First growers club

[needlesstosay]

nice plant newbie, i myself have a plant the same size maybe a bit bigger. What you feeding that little dude? once the cotyledons turn yellow you should start using a low strength root boosting fertiliser like seasol etc.

[Husky]

Newbies post was 3 1/2 years old. Sorry man.

 

There are some epic post thread revivals around these boards, makes me think you guys are stoned or something 

[iTiC]

Just noticed a Jamie Oliver Glass Jar with Rubber seal and metal clip for sale at Woolies. $8.

Traditional canning jars.

Edited November 11, 2014 by iTiC

[WA Gold]

G'day All,

 

I know this thread is pretty old but hopefully some people still check it out. Some of my questions may seem a bit silly but the answers may help others too.

 

I am a newbie who has just bought a 1.2x1.2 grow tent kit for my first grow (600w HPS cool tube, can fan/filter , bato boxes).

I also got a little clone/seed propagation kit with 2 x 24w t5 lamps as this looked like a better way to start seeds rather then using the big tent?

 

Reading of other peoples numerous fails has me a bit nervous so I just wanted to check a few things to make sure I'm on the right track.

 

Firstly I bought 40mm rockwool cubes for the propagation kit, and a bag of expanded clay came with the bato boxes. Once my seedlings get started I was just going to stick the rockwool cubes into my pots of expanded clay, is that the right way to do it?

 

Next I can't seem to find any instructions for dummies on the bato boxes. What's the go with the little drippers, do I just leave them on all the time? Or should I be setting a timer on the reservour pump like the light timer? And it didn't come with a air rock, am I meant to have one in my nutrient reservour?

 

Also I'm in the desert, over summer it is regularly 45-50c. I have a small portable air con that I was thinking of using, where would be the best place to use it? I was thinking of running it through the cool tube to keep the cold/dry air away from the plants, but wasn't sure whether this would keep it cool enough inside the tent? Am I better of ducting the air con straight into the tent and regulating the temp that way, or will that hurt my plants?

 

I have a few other questions but don't want to bore you all with large quantities silly questions at once, thanks in advance for any helpful tips

Edited October 28, 2015 by WA Gold

[merl1n]

Hey WA Gold,

Welcome to O.S.

"I also got a little clone/seed propagation kit with 2 x 24w t5 lamps as this looked like a better way to start seeds rather then using the big tent?"

Its not so much "the big tent" but the big lights that are the problem. The big lights put out shitloads of heat and for delicate seedlings they get cooked, so your fluros for seedlings is a much better idea.

 

"Once my seedlings get started I was just going to stick the rockwool cubes into my pots of expanded clay, is that the right way to do it?"

Personally, once the rockwool cubes are covered at the base in white roots, then I plant. Now I use the larger 3inch square blocks for propagation, so my clones are a bit better established than yours, being that you are using the smaller blocks, but basically you need decent roots before planting and using your HID IMO

 

"What's the go with the little drippers, do I just leave them on all the time? Or should I be setting a timer on the reservoir pump like the light timer?"

I hate those drippers, they block up from the nutrient salts and are a bitch to clean, so I don't use them. Instead I use a submersible pump and a timer. My timings are 15min/hr 24/7. Some people only feed during lights on, but I run the fluids 24/7.

 

"...over summer it is regularly 45-50c..." And this is why I don't grow over summer. Heat management can be very difficult. But it can be done, there are a few other members who will have better information than I in regard to using airconditioners.

 

As for your "...large quantities silly questions..." Ask away. We all had to start somewhere, we we're all newbies at some point. Its only by asking people in the know that you obtain the info you need or by making silly mistakes, "Doh. Don't do that again.." Don't be doing that, it's easier to ask. Many of the members here are very willing to share advice and knowledge, but you need to be sure that this info is applicable to your setup/situation ie I grow in perlite and my info will primarily be around perlite/clayballs. But some people grow in coco coir. I have no experience using coco, so its better that they ask others when it comes to coco.

But if you have queries/questions. The best advice is to ask, if you are not sure, ask. Someone ere would have been in a similar situation at some point. Use the resources you have, US, to your advantage.

 

Good luck with it all

Merl1n

Edited October 28, 2015 by merl1n

[WA Gold]

G'day Merl1n,

 

What do you mean by "Instead I use a submersible and timer"? I have a submersible connected to the drippers and was going to put a timer on it for the 15min/hr is that right? Or should I replace the drippers with something else?

Thanks for the other feedback, it's great to be able get advice from experienced people like yourself

[merl1n]

G'day Merl1n,

 

What do you mean by "Instead I use a submersible and timer"? I have a submersible connected to the drippers and was going to put a timer on it for the 15min/hr is that right? Or should I replace the drippers with something else?

Thanks for the other feedback, it's great to be able get advice from experienced people like yourself

With drippers they often need a constant pressure to drip at a decent rate. Using clayballs and perlite, the water retention is fairly minimal so you need to run your pumps all day with drippers for the plants to get enough fluid. I've made up a feedring with 5x6mm T joiners and 6mm tube. Using a 100ltr/hr submersible pump, A pond pump,on a 15min/hr timer my plant gets enough fluid to feed. Hope that explains it a bit. Here is a bit of a mudmap of my water works That's showing a 4 pot setup. But I'm using the same waterworks but for a single pot system. One line out and one line return

 

Hope it helps

Merl1n

Edited October 28, 2015 by merl1n

[WA Gold]

Thanks Merl1n. Should I get a air rock for my nutrient reservour ?

 

Anyone else here grow in very hot conditions that can comment on the air con idea?

 

Just waiting on my seeds to turn up then will get it started, can't wait!

[merl1n]

Hey WA,

You MUST have an airstone for your resi. MUST!!!

Your plant has two types of roots, Fluid roots and air roots. The air roots take a hold of tiny, minute bubbles and you need an air stone to make those bubbles small enough. I have known of some people who have just placed the tube from the air pump in their resi, but the bubbles are too big for the plant to use. You need an air stone. Also the O2 from the airstone helps to keep fluids clean as the O2 binds to the free radicals in your nute mix. This prevents them from building up and causing algal blooms.

 

Merl1n

[louise]

With regard to aircon use... do you have solar panels?