First Grow - Stealth Cabinet - Soil

[FirstTimer420]

Hey there 420 magazine, FirstTimer420 here with my first attempt at a grow. I'll be needing a lot of help but I'm confident with the help of everyone on these forums I can have a decent thriving garden.


My grow is starting in a armoire converted into a stealth grow cabinet. As of right now I have 6 Cfls under a homemade hood. I'm using 5 26 watt 6500k and 1 26 3500k. Just to give it a broader spectrum. I have a 80 mm computer fan mounted to the bottom right and a 120 mm mounted to the left top corner. I also have a 6" fan blowing on the canopy and lights.

My grow medium is Fox farms OceAn forest. I wanted to add perlite but time restrictions didn't allow me to add it. I will be using the full line of fox farms nutes once the initial soil nutes are used.

The temperature in the cab has been sitting high at 85 with the lights on. I'm adding a second 80mm intake to the lower left corner to hopefully draw in more fresh air and create better air circulation. Any other ideas to help with the heat issue?

The seeds Im using are a few bag seeds I saved of various strains unkown. I'd like to acquire seeds with better genetics but I don't know how or where to begin that search. Any ideas would be appreciated.

The first plant I have in there was started outside a few weeks ago got raveged by a catipillar and is now tall bushy up top and very little under growth. Any ideas on how to promote under growth?

The second was started just yesterday and has sense sprouted and looking good.

Here's a few shots of everything. I'll be checking often to reply to any feedback from the community thanks for everythig Hope you enjoy the journal and feel free to contact me anytime.

 

[Mastahkushy]

Re: first grow. *Stealth cabinet, soil*

If u are still here I am here with ya

 

[FirstTimer420]

Re: first grow. *Stealth cabinet, soil*

Hey there mastahkudhy. I'm still here and will stay as long as the community allows.


A quick update, the first plant is doing well she's still tall but after dropping the lights another inch she's starting to show some growth on the main stem where all the leaves were eaten by the catipillar. Crossing my finger that shell give some under growth.

The second plant is growing strong and doesn't seem to be affected by the heat.

I added a second 80mm intake fan but doesn't seem to have done anything maybe I should have used it for exhaust instead?

Thanks 420magazine community!!

 

[FirstTimer420]

What strain is it? Bag seeds
Is it in Veg or Flower stage? Veg
If in Veg... For how long? 4 weeks and 1 week.
Indoor or outdoor? Indoor
Soil or Hydro? Soil
If soil... what is in your mix. FFOF
If soil... What size pot? 3 liter
Size of light? 7 26w Cfls
Is it aircooled? No
Temp of Room/cab? 80-90*
Any Pests ? No
How often are you watering? Every other day or when dry.
Type and strength of ferts used? Will be fox farms 1:4 strength


Sorry for not doing that in the beginning I'm new to this blog thing.
But here's an update if anyone's following.

The first plant is thriving after topping her to promote lower growth and transplanting her deep she's bounced back and has 3 main shoots coming out and the undergrowth is taking off. Guess these plants can take a lot of stress.

Oh!! I almost forgot to share the good news, she has started to show sex and she is indeed a she!!

The other plant is doing really really well starte to get a second set of leaves and she's only 7 days old.

 

[FirstTimer420]

 

[WizHigh]

Congrats on the girl. Looking good on the grow. Is the door always open? Having the door cracked should bring in enough air and also get some of the heat out. Hot air rises so do you have a fan at the top? I didn't see it in any of the pictures. I would put an out fan at the top so it sucks the hot air out of the grow area. But then again your using CFLs there shouldn't be that big of a heat issue. Just keep a fan on them, blowing over the canopy. I'll be subscribing to your journal looking good

 

[FirstTimer420]

When im home I keep tw door open, I have a 120 mm fan at the top for exhaust but I'm thinking about adding a second.
Thank you for subscribing I'll keep everything up today's I appreciate the input.

 

[grogreen]

Re: first grow. *Stealth cabinet, soil*

Hey there mastahkudhy. I'm still here and will stay as long as the community allows.


A quick update, the first plant is doing well she's still tall but after dropping the lights another inch she's starting to show some growth on the main stem where all the leaves were eaten by the catipillar. Crossing my finger that shell give some under growth.

The second plant is growing strong and doesn't seem to be affected by the heat.

I added a second 80mm intake fan but doesn't seem to have done anything maybe I should have used it for exhaust instead?

Thanks 420magazine community!!

Hey I'll sub along with you, the heat issue should work itself out if you have one fan as intake, and one as exhaust and put one or two small 6 inch fans inside your closet to create circulation and push the heat out....hope this helps

 

[FirstTimer420]

Hey there Growgreen, good to hear from you. I'm making a better hood with a vanity the lights will be spread further apart and I think this will also do better for heat I'm just worried the girls won't like not having all 7 bulbs right on top of them.

 

[grogreen]

I think they will be fine, maybe even better than what you have now, how far do you plan to space them? for better heat control try blowing the fan through the space between your bulbs and canopy, this will help keep the heat from building up in the most vulnerable place, your plant's canopy.....I'm here to help....try it also the fan will help your plants build a strong stalk and better root structure, just be sure the fan isn't directly on your plants have it blow around your plants so you don't dry them out (wind burn) oscillating fans work best........Grogr33n

 

[FirstTimer420]

I bought a 4 bulb vanity from home depot the bulbs are about two inches apart and with y adapters I have the 7 bulbs in there. I'm going to add a second 120mm exhaust to pull more heat out sense the heat seems to be more intense now. Crossing my fingers this works.

 

[hempy4life]

one thing you may want to try is moving you lights to a more horizontal or at least angled positions. CFLs project 80% or more of their light from their sides. having them vertical reduces the effectiveness of your bulbs in regards to getting the light to the plant. here is a shot of the rigs I use. Not perfect but I word magic with them.

Nothing fance. a 13 inch bench light with 1 socket extender, a Y joint into that and two more y joints. allows for 4 CFLs per fixture. gives a nice centered light projection.

 

[grogreen]

I agree with hempy, I should have mentioned that before, thanks for bringing that up hempy +reps for you, I've not personally used cfl's but I have read that the best way to utilize them is actually have them hang in between your plants since the majority of the usable light is indeed the sides of the light not the bottom. Best setup for CFL is either one big one horizontal with reflector above the plant or hang multiple small ones around and even within your plants if there is room, here's a diagram of what I think hempy was referring to.

notice I used yellow lines to show where the majority of usable light is,

 

[grogreen]

FSCN1550 - 420 Magazine Photo Gallery
Here's a nice photo of CFL success at its best
DSCN15461

 

[FirstTimer420]

Thanks for All the great advice everyone. I'll put pictures of my hood up shortly and of the girls. The older females new growth seems to be darker and wrinkled anyone have an idea what it could be? I'm thinking it's a ph problem or Shes hungry for nutes she was transplanted on the 14th into 100% FFOF and hasn't been given any extra nutes. I have the full line of fox farms nutes and a ph kit and tester coming anyone have an idea when to start feeding? I was thinking starting at 1/4 strength. Thanks again everyone!!

 

[grogreen]

Thanks for All the great advice everyone. I'll put pictures of my hood up shortly and of the girls. The older females new growth seems to be darker and wrinkled anyone have an idea what it could be? I'm thinking it's a ph problem or Shes hungry for nutes she was transplanted on the 14th into 100% FFOF and hasn't been given any extra nutes. I have the full line of fox farms nutes and a ph kit and tester coming anyone have an idea when to start feeding? I was thinking starting at 1/4 strength. Thanks again everyone!!

1/4 strength is definitely the most you would want to add until you see how your plants react to the feeding, if they thrive, you'll know they can handle a little more, if they show signs of stress then you'll know to hold off a little longer on feedings. Would need to see pics to offer advice on the wrinkled growth, hope this helps......Grogr33n

 

[FirstTimer420]

Thanks GroGreen you've been a huge help, when the nutes arrive I'll give her a good feedin at 1/4 strength. I think figured out why she was wrinkling I put her out side for a day and while I was gone it rained a lot so I'm thinking it's from overwatering she's already looking better.

 

[Truth Seeker]

How did this grow turn out?

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I am moving this to Abandoned Journals until we get updates.

Thanks and hope all is well in your world.

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