Unsure what to do for my autos

[thisismyfirsttime]

Hi this is my very first grow iv just set my seeds in water and tomorrow ill be pulling them out and putting them in paper towel and then into a coco coir medium in fabric air pots. I am using a 180W led i cant remember where i got it from but im pretty sure i may need to buy another one to keep up with the lighting needs of the two im planning to grow (nyc diesel from advanced seeds and northern lights auto from seedsman).

On my LED light board it has a veg and a bloom light + a dimmer switch however im under the assumption autos flower on their own so do i keep it on the bloom switch + full spectrum for the two plants or do i still manually do it. This is my first grow so i am looking to learn and get the hang of it as quickly and easily as possible. The other question is how far away should i keep the plants from the light? cheers.

 

[HugePeckerhead]

Since you're at the beginning, I would just use the veg switch by itself for about a week since the seedling won't need much light. As she starts growing and filling in....say week 3, that's when I'd start hitting her with the extra light. To start, I'd put the light at minimum 18-24 inches above. Welcome to the forum as well.

 

[thisismyfirsttime]

Thankyou I thought it was 24 but then wondered because my light is so weak being 180watt in a 160*160*80 tent. I'm planning on an 18/6 cycle through the whole thing and just use ph'd water for the first two weeks as I don't think nutes will do it any good so early. Worried about killing it and my feeding chart is measurements over 10ltrs so I would end up a nutes mix for 3 weeks and I'm not sure itl keep that long.

 

[thisismyfirsttime]

just traded up to a 600 watt led today as it will save messing around in the long run, is 24" the right height away from seedlings?

 

[Mars Hydro]

During gemination and seedling, please just keep the lights higher, around 24~30 will be fine. During veg: 18~24'', during flowering 12~18'' above canopy!

 

[thisismyfirsttime]

During gemination and seedling, please just keep the lights higher, around 24~30 will be fine. During veg: 18~24'', during flowering 12~18'' above canopy!

thank you iv very new to this, will i need distilled water to water my seeds? iv been seeing people use tap water at week 3 with PH balancing nutes to flush but i know everyone has their own styles such as day 2 water, day 4 feed, day 7 water.etc im just unclear as to whats the best option for seedlings let alone autos as theres no one set guide like first 3 weeks water x amount of mls and then start upping it, one guy i know uses 2-4 ltrs per plant for his coco coir grow which is what im running but hes vague on amounts.etc

 

[Mars Hydro]

thank you iv very new to this, will i need distilled water to water my seeds? iv been seeing people use tap water at week 3 with PH balancing nutes to flush but i know everyone has their own styles such as day 2 water, day 4 feed, day 7 water.etc im just unclear as to whats the best option for seedlings let alone autos as theres no one set guide like first 3 weeks water x amount of mls and then start upping it, one guy i know uses 2-4 ltrs per plant for his coco coir grow which is what im running but hes vague on amounts.etc

Hi thisismyfirstime, I am more familiar with the grow lights stuff, about growing, you might ask more professional growers here : @Old Salt @Ganjagrandaddy @Pennywise

 

[Old Salt]

to the forum...

I'm not an auto grower. I do grow in 70% coco / 30% perlite. Have you added anything to your coco?

What nutrients are you using? I've used the General Hydroponics' Flora Trio and supplement for all my previous grows. I just switched to Mega Crop for my current grow.

Is your light really 180W, or is that what the manufacturer claims? Many manufacturers add the maximum power each LED is capable of handling and advertise that number. They usually only drive the LEDs at 20 - 30% of that. As an example, my first grow light was advertised as an 1800W dimmable COB. It only draws 315W from the wall. I used this in a 2' x 4' (60cm x 120cm) tent and it was not enough.

 

[Ganjagrandaddy]

thank you iv very new to this, will i need distilled water to water my seeds? iv been seeing people use tap water at week 3 with PH balancing nutes to flush but i know everyone has their own styles such as day 2 water, day 4 feed, day 7 water.etc im just unclear as to whats the best option for seedlings let alone autos as theres no one set guide like first 3 weeks water x amount of mls and then start upping it, one guy i know uses 2-4 ltrs per plant for his coco coir grow which is what im running but hes vague on amounts.etc

Dont panic mate. you are in good hands here. There are a lot of growers around to help.
A good place to start is a journal of your grow. If you use the link below my message in green " helpful links for new members" It will take you to some great information on how to start a journal really easily. I grow in coco as well as other mediums. it is an excellent forgiving medium and your plants are designed for the worst so lets not worry together. If you have not germinated yet then using distilled water for soaking the seeds initially is good. Once you have seedlings then tap water is ok to use as long as you ring the ph to between 5.7-6.0 ( coco loves 5.8ph) This will ensure your roots can feed from the salted nutes as the salt breaks down in your coco. Coco is like a sponge and can only hang on to the nutes for so long and if dries out , can leave a salty deposit that plants hate. This is why we feed regular to runoff of about 15-20%. It washes precious salts out to be replaced by fresh nutes. Most coco growers feed daily once their plants are established and quite few water more but with less amounts each feed. This bit is where the confusion happens. coco is very versatile and can be treated like very airy soil and watered , dried out nearly , watered ect.... Wet/dry cycles similar to soil but it can also handle multiple feeds as hydroponic and just runs the excess through the pots to runnoff. purely depends on the pkants uptake and where they are in their cycle. The feed mixes are based on the product you are using. There are many coco only nutes and also a lot that work in coco /soil/ hydro too but they all come with a mixing guide for which part of the cycle you are on. There are also "pens " that can measure the strength of the food once mixed and a range to work to but that is for a later stage really. I hope this may help clear a few of your worries initially and dependant on where you are at in your grow , if you get a journal running we can come along with you as they grow and offer what advice we can. green days. thanks @SmokeSara , happy to help.

 

[thisismyfirsttime]

to the forum...

I'm not an auto grower. I do grow in 70% coco / 30% perlite. Have you added anything to your coco?

What nutrients are you using? I've used the General Hydroponics' Flora Trio and supplement for all my previous grows. I just switched to Mega Crop for my current grow.

Is your light really 180W, or is that what the manufacturer claims? Many manufacturers add the maximum power each LED is capable of handling and advertise that number. They usually only drive the LEDs at 20 - 30% of that. As an example, my first grow light was advertised as an 1800W dimmable COB. It only draws 315W from the wall. I used this in a 2' x 4' (60cm x 120cm) tent and it was not enough.

i had a 180 but just bought a 600watt which draws 110 from the wall apparently, im not sure what the true wattage is but iv read reviews on it and it seems to be an alright light. i havent used anything in the mix i have, its still in the bag i was waiting for germination to occur before i put the mix in the pot. so far the nyc diesel has sprouted however the NL hasnt made any change even with the seed cracking in water its done nothing in the paper towel so i put another one in water just to be safe and worst case it will only be a day or so behind.

 

[Elevated Lighting Company]

i had a 180 but just bought a 600watt which draws 110 from the wall apparently, im not sure what the true wattage is but iv read reviews on it and it seems to be an alright light. i havent used anything in the mix i have, its still in the bag i was waiting for germination to occur before i put the mix in the pot. so far the nyc diesel has sprouted however the NL hasnt made any change even with the seed cracking in water its done nothing in the paper towel so i put another one in water just to be safe and worst case it will only be a day or so behind.

Welcome! And don't panic too much. Your first run is mainly all about learning! Make sure to take notes! For example, record the light height when starting, soil mix, watering, etc. It makes a great reference later on. It will also help when making changes on your next run. On a 110 watt draw and if you are only using the veg switch, 30" should be about right! Just watch the seedlings as they sprout and monitor for stretch.

Distilled water will work. Make sure to add in micro nutrients that are missing because it has been distilled. RO water from the grocery store is also an option.

 

[thisismyfirsttime]

I just went out today about bought an on tap filter so it should be pretty good, distilled water costs too much over a whole growth cycle.

 

[TorturedSoul]

If my conversion/math skills are functioning today, that's about a 27½ square feet of grow space. I strongly suspect that both your "180" and your "600" devices, together, will be insufficient. But you won't need more right now.

 

[thisismyfirsttime]

Thanks I am looking at getting a 700watt viperspectra 700parr as my mate has one and said his is great it just has to be watched because of the heat and can burn your plants. One of my plants is getting white leaves, not sure what's going on there and another hasn't developed yet after 5 days under the soil...

 

[Old Salt]

Thanks I am looking at getting a 700watt viperspectra 700parr as my mate has one and said his is great it just has to be watched because of the heat and can burn your plants. One of my plants is getting white leaves, not sure what's going on there and another hasn't developed yet after 5 days under the soil...

The Viparspectra lights are good. Many of members are using them and are happy with the results. Before making the purchase, have a look at the white LEDs out there. It's much more pleasant to work under a natural light, and it's much easier to detect any problems. Both Mars Hydro and Budget have them at a comparable cost. I'm currently growing a single plant under the Mars Hydro TSW-2000. The plant is 39" or 100cm tall and wider than that.

Single Granddaddy Purple Under Mars Hydro TSW-2000​

It can take a week or more for the plant to show above ground. I've had seed that showed within a day, and some that took two weeks. As long as the roots were not damaged too badly when planted, you should see a seedling soon.

That seedling looks hungry. As a seedling it needs a light feeding. Have you decided on nutrients yet? Whatever line you choose, you will also need a cal/mag supplement. I've been very impressed with Mega Crop. The cost of nutrients for my current grow of three large plants that fill 20 sq ft (1.8m^2) will be less than $7.00 USD. Coco/perlite using Mega Crop is probably the easiest and lowest cost combination to use.

Coco/perlite must be kept moist. It is very difficult to thoroughly re-moisten it during a grow. As your auto went directly into its final container, you've got an extra challenge. At this stage, I recommend 30ml or a fluid oz right beside the stem daily. If you weighed the container when you planted the seed, make up the difference with water around the edge of your container. This will compensate for evaporation. If you didn't, a cup or 250ml of water should be in the ball park.

 

[thisismyfirsttime]

IV had a few friends have problems with mars but I suppose everyone has their own opinion. I bought the viperspectra light and itl be here in a week. As for nutes I'm using the hygen range but I'm pretty sure using a little bit of the nutes is what caused the damage to the other leaf on the NYC Diesel so I'm a bit hesitant to use them before it hits atleast it's 4th set of leaves. I wouldn't even be sure what week to go off as ones week 2 the other as shown above is possibly day 6 Or 5. I'll have to get some cal mag, how do I know when to use or how much even. This is an 18 ltr pot and I didn't weigh any of them at the start IV just been using tap water with pH down.

 

[Old Salt]

Most nutrient lines specify concentrations much higher than your plants like. I used the General Hydroponics' Flora Trio in my previous grows. At 40% of the grow chart levels on the bottles, I was getting nutrient burn. The highest concentration my plants liked was 35%.

You add cal/mag to all your nutrient solutions. How much depends on what's in your other nutrients. With CALiMAGic, and the General Hydroponics' Flora Trio, I was adding:

• Seedlings: 0.25 ml/l
• Early Veg: 0.30 ml/l
• Late Veg: 0.35 ml/l
• Stretch: 0.35 ml/l
• Early Bloom: 0.45 ml/l
• Late Bloom: 0.45 ml/l

 

[thisismyfirsttime]

at the moment i havent been using anything just because a fair few people have said not till it gets its 4th set of fan leaves which shouldnt take long being an auto, possibly a couple weeks.

 

[Old Salt]

Like every grower, you'll need to dial in the nutrients for the way you grow. Differences between your grow and others can destroy your plants if you blindly follow their recipes. Keep an eye on your plants, and let them guide you. Keep good notes for the first few grows of symptoms, what you tried, and the results. No grow is perfect, and your notes will help you correct any problems in the future.

 

[thisismyfirsttime]

i tried the seedling nutes and the two leaves went brown so i swapped back. i made a 10 ltr batch and ended up tipping it out because the plants didnt like it. figured id get back in a couple weeks and start it on the veg cycle on probs a qtr dose. perlite is still wet atm so i cant use anything until that drys up.