UltraDan's First Grow - White Widow - Flux - 2015

[Dan Ultra]

Okay, so I picked up some ducting and have it attached to the cool tube with a fan pulling the air away. (I just rigged up a desk fan for now, but got a duct fan on order and will be here Monday)

So far it is helping a little. Temp is down to 80*. It's weird because it really feels cooler than that in the room, but maybe its just the fan I have moving air around.

I also got in all my Fox Farm nutes today. Big Bloom, Grow Big, Tiger Bloom and Sledgehammer. oA few other odds and end things I ordered as well. Now all I need is for my little ladies to start showing themselves. Hopefully the 80* temps didn't stop them from sprouting. Its been 72 hours since they went into peats...

Just gotta have patience I guess

 

[Dan Ultra]

So I looked up the peat pellets that I used and it says they are 100% biodegradable combination of peat and wood pulp. I have never heard of wood pulp being used, and dint know this until now. It has been 4 full days since putting the seeds in them and I haven't seen any action.

Anyone have any clue if they will be ok in these? Or should I try and replant in soil?

 

[Rifleman]

Are your pellets moist? Have they dried out since you placed the seeds? If they had sprouted and then dried out, they will die before breaking the surface. If they've been moist the whole time, give them a few more days.

 

[Dan Ultra]

I've kept them moist the whole time. I have been spraying the tops about 2-3 times a day making sure not to oversoak them

 

[Dan Ultra]

So I got home from work tonight and saw this little girlie poppin her head out. Hopefully the other one pops soon too.

This is my new/ current set up. I got ducting going to the cool tube with a 240 cfm fan exhausting the heat. As well as a rigged up fan pulling intake air from the adjacent room. It's cooling it down a little bit more. Thats about the best I can do for now.

I'm really not happy about using these peat pellets. It seems like its hard for the sprouts to break the surface and it also seems like it dries out really quickly.

 

[gfdiesel]

i like your cooling situation. 80 degrees is probably just right for germinating those seeds. im not sure what fan you ordered, but when i first started, i used a duct booster fan. it worked ok, dropping temps maybe 5 degrees. then a buddy of mine told me to get a " real growroom fan". so i switched fans and wow what a difference. i can cool my room w/ 2- 1000w hps' by running the fan 15 minutes an hour. i have a vent near the floor opposite of the lights and you can feel that fan pull that fresh air right in. also you could put those little peet-pots into a solo cup of soil to keep them from drying out. in fact next time, germ them right in the soil-solo cup.

 

[Dan Ultra]

i like your cooling situation. 80 degrees is probably just right for germinating those seeds. im not sure what fan you ordered, but when i first started, i used a duct booster fan. it worked ok, dropping temps maybe 5 degrees. then a buddy of mine told me to get a " real growroom fan". so i switched fans and wow what a difference. i can cool my room w/ 2- 1000w hps' by running the fan 15 minutes an hour. i have a vent near the floor opposite of the lights and you can feel that fan pull that fresh air right in.

I just got a 4" inline duct fan. It seems to be doing okay. I need to get a speed control switch for it still though. Luckily it is starting to cool down here in in sunny ole Florida, so my temps are staying in the 75 range. I still only have my MH on at 50% so hopefully it doesnt get super hot when I crank it up. When should I put the light to 75% or 100%??

also you could put those little peet-pots into a solo cup of soil to keep them from drying out. in fact next time, germ them right in the soil-solo cup.

I will NEVER use these peats again! Next time the seeds will go straight into the soil after germinating.

 

[Dan Ultra]

I was concerned about the second one not popping yet, so I pulled the peat apart a little bit and saw the seed with only a very tiny taproot emerging. It was yellowish brown, so I assume it died. Especially since both were planted at the same time. Maybe the peat got too dry at some point.

Oh well. First grow will only be one plant. Here's to hoping she treats me well.

 

[filthyphil]

Sweet looks like your on the right track, post a review after you try the finished product.

 

[Rifleman]

Go ahead and germinate another seed. So what if it's a week behind. It's an extra plant to try a different technique on, & do a side by side comparison. Plus it's just that much more bud.

 

[Dan Ultra]

Go ahead and germinate another seed. So what if it's a week behind. It's an extra plant to try a different technique on, & do a side by side comparison. Plus it's just that much more bud.

I think I am just gonna stick with one for the first grow. I am going to be battling space and heat issues, so I'd rathr determine what will work and then up the yield on future grows.

 

[SmokerJoe]

Hey there. Just letting you know that I've subscribed. I'm playing madden right now but will read after. In the short term I suggest moving your ballast around the corner if thats the furthest you can move it but that ballast generates tons of heat and getting it as far from your plants as you can will lower your temps a good deal. If you decide to implement co2 if you arent already and then the plants actually want that higher temperature. 80-85 is where you want it. I find the ideal spot to be 82. Get into the 70 range and the plants will still grow but the soil will stay wet longer to high in the upper 80's to mid 90's and the plants will transpire very fast and so will require more water or a anti transpirant on their leaves which i've never done because I dont mind giving a bit of extra water. In the hot Florida weather id also suggest using ice cubes around the base of the plant to give the plants a cool treat. Normally it may shock the roots but with warm weather it isnt a problem. Alright thats it for now be back soon to read.

 

[Dan Ultra]

Hey there. Just letting you know that I've subscribed. I'm playing madden right now but will read after. In the short term I suggest moving your ballast around the corner if thats the furthest you can move it but that ballast generates tons of heat and getting it as far from your plants as you can will lower your temps a good deal. If you decide to implement co2 if you arent already and then the plants actually want that higher temperature. 80-85 is where you want it. I find the ideal spot to be 82. Get into the 70 range and the plants will still grow but the soil will stay wet longer to high in the upper 80's to mid 90's and the plants will transpire very fast and so will require more water or a anti transpirant on their leaves which i've never done because I dont mind giving a bit of extra water. In the hot Florida weather id also suggest using ice cubes around the base of the plant to give the plants a cool treat. Normally it may shock the roots but with warm weather it isnt a problem. Alright thats it for now be back soon to read.

Thanks man. Grow just started, so you havent missed much. I went in and checked my ballast and it is cool to the touch. Even the exhaust fan on the ballast is blowing cool air. I really think my heat problems come from the MH lamp and FL weather. I have a duct fan hooked up which is helping quite a bit, and I might take gfdiesel's advice and get a true "groom room fan", but not sure if I really have the funds for it on this grow.

if I have a cooled light, how close can I get a 400W MH to the plant? I just checked on her and she went from sprouting, to now about 2" in just over 24 hours. I just want to keep the stretch down as much as possible.

 

[Rifleman]

When mine were small I finally settled on 18" at 600w, with oscillating fans working overtime. My hood encloses my light so the eventual purchase of an inline fan helped the most. Now that the tallest is nearly 40" I have the light just 7" from the top, and at 750w too. Temp at top avg ~78° and at bucket level ~73°.

 

[SmokerJoe]

9-12 inches is good. The closer the better.

 

[SmokerJoe]

Im sure you know about the hand test to get the exact distance your plants can be from your light

 

[Dan Ultra]

Im sure you know about the hand test to get the exact distance your plants can be from your light

Ummm.... Nope. Please explain.

If my hand burns the plant burns?? Lol

 

[SmokerJoe]

Well the distance you want your plants to be from the light put the back of your hand out and if it is uncomfortable before 1 minute then your hand is to close but if there is no pain from the heat then move your hand closer to the light and then adjust your plants to that same distance if you dont want to risk your leaves burning. Write that distance down or memorize it and always readjust the lights to be that distance from the top of the canopy.

 

[Dan Ultra]

Well the distance you want your plants to be from the light put the back of your hand out and if it is uncomfortable before 1 minute then your hand is to close but if there is no pain from the heat then move your hand closer to the light and then adjust your plants to that same distance if you dont want to risk your leaves burning. Write that distance down or memorize it and always readjust the lights to be that distance from the top of the canopy.

I was a firefighter for 8 years... My pain tolerance to heat might be a little more than that of a little seedling. Lol.

I'll give it a go though. Or maybe have my wife do it.

 

[SmokerJoe]

For seedlings the light wont be as close.