First Time Grow - CFLs

HHGreenHand

HHGreenHand

New Member
Ok. I've done my research and I feel im pretty well informed on basic growth. Ive started my first grow with some bagseed from some Juicy Fruit. Im using 3 23watt Daylight CFLs(1300lumen/piece=3900total) in a round, contained area to start and get grips on my first Veg cycle. The walls are glossed white and the unit itself is very stealth. My soil consists of a basic organic soil, perlite, some light nutrient potting soil and some peat moss. I started with 5 seeds; 4 of which sprouted. 2 of the 4 seemed healty after the first 7 days after breaking soil, and are currently under the lights, at a near 24-0 schedule. Im using a small desk van, vented through the side to breeze my babies, keeping the temp around 72degrees and relative humidity around 60-65. They are currently on day 13 and are looking pretty. I am pretty confident in how things are going so far, but seeing as i talk to no one about this for safety reasons, i want as much input as i can get from others on this forum. Ive spent many a night reading through every inch of this page and i want to know how far up my ass my head is. Id also like to know if there is anything i can use as a fertilizer to add active nitrogen and/or potassium to the soil. I know Nitrogen is needed in good amounts for Vegging and im sure they will need more soon. Something that can be added when watering would be great. Also, im damn sure i will need more light for any type of flowering. In case you havent noticed, im trying to keep my budget as low as possible. Scavenging pieces i needed from a loaded garage has been a breeze and kept my cost at about $30 so far. Also, I want to flower without an HPS, MH, anything HID and huge, etc. If i could keep with the compact fluros, id be more than pleased. Another thing also. If i can get any tips on keeping my plants short, it would be very much appreciated. My contained area is somewhat lacking in the height department.

I should have pics of my box as well as my babies up soon. I plan on following this all the way through to the end. Thanks to anyone who posts; wether it is helpful or not.
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

Anything from anybody on how to add active nitrogen to soil? I fear lack of nutrients...

Also, tips to keep plants shorter other than salvia strains, topping, and lst are on my damn wishlist.
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

I have, actually, seen your journal already, Grower. I have spent a good amount of time in these forums before joining. I did gain alot of info on CFLs from the links amongst your journal, as well as the journal itself. Im loving the look of my first babies. Im just paranoid as a first timer is supposed to be, I guess.
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

The fish fert. is a great idea! Thanks much for that. Also, I know many use worm castings to create a base medium because it provides good nutrients. its it only accessible through being in the soil or soil a water solution made with worm castings work? I understand its a complex question that may lack an answer, but i feel the more attention I pay and work I put forth, the more satisfied i'll be. Thank you again!

Also, is it odd to see diffrent size leaves and patterns from same strain seeds? There is a chance I have mixed in another strain, but I really doubt it.
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

HHGreenHand said:
Ok. I've done my research and I feel im pretty well informed on basic growth. Ive started my first grow with some bagseed from some Juicy Fruit. Im using 3 23watt Daylight CFLs(1300lumen/piece=3900total) in a round, contained area to start and get grips on my first Veg cycle. The walls are glossed white and the unit itself is very stealth. My soil consists of a basic organic soil, perlite, some light nutrient potting soil and some peat moss. I started with 5 seeds; 4 of which sprouted. 2 of the 4 seemed healty after the first 7 days after breaking soil, and are currently under the lights, at a near 24-0 schedule. Im using a small desk van, vented through the side to breeze my babies, keeping the temp around 72degrees and relative humidity around 60-65. They are currently on day 13 and are looking pretty. I am pretty confident in how things are going so far, but seeing as i talk to no one about this for safety reasons, i want as much input as i can get from others on this forum. Ive spent many a night reading through every inch of this page and i want to know how far up my ass my head is. Id also like to know if there is anything i can use as a fertilizer to add active nitrogen and/or potassium to the soil. I know Nitrogen is needed in good amounts for Vegging and im sure they will need more soon. Something that can be added when watering would be great. Also, im damn sure i will need more light for any type of flowering. In case you havent noticed, im trying to keep my budget as low as possible. Scavenging pieces i needed from a loaded garage has been a breeze and kept my cost at about $30 so far. Also, I want to flower without an HPS, MH, anything HID and huge, etc. If i could keep with the compact fluros, id be more than pleased. Another thing also. If i can get any tips on keeping my plants short, it would be very much appreciated. My contained area is somewhat lacking in the height department.

I should have pics of my box as well as my babies up soon. I plan on following this all the way through to the end. Thanks to anyone who posts; wether it is helpful or not.
Click to expand...
If you paint your walls flat white or hang some mylar it would be more reflected in your space. Glossy white is not a good refective finish.:peace:
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

As of last night, thanks to a CFL link amongst a closet forum("grow box construction"; posted by 'StratLogic'), I found that I was using the wrong spectrum. Stupid mistake. Thanks to 'Stoner4Life", I replaced the 23 watt Daylight CFLs with 30 watt Cool Whites(2000lumes/light). The next 24 hours will show if there is a noticable diffrence; which is what im assuming.
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

Well, all I can say is, damn. I'm glad i changed my lighting spectrum. My babies have shown a complete jump in growth and a great darkening of the green amongst their leaves. in the last 24 hours, 4 new leaf sets have sprung from the top of the 2 oldest seedlings. Nothing but a big smile on my face at the moment!
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

I appreciate that info, Moose. One of the key things I've been looking for. Thanks for all the help, friend.
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

Ok. It's been a week since my first post. I figured i'd hold off til' now to post. My babies are now 5"-6". They are getting darker green by the day with nice glossy leaves. I actually had a seedling sprout in a pot that I had put one seed in, which I believed to be previously sprouted. I know there was only one seed in that pot, seeming as I didnt blaze before doing any of my grow work. There was one damn seedling in ever pot. I germinated them first and then put them in a single pot each. It didnt look healthy and I put it outside. well. I pulled out the weak plant, put it in the ground, and left the pot to later put tomato seeds in a day or two ago, and yesterday, a damn sprout came out of the soil. I know its buddha. It looks the same as all my other babies did. could it have been a twin seed? with two plants on one sprout? that I somehow missed when removing the first seedling? Besides that, the kids are looking great. Ive been moving them to an open, screened window, once a day for a few hours, to get some sunlight. If anyone has had a twin plant before, i'd love to hear about it.
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

you could try top bulb for stronger cfls color temp on bulbs in spectrum 5000-6000 k bulbs are bluer light more like MH colors [cool white or daylight in package labels ] warm bulbs are redder ie 2500-3500 k color temp more like the colors from hps cfl are available up to 85 watts in normal base bulbs
the blue light gives a shorter stockier plant with less stem elongation between branches or nodes red light is more for budding you can balance light by using a warm cfl and a cool or daylight bulb together
i think the 85 watt bulbs put out 6000-7000 lumens in a small space this works better than HID because theres almost no heat i'm using two 42 watters in a converted old refridgerator for a clone /seedling/veg chamber
i just checked with a light meter and two fingers down from the 42 watter i get 5000 lux which is equal to 5000 lumens per square meter and the temp is warm but i can touch the bulb so if you have two or three inches air between the bulb and plant and good airflow you should be safe im use 12 volt computer fans hooked to a motorcycle battery charger for airflow in both my cfl and big cab with halide or hps bulbs

2 feet from my MH bulb i get about 10-15 thousand lumens and about 40 thousand at two inches but close is too hot for plants [400 watt halide] check out led plant lights web sites for more info on color tempurature of light and what colors plants use best for the two colors that are optimum for photosynthesis one is yellow/red and one is blue and the led people have nice graphs on spectrums that are easier to get to than and read than the info in university agriculture research sites

but basically four 40-60 watt cfl at 3-6 inches away from plants is about equal to a 250 watt HID at a footand a half away if they are the right colors ...
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

Wow. Thanks Zolar. I can say, honestly, that you have given me more specific info than anyone else on CFLs. I have trouble finding Daylight bulbs larger than 28 watt at local stores, yet I want to keep it on a normal lamp sockey with a regular amount of amperage going through the system. Ive had good luck with a Bright White 32 watt. It seems to stimulate growth, possibly. Maybe it was just the timing upon when i put in the diffrent bulb and the children having a growth spurt. Theyre all looking fine by the way, and the oldest/strongest I am using an LST technique on to keep it short. Theyre all doing great in response to everything ive done, including killing mild spidermite infections, giving nutrients that I concocted in my own home with local ingredients(sod ferts!!!), washing them down, scrubbing with a sponge... EVERY_F***ING THING!!! I pay more attention to them that I do to my woman, and she actually likes it.
Regardless, id love to get some High wattage CFLs online that work in normal lamp outlets, that dont require hard-wiring or a ballast.
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

As I mentioned, im using an LST method for one baby at the moment. Its at about a 45 degree angle, 6" before the bend. I was gentle and made sure not to over-bend. Its already angled all leaves towards the light, so im assuming there is no shock. Im looking to almost circle the circumfrence of my pot with the stem. TIPS/HINTS???
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

just checked try topbulb.com for stronger CFLs they have 65,85,and 105 watt CFLs with normal or medium bases and some of those wattages come in both reddish and blue light look up LED plant lights for charts on light color and plant response [ledtronics,,westcoastleds,,ledgrowlights all .com]

i found some true value hardware stores have higher wattage CFLs as security lights or garage lights i've also found 42 watt CFLs at bigger chain grocery stores in the light bulb section and 37 watter too


i should have included this in last post actual light readings cfl vs 400 MH

one foot away cfl 5500 lux about 500 footcandle

MH about 35,000 -40,000 lux or 3500-4000 foot candle

about two feet away MH 10,000- 15,000 lux

basiclly four 42 watt CFLs at about 1 foot is equal to one 400 watt MH at around 1.5 - 2 feet in light intensity in actual photo light meter readings the lumen number on the CFL pack is right for readings taken about 1 inch away and at 4-6 inches the lumens are about 2/3 to 3/4 of the packaging hope this helps for new folks
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

re circular LST try a craft store that sells wreath frames for christmas decoations tape it to some shiskabob skewers like table legs and insert on
the larger diameter pot your plant is in like a circular guard rail use bread twist-ties to loosely train stem they have different sizes of wreath forms too
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

Thanks for the Math zolar. Much appreciated. My baby without the LST in action is about 10" currently... and the height of my other baby using LST? drumroll please???
5 INCHES!!! that buddy is doing some serious growing and is looking great, even though there is a bend at the base of the stem. ive only gone in one angle so far. Im moving to a new pot this week, and as soon as i make sure ive got no stressing, ill start the 2nd curve in the LSTd baby. Theyre looking great! I wish i could get pics up soon. Im very nervous about doing so...
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

Sound good HH!! Everything I know about LST, I posted in Bagz Monthly. There is virtually no shock with LST, unless you crack your stem. Starting them young helps this issue. The plants growth hormones are the first key to LST. . . When you tie the plant down, and bring the branches to a lower point than the rest of the plant, is when they get redistributed. So you want to get to a horizontal plane for growth as quickly as possible. If you want to start slow for fear of breaking the stem, bend it a little everyday, or every other. I go for it as soon as the top of the plant would reach the edge of the pot. I have only cracked 1 stem in the last 5 or 6 harvests. And she is doing just fine. :cheesygrinsmiley: Slightly smaller than her sister, but not by much. I had her wound covered in first aid gauze throughout the veg stage, a week into flower I went to change the bandage check, for molds and stuff, and the crack was completely healed, and I didn't need to replace the covering.

The wreath form is an interesting idea, wouldn't work for my space, but I like it. . let us know how it goes. . .

Bagz :peace:
 
Re: First Time Grow - CFLs...

Well, heres the thing. Ive been keeping them on 24/7 cfl lights, probably 2" away at most with the main light and the other two hanging on the sides to evenly distribute light.

Actually, as of 4 days ago, I started using some daylight during the center of my lighting schedule. I have a huge windowsil and i can put my 3 babies there and close the enamel white blinds, and then set up my lights inside the window frame with clamps and screwhooks. 6 hours a day they get sunlight and all my cfls, to a degree. The window faces nothing and is covered by a hedge about 3 feet away from the window. Its wraps around my air conditioning unit. Thusly i've been getting sunlight and cfls for my veg.im working towards getting them in sunlight for budding. I think it will be better for my possible girls than any 3 cfls i can provide. I'll still use the CFLs though...

Im awaiting approval on a few pics from when I first hit the 2nd P with some LST. Great 45degree angle. You'll see
 

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