Im a new grower!

[Newguyhere]

Ok, so ive been thinking about growing for the past year and im finally going to do it but I need a little advise! So with the research ive been doing for the past month I think im close to having it figured out. I was going to start out with about 40 to 50 plants and I was thinking about having 2 600watt HPS bulbs running for my vegetative and flowering stage. The nutrients I was thinking of using was Nectar for the gods with a coca and perlite mix for my fertilizer, haven't quite figured out which size carbon filter im going to use yet. Please give me your educated opinions

 

[Pigeons420]

Re: Im a new grower!!!!

Welcome to 420.

You've made a smart choice starting here. It was the best investment I made in my gardening abilities.

Well it does look like you have a desire to get started. I can appreciate this. However, I think you should take the first grow a bit slower. If you have the two 600W HPS that's a great start. But its not a great idea to run for Veg growth. You're going to need a metal halide bulb or some CFLs. HPS gives off to much intensity for seedlings.

Check out this link: GREAT PLACE TO START

I don't think that the 2 lights will be enough for 40-50 plants. Especially once they start to flower. I have a 8 foot by 8 foot room and I cant fit much more than 6 to 8. but that's a small space.

The size of carbon filter will depend on the size of your room and the amount of cubic feet per minute your fan will move.

Check out that link I hope it helps.

 

[Dave Groomer]

Re: Im a new grower!!!!

Welcome to 420.

You've made a smart choice starting here. It was the best investment I made in my gardening abilities.

Well it does look like you have a desire to get started. I can appreciate this. However, I think you should take the first grow a bit slower. If you have the two 600W HPS that's a great start. But its not a great idea to run for Veg growth. You're going to need a metal halide bulb or some CFLs. HPS gives off to much intensity for seedlings.

Check out this link: GREAT PLACE TO START

I don't think that the 2 lights will be enough for 40-50 plants. Especially once they start to flower. I have a 8 foot by 8 foot room and I cant fit much more than 6 to 8. but that's a small space.

The size of carbon filter will depend on the size of your room and the amount of cubic feet per minute your fan will move.

Check out that link I hope it helps.

I agree!!! Start small and learn. I you looking to grow just for yourself or for profit? Either way start small. It is just as easy to kill 40-50 plants in your first grow as 1 or 2!! at $10 or so per seed (or more) you really want to get the hang of it first. I think most of us have had a learning curve. Learn about how to feed, keep the temps and humidity in line etc.

I have 2 3x3' tents and I can't have more then 4 plants flowering in that space and that it tight. Read through some of the journals in peoples signatures and ask lots of questions.

 

[Newguyhere]

Your right, maybe should start a little slower so I don't go wasting money, I planed on growing them in 3 gallon containers so I don't know how many I could efficiently put in a 10' by 12' area but how many do you believe I could do with the 2 600 watt lights? The reason I said to use the HPS lights from start to finish was that I read they are more energy efficient and still give off a good spectrum of light for the vegetative grow

 

[Dave Groomer]

Look at the journals in my signature. These were done with Mars-Hydro LEDs. I feel that they are the best bang for the buck. They are no where near as hot as HPS. I use a 900 in my 3x3 tent it gives me 45w /sqft which is right in the area you want to be. 35-50w /sqft. As I said, I can get 4 well groomed plants in this area, but I have to keep them trimmed or they will out grow my tent!! I would start with 2-4 plants and learn. Do you want to do autos or photos?

 

[Newguyhere]

I want to do photos. I was told not to jump up to 1000 watt bulbs because they didn't work much better than the 600 watts, would I be able to give the proper light to 6-8 plants with a 1000 watt bulb?

 

[Pigeons420]

I'm right there with Supergroomer.

I use HPS but it doesn't give off the blue spectrum as much a a metal halide does.

Metal Halide= Blue Spectrum = Vegetative growth

High Power Sodium = Red Spectrum = Flower Stage

Two HPS will give you about 4 plants. They only give off a reasonable light within a 4x4area at 20inch above plant. For an area that you're speaking of. You will need more lights for more plants

 

[Pigeons420]

I want to do photos. I was told not to jump up to 1000 watt bulbs because they didn't work much better than the 600 watts, would I be able to give the proper light to 6-8 plants with a 1000 watt bulb?

I use a 1000W air cooled system. And I can comfortably do 4 plants under 1 light

 

[Dave Groomer]

It is more about the coverage area then the number of plants. My 900 will easily cover a 3'x3' tent. How big I let the plants get will determine how many plants I can fit. I know for me, when I started I thought I would fit 6 plants in a 2x3x5 area. NOPE. They out grew that area in a heart beat. My grow room is about 10x12. I have 2 tents in there side by side. One for flower and one for veg. I would suggest going with a tent (or a closet) so you can control your environment better. I can go and work in the veg tent (which is on an 18/6 light schedule) even if it is lights out int the flower tent. My tents are also from Mars-Hydro and are very well made and very affordable!!

 

[Dave Groomer]

Just to give you an idea. Here are 2 plants that are about 5 days old.

Here are 4 plants all between 3-6 weeks flower in the other tent under the 900. They need another trimming soon.

These tents are 3'3" x3'3"x6'. 10 sqft.

 

[Dave Groomer]

BTW these are all in 2 or 3 gal pots.

 

[Newguyhere]

How much are you expecting to harvest off of each plant? Instead of more plants would it be better to get bigger pots to allow for bigger plant growth and harvest?

 

[Dave Groomer]

How much are you expecting to harvest off of each plant? Instead of more plants would it be better to get bigger pots to allow for bigger plant growth and harvest?

To a point. I should get 4-5 oz from one plant 3-4 from another and I will be happy with 2 oz from the last two. The only vegged for about 4 or 5 weeks. I am trying to have 1-2 plants to harvest every 4 weeks or so.

 

[Newguyhere]

I was thinking of starting from clones and just do one harvest at a time and rather clone from one of my plants or just wait until im hanging my plants and just buy more clones to start the process again. I heard of people pulling 8 to 12oz. per plant before, is this possible?

 

[Dave Groomer]

You can pull a pound per plant. It is all about space and time. If you want to veg a plant for 6-8 months or if you want to use Light Addicts fluxing technique or if you want to use 25 gal pots. I try to get the most I can in a reasonable amount of time. I am also trying 2 new strains that are supposed to be big yielders.

 

[Newguyhere]

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[Newguyhere]

ok so from what ive been looking at people say they have had one light for up to 8 to 16 plants before even though I believe that 16 plants are to many. I was going to go with all 5 gal pots with Nectar for the gods nutrients and a half coca and perlite fertilizer. Then have 10 under one 600 watt, and 6 under another 600 watt to see what I come up with. Now I also heard that people don't see a difference in the 600 to 1000 watt lights beside the heat and electric efficiency, what is your opinion

 

[Pigeons420]

Sorry I missed that question moons ago!

I love my 1000W but I've never used a 600W.

But I've heard that the 600W in comparison to 1000W cost and effectiveness that the 600W is the way to go

 

[uptheholler2]

Hey NewGuy! I'd like to add a couple of things here. Congratulations on starting at the right spot...the starting line. I promise you that you are saving yourself money and time by asking these kind of questions up front and then jumping in.

-Spend your money and time planning your grow room. Ventliation and heating and cooling concerns are much easier to address before you start growing. In fact once you are set up I tell folks to run your room fro a couple of days with no plants. It allows you to monitor temps both daytime and night, look for light leaks, make certain that your timers are correct etc. It's alot easier to fix before you start.

-Monitor your water source for a week or so. Monitoer Ph and temp straight out of your tap. I have seen pH change from Municiple water sources from one day to the next.

-Take it easy on nutrient use. Remember manufacturers want you to pour it on so you need to buy more. Most of the time this causes you more problems as a new grower than any other pitfall.

-Does you house or building have good screens? Even in grow tents, grow rooms attract insects. Especially if you are running your daylight schedule during natural night.

- Don't fret every little irregularity in a plant 90 % of the time it will grow out of it and if it doesn't there are plenty of knowledgable folks on here willing to help

- Take notes beginning to end. Note dates and times of growth stages. when you water , when you fertilize and the concentrations.
These will become your road map once you dial in a grow with a specific variety so that you can repeat your success.

-Don't get discouraged or too tied up in harvest totals. Every harvest is a blessing. It is the most common question I get when I am helping folks start growing tomatoes or melons or beans or weed. "How much will I pick/make?" The answer is nothing. You will work and after that the good Lord and Nature will take care of the rest

-Be patient. Anything good is worth waiting for.

-Keep your mouth shut. Even in legal states...what they don't know you have ...they can't take from you.

Finally a friendly warning you are getting ready to embark on one of the funnest, coolest hobbies. The gardening and culture of our favorite plant. It is absolutely addictive. Have a blast and if you ever need any help I'll be just uptheholler. Best of luck in all you grow!