Changed my set up once again! Advice/comments/concerns? (pics included)

I love this site. You guys are so awesome at responded to my threads every time I post. I have really improved my grow operation just in the last 3 days because of the advice and comments you folks have shared, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!

Ok so I started off with a pretty poor grow op, that consisted of a hanger rack, cardboard box and 1 45-watt Gro-Lite, and 11 seedlings crammed into one 3-gallon pot. ( I KNOW, I KNOW, terrible idea! )

Now I have a 6 ft tall x 1.5 ft. deep x 3.5 ft. wide grow space completely wrapped in white reflective growing material (92% reflective). One 150watt HPS SunSystem grow light, and two 150watt CFL's. I have 4 plants in each pot, and I know this is a mistake, but it is the only thing I can do for now until I know the sex of my babies. I have also recently discovered a few black adult male aphids investigating my plants. I immediately began treatment with some organic insecticide I bought at my local horticulture store.

PLEASE GIVE AS MUCH AS ADVICE AS YOU FEEL FIT....AS I AM CONSTANTLY TRYING TO IMPROVE MY GROW OPERATION. THANK YOU FOLKS FOR YOUR TIME AND ADVICE. HAPPY GROWING TO ALL, AND GOOD LUCK!






My ARSENAL


There are two small fans on the top, to help circulate, I have a much larger fan underneath the pots, and one big box fan blowing air through a slit in the grow op and circulating air around the room.


How do my babies look? They have a few small dots of brown that just showed up today, not sure what it is...maybe those damn aphids?!?






I just bought this stuff today...I haven't used it yet. My plants are in FoxFarm Ocean Forest Soil. I figured the soil has good enough levels of N-P-K without needing any added fertilizers. Is this right? Or, should I go ahead and start using the fertilizer?

Thanks again for taking a look guys...hope you have some good advice for me!

I can't get past the multiple plants in one pot.

Good luck!

I know wbd....I'm sorry that this disappoints you so much. I promise, that in like 2 weeks, when they have become strong enough to transplant again....I will give them the proppor space they need. Will they have enough space to mature in like 1-2 gallon pots. I have 8 plants and I am shooting for at least 6 females. If this is true I was planning on putting two plants per 3-gallon pot. Which I know is not the greatest of ideas, but if they can mature in a small pot, I will do it!

wbd....aside from the cramped space, what do you think of my set, soil? Lighting? Fertilizer? Fans? Aphid control?

I'll comment on the lighting...

I don't think those are true 150W CFL's, they are 42's... 150W incandescent equivalent.

That being said, you probably should think about limiting your grow to 2 females. Anything more and you're spreading your light too thin...

FFOF soil is what I use. You don't need any nutes for the first 2-3 weeks. After that start with a small dose of veg nutes about every other watering. Try and keep the "nute water" off the leaves.

Just my .02

wbd said:

I'll comment on the lighting...

I don't think those are true 150W CFL's, they are 42's... 150W incandescent equivalent.

That being said, you probably should think about limiting your grow to 2 females. Anything more and you're spreading your light too thin...

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So what is the difference....do they not give off nearly as many lumens? Should I switch to true CFL's/And where can I buy true CFL's? Thanks for the help.

HighLowGrow said:

FFOF soil is what I use. You don't need any nutes for the first 2-3 weeks. After that start with a small dose of veg nutes about every other watering. Try and keep the "nute water" off the leaves.

Just my .02

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The Happy Frog Fertilizer I have with 7-4-5 is in like bead form....I was told by the horticulture store that I can actually introduce small doses of this fertilizer by sprinkling atop the soil and letting it seep into the soil via water cycle. Is this correct, what do you reccomend?

DrGREENthumb85 said:

So what is the difference....do they not give off nearly as many lumens? Should I switch to true CFL's/And where can I buy true CFL's? Thanks for the help.

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When we talk about CFL wattage, you go by the true wattage, not the incandescent equivalents. So, when you tell ppl what you have say you have 42W CFL's. And yeah, just like with HID's or anything else, the more watts the more light they put out.

You have "true" CFL's, they are just 42W that's all. And 2 42's plus your 150W HID will be fine for only 2 plants.

ok so personally id go to your hydro store or nursery or even walmart and buy 4" pots then can get pretty big in those so they can be seperated........ i think i pay like 30 cents each for them ???? worth it so roots dont tangle up ya know???? very nice adition top your grow good luck!

8 plants 2 pots? explain away.. pls ty

cannabutt said:

8 plants 2 pots? explain away.. pls ty

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There is no logic behind 8 plants in 2 pots....merely ignorance...It's my first grow, and I had transplanted them recently into these pots. I am waiting for them to strengthen for a couple of weeks, before I can transplant them again(had not searched for advice til recently) ....I was originally going to try and grow 2 plants per 2-gallon pot(space is a problem), but I guess thats a no go.

motoxmom said:

ok so personally id go to your hydro store or nursery or even walmart and buy 4" pots then can get pretty big in those so they can be seperated........ i think i pay like 30 cents each for them ???? worth it so roots dont tangle up ya know???? very nice adition top your grow good luck!

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So transplant them into tiny pots, and let them mature in those? Wouldn't it be smarter to grow 2 plants per 3-gallon pot?

no its better to veg them alone in a smaller pot i grow mine to 12" + in my 4" pots as long as they dont get root bound that way you have time to try and sex em. but from what ive read they need to be 3 or so weeks in flower to sex em. but if space is a issue individual smaller pots is the way to go.

one plant per pot! the roots grow down, out 2x faster than plant! roots need space dude!

motoxmom said:

no its better to veg them alone in a smaller pot i grow mine to 12" + in my 4" pots as long as they dont get root bound that way you have time to try and sex em. but from what ive read they need to be 3 or so weeks in flower to sex em. but if space is a issue individual smaller pots is the way to go.

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Will it stunt the growth of the plants significantly being in the much smaller pots...or should I just grow them in small pots, and pick two healthy females and transplant them a 4th time into 2 big pots? Sorry for soo many questions...I just want to get a great yeild and i dont wanna give up 6 plants.

cannabutt said:

one plant per pot! the roots grow down, out 2x faster than plant! roots need space dude!

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so i literally transplanted them 2 days ago in some FFOF. Is it safe to go ahead and transplant them again right now into individual pots?

DrGREENthumb85 said:

so i literally transplanted them 2 days ago in some FFOF. Is it safe to go ahead and transplant them again right now into individual pots?

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before the roots get knotted would be safe

so yes today is fine?

If they are not showing transplant shock, (droopy, kinda look underwatered) I would seperate them now before the roots tangle and then you have to nurse back some damaged roots, stopping growth.