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Hello (: New grower here. I could use lots of advice.
Enclosure I have a 55gal fish tank on a stand that's 30" high, 16" deep, 47" length. I am using the space underneath the aquarium, inside the cabinet.
I wrapped aluminum foil around flattened cardboard boxes so I could modularize the walls for easy rearrangement, if need-be. Now, I read on here that aluminum foil is a bad idea because of hot spots. Is it really THAT bad for the small setup I have here? I saw a couple people mentioned using white poster board and printer paper instead, but I felt like that seemed worse an idea with humidity and water being involved. I also read that I SHOULDN'T use the shiny side. o.o so I might be changing that around tonight.
Lighting
I am using a single 60W output fluorescent. That being said, my plant is growing very slowly, probably indicating it isn't getting enough light. (Though to be fair, I also probably interrupt its dark cycle a lot.) A second light may be purchased soon, but first I want to figure out a non-ghetto way for supporting the lights. Currently, the light is being held up by a wooden board (behind the aluminum-foil covered cardboard) and another light enclosure (closest to you in photo).
If you have suggestions for an easy adjustable rack that would fit in such a small place, please do tell! Even DIY design ideas. I'm really struggling on that end.
The light is on a 12/12 timer. I read on another site that I can grow keeping it on 12/12 and keeps the plants small, so that's why.
Circulation
Pretty sure I need a bigger fan, but I was experimenting. I took the CPU fan off an old computer and turned it into an AC-Adapter usable fan. (fyi: cut off yellow wire, cut off connector, put red inside an appliance adapter (i think mine was from a cell phone charger) and the black cord on the metal outside. electrical tape together.) Oh and the metal "stand" it has is actually a bra underwire I shoved in there :x (lmao, in training to be miss mcguyver)
The fan is pointed at the plant and moves it enough to keep the plant's stems pretty strong. I imagine air circulation is well enough because I didn't completely cave in the whole space with aluminum foil. there is a big space in the back which isn't even cabinet, but opens up into the room.
I think it's a good idea, a decent start, but needs a lot of advice.
So that's why I'm here. Also, looks like I will be putting two plants in it, got another seed to sprout today. (:
First off, don't sweat the foil, people that tell you otherwise, probably aren't growers in the first place. No, its not the best reflective surface in the world. it'll work fine, those hot spots.. yeah, gonna burn your house down, just kidding.
Far as lighting goes, if you could get a model number off your current light and google it you'll be able to find out specs and what the color temp. is. You want something between 5000-6500k for vegetative growth(pre bud phase) and that will contribute to keeping your plant small and helping it bush out a little. And if you could add any other lights, it can only help.
Fan department, yes, you could use more. The good news is, that will get you by for a little while, later on you could add one or two more and setup someway for one to pull in air from outside the cab, and one to push out. Be creative, Macgyver skills will be your best friend when you get into this hobby.
Lastly and most importantly, beware you are gonna get flogged on this site, we have hardly any girls, and what seems like lots of horny teenagers. Aside from the security reasons, I may change my avatar if I were you because being a pretty girl is only gonna add to what I'm talking about. You may want the attention though, I don't know.. Just a forewarning.
PS, The aqua globes probably won't do too well in this application, again, no clue, just saw the "foil frame" and figured I'd put it out there.
-------------------- If you ain't smokin' dro, you're smokin' reggie.
Hey thanks! I appreciate the input! I do like the idea of adding a fan in the back to pull air in. That will be pretty easy to do.
My light is a Lights of America 18" Model 7000E w/ F15T8 bulb. Color Temp is 5000K
What do you think about Aquarium Plant lights?? It says 2700K, but they must be good for plants, right?
LOL @ Aqua globes comment! I grow lots of other things (sage, herbs) that I'm much more lazy about taking care of, hehe...
Also, I figure by showing that I'm a female people will be nicer to me when/if I say something stupid >.> and maybe feel more inclined to help me (: (so manipulative, I know...)
Aquarium lights aren't great, but they'll help till you get something a little better.
Honestly you're smart for doing that, because like I said, once they all wake up, you'll get plenty of replies. Its sad, you see some people come on here without a clue, and they ask the most easy, common sense questions and expect people to hold their hand.. When that doesn't happen they get angry, yell at our good members and make a new username and ask the same question in a different format. I was thinking when I first replied to you, "hell maybe shes a boy thats actually smart and knows how to work the forums." No offense, just something that passed through my head.
The way I see it, if you have the power to manipulate, and get what you want over the internet, go for it!
-------------------- If you ain't smokin' dro, you're smokin' reggie.
I have 190W in fluro tubes over my fishtank, one of them is plant specific and the others are marked daylight, if you have plant specific ones that would be better as they have a wider spectrum for plants than the daylight ones which are designed more for illumination of the tank than plant requirements and should be replaced every 6months to a year. Both would be good enough to get younger plants off and running but I would really consider switching to CFL asap.
And with only that much hight in the area are you going to use any training tek's? I would tie the plant down in a few weeks and possibly put a scrog on
@T-rex: Right now my fish tank has mostly tiger barbs, a crayfish, and some red finned tetras. I had a pair of Angelfish in it for six years, but they died a few months ago Are those Cichlids? I think I see a Gourami? :P
I didn't think my plant would get very tall, but since you mentioned scrog I went ahead and looked into it and I like that idea. Took some measurements and will purchase the materials sometime this week. Looks like it works well with fluorescent. I was looking at CFLs last night as well, but decided I want to find a lighting fixture that can work with what I've got. The ceiling of the cabinet is essentially glass because of the fish tank on top. I have a couple ideas, we'll see...
So anyway, I woke up this morning and found that my room smells like pot. And I don't mean because I was smoking it. LOL. I got a bigger fan to put in the cabinet, not only for the smell, but I also realized it's getting a bit warm. I'm actually really digging the smell. love it. How "bad" does it get? Is it going to smell up a 1500 sq ft home? LOL...
Oh, also covered a miller light box with aluminum foil facing shiny side down, and it IS indeed brighter this way. Good call, wherever I read that.
That fish was my male German blue ram, and you did indeed spot one of my larger blue Gourami's I have a really mixed tropical community tank with some smaller chichlids and the 4 Gourami's then I have some bristle nose pleco's, clown loaches, peppered loaches and a teenage Featherfin Catfish. I love fish!
As for the smell, it will definitely get alot stronger, and when it hits flowering you will notice it as soon as you walk in if your worried then you can pick up a carbon scrubber, or possibly even make your own with a grow this small; It will neutralize the smell 100%
And if you have a look at my grow, I'm tying my plant down throughout veg and so far I've kept them under 10" tall almost 50days in
I read somewhere that I need to use 3000 lumens per sq ft. Since I'm pretty much working with just one plant, could I actually just use one bulb for veg if it's this one:
if link doesn't work, specs: Comparable Incandescent: 275W Voltage: 120 Base Type: Medium Base (E26) CRI (color rendering index): 82 Average Hours: 10000 Lumens: 4000 Total Length(inches): 8.39 Energy Star Certified: NO UPC Code: 836701001950 Color Temp: 5000K Uses 65W
Specs: Comparable Incandescant: 100W Voltage: 120 Base Type: Medium Base (E26) CRI (color rendering index): 82 Average Hours: 10000 Lumens: 1600 Total Length(inches): 4.53 Energy Star Certified: YES UPC Code: 836701001554 Color Temp: 2700K
Looking for suggestions (: I was pretty keen on using fluorescent tubes, really, just because it's easier for me to mount and I have a billion of those fixtures laying around for my fish tanks... but that doesn't seem too efficient. Or is it?
Brand MaxLite Part No. 11212 Wattage 40 Watt Voltage 120 Volt Base Type Medium (E26) Bulb Color Warm White Bulb Shape 5U Dimmable No Color Temperature 2700K CRI 84 Diameter 3.5 in. Length (M.O.L.) 7.1 in. Incandescent Equal 200 Watt Life Hours 10,000 Lumens (Initial) 3,000 Start Temp. (Min) 0 Deg. F Warranty 12 Months UL Listed Indoor Use Only Case Quantity 6
INITIAL lumens? Is that thing gonna burn down my aquarium? lmao
I'm pretty sure the rule of thumb is you want close to 50W/sqft or more, but I wasn't running my box with that much light, and I haven't done the math yet but I'm I'm pretty sure I'm still not . You can still use the florescent tube, but adding that 275W CFL would help alot. CFL's don't have the best spectrum for flowering, but that doesn't mean you can't use them to flower with quality results
Pretty sure my first time grow from bag seed just revealed gender this morning:
I'm quite happy, though I wish I made a grow journal.
In case anyone is looking to do something similar, I only made one addition since the last time you heard from me. I got 2 6500K Daylight CFL's and put them in an aquarium hood which now also sits alongside my Lights of America under-cab fluorescent.
I have stayed at 12/12 since seed and kept 6500K lighting. I don't think I will switch to 2700K at all, unless you think it would make that much of a difference.
I read a lot about nutrients and decided I'd just go my own way with it. I bought Miracle Gro singles which is 24-8-16... which is completely off from anything I've read that this plant needs. I've been really sloppy about this nutrient situation and I think it did cause my plant to suffer a bit. First of all, my plant is pretty small (may be due to other factors), secondly, growth has slowed down immensely (I'm not sure if that's normal though, could be other factors). I mixed the singles into a 16oz solo cup, filled with water, then fed it a shot glass once a week. This is horribly off from the directions on the bag btw and I advise not being lazy like me and buying the right stuff.
I have a lot more reading to do now that I'm in the next stage...
I still have not done anything about the smell. I love it and it hasn't yet gone past my bedroom door, so it's not too bad for me. I live in a house. Would recommend a solution if you live in an apartment.
Also, I haven't put any training techs on it bc it seems to be doing that on its own >.>... it's winding itself around the outer edge of the pot and curling in. I finally put a couple ties in it the other night just to secure it, but didn't really need it. I don't know what I'm going to do with these other branches that are forming, but i'll deal with that as it comes. I do like the SCROG method, and may try that in the future, but first I think I need to learn how to make sturdier stemmed plants.
Hey, atleast its a girl! you would be wise to find something to feed it with that doesn't have such a high first number(Nitrogen), even if you could find a 10-10-10 or the like, that would be much better..
-------------------- If you ain't smokin' dro, you're smokin' reggie.
Yeah, that sites instructions lack just a little bit.. You usually wanna leave only one set of leaves, plus the growth tip. And the leaves that are left, if they're not tiny, you cut about 1/4 to a 1/2 of it off so that it no longer forms a point and it has a square end. Cutting down on leaves keeps them from drying out too quickly.
Mine usually look a little something like this one I did earlier today:
Also, forget the misting unless you're gonna be around always, I mean, What I am trying to say is that you need something thats gonna hold the moisture is. Some type of humidity dome, or a plastic bin, whatever you can find. You want it vented a little, but not too much. That way you can mist once twice a day and the humidity stay high enough for the plant to survive. If you just leave it in open air waiting for it to root, you literally need to be misting it every two hours or so. Far as cloning gel, lot of people like Clonex or Olivia's. I have rooted clones in nothing but water without too much trouble though, so its not super important, but it can speed things up a bit. I personally use a solution called K-L-N made my Dyna-Gro, got a big bottle for $8, I like cheap the best.
-------------------- If you ain't smokin' dro, you're smokin' reggie.
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Are those Cichlids? I think I see a Gourami? :P
I have a really mixed tropical community tank with some smaller chichlids and the 4 Gourami's then I have some bristle nose pleco's, clown loaches, peppered loaches and a teenage Featherfin Catfish. I love fish!
