I would like some info on is how to keep my cocoa from becoming to hot/dry so fast I was thinking about wrapping the pot in aluminum foil/ Mylar what do you guys think?

 

[Rupertthedank]

Also please add other info you would like know so that you can assist me better, the photos aren't as easy to add as I thought. I'm using my phone does anyone know how to add photos using your phone for all the process

 

[Rupertthedank]

ok let's see if this works and hopefully jump starts people commenting

 

[Rupertthedank]

This is just the beginning I get new pics tomorrow tell me what you think of the setup besides how basic it is there's a fan, 4 lights, thermometer what should I add

 

[ggrant]

Sounds like you have everything you need to get going. Once you figure out how to upload pictures, people will drop by.

I just started usiing coco and it doesn't driy out that fast. Some growers put these weird-looking orange balls (I have not idea what they are or where to get them) and others add a layer of perlite on top. I have two sized pots, a small one for medium-sized plants and larger ones for flowering.

I filled both pots three days ago (I actually soaked them completely) and haven't had to water them yet. If, like most growers, you keep an eye on your plants, you'll have plenty of notice when they need to be watered again.

As you really can't overwater coco, I would suggest that whenever you water your plant, don't put in a little water, but soak the pot enough so that there is runoff coming out the bottom.

 

[ggrant]

Oops, forgot to say I saw your picture on PhotoBucket. Bitchin' setup!

 

[Rupertthedank]

yea your probably right about the photos ggrant I know I pay more attention to a journal with solid pics to look at, were the ones on photobucket easier to see then the couple I posted atleast?
and water does run through my cocoa pretty easily think I'll start collecting the runoff, measure it, then water again with that amount in clean water. Instead of it sittin on my plate either being absorbed by the pot or evaporated. Been watering about 5 oz every day with around 2 to 3 oz runoff

 

[ggrant]

Rupert, the PhotoBucket pictures were the correct size. Not sure why they are so miniature on this site. Weird.

One thing you should thing about. Although coco is a great medium, it has one major problem. It absorbs calcium like crazy! This could lead to a calcium deficiency (quite ugly - leaves get red spots and start to die - MJ version of the measles).

A preventative measure is to either add CalMag (a calcium and magnesium concentrate) or to use Dolomite Lime. As you've been to my journal, you know that I'm using Dolomite Lime.

If you're not familiar with CalMag, several companies make it. Here's one of the more common ones:

Botanicare CalMag

 

[Rupertthedank]

After reading your thread ggrant that was the first this I thought about picking it's only about 18 dollars at my store for the GH cal mag plus. I'm getting all my grow nutrients from hmoonhydro.com I can go to the actual store but this is a good site to see what I have available to me. gonna get more pics up when the second set of textured leaves comes in, a day or two max

 

[Rupertthedank]

8th day of growing in a pot under light. looks smaller then it is because I recently filled up and cover about half the stem.

 

[Rupertthedank]

Hopefully this is the picture I want to show it is in the photobucket link a few post up but I kinda want to try and separate the photos so take two.

 

[burton1291]

as for covering the stem, does it matter? will it harm the plant? cuz i have some extra room in my pots and some extra dirt to boot.

 

[Rupertthedank]

well I topped off my pot because my coca mix was just bone dry after a day and I want the coca to hold just a bit more water. As for effecting the plant only real negative I could see happening is the stem not beig as strong as it could be. not trying to sound like a botanist but I believe the stem acts more like a road from the leafs to roots, so covering the stem in it's young stage has very little effect.

 

[burton1291]

sweet, ill probably do the same, I'm sure the girls won't mind a little more soil.

 

[Rupertthedank]

Watered with nutes two days ago woke up this morning with my plant looking like this

Bought some calmag hoping it can turn it around. My plant is about 11 days in soil I believe it's so small because of the 24/0 light cycle hope it turns out to be worth it.

 

[Rupertthedank]

Also wondering if someone can tell if that's a lack of calcium
Maybe nute burn or even to much wind on the plant

 

[burton1291]

i think it might be nute burn, ive used no nutes on my plants so far and mine are about 9 days in soil and theyre probably 3x the size of yours (no offense). in my opinion just lay off the nutes for a week or 2 and water with spring/purified water only. and it should shoot up.

 

[Rupertthedank]

yea probably the best thing to do I'm gonna wait atleast a week before I put anymore solutions in Burton. And when people say spring/purified does that just mean bottled water? I have about a gallon and a half of water I leave out but there would be no problem just using bottled water.

 

[burton1291]

yeah bottled water, you can buy it by the gallon, it's cheaper that way then buying a bunch of bottles.