Its_Always_420

OK will not sweat too much on the ph, thanks!

3 months in and I just can't get any decent growth in soil in my tent until this last week. On to my 3rd round of seedlings, but they all kept dying at about 5cm high. Yellow leaves, then they dry out and wilt. Tried more watering, less watering, letting them go without for periods, Tried LED, Tried MH. MH is a bit better as I think the heat helps (none of the pro LED people tell you lack of heat may actually be a PROBLEM).. the extra heat and adding more air flow in the last week has seen my best results but it still so damn slow and uninspiring. My mate has the same strain, tent, lights and soil (except he mixed through his compost whereas all I could do was put it on top of the seedling potting mix I used) and he has amazing plants he just put to flower, I started a month before him and I got nothing but climbing power bills to show for it. The soil seems crap but my mate says 'it's a living soil, its fine' he gave me some home made compost to put on the top of my potted soils but it's still not doing anything except now I seem to have a lot of creatures in my soil.. I dunno do I just keep going, with just water? Doesn't feel right to not be giving the plants anything but water. Do I add nutes at some point, is that why they keep dying? My mate just watered and later on used 'thrive' powder and his compost, thats it. All I am trying to do now is get the fundamentals right, and I'm slowly starting to see some growth more like what I've read it should be when I worry about these Keep the temp between 20-25 degree Celsius (SF2000 LED wasn't warm enough so got a 400W batwing MH) - TICK Keep the air flow and fresh air into tent constant (wasn't doing this before, just had a internal blow fan that wasn't getting new air in / old air old) - TICK Keep the Humidity above 70% - seem to struggle with this, so have just got a humidifier with hygrometer for the tent, coming in a few days Apart from that, how much do I need to worry about the ph of my water going in to the soil? Half people say check it, but I don't know if I got a crap ph meter but everything I test (tank water or tap) seems high - tank water 8.5 and tap water high 7's - I think I probably need some ph down. If after ph and humidity is ticked and it's still struggling, I'm thinking of trying a coco attempt.. but thankfully this latest soil attempt has been improving.

Yeah the seedling mix has bits of bark all through it. It is just a temp medium until I get a bag of organic soil. Still 4 non popped seeds so I got them out of the peat pellets and am soaking them overnight. The two that have started seem OK, some of the leaves seem a little mutant but early days? 1st to sprout looking normalish Other one looks mutant

The seed bank I used was low on stock (they all seem to be) so ended up with a Sativa dominant strain Hawaiian Snow. Will be fun learning LST and super topping. I got 6 seeds and only 2 sprouted (planted 30th April), using peat pellets. Used a propagation container on a heat mat, so I'm a bit pissed so many didn't pop. The two that have started seem to love the LED - they have been put into small pots with 'seedling' mix from bunnings https://www.bunnings.com.au/osmocote-10l-seed-cutting-potting-mix_p3020058 Will two Sativas fill out my tent in time or should I try and source more seed?

Finding it really hard to get an Aus list of stuff for soil. No slow release? So what to get and where to buy? Don't bother with anything from Bunnings?

Tent setup with lights. Seeds coming next week. Can anyone suggest a list of stuff, possibly from Bunnings, that I need for: soil extra nutrients 4 or 5 pots for a 120cm square tent - fabric? plastic? raised off the floor? Some places say Non-NPK soil and add my own NPK nutirents, others say just get a good osmocote bag of ready to go potting mix and some 'thrive', and normal water...

Went with 2 x SF2000 in a 4 x 4 tent. Now to choose soil and nutes.

I am thinking of going multiple lights, can I ask what 3 lights you have?

Do you mean I should up the light wattage size for a 1mx1m tent? Wow so a SF4000? And others mentioned two smaller lights are better, so 2 x SF2000 ?

Sad to say I am back after 6 years and still haven't started. I predict I've spent about 60K on weed since, and I'm sick of the mediocre quality everyone sells in Aus (PGR?) so am trying again. I'm about to purchase a system based around: Generic ebay tent 120cmx120cmx200cm with a carbon filt 4" vent system about $150 Spider Farmer SF1000 LED $300 Medium: soil Even just these items have different opinions online - that I actually need 2000W LED in this tent size.

I had the suspicion and theory in my head for years that a lot of Aussie buds have gotten worse in the last decade, a bunch of low THC batches going around, seems like these days every 3rd qp I buy is crap but looks half decent. Then I found this thread about PGR. It crossed a line in my mind and I'm about to drop about a grand on a tent setup, I'm done financing shit weed and being at the mercy of my dealers. I've never grown but smoked for 25 years so goddamn it I just have to start trying. FUCK PGR indeed.

Great information guys, thanks for your posts. I have not heard of CANNA TERRA and it does seem to be available in Australia. Will research this more. (Man it is cool being in an OzStoners forum where the advice will likely be local!) Someone also recommended SEARLES potting mix. I am getting a few suggestions that more or bigger fans may be needed. My budget is right on the limits so maybe as an upgrade or I can source some stuff 2nd hand. Billygoat, a lot of the shops have higher prices than what i see from online places, I have not gone into the shops to discuss it but generally I seem to see cheaper stuff online so far.. but the point about having a place to take back something not working is a big one. CookieMonster420, thanks for all that great info. Those strains sound fun I have heard a few people say that coco is easy but others tell me soil is more forgiving.. I just think soil 1st few tries then bump the operation up to a hydro thing, which I am totally keen on trying! Thanks for the info again everyone - Its_Always_420

Hi Growers and Smokers I have been looking to get my indoor tent soil grow happening for quite a while now; been researching as much as possible, reading forums, watching videos... it is getting to the point of making equipment purchases. I think I know what I want but would love to post my current plan and equipment list and see if there are any things the experienced folks can advise or fill in the blanks. Firstly a bit of info about me and the intentions for the grow: I have no experience with growing, not just cannabis but any plants! But I have confidence and think I understand the fundamentals from what I have studied about indoor tent growing. And am prepared for 1st attempts to have “results that may vary”. I have been smoking cannabis every day for over 20 years. I like "fruity" tasting buds with a happy head stone (honestly, have never known what strain I smoke, but I guess I prefer Sativa) I live in Australia so sourcing equipment / soil / seeds are a little tricker / more expensive. (and not legal) I will have a partner (my brother, also a daily toker) helping with the grow. OUR IDEAL YIELD would provide us with personal smoke, and if a cycle of growing is about around 3-4 months, that would be approx 300 grams. After reading a lot of reviews and suggestions about what kind of reflector, I have decided a Cool Vented Hood is best, as some people report the cool "tubes" have hotspots and poor light distribution, and the circular glass can actually act as a magnifier of heat. I would save some money if going cool tubes but not a lot so figure I will go for a Vented Hood. I would really save money if I went with a non air cooled reflector like a "bat wing" but I can't help but think the heat will become an issue in a tent with a 600W bulb. I read a lot about how 600W is the best bang for the buck, some have said a 400W would be fine but others say just pony up for the 600. So with these points in mind, I have sourced the following setup for the tent, lights and ventilation: 1. tent 1x1x2m 2. carbon filter 6 inch x50cm 3. ducting 6 inch x6m 4. duct fan 6 inch 5. clamps pair of 6" 6. Cool vent shade 6 inch flanges 7. hps lamp 600w 2100k 8. silver duct tape 50m roll 9. HPS Mag ballast 600w 10. 10A timer universal plug 11. reflector Yoyo 1 pair of 2 pcs That list of gear is going to be around $600 AUD delivered. I am trying to figure out if there is another address apart from where I will have the grow to deliver this to. I might be over paranoid but I think that it is probably safer to be extra paranoid about this whole process. The kit does not include a MH lamp for veg. I am deciding between getting some cheap CFL’s for this stage or just source a MH lamp from a local store or eBay (the actual lamps by themselves do not seem to expensive). Most things I read say yields will be better if veg’ing with a MH lamp. I am also going to get a pH tester, seem pretty cheap on eBay. SEEDS I think I have settled on a place to mail order a few seeds. I am not sure what strain to get, but I really do not know what the differences are so am just going with the most common recommendations for a 1st tent grow which seem to be mazar or a superhaze. SOIL This is a subject I am struggling a bit to understand, there seem to be many “recipes” and differing opinions. I am not sure if I need to make different soils for different growth stages; or if there is a soil I can use from start to finish? I am also unsure if I use a soil if I need to use extra nutrients or fertilizers, or simply water. Any tips or links to guides are appreciated. Most things I read on soil suggest “Fox farms” but that is not readily available in Australia. So trying to find info about what Australian growers use, I found this tip (Bunnings is a chain of building and gardening suppliers): “I had pretty good results from Yates Potting Mix (with dynamic lifter)...it was about $10 a bag from bunnings. I add about 20% perlite to make it drain a bit better (also available from bunnings). Stay away from the cheap brand name potting mixes, they are crap and it's difficult to get seedlings started in them in my experience.” This sounds great, but I am not sure if (a) this is meant just for seedlings or if it can be used for the whole grow and ( will this need extra nutrients and fertilizer, and if so what types and how much? POTS I am not sure if I need to start seedlings in small pots then transfer for larger pots or “grow bags” after they reach a certain size? Or can I plant directly into the larger pots and stay there? Also, I am unsure if I need to have trays at the bottom of the pots – some things I read say you do otherwise you are just wasting water and nutrients when it comes out the bottom of the pot, others say let that water drain away as it will cause root rot. I hope to place orders for equipment later this week.. does this look like an OK plan? I have a couple of other questions I cannot seem to find info on: When you are in a 12/12 light cycle for flowering, do people have the light on udring the day or night? My thinking is it would be at night as it would be cooler then and the light would maintain a better temp, but during the day it is hotter so keep light off then? Also, when you have the light off during flowering and this was during the night, do you need to keep the fan running ie never turn off ventilation? Thanks in advance for any information or tips. I plan on uploading a grow diary once it starts. Its_Always_420