Khraevyn
New Member
Hello 420!!!
This is my first attempt at growing and I am starting with just a single bucket hydro setup. I am trying to keep this grow as cost efficient as possible so I am starting small and trying to keep it very simple.
I purchased a DWC kit from a local grow shop for $30 and it contained the following:
5 gallon black bucket with 6" net pot lid
3/4" 90 degree plug with rubber seal
12" Blue hose to use for level indicator
44GPH pump with plenty of hose and 4" Cylinder stone
clay pebbles for grow medium
I also picked up some General Hydroponics 3-step nutrients. I got 1 Liter of the FloraMicro, FloraGro, and FloraBloom. It came with a feeding and dosage guide. I got all three bottles for around $40. Not planning on using any other supplements.
I grabbed some Ph strips to keep a handle on Ph levels. I know low tech, but I've maintained turtles, fish, pools, and restaurants so I think I may be ahead of the game there. Still will keep a close eye on it. Plan on using baking soda and vinegar to correct any imbalances. Haven't seen anything about how this would affect the nutrients so any advice there would be great.
My grow space is going to be a closet that measures 4 feet x 4 feet x 7 1/2 feet. I will be prepping that over the weekend. Initially it will be pretty basic, but if this grow goes well, there is room for additional plants and customized storage as well. I will wrap it in Mylar and since it is mostly dark in that room already, I won't have to do as much light proofing.
One big thing left to figure out is lighting. I plan on using CFL since it is a small grow and I'm not really down to throw hundreds of dollars at a light setup. I stopped at Walmart and picked up 4 x 23W 2700K and 4 x 23W 5000K to use initially. I've seen a lot of the posts about CFL on here and other sites and it seems a multiple spectrums work better for vegging. However, I know as much about lighting as I do about space walking. Seen it done, but no actual experience. I am looking at several fabrication ideas for placement as multiple angles seem to also be better than a solitary source. Recommended spacing is 1" to 8" I so I'll have to have a way to adjust the height easily. Still not sure about once it starts to flower. 6500K+ seems to be the standard and lots of them. Once again, will continue to research and take suggestions from others.
The strain is something of a mystery. Found a couple seeds hidden away and put them to germinating on 11/5/2014 and all 3 have just popped this morning. Let them sit like that for a few days more, then put into pots or some sprout cubes. I think the seeds are from some Dutch Treat I had a while back, but honestly they could be some Skywalker as well. I guess we'll see once I post some pics and get some feedback. They seem to be coming along nice considering how small they are, but it is too soon to tell. Hopefully one is a female.
Not sure what other info you need. I think I covered it all, but if not, let me know what other info you want or need. This is my first time doing any indoor grow, and while I have been a gardener most of my life, I'm not sure of the learning curve to indoor hydro. Because of this I plan to over document the process and should have plenty of info to share. Will start putting bucket together and getting grow area ready this weekend. Really could use some advice on the lighting. I am disabled and support a big family, so budget is the word of the day. Will take any and all advice you guys want to throw my way though, so join in and we can be surprised together.
This is my first attempt at growing and I am starting with just a single bucket hydro setup. I am trying to keep this grow as cost efficient as possible so I am starting small and trying to keep it very simple.
I purchased a DWC kit from a local grow shop for $30 and it contained the following:
5 gallon black bucket with 6" net pot lid
3/4" 90 degree plug with rubber seal
12" Blue hose to use for level indicator
44GPH pump with plenty of hose and 4" Cylinder stone
clay pebbles for grow medium
I also picked up some General Hydroponics 3-step nutrients. I got 1 Liter of the FloraMicro, FloraGro, and FloraBloom. It came with a feeding and dosage guide. I got all three bottles for around $40. Not planning on using any other supplements.
I grabbed some Ph strips to keep a handle on Ph levels. I know low tech, but I've maintained turtles, fish, pools, and restaurants so I think I may be ahead of the game there. Still will keep a close eye on it. Plan on using baking soda and vinegar to correct any imbalances. Haven't seen anything about how this would affect the nutrients so any advice there would be great.
My grow space is going to be a closet that measures 4 feet x 4 feet x 7 1/2 feet. I will be prepping that over the weekend. Initially it will be pretty basic, but if this grow goes well, there is room for additional plants and customized storage as well. I will wrap it in Mylar and since it is mostly dark in that room already, I won't have to do as much light proofing.
One big thing left to figure out is lighting. I plan on using CFL since it is a small grow and I'm not really down to throw hundreds of dollars at a light setup. I stopped at Walmart and picked up 4 x 23W 2700K and 4 x 23W 5000K to use initially. I've seen a lot of the posts about CFL on here and other sites and it seems a multiple spectrums work better for vegging. However, I know as much about lighting as I do about space walking. Seen it done, but no actual experience. I am looking at several fabrication ideas for placement as multiple angles seem to also be better than a solitary source. Recommended spacing is 1" to 8" I so I'll have to have a way to adjust the height easily. Still not sure about once it starts to flower. 6500K+ seems to be the standard and lots of them. Once again, will continue to research and take suggestions from others.
The strain is something of a mystery. Found a couple seeds hidden away and put them to germinating on 11/5/2014 and all 3 have just popped this morning. Let them sit like that for a few days more, then put into pots or some sprout cubes. I think the seeds are from some Dutch Treat I had a while back, but honestly they could be some Skywalker as well. I guess we'll see once I post some pics and get some feedback. They seem to be coming along nice considering how small they are, but it is too soon to tell. Hopefully one is a female.
Not sure what other info you need. I think I covered it all, but if not, let me know what other info you want or need. This is my first time doing any indoor grow, and while I have been a gardener most of my life, I'm not sure of the learning curve to indoor hydro. Because of this I plan to over document the process and should have plenty of info to share. Will start putting bucket together and getting grow area ready this weekend. Really could use some advice on the lighting. I am disabled and support a big family, so budget is the word of the day. Will take any and all advice you guys want to throw my way though, so join in and we can be surprised together.