1st grow... practice for my Alaskan Ice seeds

Hey all

I'm growing 2 bag seeds before I start my AI seeds. I want to be sure I learn how to do everything properly. I'm going to try to clone one I think... just to see if I do it right. I started them about a week ago. I'm using 6 daylight 6500k fluoros. 2 of them are 100w equivalent and the rest are 75 watt equivalent. Thats all I could afford for now. Theyre a couple inches above them and a 4' tube on the side. I got Foxfarm Ocean soil and perlite. They seem to be doing alright... not really growing as quickly as I wished, but then again... I have to admit I've been obsessing over them, checking on them like 3 times a day lol. Theyre around an inch right now. I got the lights off for 4 hours at night.

I bought a 400w HPS bulb, but I'm a little confused as to how I use it. I know I need a ballast, which I dont have the money for now anyways, but I dont know how to set it up or anything.

Oh... also, I have both closet doors closed at all times... I try to crack one open as much as possible, but I have 3 cats and theyre all troublemakers. So I'm a bit skeptical. I do have a fan in there and its been on them for a day now. I open the doors about 2-3 times a day. Should there be more ventilation? Its a pretty big closet... about 5 feet wide 2 feet deep.

Sorry for all the questions! I'm just nervous lol.

Pics to come soon!

Nobody?

Ok well I'm gonna be posting pics in a minute!

ok heres the pics. I just moved them from little styrofoam cups to these 5 gal pots yesterday. They seem to be doing ok. The one on the left is curling or wilting and its been like that for acout a week now. I'm not sure what to do...

I germinated one of my alaskan ice seeds, but after transplanting these bag seeds, I dont have any more soil or pots. I'm thinking about dumping one of these seedlings to make room. Which one looks better?

Also, does my setup look okay? The fan is on during the 20 hours of light & it turns constantly so it blows around both of them.

Okay the bagseeds are almost 3 weeks old now... theyre doing pretty good. I decided not to start my AI's yet. I'm gonna wait till these are done. Just got some Jacks Classic Houseplant food for them. Couldnt find regular Jacks Classic anywhere but online. I'm gonna buy it for my next grow... the AI's. Either that or something from FF. Heres some pics. Just turned up the power on the fan & started feeding them the nutes 1/4 strength two days ago.

So... going on one month tomorrow. I think theyre growing really slow.. I mean theyre only like three inches tall maybe and its been a month! Why is this? Maybe I am overwatering... I mean I water a little bit almost everyday... not a lot but a little... and I only water that often because the soil gets so dry even if I stick my finger like an inch or so down its bone dry... I think its because the lights are in the pots and so close to the soil. Ugh I just want to get a damn ballast for my 400w HPS but I'm so broke right now its not even funny. I actually found a 400w ballast/reflector & hps bulb online for like a little over 100 bucks, which I think it really cheap. I'm gonna try and buy it and sell my 400w bulb I have now.

giving them those nutrients so young fucked up there growth. never ever give nutes until at least the 2 1/2 weeks mark. and they should have 5 to 6 full sets of fan leafs by then. how they lookin now?
over watering will make them stop growing also. i water mine every 5 days. they thrive when the top 3 inches of the soil is dusty dry. bone dry. then water em.
if you can get the 400 going do it as soon as possible. im using a 400 in this spot and these plants are 2 1/2 weeks old. maybe 3 now.
probably three weeks old from the time they sprouted. sorry they came up on march 10th or 11th so they are a month old now. 4 weeks almost exactly. these are all under a 400 hps. those lamps kick ass