tazzie boyz first grow under lights and some ?

[tazzigaz]

hey to all, got some basic ?s hoping for some tips to point me on the way.

First got me a 400 phillips sontagro,room size 1.8mx2.2m and a small indoor fan to move air round. Ive light proofed the room with black plastic that i painted white on the inside.The shed itself is showing no light at all and the fan moves plastic door enuff to let out air but minamal light. Im running light 24/7 at mo been week and half.Plants 6-12", 5 plants under the light.24C temp at this time of year

under lights.

1. Its winter here now so do i need to run my lights 24/7 or could i go back to 18/6(obviously i'll go 12/12 to flower)?

 

2.This time im using soil but what would anyone recomend as a cheap alt to a full hydro system ie,what growing medium can i use as opposed to potting mx but still grow in pots?

 

3.With other grow mediums do i need to buy special nutes or can i just feed it what im using now-Phostrogen and Yates Thrive tomato food N.P.K 8/3/10.2

 

Any advice or help would be greatly apprciated.

P.S I live in a small town where acsess to nursery is a good 2-3 hr drive so im trying to avoid buying specialised grow formulae and use what nutes i can buy from local store witout raising suspicions, Fanx Guys TazStoner!!!

[Frazz]

Welcome Tazz, best tip i could give is get another light/s, keep on 24/7, make sure shed is insect-proof, and read the forums youll learn heaps. What strain? :thumbsup

[animal]

Next time try using panda film instead of painted black plastic. Panda is white on one side and black on the other so its perfect to use for growrooms.

 

If 1.8m x 2.2m is your floor area the room its too big for a 400 watt light. 0.8m x 0.9m is about the size you want for a 400 watt light. Work on a minimum of 400 watts per square metre. You could still grow in that big room, it just won't be as efficient.

 

The next thing you need to have a think about is ventilation. You will need a dedicated exhaust fan not just a internal fan that moves the flap of plastic. Having the flap of plastic open is not a good idea because it is not light proof or insect proof. Also when growing in summer it probably won't be enough to keep temps under control even in Tassie.

 

The best grow rooms air light proof and insect proof. This means completely sealed room including the door, having an exhaust fan extracting from the top and having fresh air intakes either passive or with an intake fan near the bottom with insect screens over the intakes. (Nylon stockings stretched over the opening works as an insect screen).

 

Yes you can put your plants on 18/6 now if you want.

 

If you want to grow in hand watered pots you can use coco and/or perlite. Or perlite and vermiculite. You really do need to use hydro nutes for hydro mediums, and be able to check and adjust the PH as well. There are several hydro shops that do mail order maybe you can look into that.

 

Some nurseries and hardwares sell manutec hydroponic nutrients. I've never tried them but if I was forced to grow hydro without access to a hydro shop I'd be giving them a go.

[F420]

Have you tried the Manutech Hydroponics mix?? Ive seen it in Bunnings.

[tazzigaz]

thanx for the tips any and all advice greatly appreciated. I tried to buy panda plastic but my local hardware store has a bad case of gotnones.

" Do you have plastic white on one side black on the other for the garden?"

"Got none!"

"Do you have white paint?"

"Got none!"

Im sure you get the picture so next time i go to Burnie or Hobart ill be going to a bunnings or simalar.

Havent got the coin for anutha light yet but hopefully summer coming growing will be a little more prolific. Vents are a must over the following weeks,so far nearly 2 weeks under 24/7 and as its cold still {spring round corner} 2 more weeks at 24/7 then see where im at. Plants 6" high just tipped yesterday so they will slow for a bit before going off again.Just weeded out 2 males today so 3 definate females this time and lookin nice and healthy,(more seeds down next time,and they are just deal bag seeds at this stage and yeah i know hit and miss but pots pot.) :smoke

Door get made and fitted next week so that should seal it better.

[Tom]

High there Gaz, always thought you'd turn up here one day, forget Burnie for hydro gear, Launceston or Hobart are the only places that have hydro stores now. As you are in a shed a watering system like the one I had in Tas would work for you, My hydro set-up.

3.With other grow mediums do i need to buy special nutes or can i just feed it what im using now-Phostrogen and Yates Thrive tomato food N.P.K 8/3/10.2

When growing in hydro mediums you should use hydro nutrients rather than soil fertilisers, hydro mediums don't contain the trace elements and minerals that soil does, the nutrients I found pretty good in Tas were Growrite and Budrite.

 

[godonacid]

coming form another tassie lad, go to thc or advanced hydroponics in launceston, im in burnie and do the trip up there or order from nutriflo on the net, both of the hydro shops in launceston have panda plastic, all your nutes that you need (i reccomend canna for what you are doing) and they also sell perlite and coconut which makes a nice mix for hand watering. any way if you go to either thc or advanced hydroponics they will set you in the correct direction.

 

any way best of luck with it and keep tassie green.